Worldwide briefing
Nasdaq float
US restaurant group Smith & Wollensky has floated on the Nasdaq stock market. The group owns nine restaurants and manages a further five, operating in New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Miami, Washington DC, Las Vegas and Philadelphia. It aims to use the money raised to help fund new restaurants. On its first day of trading, its shares fell by 8.6%.
Zambian Sun
Sun International, the South African gaming and hotel group, has opened two hotels in the Zambian resort of Livingstone, near Victoria Falls. The three-star Zambezi Sun and five-star Royal Livingstone are estimated to have cost $55.8m (£39.5m) and are located in the Mosi-Oa-Tunya Wildlife Park.
Tulips bloom for NH
Spanish hotel group NH Hoteles has bought two hotels in the Netherlands to add to its Golden Tulip chain. They are the 163-bedroom Golden Tulip Museum Quarter in Amsterdam and the 68-bedroom Golden Tulip Rijnhotel in Arnhem.
Accor's canada move
French hotel group Accor is to enter a long-term management contract to run the 259-bedroom Sofitel hotel in Montreal, Canada. This marks Sofitel's first move into Canada and boosts Accor's North American presence. The hotel is due to open in spring 2002.
Peru refurbishment
Orient-Express has completed its four-month refurbishment of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge in Peru. The 31-bedroom hotel closed between January and mid-May to carry out the work.
