Starbucks to reopen 150 UK stores to serve takeaway coffee

Coffee giant Starbucks has announced that it will begin the “phased reopening” of 150 UK.The stores ​– which will reopen their doors on May 14 – will largely be made up of the brand’s drive-thru locations, joined by a “handful” of cafes offering takeaway, with delivery services expected to be introduced shortly. The move comes after Starbucks announced the closure of all its UK stores in March. 

Starbucks has said that the reopened locations will offer a “near-complete beverage menu”, but the food menu is to be “slightly restricted” and will “focus on more popular items”. The company will also be offering all NHS workers free beverages – in Tall size only, but in any variety – on the house.

The company has said it will introduce enhanced health and safety measures to the stores, including Plexiglass screens, contactless payments, social distancing measures and new cleaning protocols and increased hand-washing guidelines.  

In a letter to the company’s partners, UK general manager Alex Rayner said that the goal was to “be fully open by the end of June”.

“We have been learning, testing and refining these operational standards every day and have tailored to the specific needs of our Government and healthcare officials. You will be able to work safely in our stores.”

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.

Domio Develops Apart-Hotel Industry's Most Comprehensive Cleaning Program

Domio, the apart-hotel hospitality company, unveiled its new Domio Difference program outlining industry leading guest experience enhancements to provide guests with peace of mind while they relax in the comfort of home and confidence of a hotel during their Domio stay. The Domio Difference program outlines a series of innovative guest-facing technology combined with enhanced cleaning measures and health amenities to provide guests with assurance of safety and security during their stay

The Domio team developed the cleaning portion of its new program with guidance provided by the CDC, EPA, WHO and leading cleaning chemical manufacturers including Ecolab to formulate its new 100-point cleaning process. Additionally, all Domio guests will be provided with in-room face masks and disinfectant wipes.

While certain technology improvements such as keyless entry and mobile check-in and check-out were already under development by the Domio team as part of its long-term vision of inserting leading technology into hospitality to create frictionless guest experiences, the thrust of the Domio Difference cleaning enhancements were fast-tracked as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic

The Domio Difference program highlights, include:

• In-Unit Health Kit: Guests will be provided with complimentary face masks and disinfecting wipes in each Domio apart-hotel unit.

• 100-point CDC Compliant Apart-Hotel Cleaning: Domio has developed a 100-point checklist inspired by CDC research to ensure clean room stays.

• Contactless Check-In and Check-Out: Domio guests can now check-in and check-out via Domio’s mobile app, enabling guests to bypass the front desk if they so choose.

• Keyless Entry: Domio’s proprietary technology enables guests to use their mobile device to unlock their apart-hotel removing the need to use a key or keycard.

• Voice-Enabled Assistant: Designed specifically for our apart-hotel guests, our in-room voice-enabled Angie units provide guests with a touchless interface for communication.

• Focus on Fitness Centers: Improved guidelines for disinfecting the hotel Fitness Center, closing for cleaning multiple times daily and limiting the number of guests allowed in at one time.

• 80-point CDC Compliant Public Area Cleaning: Increased frequency and detailed checklist inspired by CDC research along with social distancing.

• Employee PPE: Rest comfortably knowing all employees will be provided masks, gloves and other PPE to ensure your well-being.

Solay Mobile App Provides Social Distancing Technology For Resort Pools & Beaches

Resort Technologies, LLC, proudly announces the iOS initial release of its mobile technology solution, Solay, available now for download in the App Store. The Solay Mobile App provides Resorts & Hotels with a free inventory management system to set up overnight guests with reserved seats placed 6 feet apart at pools and beaches. Offering a contactless solution to maintain social distancing, Resorts & Hotels utilizing Solay contribute to a safer return to travel and experience greater ease in adhering to COVID-19 guidelines.

The Solay Mobile App is a seating reservation tool used by overnight guests that generates real time information to Hotels & Resorts. Solay utilizes customized property information and seating maps, organizing the logistics of social distancing among Hotel & Resort registered guests when they enjoy pools and beaches. Solay has a no contact reservation and check-in process on each user’s individual iPhone and does not require any other integrations or property technology solutions. As an effective way to manage vacation experiences through the challenges of COVID-19, the Solay service will promote reassurance and increase confidence of guests vacationing at Hotels & Resorts.

Resort & Hotel Management staff can re-open with peace of mind knowing Solay provides a cost-free system to support property and guest needs alike at pools and beaches without the uncertainty of a first come, first served model.

Solay is also proud to announce all user fees are currently waived to help support hospitality and encourage vacationers to enjoy leisure time again. The Solay Mobile App was established to allow the pure essence of the word “vacation” to be embodied in the guest experience. Solay, a better experience for all.

Solay is now available for free download in the iOS App Store. Android is planned for release in Q1 of 2021 along with development of additional features.

More information can be found online at http://www.solayapp.com

Attracting Travelers After COVID-19

As states and countries relax their restrictions on quarantine and social distancing, airlines and hotels will likely start offering generous discounts in order to generate demand and entice travelers back out into the world beyond their front doorstep.

A major step towards recovery in this segment is likely to come when larger corporations relax business travel restrictions, and other smaller companies follow suit. It is estimated that 5-10% of business travel may be eliminated permanently due to reduced travel budgets, business closure, unemployment, and the growth of online meetings.

 A survey conducted by LuggageHero, indicated that 58% of Americans are planning to travel between May and September 2020, as long as their destinations aren't in quarantine.

Some analysts predict that air travel will not return to full strength until at least mid-2021 which means that leisure travelers are more likely to be taking staycations or car trips to surrounding states.

2020 may bring the re-birth of the road trip and hotels should pay particular attention to their drive markets as the likelihood is this segment is going to be the most likely to celebrate their post-quarantine freedom by taking a short trip within 2-3 hours' drive.

For these reasons, along with continued fear around the pandemic, leisure travel may recover at a slower pace and only recover to previous levels once a vaccine is developed.

The best way to manage your segmentation mix is to take a data first approach. Segment towards drive markets and test what works before expanding your reach and media spend. Also try to understand in-bound travel data as an indicator of where guests are arriving from and choose to target those areas first.

Shanghai Disneyland tickets sell out as park prepares to re-open after coronavirus crisis

Tickets for the earliest days of Shanghai Disneyland's re-opening in China sold out rapidly according to the park's website, as it prepares to next week end a three-month shutdown because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Tickets for Monday, May 11, the first day the park will welcome guests again, through May 14 were no longer available on the park's online booking service. They also sold out for the weekend dates of May 16 and 17. Chinese third-party ticket vendor Fliggy and MeiTuan also confirmed that their allotted tickets for re-opening day had sold out. According to Fliggy, the platform's tickets for May 11 and May 16 sold out within three minutes.

Follow live developments on the coronavirus pandemic here

Shanghai Disneyland first shut down on Jan 25, as public venues across China closed to comply with social distancing regulations. Disney later closed its other resorts worldwide as the coronnavirus spread. In an earnings call, executives said that shuttered parks would cost the company roughly $1 billion in profits.

In March, Disney re-opened some dining and shopping attractions at its Shanghai site, though its main theme park has remained closed. The Chinese government has asked Disney to cap attendance of the re-opened park at 30% of capacity, or roughly 24,000 people, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said .

Disney will restart operations with "far below" that number for a few weeks while it adjusts to new safeguards including social distancing, masks and temperature screenings for visitors and employees, he said.

Time for the Hotel Industry to “Remove the Box”

The hotel industry is one of the worst-hit industries during this crisis. A lot of studies have been conducted to help us understand the impact on the economy and our organization's bottom-line. Industry experts, through their various associations, have predicted that the average hotel occupancy in Malaysia for the year will stand at around 25% or less.

According to a recent study by Malaysia Association of Hotels (MAH), the industry is looking at a potential loss of RM6.3b in rooms revenue alone. Assuming rooms revenue accounts for 60% of the total hotel revenue, with F&B and other income accounting for the remaining 40%, the industry is facing a RM10.5b in potential losses.

MAH represents about 1,000 hotels out of the 4,880 hotels registered with the Ministry of Tourism Arts & Culture (MOTAC). However, these 1,000 hotels with 164,000 rooms represent 56% of total rooms inventory available throughout Malaysia.

 The number of hotels closing for business is increasing by the day, indicating not only loss of business, but also loss of jobs. The current estimate is that 1 million travel industry personnel (including hotel, airline, cruise and travel agents) will lose their jobs by the end of this year.

While we take stock and moan how the hotel industry's poor prospects, let us focus our attention on what we can, and should, do moving forward.

According to a study by the University of Singapore Technology and Design, China is expected to be the first to get back to normalcy while Malaysia's magic date is predicted to be July 6. Whether we like it or not, we should look at China as one of our main feeder markets, besides the domestic market of course. Consider appointing representatives or affiliates based in key cities in China to work with online platforms and mainstream travel agents there and start re-promoting Malaysia as a destination. Hoteliers need to actively prepare for this, and as soon as China reopens its doors, hotels must already be "Chinese friendly" at all service touch points

A financial reprojection is necessary to understand your hotel's new breakeven point. We often hear that the breakeven point (BEP) in an operating hotel is at 40% occupancy levels

At least for the short to mid-term, hotels will be looking at domestic travellers as a main source of customers. This will indeed be the fastest strategy to regain some occupancy. Malaysians still love the "Cuti-Cuti Malaysia" short getaways

Hotels may in the near future need to be certified "Social Distance Compliant" by authorities after they have practised and passed SOPs set by authorities. This is going to be very similar to the HALAL certification we see displayed on public areas. This could be something we will all be used to in the near future.

The Amsterdam Restaurant Using Individual Greenhouses For Social Distancing

Mediamatic ETEN, part of a larger arts and entrepreneurship center focusing on sustainability, is a vegan restaurant located on the Dijksgracht in the Oosterdok neighborhood of Amsterdam. From May 21, the restaurant will begin taking in guests, only this time they will be seated inside Serres Séparées ('separated greenhouses'), enclosed glass structures each equipped with a table for two or three diners.

“This was one of the most feasible ideas from a large list of ideas we had when brainstorming,” Mediamatic's founding partner Willem Velthoven said .Initially, no more than three guests will be allowed to dine inside each greenhouse, even though there is the capacity for more.

"We have other, bigger greenhouses, but using them depends on how everything ends up going. Bigger groups could [come] now but then they should be families. For now, bigger groups are being discouraged because, from our experience, they are just louder and then you get the excited behavior causing spittle to fly and so on, and that's the kind of behavior that would make the virus spread faster," Velthoven said.

Centara Hotels & Resorts launches ‘Help the Heroes’ campaign with donations to support healthcare workers and communities in need

Bangkok, Thailand - Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand's leading hotel operator, has launched 'Help the Heroes', a campaign aimed at supporting those in need during COVID-19, with donations going to the Chaipattana COVID-19 Aid Fund (and other pandemics) and Thai Red Cross Society.

'Help the Heroes' is an initiative designed to directly benefit health workers and vulnerable communities impacted by COVID-19. When a consumer buys a Centara cash voucher for a future escape, Centara will add a further 50% value to the purchase. Half will go to the buyer, with the value of the voucher being increased by 25% to help them get more out of their next adventure, when it is safe to travel again. And the other half will be made as a donation to those in need, with the customer able to choose which of the two charities Centara donates to.

Both selected charities support the fight against COVID-19. The Chaipattana COVID-19 Aid Fund (and other pandemics) provides support for under-resourced hospitals with items such as personal protective equipment and other essential medical supplies. The Red Cross Society provides medical supplies to hospitals and masks to the most vulnerable people.

To help Thailand's heroes, people can visit the company's website and buy Centara cash vouchers. Valid from now until 31 October 2021 and with a value starting at THB1,000, the vouchers can be redeemed for hotel stays or spending in the hotel whilst staying at any Centara Hotels & Resorts' properties in Thailand and overseas.

The company is also providing complimentary hotel accommodation and meals to healthcare workers while flagship property

Has hosted doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff from the Police Hospital since 1st April 2020. The company is also poised to launch a social media campaign to thank the healthcare heroes from Thailand and around the world.

Centara Hotels & Resorts supports social distancing and the Thai government and global initiatives to stay at home. The company also recently introduced a high-quality delivery service to take food to people's homes during the crisis.

In addition, thermal scanners check the temperature of guests and visitors; those with high fever or other symptoms may undergo additional screening. When checking in, all hotel guests are also asked to fill out a questionnaire enquiring about their prior trips.

Lithuania turns capital Vilnius into open-air cafe to maintain social distancing

Lithuania turns capital Vilnius into open-air cafe by giving much of its public space to bars and restaurants ,among others ,to maintain social distancing.Seating will only be allowed outdoors and customers seated at different tables must be at least two metres apart.

The Batlic nation of Lithuania has reported 1,449 coronavirus cases and 45 deaths

57% of Branded Hotels in India Have Become Non-operational

The Indian hospitality sector is undergoing one of its worst-ever crises in living memory and is putting every effort to deal with this unprecedented invasion. Even now, hotels are relentlessly providing quality services to their guests. So, who are the guests staying at these hotels?

The few hotels that are operating are running with occupancies ranging at circa 10% or even lower.

So, who are the guests staying in these hotels?

Hotels are being offered as quarantine facilities for new arrivals
Hotels are offering their facilities for quarantine purposes to people who have traveled into India recently and have been asked by the Government to adhere to a 14-day, self-isolation period. These hotels are providing guests with all possible comforts, albeit within the confinement of their rooms, following government regulations and safety standards.

Guests who were not able to return due to the lock down
Several foreign and domestic guests, some of whom were long staying guests at the hotel, who were not able to return home to their respective countries or cities due to the lock down are also continuing their stay. For these stranded guests, hotels are providing them a ‘home away from home’.

Hotels as ‘offices’ for business continuity teams
In some cases, hotel rooms are getting converted as ‘office spaces’ for organizations. As we all know that essential services need to run even in the current challenging environment. Several organizations have set-up small Business Continuity teams to continue their operations. These teams are staying and working from hotel rooms to ensure that they are able to maintain essential services for their clients. Meanwhile, hotels provide these teams all the facilities and infrastructure required for their operations, along with stay and meals, while maintaining ‘social distancing’ protocols required in the current situation.