Hotel News Professional and Inclusive Hospitality Group

Official news agency of Iran Hotel Industry

Search result...

Delivering the Service Experience - Chapter 7 ; The Food and Beverage Experience

Technique 112 Host Menu Tastings for Staff; All frontline staff in the hotel should have knowledge of the restaurant menu items. This knowledge is needed in order for them to feel confident in making recommendations and upselling. In this effort, staff should periodically be invited to taste items. Technique 114 Hang a Mirror in the Service Area; Hang a full-length mirror in the expo area of the kitchen so that servers can check their appearance throughout their shift. Technique 115 Identify Congestion Points in the Breakfast Buffet; Due to the sheer number of guests that dine in the hotel for breakfast, it is the most important meal period for the hotel to get right. In a buffet setting, management should routinely observe where guest congestion is prone to occur during the buffet experience. Often, congestion points can be alleviated with better signage, altered buffet layout, and by repositioning certain items. Technique 116 Improve Efficiency at the Made-to-Order Egg Station; Often, the congestion point in the hotel breakfast expe- rience is the made-to-order egg station. Typically, this con- gestion occurs because the chef working the station is not properly trained. The chef should be trained to begin heat- ing the saute pans as s/he sees guests approaching the station. In addition, toppings should be finely diced so that they can saute faster. When no guests are in view of the station, s/he can practice his/her flipping speed and accuracy by using a slice of bread in the pans. S/he should also be well stocked with both egg whites and egg substitutes because the demand for these items is increasing as baby boomers age. A well-trained chef should be able to prepare three orders simultaneously at the station (always keep a fire extinguisher at the station). Technique 117 Improve Efficiency at the Belgian Waffle Station; A common congestion point in the breakfast buffet area is the Belgian waffle station. Substituting the typical waffle irons with irons that can produce four miniature waffles simulta- neously should alleviate some/most of the congestion. Rather than taking a full-sized Belgian waffle (which is too large for most guests who also want to try other foods), the guest can instead take two mini-waffles. Technique 118 Have a To-Go Breakfast Option Available; If a guest requests an early wake-up call or asks to get a cab at a time before the restaurant opens, offer a bagged breakfast that can be made up the night before. Items in the to-go break- fast bag might include a muffin, breakfast bar, apple, bottled water etc. This to-go breakfast does not have to be complimen- tary; this gesture of goodwill goes a long way. Technique 119 Offer Customizable Chef Hats to Children; Rather than standard coloring sheets, the restaurant should instead have paper chef hats for small children that can be colored and decorated. Technique 120 Offer Origami Kits to Children; Rather than standard coloring sheets, the restaurant should instead have origami kits for elementary-aged children. Technique 121 Let Small Children Play with Dough; If the restaurant uses bread, pastry, or pizza dough in any recipes, small children should be offered a small piece of dough on a paper plate that they can play with while waiting for meals. Technique 122 Inscribe Surprise Messages Inside Coffee Cups; The inside of some of the restaurant’s coffee cups can be randomly inscribed with messages such as “We hope that you are enjoying your stay!” Technique 123 Use Strong Language When Greeting Restaurant Guests; Restaurant greeters should never use the word “JUST” when verifying the number of guests in a dining party. If there are “just” 1 or 2 people, the word diminishes the worth of the diners who are present. Welcome all equally. Technique 124 Extend VIP Invitations to Valued Guests; If a local is dining in the restaurant, invite him/her to be a VIP at an upcoming menu tasting or wine tasting. Technique 125 Play Peek-A-Boo; Servers should be trained that one tactic that can be used to bring a smile to a baby’s face is a quick game of peek-a-boo while visiting the table. Technique 126 During busy breakfast periods, often tables cannot be turned because there is a lag in bussing, cleaning, and reset- ting them. Bussers should be staffed heavily, bussers should be compensated well (maybe through a tip pool), associates from other departments should be cross-trained as bussers, and ample supplies should be on hand for table reset. Often, when associates from other departments aid in bussing and reset- ting, they are so poorly cross-trained that their help is ineffi- cient and can even get in the way. Furthermore, the breakfast restaurant supervisor or manager should have a laminated checklist of all table resetting supplies and should check the par levels of all of these items before a shift begins. Technique 127 Have a Children’s Treasure Chest Available; Treat the child guest with a treasure chest of toys. The hotel does not have to spend a lot of money on the toys; they can be from the dollar store or similar. Let the child pick a toy from the chest. The child will be happy and excited and the adult guest will be very appreciative. This is an excellent and inexpensive way to exhibit outstanding guest service at the commencement of a dining experience. Technique 128 Use Language That Encourages Dessert Upselling; “Are you too full for dessert?” When a server asks this question it assumes that the guest does not want dessert and s/he wants to turn your table; not a positive ending to a dinner. Instead, servers should be taught to upsell desserts with lines such as “We have fabulous desserts;” “I hope you left room for one;” and “Let me tell you about them.”

Create: Jun 3, 2020 Edit: Aug 13, 2020 Hotel Management

Australian tourism on the edge of crisis

Australian tourism officials have warned that if hotels guests number continue to shrink due to the spread of the Corona virus, hotels in Australia will have to be closed. Hotels in the cities of Queens and Gold Coast, which have mostly Chinese, Japanese and Korean guests, offer their rooms this week at half the price of previous days.

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

Enabling the Service Experience - Chapter 2

Frontline Employee Training Technique 16 Ingrain the Ten Feet Rule; During new employee orientation, it must be emphasized to all new employees that they must greet guests whenever they pass within 10 feet of them. It is never acceptable to not greet a guest. If the guest is on his/her mobile phone then a smile, a nod, and a wave can serve as the greeting. Technique 17 Help Employees to Remember Guest Names; During new employee orientation, everyone should be provided with some tactics regarding how to remember repeat guests’ names. Technique 18 Offer Body Language Training; During new employee orientation, all new frontline asso- ciates should be provided training regarding how to manage their body language cues when interacting with guests. Such cues include items such as smiling, eye contact, hands in pockets, etc. Technique 19 Incorporate Surprise Stories in Shift Huddles; In every daily shift huddle, one associate should be ran- domly selected to tell the group how s/he positively surprised a guest in the past 48 hours. Technique 20 Incorporate Encounter Stories in Shift Huddles; What guest did you meet today? In every daily shift hud- dle, one associate should be randomly selected to name a guest s/he met and tell the group something about the guest such as where they are from, their family, etc. This practice in the huddle will encourage the staff to talk to the guests. Technique 21 Conduct a Core Value Rotation in Shift Huddles; Every hotel should have between 8–10 core values that define the organizational culture. At the end of each daily shift huddle, one of the core values should be discussed so that each one is covered in an 8–10 day rotation. Technique 22 Conduct a Core Value Rotation in Shift Huddles; Every hotel should have between 8–10 core values that define the organizational culture. At the end of each daily shift huddle, one of the core values should be discussed so that each one is covered in an 8–10 day rotation. Technique 23 Use Foreign Language Greetings When Appropriate; In hotel properties with an international clientele, the front desk agents should know greetings in various languages and use them when appropriate. Technique 24 Ingrain the Drama Metaphor; All associates should be taught that they are on-stage whenever a guest can see or hear him/her. Such on-stage behavior applies to associates regardless of whether or not they are clocked-in for work. In other words, a guest perceives a uniformed employee as a representative of the hotel whether the employee has begun his/her shift or not. Technique 25 Train the ‘Again’ Effect; If an associate recognizes a guest as being a repeat patron, but cannot recall his/her name, the associate should be trained to say ‘nice to see you again.’ Inserting the word ‘again’ helps strengthen the relationship between the guest and service provider. Technique 26 Express Gratitude to Guests; A guest must feel appreciated and cannot be thanked too much. Associates should be trained to thank them for their business throughout their stay: “Thank you for staying with us”, “Thank you for dining with us”, etc. Technique 27 Teach Proper Response to ‘Thank You’; All associates should be trained to reply with ‘thank you’ when a guest says ‘thank you’. Intense competition in the hotel sector mandates that guests feel appreciated for their business. Replies to ‘thank you’ such as ‘no problem’ do not communi- cate appreciation or leave a lasting impression. Technique 28 Set the Tone During the Reservation Process; When a guest makes a reservation via the hotel, it creates a great opportunity to get them excited about coming to the hotel. The tone of the reservationist’s voice is very important and has the opportunity to start the exceptional guest service before they even arrive at the hotel. Reservationists should be trained to speak with enthusiasm, so the guest will feel it too. This enthusiasm sets the tone for their stay. Technique 29 Smile While on the Telephone; A mirror should be hung in front of all hotel reserva- tionists and they should be trained to check their smiles in the mirror when conversing with potential guests. Smiling changes voice tone and inflection. Technique 30 Do Not Unnecessarily Disclose Overbooking; Reservationists should be trained never to tell guests that they are overbooked on a requested night. Simply stating that the hotel is full would suffice in the conversation. Overbook- ing is viewed by many consumers as an unethical and greedy practice. Technique 31 Use Hospitable Responses to ‘How are you?’; If an associate is asked by a guest ‘how are you?’ the asso- ciate should not respond that s/he is happy because s/he is ‘off tomorrow.’ Expressing happiness because of an upcoming separation from guests does not communicate a hospitable culture. Technique 32 Tell Jokes and Riddles to Children When Appropriate; All frontline associates should be instructed to learn at least one children’s riddle that can be told when children move through their areas accompanied by their parents. A basic Internet search reveals numerous websites listing children’s jokes and riddles. Technique 33 Use Strong Telephone Greetings; An associate’s name is important to a guest. All associates should be trained to state their names when they answer the telephones in their departments. Technique 34 Make Guests the First Priority; Who’s more important, the manager or the guest? The entire management team should understand that when an employee is engaged with a guest, the guest is most important. Likewise, some employees think that “Oh there is a manager, I better acknowledge him/her.” Both management and staff should be taught to focus on the guest first. Technique 35 Check Websites for Accuracy; During off-peak times, front desk associates should be trained to routinely check websites that describe the hotel for accuracy. Are the hours of operations correct for the various departments? Are the hotel’s features and amenities listed correctly? Technique 36 Learn the Language of Guest Segments Do you know who your guests are? If you are near a uni- versity, medical center, or in a leisure market—bring in “spe- cialists” to talk and train the hotel staff on what to say, ask and explain. These specialists normally will do it free of charge. The more knowledge your staff has, the easier it is to provide a more personalized style of service. Technique 37 Eliminate Hairs; All housekeepers should be trained that the most com- mon cleanliness problem in the guestroom experience is hair in the bathroom (on floor, tub, or vanity). Technique 38 Offer Luggage Assistance; All hotel staff should be trained to spot guests carrying bags and to tell the guests that they would like to help carry the items for them. If the guests decline, the service offered signals care and attention to detail. To be continue...

Create: Feb 1, 2020 Edit: Mar 31, 2020 Hotel Management

Meliá Hotels opens first in Thailand

Meliá Hotels International and Asset World Corporation (AWC), Thailand's leading integrated lifestyle real estate group celebrated the grand opening of Meliá Koh Samui, a stunning nautical-themed luxury beachfront resort in Koh Samui. The soul-stirring coastal haven, which combines a modern essence with the charming maritime heritage of Koh Samui, marks the first hotel under the Meliá Hotels & Resorts brand to open in Thailand. This opening of Meliá Koh Samui is the start of a strategic roll-out of the Meliá brand in Thailand and at least two more hotels will be opened in key destinations across Thailand, including INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit and a hotel in Chiang Mai in partnership with AWC. Nestled on Choeng Mon Beach, just 15 minutes from Samui International Airport, Meliá Koh Samui is a 159-room and 41-suite property that features a host of outstanding facilities, including two restaurants, an executive lounge, a stylish beach club and a swim-up bar, plus the YHI Spa, a fitness center and, for families, a kids' club, outdoor playground and a mini water park. Event planners can take advantage of extensive conference facilities of 7 multi-functional rooms including a room with unique beach front view, a ballroom that can accommodate up to 200 guests and an outdoor pool-side and beachfront function spaces which recently hosted a gala dinner for 500 guests. With its stunning seafront setting and exceptional amenities ideal for leisure and MICE travelers, Meliá Koh Samui will become one of the leading and most sought-after resorts on Koh Samui's north coast, a world-class tourism destination with outstanding facilities for all sectors of the market. Guests can also unwind in two outdoor swimming pools, including a large lagoon pool that loops like a river through the resort's lush tropical gardens. Many of the ground-floor Pool Access rooms and suites allow guests to slide directly into the embrace of cooling pool water from their private terrace. The Deluxe and Premium Rooms are ideal for couples, while the spacious Family Rooms feature a master bedroom for parents and in-room games for the kids. Guests seeking extra space and exclusive services can select the resort's suites that offer access to the executive lounge. The Level Boat Suites are truly unique, inspired by traditional Thai vessels and paying homage to Koh Samui's historic position as a safe haven for sailors and sea traders. This nautical design theme has been woven into the DNA of the resort, including the Level Lounge, which is shaped like a boat's hull. Embodying AWC's firm belief in “building a better future", and Meliá Hotels International's efforts to improve lives in disadvantaged communities across Thailand, Melia Koh Samui also houses the Gallery, a not-for-profit social enterprise of art and design gift shops under the aegis of the Asset World Foundation for Charity , which embraces socially responsible practices to contribute to society and communities. The shop will give customers the opportunity to be part of supporting the local communities with all profits contributing to further artistic endeavors, as well as preserving and promoting local culture and areas in need. Meliá Hotels International has been recently acknowledged as the Most Sustainable Hotel Company worldwide, by the SAM's Corporate Sustainability Assessment and sustainability is what the group wishes for from the beginning. “We are thrilled to partner with Meliá Hotels International and to introduce the Meliá Hotels & Resorts brand to Thailand for the first time. With its stunning seafront setting Meliá Koh Samui aims to offer a truly unique experience. As the hotel boasts the first lagoon pool and the largest swimming pool in Koh Samui, along with a creative combination of hydro therapy facilities like jacuzzi, water massage and rooms with a direct pool access, guests will find themselves relishing in the soothing fascination of water features. The hotel also offers a unique experience for guests who will be able to stay in suites fashioned after boats. These unique settings will enable them to enjoy a fun-filled and peaceful vacation in a serene atmosphere," said Khun Wallapa Traisorat, Meliá Koh Samui's owner, CEO and President of AWC. “This landmark project will mark the start of a strategic roll-out of the Meliá brand in Thailand, in line with AWC's growth-led strategy. Together, we aim to build a better future for Thailand's hospitality landscape and economy , and partnering with Meliá will allow us to set a new benchmark for Thai hospitality and drive global demand." “Today is a ground-breaking moment for Meliá Hotels International, as we celebrate our first hotel opening in Thailand – an extraordinary country and a strategic market for a leading global resort brand like ours. After more than 30 years of successful operations in Asia, we signed a strategic framework agreement with Asset World Corporation, we believe this first opening of Meliá Koh Samui is the beginning of our expansion in Thailand, bringing our dream of establishing and growing in this country alongside a major local partner to fruition; a partner that understands, and shares, our strong service and hospitality philosophy, a fundamental factor for ensuring the quality, reputation, and sustainability that we wish for Meliá Koh Samui," commented Mr. Gabriel Escarrer, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Meliá Hotels International at the opening ceremony. Beyond Thailand, Meliá Hotels International is expanding throughout Asia Pacific and has a total of 51 properties across the region, which are expected to open in the next few years.

Create: Jan 18, 2020 Edit: Jan 18, 2020 International News

IHG Owners Association announces 2020 Global Board of Directors

The IHG Owners Association, which represents IHG® franchise hotel owners worldwide, announced that Wayne West III has assumed chairmanship of its Global Board of Directors for 2020. West is President and Partner of Newport Hospitality Group, based in Williamsburg, Va., and brings an extensive background as a hotelier and operator. With more than 40 years in the industry, he has helped hotels maximize guest loyalty and team engagement while ensuring exceptional revenue performance and profitability. He succeeds 2019 chair Kurt Furlong, Chief Revenue Officer and Partner with Genuine Hospitality, LLC. Newport is a hotel management company that operates more than 50 select, full-service and independent hotels under various brands, primarily on the Eastern Seaboard. West joined the company in 2013 as Chief Operating Officer and quickly advanced to his current position as President. Previously, he was with Lane Hospitality (now Spire Hospitality) for 12 years, serving as Chief Operating Officer for the last three. West has also held executive positions with several other leading hospitality compa-nies. "I’ve been proud to serve on the IHG Owners Association Global Board for the past year as Treasurer, and I’ve enjoyed my leadership responsibilities as Vice Chair and then Chair of the Americas Regional Council (ARC),” says West. “I am very hon-ored to now assume the role of Chair of the Association. I look forward to representing the interests of our members around the world and connecting with IHG leadership on their behalf.” West has been an active member of the Association for many years having served as Chair of the Holiday Inn Committee and several other Association working groups, including the Strategic Planning and Standards Committees and the Holiday Inn Food & Beverage Council. Don Berg, CEO of the IHG Owners Association, notes, “Wayne’s deep, first-hand knowledge and experience in all areas of hotel operation will certainly benefit the work of the Association on many levels. His profound hotel management acumen will provide authentic and intelligent thought leadership to our members.” West attended East Carolina University and earned his Certified Hotel Administrator designation from the American Hotel & Lodging Association. He resides with his wife, Marianne, in a small lakeside town in North Carolina. The IHG Owners Association is also pleased to announce its 2020 Global Board of Directors: Chair-Elect & Americas Member at Large: Norman Leslie, President and Founder, National Hospitality Services Treasurer & Americas Member at Large: Navroz Saju, President and CEO, HDG Hotels Secretary & Americas Member at Large: Nellie Dhanji, Vice President of Operations and Legal Counsel, Stanley Park Investments, Ltd. Immediate Past Chair Advisor: Kurt Furlong, Chief Revenue Officer and Partner, Genuine Hospitality, LLC Past Chair Council Representative: Kerry Ranson, Chief Development Officer, HP Hotels CEO, IHG Owners Association: Don Berg Europe Regional Representative: Maurice Jansen, COO, EVENT Hotels Middle East/Africa/Asia Regional Representative: Paul Salter, Managing Director, Salter Brothers Asset Manage-ment and CEO and Managing Director, Salter Brothers Hotel Group Americas Regional Representative: Mark Zipperer, President and CEO, Pride Hospitality, LLC Americas Member at Large: Asad Malik, President and CEO, Amerilodge Group Americas Member at Large: Euan McGlashan, Co-Founder and CEO, Valor Hospitality Partners Americas Member at Large: Perry Molubhoy, Founder, President and CEO, Atlantic Hotels Americas Member at Large: Juan Carlos Santos, CEO, BPO Americas Member at Large: Felix Seiler, COO, Holloway Lodging Corporation Americas Member at Large: David Wespiser, Founding Partner, Hotel Development Services, LLC Europe Member at Large: John Stuart, COO, RBH Hospitality Management IHG Representative: Elie Maalouf, CEO, IHG Americas

Create: Jan 18, 2020 Edit: Jan 18, 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

Drury Hotels Is Developing Its First Property in the DISNEY SPRINGS® Resort Area of Orlando, Florida

Drury Hotels Company is bringing a bit of magic to its guests. The company is developing its largest property to date, the Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista, and will begin to welcome guests by spring 2021. The new property, located in the DISNEY SPRINGS® Resort Area in Orlando, Florida, is the company’s first Official Walt Disney World® Hotel and the fourth Drury Hotel in the state. The entire project – which includes 604 rooms and more than 12,000 square feet of meeting space – will be complete by the end of 2021, with the first 264 rooms available by spring 2021. The new hotel will feature a host of amenities and is in close proximity to the Walt Disney World® Theme Parks. The new property is located just steps away from DISNEY SPRINGS®: a walkable, 120-acre outdoor complex outside of the theme parks featuring an eclectic mix of unique boutiques, one-of-a-kind eateries and entertainment. The hotel will be able to be booked as part of a Walt Disney World® Resort vacation package. Drury also will offer transportation to and from the theme parks, as well as to other surrounding attractions. “This property has been a long time in the making, and we are delighted to see it take shape,” said Chuck Drury, president and CEO of Drury Hotels. “We’ll be able to give our guests an unforgettable experience as they visit the Walt Disney World® Resort and everything the colorful community has to offer. Being named an official Walt Disney World® Hotel means we have been entrusted to adhere to exceptional service standards. Given our track record of providing award-winning guest service, I know our top-notch team will make our new property a magical experience for our guests and visitors.” Mike Weihs, a 19-year veteran in the hotel and hospitality industry, has been named the property’s general manager. Drury team member Melissa Linkugel will serve as the hotel director of sales. Once open, the hotel will employ 150 full- and part-time team members. The hotel will feature a resort-style pool, splash pad and poolside cantina bar and grill; an extensive marketplace for grab-and-go food items and sundries; and a kitchen and bar concept, in addition to a wide range of complimentary amenities, including: Wi-Fi throughout the hotel Hot breakfast, including pancakes, biscuits and gravy, eggs, yogurt and more 5:30 Kickback® reception including appetizers and beverages 24-hour business and fitness centers Outside of the hotel, guests will be able to enjoy exciting new additions to the Walt Disney World® Resort including Star Wars®: Galaxy’s Edge – where guests can live out their own Star Wars story – and Toy Story Land – where kids and grown-ups alike can experience all-new adventures – only found at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. Experience storybook wonder as favorite Disney classics come to life at Magic Kingdom® Park. For some big-time enchantment, take a ride into the mine “where a million diamonds shine” aboard Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Discover big fun and cultures from around the globe at Epcot®. And while there, take a sail through Arendelle on Frozen Ever After. Explore the realm of creatures that inhabit the world…and the imagination…and create a unique adventure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. Celebrate the magic of nature by soaring on banshees through the exhilarating Avatar Flight of Passage. From fantasy and discovery, to spotlights and adventure, the magic of Walt Disney World® Theme Parks comes alive around all who visit. Drury Hotels has been family-owned and operated since 1973. For a complete listing of all Drury hotels or for reservations, visit www.druryhotels.com or call 1-800-DRURYINN. For information about career opportunities at Drury Hotels, please apply online at www.drurycareers.com .

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

Hyatt Hotels Signs With Reitir to Develop First Hyatt Branded Hotel in Iceland

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a franchise agreement with H176 Reykjavík ehf, a fully owned subsidiary of Icelandic real estate company Reitir fasteignafelag hf, to open the first Hyatt branded hotel in Iceland. Expected to debut in 2022, the 169-room Hyatt Centric Reykjavík will bolster Hyatt’s lifestyle portfolio and the Hyatt Centric brand’s presence in Europe. Hyatt Centric Reykjavík will offer modern accommodations, three food and beverage outlets, including a pop-up rooftop bar overlooking Iceland’s dynamic capital city, and approximately 2100 square feet (200 square meters) of meeting facilities. With a high proportion of adventurous travelers exploring the Icelandic countryside, Hyatt Centric Reykjavík will boast its own car park for guests to use. Staying true to the Hyatt Centric brand experience, guests will have access to a passionate hotel team, ready to provide local expertise and insider knowledge, ensuring they never miss a moment of adventure. The hotel will be situated on Laugavegur, the main street of Reykjavík, located east of the city center in an area seeing rapid growth. The building will be a redevelopment of what locals know as the former headquarters of the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. A 40-minute drive from Iceland’s main international airport and a 10-minute walk to the city center, Hyatt Centric Reykjavík will serve as the perfect launch pad for guests wanting to explore the breathtaking natural beauty of “The Land of Fire and Ice.” “Over the past year we have spent a great deal of time understanding the Nordic market and getting to know the hotel developers and owners in Iceland. Hyatt Centric Reykjavík will mark the first Hyatt hotel in Iceland, an important milestone for us,” said Peter Norman, senior vice president of development, Hyatt. “Hyatt Centric Reykjavík not only demonstrates our unprecedented growth in the upscale lifestyle segment in Europe, but also our commitment to expand Hyatt’s brand footprint in a market currently dominated by independent, regional players.” “We are thrilled to be working alongside Hyatt to bring the first Hyatt hotel to Iceland and the Nordics as a whole. Our experience in the Icelandic market and Hyatt’s unique, personalized approach to development is the perfect combination to develop a distinct offering in the city,” said Guðjón Auðunsson, CEO of Reitir fasteignafélag hf. “With travelers staying in Iceland for an average of five to eight nights all year round, Hyatt Centric Reykjavík will be the ideal base for guests wanting to enjoy a lifestyle hotel whilst taking in the stunning scenery, whether on a hike in summer or while viewing the Northern Lights in winter.” Hyatt Centric Reykjavík will join the growing Hyatt Centric portfolio in Europe with Hyatt Centric La Rosière, Hyatt Centric Milan Centrale, Hyatt Centric Murano Venice, Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid, Hyatt Centric Levent Istanbul and the newly opened Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin. For more information on the Hyatt Centric brand and its range of properties worldwide, visit hyattcentric.com .

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

Arthur De Haast Named to InterContinental Hotels Group Board

InterContinental Hotels Group [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] today announces that Arthur de Haast is to be appointed as an independent Non-Executive Director of IHG. He will join the IHG Board with effect from 1 January 2020. Arthur de Haast is a Senior Director of JLL, the NYSE-listed professional services firm specialising in real estate and investment management. He will step down from JLL's Global Capital Markets Board on 31 December 2019, assuming an advisory role as Chairman of JLL's Capital Markets Advisory Council, in early 2020. Arthur was previously Chairman and Global CEO of JLL's Hotels and Hospitality Group, with responsibility for 300 professionals who provided advisory and transactional services to hotel owners and operators across 20 countries. In addition, Arthur is a member of JLL's Global Sustainability Board, member of the Advisory Board of the Scottish Business School, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow and past Chairman of the Institute of Hospitality. Patrick Cescau, Non-Executive Chair, IHG, commented: "Arthur brings more than 30 years of relevant capital markets, hotels and hospitality experience, along with significant Board-level knowledge around sustainability, all of which are important areas of focus for IHG. He also has a truly global perspective and significant insight into the Asian market which is a key focus for IHG. I look forward to welcoming Arthur to the IHG Board." Arthur will serve on the Remuneration and Corporate Responsibility Committees of the IHG Board. Pursuant to LR 9.6.13R, Arthur is an independent non-executive director of Chalet Hotels Limited, a public company, quoted on the Bombay Stock Exchange, (BSE).

Create: Dec 9, 2019 Edit: Dec 9, 2019 International News

Hotelbeds partners with tourism boards to drive incremental visitors

Since launching in 2018 campaigns have delivered increases of an average of up to 30% for over 50 tourism boards globally, each strategic campaign enables Tourism Boards to navigate the highly fragmented landscape of the global travel industry, targeting specific demographics in desired source markets. Hotelbeds has confirmed the successful launch of an industry-first B2B service for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) globally to drive incremental tourism arrivals. Leveraging the company’s technology, booking platform, and relationships with hoteliers and B2B travel buyers globally, Hotelbeds has to date already worked with over 50 tourism boards from around the world. The result has been to increase room nights for target destinations by up to 30% on average – plus improving revenue performance – by attracting additional low- and shoulder-season visitors from international and domestic source markets globally. Partner destinations receive access to the over 60,000 B2B travel trade buyers – such as retail travel agents, tour operators, airlines, and points redemption clients – who together make over 1.5 billion accommodation searches per day via Hotelbeds. Due to the international reach of Hotelbeds – present in over 140 source markets globally, with the fast-growing Chinese market already the fourth biggest globally for the company – destination partners also benefit from receiving more international and long-haul arrivals. Bookings from international and long-haul source markets in turn deliver high-value customers who spend more in destination, stay longer, cancel less, return more often and book farther out than typical direct to consumer customer profiles (which tend to be highly domestic). Gareth Matthews, Director of Marketing & Communications at Hotelbeds, stated: “Our whole purpose as a travel distributor is to drive incremental high-value bookings for hotels from non-competing, hard to reach B2B travel trade sources such as retail travel agents and tour operators. So we thought why not also do the same for destinations? No one else is offering destination marketing boards such a comprehensive set of opportunities that allows them to easily access the distribution power of the world’s travel trade. We launched the service at a global level last year and I´m pleased to confirm that our knowledge, experience and infrastructure is already delivering, on average, increases in incoming visitor paxes of 30% for our destination partners.” Joseph Sheller, Head of Destination Marketing, commented, “I am proud to say that our Hotelbeds Destination Marketing service is in high demand on a global level. We pride ourselves on delivering highly tangible ROI for our partners and measure our success by the incremental year-over-year increase in room nights/PAX produced by the campaigns, as well as the total overall economic impact. What destination doesn´t want incremental visitors that also stay longer and spend more, especially during the low- and shoulder-seasons? As the first B2B travel distributor to launch this service, we are truly revolutionizing the landscape of destination marketing!”

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

Hotel and Travel Tech Game Changers 2020 Report: Now Accepting Submissions

Technology brands interested in being featured are invited to submit their latest innovations for the upcoming report presented by Puzzle Partner Puzzle Partner, the most trusted B2B travel and hospitality technology marketing agency, today announced that submissions are now being accepted for the upcoming Hotel and Travel Tech Game Changers 2020 Report. “We want to recognize the trailblazers and creators who help shape the future and who inspire the next generation,” explains Alan Young, Founder & CEO of Puzzle Partner. “Our industry is undergoing a sea of change on so many fronts, and this report is our opportunity to highlight those technology brands that are bringing cutting-edge solutions to complex business challenges and are helping lead transformation.” The mission of this report is to showcase the developments in the art and science of hospitality and travel technology and select those companies that stand out. Acceptance in the report is based on an impartial judging process to evaluate each submission on its uniqueness, innovation, and significance to the industry. Entries will be accepted until the end of January, and those selected will be contacted in writing. The final report will be available in February 2020. Technology brands interested in sharing their groundbreaking products and services can apply here: http://unbouncepages.com/game-changers2020

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

Airbnb adds 'cooking', a new category of bookable experiences

We’re unveiling Cooking on Airbnb Experiences – a new category of bookable experiences that unlock the hidden culinary traditions of families all around the world. From learning grandmas’ recipes to traditional Uzbek home-cooking, guests can now get access to 3,000 unique recipes that are usually reserved for friends and family in over 75 countries globally. Through Airbnb Cooking Experiences, we are presenting a new way to understand culture through food. Unlike typical cooking classes, which can feel intimidating or time-consuming, at the heart of every experience is human connection; people coming together to make and share a meal. Hosted by families, farmers, pastry cooks and more, local hosts can now highlight the deeper meaning behind the food you eat, teaching traditional recipes and sharing stories in intimate settings around the world. To protect the personal nature of each recipe, each experience has been vetted against guidelines inspired by Slow Food, a grassroots organization whose mission is to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions. Through this vetting process, we have verified that each host of an Airbnb Experience communicates the unique essence of every dish through their personal stories and has proven a deep knowledge of the heritage of the cuisine that they share. Celebrating the launch of Airbnb Cooking Experiences – and to find the next wave of culinary treasures – we are calling on the world to apply or nominate their favorite home cook so that we can treat them to a once in a lifetime trip to Italy. There, they will learn to refine their family recipe and cement their legacy in an Airbnb cookbook, planned for 2020. The top 100 applicants will get to study alongside experts including chef David Chang and his mom, Sherri, during one of the four, specially-organized five-day courses at Slow Food’s University of Gastronomic Sciences, located within a UNESCO world heritage site in Pollenzo, Northern Italy. Alongside workshops, tastings, field visits and lessons from UNISG professors, there will also be hands on lessons from one of the most booked hosts on the platform, Nonna Nerina, who has earned over $150,000 just by welcoming travelers to the Roman countryside to learn about her and her family’s love of pasta-making. With hosts like Nonna, it’s no wonder bookings of Airbnb’s food and drink Experiences have been growing at a rate of 160 percent year-over-year since 2018. Our new Cooking category brings together the very best of our platform with brand new Airbnb Experiences, united by new principles that ensure an authentic, local experience in intimate settings and small groups. “Ever since the very first guests travelled with Airbnb, we have realized that sharing a meal is the key that unlocks culture and fosters connection. Through Airbnb Cooking Experiences, we want to bring back the tradition of people coming together to make and share meals, and through this help preserve unique recipes that are shared within family kitchens around the world,” – Brian Chesky, Airbnb CEO and Co-Founder. Building on our partnership, Slow Food is also introducing 15 special Airbnb Cooking Experiences that perfectly align with its principles of good, clean and fair – including Walk Cook & Eat in the Amalfi Coast and ‘Let’s Rescue Food’ in Cartagena, Colombia. “It’s really encouraging that Airbnb looked to us for guidance on how to help people preserve their family recipes and become quality and sustainability advocates,” said, Paolo Di Croce, Slow Food Secretary General. “Airbnb Cooking Experiences represent a great opportunity to spread our urgent call for sustainability standards and food biodiversity protection across the globe, reaching new audiences and inspiring change in the entire food and tourism sector. We have a long-term commitment to ensure that travel experiences remain authentic and help travellers learn about local communities and raise awareness about sustainable food practices.”

Create: Dec 4, 2019 Edit: Dec 4, 2019 International News