Worldwide briefing

Essential news from around the world… Smoking row down under The Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union in Australia has attacked the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) as "deceitful and dishonest" over the issue of passive smoking in the workplace. The union has set up a "passive smoking register" in the state of Victoria as the first step of a campaign to make hospitality workplaces smoke-free. Westin to open in Warsaw Starwood Hotels & Resorts is to open a five-star, 366-bedroom Westin Hotel in the centre of Warsaw, Poland. The hotel is being built at a cost of €79.5m (£47.5m). Best Western adds 80 Marketing consortium Best Western added 80 new hotels during the first three months of 2001, the company said this week. It now has nearly 4,000 hotels in 80 countries. Dorint sales up by 24% Germany-based hotel group Dorint saw turnover rise by 24% to DM806m during 2000. Pre-tax profit reached DM2.3m, up from DM333,000 in 1999. Dorint said the increases were due to improvements in the German hotel market as a whole leading to improved occupancy and room rates. It also added seven new hotels during the year. Dorint has 78 hotels in nine countries. Australia holds firm Occupancy rates in Australia grew slightly to an average 73% during 2000, according to the latest Hotel Industry Benchmark Survey from consultants Andersen. Room rates grew by 7% to AS$153 (£54.85). Accor adds luxury in China Accor is opening two new five-star hotels in China. The 319-bedroom Sofitel Wanda Chengdu will open in spring 2002 and the 370-bedroom Sofitel Jinsui Shenyang shortly afterwards. New resort hotel in Monaco The Société des Bains de Mer is to open a new luxury resort in Monaco in 2003. The hotel will have 330 bedrooms and a 130-seat fine dining restaurant.