Evening star., 1923-01-25
HOTEL MEN EXPECT
BIGGEST YEAR YET
Remarkable Outlook Based
on Prosperity and Greatly
Increased Travel.
STEADY. FLOW OF GUESTS
Better Buying Habits" Said to
Have Offset Revenues of Former
Wet Days.
BY j. G.. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch 10 The Star.
NEW YORK, January 25.-Hotel
men throughout the entire country
are preparing today for one of the
biggest years they have ever known.
That fact was confirmed by managers
and proprietors in a dozen cities in
various sections. OF more impor-
tance, however are the reasons for
their expectations. These are based
on the general Improvement in bust
ness conditions and prosperity through
out the United States.
Every indication points to re-
markable year for New York's
hotels" Arthur l.. Lee. manager of
the McAlpine and Martinique, said
today. Talks l have had recently
with business men in every line and
from every part of the country, all
carry the same message. All these
men look for increased business in
1929. averaging from 35 to so per
cent above the figures for last year.
THE immense building programs
throughout the country offer another
favorable sign to many. From the
middle west and southwest sections.
from which New York looks for its
largest volume of hotel business,
come reports that the business situa-
tion is especially promising, with cot
ton. corn. whea% and hogs bringing
steadily good prices.
Steady Travel Seen.
"All this means increased travel to-
ward business centerS and break
ing up of the former seasonal trav-
el business. Instead a regular flow
of guests will be the rule which can
be counted on to keep hotels comfort
ably full all the time. In former
years buyers fiocked to market cen
ters once or twice a year. In poor
seasons the proprietor or one or two
buyers purchased for an entire estab
lishment or system. The return of
better business conditions means that
each department head and more often
staff from each department will
come to market. not once or twice,
but many times year to keep pace
with home sales"
F. A. Muschenheim, president of the
New York Hotel Mems Association,
declared that hotels undoubtedly were
an excellent barometer of business
expect a record volume of trade. He
declared. however, that while travel
had improved, trips to large centers
had lost d good deal of their novelty,
visited New York, Chicago, Kansas
City. San Francisco and other centers
formerly took his family with him.
he now makes his trips alone, except
once or possibly twice year
Buying Offsets "Night Life"
The so-called might life" of the
various cities no longer furnishes
opportunities for spending, which the
hotels utilized to their advantage.
Mr. MuSchenheim said, but the steady
volume of business and better buy
ing habits" has more than compen-
stated for the blows which prohibi-
tion dealt to gross receipts.
Both Mr. Lee and Mr.. Muschenheim
pointed out that while some of the
OUTLYING residential" hotels might
be able to shade rates in isolated
cases. any general decrease in prices
was extremely unlikely, in view of the
upward trend in cotton. linen, coal,
food and other commodities. Mr.. Lee
declared that his houses had been
able to retain the rates reduced mack
| in 1922 through increased volume or
business
Many More Conventions.
Conventions are gaining in num-
! bers and in attendance. accordlns TO
; hotel men in Atlantic City. Spokane.
! Denver, San Francisco and other
/ cities. The winter tourist season,
now at it's height, is proving the
| business Improvement when t"oa t"ob
| place in the final months OF lSZZ.
| sections of the south already are
| reaping a harvest, and the volume OF
traffic to seashore and mountains next
summer already has been prepared
! for by erection of additional hotels
and Improvement in passenger scheo-
ules by the railroads.
Perhaps the most significant fea-
ture in connection with tourist traVel
| this winter is that the bulk OF IT IS
coming from the agricultural states