Brands | Crowne Plaza Greater Noida launches virtual fitness week

Crowne Plaza Greater Noida has joined hands with Wizard Health and Wellness to launch a week-long virtual fitness program: #PowerFit.

In a bid to help people in staying healthy and maintaining wellness at home during Covid-19 induced lockdowns, Crowne Plaza Greater Noida has joined hands with Wizard Health and Wellness to launch a week-long virtual fitness program: #PowerFit. The daily one-hour stress buster session is aimed at bringing internally certified workouts by Les Mills to home-bound people, with safety being the priority and fitter community the intention. Ideal for all age groups, the platform is offering live classes on how to perform high-intensity cardio exercises, Yoga, Zumba, Pilates, Tai Chi and more.

Expressing gratitude towards this initiative, Ashwani Nayar, General Manager, Crowne Plaza Greater Noida said, “Owing to the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, many of us are staying at home and doing less in terms of social interactions and exercise, which is leaving negative effects on both physical and mental health. Improving physical health and well-being have now become the need of the hour. With the help of #PowerFit, we are motivating people to use physical activity and exercise as a strategy to maintain health during this stressful period. The platform serves as our little contribution towards creating a healthier & happier environment, with world-class experts leading the way to build emotional resilience and physical health at a time like this.”

With the pandemic-led-school closures, the physical and emotional well-being of children has become every parent’s cause for concern. To re-kindly the cheer and positivity into the lives of kids at home, Crowne Plaza Greater Noida is also launching a virtual summer camp “Summer Diaries 2021” from 25th May 2021 till 11th June 2021 in association with Wizard Health and Wellness. The 15-days-long summer camp will include various fun-filled creative and fitness activities including Aerobics, Karate, Zumba, Western dance, Art and & Craft, Singing & Vocal Training, Creative Writing, and more. The camp will also host complimentary Zumba sessions for parents, along with special webinars on socio-emotional issues with children during the lockdown.

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Event | Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre honours Society of Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) Volunteers and healthcare workers

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre honours Society of Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) Volunteers and healthcare workers

Hyderabad: May 21st, 2021: Ever since the highly contagious Coronavirus outbreak, the frontline workers and volunteers have been selflessly working around the clock to bring things under control. As a step to honour these unsung heroes, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) come forward with a heart-warming gesture by organising lunch for the volunteers of the Society of Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) at Commissioner's office in Gachibowli. The lunch was attended by Mr V C Sajjanar, Additional Director General of Police of Telangana and Cyberabad Police Commissioner along with staff & volunteers of SCSC.  

Society of Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) has taken up a campaign helping people who are looking for beds, oxygen and ambulances and other medical needs.  SCSC has set up a special cell (group of volunteers) that helps the COVID patients by connecting them with the hospitals and supporting their treatment. The food menu was specially curated keeping in mind their nutritional needs to fight the pandemic. The hotel ensured all safety and hygiene measures were maintained while creating and delivering the meals. 

NHCC also provided 200+ meals for the doctors and healthcare staff of Medicover Hospital, Hitec City, Madhapur as a special gesture for their dedication and hard work in saving lives and serving humanity during this time of crisis.

According to Mr. Manish Dayya, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, “As we continue our fight against the pandemic, the volunteers and medical community have emerged as true heroes helping the communities manage the crisis. We understand there is an urgent requirement of safe and nutritious food for the front-line workers.  As a small gesture of our appreciation and respect towards them we have organised a lunch for the volunteers of the Society of Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) and also provided meals to the healthcare staff at Medicover Hospital. At NHCC we are committed to the wellbeing of our communities and will continue to support such initiatives in the future.” 

Mr V C Sajjanar Additional Director-General of Police of Telangana and Cyberabad Police Commissioner appreciated the Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre team for their kind gesture towards the Front-line warriors and the volunteers (SCSC). He urged other corporates to come forward and join hands to fight this war against COVID-19.

About Novotel-

Novotel Hotels, Suites & Resorts offers destination hotels designed as comforting and energizing places where guests can ‘press pause’ and take time to enjoy the moments that really matter. The brand’s wide array of hotels, suites and resorts offer a multitude of services for business and leisure guests alike, including spacious, modular rooms with natural and intuitive design; 24/7 catering with nutritious choices; dedicated meeting spaces; attentive and proactive staff; family zones for the youngest guests; multi-purpose lobbies; and accessible fitness centres. Novotel, which has over 530 locations in more than 60 countries is part of Accor, a world leading hospitality group consisting of more than 5,100 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues throughout 110 countries.

About SCSC 

SCSC is a registered not-for-profit body founded in the year 2006 and operates in tandem with Cyberabad Police to promote safety & security in the Cyberabad IT corridor, empowered by the IT industry to attend to the security needs of IT companies.  The Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) is the joint collaboration between Cyberabad Police Commissionerate and IT industry to promote Hyderabad as the preferred IT destination.

The Council gives high priority to Personal safety, particularly Women safety, IT infrastructure safety, Traffic safety, Cybersafety and Information security so that business continuity takes place in a healthy living environment.

NEWS | Novotel Hyderabad Airport introduces “Work from Hotel”

Novotel Hyderabad Airport introduces “Work from Hotel” 

17th May 2021, Hyderabad: The growing concerns surrounding the pandemic and lockdowns have made companies practice WFH again, and employees are on a constant lookout for safer & relaxed workspace options to break the monotony of working from home, obviously with greater emphasis on enhanced hygiene and sanitization. Novotel Hyderabad Airport has announced “Work from Hotel” and there are innumerable options to choose from, one can either pick a spot in a traditional meeting room or if you like to be surrounded by nature then Novotel Hyderabad Airport is the spot for you. the hotel boasts of the lush green cover present in the hotel and if you are lucky enough you might even spot few migratory birds around, there have various alfresco seating options that one can choose from and they are perfect to enjoy a cup of coffee while one peruses to achieve their work deadlines, not only this you can even bring your furry friends along for them to enjoy various dog treats curated by our chefs at the hotel. Also, the hotel takes care of all your work needs be it highly effective WIFI, basic stationery, or printouts. 

Novotel Hyderabad Airport will also provide amenities like Super-Fast WIFI (Out Door /Indoor), Dedicated Plug & Play Office Space, Office Essentials Kit, Unlimited Tea & Coffee, Immunity Booster Drinks, Housekeeping services, and much more. 

 According to Mr. Rubin Cherian, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Airport, “Keeping in mind the present developments we are providing a safe, alternative working space to individuals and organizations looking to work remotely. Our functional indoor and outdoor spaces are vibrant and conducive to fuelling innovation, productivity, and meaningful collaboration and at the same time adhere to the safety and hygiene standards. We are working with corporates and businesses to offer personalized solutions to meet their requirements” 

About Novotel-

Novotel Hotels, Suites & Resorts offers destination hotels designed as comforting and energizing places where guests can ‘press pause’ and take time to enjoy the moments that really matter. The brand’s wide array of hotels, suites, and resorts offer a multitude of services for business and leisure guests alike, including spacious, modular rooms with natural and intuitive design; 24/7 catering with nutritious choices; dedicated meeting spaces; attentive and proactive staff; family zones for the youngest guests; multi-purpose lobbies and accessible fitness centers. Novotel, which has over 530 locations in more than 60 countries, is part of Accor, a world-leading hospitality group consisting of more than 5,000 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues throughout 110 countries. For more information and reservations visit all.accor.com or become a fan and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. novotel.com | group.accor.com

NEWS | 4-day work week for OYO, Ritesh Agarwal announces

OYO Founder and Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal made the announcement on Twitter saying the implementation would make Wednesdays an off to give employees a breather.

Hospitality firm OYO will be shifting to a 4-day work week, OYO Founder and Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal said in a tweet on Wednesday, as the company also launched a no questions asked flexible infinite paid leaves initiative. Agarwal in a tweet noted that COVID-19 continues to test the physical and mental well-being of people. One thing that truly matters is having more time for our loved ones and ourselves. Inspired by startups and large companies alike, we began a few initiatives this week at OYO, he said.

"Starting today we are moving to a 4-day work week but implementing it slightly differently, making Wednesdays off to let OYOpreneurs have a mid-week breather. We also launched a No Questions Asked Flexible Infinite Paid Leaves," he added.

In a series of tweets on the initiative, Agarwal said that employees can take off when they want and just need to inform their manager about it.

"Take off when you want, no need to log them, just let the manager know, no reasons needed, none asked. We are not going to stress about business impact and deadlines. We know work will not suffer, if anything OYOpreneurs will be more focused, efficient, and productive," he said in another tweet.

Stating that he would also like to unwind, Agarwal said,"I personally plan to wind down today and spend more time with my family, volunteering with the OYO COVID War Room & talking to a few friends and colleagues whose families have been impacted severely in the last few weeks".

As the country continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, "I hope & pray that we all emerge out of this crisis sooner. Until then we must all have each other's back & tide over this crisis together. Stay safe". OYO Hotels & Homes currently has over 1,00,000 small hotels and homeowners across 800 cities in 80 countries on its platform.

Covid News | Hotels Pride Kadamb Kunj Resort Bharatpur, Seva initiative started food delivery on doorstep

As per the current covid times, the 2nd wave has impacted a lot and the way it has moved in each household is very fearful. The most devastating impact of the 2nd wave is on how the families are coping to get on the road to recovery from this disease. In the majority of cases, one person getting infected is creating havoc in the family wherein the whole of the family slowly gets infected over the time-lapse. The major fighter for this disease is immunity boosting food which needs to be high on nutrition and hygienic. With complete families including the pillars of the households ie the Women of the house the biggest challenge patients are facing is getting the food that can enhance the immunity and help them cope with Covid.

Another part of the society which is the senior citizens are left without help and assistance and for them too it’s making life difficult. Owing to the above factors Pride Kadamb Kunj Resort Bharatpur, situated in Rajasthan has taken a step to stand for the society and as part of their Seva initiative started food delivery on the doorstep without any cost for Bharatpur residents. This service is being made available to families where either the complete family is Covid infected or having families where Senior citizens are staying alone.

Pride Hotels has been always on Forefoot when it comes to the responsibility towards society and with this initiative to we are trying to make an impact on the community where we are located and it’s a part of giving back to society through whatever possible contribution can be done. In the year 2020 too during the early phases of lockdown Pride Hotels has collaborated with the local bodies and when the migrant workers were heading back to their natives barefoot we had tried our level best to see that whichever city we are located we can help feed as many people as possible. In a time span of 20-25 days itself, we had distributed a total of 28000 food packets for the needy people in different cities where Pride Hotels has a presence.   

Covid News | Welcomhotels ,Across India Are Now Offering Quarantine Facilities, In Collaboration With Partner Hospitals

#StrongerTogether

In an endeavor to help flatten the curve, select Welcomhotels, across India are now offering quarantine facilities to asymptomatic & mildly symptomatic patients, in collaboration with partner hospitals.

• Comfortable & clean rooms using advanced safety & cleaning protocols.

• Facilities are Available For asymptomatic& mildly symptomatic patients as advised by our partner hospitals.

• On-site medical care provided by our partner hospitals as per their guidelines.

• Re-engineered processes to maximize safety across hotel touchpoints.

COIMBATORE

WELCOMHOTEL COIMBATORE

G. Kuppuswamy Naidu MemorialHospital (GKNM)

96008 66692

DELHI

WELCOMHOTEL DWARKA

Manipal Hospital

conferences.whdwarka@itchotels.in

FOR MORE DETAILS, PLEASE CONTACT

Offer is governed by the policies of the hospital & the hotel

Conditions apply

*Hospital affiliation underway please mail your requests to the email ID provided and we will come back to you.

CHENNAI

WELCOMHOTEL CHENNAI

Hospital Affiliation Underway

ghc.whchennai@itchotels.in

BENGALURU

WELCOMHOTEL BENGALURU

Hospital

Affiliation Underway

conferences.whbengaluru@itchotels.in

For details, please mail your query to the email id or call the number provided in the post.

T&Cs apply

#CovidResources #CovidCare #ITCHotels #Welcomhotel

NEWS | Avani Hotels in Thailand Participates in Vaccination Programme for Team Members

We are pleased to share that two of our properties in Koh Samui and Krabi have now received the second jab, achieving full vaccination. This is in support of the Thai Government’s mission to reopen the country for international tourists.

Also nearing the target 100% vaccination rate is Avani Pattaya Resort, where more than 50% of employees received the first shot in early April 2021. At the same time, the remaining properties have already been registered for the Government’s vaccination program and are expected to commence their drives soon.

Avani Hotels is looking forward to welcoming guests to Thailand for a worry-free holiday at the brand’s properties in Bangkok, Koh Samui and Krabi, among others.

NEWS | Anantara Hotels and Resorts First in Southern Thailand to Fully Vaccinated All Team Members

Anantara’s five resorts located on the islands of Koh Samui and Phuket have become the brands first in Thailand to have 100% of all qualified team members vaccinated as part of its strong commitment to safeguarding visiting guests against the spread of COVID-19. The vaccination drive has team members at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort, Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, Anantara Layan Phuket Resort, Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas and Anantara Phuket Suites & Villas.

Each resort has also reinforced health and hygiene measures under the “Stay with Peace of Mind” programme. The vaccine drive is part of an ongoing Thai government program to reopen borders to international tourism to Thailand’s two main tourist islands slated for the 1st July, 2021.

How Hotels Can Leverage Channel Management to Increase Profit By Karan Iyer

All hotels across the industry share a common goal – maximizing hotel revenue to be able to maximize profits. But that isn’t possible unless you leverage every booking opportunity. And that’s exactly where the channel management system comes into play.
What is hotel channel management?

Channel management is the process of managing hotel distribution channels and making your property available for booking to not one, but many distribution agents. Channel managers for hotels ensure that the potential guests have access to live availability and rates at all times so that you can sell maximum rooms. 

Here are a few benefits of having a channel manager for your hotel:

• No errors in rate adjustments and inventory updates

• Connection to a wide network of OTA profiles to increase conversions

• No risk of overbooking

• Dynamic pricing to increase bookings even during the off-season

• Tracking of competitors’ room rates available 

• Easy monitoring of room rates and OTA performance

Hotel Distribution Channels that You Need to Leverage 

Every hotel distribution channel has its own importance. Let’s understand each one separately. 

OTAs – OTA stands for an online travel agency. OTAs are third-party travel agents who showcase your OTA profile and get you bookings. A few examples would be Trivago, MakeMyTrip, Expedia.com, HomeAway, Booking.com, etc. 

Travellers today prefer booking online after rate comparison on various OTAs. In fact, as per a survey by Adara, a travel data company, 52% of millennials surveyed said that they prefer booking hotels through OTAs. Therefore, as a hotel manager, you should create an OTA presence of your hotel to increase your reach.  And a channel manager will synchronize your hotel PMS and data with the OTAs to maximize your bookings. 

Direct Channel – A direct channel is your hotel website. A lot of travellers visit the hotel website to make their final decision. Therefore, you must ensure a great user experience to make your website stand out. Moreover, with direct bookings, you will be able to save on commissions. 

Here are a few tips to increase direct bookings:

• Ensure rate parity across all channels but offer discounts on registration on your website.

• Allow flexible cancellations and easy refunds.

• Offer freebies with bookings that may include drinks, spa services, etc. 

• Offer cost-effective packages to encourage direct bookings. 

• Allow subscription to newsletters so that guests can receive promotions and discount details.

Global Distribution System (GDS) – A GDS is somewhere between offline and online channels. It is one of the most far-reaching channels that can target travellers that you may never be able to reach on your own. 

Leverage GDS to attract corporate bookings since it connects you to the world’s most recognized travel agents and companies. Create value-rich deals so that you can encourage these agents to make mass bookings for their clients with you. 

Offline Bookings – Offline bookings should never be overlooked since many travellers still find booking rooms online uncomfortable. Always keep some rooms available for guests who walk indirectly. It will also improve your brand reputation. 

A good hotel channel manager will create a mix of all these channels to ensure that your overall booking rate is maximized, and so is your revenue. Do your research and choose a reliable channel management system for your hotel. 

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Brief about the writer

Karan Iyer is an end-to-end digital marketer and blogger at Aiosell who inherently understands the hotel industry with his hospitality background. Karan knows how to convert the pain points and challenges of the hotel industry into business opportunities, and that’s what he writes about for his readers. He also shares industry trends, insights, and news to help his readers stay up-to-date. 

NEWS | Bihar Tourism cancels all April events amid spike in Covid cases

Bihar Tourism Department has cancelled all events planned for April and is considering revising events planned for May amid the spike in Covid-19 cases, reports Roopa Sopam for Hindustan Times.

As per this year’s calendar released by the department, Patna Sahib Festival, to be held on the occasion of Vaishakhi on April 13, has been cancelled. Later in the month, Vaishali Mahotsav, which was planned for April 25, has also been cancelled. The Department has been hosting the mahotsav for decades to mark birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir.

Besides this, events such as Kundalpur Mahotsav in Nalanda, Lacchuar Mahotsav at Lacchuar in Jamui, Thawe Mahotsav in Gopalganj and Mundeshwari Mahotsav in Bhabua, also scheduled for this month, have been cancelled.

“The events have been cancelled due to the growing Covid threat. No tourism festival will be held in April. The government has already issued guidelines for public functions,” State Tourism Minister Narayan Prasad said.

The Ministry is yet to take a call on events planned for May. Prasad said though there are prescribed precautions to be taken to stop the spread of coronavirus infection, it will be difficult to keep things under control during such public functions.

“Even the programme of Union tourism minister Prahlad Singh Patel has been revised due to Covid. He was to visit west Champaran to attend the Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on April 10. Now, the programme has been postponed to May 1,” he said.

In 2020 as well, the state had to cancel a majority of events because of the pandemic. Mukesh Kumar, manager at a hotel run by the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation, said, “Events such as Buddha Purnima, Rajgir Mahotsav and Sonepur fair had to be cancelled.” (Source: Hindustan Times)

THE LAUNDRY ROOMS PLANS EXPANSION OF SHORT-TERM-RENTAL CONCEPT

TORONTO — The Laundry Rooms Inc. has aligned with Urban Reform Realty to source locations across Canada for the continued roll-out of its extended-stay residential-hotel model.

Urban Reform Realty is targeting amenity-rich residential mixed-use building sites in Ontario cities — including Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton — as well as Montreal, to add to The Laundry Room’s five existing locations, presently under development.

The Laundry Rooms offers a light-touch, guest-management model that allows guests to minimize interactions with staff if they choose, featuring remote check-in, keyless entry, virtual concierge and on-demand housekeeping.

“We could not be happier to be part of The Laundry Rooms’ expansion. They bring true value and an unprecedented experience to multi-residential developers with their unique approach to the ‘new-wave’ of hospitality,” says Bryce Dymond, principal, Urban Reform. “The Laundry Rooms will likely become the cornerstone of mixed-use developments and provide a unique opportunity to landlords seeking alternative options for retail space. They are truly redefining the hotel experience in Canada.”

The Laundry Rooms aims to re-invent the short-term-rental market and is targeting regionally dominant, amenity-rich residential developments with ground-floor retail close to employment, entertainment, educational and health drivers. Walkability and neighborhood character also weigh heavily in the site-selection process.

“We are pleased to partner with Urban Reform given their love of walkable, transit-friendly neighborhoods and their solid experience in unique, mixed-use developments and deep-rooted connections to the landlord community,” says Matthew Opferkuch, CEO of The Laundry Rooms.

Source

BEST PRACTICES | Welcoming New Talent @ Millennium Place Barsha Heights Hotel and Apartments

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Mental Wellness Initiative @ Ramada Plaza Chennai

International Women’s day celebration at Ramada Plaza Chennai Guindy.

Sandeep Bhatnagar Ramada Plaza Chennai & SRM Hotels

Glad to have prominent psychiatrist Gayathri ji speak about Mental wellness and Emcee Sabreena for the funfilled evening for our lady associates.

Ramada Plaza Chennai

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Hyatt Ahemdabad Promotes Small Local Business-Hyatt Loves Local

At InterContinental Jordan, they have started a new way to communicate with guests!

WEBINAR ON " A DAY IN LIFE OF A GENERAL MANAGER " AT SOHM

Rendezvous "Meet & Greet" is an Academia-Industry Virtual series initiated by the School of Hospitality Management aimed at bringing industry and academia closer.
It is essential for both industry professionals and academicians to maintain a healthy network. Rendezvous "Meet & Greet" Series will aid both to stay updated with the current trends and share knowledge mutually beneficial to one another. Budding hoteliers will meet seasoned professionals and will interact and network for their professional development.
Chapter 5 of Rendezvous-Meet & Greet series themed on “A Day in Life of a General Manager” was with Mr Kumud Singh, General Manager, Jaypee Green Golf and Spa Resort, Greater Noida.
Mr Kumud discussed the various avenues of the General Manager's job and gave valuable inputs on Revenue Management, Stress Management and highlighted the Management Training (M.T.) program. It was a fruitful and knowledgeable session for the students.
The session was conceived by Mr. Sumit Pratap and moderated by Ms. Megha Sharma, Assistant Professor-SoHM

GM Of The Day Initiative @ Grand Hyatt Mumbai

CHRIS K. FRANZEN, Area Vice President –  West India & General Manager –  Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel & Residences has been running the GM of the Day Initiative for a while now. A best practice from his days in Oman, Qatar and now India. We at hospemag loved it!

Shashank Pathare was assigned to be the ‘General Manager of the Day’ on 18 January 2021.

Below is the initiative in detail.

GM of the Day - January 2021 - Grand Hyatt Mumbai by Prabhjot Bedi on Scribd

More about Mumbai Grand Hyatt