Wyndham Goes High Impact, Low Contact with New Mobile App: Introduces Lightning Book and In-Stay Features

LONDON - Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,000 hotels across 90 countries, has announced the arrival of its new mobile app for iOS and Android, combining best-in-class design with personal experiences, account management, gamification and more.

Available in both platforms' app stores, the new Wyndham app provides travellers with a reimagined user experience to inspire upcoming getaways and 2021 travel plans.

The app, which prioritises low-contact in-stay features, comes at a critical time as both travellers and hoteliers look for innovative, digital solutions to help navigate the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

"More than ever, travellers are seeking drive-to accommodations and Wyndham offers the power of established brands that they know and trust—brands like La Quinta® by Wyndham, Days Inn® by Wyndham and Super 8® by Wyndham," said Jessica Davidson, senior vice president, Digital, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. "For everyday travellers, especially those travelling during the pandemic, this app is a game changer, delivering the features guests expect today alongside a robust foundation for the future."

Chief among the key offerings in the new Wyndham mobile app are features and functionality that simplify the hotel booking process.

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· Mobile Check-In / Checkout - Available at nearly 300 hotels throughout the U.S., with plans to expand more broadly, guests can leverage mobile check-in and checkout to reduce contact between themselves and hotel staff.

· Lightning BookSM - Designed for road trippers and road warriors, guests can search for and book the nearest Wyndham hotel for the night in as a few as three taps. They can also see in real time their proximity from the hotel and book using Wyndham Rewards® points, should they prefer to do so.

· Digital Room Key - Coming later this year to select U.S. resorts like the Wyndham Grand Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Fla. and Wyndham Grand Rio Mar in Rio Grande, P.R., guests may choose to receive their room key digitally via their mobile phone and use throughout the duration of their stay. Expansion to other hotels and resorts is anticipated over the next 12 months as additional locations choose to leverage and implement.

Creating an Immersive Experience
Building on the app's core features is a fully reimagined user experience that is filled with personal touches while anticipating and adapting to users' real-time needs based on where they are and what they want to do.

· In-Stay Mode - Open the mobile app within three days of a stay and the home screen defaults to prioritise and display information that's of the most relevance to the guest, such as important stay details, local attractions, mobile check-in availability and more.

· My App Passport - Guests can track their engagements with memorable stamps, animations and more when they achieve select in-app accomplishments such as booking a stay or redeeming points. New stamps and achievements are expected to be added over time.

· Special Offers - Open the mobile app without an immediate, upcoming or current stay and guests are greeted by name along with their current Wyndham Rewards point balance, search functionality and the latest promotional offers. Guests can learn more with a single tap and register for offers just as easily.

· Account Management - Guests can make the most of their travels with simple and intuitive account management, including the ability to easily update their Wyndham Rewards member profiles and stay preferences, add preferred methods of payment, view previous and upcoming stays, check their personalized offers, purchase points and more.

Added Davidson, "Our new app could not have arrived at a more critical time. The pandemic has propelled digital adoption and travellers now expect streamlined, low-contact experiences. This app allows our thousands of franchisees to help deliver upon those expectations, while providing the easiest and fastest possible path to booking direct. It's a win-win both for our guests and for our franchisees."

About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world's largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with over 9,000 hotels across approximately 90 countries on six continents. Through its network of 813,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveller, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services. The Company's award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty programme offers 84 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.

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Hilton named as global industry leader in sustainability by DJSI for second consecutive year

Hilton has been named the global industry leader in sustainability for the second consecutive year on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI), the most prestigious ranking for corporate responsibility and sustainability performance.

As the industry leader in hotels, resorts & cruise lines, the company earned top scores across the assessment’s three key areas including governance & economic, environmental and social performance. This marks the fourth consecutive year Hilton has been recognized for sustainability leadership through inclusion on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and North America Index.

“In a year where the hospitality industry has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, we have stayed true to our founder’s noble premise that travel can make the world a better place,” said Kate Mikesell, vice president, global corporate responsibility, Hilton. “We believe the need for corporate responsibility leadership is more critical now than ever before, and we are proud to be recognized by DJSI for our efforts to redefine sustainable travel and tourism.”

As a key component of recovery from the global crisis, Hilton has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to its bold Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals to cut its environmental footprint in half and double its social impact. These goals, which were established in 2018, align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and drive Hilton’s positive impact through its operations, supply chain, and communities. Hilton is dedicated to fighting climate change and is proud to have been the first major hotel brand to set science-based carbon reduction targets in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.

This year, Hilton’s efforts have included a focus on helping communities recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company’s efforts included partnering with American Express to donate up to 1 million hotel room nights to frontline medical workers, working with food donation to open up hotel kitchens to feed those in need, and creating new virtual volunteer opportunities for its Team Members. Along with Hilton’s rapid response to the global pandemic, the Hilton Effect Foundation recently announced its 2020 grants which support organizations around the world dedicated to helping vulnerable communities recover from COVID-19. Through these grants and other donations, the Foundation has invested more than $1 million to addressing the pandemic.

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SafeScanRX is entering the hotel market with a safety solution sure to put both workers’ and travellers’ minds at ease that hotels are safer than ever

"Enabling Security Everywhere" has been the focus of React Mobile since its inception. Our company was founded on the principle of making safety simple for every hotel employee through technology. While COVID-19 has been devastating to everyone in the travel and hospitality industries, it appears to have a silver lining: The hotel industry is improving the safety of hotel workers everywhere.

Daily I read reports of new technologies entering the hotel space that are designed specifically to make hotels safer for staff and travellers alike. SafeScanRX is a start-up company in California with strong synergies to React Mobile, and their temperature screening kiosk caught my attention as a solution that will help hotel employees get safely back to work.

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Bacardi launches 100% biodegradable spirits bottle

Bacardi has made a giant leap forward in the fight against climate change and plastic pollution, as it unveils plans to put the world’s most sustainable spirits bottle on shelf by 2023.

The new 100% biodegradable bottle will replace 80 illion plastic bottles – 3,000 tons of plastic – currently produced by Bacardi across its portfolio of brands every year.

This revolutionary move by Bacardi is possible thanks to its close collaboration with Danimer Scientific, a leading developer and manufacturer of biodegradable products.

Petroleum-based plastics used by Bacardi will be replaced by Danimer Scientific’s Nodax™ PHA, a biopolymer which derives from the natural oils of plant seeds such as palm, canola and soy. While a regular plastic bottle takes over 400 years to decompose, the new spirits bottle made from Nodax™ PHA will biodegrade in a wide range of environments, including compost, soil, freshwater and sea water, and after 18 months disappear without leaving behind harmful microplastics.

BACARDÍ rum will be the first spirit to appear in the new bottle, before the plant-based material is rolled out to replace single-use plastic across the entire Bacardi supply chain and the company’s 200 brands and labels including BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, GREY GOOSE vodka, PATRÓN tequila, MARTINI vermouth and DEWAR’S Scotch whisky.

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Circa Resort & Casino Implements the InvoTech Uniform System for Contactless Uniform Distribution and Inventory Management

InvoTech's Systems Inc. announced the recent implementation of its Uniform System at Circa Resort & Casino. InvoTech's Systems is the leading provider of advanced Linen Management, Laundry and Uniform Systems that integrate the latest RFID technology to increase profitability for hotels, resorts, casino operators, sports arenas, convention centres, theme parks and production plants. The InvoTech's System installed at Circa Resort & Casino manages the uniform inventory and assignments for 1,300 employees. Circa Resort & Casino joins InvoTech's extensive client portfolio of hotels and casinos worldwide. Click here for more information on InvoTech's Linen, Laundry and Uniform Systems.

With the InvoTech's Uniform System Circa Resort & Casino tracks the entire inventory and distributes uniforms without physical contact using UHF-RFID technology — from uniform purchase, assignments, daily use and laundry activity. The perfect solution in the current situation, respecting social distancing and hygiene norms to enable full productivity of staff. The uniform system provides significant cost saving benefits by cutting labour costs, eliminating losses, reducing purchases, and lowering laundry expenses. The system eliminates traditional labour-intensive tasks, such as manual sorting, counting, and recordkeeping to reduce operational costs.

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Zaplox Demonstrates Contact-Free Mobile Guest Journey at Cyber HITEC

Zaplox's contact-free solutions, including its mobile guest app and self-service kiosk, allow hoteliers to use contact-free technology to make all the touch points of the guest journey safer, more convenient, and more cost-efficient. Thanks to Zaplox's mobile guest app, guests no longer have to handle plastic key cards, but can use their own smartphone to check-in remotely. On arrival they can skip the front desk and go straight to their room and unlock the hotel room door by holding their phone against the electronic door lock.

Guests appreciate the convenience and the contact-free process reduces the risk for transmission for both guests and hotel employees. During the stay, guests can use Zaplox's mobile guest app to access information about the hotel amenities, chat with hotel staff to order room service, book spa appointments, or make dinner reservations. At departure, the guest can use the app to review the room charges and pay.

"Our contact-free solutions takes the pressure off the front desk by empowering the guest to use their phone for everything from check-in to payment, supporting social distancing guidelines while offering convenient access to information and high quality service," says said Even Frydenberg, Zap lox's CEO. "Even though we had preferred to meet all the hoteliers and our partners in person, we are excited and impressed by how technology has made this virtual event possible."

Zap lox invites all CYBER HITEC participants to attend the company's presentation at 12:00 pm EDT, October 28, 2020 in the CYBER HITEC Networking Lounge. The presentation will focus on how hotels can benefit from a contact-free guest journey and will share a demo of how The Kinney Hotel in San Luis Obispo uses Zap lox's mobile guest app.

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Angie Hospitality Demonstrates Contactless, Smart Hotel Technologies at Cyber HITEC

Angie Hospitality® by Nomadix, the leading provider of voice-activated and contactless technology solutions for hotels, today announced it will demonstrate its new touchless technologies, including its in-room assistants, casting, PBX and mobile guest apps, at Cyber HITEC October 27-29, 2020, in the Clean to Cleaner Pavilion booth #829.

The Angie Hospitality team will be on hand to introduce a host of new products and answer questions about how to make guests feel safe while providing additional conveniences, and how to cut costs while optimizing hotel services.

Product Demos:

Voice-Enabled Assistants: Angie's 24-hour multilingual guest room assistants help fulfill guest requests, answer common questions about the hotel and nearby attractions and provide a seamless, next-generation hotel experience. These devices upgrade outdated equipment, including alarm clocks and phones, and improve the guest experience. The devices can also offer smart hotel functionality to control lighting, change TV channels and adjust the thermostat.

Angie Casting: Enables guests to easily cast their preferred shows and other content from Netflix, Hulu, Spotify and thousands of other popular streaming apps from their mobile devices onto the in-room TVs. It eliminates the need to touch the remote, the common headache of remembering passwords and the security concerns of logging into public devices.

Angie PBX: Offers a reliable, cost-effective cloud telephone service for hotels and meets the latest emergency calling requirements. Delivered through Angie digital guest room assistants or standard SIP phones, hotels can offer a modern and touchless, voice-enabled experience.

Angie "On-The-Go" App: Personalizes the guest experience, facilitates touchless guest interactions and eliminates contact points, while increasing guest engagement, customer retention and incremental revenue. Offer check-in/check-out, mobile keys and concierge chat capabilities to provide a seamless branded experience from pre-arrival to checkout.

"While we wish we could meet with all of our customers, prospects and partners in person, the health and well-being of our hospitality family comes first," said David Millili, CEO of Angie Hospitality. "My team is looking forward to meeting virtually to help our customers move into recovery."

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An Initiative to Train & Certify the Rural Pockets to Boost Rural Tourism amidst Pandemic by NOM

An initiative to educate communities all across rural villages and empower them with various facets of health, hygiene, sustainability, and responsible tourism practices 

India, October 20, 2020: NotOnMap and Help Tourism in association with ICRT India (The International Centre for Responsible Tourism) backed by Booking.com, has come up with an ingenious project, “TraVival”. NotOnMap is a sustainable and Socially-driven initiative that works with an aim to empower local and rural communities. The initiative TraVival has come up at a time when the entire world is struggling to keep up with the pandemic; this project aims to aid rural India to manage the impact of COVID crisis on Travel and Tourism.

The initiative will be coming up with a series of 150+ training videos in over 18 regional languages divided in 12 modules for Homestay owners, Village Panchayats, Teachers/Youth and Women of villages and travelers across India thus covering all stakeholders of ‘Rural Tourism’ in India. The entire training will be kept as open source, free of any expenses and it aims to touch around 1 lac villages in India in next 1 year. The project is an outcome of 3 months of continuous efforts after conducting more than 30 webinars involving over 2000 community members and around 50 organizations from across 17 states in India.

NotOnMap is a sustainable and Socially-driven initiative with an aim to empower local, rural communities by helping them capitalize on their untapped culture and heritage value, realized the need for this in these times for rural pockets and created pool of expert think tanks from industry who came together to conceptualize, design and execute “Project TraVival- Training for Travel Revival” exclusively for Rural communities. Today in these times, when rural pockets of India are dried up economically and socially due to no business, TraVival plans to help in such rural parts categorically with the training for travel revival, and follow the extensive SOP for the COVID-19 prevention while enabling the business to sustain and grow.

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Time to explore Areas which are not on the map

Novotel Hyderabad Airport announces to welcome guests with ALLSAFE certificate

Novotel Hyderabad Airport announces to welcome guests back in the new normal. The hotel has received the ALLSAFE certification from Bureau Veritas, a leader in hygiene and cleanliness inspection. 

The ALLSAFE label, which represents the new cleanliness and prevention standards developed and approved by Bureau Veritas. 

The ALLSAFE label has 16 key protocols which provides assurance that these standards will be met by the hotels in anticipation of the progressive reopening of the hotels across regions. Every hotel will also have an ALLSAFE Officer to ensure all protocols are followed. 

In a press statement, the hotel said all properties will follow strengthened cleanliness protocols. Strict new cleanliness standards will be implemented and monitored in all Accor hotels and will include an enhanced cleaning program with frequent disinfection of all sensitive areas. 

It also said that a comprehensive safety and hygiene training program will be put in place so that all employees have the skills and training necessary to protect themselves and our customers.

Novotel Hyderabad Airport is also implementing new standards to ensure social distancing measures in its hotels and special reception measures when registering customers. 

The food and beverage offering at the hotel has been created to ensure that it better responds to the current context with new food safety standards going beyond government and local regulations.

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Spiritfree a Manifesto by Julia Momose

Teardrop Tap Bartending Service Described as “An Ice Cream Truck for Adults” Goes Viral

Minnesota’s Unique Teardrop Trailer Bartending Service.

A traveling tap for all your events & celebrations.

Weddings, Bachelor/ettes, Corporate Events, Showers, Engagements, Graduations, Birthdays & Beyond!

https://teardroptap.com/

Lite Bite Foods set to invest in cloud kitchens

According to Mint, food, and beverage retail company, Lite Bite Foods(LBF) that runs various casual and fine-dine restaurant formats has stepped up plans to open over 35 cloud kitchens in five cities.

The company will invest INR 25 crore in creating its cloud kitchen infrastructure under LBF Cloud Kitchens. The first kitchen is set to go live in August starting with Delhi. It will set up two formats—a hybrid kitchen format and QSR focused kitchens.

LBF will soon launch its own food app 'FOOGO' which will allow consumers to order food from across the company's food formats.

For More Information Click Below:

www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=38378&sid=1

New Virtual Restaurant Brands Company Virturant Out to Save the Restaurant Industry

Key Take Away

Virturant, the startup virtual delivery-only restaurant company launched in January 2020 to save the restaurant industry, creates an entirely new revenue stream for eateries with extra capacity looking to earn more money.  By making productive use of underused/unused kitchen staff and operational hours, restaurants can increase revenue and profitability.

It’s easy to manage orders on these platforms with innovative tablet integration software – as all four delivery apps are managed by one tablet and one printer all supplied by Virturant.

The Model

By entering into a licensing agreement, restaurants can go from producing the items on their existing menu, to also offering entirely new items

“In addition to a new customer base, the magic in our model is that peak ordering demand for delivery is different from peak serving time for the typical sit-down, fast-casual restaurant,” said Jon Register, CEO, Virturant.

For More Information Click Below:

www.restaurantnews.com/new-virtual-restaurant-brands-company-virturant-out-to-save-the-restaurant-industry-061620/

Costa to Build Two New Ships

Key Take Away

The two new ships for Costa Cruises will be built by shipbuilder Meyer Werft at the company's shipyard in Turku, Finland, with deliveries expected in 2019 and 2020.

Carnival Corporation's four next-generation cruise ships for Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises will be the first in the industry to be powered at sea by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), the world's cleanest burning fossil fuel, representing a major environmental breakthrough.

The new Costa Cruises ships will prominently feature the brand's "Italy's finest" experience, with the new ship designs and creative uses of space serving to enhance the overall onboard immersion in Italian culture

For More Information

www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/12875-costa-to-build-two-new-ships.html

Helsinki hospitality startup Bob W raises €4 million for tech-enabled apartment hotels with custom sanitisation process

Key Take Away

Bob W, a Helsinki-based hospitality startup, has raised €4 million in a seed round led by by Founders and joined by real estate investors NREP and Estonian firm Kaamos.

The Finnish startup offers an accommodation hybrid between hotels and short-stay apartments or hosted homes like Airbnb, which guests can rent nightly, weekly or monthly. 

 The hospitality company also touts its ‘Ridiculously Clean Standard’, a 63-step protocol to clean, sanitize, disinfect and seal every suite.

For More Information Click Below:

tech.eu/brief/bob-w-seed/

This AR Could Be The Norm Going Forward

Worldwise: Pastry Chef Cathrine Nilsen’s Favorite Things—In and Out of the Kitchen

Key Take Away

Nilsen, 45, was smitten with baking from a young age, thanks to a mother who regularly made-from-scratch desserts at home. In the kitchen, Nilsen’s earliest memories are of “my mom letting me lick off the leftovers from her bowl.” When she was 16, Nilsen helped out at a bakery, the experience leaving her even more hooked on sweets and inspired to attend pastry school in Denmark.

At Britannia Hotel, Nilsen’s passion for pastry translates to such creations as an ethereal omelette norvégienne—the Scandinavian version of Baked Alaska—or the potet, a melange of marzipan, vanilla cream, sponge cake, and raspberries

Prior to Britannia Hotel, Nilsen, a former member of the Norwegian National Pastry team, worked at the high-end Hotel Continental in Oslo and Hotel D’Angleterre in Copenhagen

For More Details Check Below:

www.barrons.com/articles/worldwise-pastry-chef-cathrine-nilsens-favorite-thingsin-and-out-of-the-kitchen-01591803020

Hilton to Open 4 New Hotels in Turkey

Key Take Away

Hilton Hotels announced four new hotel openings in Turkey. The new hotels belong to Hilton’s fast-growing upscale hotel brand.

The new hotels are:

• DoubleTree by Hilton Şanlıurfa

 It is expected to open in 2022, will be Hilton's second hotel in Şanlıurfa.

• Hilton Garden Inn Balıkesir

Hilton Garden Inn Balikesir will be Hilton's first hotel in Balıkesir. Which is planned to open in 2022,

• Hampton by Hilton Çerkezköy

Hampton by Hilton Çerkezköy is Hilton's first hotel in Çerkezköy. It is planned to open in 2022

• Hampton by Hilton Istanbul Arnavutköy

It will be opened in Arnavutköy, the rapidly developing district of Istanbul. Which is planned to open in 2023

Urbanica scores approval for new hotel in North Beach

Key Take Away

The Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board approved Urbanica Management’s plans to construct an 11-story, 209-room hotel with a 104-seat restaurant and a 91-space garage at 6747 Collins Avenue.

The design for Urbanica the Beach’s contemporary design, created by Miami architect Jennifer McConney-Gayoso.

The future Urbanica the Beach Hotel is the latest proposal for the property within the North Beach Resort Historic District that has changed hands five times in the past 17 years.

For More Information

therealdeal.com/miami/2020/06/10/urbanica-scores-approval-for-new-hotel-in-north-beach/

Diego Colmenero, Charlie Porchetto and a rendering of the hotel

Star Chef 2 is sequel to one of India’s most successful games; we check out what’s cooking

Key Take Away

99Games and N3TWORK have just launched the second iteration of their popular restaurant mobile simulation game, called Star Chef 2

The new game also follows a freemium model and is available for free on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. To keep the audience entertained while the chefs take time to prepare the meals, the game has live music, celebrity appearances, pool parties, and more. The game also has a collaborative and social element to it.

For More Information Click Below :

https://youtu.be/p1UWQyBUci8

indianexpress.com/article/technology/gaming/star-chef-2-first-impressions/