The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Doug Kennedy | October 4th, 2024
Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | October 2nd, 2024
The Importance of Sporting Events for the Las Vegas Market
Shannon Okada | June 30, 2020
By the time Nevada’s Governor Sisolak ordered the closure of Nevada’s non-essential businesses and urged residents to implement social-distancing measures to reduce the spreading of COVID-19 on March 17, 2020, the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Basketball Association (NBA)had suspended their 2019-20 regular seasons, and Major League Baseball (MLB) had suspended its Spring Training and delayed the start of the 2020 regular season. In addition, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, commonly known as March Madness, and the National Football League (NFL)’s plans to hold its ...
‘New World, New Employee Safety Culture’ Webcast Series Launching from React Mobile
React Mobile | June 30, 2020
Hoteliers and technology advisors discuss top-of-mind employee safety issues as properties reopen post pandemic; Fast-paced weekly episodes start mid-July and tackle workforce retention, service delivery, brand reputation, technology implementation and more Seattle, June 30, 2020 — Even before COVID-19, a new safety culture began emerging in hospitality that placed employee protection at the core of operations. As hoteliers readied to meet legislative mandates or honor commitments to the American Hotel & Lodging Assn.’s 5 Star Promise, the 2020 pandemic hit. Now, as properties prepare to reopen, operators are asking: How do we get...
Quest Griffith and Quest Robina Adopt BeyondTV GuestCast™ to Provide Guests With Latest in Content Casting Functionality
BeyondTV | June 30, 2020
Quest Griffith and Quest Robina cater to guest desire for seamless and secure access to personalized content. MELBOURNE, Australia — June 30, 2020 — BeyondTV (BTV), a full-service provider of guestroom entertainment services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has announced the successful implementation of BeyondTV GuestCast™ at Quest Griffith and Quest Robina. Owned and operated under the Quest Apartment Hotels franchise, one of the largest and most successful apartment hotel brands within Australasia, Quest Griffith, located within the Riverina region, and Quest Robina, situated on Australia’s Gold Coast, represent a le...
Small Island Destinations in Critical Need of Urgent Support as Tourism Plunges, UNWTO Warns
The World Tourism Organization | June 29, 2020
Without strong support, the sudden and unexpected fall in tourism could devastate the economies of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has warned. Since tourism is a strong socio-economic pillar of many SIDS, the impact that COVID-19 is having on the sector places millions of jobs and businesses at risk, with women and informal workers the most vulnerable. In the second of its Briefing Note series on Tourism and COVID-19, UNWTO has highlighted the severe impact the pandemic could have on livelihoods in these destinations. According to the latest data from the United Nations specialized agency, touris...
Fairfield by Marriott® Hotel Opens in Duncan, South Carolina Led by General Manager Shawn Kosloff
Fairfield by Marriott | June 29, 2020
Duncan, SC – June 29, 2020 – The 91-room Fairfield by Marriott hotel in Duncan, South Carolina has officially opened with a new décor that provides guests with a feeling of warmth and calm while traveling. Located at 149 Rogers Bridge Road, the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Greenville Spartanburg/Duncan will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by Millennium Hotel Partners 2 and managed by Gibson Hotel Management of Knoxville, Tennessee. Located eight miles from Greenville Spartanburg International Airport, 11 miles from downtown Spartanburg and 18 miles from downtown Greenville, the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites G...
McNeill Hotel Company’s Hampton Inn & Suites South Columbia (MD) Opens Following Renovation
McNeill Hotel Company | June 29, 2020
Columbia, MD – June 29, 2020 – McNeill Hotel Company’s 124-room Hampton Inn & Suites South Columbia (MD) announced today that it is now open and ready to serve guests after having completed an extensive renovation. The renovation, which will be formally celebrated in the fall, involved both guestrooms and all public spaces and included new mattress sets and televisions in the guest rooms. The exterior of the hotel was also reimagined with new building paint, signage, and lighting. Hotel amenities include free breakfast, complimentary WiFi, indoor pool, a 24-hour business center and fitness center. Each guestroom includes luxury ...
Airbnb’s Adaptable Business Model and Cost-Cutting Measures Have Revived Hopes of a 2020 IPO, Says GlobalData
GlobalData | June 29, 2020
A few months ago, the chance of Airbnb’s planned IPO going ahead in 2020 was slim to none. As the COVID-19 pandemic swiftly ground domestic and international travel to an abrupt halt, travelers cancelled their bookings en masse and its host community looked to list their properties elsewhere. However, Airbnb’s recent performance means that a stock market launch is now once again a possibility says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. Ralph Hollister, Travel and Tourism analyst at GlobalData comments: “One of the first forms of tourism that has returned is close proximity domestic travel – or staycations. Airbnb’s nim...
Short-Term Rental Occupancy in Nashville Showed Signs of Improvement in May
STR | June 29, 2020
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—Nashville short-term rental properties showed significant improvement in May after the COVID-19 pandemic had led to down performance in April, according to STR. Occupancy for the sector increased 83% from April to May, reaching a level of 49.4%. In April, short-term rental occupancy fell to 27%. STR, the leader in global hospitality benchmarking and analytics, maintains the world’s largest hotel performance database. Nashville is the first short-term rental market where STR is expanding its benchmarking offerings via a pilot study. Included in STR’s short-term rental sample are both multi-family and singl...
Eldorado Resorts Announces FTC Clearance for Pending Merger With Caesars
Eldorado Resorts | June 29, 2020
RENO, Nev. - Eldorado Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: ERI) (“Eldorado,” “Eldorado Resorts” or the “Company”) announced today that the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) has accepted a proposed consent order, which concludes the FTC’s Hart-Scott-Rodino review of Eldorado’s pending merger (the “Merger”) with Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) (“Caesars”). The FTC’s acceptance of the consent order satisfies all required antitrust clearances for the Merger. The consummation of the Merger remains subject to the satisfaction of other closing conditions, including receipt of all consents and approvals from the...
Hospitality Sector: Building Resilience in Uncertain Times
June 29, 2020
5 practical tips on how to build a strong operational infrastructure to cope with the unexpected. Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, climate change, COVID-19. From global pandemics to rising seas and terrorist attacks, tourism destinations and properties are highly vulnerable to uncertainties that can rock the world on a dime. Since mega-disruptions are increasingly frequent and unanticipated, hospitality businesses would do well to prepare for the worst with a comprehensive plan that details an immediate response to a crisis as well as addresses potential long-term challenges and plans. This way, whatever the crisis, the plans for addressing it in...
Lakeland Hospitality Group and McKibbon Hospitality Open New SpringHill Suites in Lakeland, Florida
SpringHill Suites by Marriott | June 29, 2020
LAKELAND, FL (June 29, 2020) – Lakeland Hospitality Group, McKibbon Hospitality, and local officials gathered today to celebrate the grand opening of Lakeland’s newest and cleanest hotel, SpringHill Suites Lakeland, with a ribbon cutting and tours. The hotel, which broke ground on October 1, 2018, and was completed this spring, will be managed by Tampa-based McKibbon Hospitality with General Manager John Loute overseeing all operations and leading the team on property. “Opening this hotel – the first SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Lakeland - has been such a rewarding experience” said Wesley Barnett, manger of Lakeland Hospitali...
U.S. Travel Reacts to EU Travel Ban
The U.S. Travel Association | June 29, 2020
WASHINGTON (June 29, 2020)—U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement in response to the formal announcement that the European Union will still exclude most travelers from the U.S. as it opens its borders: "The E.U.'s announcement is incredibly disappointing, and a step in the wrong direction as we seek to rebuild our global economy. "In the U.S. alone, travel-related jobs account for more than a third of lost employment due to the fallout of the pandemic. Health is paramount, and the public has a major role to play by embracing best practices such ...
Asia-Pacific Hotels Post Monthly Performance Gains
HotStats | June 29, 2020
Asia-Pacific hotels may have reached their bottom. And that's a good thing. Gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) in May showed its first month-over-month (MOM) since December 2019, up 78.2% MOM jump, and at -$3.04 is making strides towards breaking-even after turning negative in March. Occupancy in May was up 7.4 percentage points compared to April to 26.6%. Though this is still 43.6 percentage points below May 2019 numbers, it’s the first time since February that occupancy placed above 25% in the region. This rise in volume drove the 39.5% MOM surge in RevPAR. Further contributing to the top-line, F&B revenue per av...
The Castell Project, Inc. Releases “Black Representation in Hospitality Industry Leadership 2020” Report
Castell Project | June 29, 2020
ATLANTA, June 29, 2020—Officials of Castell Project, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the careers of women professionals in the hospitality industry, today released the “Black Representation in Hospitality Leadership 2020” report. The statistical document reflects the industry prior to the ongoing pandemic. Castell Project plans to release an updated report in January to show the impact on Black representation as the industry rehires. “While Black women and men account for one in five hospitality jobs according to the US Department of Labor, our research found they are a mere one in 65 hospitalit...
Hospitality Financial Leadership: Chapter 8 – The Trial
David Lund | June 29, 2020
By David Lund The chapter below is an excerpt from my new book. It’s fiction but some of the characters and story lines are based on people I have worked with and events that have taken place in the hotels I have worked in. The book is a fable about a hotel manager who has some very bad habits. He must change in order to survive and the book takes him and you through the lessons needed to be a great hospitality financial leader. I’m writing ahead each month so I’m not sure how the book will end. I hope you enjoy it and if you missed any earlier chapters you can find them on my website blog tab. I arrived home that evening a li...
Beyond Borders: Hospitality Updates from Across the Globe
Russell Kett | June 26, 2020
By Russell Kett Industry experts from around the globe share what they are seeing in their markets today, the status of travel restrictions, how their governments are supporting the industry financially, and how they see the recovery process starting and playing out. Held on Tuesday, June 23, 2020 Moderator: Leora Halpern Lanz, ISHC, Associate Professor of the Practice & Chair of the Graduate Program, BU SHA Panelists include: Kaushik Vardharajan, Faculty, BU SHA, Patricia Boo, Area Director LATAM, STR, Adeline Phua, HCC/ Verimag, Shanghai/Singapore, and Russell Kett, FRICS, Chairman, HVS London. ...
Fragile U.S. Hotel Industry Records Monthly Performance Gains
HotStats | June 26, 2020
April showers just may have been the thing hoteliers in the U.S. needed. Though May wasn't a full bouquet of flowers, green shoots certainly abounded. In the U.S., between April and May, total revenue per available room (TRevPAR) was up 39% (down 92% year-over-year) and gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) was up 32% to $-17.25 (down 116.2% YOY). The uptrend is a sign that April may have been the bottom and absent a surge in cases, which is a possibility, the expectation is that month-over-month (MOM) numbers will continue to improve, especially as more states move into Phase Two, which allows for non-essential travel to c...
Case Surge Could Derail Middle East Momentum
HotStats | June 26, 2020
Like the rest of the world, the Middle East’s hotel industry fell off the cliff in March and sunk deeper in April. But if May is any indication, its fortunes may slowly be turning, albeit still well off pre-COVID levels. Momentum, however, could be blunted over the resurfacing of more cases across the region and some governments unwillingness to shut their economies back down. May saw month-over-month (MOM) jumps in the region in both total revenue and profitability. RevPAR in the region dropped off precipitously after February, and in May it hit $23.03, which, though 78.4% down from the same time a year ago, was up 5.9% over April, s...
Changes in the Industry: EHL Hospitality Talents Share Their Views
Beatrice Venturini | June 26, 2020
By Beatrice Venturini EHL CEO, Michel Rochat, quizzes this year’s group of bright sparks from the EHL Talent Academy on their thoughts and previsions on what the future of hospitality might entail in a post-pandemic world. Their insights are an important prism through which we can all gauge these changing times. EHL Group launched a new venture last year called ‘EHL Talent Academy,’ a program designed to support and develop young EHL employees in the professional world of hospitality management education. The EHL Talent Academy was created in order to spot the next generation of managers and leaders within the EHL Group, and inv...
Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe | Houston Opens in Texas
Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe | Houston | June 26, 2020
Montgomery, Texas (June 26, 2020) – Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe | Houston officially opened today as the first Texas-based resort in the Margaritaville portfolio. Set on 186 waterfront acres on the shores of Lake Conroe, the resort brings an entirely unique lodging concept to the destination, providing guests authentic fun and escapism in a "no worries" atmosphere. "It’s exciting to be the first resort to introduce the Margaritaville lifestyle to the Lone Star State, offering a quick, drivable escape from major cities like Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio,” said Lisa Fasbender, General Manager of Margaritaville...
U.S. Hotel Demand Not Expected to Fully Recover Until 2023
STR | June 26, 2020
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—Even with improving performance already underway, U.S. hotel demand will not return completely to pre-pandemic levels until 2023, according to the latest forecast revision from STR and Tourism Economics. “Compared with our last forecast, we actually improved our demand projection for 2020 from -45.0% to -36.2%, but we expect it to take 11 quarters for the number of room nights sold to rise to the corresponding levels of 2019,” said Jan Freitag, STR’s senior VP of lodging insights. “Similarly, it will take until 2023 for occupancy to reach the 20-year historical average. With lower occupancy levels, and t...
4 Rules of Marketing in a Time of Recovery
Deborah Fell, Adriana Lynch, and Aurora Tot | June 25, 2020
By Deborah Fell, Adriana Lynch, and Aurora Toth The travel, hospitality and entertainment industries have been severely impacted by the pandemic but companies are slowly starting to re-open for business. It’s an unprecedented time and one of the major underlying sentiments is fear. Here are 4 ways CEOs and businesses in these market segments can address and overcome this concern: 1. Compassion and Empathy for Employees Some employees are afraid of coming back to work. CEOs and management teams will need to convince employees and the public that the necessary procedures to ensure everyone’s safety have been implemented. Guidelines ...
How to Show the Welcoming Smiles Behind the Masks of Your Hotel Staff
Doug Kennedy | June 25, 2020
By Doug Kennedy As part of the hotel and lodging industry’s effort to help guests feel safe about traveling during the current COVID-19 pandemic era, nearly all are requiring hotel staff to wear facemasks. However, one down-side is of course the fact that our colleagues can no longer share their warm and welcoming smiles as they greet guests at the front entrance, pass by them in hallways and corridors or when serving them in dining and recreational outlets. Lately, as our KTN trainers have been conducting our “Heart of Hospitality” Certification webcam coaching sessions, many of our participating candidates are expressing that wh...
WTTC Lays Out Guidelines for a Safe and Seamless Travel in the ‘New Normal’
June 25, 2020
London, UK: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has laid out its new guidelines Safe & Seamless Travel including testing and tracing, following medical evidence, to ensure people can enjoy Safe Travels in the ‘new normal’. The guidelines will ensure that the travel sector is provided with an extensive framework to help governments and private business work in collaboration to create aligned testing and contact tracing programmes. The initiative is part of the WTTC’s Safe and Seamless Traveller Journey (SSTJ) which aims to enable a seamless, safe and secure end-to-end traveller experience including flights and non-air...
