Hotels – Trademark infringement is serious business
Call it a sweet place to stay, but don’t call it Hershey.
That’s the word from Hershey, PA-based Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company, which is suing the Radisson hotel chain for what the company claims is trademark infringement. The alleged infringement occurred when Radisson renamed one of its hotels last year, changing from Radisson Penn Harris to Radisson Harrisburg Hershey. Hershey claims it has exclusive rights to use the name Hershey in connection with “other goods and services, hotel, lodging and resort facility services.” Hershey contends that the Radisson is trying to trick travelers and damage the Hershey brand because it’s not in Hershey. The hotel is located approximately 14 miles west of Hershey.
Almost every state in the country has been experiencing below freezing weather this year. The mid-west and northeast states have been hit hard by the freezing weather. These states are used to this type of winter weather. The southern states, such as Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina are normally immune to the long periods of freezing weather. Not so during the winter of 2010 and 2011.
That 2009 wasn’t the best of years for the hotel industry is an understatement. According to at least one published report, it was the worst since 1932 in terms of revenue decline. And the expenses are still there, if not mounting. The largest price tag to hotels – labor costs. They take up nearly 33 percent of revenue and nearly 46 percent of operating costs.
As oil from the Gulf of Mexico’s spill inched toward land, hotels along the Gulf became increasingly nervous. By the beginning of June, hotels were already reporting higher cancellation rates and more vacancies during peak season than ever. Amid increasing media coverage and high speculation on not if, but when the oil would make landfall, two hotels in Key West made a pre-emptive move – they are offering guests a clean beach guarantee.
On a recent trip, a friend stayed at a large hotel chain in a metro area. Her stays at this hotel chain have always been good, so she was confident in her choice.