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Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina opens its doors

IHG announced the opening of Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina, part of the newly designed flagship properties launching globally offering a new distinctive stay experience, designed to meet the needs of the modern business traveller. Crowne Plaza hotels & resorts is one of the world’s largest upscale hotel brands, with an increasingly strong reputation for being the first choice for business-class stays. Designed with the modern traveller in mind, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts know that business travel isn’t just about business – it’s about balancing work and life so guest feel fulfilled and successful. This opening represents a landmark moment for Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts in the Middle East and marks the beginning of ambitious expansion plans for the brand in the region. With 24 Crowne Plaza hotels (6,836 rooms) open in the Middle East (GCC, Levant and Egypt) and a further eight (2,738 rooms) in the pipeline – three of which are in the UAE and three in KSA, the brand is perfectly positioned to cater for a rising number of regional business events and travel to the Middle East. Within only a 20-minute drive to Expo 2020 Site, close proximity to important business hubs including Jumeirah Lake Towers, Jebel Ali, Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City, Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina is set to become an important hub for business travelers in the lead up to Expo 2020. Georges Farhat, General Manager, Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina said: “Our flagship property in Dubai Marina is an exciting addition to the Crowne Plaza portfolio in the region. As a flagship property, the hotel will feature a new modern design philosophy which better meets the needs of our guests: productivity, advanced restoration and inspiration, seamlessly blending work and play. It features a new approach to lobby design, which can be used for co-working or relaxing. Its location makes it ideal for guests looking to stay ahead of their game while travelling for business; from a morning run on the marina waterfront walkway to after work chilling out in the heart of one of Dubai’s most exciting districts.” Located primely on the banks of Dubai Marina with direct access from the promenade, the 24 storey building occupies 3,037 square meters and boasts 273 stylish and ultra-modern hotel rooms including 61 Club Rooms and 32 suites. Offering panoramic views over the water, these rooms come with a number of technology-driven features to provide guests with a harmonious stay experience day and night. A spacious club lounge is located on the fourth-floor exclusively for Club guests. Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina boasts state-of-the-art meeting facilities including the Marina’s first ballroom with natural light. Located on the second floor, the spacious meeting and conference rooms occupy 460 square meters of space and are fully-equipped with advanced audio-visual technology for a seamless working experience. The property comes with a number of notable technologies driven features, designed to answer the growing trend in flexible work and life preference, and people’s desire to work from anywhere. This includes an efficient GRMS system (Guest Room Management System) which intuitively manages guest preferences including temperature, lighting and heating through a touch panel. All rooms come with a built-in Media Hub which allows guests to connect to a surround sound system with their devices using Bluetooth meaning guests can even listen to their own playlists in the bathroom. Screen mirroring technology allows guests to display content from their devices on the TV seamlessly. Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina offers a more social take on traditional business hotels, complete with six unique dining concepts including the signature Thai restaurant ‘Charm Thai’ located on the marina Promenade level with an expansive al fresco terrace overlooking the Marina Waterfront. Lo+Cale is the hotel’s main all-day dining restaurant featuring an array of international cuisines positioned on the ground floor alongside Connexions, the hotel’s lobby lounge serving coffee and ‘grab’n’go’ bites. Hive is the hotel’s lobby bar and Nara are the outdoor Arabic style shisha lounge. On the 4th floor is Aqua Marina, the sophisticated pool bar providing bites and refreshing cocktails for guests to refresh and unwind throughout the day. Health and fitness enthusiasts will enjoy a fully equipped state-of-the-art gym open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in addition to the hotel’s new amenities with ecofriendly, all natural with no paraben products.

Create: Jan 31, 2020 Edit: Jan 31, 2020 International News

‘Country-size guesthouse of Iran wholeheartedly ready to receive tourists’

Iran’s tourism minister on Saturday issued a statement, inviting all travelers and holidaymakers to visit the ancient land, saying that the country-size guesthouse is wholeheartedly ready to receive tourists from around the world. Ali-Asghar Mounesan emphasized that the Iranian government is trying its best to host incoming tourists by improving tourism infrastructure, offering attractive and pocket-friendly packages, as well as incentives such as visa waivers or 90-day visas on arrival. Mounesan’s statement comes weeks after the country’s tourism suffered losses in the wake of recent tensions in the region by mistakenly downing of a Ukrainian airliner, with 176 people aboard, by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) air defense system in Tehran airspace. “Nowadays, the world is even more involved in fast and surprising upheavals and ups and downs as a result of unprecedented progress in technology and industry. As such, the modern human is also influenced by the urban, mechanical life and his soul needs some refinement and relief,” the statement reads. “In such a situation, only travel and tourism can give us relief, joy, and sympathy and provide us with unforgettable experiences and memorable coexistence. In fact, tourism can be thought of as a familial or friendly gathering, the pivotal contents of which are kindness, cooperation, and synergy. In this chaotic era, tourists are like a delightful breeze endearing our souls and uniting all the people from around the world, regardless of their race, country, language, and beliefs.” Referring to the advantages of visiting the country, the minister explained, “With a deep and practical faith in this attitude, the Iranian government is trying its best to pave the way for incoming tourists and this is why there is a significant growth in tourism infrastructure in our country. In this regard, some incentives such as visa waiver, 90-day visa on arrival, standard residence services, attractive tourism routes and packages, and cheapest and most secure tours to Iran along with the last international tourism standards have enabled us to experience a 53% growth in our inbound tourism, winning the first place in the world in this regard. In addition, when it comes to the prices, Iran has the most competitive prices for tourism in the world and has emerged as a new phenomenon in the world of tourism, attracting the attention of many countries.” “Even if we disregard all that has been said, the unique tourist attractions of Iran are a good reason to have a journey to the land of history, civilization, and nature. With 24 UNESCO World Heritage sites, 34,000 nationally registered heritage sites and 600 active museums, Iran has a huge capacity to receive international tourists. In addition, high security, cheap tours, premium travel facilities, hospitable people, numerous historic and natural treasures, unique ecotourism facilities, diverse tourism packages (historic-cultural tourism, sport tourism, marine tourism, food tourism, medical tourism, etc.), interesting rituals, and diverse handicrafts and traditional arts provide enough reasons to visit Iran.” Pointing to unique and unparalleled beauties of Iran, Mounesan said, “The rich history and civilization of this land, the numerous and spectacular tourist attractions, four-season weather, and high cultural and ethnic diversity have made an invaluable treasure of Iran and put this country in the top 10 tourist destinations in terms of tourism, cultural and natural attractions. Astonishing mountains, breathtaking glaciers, beautiful volcanos, pristine forests, green foothills, delightful lakes, springs and waterfalls, picturesque beaches and wonderful islands, historical sites and distinct architecture, globally registered cities and villages, diverse and colorful handicrafts, delicious traditional cuisine and organic, healing drinks, etc. are only a small part of the beauties you can visit while staying in Iran.” “With such advantages, each day the beautiful and safe cities of Iran are hosting thousands of tourists from different countries, having enjoyed the unique experience, most of whom decide to return and bring new fellow travelers with them.” “Hereby I invite all the tourists from around the world to visit Iran during these last months of the Persian year, as well as the spring, and experience a distinct journey to the land of history and civilization,” the minister concluded. Mounesan said earlier this month that the country’s tourism sector has suffered a major setback but it will certainly return to “normal”. On Thursday, he unveiled an action plan, aiming to increase and improve [international] interactions for introducing Iran and clarifying its safety conditions to the target countries. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, the country aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025.

Create: Jan 26, 2020 Edit: Jan 27, 2020 Regional News

7 Hotel Technology Trends You Can’t Ignore in 2020

INTRODUCTION With new technology trends such as the internet of things (IoT), many businesses have been able to improve their operations as well as make them more up to date. In the hotel and hospitality industry, technology has helped make many hotels and resorts more efficient as ones that are capable of providing better service for their guests. Technology in the hospitality industry has been able to capitalize on the internet of things (IoT) by providing a better user experience for guests. Today, guests can make reservations through an application and schedule their stay with their smartphones. Along with the internet of things, technology in the hospitality industry has also included new and more advanced software. The new hospitality technology has greatly advanced the operations of hotels in terms of allowing guests to get rooms and gain access to all of the available services offered. Today, the new hospitality technology can help hotels schedule events more efficiently, process room reservations and monitor revenues and financial transactions more easily. The development of hotel and hospitality software has enabled hotels to be even more organized than they have been in the past. As a result, they are even more likely to provide more satisfaction for their guests consistently. SMART GUEST EXPERIENCES Today many hotels have followed some key trends that have allowed them to better meet the unique needs of their guests. Along with using cloud-based software, hotels nowadays have become more personalized as they are even more focused on helping their guests have the best experience possible when staying at their establishment. In recent years, there has been a tech explosion in the hotel and hospitality industry. The use of cloud-based software has allowed hotels to more efficiently manage their transactions and daily tasks. It has also allowed guests to rely on apps and mobile websites to make requests and get the services that they need for their stay. This technology has helped make a modern hotel into a smart hotel as they have become more user-friendly. Another trend that has contributed to the development of the modern smart hotel has been seamless technology. This includes features such as mobile check-in and digital concierge services. Today, hotels provide high tech cards that detect the presence of a guest and open the door before they even get to it. This has provided guests with more convenience as they can just walk into their room instead of sliding a card into it. Mobile check-ins have enabled guests to process their arrival digitally and avoid relying on a front desk clerk to complete this task for them. As a result, both the guests and the hotel workers can save a lot of time. 7 TECH TRENDS YOU CAN’T IGNORE IN 2020 In the past hotels were just places for people to sleep and unwind during trips when they were away from home. However, there has been a lot of change in the industry during the past several years. Today, hotels have become places where several activities take place. These include seminars, business meetings, and conferences. There have been many additional hotel technology trends that have drastically changed the industry. 1. MOBILE DEVICES AS DOOR KEYS One of the most recent hotel technology trends has been the development of mobile devices as door keys. Hotels today provide cards that are items that put data onto a guest’s mobile device. With this card, guests can more easily access their rooms and other areas of the hotel such as the gym and spa. These cards can also be visually scanned to process entry into these areas of the hotel. 2. SERVICE AUTOMATION In recent years hotels have allowed guests to serve themselves. Most guests prefer to use technology rather than interact with humans. As a result, the development of remote check and check out has allowed guests to use apps to complete these menial tasks. Since the new technology has created more automation, both guests and hotel workers can spend more of their time focusing their efforts on other activities. 3. FIXED MOBILE CONVERGENCE Over the past few years, room phones in hotels have had a reduced role in use among guests. However, the room phones of the present and future will often provide a larger role in terms of connectivity. Today, a guest can use their mobile phone to control things such as the television, the sound system and the blinds of their room. They can also use the mobile phone to request wake up calls, get informed about a visitor’s arrival and requesting a cab or driving service to transport them around town. 4. GUEST APPS The new technology in the hotel industry has resulted in new guest apps. These are options that allow guests to receive information on new hotel deals, notifications about hotel services and also loyalty programs. The guest app can also provide an itinerary to an event as well. 5. BANDWIDTH With the development of technological devices such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets, the demand for bandwidth is very high. As a result, hotels have significantly increased the amount of available bandwidth to accommodate guests who frequently access the internet for the devices. 6. LOCATION-BASED SERVICES New location-based services have also emerged as a key to the advancement of technology in the hospitality industry. With location-based services, guests can locate hotel workers and staff more easily. As a result, they can more efficiently get the assistance they need whenever necessary. 7. TECH LOUNGES Another new trend in the hotel and hospitality industry has been tech lounges. With tech lounges, hotels can provide guests with a public space to use technological devices and complete tasks using technology. The new tech lounges have become a preference among many guests in recent years. CONCLUSION Like all other industries, the hotel and hospitality industry has undergone many significant changes over the past few years. Hotels have made these changes with the help of the latest hospitality and travel software. With this new hospitality and travel software, hotels have been able to help themselves operate more easily as well as satisfy the needs of their guests. During the last few years, hotels have introduced several technology options that include automated check-ins, staff location services, mobile door keys, and tech lounges to provide a more fulfilling experience for guests.

Create: Jan 26, 2020 Edit: Jan 26, 2020 International News

Enabling the Service Experience - Chapter 1

Frontline Employee Recruitment and Selection Technique 1 Design Creative Job Announcements; In order to draw a strong applicant pool for open posi- tions, the position announcements must be well-crafted. The hotel’s marketing department should either write or help edit such descriptions. Without sacrificing truth in advertising, creative-minded marketers can often produce more interest- ing and appealing announcements than those who are more operations-minded. Technique 2 Foster Relationships with Educational Institutions; Often, the best line-level associates and entry-level manag- ers can be drawn from trade schools, colleges, and universities that offer hospitality management programs. All hotels (even free-standing, independent hotels) should have active relation- ships with one or more hospitality educational institutions. Technique 3 Participate in Career Events; A representative from the hotel’s management team should speak at local high school career days. Not only does this exposure foster positive community relations, but also the students are a good source of potential employees for certain positions. Technique 4 Encourage Employee Referrals; Line-level associates should be encouraged to recruit their friends for open positions. Because the line-level employee is knowledgeable about the hotel’s working culture and also knows his/her friends, this combination of knowledge puts him/her in an informed position to assess the potential match. Technique 5 Utilize 360-Degree Interviewing; Utilize 360-degree interviewing in which a candidate is interviewed not only by who s/he will be reporting to, but also by peers and potential subordinates. While this approach mandates interview training, there are several benefits. Namely, when a candidate is interviewed by future subordi- nates, his/her emotional intelligence, and rapport-building skills can be assessed. The 360-degree interviewing also gives those involved a sense of buy-in and engenders an empower- ment culture. Technique 6 Use Panel-Style Interviewing; Front-of-the-house position candidates should be sub- jected to the panel-style interviewing in which they are interviewed by more than one person at once. Panel-style interviewing allows for the ability to test a candidate’s confi- dence and conversational ability in a situation in which some would find intimidating. For the purpose of practicality, a panel interviewing approach can be combined with the 360 degree interviewing described in the previous technique. Technique 7 Encourage Multiple-Day Interviewing; Whenever possible, applicants for the line-level positions should be asked to return for interviews on more than one day in order to gauge their dependability and demeanor at various points in time. Technique 8 Assess Applicant Conversational Ability; During interviews, front-of-the-house applicants should be asked questions that test their conversational abilities. One such question might include ‘If an alien lands on earth, how would you describe to the alien how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?’ Technique 9 Assess Applicant Creativity; During interviews, front-of-the-house applicants should be asked to complete tasks that assess their creative talents. For instance, they could be given four minutes to write all of the uses that can be thought of for an object (e.g., a blanket) and then given four more minutes to write all of the uses that can be thought of for a different object (e.g., a brick). This task is termed a divergence test, and responses can be rated based upon the following criteria : 1- F luency—how many meaningful ideas are generated in response to the stimuli? 2- O riginality—how rare are the given responses? 3- E laboration—how much detail is contained in the responses? Technique 10 Assess Applicant Team-Mentality; During interviews, front-of-the-house applicants should be asked to tell a story about a time when they delivered exceptional customer service experience either at a hotel or any other service business. Candidates who recount stories in which they worked with past coworkers to deliver the experi- ence are likely more team-oriented than those who only discuss their own actions . Technique 11 Assess Applicant Problem Solving Skills; During interviews, a technique should be used to gauge the problem-solving skills of frontline associates. One such technique entails showing the candidate a container filled with small items, such as paperclips, and asking how s/he would go about estimating the number of items in the con- tainer (without opening it). Technique 12 Assess Applicant Innovativeness; On the application form for college students to intern at the hotel, ask the internship applicants to write a paragraph detailing a creative solution to a problem. For example: “Please describe one innovative solution to reducing guests’ perceived waiting times at check-in.” Technique 13 Incorporate a Walk-Through During an Interview; As part of the interview process, walk the applicant around the job area and observe how s/he interacts with the employ- ees as well as the guests. These observations provide a glimpse into the likely tone of interactions they will have if hired. In addition, when you let him/her see the work area and tasks, s/he may decide this is not a good fit or might become more excited about the prospect of working there. Technique 14 Incorporate a Slideshow During an Interview; When interviewing a job candidate, if the interviewer is pleased with the performance of the candidate, the inter- viewer should complete the meeting by showing the can- didate a slideshow on his/her laptop. The slideshow should include pictures of team members and pictures of them interacting. While viewing the pictures, stories can be shared regarding how the team members have been developed to be key players. Technique 15 Reinforce Reputation During an Interview; When interviewing a job candidate, if the interviewer is pleased with the performance of the candidate, the inter- viewer should make a point of telling the applicant about some of the accolades won by the hotel, the brand, and/or the man- agement company.

Create: Jan 18, 2020 Edit: Mar 7, 2020 Hotel Management

Saudi Arabia extends visa policy to tap more visitors

The Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH) announced that visitors can now use existing UK, US, and Schengen area country visas to obtain Saudi Arabia visitor visas at airport arrivals regardless of their citizenship. ‏Visitors intending to benefit from the new regulation must have previously used the visa to travel to any one of these countries before entering Saudi Arabia. The policy builds on the Kingdom's historic visa launch in September 2019. Currently, citizens from 49 countries are eligible to apply for an e-Visa online or get a Visa of arrival into Saudi Arabia. The tourist visa allows for a stay of up to 3 months per entry, with visitors able to spend 90 days a year in Saudi Arabia. The visa is valid for one year, with multiple entries. This is the latest step taken by Saudi Arabia to open its doors to tourists from different countries of the world.

Create: Jan 13, 2020 Edit: Jan 13, 2020 International News

Bedsonline confirms strong Australia sales growth

Bedsonline confirms strong growth in room night sales as a result of new brand identity and proposition launch in January 2019, up by around 40% year-on-year. Following integration of GTA and Tourico Holidays into parent group, sister brand TravelCube’s customers migrated onto Bedsonline’s class-leading booking platform in January – increasing from 55,000 to 180,000 the number of hotel properties available. Australia is the 3rd biggest source market for the combined Hotelbeds and Bedsonline brands’ Asia-Pacific and 7th biggest globally, up from 8th place last year. Bedsonline to organize a ‘famil’ trip for Pacific top travel agents in 2020. Bedsonline, the leading global provider of accommodation and complementary travel products exclusively for travel agents, has today confirmed strong growth in Australia. According to Bedsonline’s booking data, since the launch of the new brand identity and value proposition in January 2019 the number of room nights sold from the Australia source market has grown by approximately 40% year-on-year. As a source market Australia remains the combined Hotelbeds and Bedsonline brands’ 3rd biggest source market in the APAC region and the 7th biggest source market for the company globally, up from 8th place last year. This growth has been driven by the new value proposition of Bedsonline, following the integration of GTA and Tourico Holidays into Bedsonline’s parent group and sister brand TravelCube’s customers migrating earlier this year onto Bedsonline’s class-leading booking platform. The new and enhanced platform now gives travel agents a powerful and user-friendly technology, along with local support, plus a diverse and competitive product portfolio – increasing from 55,000 to 180,000 the number of hotel properties available, whilst also providing 24,000 transfer routes and 18,000 activities, plus 140,000 cars available for hire. To continue this growth Bedsonline plans to host 20 travel agents from the Pacific region for a ‘famil’ trip in 2020, details of which will be published soon. The purpose of this trip is to acquaint travel agents with the services and offerings of Hotelbeds’ partner hotels in the chosen destination. Peter Jones, Regional Sales Manager, Pacific at Bedsonline commented: “I am very proud to see the outstanding sales growth in Australia this year. The result has been driven by our new and enhanced platform but is also a reflection of our hard work and persistence in the Pacific region and I´d like to congratulate every team member – as well as, of course, all our travel agent clients for their loyalty. “In particular we are very glad to hear the positive feedback from our travel retailers on the new enhanced offerings, improved payment options, operational support and loyalty rewards program. We are committed to being the ultimate partner for travel businesses and in 2020 will be working harder than ever.” “To maintain our success and growth we are going to hold, for the first time, a ‘famil’ trip for the top agent from a selection of our different clients. We want to give them a first-hand experience of the portfolio of accommodation, activities, and transfers that we work with in the destination. Such trips are invaluable for travel agents so that they can then give their customers that genuine personal advice.”

Create: Jan 7, 2020 Edit: Jan 7, 2020 International News

TUI Group opens second hotel in Austria

TUI Blue Fieberbrunn makes its debut for the first Winter season, third TUI Blue hotel in Austria in final construction phase and further hotel openings in Gran Canaria and Morocco. TUI Group continues to expand the portfolio of its lifestyle hotel brand TUI Blue with the opening of the second hotel in Austria at the end of November 2019. The TUI Blue Fieberbrunn hotel is nestled in the mountains at the heart of the Kitzbühel Alps in Pillersee Valley in Tyrol. Alongside the TUI Blue Schladming hotel in Styria and the TUI Blue Montafon hotel, currently under construction, TUI Group will operate a total of three hotels of its flagship hotel brand in Austria from Summer 2020. By expanding the footprint of its TUI Blue hotels, the tourism group is consolidating its leading position in the international holiday hotel sector. FIRST TUI LIFESTYLE HOTEL IN TYROL The TUI Blue Fieberbrunn hotel, featuring 144 rooms, is located right on the ski slopes, just a few metres from the gondola valley station. From here, guests can plunge right into the skiing fun of Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn in the Winter, or discover the Alps during the Summer on an active holiday with 400 kilometres of hiking and mountain biking trails. The guests can also take advantage of the BLUEf!t concept for fitness, wellness and nutrition. TUI Blue Fieberbrunn thus offers both active holidays as well as relaxation at the Blue Spa featuring saunas, a steam bath and an indoor pool. Under the “For All” label, TUI Blue Fieberbrunn targets both couples, families and solo travellers. “TUI Blue targets experience-oriented holidaymakers looking for the right hotel to match their individual needs and preferences. I am delighted about the growing number of lifestyle hotels we operate in Austria. They perfectly complement our global portfolio of hotels in top beach locations and tap a range of new experiences for our guests”, says Artur Gerber, Managing Director TUI Blue. Over the past few weeks, the existing hotel was converted in the style of the flagship brand and has now reopened under the motto “An exhilarating alpine experience“. Around 200 guests, local inhabitants, partners, service providers as well as regional representatives from politics and the tourism sector took part in the opening ceremony and had a chance to get to know the comprehensive offering, philosophy and new design of the hotel. TUI BLUE ON A GLOBAL GROWTH PATH The month of November also saw the launch of two additional hotels in Gran Canaria and Morocco. The two hotels will be positioned as TUI Blue “For Two“ resorts, exclusively targeting holidaymakers aged 16+ placing the focus of their holiday experience on time spent together. TUI Blue will offer holiday destinations for more than one million guests and will start into the new season with 97 hotels in 18 countries in Summer 2020. TUI Group’s global flagship hotel brand clusters the tailored offerings of TUI Blue, TUI Sensimar and TUI Family Life under one umbrella brand.

Create: Dec 23, 2019 Edit: Dec 23, 2019 International News

State of Gen Z survey finds concerns on ‘environmental impact’

As a new decade begins, two of the most significant challenges for travel are climate change and overtourism. However, a Globetrender and YouthSight survey of young people within the Gen Z demographic shows a distinct sense of responsibility for the way they travel and a willingness to alter their booking decisions for the sake of the planet. The “State of Gen Z” travel survey was conducted by independent research agency YouthSight in August 2019 and polled 1,070 young people aged 16 to 24, both male and female, from the UK. Some were at school, some were at university and some were employed. The result showed that 44% of Gen Zs either agree (34.5%) or strongly agree (9.5%) with the statement “I think a lot about the environmental impact of my travel”. (38.5% neither agree nor disagree, 11% disagree, 6.5% strongly disagree.) Of those who said they think about the environmental impact of their holidays, 65% would consider taking a train instead of a plane to reduce their carbon footprint. 57% would book an eco-friendly hotel, 48% would use an ethical tour company and 48% would pay for carbon offsetting. Meanwhile, 49% either agree (36%) or strongly agree (13%) that UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Machu Picchu, the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Angkor Wat should limit the number of visitors allowed. (20% neither agree nor disagree, 3% disagree and 28% strongly disagree.)

Create: Dec 17, 2019 Edit: Dec 17, 2019 International News

Hilton Expands Food Donation Initiative to Nearly 300 Hotels in Time for the Holidays

Hilton’s efforts will feed more than 160,000 annually, while diverting millions of pounds of food waste from landfills McLean, Va. – As the holiday season approaches, Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is announcing the expansion of its innovative food donation initiative to all of its managed hotels across the United States and Canada, representing one of the largest hotel food donation programs to date. The company expects to donate nearly 100 tons of food over the next year — enough to feed more than 160,000 people — while also diverting millions of pounds of food waste from landfills. “We have a century-long tradition at Hilton of playing a pioneering role in the hospitality industry, and it is inspiring to see our Team Members taking that spirit out into their communities to address the serious problem of food insecurity,” said Chef Marc Ehrler, Vice President of Americas Culinary, Hilton. “What started as a pilot in a few of our hotels has become a movement because our Team Members are motivated by a desire to have a positive impact.” Approximately one-third of food is wasted worldwide, yet global food insecurity remains endemic. It is estimated that more than 41 million Americans, including 13 million children, currently suffer from food insecurity. Meanwhile, most food waste ends up in landfills where it produces nearly 10% of the global greenhouse gas emissions that contribute significantly to climate change. In response, Hilton included an ambitious commitment to reduce its food waste by 50% by 2030 as part of the company’s Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals to cut its environmental footprint in half. Working with its environmental partner, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Hilton undertook pilots at 50 hotels around the world to better understand food waste reduction challenges and opportunities in the hospitality industry. The pilots resulted in a number of innovations in Hilton hotels, from “no-waste” catering menus to thoughtfully designed buffet presentations. “At Hilton, we have incredible potential to solve some of society’s most pressing challenges through our hospitality mission,” said Katie Fallon, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs, responsible for Hilton’s corporate responsibility efforts. “We will keep at this until every one of our hotels around the world is diverting food waste to address the hunger crisis, so that our guests know that when they stay with us, they are traveling with a purpose.” Hilton also participated in the development of the Hotel Kitchen toolkit, a free tool developed by WWF and the American Hotel & Lodging Association with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation, which provides hotels with techniques to reduce food waste. Hilton has implemented the Hotel Kitchen toolkit and its associated trainings at all of its managed hotels in the Americas, while also making the toolkit available to its franchised properties. Now, Hilton is expanding its food waste initiative by encouraging its 300 managed hotels in the US and Canada to partner with local food rescue organizations to feed the hungry in their immediate communities. Each hotel will set a food waste diversion and donation goal for 2020 and report their progress so top performers can be recognized each month. Hotel teams will be able to select organizations to work with from a robust directory of food donation and diversion partners from across the country, as well as connect with one another to share best practices. Examples of existing partnerships include: 1. Hilton San Francisco Union Square has worked with Food Runners for nearly 15 years, providing nearly 2.5 tons of food to the organization annually. Food donated by Hilton is relayed by Food Runners’ volunteers to programs serving seniors, veterans and the homeless. 2. New York Hilton Midtown donates excess edible food to the Rethink Food Program, which picks up unused food from restaurants, farms, and other food purveyors to repurpose it into delicious and nutritious meals for under-served New Yorkers. 3. Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas donated nearly a ton of food over the last year to its partner Three Square, which distributes the food to local non-profit organizations. 4. Hilton’s food donation program is initially focused on the US and Canada because food donors in those countries are legally protected from liability under Good Samaritan laws, but the company’s goal is to expand these efforts globally. Donation efforts are already being driven at many of Hilton’s hotels around the world, including partnerships with groups like Scholars of Sustenance in Thailand and Indonesia, Oz Harvest and Addi Road Food Pantry in Australia, the Egyptian Food Bank, Equoevento in Italy, and Al Rescate, the first food rescue program created specifically for the hospitality industry in Mexico. Hilton measures its food waste progress using the company’s cloud-based corporate responsibility management system, LightStay. All properties are required to use LightStay to measure their environmental and social impact. So far this year, Hilton hotels in the Americas have diverted more than 6 million pounds of food waste from landfills, an equivalent of more than 11,000 MT of carbon emissions.

Create: Dec 16, 2019 Edit: Dec 16, 2019 International News

Marriott International Completes Acquisition of Elegant Hotels Group

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) announced that it has completed its acquisition of Elegant Hotels Group plc. The announcement from Elegant and International Hotel Licensing Company S.à r.l. was issued over London’s Regulatory News Service earlier today. Full text can be found below: On 18 October 2019, the boards of Elegant Hotels Group plc (“Elegant”) and International Hotel Licensing Company S.à r.l. (“IHLC”), a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (“Marriott“), announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended all cash offer to be made by IHLC for the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Elegant (the “Acquisition“). On 6 December 2019, Elegant and Marriott announced that the Court had sanctioned the Scheme. Elegant and Marriott are pleased to announce that the Court Order has been delivered to the Registrar of Companies today and accordingly the Scheme has now become effective, in accordance with its terms. Elegant is now a wholly owned subsidiary of IHLC. Scheme Shareholders on the register of members of the Company at the Scheme Record Time, being 8.00 p.m. on 6 December 2019, will receive 110 pence in cash for each Scheme Share. Settlement of the cash consideration due to Scheme Shareholders will occur within 14 days. Dealings in Elegant Shares on AIM were suspended with effect from 7.30 a.m. today. The cancellation of trading of Elegant Shares on AIM is expected to take place at 7.00 a.m. on 10 December 2019. As a result of the Scheme having become Effective, share certificates in respect of the Elegant Shares have ceased to be valid documents of title and entitlements to Elegant Shares held in uncertificated form in CREST are being cancelled. Capitalised terms used but not defined in this announcement have the meanings given to them in the Scheme Document.

Create: Dec 10, 2019 Edit: Dec 10, 2019 International News

Accor releases white paper on the Business of wellness and hospitality

When stepping into a hotel these days, one cannot help but notice a growing wave of smoothie bowls, pilates poses, and mindfulness seminars. For many years, Accor has been at the forefront of the wellbeing movement, leading the way to integrate health and wellness into all aspects of the guest experience. In a new white paper, “It’s a Wellness World: The Global Shift Shaking up Our Business”, Accor explores the fundamental societal shift currently underway as the lifestyle goal of feeling healthier has moved out from beyond the walls of the spas and gyms and entered the mainstream. The informative report goes on to discuss the opportunities the wellness movement provides for hoteliers and some of the unique ways that Accor brands will deepen their commitments in this vital area throughout 2020 and beyond. “At Accor, our goal is to have guests experience a sense of wellbeing during their stay and that they leave feeling better than when they arrived; better rested, more nourished and in a happier state of mind,” said Emlyn Brown, Global Vice-President, Wellbeing, Luxury & Premium Brands, Accor. “A delighted guest is naturally more inspired to return. Therefore, by investing in holistic wellness experiences that help our guests feel good throughout the customer journey, we are establishing a model for strong revenue growth through return bookings, word-of-mouth referrals, and positive social media presence, contributing to a steady and sustainable business for years to come.” “It’s a Wellness World: The Global Shift Shaking up Our Business” reveals that 77% of consumers “take steps in their daily lives to stay healthy, make informed food choices, stay active and manage stress.”* Furthermore, some 56% of affluent travelers place a top priority on the statement, “I’m striving to become healthier in the coming year.”** The report also explores numerous economic and social factors that are driving the rise of wellness around the world. “As the wellness movement matures, and wellness offerings become a standard expectation within the hospitality industry, we are seeing a growing emphasis not only on healthy food options, relaxation, and movement but on such fundamental health necessities as clean water and air,” said Anne Dimon, CEO & President of the Wellness Tourism Association. “The mindset of wellness has evolved beyond spas and workout spaces, challenging the hospitality industry to consider how it integrates other health considerations such mindfulness and time spent in nature, along with environmental concerns – such as reducing indoor pollution and eliminating plastics – into its daily operations.” Accor’s well-being white paper will act as a catalyst to help energize the company’s wellness teams globally, while also informing and enhancing the five key pillars that guide Accor’s overall approach to well-being – Active Nutrition, Holistic Design, Bodies in Movement, Leveraging Spa, and Embracing Mindfulness – all of which are adapted and adopted by the company’s hotel brands based on a number of important factors including guest preference, demographics, brand positioning, culture and location. The report also delves deeper into this tailored approach and showcases several examples of how some of Accor’s leading hotel brands are uniquely evolving with the wellness movement. For example: Raffles Hotels & Resorts creates bespoke experiences to enhance guests’ emotional wellbeing, allowing them the opportunity to experience serenity, harmony, and pleasure. The brand is employing Feng Shui and Biophilia techniques to bring peace and balance to its interior spaces; menus designed to enhance sleep, counter jet lag and promote digestive health, and sleep rituals include aromatherapy and luxury sleep masks. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is a gateway to hundreds of wellbeing experiences, from heart-racing workouts to heartfelt moments of peace and tranquility. The brand’s apparel and gear-lending program ensures guests are ready for fitness anytime; green spaces connect guests to nature; a sustainable drinking water program and high-quality organic and local food employ an environmentally respectful approach. SO/ Hotels & Resorts’ approach to wellness aims to bring balance to those who live fast and play hard. The brand’s Glow Bar offering provides the latest in skin and beauty treatments, while Deep Beats Yoga brings the power of sound to enrich the physical and mental experience of en masse yoga. MGallery Hotel Collection seeks to nourish the soul and empower guests with a balanced lifestyle among thoughtfully designed spaces. In-room amenities are curated for self-care, while signature treatments, healthful menus and positively affirming mantras inspire guests to feel their best, inside and out. Pullman Hotels & Resorts delivers Power Fitness to guests who want to achieve peak physical performance, in between working and having fun. The hotels feature energetic power fitness zones; video on-demand exercise classes; Power Up food and beverage menus for optimal nutrition; and a global ambassador fitness program to keep workouts fresh and inspired. Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts continues to expand its Vitality Room concept. These customized suites include circadian lighting technology; in-room yoga stations; wellness walls with fitness training modules; black-out blinds; air purification systems; shower lighting and scent customization; and high vitality snack and superfoods bars. “Wellness is a golden opportunity for the hospitality industry,” added Brown. “Feeling healthy is a universal, emotionally-charged, and frequent concern for all demographics of guests and cuts across all areas of life, from daily routines to exceptional, transformative travel experiences. Our diverse hotel brands look forward to embracing the challenge of continuously surprising and delighting our guests with new ways to achieve health and well-being during their travels, inspiring them to choose our hotels again and again.”

Create: Dec 8, 2019 Edit: Dec 8, 2019 International News

China’s Hotel Construction Pipeline Has Grown to Record High

PORTSMOUTH, NH – Analysts at Lodging Econometrics (LE) report that at the end of the third quarter of 2019, China’s total construction pipeline has grown to 3,380 projects/628,972 rooms. Currently, the country has 2,548 projects with 438,797 rooms under construction with projects scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months at 404 projects with 85,026 rooms. Projects in the early planning stage have 428 projects/105,149 rooms. Hotel development continues to thrive despite the continued economic struggles in the region and the on-going trade and tariff disputes with the United States. In the third quarter, China announced 661 new projects with 80,692 rooms into the pipeline. Through the third quarter of 2019, China opened 658 new hotels/92,932 rooms with another 363 new hotels/45,799 rooms forecast to open by year-end. In 2020, 1,084 new hotels with a lofty 157,893 rooms are forecast to open. Should all of these hotels come online in 2020, then China will open the largest number of new hotel rooms since the cyclical peak in 2014. In 2021, following a year of all-time high new hotel openings, LE forecasts that the number of new hotel openings will decelerate to 773 hotels with 135,294 rooms. Chengdu, at a record high 124 projects having 25,560 rooms, leads China’s pipeline. Guangzhou follows standing at 122 projects with 26,105 rooms, then Shanghai at 119 projects/22,581 rooms. Next is Wuhan and Suzhou with 111 projects/15,457 rooms and 88 projects/14,855 rooms, respectively. Also, notable, with strong room counts, are Hangzhou with 73 projects/15,647 rooms and Xi’an with 80 projects/15,054 rooms. Four of the seven cities listed above have pipeline increases in excess of 20% of their existing open and operating supply with Chengdu having a pipeline in excess of 30%. Franchise companies topping China’s construction pipeline are led by Hilton Worldwide with 454 projects/93,644 rooms. Next is InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) with 375 projects/82,358 rooms and Marriott International with 315 projects/86,151 rooms. All three of these companies are setting record pipeline highs by projects and rooms and account for 34% of China’s total pipeline. Other notable franchise company pipelines are AccorHotels with 218 projects/35,556 rooms and JinJiang Holdings standing at 214 projects/22,548 rooms. Brands in the pipeline are led by Hampton by Hilton with a record 273 projects/42,645 rooms. Hilton’s second largest brand, by project count, is DoubleTree with 59 projects/16,489 rooms. IHG’s primary brands in China are Holiday Inn Express, at a record count, with 179 projects/31,430 rooms and Holiday Inn with a record 61 projects having 15,435 rooms. Marriott International’s top brands are the full-service Marriott Hotel & Resort, hitting record highs, with 73 projects/22,068 rooms and then Courtyard with 39 projects/10,250 rooms. Leading brands for JinJiang Holdings are 7 Days Inn with 113 projects/8,931 rooms, and Vienna Hotel with 26 projects/3,300 rooms. AccorHotels’ leading brand, Ibis, is also hitting all-time highs with 102 projects/10,888 rooms, while Mercure Hotel also has a record number of projects with 58 and totaling 9,346 rooms.

Create: Dec 7, 2019 Edit: Dec 7, 2019 International News