Hotel News Professional and Inclusive Hospitality Group

The latest status of health protocols in hotels in Tehran

"Ali Rafiei" Deputy of Tourism of Tehran Province; By the order of the coronavirus National Headquarters, the swimming pools and jacuzzis of Tehran's three- to five-star hotels are closed. Hotel travelers are checked at the reception, after which their handbags and belongings are disinfected. When waiting in lobby, spacing is observed and breakfast is served to guests in a packed form.

Create: Aug 8, 2020 Edit: Aug 8, 2020 Regional News

Corona is a reality but it cannot stop traveling, tourism minister says

“Corona is a fact, but can the virus stop tourism? Certainly not. For us, the coronavirus is a new experience in dealing with crises that teaches tourism experts around the world how to deal with such a disaster, and thankfully governments are turning this into an opportunity for better planning,” Ali-Asghar Mounesan said, ISNA reported. He made the remarks in a video showcased on Tuesday evening during a prize-giving ceremony in which a select of tourism businesses, tour operators, investors, and hoteliers were honored. “Tourism experts will certainly find a way to deal with this great crisis. As if the measures so far been taken in Iran and all over the world show that we will surely succeed [to make a big rebound] through proper smart planning.” Addressing the attendees to the ceremony, the minister explained; “Investments and the launch of new projects in the tourism sector have been increased dramatically underway across the country. Of these, about 600 are hotel-related projects that show a very promising future, conveying a message that investors see profitable prospects for Iran’s tourism.” Elsewhere in remarks, the official said “We are not saying that tourism should [merely] replace oil [revenues], but tourism can become first [sector of] economy in the country replacing revenues [currently being come from [the export of] mineral and raw resources.” “Tourism can create an easy way to earn and create employment by tapping into the existing historical and natural capacities of the country.” Mounesan has long been attaching importance to tourism as a source of revenue, which could substitute petro-dollars. Back in 2017, he said: “Every single foreign tourist visiting Iran spends an average of $1,200, bringing in income as much as exporting 30 barrels of oil.” Referring to the pandemic and its impacts on the traveling sector, he said: “All the economists in the world have predicted [dramatic] changes and developments for many once-prosperous sectors….. However, the technology is advancing, and smart solutions… will certainly bring changes in the world's economic sectors.” In June, the United Nations World Tourism Organization praised efforts made by Iran’s tourism ministry to manage the travel industry during the coronavirus pandemic. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said in a letter to Mounesan that the country's measures have truly earned plaudits to mitigate the impact on tourism. “A series of measures that the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran has taken, in accordance with the guidelines and recommendations of UNWTO, has truly earned plaudits as an effective practice to mitigate the impact on tourism,” the letter reads. Some experts believe that the coronavirus pandemic may turn tours and travels into luxury items as observing health protocols will raise the cost of travel in the country. Mohammad Ali Vaqefi, the vice president of the Iranian Tour Operators Association, warned earlier in June that with the continuation of the coronavirus outbreak, tourists may prefer individual travel rather than tours, adding that they may also choose to go on a trip by their vehicles and stay in tents or in the nature instead of hotels. In the global scene, part of the new travel puzzle is the jet-set mindset focusing on tough hygiene care and social distancing as cardinal guidelines for slowing the spread of the virus. So the average expenditure will be raised for a typical traveler particularly inbound passengers so lesser ones can afford to buy privacy and space and safer travel amenities. Meanwhile, deputy tourism minister Vali Teymouri, has said the tourism industry of Iran will get back on the right track sooner than expected thanks to measures taken to tackle the spread of coronavirus. “I believe that tourism industry of the country will get back on the right track far sooner than generally expected thanks to the measures taken to deal with the spread of coronavirus in tourist destinations, hotels, stopovers, and all the centers which are affiliated with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts,” Teymouri said. Iran expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 24 being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, it aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025. The latest available data show eight million tourists visited the Islamic Republic during the first ten months of the past Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2019).

Create: Aug 5, 2020 Edit: Aug 6, 2020 Regional News

96 percent reduction in hotel and accommodation bookings in Portugal

According to statistics released by the Portuguese National Statistics Organization; The number of hotel reservations in this country in June decreased by 96% compared to the same month last year to 210,000. On the other hand, considering the domestic requests, the hotel reservation of these hotels in the country in June shows a decrease of 82% compared to last year. Forty-five percent of Portugal's hotels were closed in June.

Create: Aug 4, 2020 Edit: Aug 13, 2020 International News

20 tourism projects in Yazd province are ready for operation

"Mohammad Mirshamsi" Deputy of Investment and Resource Supply of Yazd Province; These hotel projects which have been invested on for 350 billion rials, and 118 people will be employed. Another 59 projects are expected to be completed and operational by the end of this year.

Create: Aug 3, 2020 Edit: Aug 3, 2020 Regional News

The renovation project of Qazvin Hotel Grand enters a new phase

Esfandiar Heidaripour, CEO of Iran Cultural Heritage and Tourism Investment Company (SEMGA); The reinforcement operation and the implementation of the initial restoration measures were completed last month. Additional renovation measures, including strengthening the roof covering, will be carried out, and finally, with the end of the structural operations this year, decorating project will begin.

Create: Aug 3, 2020 Edit: Aug 3, 2020 Regional News

Delivering the Service Experience - Chapter 11 ; Perceived Waiting Times

Technique 159 Hang Mirrors Outside Elevator Doors; Hang at least one mirror on each floor by the elevators. Perceived waiting time for the elevator is reduced when guests can look in mirrors. Technique 160 Greet Guests While They Are Waiting to Check-In; Perceived waiting time is reduced when a process begins. Because part of the check-in process is being greeted, when the front desk gets busy unexpectedly, a hotel representative from another department can greet and talk with guests as they wait in line. Technique 161 Tastefully Display Information Inside Elevators; The displaying of information inside guest elevators not only serves to reduce perceived waiting times but is also an outstanding opportunity for advertising your hotel and the area. Displaying appropriate and tasteful information can increase guest engagement. Technique 162 Offer Food and Beverage at the Front Desk When Busy; Providing something small to eat or drink ( e.g., cookie; infused water ) at the front desk serves to reduce perceived waiting times of guests at the desk. Technique 163 Create Strategic Alliances to Permit the Use of Hotel Key Cards at Local Attractions; The hotel should establish strategic alliances with local attractions by which the hotel’s room key can be used to gain admittance to the attractions. Such relationships could reduce/ eliminate the waiting that the guests would experience when purchasing tickets at the attractions. Technique 164 Have Pre-Printed Directions Readily Available; Do guests repeatedly ask for directions for the same place like getting on the highway, the big office park, etc.? The front desk agents should have small pieces of paper with the directions on them readily available. There is no wait for the employee to find it on the Internet and print it or take a time to explain it. Technique 165 Have Maps with Hotel Location Indicated on it; Tourists like to look at maps. Have a map with the hotel location already designated on it. This will save time and ques- tions by the guests and, of course, make it easier to identify where they are. If the guests need to converse with the desk staff they can, if not, they can look at the map and figure out where to go. Technique 166 Use Mobile Roulette Wheel to Reduce Perceived Waiting Times; If check-in gets busy unexpectedly, have an associate from another department roll in a mobile roulette type wheel. Have the guests waiting in line spin the wheel to determine which prize each wins. For example, prizes can range from 1–5 per- cent discounts on room rates.

Create: Jul 29, 2020 Edit: Sep 5, 2020 Hotel Management

78% increase in hotel industry sales in the UK

The hotel industry accounted for 133.5 billion of the UK economy last year, but its value has fallen to less than 100 billion this year. One-year sale of the UK hotel industry in June were just 97.2 billion. On the other hand, the revenue of the hotel industry in the second quarter of this year was 4.6 billion pounds and much less than 34.2 billion pounds last year.

Create: Jul 29, 2020 Edit: Aug 3, 2020 International News

Corona damage to Lebanese tourism

Lebanese airline "Middle East" Airlines has lost about $ 35 million in revenue due to flight disruptions. On the other hand, the Lebanese economy has been damaged by the recession and the closure of hundreds of hotels, tours and other related businesses for between $ 30 million and $ 40 million. The country generated $ 700 million in tourism revenue in the three months before the Corona crisis.

Create: Jul 29, 2020 Edit: Aug 3, 2020 International News

Underwater hotel in a zoo in Belgium

The newly opened zoo is equipped with accommodations that allow guests to have a close and intimate encounter with the animals. Guests can enjoy and greet the underwater creatures while accommodatiing in a luxurious suite. The zoo also has rooms overlooking the places of bears, wolves, polar bears, penguins and tigers.

Create: Jul 27, 2020 Edit: Jul 28, 2020 International News

Delivering the Service Experience - Chapter 10 ; Forecasting and Contingency Plans

Technique 152 Install a Doorbell Behind the Front Desk; Install a doorbell behind the front desk that the agent can ring when the desk gets busy unexpectedly. The bell can sound in a back-of-the-house area where one or more individuals are cross-trained to operate the property management system. Technique 153 Install a Direct Telephone Line from the Front Desk to the Kitchen; If the front desk gets busy unexpectedly, there should be a direct telephone line that rings from the front desk to the kitchen so that food can be brought out immediately to guests waiting for front desk service. All front desk agents and cooks should be both trained and empowered to act swiftly in such a circumstance. Cookies would suffice in such a situation, but have become relatively commonplace at front desks; there- fore, more creative items such as fudge might have a more powerful effect. Technique 154 Telephone the Guest When His/Her Room is Ready for Check-In; When a guest checks in early, but there is not a room ready, ask the guest if s/he would like to be called when there is one available. If so, make sure that s/he is called in a timely manner; this gesture goes a long way in terms of customer satisfaction. Technique 155 Produce Laminated Room Inspection Checklists; All managers in the hotel should be provided with con- densed laminated guestroom inspection checklists. The check- lists should be small enough to carry in a pocket. When the housekeeping department is stressed, managers from other departments should be called to do room inspections. Technique 156 Post Par-Levels for All Supplies; All departments should have posted par-levels for all supplies. The person who confirms the par-level for the given items should initial the posted par-level sheet. Often, service systems deteriorate because associates do not have the supplies that they need. Technique 157 Analyze Why a Forecast Was Incorrect; If the forecast for a particular area of the hotel was inac- curate, and service quality suffered as a consequence, at the next management meeting a discussion should be held as to why the forecast was inaccurate. This practice is particularly germane to examining lunch and dinner capture rates in the restaurant outlet(s). Technique 158 Put a Bell on the Front Desk;

Create: Jul 25, 2020 Edit: Aug 24, 2020 Hotel Management

Development of new job standards in the field of hospitality and tourism

The instructors of the General Department of Technical and Vocational Education of Mazandaran have developed three new job standards in the field of hotel and tourism. These standards have been prepared under the headings of sales, services in hotel management, professional ethics in the tourism industry, and eloquence in tourism tours. These standards have been sent to the Research, Design and Curriculum Planning Office of the Technical and Vocational Education Organization for approva

Create: Jul 25, 2020 Edit: Jul 25, 2020 International News

Extension of the exemption for issuing hotel and guest house construction licenses for a period of 3 years

Approved in a public meeting of Isfahan City Council; Extension of the exemption for issuing hotel and guest house construction licenses for a period of 3 years The bill was approved by the city council in 2014 and has been extended twice in recent years. The main purpose of approving and extending this bill is to increase and complete the infrastructure of the tourism industry in the city of Isfahan. During the last year, permits have been issued for the construction of 18 new hotels in the city of Isfahan.

Create: Jul 25, 2020 Edit: Jul 25, 2020 Regional News