Worldwide briefing
Safety body agreed
The Council of Ministers of the European Union (EU) has finally agreed on the setting-up of a new European Food Safety Authority. Its primary role will be scientific risk assessment and helping EU member countries to identify emerging food safety risks.
Cancellations blow
Profit at Indian Hotels fell by 83.3% in the three months to 31 December 2001. Profit was down from 361.5m rupees (£5.3m) in 2000, to 60.1m rupees (£876,538) in 2001. Turnover was down by 33% to 1.34b rupees (£19.5m), from 2b rupees (£29.2m) in 2000. The company blamed booking cancellations following 11 September.
Accor to step in
Accor is to take over management of the 549-bedroom Jin Jiang Oriental Tower Hotel, owned by the East Jin Jiang Corporation group, in Shanghai's Pudong district. The hotel will operate under the Sofitel name from the second quarter of 2002.
Sol's swiss switch
Spanish hotel group Sol Meli is to open its first four-star hotels in Switzerland. The 47-bedroom Meliá Carlton in Lausanne will open in June 2002 and the 75-bedroom Meli Rex in Geneva in 2003.
Starwood thai move
Starwood Hotels & Resorts is to manage the 246-bedroom Krabi Beach Resort in Thailand. The hotel, Starwood's fifth in Thailand, is on a 19-acre site of Khlong Muang Beach. It has five restaurants, a health club, spa, tennis and squash courts, and two meeting rooms.
