Dubai hotels see biggest losses in the region

Dubai hotels saw the biggest falls in revenue in the region in the first half of 2009, according to a survey of key Middle East cities published on Tuesday.Hotels in 22 cities in the region witnessed an average 10.9 percent decrease in occupancies and a 17.2 percent drop in revenue per available room (RevPAR), an industry benchmark, said a report by US hospitality research firm STR Global and Deloitte & Touche Middle East.

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More Taxes in new York City

THE SALES TAX in New York City went up a half point on Saturday, making that morning coffee just a little bit dearer. New Yorkers, who were already paying more than 8% in city sales tax, will be annoyed. But another, less noticed tax increase has some people even more upset. Last month, New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, signed a law that will extend the city's hotel occupancy tax to all fees charged by hotel room resellers like travel agents and online travel sites.

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http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2009/08/more_taxes_in_new_york_city.cfm