Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.travel From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: travel Thu, Feb 27 1992 Date: Thu, 27 Feb 92 06:04:26 EST Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: Travel USA TODAY Update Feb. 27, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network WORD IS ITT MAY DROP SHERATON: ITT may be considering shedding its Sheraton hotels. Shares of ITT Wednesday soared 5 1:4 to $65 1:4 on news ITT may spin off its assets, such as Sheraton. The Financial Times Wednesday quoted ITT Chairman Rand Araskog saying Sheraton "could easily be a stand-alone company. Its major competitors - Marriott, Hilton, Trusthouse Forte - are all independent companies." (For more, see special Sheraton package below.) AIRFARE HIKE GETS SUPPORT: United Airlines' attempt to raise airfares last week has gotten some support. Earlier this week, Northwest Airlines agreed to go along with a 2% across-the-board fare increase effective March 3. Northwest first said it would raise fares just for business travelers, but later reversed the decision, a move some analysts say was prompted by pressure from other airlines. AMERICAN, DELTA UNDECIDED: USAir and Alaska Air already have agreed to match United Airlines' fare increase plan now supported by Northwest Airlines. But two key players, American and Delta, say they still are studying the matter. Continental and America West also are undecided. PHONE FOR ROOMS IN MEXICO: Vacationers to Mexico may want to use a new toll-free number, 800-866-3942, for reserving a room with any member of the Mexico City Hotel and Motel Association as well as the Aristos hotel chain in Cancun, Ixtapa, Puebla and Acapulco. The line, operated by the hotel association and Houston-based Cibertec, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST and accepts reservations from a day to a year ahead. EVERGLADES ADDS RECYCLING: Florida's Everglades this week became the sixth national park with a recycling program. USA TODAY research shows that in 1990, 7,066 32-gallon garbage cans of recycled materials were claimed from the other parks. In 1991, 18,282 cans full of recyclables were filled at the parks. FLOWER SHOWS SHAKE OFF WINTER: A trip to one of the flurry of forthcoming flower and garden shows nationwide can help shake off winter blahs. One of the most noteworthy is Ameriflora '92 in Columbus, Ohio, April 12 through Oct. 12. It commemorates Columbus' arrival in the New World. Others include: Philadelphia Flower Show, March 8-15; and New England Spring Flower Show, Boston, March 14-22. EXHIBIT HONORS STAR TREK: Trekkies on the road can stop off at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., for an exhibit honoring the 25th anniversary of "Star Trek." It opens Friday and runs through Sept. 7. Included among 80 artifacts: Models of the Starship Enterprise and the Klingon war ship, Captain Kirk's uniform and Dr. Spock's pointed Vulcan ears. MOBILE SERVICE CLEAR IN TUNNELS: NYNEX Mobile Communications Company Wednesday activated cellular telephone service in the Callahan and Sumner tunnels. That means that drivers traveling through the tunnels between Boston and Logan Airport and the North Shore now can conduct uninterrupted calls. The company installed specially-designed mile-long "antennas" that receive and transmit cellular calls. VACANT HOTEL RENOVATED: The $3.9 million renovation of the Whitelaw Hotel in Washington, D.C., has begun. The hotel, built in the early 1900s, will be converted into an apartment building for 35 low-income families. The Whitelaw has been vacant since a fire in 1981. Work will be finished early in December. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON SHERATON: `AN OPTION WE WOULD CONSIDER': There's talk that ITT may be considering spinning off its Sheraton hotels. Midmorning Wednesday, ITT spokesman Jim Gallagher said, "There are no plans at the moment to make Sheraton a stand-alone company, but it's certainly an option we would consider." Industry analysts estimate Sheraton's revenue last year was $700 million, about 3.4% of ITT's $20.4 billion total. `NO WAY' WILL SHERATON SPIN OFF: By Wednesday afternoon, ITT Sheraton Chairman John Kapioltas gave a different spin to rumors of shedding the hotels. Interviewed at the Sheraton New York, Kapioltas said ITT Chairman Rand Araskog told him: "John, you're going to read this in the papers tomorrow and in no way do I intend to spin off Sheraton. ... Our objective is to continue to build up the asset base and the Sheraton image." SHERATON BUYING EIGHT MARRIOTTS: Analysts say Sheraton - which has nearly 450 hotels in 61 countries - is big enough to stand alone. Its operating income last year was $40 million. But losing ITT's deep pockets would hurt. While other hotel chains are retrenching, Sheraton last week agreed to buy eight Marriott hotels for $160 million. Since 1989, Sheraton has spent $1 billion renovating its North American hotels. (End of package.) 24-HOUR TELEPHONE INFORMATION: USA TODAY Weather Hot Line. 95 cents a minute. 1-900-555-5555. Travel Editor: Beth Mann. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. 08:0002270000D0227 WEAT- R C Much-of-USA-to-be-dry................. A D0227 This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM