Worldwide briefing

Essential news from around the world… Airtours buys into Cyprus hotel group UK-based tour operator Airtours has bought a 20% stake in Cypriot hotel group Aqua Sol for £26.9m. The two companies will co-operate on the development of hotels in Greece and the eastern Mediterranean. Aqua Sol runs 39 hotels, most of them in Cyprus. New York occupancy dips The addition of more than 3,000 new hotel rooms in Manhattan resulted in a 7.6% dip in occupancy and a 5.8% drop in revenue per available room during the first three months of 2001, says a survey from hospitality consultancy HVS International and New York University. Derby win for Compass Levy Restaurants, the US sports and events catering wing of Compass Group, has won the contract to cater at the Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, home of the Kentucky Derby. It will cater for more than one million guests a year. Red Sea timeshare Marriott Vacation Club, the timeshare division of Marriott International, is to open its first resort in Egypt. The 104-villa resort, near Sharm El Sheikh, should be ready by February 2002. Isrotel opens tenth property Isrotel has opened its sixth hotel in Eilat and its tenth in Israel. The Royal Garden Suites boasts 343 suites with two or three rooms each and was developed at a cost of $85m (£62m). Brazilian Choice Choice Hotels International has signed contracts for the opening of five more hotels in Brazil under the Quality and Comfort brand names. They will be operated by hotel management company Atlantica Hotels International and have a total of 524 bedrooms.