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Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | October 2nd, 2024
ProfitSword Set to Continue Rapid Hospitality Market Growth Into 2021
ProfitSword | December 21, 2020
ORLANDO, FL – (December 21, 2020) – ProfitSword, hospitality’s premier developer of business intelligence and data integration software, is poised to maintain its industry-leading presence as the go-to source for performance measurement and forecasting with the ongoing expansion of its customer base. Recently signing agreements with renowned companies such as Meyer Jabara Hotels, The Irvine Company, Gulf Hospitality Management and Windsor Hospitality, the growing demand for ProfitSword’s solutions comes as more organizations recognize the value of using real-time performance metrics to both preserve and increase revenues. “Even...
The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nashville Deploys INTELITY In-Room Tablets to Engage Guests and Enhance Their Experience
INTELITY | December 21, 2020
Tennessee’s most sophisticated new hotel offers safe, elevated contactless service options for guests and staff through in-room tablets and new staff management technology Los Angeles, CA (December 21, 2020) - INTELITY®, the developer of hospitality’s most comprehensive guest experience and staff management platform, announced today its partnership with The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nashville. The sophisticated downtown Nashville hotel, newly opened in the heart of SoBro, has deployed key elements of the INTELITY platform, including 12-inch iPads in every guest room and INTELITY’s staff solution, GEMS®. With the INTELITY ...
5 Things to Share This Holiday Season on Social Media
Pipeline Social Media | December 21, 2020
By: Maiya Wall / Pipeline Social Media The holiday season is here, and unfortunately, so is COVID-19. People are feeling anxious to travel again, undecided if it is wise to do so, and discouraged about missing out on holiday traditions. Travelers are wondering “How can I know for certain that I will have a safe stay?” One solid answer to this question is still hard to give with so many differences in opinions about how to best respond to this pandemic. From a digital marketing perspective, we advise you to focus on what you can do to alleviate guest concern this holiday season. Shift your thinking from “When will this virus end...
HRI Lodging Appoints Opening Team for New Dual-Branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House Tampa
HRI Lodging | December 17, 2020
TAMPA, FL. (December 17, 2020): HRI Lodging announces the appointment of Patrick J. Sorge as General Manager and Arsen Khodosov as Director of Sales and Marketing for the first dual-branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House in Tampa, opening early 2021. With over two decades of combined hospitality leadership experience, Sorge and Khodosov will oversee a total of 345 guest rooms, over 3,600 square feet of meeting space, a lobby level bar and breakfast area, state-of-the-art fitness center, a rooftop pool and terrace, and a fully integrated 220-space public parking garage in the heart of downtown Tampa. HRI Lodging, LLC will oversee management o...
Sonesta Adds Nine More Hotels and Launches New Brand: Sonesta Select
Sonesta | December 17, 2020
Launch of Sonesta Select Grows U.S. Portfolio to Five Brands and Over 200 Destinations Newton, MA (December 15, 2020) – Sonesta International Hotels Corporation is excited to introduce nine new hotels to its growing portfolio of U.S. destinations and the launch of the company's latest brand, Sonesta Select. Sonesta Select is an upscale, focused-service brand designed to deliver the same authentic award-winning hospitality Sonesta is known for. Earlier today, Sonesta welcomed guests to the first nine Sonesta Select hotels, with over 60 additional locations slated to complete the brand's launch in early 2021. With these additions, Sones...
Hilton Recognizes 2019 Legacy Award Winners
Hilton | December 17, 2020
December 17, 2020 - MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today revealed its 2019 Legacy Award Winners, an annual program recognizing its owners and development partners in the Americas. The Hilton Legacy Awards comprises different categories that focus on the company’s brand excellence and development efforts. Nearly 60 owners and developers are being recognized across 15 different categories including the coveted lifetime achievement award. “On behalf of everyone at Hilton, congratulations to all our Legacy Award winners,” said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton. “Our owners are incredibly important business partners, and as ...
Higashiyama Niseko Village, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve Opens In Japan’s Legendary Winter Wonderland
Higashiyama Niseko Village | December 17, 2020
DECEMBER 17, 2020 — NISEKO, JAPAN — Higashiyama Niseko Village, the newest resort in the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Reserve portfolio, is thrilled to welcome guests to Japan's top winter sports destination of Niseko. Located in the country’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, Higashiyama Niseko Village offers an exceptional escape for guests seeking personal and physical exploration. The resort, owned by YTL Hotels, is a stunning ski-in/ski-out property that interweaves the highest level of personalised service and care with the charm of Japan’s local history, culture and cuisine. Higashiyama Niseko Village is only the fifth Ritz-Carlton ...
GBTA Poll: In-Person Business Meetings and Events to Surge in 2021
Global Business Travel Association | December 17, 2020
Alexandria, VA (December 17, 2020) – The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s largest business travel association, has released the results of its latest COVID-19 Member Poll. The survey – the 14th such poll by GBTA since the onset of the pandemic to measure the impact on business travel – finds that a majority of respondents are optimistic that the travel industry will begin to rebound in mid to late 2021 and that the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine is top of mind for many business travel professionals. “What we’re seeing in this latest poll is a number of reasons for the business travel industry to ...
Tourism Back to 1990 Levels as Arrivals Fall by More Than 70%
UNWTO | December 17, 2020
International arrivals fell by 72% over the first ten months of 2020, with restrictions on travel, low consumer confidence and a global struggle to contain the COVID-19 virus, all contributing to the worst year on record in the history of tourism. According to the latest tourism data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), destinations welcomed 900 million fewer international tourists between January and October when compared with the same period of 2019. This translates into a loss of US$ 935 billion in export revenues from international tourism, more than 10 times the loss in 2009 under the impact of the global economic crisis. U...
Stefano Andreoli Appointed New Executive Chef at Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre
December 17, 2020
December 17, 2020, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre welcomes Stefano Andreoli as its new Executive Chef, overseeing the Hotel’s culinary experience, including the Lobby Lounge, Elements, The Grill, In-Room Dining, Catering and Banqueting for special events. Born in Brescia, in northern Italy, Andreoli’s passion for cooking came from “madre,” whom he, the youngest of four, watched in the kitchen while he was growing up. He says he can remember every item his mother cooked, the passion and love she put into the process, and the way she used only products that were in the market...
2021: It’s All About the Economy
JLL | December 17, 2020
Recent developments are providing markets with optimism, although the next six months are key for real estate When the pandemic sent global economies into decline, it clinched the end to a decade-long bull run in commercial real estate markets. But economists and investors appear largely optimistic about a recovery in 2021. While such a disposition might have seemed far-fetched during the first lockdowns in the spring of 2020, the confidence is coming from a faster pace of vaccine development than some first believed possible, alongside government stimulus efforts and record-low interest rates at central banks. Still, uncertainty rem...
STR: Canada Hotel Results for Week Ending 12 December
STR | December 17, 2020
17 December 2020, HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee — STR data for 6-12 December 2020 showed Canada’s hotel industry with flat occupancy compared with the previous week. 6-12 December 2020 (percentage change from comparable week in 2019): Occupancy: 24.6% (-56.6%) Average daily rate (ADR): CAD106.23 (-27.9%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): CAD26.13 (-68.7%) Occupancy for previous weeks came in at 24.7 (5 December), 25.7% (28 November), and 27.8% (21 November). For the week ending with 12 December, British Columbia recorded the highest occupancy level (28.2%) among the provinces. Among the major markets, Vancouver...
STR: U.S. Hotel Results for Week Ending 12 December
STR | December 17, 2020
17 December 2020, HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee — U.S. weekly hotel occupancy remained relatively flat from the previous week, according to the latest data from STR through 12 December. 6-12 December 2020 (percentage change from comparable week in 2019): Occupancy: 37.8% (-37.4%) Average daily rate (ADR): US$85.88 (-31.7%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): US$32.49 (-57.3%) Aggregate data for the Top 25 Markets showed lower occupancy (35.6%) but higher ADR (US$90.81) than all other markets. Among the Top 25 Markets, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida (47.6%) saw the highest occupancy level. Markets with the lowest occupa...
11 Examples of CSR Practices in the Hospitality Industry
December 17, 2020
By Justine Gentinetta In recent decades, consumer awareness of social and environmental issues has increased markedly. Companies are progressively integrating sustainable development into their growth strategies for both ethical and profitable reasons, especially if they are to continue attracting the younger, socially active customer. Impact on hospitality industry Environmental policies are on the agenda for all businesses and rethinking hospitality as a sustainable practice is becoming an increasingly urgent matter. Indeed, the hospitality sector is known for its outsized environmental impact. Thus, hoteliers have shifted their f...
HVS Market Pulse: Wyoming & Montana
Katy Black | December 17, 2020
By Katy Black, Lauren Reynolds Travel certainly looked different in the United States for 2020. The limitation of international travel, the postponement of events and festivals, remote working, virtual learning, and the closure or strict capacity limitations at several attractions have steered travelers to seek the great outdoors, particularly in more remote locations. Thus, the scene in the late summer and early fall was far from desolate in the three major national parks in Wyoming and Montana; in fact, Yellowstone, Glacier, and Grand Teton National Parks experienced an increasing number of visitors through the end of the summer, wit...
Zoox Smart Data Poised to Continue Rapid Growth in 2021
Zoox Smart Data | December 17, 2020
Alpharetta, GA — December 17, 2020 — Zoox Smart Data (“Zoox”), an international provider of advanced technological solutions that harness big data to build detailed customer profiles over existing Wi-Fi networks, is set to maintain its impressive global expansion trajectory into 2021 with recent customer additions that include major organizations from the hospitality, travel and casino industries. Renowned brand names such as Royal Resorts are moving to adopt Zoox Smart Data solutions as competition continues to grow for providing guests with hyper-personalized experiences that translate into enhanced satisfaction, loyalty and busines...
Jan Vanhaelewyn Appointed General Manager for The St. Regis Bermuda Resort Opening Spring 2021
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts | December 17, 2020
St George’s, Bermuda – December 17, 2020 – The St. Regis Bermuda Resort, slated to open in Spring 2021, is proud to announce the appointment of Jan Vanhaelewyn as General Manager. Jan joins the resort with over 12 years of luxury hospitality experience, boasting expertise in both hotel and food and beverage management. A tenured industry veteran, he will be responsible for all aspects of operations, bringing a new era of luxury to this iconic destination. “We are delighted to welcome Jan Vanhaelewyn as General Manager of The St. Regis Bermuda Resort. His extensive knowledge and expertise align with the unparalleled excellence for w...
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa Appoints David Flegel as Executive Chef
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa – Authentic Hawaiian Hospitality Surrounded by Tropical Paradise | December 17, 2020
LAHAINA, Hawaii (December 17, 2020) – Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, located on 40 tropically landscaped oceanfront acres along a three-mile stretch of the famed Kaanapali Beach, is proud to announce David Flegel as the resort’s new executive chef. Flegel joins Hyatt Regency Maui just as the resort completes a two-year multimillion-dollar renovation. In his role, he will be leading and managing staff, overseeing the culinary offerings of the resort’s various restaurants, and implementing and incorporating his unique barbeque flavors as well as his international expertise in Indonesian and Asian cuisines throughout the resort’s di...
Cloud5 E911 Services Make It Easy for Hoteliers to Satisfy the Legal Requirements of Ray Baum’s Act and Kari’s Law
Cloud5 | December 17, 2020
Chicago, IL. — December 17, 2020 — Cloud5 Communications today announced E911 service offerings that provide for the fast, easy compliance with the rapidly approaching deadlines for the handling of calls from hotels to local emergency services. Cloud5 provides emergency routing services over SIP for E911 compliance with Ray Baum’s Act, which is enforceable as of January 6, 2021 and Kari’s law, which went into effect February 16, 2020. Ray Baum’s Act requires that all 911 calls include the “Dispatchable Location” of the caller in the form of additional information provided to the 911 center receiving the call. Dispatchable Loc...
Leisure Revenues in Early 2021 Need a Strong PMS
Larry Mogelonsky | December 16, 2020
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) The first half of 2021 will be tough for hotels. Corporate and group guests are still fearful to return in droves prior to the widespread dissemination of a vaccine, which leaves the transient segment to pick up the slack. You need versatile technologies to analyze where your guests are coming from so that you can find those pockets of leisure revenues and stay afloat until a true occupancy inflection occurs. Despite the widespread uncertainty from the coronavirus, we can still depend on a few trends to guide our approach, specifically those involving the use of technology to create...
COVID-19’s Impact on the Seattle Lodging Market
HVS | December 16, 2020
December 16, 2020 -- Amid a worldwide pandemic, the lodging industry is facing a downturn that is greater than the past two lodging-market declines combined. During the Great Recession, Metro Seattle occupancy fell roughly seven points from 68.1% in 2008 to 61.6% in 2009; this year, we forecast occupancy to drop from the 2019 benchmark of roughly 74% to 37%, reflecting a 50-point correction. Average rate declined from $127 in 2008 to $112 in 2009, an 11% drop; this year, we forecast ADR to fall 36% ($161 to $104). 2020 Major Factors Virtually all significant corporate travel dissipated in 2020 given the widespread impact of the virus....
The Outlook for Hospitality, Part 4: Technology Vendors Discuss Their Plans for the Future
Fran Worrall | December 16, 2020
By Fran Worrall Two weeks ago, in Part 3 of our series on the outlook for hospitality, we asked some of the industry’s leading technology vendors to discuss the solutions that are helping the industry recover. Not surprisingly, many companies have experienced an overwhelming demand for contactless solutions—from mobile food and beverage ordering to keyless entry systems. Other companies have seen rapid adoption of new business intelligence and CRM technology. Without exception, every vendor we interviewed has met the challenges surrounding the pandemic head-on, with many of them releasing new and improved solutions that offer low-to...
Do Masks Make a Difference in Customer Perception of Service Quality in Hotels and Restaurants?
Dr. Cihan Cobanoglu | December 16, 2020
By Dr. Cihan Cobanoglu As COVID-19 spreads person to person through respiratory droplets, U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone wears a mask when they are around other people (CDC, 2020). As such, many companies have enforced mask wearing policy for their customers and employees (Markowitz, 2020). As a result, many people have started to use masks in the United States. It is noteworthy that while it is new to American culture, mask wearing is common in some Asian cultures (Beglin, 2020). [caption id="attachment_253344" align="aligncenter" width="974"] Figure 1: Type of service person and mask types used...
Customer Service Lessons From the Best Unknown Companies
Shep Hyken | December 16, 2020
By Shep Hyken I’m often asked what the best way to disrupt the competition is. The answer is to not compare yourself to the competition, but to the best companies from other industries. In my customer service speeches, I’ll sometimes ask the audience to share who their favorite and easiest companies are to do business with. The typical answers are Amazon, Zappos, Walmart and other recognizable brands. Once in a while, an audience member will mention a local business. Sometimes it’s a restaurant or a car dealership. It really doesn’t matter whether you know the company well or not. It’s the fact that the company offers a...
