Nevada Extends Casino Coronavirus-Related Closures Until April 30

Las Vegas casinos will be closed at least another month due to coronavirus fears, but the dormant resorts and convention halls are getting alternatively used for healthcare services.

The new order keeps the state’s hospitality industry and most other businesses shuttered in line with national social distancing guidelines that President Donald Trump decided over the weekend to extend until April 30 to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Sisolak said activating the National Guard will speed up and make logistical planning and delivery of medical supplies more efficient, as well as provide additional resources for the state’s labor force. It also makes Nevada eligible for additional federal funding.

At least 31 people have died of the coronavirus in Nevada, and more than 1,000 people in the state have been diagnosed with the COVID-19.

Officials said up to 1,000 beds could be provided at about 12 Las Vegas-area hotels, motels, convention halls, surgical centers and warehouses to shelter recuperating coronavirus patients who don’t need hospitalization. Clark County Commission Chairman Marilyn Kirkpatrick said more sites were sought.

The facilities are in addition to a 40-bed temporary hospital being built next to the Southern Nevada Health District office and a 350-bed tent complex under construction next to Cashman Center for homeless people who need isolation but not hospitalization.

Hilton, American Express Offer 1 Million Rooms to Coronavirus Frontline Medical Staff

Hilton and American Express are partnering on an initiative to provide up to one million hotel room nights for doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other frontline medical staff who need somewhere to sleep or safely self-isolate between April 13 and the end of May, the companies announced Monday. Rooms will either be paid for by Hilton and American Express or, in some cases, donated by individual hotel owners.

“During this crisis, we have seen so many examples of medical professionals working in the most challenging circumstances, sacrificing their own needs for the greater good,” Hilton President and CEO Christopher Nassetta said in a statement. “They truly are heroes.”

Hilton is initially working with 10 medical associations, including the American Hospital Association and the Society of Critical Care Medicine, to assist the organizations’ more than one million members find a place to sleep away from home as a precautionary measure against spreading coronavirus to family members.

Rooms will be available across a variety of Hilton brands and be staffed by team members who underwent additional safety and health training to protect themselves and guests during the ongoing pandemic. Hotel rooms and common areas will also be sanitized with industrial-grade cleaners and updated cleaning protocols in light of coronavirus.

Hong Kong’s Top Tourism Executive Plans Marketing Blitz to Revive Travel by July

The impact of the novel coronavirus on Hong Kong’s tourism sector is unprecedented and the city can hope to start seeing things returning to normal by July, in part by trying to develop new markets, the head of the tourism board told Reuters.

The coronavirus crisis has paralysed the global financial hub’s economy, which was already reeling from months of anti-government protests, with travel restrictions to curb the spread of infection grinding tourism to a halt.

The tourism sector accounts for about 4.5% of Hong Kong’s gross domestic product and employs around 260,000 people.

Cheng was speaking hours before the government announced relief measures worth HK$137.5 billion ($17.7 billion) to help businesses and people crippled by the coronavirus outbreak to stay on their feet.

In a bid to stamp out the disease COVID-19 caused by the virus, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has already imposed tough restrictions, including banning all tourist arrivals and prohibiting gatherings of more than four people.

The city’s tourist arrivals plunged 96.4% year-on-year in February to 199,123 visitors, the latest data shows, compared with a 52.7% year-on-year drop in January. The number of mainland visitors fell 97.8% year-on-year in February to 98,804.

Candy Marth has been appointed General Manager at IntercityHotel Rostock

43-year old Candy Marth is an experienced manager who has emerged from Deutsche Hospitality's own ranks. Candy Marth took over the reins at the 174-room IntercityHotel Rostock on the Baltic Coast with effect from 1 April.

Candy Marth has worked for the hotel group for 20 years. During this period, she has fulfilled various roles in the fields of management assistance and human resources as well as being Head of Events at the Intercity Hotel Stralsund.

Ms. Marth replaces Katrin Schissler as General Manager of the IntercityHotel Rostock.

Steven Drewery Named Executive Assistant Manager for the Pan Pacific London Hotel

Pan Pacific London announced the appointment of Steven Drewery as Executive Assistant Manager for Pan Pacific Hotels Group's first London property, opening in Autumn 2020.

Steven joins from The Biltmore Mayfair, where he was an integral part of the pre-opening and operational activity for the first London outpost of Hilton's most upmarket brand, LXR Hotels & Resorts.

In the new Executive Assistant Manager position, he will support Anne Golden, General Manager, on strategic decision making in addition to overseeing all Pan Pacific London's food and beverage operations. A highly established professional within the industry, Steven has an exemplary background in luxury hotel management and F&B operations, which includes positions at JW Marriott Grosvenor House; Fairmont Bab Al Bahr; Giorgio Armani, Ritz-Carlton and Conrad in Tokyo; Swissotel Singapore; and Peninsula Hong Kong.

Set to open its doors in Autumn 2020, Pan Pacific London will be taking reservations from Spring 2020. Located in a mixed-use development at One Bishopsgate Plaza, the City's new landmark tower, the hotel is currently under construction and will provide a new hospitality offering to The City of London. 

Lodging Partners Announces Sale of Residence Inn Durango

Lodging Partners, LLC, a member of Hotel Brokers International, announced the 66-guestroom Residence Inn located in Durango has sold to a regional owner/operator of premium-branded select-service hotels.

Lodging Partners along with HREC Investment Advisors represented the seller on this transaction. The marketing and negotiations were led by Ford Barton of Lodging Partners and Jeffrey Duni at HREC Investment Advisors.

Durango is considered to be an authentic Colorado town with a rich history and an endless supply of recreational activities, making it an exceptional tourist destination with diversified demand drivers. 

 The Hotel recently completed a major renovation of all guest rooms and public areas. The Hotel is in great physical condition and is well-positioned to capitalize on the market’s continued economic growth and expanding leisure demand.

"This is the second Marriott property that Lodging Partners has represented for the seller, and we were pleased to assist them in reaching their goals and objectives," said Ford Barton, Principal of Lodging Partners.

Sandra Wigger Promoted General Manager At IntercityHotel Zurich Airport, Switzerland

30-year old Sandra Wigger began her career by training as a hotel specialist at the Mövenpick Hotel Zurich Airport and has continued to expand her knowledge base ever since.

In September 2019, she obtained a degree level qualification in "Hospitality Controlling & Hotel Asset Management" after completing a 6-month course of study at the IST University of Applied Sciences.

Sandra Wigger was employed at the Steigenberger Bellerive au Lac between November 2014 and December 2019. She held positions as Front Office Manager and then as Rooms Division Manager during this period before making the switch to IntercityHotel GmbH on 1 January 2020.

Payment Processing Data Shows Severe Impact on Hotels and Restaurants

Shift4 Payments, the leader in integrated payment processing solutions, has announced the launch of Shift4Cares.com, a round-the-clock online resource for government agencies, news outlets and businesses affected by COVID-19. The website offers a wealth of valuable information on the economic impact of this pandemic and is part of Shift4’s initiative to raise over $200 million for restaurants and other small businesses — including up to $10 million contributed directly from the company.

Nationally, restaurant transactions declined from 42 million to 11 million during this time period, while hotel transactions declined from 144 million to 20 million. Nationwide and state-by-state data is available at Shift4Cares.com.

Shift4 to Raise Over $200 Million for Small Businesses

In addition to this transaction data, Shift4Cares.com includes the ability for consumers to support local hospitality businesses greatly affected by the Coronavirus crisis by purchasing gift cards, with Shift4 contributing an additional 5% of the amount spent to each merchant. Shift4 is working to raise over $200 million for the small business community through this gift card initiative — with Shift4 donating up to $10 million of the company’s own money.

For every gift card purchased through the site, Shift4 Payments will contribute an additional 5% to the business — up to $10 million. For example, a $100 gift card purchase on the site would result in $105 for the merchant.

London Hotel Industry Shows Significant Year-over-year Declines

London hotel occupancy fell 57.8% to 34.5% in March, according to preliminary STR data. ADR decreased 10.4% to £124.15 ($153.70) and RevPAR declined 62.1% to £42.88 ($53.09).

Reflecting the circumstances around the COVID-19 pandemic, STR’s preliminary March data for hotels in London shows significant year-over-year declines in the three key performance metrics.

Comparison with March 2019:

• Occupancy: -57.8% to 34.5%
• Average daily rate (ADR): -10.4% to GBP124.15
• Revenue per available room (RevPAR): -62.1% to GBP42.88

Daily data for the month shows 31 consecutive days of double-digit declines in occupancy and RevPAR.

STR continues to monitor the COVID-19 impact on global hotel industry performance.

U.S. Hotel Industry Reports 21.6 Percent Occupancy for Week Ending April 4th - 2020

Reflecting the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. hotel industry reported significant year-over-year declines in the three key performance metrics during the week of 29 March through 4 April 2020, according to data from STR.

In comparison with the week of 31 March through 6 April 2019, the industry recorded the following:

• Occupancy: -68.5% to 21.6%

• Average daily rate (ADR): -41.5% to US$76.51

• Revenue per available room (RevPAR): -81.6% to US$16.50

  Aggregate data for the Top 25 Markets showed steeper declines across the metrics: occupancy (-74.7% to 19.4%), ADR (-47.0% to US$85.61) and RevPAR (-86.6% to US$16.57).  

  Among those Top 25 Markets, Oahu Island, Hawaii, experienced the largest decrease in occupancy (-90.7%) and the only single-digit absolute occupancy level (7.0%). The decline in occupancy resulted in the steepest drop in RevPAR (-93.7% to US$10.83). 

  Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota-Wisconsin, posted the largest decline in ADR (-57.0% to US$68.23). 

  Of note, occupancy in New York, New York, was down 79.1% to 18.3%. In Seattle, Washington, occupancy dropped 73.3% to 19.5%

Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection in Orlando, Florida Sold

Waramaug Hospitality announced that it acquired the Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection, located in Orlando, Florida.

The 214-room lifestyle getaway property, part of the Autograph Collection by Marriott, offers boutique hotel rooms adorned with luxurious bedding and ample workstations, providing a seamless stay for both business and leisure travelers alike.

The property is conveniently located along International Drive moments from the Orange County Convention Center, Wheel at ICON Park, Pointe Orlando as well as Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld, and Walt Disney World. Universal's newest theme park, Epic Universe, currently scheduled to open in 2023, is located across the street from the hotel.

The property will continue to be managed by Schulte Hospitality Group. 

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.

Changes in the Housing Market Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic Are the Result of Forces Much Larger Than Airbnb’s Community of Hosts According to Airbnb

COVID-19 has placed enormous pressure on just about every aspect of the economy. With thousands of planes grounded, scores of restaurants shuttered, and few people seeking overnight accommodations, the travel and tourism industry is at a standstill.

Third-party real estate economists have rebutted these claims, but we have received several questions about this matter, so we wanted to address it directly. 

Our analysis indicates that these claims are inaccurate: 

• Today, there are more listings on the Airbnb platform than there were a year ago. 

• In large cities popular with tourists, such as Las Vegas, Montreal, Rome and Paris, the number of active Airbnb listings have increased over the last 30 days. 

• Among the top-20 U.S. and Canada cities, 80 percent saw a net change of fewer than 200 listings over the last 30 days. 

• There has not been any meaningful change to Airbnb’s supply in our top-20 U.S. and Canada cities or in our top-10 European cities.

  We are at an unprecedented moment globally. Unemployment and lost income are rising quickly, leading to a decrease in demand for traditional, 12-month home and apartment leases. In recent weeks, web traffic to web portals has dropped as much as 40 percent, meanwhile U.S. searches for “rental” and “lease” are down 42 and 33 percentage points, respectively, in the last month, according to Google Trends.

How COVID-19 is Inspiring New Ideas in Food Retail

With social distancing rules in place, and restrictions on eating out to stop the spread of COVID-19, food retailers have been forced to reinvent their business models to maintain cash flow.

From restaurant kitchens turning into bakeries, to bars home delivering drinks packages, and takeaways turning to food apps, many are stepping up in how they connect with their customers and tap into new demand, boosting their readiness for future trends.

In Australia there are about 60,000 venues affected by measures to prevent people gathering, which include closing food courts, and allowing only takeaway or delivery options for cafes, bars and restaurants. In many cities across the world, venues have shut altogether.

The speed of the outbreak has forced retailers and landlords to think quickly about how to adapt to these new norms, when the sector was already subject to evolutionary pressures including e-commerce, increased urban living and changing shopping and social behaviours.

Necessity leads to invention

Around the world, there are pockets of quick and inspired thinking. With licencing restrictions in Australia relaxed to allow bars to deliver alcohol, Sydney bar Dulcie’s have put together a ‘Quarantini-hour’ pack, including glasses for hire, and a link to the bar’s playlist.

In London, the healthy meal delivery company and deli chain Detox Kitchen is working alongside its produce supplier to create food boxes for consumers with goods usually sold to restaurants, such as vegetables, fruit, eggs and dry ingredients.

“We’re also making sure shopping centre websites and social media accounts are listing all these details and that their profile and reach is being leveraged to support their retailers. It’s not just about writing a ‘we are still open’ post and hoping for the best. There’s a lot of strategy and some really techy stuff that goes into good social media.”

To support retailers and landlord through this period it refers to as ‘business unusual’, Brain and Poulter has created a ‘triage package’ for retailers including best practice guidelines for takeaway and delivery services, as well as cost management advice.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 138 - Adjustments To Consider For Your Hotel Advertising Right Now

These are unprecedented times and they call for us to rethink our advertising approach. In this episode, we discuss some simple considerations that you should be thinking about when updating your hotel advertising.

At Fuel, we think a little differently. We believe that we’re making the world just a little bit better by connecting people with the right products and services. “Travel Marketing…Simplified.” That’s our motto and our commitment. Headquartered in the heart of the travel and tourism industry in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Fuel provides all digital services in-house through a team of experts who understand the potential of well-executed, effective online marketing

For more information please visit below mention website:

http://www.fueltravel.com/?utm_source=Hotel+News+Resource

Hilton Garden Inn Monterrey Obispado Opens in Mexico

Hilton announced the opening of its new Hilton Garden Inn in Mexico — Hilton Garden Inn Monterrey Obispado. Owned by Real State Agency ALORA and developed by Promotora DEVI SA de CV, the 176-room hotel is located within Torre TOP, a new mixed-use project with LEED Gold Certification for sustainable buildings. Upon completion, Torre TOP will be recognized as Mexico’s tallest skyscraper.

Located two miles away from San Pedro Garza Garcia, Hilton Garden Inn Monterrey Obispado boasts 176 guestrooms that offer panoramic views of the Monterrey mountain range. The rooms also feature the brand’s signature bedding, which includes fresh, white duvets and crisp linens; a spacious and clutter-free work desk with an ergonomic desk chair; and an in-room “hospitality center” with a mini fridge as well as a coffee maker. 

Situated in front of the San Pedro corporate and financial area and surrounded by important medical establishments such as Christus Muguerza Hospital and Sierra Madre Hospital, the hotel boasts convenient access to downtown tourist attractions, such as Macroplaza, Santa Lucia walkway, Metropolitan Cathedral, Mirador del Obispado, Fundidora Park and Museo del Acero Horno 3. Guests can take advantage of a complimentary shuttle service to reach destinations within five miles of the property. 

Hilton currently has a portfolio of nearly 160 hotels and resorts across 25 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America, including just about 70 properties in Mexico. The company is actively pursuing additional Caribbean and Latin American growth opportunities and currently has a robust pipeline of more than 100 hotels throughout the region, including 30 hotels in the pipeline in Mexico.

SureStay Hotel by Best Western Fairfield Napa Valley Makes Its Debut in California

The SureStay Hotel by Best Western Fairfield Napa Valley has opened its doors in Fairfield, California.

The SureStay Hotel by Best Western Fairfield Napa Valley will provide guests with an experience they can count on and the amenities today's travelers have come to expect. The SureStay service promise reflects the brand and the hotel's commitment to providing quality service and value to its guests.

Located at 3331 N. Texas St. in Fairfield, California, the hotel features 100 guest rooms

The property's location near world-class wineries and delicious restaurants makes it an optimal place to call home base when visiting Napa Valley. Also nearby is the Anheuser-Busch Budweiser beer brewery with a tasting room and tours and the Vacaville Premium Outlets which boasts 120 stores.

For more family fun, the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom theme park and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Concord water park are also in the area. Also nearby is the Travis Air Force Base, home to the site of the largest military aerial port in the United States.

"It has been a pleasure working alongside Sona Sales & Management to introduce SureStay Hotel Group to Fairfield," adds Daniel Knuckles, Regional Manager of SureStay Hotel Group. "We are confident that David Chin and his team will deliver on our service promise."

India Daily Hotel Occupancy Drops to 11%

As COVID-19 concerns and restrictions have intensified in India, the country’s daily hotel occupancy dropped to 11% during 23-29 March, according to preliminary data from STR.

. “The story was different in March, especially during the later portion of the month with year-over-year occupancy declines in excess of 80% for the last nine days we have processed

Along with a steep downward trend in occupancy, average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) have also dropped significantly in India. ADR, which has decreased year over year by roughly 20% or more for eight consecutive days, went as low as INR4,924.18 on 28 March. RevPAR reached its lowest absolute level (INR537.54) on 22 March.

For more information click on below mention link :

https://str.com/data-insights-blog/coronavirus-hotel-industry-data-news

CHART Announces Membership Access Program to Support Hospitality Trainers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

To support hospitality trainers in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers (CHART, www.chart.org) is providing free membership through a newly created Membership Access Program to new members, and is providing pay-what-you-can renewal for current members who are unable to renew their membership due to the crisis.

“Hospitality training professionals are at the forefront of helping the restaurant, foodservice, and lodging industries get back on their feet and get employees ready to serve guests again in the coming weeks,” said Serah Morrissey, CHART President 

CHART membership includes access to:

• Ask My Peers – a private, members-only online discussion group that actively shares solutions and best practices

• Virtual Training Forums – newly-created to address timely and critical COVID-19 topics

• Regional Training Forums – in-person and virtual meetings across the U.S.

• Hospitality Training Magazine – articles and member blogs with practical training content

• Hospitality Trainer Toolbox – an arsenal of research, publications, and ideas

• Member Directory – contact information for the nation’s top hospitality trainers

APPLICATION INFORMATION: New members must meet the eligibility criteria of being in (or recently in) a hospitality training position for an operator business. Free membership will be offered through May 31, 2020 and will last for a period of one year.

DONATE: CHART, a non-profit association, is accepting donations to offset the cost of this program.

The hashtag for this program is #BetterTogetherCHART.

Restaurants Get Tax Breaks, Deferments from CARES Act

The CARES Act signed into law by President Trump postpones but doesn’t eliminate the inevitable — taxes. But the temporary changes in tax law can help ease the burden restaurants face during the uncertainty of the coronavirus crisis. Here’s a summary of some of the changes.

• Delays in tax filings/payments. The tax filing deadline will be extended from April 15 to July 15, and you can postpone estimated tax payments (both personal and business) due until October 15, 2020, with no cap on the amount of the payment you postpone. Social Security taxes also are deferred, with half due on Dec. 31, 2021, and the remaining half at the end of 2022.

• Employee Retention Tax Credit. Restaurants that closed or whose business declined 50% or more due to the coronavirus – compared with the same quarter last year – get a refundable payroll tax credit for 50% of wages paid to employees during the crisis. The credit applies to the first $10,000 of compensation paid, including health care benefits, from March 13, 2020 through December 31, 2020. What wages qualify vary somewhat depending on whether you have more or fewer than 100 employees.

• Tipped employee wage adjustment. Since table service has been discontinued in most states, and servers are no longer able to earn tips, you can base your payroll costs on the wages you’re currently paying waitstaff for the jobs they’re doing now, instead of the wages plus gratuities they collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can use these wages when you compute loan forgiveness.

• Cap on sick leave expenses. Your sick leave expenses are capped at $200 per day and $10,000 in the aggregate for each employee. Outlays for paid family leave are capped at $200 a day or $2,000 in the aggregate for employees attending to a quarantined child or family member.

• Modifications for Net Operating Losses (NOL). This provides that a loss from 2018, 2019, or 2020 can be carried back five years, and temporarily removes the taxable income limitation to allow a NOL you incurred to fully offset income.