Luxury hotel brand Ritz-Carlton is to put its global concierge team on Foursquare, it has announced, in a move it claims is a first for the luxury hospitality sector.

Concierges from all 75 Ritz-Carlton hotels are to take to the location-based social networking site to offer local tips to travellers.

Ritz-Carlton claims that its staff won’t use the site to push their own properties, but instead will focus outside the hotels on the best things to do and see in the destinations.

Foursquare is a location-based mobile platform that aims to make cities easier to use and more interesting to explore.

To access the tips, Foursquare users can follow Ritz-Carlton on the site or check into a location which has been featured by the brand in the past.

The growth of new technology makes it for brands to leverage the knowledge of the concierges to connect with new customers.

Separately Ritz-Carlton has signed an agreement to take over the management from InterContinental Hotels Group of Muscat’s luxury Al Bustan Palace.

The luxury hospitality group will take over management of the hotel from Friday. All the current employees will be kept on, Ritz-Carlton said in a statement.

“The Omani capital has long been a key aspiration for The Ritz-Carlton and we have waited a long time to find the perfect opportunity,” said Herve Humler, the president and chief operating officer of Ritz-Carlton.

The hotel has 250 rooms and suites, 200 acres of landscaped gardens and the longest beach in Oman. It has recently undergone a multimillion-dollar refurbishment.

Other Ritz-Carlton expansion in the Middle East includes the opening of its second hotel in Dubai at the Dubai International Financial Centre. It is also expanding its presence at Jumeirah Beach Residence. Furthermore it has a property under development in Abu Dhabi opposite the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr.

Muscat.Mobi
For the lowdown on everything to do in Muscat, City.Mobi has launched its new guide to the capital.

Muscat.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.