Dubai is ready to reopen its doors to receive visitors and guests from all over the world

Key Take Away

In light of the effective management of the Emirate of Dubai to contain the global pandemic and continue its efforts to control the spread of the Corona, the city is taking carefully studied measures and procedures to reopen its various economic sectors in stages

Dubai put detailed instructions for reopening commercial activities for various government agencies and private companies, including the hospitality sector

Maintaining its commitment to ensuring the public safety of the city's residents and visitors.

For More Information

www.gulfnewstoday.net/2020/05/dubai-is-ready-to-reopen-its-doors-to.html?m=1

Google Maps helps healthcare workers find hotels

Key Take Away

As part of its broader COVID-19 response, Google has given healthcare providers the option to add virtual care offerings to their search and Maps profiles and made government coronavirus-related announcements more prominent in search. Google is adding a new Maps feature to help those individuals find special accommodations when they're done their daily shifts. This feature will help those workers who want to keep their families safe.

The new feature is only available in the US and UK, but Google plans to roll it out to other countries in the future

For More Information

www.engadget.com/google-maps-search-frontline-healthcare-worker-hotel-finder-144000833.html?utm_campaign=fullarticle&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=inshorts

Sarovar Hotels appoints Sanjay Rai as Sr. VP Sales & Marketing

Key Take Away

Sarovar Hotels and Resorts announced the appointment of Sanjay Rai as Sr. Vice President- Sales & Marketing.

He will be responsible for overseeing the planning and implementation of sales, marketing, and product development programs for each brand targeted towards existing and new markets. A seasoned professional with an experience of close to four decades

For More Information

hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/hotels/sarovar-hotels-appoints-sanjay-rai-as-sr-vp-sales-marketing/75890039

MHRIL moves ahead with expansion plan amid Covid-19

Key Take Away

Mahindra Holidays Resorts India Ltd is moving ahead with its planned capacity expansion even after the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the hospitality industry. In contrast, MHRIL will start work on two new resorts in addition to an ongoing project in Goa.

Club Mahindra is working with various experts in healthcare, facility management, and technology to implement enhanced safety procedures and contactless services

For More Information

hospitality-economictimes-indiatimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com/amp/news/hotels/mhril-moves-ahead-with-expansion-plan-amid-covid-19/75845291

Are you looking for amazing customer service people? Hospitality Professionals are the best!

We at hospemag.me obviously love hospitality professionals. We think the world of them.

We are also aware of the situation we all find ourselves in. We firmly believe that hospitality professionals are can work in any industry. If you have customers, you can hire hospitality people!

Here are our top 10 reasons:

1. Customer Facing. They deal with real people all the time. The number of interactions that a front line associate has with people is staggering. They learn about courtesy, safety, care at a very early stage in their career.

2. Moments Of Wow. Ever stayed at a hotel? The simple process of check-in can have up to 42 moments of wow! Each of these micro-moments is practiced, over and over again, and yet, it is made unique to each guest.

3. Physical Labour. We are not afraid of work. Put us in long shifts, arduous activities, physically demanding jobs and we will thrive.

4. Team Work. Each hospitality professional knows that she cannot make it happen on her own. We believe in our team and we applaud them every day. The dish you eat is a team effort.

5. Eye For Detail. A checklist for a room inspection may have over 300 points! No detail is too small. We believe God is in the details.

6. Discipline. Hotels do it 24/7. Restaurants, catering services, do it every day. When the world celebrates, we serve.

7. Grooming. Always. Do all that work, looking good. Presentable, personable, welcoming.

8. Knowledge. Masters of the trade, and then masters of skill too. The sheer breadth of skill involved in putting together a singular event, tells you the skill and the knowledge that one needs to be to perform such miracles.

9. Processes. Everything is mapped. Everything is photographed, videographed, scripted, and measured. Standards are set for each activity. And within those processes, we leave room for the magic to happen. We created a process to surprise you.

10. Smile. And we do it all with a smile! Day in, day out, every hour, every interaction with a guest.

You should hire hospitality professionals.

If you would like to, we are offering every company out there to create a free page with us and have people apply to you.

If you would like to browse profiles, we are creating those as well.

write to us at editor@hospemag.me and find your superstar in the million or so hospitality professionals are maybe out of a job.

We thought of this because Hilton set up a whole effort to help their people. We want to do it for everyone!

Centara Hotels & Resorts makes food donation to the Thai Government’s Public Relations Department

Key Take Away

Thailand's leading hotel operator recently donated 1,500 food boxes to the Thai Government's Public Relations Department

When a consumer buys a Centara cash voucher for a future escape, Centara will add a further 50% value to the purchase.

For more information:

www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4098708.html

Dream Hotel Group Signs Three New Locations In Tulum, Mexico

Key Take Away

Celebrated hotel and brand management company Dream Hotel Group announced today a new partnership with leading Tulum-based real estate development group Los Amigos to operate three new properties in Tulum, Mexico.

With 16 hotels open today and another 20+ locations in various stages of development worldwide, Dream Hotel Group remains one of the fastest-growing independent lifestyle hotel companies in the world.

For more Information

www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4098748.html

IDeaS Releases Revenue Management Online Learning to the Public

Key take Away

In uncertain times, IDeaS opens its Revenue Management Foundations courses to all and partners with renowned universities to educate and empower tomorrow’s revenue leaders

Get the courses here > ideas.com/revenue-management-foundations/

 Additionally, it has added the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, University of Nevada, Las Vegas to its growing list of prestigious academic partners.

5 Insights Into the Changing Landscapes of Hospitality and Higher Education

Key Take Away

Successful hospitality professionals know that multiple institutions have shifted their educational offer from the physical space into a distance-learning format in record time - proof of how the educational system can evolve.

With Covid-19 acting as a trigger for change in our educational model for more individualization, flexibility and global reach, we can now return to the original meaning of "crisis" as a turning point for better hospitality educational models in the future. The difference between success and failure often depends on how we deal with challenges and difficulties.

For More Information

www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4098730.html

Marriott announces North American, international leadership changes

Long-time Marriott International senior executive Dave Grissen has decided to step down from his position as group president, the Americas, toward the end of 2020 and retire from Marriott in the first quarter of 2021

Grissen leads all aspects of the company's biggest region, the Americas, which generates more than two-thirds of the company's fee revenues

Under Grissen's leadership, Marriott's Americas organization has grown from 2,928 hotels to 5,640 properties today, with another 1,800 hotels in the pipeline

New North American and International Leadership

Marriott also announced plans for the company's lodging operations to be consolidated under two long-time Marriott leaders after Grissen steps down from his current role. Under this plan, Liam Brown will take on the role of group president, North America and Craig S. Smith will take on the role of group president, International.

Brown currently is group president, Europe, Middle East & Africa. Brown was president, Europe, and before that, president, select brands and owner and franchise services, North America.

The company expects that David Marriott, currently president, U.S. full service, managed by Marriott, will join the company's board of directors in 2021

Get Ready to Experience “Island Homes” in Maldives Post Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions in almost every human activity on the planet. At the moment travelling anywhere is out of the question for most, even though some countries are cautiously opening their borders

Maldives is ready to offer a fresh concept that you really should experience: Island Homes. The thought of being cloistered in a luxurious home with every comfort available while away from home is definitely something many travelers around the world are yearning to experience for themselves once Maldives is open for business post pandemic.

Most Island Homes are located in a contained private area providing the ultimate in privacy with many of the luxuries you’d usually expect to find at a Maldivian resort.

One of the first such properties to pop up in Maldives is the luxurious Veli Vilaa located in Dhiffushi Island.The property has such a calming and magical effect on the senses that guests often despair having to leave. One Serbian family, who arrived before the pandemic leading to  lockdowns all over the world, chose to extend their stay to six weeks once they realized they’d rather stay and experience the stress-free island life, cocooned and sheltered from the woes of the world at large for as long as possible, before heading back.

LUX* Resorts & Hotels Shows Appreciation to Healthcare Professionals in Maldives with Complimentary Stay

In appreciation of the Maldivian medical professionals’ selfless dedication in fighting on the frontline during this challenging time, LUX* Resorts & Hotels in the Maldives shows their gratitude to the local healthcare workers by giving a complimentary two-night stay on full board at either LUX* South Ari Atoll Resort & Villas or LUX* North Malé Atoll Resort & Villas, Maldives.

The public can pay tribute to a healthcare professional who had touched their life during this unprecedented crisis by sharing their stories of appreciation on their own Facebook profile, along with the hashtags #CollectivelyWeCare and #CollectivelyWeCareLSAA or #CollectivelyWeCareLNMA, including a picture of the medical worker and tagging the resort they wish to win a stay in for their nominee.

The post with the most likes will enable the nominated healthcare worker to redeem his or her stay for two adults on full board basis including domestic transfers, as soon as accessibility is re-established to the respective resorts. This campaign will end on 3 June 2020.

Additionally, LUX* Resorts & Hotels will honour these two Healthcare Heroes by planting a coconut tree on World Environment Day (5 June) in their names to serve as permanent reminders of their service rendered during this unprecedented time.

No gesture is enough to repay their selfless acts of service, however, we wish to do our bit to provide them with a well-deserved holiday so they can recuperate and rest,” said John Rogers, General Manager of LUX* North Malé Atoll Resort & Villas.

Tamarack Resort Announces Plan for Phased Reopening Beginning May 16

In accordance with Idaho Rebounds, Gov. Brad Little’s guidelines for opening up Idaho, Tamarack Resort has received approval from Central District Health for its phased reopening beginning on Saturday, May 16.

The phased approach prioritizes the health and safety of employees, guests, and homeowners while resuming dining, lodging, and recreation-based activities.

Starting May 16, Tamarack will resume its dining and lodging services and will also open its meadow hiking and biking trails for complimentary use while encouraging appropriate social distancing. Tamarack’s recently opened retail outlets, including the Clearwater Coffee Shop and Village Market and Deli, will also reopen with enhanced health and safety protocols. Construction on The Village at Tamarack will resume, including real estate tours of the Village residential units and the real estate gallery. Additional activities will resume on the following dates:

• May 21: Scenic lift rides on Tamarack Express

• May 22 (Memorial Day Weekend): Waterfront Cabana motorized & non-motorized boat rentals

• May 28: Lift-served mountain biking (dependent on mid-mountain snow melt)

• June 6: Tamarack Zipline Tours (dependent on mid-mountain snow melt)

• Mid-June: Guided whitewater rafting trips on the Cabarton stretch of the North Fork of the Payette River.

For all recreation updates, guests are encouraged to visit TamarackIdaho.com for the latest days and hours of operations, and to pre-book excursions.

Several of Tamarack’s new protocols and procedures across the resort will include:

• COVID-19 training for employees pursuant to Central District Health (CDH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines

• All employees will receive daily temperature checks and be provided gloves and masks to wear during interactions with the public

• Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing of all high-touch surfaces, lodging properties, and recreation equipment

• Installation of Plexiglass dividers at all point of sale locations

• Hand sanitizing stations located throughout the resort, including all high traffic areas, elevators, and entry ways to main buildings

• Signage and markers to support all social distancing guidelines

• Limiting the number of guests inside dining, reception, and ticket areas

• Use of one-time menus in dining establishments

• Use of touchless card readers for transactions

• Complimentary masks available for all guests who forget to bring their own

  The resort encourages all guests planning to visit Tamarack and surrounding mountain communities in Valley County to respect new protocols in place at local businesses and recreation areas – by continuing social distancing, wearing a mask in public, practicing good hand hygiene, and staying home when feeling sic

Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts Will Reopen Its Hotels in Germany Before the End of May

Thomas Willms, CEO, Deutsche Hospitality, undertook an on-site visit to the Steigenberger Hotel Munich on Thursday 14 May 2020 in order to clarify how the company’s new extended guidelines and hygiene measures will apply in practice. “We have been trialling and revising a new hygiene concept on an ongoing basis over the past few weeks,” 

Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts will reopen its hotels in Germany before the end of May. The Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts in Bad Homburg, Bad Neuenahr, Bad Pyrmont, Petersberg, Braunschweig, Bremen, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Heringsdorf, Jena, Cologne, Leipzig and Zingst will recommence operations on 25 May.

The Steigenberger Inselhotel in Constance will also open on 29 May and the Steigenberger Hotel in Munich on 30 May.

The Steigenberger Hotel Dortmund and the Steigenberger Hotel Bad Wörishofen will be welcoming guests back from 8 June and 10 June respectively. Finally, the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof, the Steigenberger Conti Hansa Kiel, the Steigenberger Hotel Berlin, the Steigenberger Hotel Metropolitan, the Hotel Fürstenhof Bad Pyrmont and the Steigenberger Hotel Hamburg are scheduled to be available again from 1 July. The Steigenberger Hotel Treudelberg Hamburg is already back in business and will be accepting reservations from 15 May.

Presentation of the new standards

Thomas Willms joined Oliver Schafer, General Manager of the Steigenberger Hotel Munich, to explain how guest arrivals will be managed whilst maintaining social distancing and ensuring compliance with the new hygiene regulations. Further areas covered included the restaurants, the guest lifts and the conferencing area.

How the hotel’s facilities could be used without compromising social distancing. One guest room had been adapted by removing the usual decorative cushions, stationery articles and bathrobes. The TV remote control and all the glasses in the room itself and in the bathroom were disinfected after use and packed away in a paper bag. Despite the reduction in the number of utensils provided in the room, guests are, of course, welcome to request any additional items they need at any time.

Top Ten Largest Travel and Tourism Businesses

The travel and tourism industry was thriving through the end of 2018, making it the eighth straight year of sustained industry growth. More than 1.4 billion people arrived at international ports around the world

 In 2019, the United Nations World Tourism Organization estimated that one out of every ten jobs globally was linked to the travel and tourism industry.

This growth trend was projected to continue through 2022 until Covid-19 changed everything.To get an overview of what the Travel and Tourism industry looked like before this unprecedented disruption, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 Largest Travel and Tourism Businesses in the World, arranged in order of 2018 total revenue. Two of the ten on our list are family-owned.

10. Travel Leaders Group

Country of Origin: USA

Revenue: 7.12 billion

Number of Employees: 4,000

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in New York, Travel Leaders Group is a relatively new company that caters primarily to upscale and corporate clientele. 

In 2018, 71 per cent of revenue came from business travel, 25 per cent came from leisure travel, while four per cent came from other categories. Its network of hosted agents generated approximately $436.6 million in sales. Recent estimations suggest more than a third of all agents in North America work under the Travel Leaders Group umbrella either directly or indirectly

9. Royal Caribbean Cruises

Country of Origin: USA

Revenue: 9.49 billion

Number of Employees: 77,000

Royal Caribbean Cruises is one of just two cruise lines to make our list of top tourism businesses in the world. Founded in 1968 in Miami as Royal Caribbean International, the business has grown to become the world’s second-largest cruise line.

8. Walt Disney Parks, Resorts & Leisure

Country of Origin: USA

Revenue: 20.29 billion

No of Employees: 170,000

Disney Park’s 2018 total of $20.29 billion marks its ninth straight year of increases and nearly doubles the 2009 total of $10.67. Disney’s most attended Park is the Magic Kingdom in Florida with just under 21 million visitors in 2018

In total, Disney boasts six resort destinations with 12 theme parks and 53 resorts in the United States, Europe, and Asia. They also run a successful cruise line with four ships and plans for three more to be completed in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

7. Carnival Corporation & PLC

Country of Origin: USA

Revenue: 20.83 billion

Number of Employees: 120,000

Carnival Corporation & PLC holds the distinction of being the world’s largest leisure cruise line with a combined fleet of 102 ships visiting more than 700 ports all around the world. Carnival is a family-owned business

These cruise lines attract nearly 11.5 million guests annually – approximately half of the total global cruise market. With 225,000 daily cruise guests and 100,000 shipboard employees, an estimated 325,000+ people are sailing aboard the Carnival Corporation fleet every single day.

6. Flight Centre Travel Group

Country of Origin: Australia

Revenue: 21.8 billion

Number of Employees: 20,600

Flight Centre Travel Group was founded in Sydney in 1982 and currently stands as the largest retail travel agency in Australia

In 2018, Flight Centre Travel Group sold travel valued at approximately $60 million every day.  Flight Centre travel group is currently headquartered in Brisbane. It operates more than 2,800 retail outlets in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Hong Kong, India, China, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Mexico with licence agreements in another 80 countries.

5. CWT

Country of Origin: USA

Revenue: 25 billion

Number of Employees: 18,000

CWT is a Minnesota-based, family-controlled travel management company perhaps best known by its former name Carlson Wagonlit Travel, which was rebranded as CWT in February 2019

4. BCD Travel

Country of Origin: Netherlands

Revenue: 27.1 billion

Number of Employees: 13,800

BCD Travel is a travel management company headquartered in Atlanta but is a subsidiary of the BCD Group located in the Netherlands. BCD Travel operates travel management services such as travel bookings, consulting and meetings and events in 109 countries around the world

3. Global Business Travel

Country of Origin: Netherlands

Unit Sales: 33.7 billion

No of Employees: 17,400

Initially American Express Global Business Travel, GBT is a world leader in business travel planning and management. The business is incorporated in the Netherlands but is headquartered out of New Jersey.

In 2018, Global Business Travel acquired Hogg Robinson Group, a travel company with roots that trace back to the 19th Century.

2. Booking Holdings

Country of Origin: USA

Revenue: 92.7 billion

Number of Employees: 24,500

Booking Holdings is one of the largest online search and booking platforms for flights, lodging, dining, car rentals and other travel-related services.

In 2017, travellers booked 673.1 million room nights of accommodation, 73.0 million rental car days, and 6.9 million aeroplane tickets using websites owned by Booking Holdings. That year, 93.4 per cent Booking Holdings’ revenues were from commissions, while 6.6 per cent of revenues came from advertising.

1. Expedia Group

Country of Origin:USA

2018 Revenue: 99 billion

Number of Employees: 24,000

One of the most recognisable brand names in the tourism industry fell just short of $100 billion in total revenue to top our list of tourism businesses. The Expedia Group provides an online platform for various travel-related needs  In 2018, the business changed its corporate name from Expedia, Inc. to Expedia Group, Inc.

Just under 69 per cent of Expedia Group’s 2018 revenue came from lodging, 8 per cent from airline bookings, 9.7 per cent from advertising and media, and 13 per cent from other sources.

American Airlines, Hyatt Hotels offer free vacations to NYC healthcare workers after pandemic

New York City healthcare workers on the frontline of the coronavirus battle are being treated to complimentary vacations courtesy of American Airlines and Hyatt hotels.

More than 4,000 employees at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst in Queens will get three-day trips to a variety of destinations in the U.S. and the Caribbean once COVID-19 subsides and they're able to take time off.

Doctors, nurses, physician assistants and even food-service workers are among those receiving the thank-you gift.

“We are extremely grateful to Hyatt and American Airlines for this generous gift to our healthcare workers, who have been at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Israel Rocha, the CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals' Elmhurst facility, said in a news release. “Our doctors, nurses, and other staff on the front lines of this unprecedented healthcare crisis really appreciate the outpouring of support from two of America’s major companies, and we look forward to taking advantage of these well-earned vacations in the near future.”

IHCL exceeds 1 million meals offered to healthcare providers and migrant workers

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) announced that it had crossed the milestone of over 1 million meals distributed to healthcare providers and migrant workers affected by the spread of COVID-19 in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Coimbatore and Agra.

The initiative which began on March 23 has been spearheaded by the Taj Public Service Welfare Trust (TPSWT), with majority of the meals being prepared by its airline catering company TajSATS.

Puneet Chhatwal, MD and CEO at IHC  said the milestone of 1 million meals distributed over the last 36 days of lockdown is a testament of the community’s trust in the company.

"We are grateful to have been given this opportunity to assist the medical fraternity, who make sacrifices every day to keep our country and citizens safe and help migrant workers who are facing one of the biggest humanitarian crises ever."

Through its programme, IHCL has partnered with BMC in Mumbai to offer over 3,30,000 meals to the medical fraternity at seven key hospitals/COVID-19 centres. In Bangalore, the company has provided over 9,500 meals to staff at Victoria Hospital and Epidemic Diseases Hospital in partnership with the Taj West End. While in New Delhi, IHCL has served over 85,000 meals to eight hospitals.

Since March 31, 2020, in partnership with Tata Son's - TPSWT has also provided over 5,75,000 meals to migrant workers in Mumbai

Vande Bharat Mission: Authorities seek hotel rooms across the country

India begins its biggest repatriation exercise to bring back 14,800 nationals stuck in 12 countries, the government is earmarking a range of hotel rooms across the spectrum, from one star properties to plush five-stars, for quarantining these travellers who will be landing in different cities
Hotels newly earmarked in Delhi include the Taj Palace Hotel, Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel and Le Meridien, according to people aware of the matter. Besides Taj Palace, the Indian Hotels Company Limited ..
(IHCL) has earmarked rooms in five of its hotels in Bengaluru for the exercise, including in Taj MG Road, Taj West End and the Vivanta hotel in Whitefield.

“We are glad to be able to offer support and care for our community,” said a Shangri-La spokesperson. “The hotel will accommodate some of these returning travellers as and when required. During this period, we will take all necessary precautions and strictly abide by the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,”.

“We have got 200 rooms. The Delhi government had approached us. As per the instructions that we have received, all the guests are supposed to pay for the rooms. The government is not footing the bill. In our case it’s Rs 4,000 for a single room and Rs 4,800 for a double room, inclusive of meals plus taxes,” said Tarun Thakral, Chief Operating Officer at Le Meridien. “I think they are giving options to arriving passengers to choose from hotel categories and rates.”
The Delhi government has reportedly allocated 1,200 rooms in Delhi and National Capital Region for the purpose.

The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) said it has been in constant touch with the authorities in Maharashtra and has arranged more than 1,500 rooms at discounted rates in Mumbai across categories
At IBIS New Delhi Aerocity, there are 200 rooms which have been committed for the repatriation exercise
Lemon Tree Hotels said it has been approached by different state authorities on room availability and quotation in locations like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Alleppey, Kochi, Amritsar and Lucknow.
Besides IHCL, hotel chains such as Lemon Tree, Accor and Radisson Hotels have been offering quarantining services for asymptomatic people during the lockdown.

‌Lorraine‌ ‌Sinclair Appointed Executive Chef At Pan‌ ‌Pacific‌ ‌London‌, United Kingdom

Pan‌ ‌Pacific‌ ‌London‌ ‌announce‌d‌ ‌the‌ ‌appointment‌ ‌of‌ ‌Lorraine‌ ‌Sinclair‌ ‌as‌ ‌Executive‌ ‌Chef.‌ ‌Located‌ ‌in‌ ‌London's‌ ‌new‌ ‌landmark‌ ‌tower,‌ ‌One‌ ‌Bishopsgate‌ ‌Plaza,‌ ‌this‌ ‌multi-award-winning‌ ‌chef‌ ‌returns‌ ‌to‌ ‌her‌ ‌home‌ ‌country,‌ ‌following‌ ‌years‌ ‌honing‌ ‌her‌ ‌craft‌ ‌at‌ ‌Sheraton‌ ‌Saigon‌ ‌Hotel‌ ‌&‌ ‌Towers,‌ ‌where‌ ‌she‌ ‌was‌ ‌Director‌ ‌of‌ ‌Culinary‌ ‌Operations‌ ‌for‌ ‌four‌ ‌years.‌ ‌

On‌ ‌joining‌ ‌the‌ ‌hotel,‌ ‌Lorraine‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌responsible‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌entire‌ ‌food‌ ‌and‌ ‌chef‌ ‌operations.‌ ‌Widely‌ ‌recognised‌ ‌as‌ ‌one‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌top‌ ‌female‌ ‌chefs‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌world,‌ ‌She ‌will‌ ‌lead‌ ‌the‌ ‌hotel‌ ‌brigade‌ ‌and‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌putting‌ ‌her‌ ‌own‌ ‌stamp‌ ‌on‌ ‌restaurants‌ ‌and‌ ‌menus.‌ ‌

Her‌ ‌nearly‌ ‌thirty‌ ‌years'‌ ‌experience‌ ‌in‌ ‌top‌ ‌kitchens‌ ‌in‌ ‌Europe,‌ ‌Asia‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌Middle‌ ‌East,‌ ‌has‌ ‌seen‌ ‌Lorraine‌ ‌hold‌ ‌eight‌ ‌Executive‌ ‌Chef‌ ‌positions.‌ ‌She‌ ‌was‌ ‌selected‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌first‌ ‌female‌ ‌Executive‌ ‌Chef‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌number‌ ‌of‌ ‌different‌ ‌locations‌ ‌including‌ ‌Bahrain,‌ ‌Istanbul‌ ‌and‌ ‌Hong‌ ‌Kong,‌ ‌and‌ ‌most‌ ‌recently‌ ‌in‌ ‌Dubai,‌ ‌in‌ ‌her‌ ‌position‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌Fairmont‌ ‌Hotel.

‌ ‌While‌ ‌in‌ ‌Hong‌ ‌Kong,‌ ‌two‌ ‌restaurants‌ ‌under‌ ‌Sinclair's‌ ‌direction‌ ‌were‌ ‌awarded‌ ‌Michelin‌ ‌Stars.‌ ‌She‌ ‌was‌ ‌nominated‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌"Les‌ ‌Toques‌ ‌Blanches"‌ ‌Board‌ ‌Member‌ ‌and‌ ‌has‌ ‌published‌ ‌a‌ ‌charity‌ ‌cookbook.‌ ‌This‌ ‌is‌ ‌in‌ ‌addition‌ ‌to‌ ‌her‌ ‌receiving‌ ‌multiple‌ ‌accolades‌ ‌including‌ ‌the‌ ‌BBC‌ ‌Good‌ ‌Food‌ ‌award,‌ ‌Time‌ ‌Out's‌ ‌Best‌ ‌Steak‌ ‌House‌ ‌and‌ ‌being‌ ‌placed‌ ‌third‌ ‌in‌ ‌Best‌ ‌Restaurants‌ ‌in‌ ‌2013‌ ‌by‌ ‌Esquire.

The Art of War, Post-Covid19, and the New Sales and Revenue Managers by Robert Hernandez

Whether the recovery of the hospitality industry is fast or slow is completely out of our hands. The only thing we can all do is prepare for the comeback. It’s almost as is if we need to adopt, for lack of a less cringy word, a warrior mindset. And that’s exactly what led me to write this post.

Sun Tzu was a general in a time where war was neverending and his people were under constant attack. Yet, unlike his enemies and counterparts, Tzu preferred to win by using intelligence instead of force. To prepare for the unprecedented business environment that all Sales and Revenue Managers will soon have to navigate, I found some ideas in Tzu’s timeless book, Art of War, that can provide us with some wisdom as to how to best maneuver through a Post-Covid19 world.

“Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small.”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager should always be strategizing. As horrible as this crisis is, it presents a pause that can be used to become smarter about your work. Whether you are digging into reports that you never had the time to analyze, playing with data that you never had the time to explore, or learning new concepts which you never had the time to engage in, you should be getting better at your profession. You should be growing in knowledge and always thinking about what you will do when your company re-opens. Do this and by the time you get back to work, the crisis will seem less overwhelming.

“The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager should be more analytical than ever before. It is through a deep understanding of guest behaviour, spending patterns, and demand curves, that you will be able to construct a multifaceted plan of attack. Those who only know their data on a superficial level will be caught at a serious disadvantage when they are flying blind in the face of constant changes. You have a world of information that you need to re-examine to be ready for the post-Covid19 market. These include data from previous Pace Reports, Forecasts, Comp Set reports, P&Ls, Google Analytics data, etc.

“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager needs to be prepared for anything. No one really knows what is about to happen with the economy and the travel industry, but you should know what tactics you are going to use depending on how the situation plays out. Get together a comprehensive list of all your discounts and promotions and decide from now what you will try and under what scenario. Before you try these RM tactics, you should have a reasonable expectation of what the likely outcome will be. You should be digging into your rate code data to model the potential impact of different tactics.

“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager needs to forget the pre-Covid19 world. When there is an economic reset, all the old rules are discarded, at least for a while. Accounts that you could never reach, will now be open to speaking with you. People who would have never accepted your invite on Linkedin are more likely to accept now. Dig into your PMS or CRM and extract your old contact file. If you have data on old bid requests, begin to segment them by group size first since you will not be able to bring large groups for now. Then segment these contacts by as many dimensions as your system has and attack that list with no recollection of when they last rejected your offer.

“If quick, I survive. If not quick, I am lost..”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager needs to act fast and decisively. In this new world, you won’t really know what will work and what won’t until you try it. To minimize the risk associated with failure you need to try out ideas before your competitor does and be ready to abort very quickly. If you try a new discount, put it out there before anybody else does, but be sure that you can easily get out of it before it erodes your profit. Analytics on discounts performance will be critical. Knowing when a discount’s performance is statistically significant will help you quickly judge whether it is working in this new world. Obviously, most discounts will underperform last year’s results, but if you can put their performance in some historical context, then you can better explain your decision to open or close them.

“Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager needs to be creative. The vast majority of hotels will reopen their operations offering only a slightly more relaxed version of the same old cancellation policy, contract terms, and rewards policies. That’s not going to cut it. You need to rethink your norms from the point-of-view of a traveler that is scared to make a decision that may cost them more than just money. To create more flexible terms, you need to understand your cancellation data, your group wash numbers, and any other data on business that did not materialize. This information is waiting for you in your PMS.

“Know yourself and you will win all battles”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager needs to understand their position. All hotels will reopen from a position of weakness because they will be begging for business. However, you can leverage your data so that you know more about your guests and competitors than they know about you. Understand your value position in your market. Know your weaknesses from past guest reviews and surveys. Be very clear about how you are perceived so that you have a better chance of pricing correctly and attracting the right guest. If you can, figure out your cross-price elasticity, then you can estimate the impact on your demand when your competitors lower their rates.

“Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager needs to be proactive. When times are good, we can be reactive and not lose much. However, under crisis mode, only those that are ready for anything, will thrive. You have to get to a position where you are satisfied that you have done all the analysis that you need to do so that you are confident in your decision. Trust me, your bosses are just as confused as you are, and they will be looking to you for insight. If you have done your homework, and have all the deep analytics, and can clearly explain your thinking, they will believe in you even if you fail.

“The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager needs to be ready to lower rates. I know that these days you will read many articles and studies that implore you not to lower your rates. You should know the flow impact on your P&L of different pricing levels. In other words, you need to understand your break-even pricing. Most Sales and Revenue Managers have never had to think about the rest of the P&L, but in a world where occupancy levels may be limited to less than 50% for a while, you will have to be able to model how rate decisions impact profit. Using a combination of PMS and General Ledger analytics, you can build an understanding of how much you can resist an all-out price war.

“He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager needs to stay calm. Again, the first reaction of the market will be to lower rates. Hotel owners are just under too much financial pressure right now to stand their ground. However, while you may have to make adjustments, you don’t have to show all your cards at once. You can limit the number of promotions and discounts that you offer until you see that there is enough occupancy, web traffic, and reservations inquiries to justify experimenting with more aggressive rate tactics. To accomplish this, you would have to have a clear understanding of the performance of each of your rate codes to know when and where to release them into the wild. You have all this data, don’t be afraid to use it.

“We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country-its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps.”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager needs to think like the competition. Look back at your old STR reports to see what your competition did when demand was slow. How far did they lower their rates? It’s very likely that they will run the same playbook. Know what to expect so you can plan how you will react. The last thing you need is to adopt the old attitude that you are smarter than your competition or that they have different motivations than you do. Everyone is now in the same boat trying to get to the same destination. Your competition is just as eager as you are, but you can be way more prepared.

“Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions.”

The New Sales and Revenue Manager needs to embrace the unknown. Everyone in the hospitality business is now in learning mode. There are no experts, just people who are willing to do the work and make adjustments as they go along. Don’t be afraid to give your opinion and then take it back the next day. Have a flexible mindset and don’t get frustrated if management is constantly changing the rules, they are winging this just like the rest of us. We are all taking this one day at a time. Leverage your data and let it give you peace in the knowledge that it provides. And that is, that we always get past the crisis and onto better times.

Robert Hernandez | Statistical Analysis and Data Mining for Revenue Growth | robert@originworld.com
Robert is an expert in the field of Mathematical Pricing and Optimization. He has spent the last 17 years building data-driven forecasting and optimization models for companies in over 20 different industries, from tech to tourism