Espresso Day

The voodoo priest and all his powders were as nothing compared to espresso, cappuccino, and mocha, which are stronger than all the religions of the world combined, and perhaps stronger than the human soul itself. Mark Helprin Rich and powerful, espresso is a nitro-boost to your day and a go-to for coffee drinkers looking for a way to get through those long hard days and nights. It is a refinement of coffee, distilled down to its most potent elements and delivered in special cups that should have a warning label that reads “High Vibration and Caffeine Jitters Ahead”. Espresso day celebrates the history of this delicious and powerful solution to an otherwise dreary day. History Of Espresso Day In Turin, in 1884 an incredible new innovation was developed that would change the way work would be done for all of history. No more would tired laborers have to rely on pure willpower to get them through the day or lean on the watered-down attempt at caffeination that was normal coffee and tea. Instead, thanks to the innovative methods of Angelo Moriondo coffee had seen a new age of enlightenment, as his new machine found a way to separately control the passing of steam and water through the coffee. This innovation made it possible to extract the fullest possible potential from the humble coffee bean. Espresso Day was created to honor this invention and the wonderful man who made it all possible. True, the machine has undergone multiple upgrades and innovations since then, with homemade espresso machines now being available, and the latte is now one of the most popular methods of imbibing this drink. From Turin, Italy this beverage spread throughout the world, earning a place of prominence in Europe, the USA, and eventually the world at large. How To Celebrate Espresso Day Celebrating Espresso Day is as simple as skipping on down to your local caffenation station, be it a Starbucks, Tim Horton’s, or whatever your local flavor of coffee shop is. Order yourself the strongest drink on the menu, a triple-shot espresso if they have them, and raise a small ceramic glass of high-powered octane the those in attendance. Toast Angelo Moriondo and his works, and let all who will listen know that it is he who drives the modern worker and increases production. Then stop on the way home and buy yourself your own personal espresso machine, because weekends need coffee too.

Colorful snowballs "Sky Angel"

Hilton achieves 100-hotel milestone in Africa

The recent signing of Hampton by Hilton Sandton Grayston also marks the African debut for Hampton by Hilton. Hilton recently announced the signing of Hampton by Hilton Sandton Grayston, which marks the first for the brand in Africa. That’s not all it marks, however, with the agreement also meaning that the company now has reached the 100-hotel-milestone as far as properties trading or under development on the African continent. It is truly a year of many 100s for Hilton, which is celebrating its 100th birthday. “With this being our 100th year, reaching the milestone of 100 hotels allows us to reflect on our rich legacy of pioneering tourism on the African continent but also to look to the future,” Patrick Fitzgibbon, Senior Vice President, Development, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Hilton said. “We continue to step up the pace of our growth, especially in the mid-market segment which presents a tremendous opportunity as evidenced by the rapid expansion of Hilton Garden Inn on the continent since its debut in 2016.” Hilton’s agreements in Africa Recently, Hilton signed a franchise agreement with Afrirent Pty through its Indalo Hotels & Leisure subsidiary, a level one Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) third party operating company. Indalo will be the operator of the 158-room Hampton by Hilton hotel in Sandton, which is the financial capital of South Africa. This mid-market property will join Hilton’s flagship upscale Hilton Sandton, offering additional choice for travellers to the district commonly known as ‘Africa’s richest Square Mile’. Construction is scheduled to begin at the site on Grayston Drive in early 2020 with first guests set to be welcomed by mid-2021. Hilton Garden Inn is crucial to the company’s footprint in Africa, with the brand having operational hotels in six African markets and a further ten under development. Hampton by Hilton is expected to compliment this growth and provide owners and customers with greater choice. Other noteworthy Hilton properties in Africa There is, of course, more to Hilton’s growth story in the African market. 2019 has seen Hilton open four properties in Africa, entering three new markets whilst also further strengthening its multi-brand pipeline. Highlights include: Bringing its lifestyle Canopy by Hilton brand to Africa, through the signing of Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof Confirming the signing of two landmark flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties in Uganda and DR Congo, the Hilton Kampala and Hilton Kinshasa. Accelerating its growth in the focused service segment, opening Hilton Garden Inn hotels in three new countries: Hilton Garden Inn Gaborone, Botswana Hilton Garden Inn Kampala, Uganda Hilton Garden Inn Mbabane, Eswatini Continuing to establish its footprint in Morocco with the opening of Hilton Tanger Al Houara Golf Resort & Spa with the Hilton Taghazout Bay due to open in 2020

Database systems

A computerized file-keeping system, and the database itself is a repository of computerized data files. In the context of database management, data are stored and organized by fields and records A field (sometimes known as an attribute) is the single unit of information, such as the surname of a hotel employee. A record (also called a tuple) is a collection of related fields. Furthermore, a file (also known as a table) has multiple records that are pertained to a specific topic. Lastly, a database comprises all related files. In hospitality, databases support most business functions and applications. An advantage of database systems application to the hospitality industry is the personalization of products and services. The selective capability of a database system makes it easy for the hospitality practitioners to maintain a direct contact with customers.

Accor, followed by Marriott lead hotel industry expansion in Africa

 Accor’s portfolio covered 24,512 rooms as of 31 July 2019 Hospitality groups Accor and Marriott International account for the largest hotel supply and pipeline counts in Africa, according to data from STR. Accor’s portfolio covered 24,512 rooms as of 31 July 2019, while Marriott accounted for 24,508 rooms. The groups also lead the development pipeline with 19,745 and 15,219 rooms under contract (in construction, final planning and planning phases of the pipeline) respectively. “Over recent years, there has been increased investment interest across Africa with international groups leading the expansion,” said Thomas Emanuel, a director for STR. “There are now just seven countries in Africa with no internationally branded properties present, compared to 18 just six years ago. Accor and Marriott continue to lead the way in Africa, not just in terms of supply, but also pipeline. We look forward to seeing the continued development of the hotel industry across the continent as more supply goes into rapidly developing destinations,” he added. Protea Hotels by Marriott is the continent’s second-largest brand with 8,374 rooms, just behind Hilton that has 8,617 rooms.

Airbnb introduces animal experiences Tuesday, 8th October 2019

Airbnb is unveiling Animal Experiences – a brand new category of Airbnb Experiences that allow people to better understand animals through caring, expert hosts and set a new standard for animal tourism. With 1,000 Experiences co-hosted by over 300 species and their human advocates, guests can now paddleboard with corgis, kayak with conservationists, learn alongside urban beekeepers or skateboard with a world record-winning bulldog! Airbnb Animal Experiences offers a fresh new way to connect with animals near and far, so that even busy urbanites can reconnect with the natural world through hiking with rescue dogs, chilling out with alpacas or cuddling cows. Guests will meet animals in places that allow for gentle observation and bring a sense of connection far beyond animal selfies or performances. For those seeking more adventure, guests can discover arctic foxes or even help rescue puppies lost within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. At Airbnb, we envision a world where everyone can belong anywhere. Today, we extend our passion for belonging beyond humankind, committing to protect the welfare of animals across any Experience that features them. Joining more than 40,000 Airbnb Experiences available across 1,000 cities worldwide, Airbnb Animal Experiences are underpinned by a new, industry-leading animal welfare policy, created in collaboration with World Animal Protection. Animals should be appreciated for their intrinsic value and this new animal welfare policy has been designed to ensure their wellbeing at all times. Ranging from afternoon tea with naughty sheep to multi-day safaris, Airbnb Animal Experiences are hosted by caring experts as an antidote to typical tourist attractions that are notorious for ethical concerns. You will never find an Airbnb Experience where you can kiss a dolphin or ride an elephant. Beyond helping people get to better understand animals and meet them in a new way, over 100 Airbnb Animal Experiences are Social Impact Experiences, cementing our commitment to animals in the long-term by directing all proceeds from bookings to nonprofits. Supporting causes such as conservation, animal rescue, and veterinary care, these Experiences help scale impact, foster empathy and include caring for rescued horses, seeing released macaws and spending a day with donkeys. Other notable Airbnb Animal Experiences will come to life both on and offline through an exclusive partnership with The Dodo, the leading brand for mobile animal content in the U.S. and one of the world’s most-engaged media brands on social. Airbnb Animal Policy Highlights We are the first major booking platform to offer a dedicated category of animal experiences underpinned by a progressive new animal welfare policy, created in conjunction with World Animal Protection. New highlights include: Wild animals: there should be no direct contact including, but not limited to, petting, feeding, or riding animals Working animals: maximum one rider and never more than 20% of the animal’s weight, never to be overworked Marine mammals: should never be in captivity for entertainment Broader host business: should not feature elephant rides, big cat interactions, illegal wildlife trade, sporting events such as canned and trophy hunting, animals performing for entertainment Responsible travel: no wild animals as selfie props or any negative training techniques World Animal Protection will continue working with Airbnb on its approach to animal welfare based on the latest evidence and research. ANIMAL EXPERIENCES HIGHLIGHTS: Tea with Naughty Sheep (Loch Lomond, United Kingdom) Meet the Dogs of Chernobyl (Slavutych, Ukraine) Discover Arctic Foxes (Sudavik, Iceland) New Zealand Getaway and Horseplay (Auckland, New Zealand) Gibbon Research Assistant Experience (Phuket, Thailand) Urban Rooftop Beekeeping (Hamilton, Canada) Butterflies and Caterpillars Oh My! (Columbus, Ohio) Meet Life-Saving Animals (Siem Reap, Cambodia) See Released Macaws (Nosara, Costa Rica) Ultimate Cape Town Birding (Cape Town, South Africa) Wild Brooklyn Parrot Safari (Brooklyn, New York) Go on a Safari with a Maasai Guide (Nakuru, Kenya) Hike Runyon Canyon with a Rescue Dog (Los Angeles, CA) A Day in a Gaucho’s Life in the Andes (Mendoza, Argentina)

Two International Hotel Brands Affected by Magecart Credit Card Skimming Attack

 In a blog post from September 18, Security researchers at Trend Micro revealed that they discovered credit card stealing malware (Magecart) hiding in an online hotel reservation system. It found that two hotel websites – from two different hotel chains – had been compromised since August 9. WHAT HAPPENED? Two hotel websites were "injected" with a JavaScript code to load a remote script on their payment page when the payment page was requested from a mobile device. The script acted as a credit card skimmer and stole payment information. To make it seem even more legitimate, the attacker prepared credit card forms in eight languages: English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Dutch which match the languages supported by the targeted hotel websites. WHO WAS AFFECTED? While TrendMicro isn't revealing the name of the two hotel companies affected, it did say that the hotel websites were developed by Roomleader, a company from Spain that helps hotels build online booking websites. TrendMicro also revealed the size of the hotel companies. One brand has 107 hotels in 14 countries and the other has 73 hotels in 14 countries. EXPERT COMMENTARY HT spoke to two security experts about what this attack could mean for hospitality as a whole. "This latest attack is an indicator that Magecart attacks are far from over," said Deepak Patel, security evangelist at PerimeterX. "The modern web application stack relies on third-party scripts obtained from a variety of providers, not all of whom have strong security practices. Website owners lack visibility into the third-party scripts running on the users’ browsers within the context of their site. Many website owners are also unaware of all the first-party scripts running on their site. “In addition to staying up to date with the latest versions of critical platform components, website owners need to take another step: get visibility and control of all the scripts running on their website, whether first- or third-party or another part of the supply chain," Patel added. Matan Or-El, Co-founder and CEO of Panorays agrees with Patel noting: “This latest attack on Roomleader shows that Magecart isn’t going away anytime soon. To avoid these attacks, organizations obviously need to do a better job securing their own servers. However, even organizations that look after their own servers' security can become exposed through third-parties. Clearly, organizations must make it a priority to assess and manage the risk associated with third-parties in their cyber supply chain.” Similarly, Usman Rahim, Digital Security and Operations Manager for The Media Trust says, “Managing the digital supply chain is difficult because it requires the right tools and expertise. When third party code suppliers deliver code to users through browser and not through a tool that the website publisher/owner uses, the owner has little control of what happens and can't monitor when something's afoot. If a third party provides or supports the web application, iframes will fall victim to attack. The only way to protect users is to know who’s providing what code and what that code does to users.”

Doubletree by Hilton Ras Al Khaimah completes renovation

Rooms, restaurants and other amenities were renovated DoubleTree by Hilton Ras Al Khaimah has completed a major refurbishment of its rooms, restaurants, pools and other amenities. The property’s 154 rooms are now designed with new furnishings, including carpets, mirrors, upholstery, door handles, energy-saving LED lights and more. The hotel has also added new touches to the Podium restaurant and the Tree Top bar pool with sun lounges, chairs and floor refurbishments. John Riad, hotel manager at the property, said: “Our guests are our priority, which is why we are constantly re-inventing ourselves to stay relevant for them. Our refreshed facilities will give guests even more reason to visit the hotel and enjoy our wonderful hospitality.” To mark the renovations, the hotel is running an offer for AED 250, including stay and breakfast for two adults, with two kids under 12 years going free, this offer is valid until 31st October 2019.

You can now perform Umrah on a Saudi tourist visa

The cost of applying for an e-visa or a visa on arrival is 440 saudi riyals (around $117) plus VAT. People visiting Saudi Arabia on a tourism visa can now perform Umrah in the kingdom. In addition to that, women will not need to be accompanied by a male relative other than during the Haj season, according to a report by Saudi Gazette. The report also added that through this visa there won’t be a need for a sponsor. On Friday September 27, Saudi Arabia made history with the announcement that tourist visas will be available to citizens from 49 countries. The development is expected to create one million new jobs for the country by 2030. The tourist visa allows for a stay of up to three months per entry, with visitors able to spend up to 90 days per year in the country. The visa is valid for one year with multiple entries.

IHCL identifies properties for buyout possibility

The hospitality group is attempting to reduce its debt The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) and its Singapore-based partner GIC have reportedly lined up seven to eight hotel properties for a possible buyout. A few months ago, IHCL created a platform (worth US$600 million) with Singapore-based wealth fund GIC to acquire operational hotels in India’s luxury segment. According to a report by moneycontrol.com, Puneet Chhatwal, IHCL’s MD told analysts that the group is now in the process of identifying a list of seven to eight assets, including “several distressed” ones. Chatwal said that the company was looking forward to be able to announce the buyout of at least one asset within the next three months. The group is currently attempting to reduce its debt that stands at INR1,975 crores (net debt) to less that INR1,000 crore. According to reports, IHCL could even look at its own properties for acquisition but is currently refraining from doing so as the market in India is slow.

Al Bustan Centre & Residence hosts employee training programme to promote sustainability

Initiative educated associates on eco-friendly practices, methods to cut down on energy and water usage in hotels l Bustan Centre & Residence organised training programmes for its employees to create awareness and promote sustainable environmental approaches. During the training, green initiatives and knowledge in supply chain sustainability were discussed to identify critical risks to improve long-term profitability. The programme focussed on educating its associates on eco-friendly practices and methods to save energy and water in hotels. The initiative also encouraged staff participation so that they can educate and encourage guests about these sustainable practices. \Speaking about the programme, Moussa El Hayek, chief operating officer of Al Bustan Centre and Residence said: “Through our sustainability training programmes, we aim to create awareness among our team through continuous engagement. We can achieve our mission by being committed environmental stewards as tourists and travellers these days are eco-conscious with their options in choosing hotels, it’s no longer only about comfort but sustainability as well. “Ultimately our goal is to create a sustainable environment supporting the initiatives of Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST),” he added.

Welcome experience

Hoteliers can use the power of welcome throughout every facet of the guest experience, both within and beyond property borders. Welcoming strategies can be developed for different arrival times and in consideration of guest profiles. For travelers who arrive late, something comforting waiting in their rooms, may be just the welcoming feeling needed after the stress and fatigue of travel. Housekeeping teams can be trained to deliver something appropriate for any late arrival such as chamomile tea, warm cookies, and especially a welcome note acknowledging their late arrival with an offer to help make them comfortable, even at that late hour.