MGM Resorts International has appointed Paul Salem to the Company's Board of Directors

MGM Resorts International has announced it has appointed Paul Salem to the Company's Board of Directors. With his appointment, the Company's Board has been expanded from 12 to 13 directors.

Mr. Salem is a distinguished leader with over 26 years of experience in the financial services industry

He joined Providence Equity in 1992, where he has served in several leadership positions and been instrumental in establishing the firm's London office, helping to create Benefit Street Partners, Providence's credit affiliate and leading the acquisition of Merganser Capital. Prior to joining Providence Equity, He worked for Morgan Stanley in corporate finance and mergers and acquisition, and for Prudential Investment Corporation, an affiliate of Prudential Insurance, in private placement financings and leveraged buyout transactions.

 He currently serves as a director of Grupo TorreSur. He previously served as a director of Asurion, Eircom, Madison River Telecom, MetroNet (formerly AT&T Canada), PanAmSat, Tele1 Europe, Verio, Wired Magazine and several other Providence investments.

Marriott International grows footprint in Bali

Aloft Hotels, Marriott International’s very trendy hotel brand, announced the opening of Aloft Bali Seminyak. Located in the heart of vibrant Seminyak, the brand-new, urban-inspired hotel features interactive social spaces and modern style, along with a fresh new social scene to Bali as the first Aloft hotel to open on the island.

It is set to own the stage as the hottest gathering hub for travelers visiting the well-known social scene of Seminyak.

112 Room Hotel Coming to the San Antonio Riverwalk

Harris Bay announces the ARTISTA HOTEL, a lifestyle and art-centric boutique hotel along the world-famous San Antonio Riverwalk

. The hotel site was purchased in late April 2019 and will be transformed into a new 112-room boutique hotel with a focus on celebrating the contributions of the creative community, both local and beyond.

It will focus on authentic local culture, a genuine appreciation for design, and unique experiences that connect a community of travelers through a hotel that defies the conventional notions of luxury.

It is a place where visitors hangout alongside locals, featuring a lobby that is open to all and a vibrant restaurant and bar scene that offers all day eating and drinking

CREO, a San Antonio based architectural firm, will be the lead designer on the project and will be exploring some unique design and program features including bunkrooms replacing some of the traditional suites

Robots are taking over hospitality industry

International vacationers and travelers believe that robots are best used for unpleasant and strenuous tasks such as disposing of garbage, cleaning, and carrying and storing heavy items, says a new study from Ball State University.

The study examined how 1,676 respondents from 103 countries and territories feel about the use of automated machines in these sectors

The study found:

• People perceive that robots should not be used in position that require sophisticated judgment calls.

• The public seems to be generally accepting of using robots to deliver services at receptions in hotels and other facilities.

• In general, respondents consider robots as suitable for housekeeping tasks, and show support for robot use for laundry.

• The respondents show a willingness to have robots do many tasks in the food service industry, apart from preparing food.

• The data from the survey show a great deal of skepticism in terms of accepting the use of self-driving vehicles, whether a car, train, bus, ship, or airplane. Self-driving airplanes are the technology that respondents seem to be most against.

• The data suggest that customers expect that the use of robots will cause a reduction in costs to them as end consumers of services.

“Implementing robots in these industries should be done in a cautious way that enables customers to see the benefits, keeping service levels high and cutting the cost of services to the end-user, "

“The future is more automated and travel, tourism, and hospitality industries have to realize the transformation is already here,”

“The technologies that allow for automation improve in quality by the day and the demographics in developed countries illustrate a long-term labor shortage in service industries,”