Ascott India Announces new Appointments

CapitaLand’s wholly-owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has announced new appointments to help grow the company’s business in India.

Mr. Anup Kumar has been promoted to Director of Sales – Chennai. Anup will be responsible for driving sales and distribution strategies for the 187-unit Somerset Greenways Chennai and the 269-unit Citadines OMR Chennai. He has been with Ascott since 2012. With a career spanning over 15 years.

Mr. Karan Rahan has been appointed as Deputy General Manager – Business Development. He will be based in Gurugram and will responsible for identifying new opportunities to expand Ascott’s presence in India.

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file:///C:/Users/WELCOME/Downloads/News%20release_NEW%20APPOINTMENTS%20at%20ASCOTT.pdf

Mr Karan Rahan

Mr.Anoop Kumar

Hyatt Announces Face Coverings Requirement for Guests at Hotels in the U.S. and Canada

 At Hyatt, the safety and security of our colleagues and guests is always a top priority. Guided by our purpose – to care for people so they can be their best – and following medical expert guidance to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, beginning Monday, July 27, for the foreseeable future, all Hyatt hotels in the U.S. and Canada will require face coverings within indoor public areas, which include meetings and events spaces, restaurants and bars, and fitness centers. Some guests may be exempt from this mandate, including but not limited to people with medical conditions, consuming food or beverages in restaurants, and children under the age of two years.

Guests who are not wearing face coverings indoors will be asked to wear one, and at all Hyatt hotels, face masks will be made available to guests who do not have one. Additionally, Hyatt hotels request all guests practice proper social distancing in indoor and outdoor public areas, and social distancing guidelines are prominently placed throughout all hotels.

Hyatt will continue to require colleagues to wear face masks – and additional personal protective equipment based on job specifications – at all Hyatt hotels globally. In April, Hyatt introduced the Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment (hyatt.com/care-and-cleanliness) which prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of colleagues and guests through enhanced business and operational practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond at all Hyatt hotels globally.

“This new policy comes at a pivotal time amidst the ongoing challenges of COVID-19 and helps us care for the health and safety of our guests and colleagues,” said Mark Hoplamazian, president and CEO, Hyatt. “In an effort to enable safe travel, we support AHLA’s recently expanded Safe Stay initiative and traveler checklist that help us come together as an industry to promote clear guidelines, which for the foreseeable future include the wearing of face coverings in indoor public spaces and practicing social distancing throughout the hotel.”

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, Hyatt remains committed to supporting industry partners like AHLA and following medical expert guidance that supports face coverings and social distancing as successful ways to mitigate the spread of the virus. Hyatt will continue to closely monitor the situation as well as local government mandates and consider expanding this mandate to other regions.

‘Dubai Assured’ recognizes establishments complying with health and safety protocols

Dubai has launched a compliance program to certify and recognize hotels and retail establishments, F&B outlets, and attractions that have implemented all public health protocols for the prevention and management of COVID-19. 

The initiative is part of efforts to showcase Dubai as one of the world’s safest destinations as it continues to receive tourists following the city’s reopening to international visitors on 7 July.

A verification and validation process has been established in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Department of Economic Development (Dubai Economy) and Dubai Municipality for issuing the ‘Dubai Assured’ stamp to the hotel and retail establishments, F&B outlets and tourist attractions that have complied with health and safety guidelines issued in accordance with the preventive protocols outlined by Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management.

The specially designed ‘Dubai Assured’ stamp, to be issued free of charge, will have a validity of 15 days. It can be renewed every two weeks upon further verification by inspectors from the relevant authorities. With the reopening of many public and private facilities and amenities, including beaches, shopping malls, restaurants, swimming pools, and golf courses, and the resumption of popular activities like water sports and camping, the ‘Dubai Assured’ program will cover all key tourism touchpoints across the city. Over 1,000 establishments have already been inspected for compliance with relevant guidelines, as part of the program, making them eligible to receive the ‘Dubai Assured’ stamp.

The stamp is a visual mark reassuring guests that safety and hygiene measures prescribed by the authorities have been complied with across all tiers and categories of tourist and resident touchpoints such as hotels, attractions, retail, food & beverage, and leisure and entertainment. The establishments can feature this stamp in their marketing communications.

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, commented: “The successful strategy adopted in combating the pandemic, based on the vision and wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the follow up of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has helped create an environment that is conducive to reopening our city to tourists from 7 July. Nonetheless, the health and safety of our residents and visitors remain our utmost priority. The compliance program we have rolled out across the hospitality sector with the wholehearted support of Dubai Economy and Dubai Municipality is not the only testament to the continued efforts being made to further enhance health and safety standards but is also a confidence-boosting measure to reassure travelers that Dubai is one of the world’s safest destinations.

“With health and safety foremost on the minds of travelers when selecting their destination, the ‘DUBAI ASSURED’ seal is a simple yet critical mechanism to ensure tourists enjoy a smooth and safe experience at every stage of their journey, from arrival at our airports to their departure from Dubai. The Safe Travels stamp Dubai received recently from the World Travel & Tourism Council further validates the city’s efforts to implement stringent hygiene and safety protocols and align itself with international health and safety standards and best practices,” HE Almarri added.

Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of Dubai Economy, said: “The outstanding commitment demonstrated by commercial establishments in complying with precautionary measures has contributed significantly towards Dubai being able to reopen for business and welcome visitors in spite of the global pandemic threat. In fact, we have seen stronger coordination and co-operation between the government and the private sector, and a new level of preparedness in Dubai. Safety, stability, and resilience are paramount in the new scheme of things, and ‘Dubai Assured’ is an inspiring statement that Dubai has strengthened its credentials as a safe destination and global hub for tourism, retail, and leisure.”

Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality said: “Dubai Municipality is taking effective steps to promote health and safety and facilitate a gradual return to normal life in a safe environment. We are committed to ensuring that tourists can enjoy a comfortable and safe stay in hotels in Dubai. We have outlined precautionary measures for all hotels to ensure their guests can enjoy activities in all its facilities including beaches. We continuously follow up to ensure compliance with precautionary measures as part of making sure all hotels in Dubai are prepared to receive guests with the highest standards of hygiene and safety.”

According to a survey by global consulting firm HVS on future destination selection, 85 percent of travelers will prioritize their travel plans based on the destination’s reputation and the action taken by its government in managing the pandemic including safety and security measures and the quality of the healthcare system and services.

Besides the standard precautionary measures of social distancing and wearing masks at all times by guests and employees, Dubai hotels have deployed stringent disinfection measures covering contact points in lobbies and other areas including restaurants and swimming pools. Entrances have been fitted with equipment for contactless screening of guests. Mall operators are using advanced technology to minimize risks including the use of thermal scanners and cameras to monitor traffic at entry points. Public parks and beaches under Dubai Municipality have reopened with strict guidelines for visitors while restaurants are allowed to serve guests with reduced seating arrangements and the enforcement of a distance of two meters between tables.

Dubai has also deployed a wide range of preventive measures across all other customers facing high-frequency touchpoints of visitor and resident interaction in line with detailed reopening guidelines for both government and private establishments.

Introducing Chefs at Home, an initiative to inspire Pinners to cook well and do good

During the past few months with millions of people at home, more than 60 percent of Americans have increased their home cooking, and many have turned to Pinterest as a source of inspiration. In fact, searches for “easy at-home recipes” have increased by 12X.

To continue offering more fresh ideas to home cooks, Pinterest is launching Chefs at Home, an exciting sneak peeks into the home kitchens of the country’s top culinary talent. Chefs at Home features recipes, tips, and tricks from over 30 iconic chefs: What’s Andrew Zimmern’s go-to summer soup? How does Kwame Onwuachi make his favorite hummus? What’s Stephanie Izard’s secret to perfect homemade tostadas?

Chefs at Home invites Pinners to not only cook well but also do good. We recognize that food insecurity and job loss has made this a difficult time for many. As part of this program, Pinterest is donating $300,000 in free advertising to raise awareness and funding for the National Restaurant Association Educational Fund (NRAEF), Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants (ROAR), No Kid Hungry, and Harlem Grown. 

To help curate the Chefs at Home recipes, Pinterest collaborated with industry experts Peter J. Kim, the founding director of the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD), and Tracey Johnsen, a creative strategist who honed her chops at Tastemade.

Head to Pinterest’s Today Tab every week for new Chefs at Home recipes. Here’s a preview of what’s coming up:

Week 1: Celebrate Black chefs

• Kwame Onwuachi’s chickpea tagine hummus

Week 2: Snack like a chef

• Lucas Sin’s microwave sesame mochi

Week 3: Friends with benedicts

• Kia Damon’s pumpkin rye pancakes 

Week 4: Eat your feels

• Adriana Urbina’s stuffed poblano peppers

Week 5: Weekend bake-a-thon

• Dominique Ansel’s yogurt cake

Week 6: Savoring summer

• Andrew Zimmern’s cold cucumber soup

Zurich based F&B veteran launches support fund for Indian Hospitality Employees

Considering the limited support available for hospitality workers in India following the COVID- 19 pandemic, Zurich based Michael Butler, former corporate director of food and beverage for Europe and India at Hyatt Hotels Corporation has decided to start a fund to support hospitality employees living in India.

Butler is asking for support from anyone across the globe who would like to contribute by donating what they can afford.

Starting from July 20, spread across several days, Butler will also walk 265 km from Zurich to Geneva, wearing a chef coat to show solidarity and support for the hospitality colleagues. He believes this will help raise more awareness and generate contributions for those who are in need.

"Remember, India does not have furloughs or the social security department that provides income or stimulus checks from the government," said Butler, describing his initiative on his LinkedIn page.
He said India has been very close to his heart for many reasons and he has been fortunate to have been able to work with great minds in the field of hospitality in the country.

"I have seen and read various news articles and guest sentiment reports. I came across one that had mentioned many restaurants and hotels have been forced to close again with the risk of 30% of them being shut permanently. I started to make my own enquiries and could see that the Indian Hospitality workers were running out of money."

Butler said he then came up with the idea of walking from Zurich to Geneva. "I hope that through this initiative, we can support many Indian hospitality workers who have lost their jobs – I am hoping we can demonstrate that globally we can get through tough times together and show that hospitality is an industry where people can pull together to help others colleagues who are going through tough times.”

The fund has been set up online and the process will entail the requesting employee submitting an email with an attachment of their relieving letters from past employers. Preference would be given to non-management workers and those who were laid off the earliest. Butler said he will also validate the claims with local support teams to ensure the neediest and deserving ones get support at the earliest.

He has also created the F&B support forum group on LinkedIn and will also seek the support from the forum members to validate the requests for aid and help generate some funds. Based on the application requests, Butler will work with the local support teams to validate the requests and will grant the aid to employees who have been out of a job for the longest time owing to the pandemic and those who will benefit the most from the aid amount. In cases where there are multiple earning members in the same family, the fund will support the ones who are single earners.

The fund has been created in late June, and Butler will officially launch it through the walk on July 20.
The status of the fund collection can be seen in real-time. Those interested can also donate through Paypal.

Meet The Entrepreneur Whose Ghost Kitchen For Hotels Just Raised $15 Million

When Premtim Gjonbalic was 23 years old and operating a restaurant, he saw the inefficiency in the hotel market in regard to the food offerings and the in-room dining experience. A son of Albanian immigrants from Montenegro who moved to New York in the early nineties, he grew up in the back of the kitchen. His father worked a myriad of restaurant related jobs before opening his first eatery, where Gjonbalic worked as a busboy, food delivery, and later a manager.

What Gjonbalic noticed was that hotels were actually losing money on room service, due to high labor costs and inconsistent order volumes, yet they needed these amenities as they qualified them additional stars.

“They were losing money because there was no benefit to scale for them. You had a 150 room hotel that had a full staff, 7 days a week, 3 shifts a day, selling a product that is disposable,” Gjonbalic says. “They had created a monster that where it was not advantageous to not have because they could not sell corporate groups with inclusive breakfast, and if they did have it, they were losing a lot of money.”

The company operates from four such hotel restaurants in New York, delivering food and other room service amenities to 119 hotels and a total of over 30,000 rooms. Among its clients, Butler Hospitality counts hotels like Hilton, Marriott, Hampton Inn, and Holiday Inn.

Gjonbalic says that the company has doubled the room count it serves year over year, ending the year with 250 employees (all of whom are full-time). Butler Hospitality currently operates in New York City, but it is growing to three additional markets this year: Chicago, Miami and D.C.

The company operates as a B2B2C model, with hotel customers ordering directly through Butler, and the hotel collecting payments at the front desk through the folio. Butler Hospitality receives 90% of the revenue with 10% going to the respective hotel.

Though the investment comes at a difficult time for the hospitality and tourism industries as Covid-19 has had a decimating effect, Gjonbalic is hopeful that hotels and in-room service won’t lose their charm, as soon the industries recover. 

Following the initial $5 million seed round in 2018, the total amount of equity financing in the company has grown to just over $20 million. 

“Hotel guests were stuck ordering club sandwiches and chicken tenders because they thought the hotel service would take too long and would be very expensive,” Gjonbalic says. “I thought that was unfortunate because in-room dining should be this indulgence feeling. We wanted to make it feel like magic, which is what a hotel is.”

400 people -- Seychellois and foreigners -- have lost jobs in tourism downturn

Nearly 230 Seychellois and more than 170 foreigners in the tourism sector in Seychelles have lost their jobs due to the economic downturn as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Employment Minister, Miriam Telemaque, told SNA that out of the 100 applications, 33 have been processed and approved leading to 171 expatriates and around 228 Seychellois losing their employment.

To cushion some of the financial impacts on employment, the government set up a Financial Assistance for Job Retention scheme to guarantee salary payments for employees and self-employed individuals, for both local and expatriates, from April to the end of June 2020.

For more information Click Below :

www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/13165/+people+--+Seychellois+and+foreigners+--+have+lost+jobs+in+tourism+downturn

Sleep Under The Stars With Switzerland’s Stellar New Hotel Concept

In an effort to draw visitors to less-known regions throughout the summer, Switzerland Tourism has launched the brand new accommodation concept, Million Stars Hotel.

Accommodation options, designed for two, range between a cozy hotel room in a mountain gondola to a tented treetop stay and rooftop set-up in Zurich.

For More Details Click Below :

www.forbes.com/sites/laurenjadehill/2020/07/07/sleep-under-the-stars-with-switzerlands-stellar-new-hotel-concept/#592b22e8159b

Bvlgari Is Opening a New Luxury Hotel in Rome in 2022

The Italian luxury brand has just announced plans for a brand new hotel in Rome, which is scheduled to open in 2022.

Italian architectural firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel will be in charge of both the architecture and the interior design and guests should expect a hefty dose of high-end luxury. 

Bvlgari already has six luxury hotels in Milan, London, Bali, Beijing, Dubai, and Shanghai, but will also be expanding to Paris, Moscow, Tokyo and, of course, Rome between 2020 and 2022.

For More Information Click Below:

robbreport.com/travel/hotels/bvlgari-opening-new-luxury-hotel-in-rome-2933499/

Hyatt Reports First-Quarter 2020 Results

RevPAR Decline of 28% Due to COVID-19 Pandemic; Net Rooms Growth of Over 6%

First-quarter of 2020 financial highlights as compared to the first quarter of 2019 are as follows:

• Net income (loss) decreased 262.8% to a net loss of $103 million.

• Adjusted EBITDA decreased 54.3% to $86 million, a decrease of 53.9% in constant currency.

• Comparable system-wide RevPAR decreased 28.1%, including a decrease of 25.8% at comparable owned and leased hotels.

• Comparable U.S. hotel RevPAR decreased 24.5%; full-service hotel RevPAR decreased 25.2% and select-service hotel RevPAR decreased 23.0%.

• Net rooms growth was 6.3% in the first quarter of 2020.

• Comparable owned and leased hotels operating margin decreased 1,060 basis points to 14.5%.

• Adjusted EBITDA margin of 18.3% decreased 1,010 basis points in constant currency.

OPENINGS AND FUTURE EXPANSION

Twelve hotels (or 1,820 rooms) opened in the first quarter of 2020, contributing to a 6.3% increase in net rooms compared to the first quarter of 2019.

As of March 31, 2020, the Company had executed management or franchise contracts for approximately 500 hotels (approximately 101,000 rooms), compared to approximately 455 hotels (approximately 91,000 rooms) at March 31, 2019.

Hyatt sets opening dates for new Buckhead, Savannah Hotels

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced it plans to open new properties in Buckhead and Savannah next year. The properties, Thompson Buckhead and Thompson Savannah are the first of the brand to enter the Georgia market.

Thompson Savannah is also being developed by Regent Partners and is scheduled to open in the summer of 2021 with 193 rooms. 

The new hotels continue Thompson’s expansion into the south with hotels under development in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, Texas.

For More Information Click Below:

www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2020/07/07/hyatt-hotels-buckhead-savannah.html

Fine Dine restaurants urge govt to revisit alcohol ban; most to stay shut till ban is lifted

Leading fine dining restaurants and cafes including Social, Smoke House Deli, Town Hall, Olive, The Beer Cafe and Lord of the Drinks, which have opted to keep the majority of their outlets shut even one month after lockdown curbs were eased
While announcing Unlock guidelines, the government had issued standard operating procedures for restaurants including reducing the seating capacity to half, ensuring social distancing, and restricting serving liquor.

Industry estimates say the restaurant sector risks losing about two million jobs, with many brands having to deal with permanent closure.

For More Information Click Below:

economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/hotels-/-restaurants/fine-dine-restaurants-urge-govt-to-revisit-alcohol-ban-most-to-stay-shut-till-ban-is-lifted/articleshow/76837658.cms

Michelin-star Restaurant Corner House re-opens with a new chef at the helm

In the six years since its inception, fine-dining restaurant Corner House has been synonymous with its plant-forward menu that reflects the history behind its location in the storied Botanic Gardens. Executive Chef David Thien takes over from long-time chef Jason Tan, who left to start his own restaurant which is slated to open in September or October this year.

For More Information Click Below :

cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/dining/michelin-star-restaurant-corner-house-chef-12908874

Himachal government announces interest subvention on working capital loan for hospitality sector

To provide relief to the COVID-19 affected the tourism sector, the state government has introduced a scheme for interest subvention on working capital loans for the hospitality sector.

The eligibility criteria as well as the magnitude of financing being provided will be based on the unit’s GST payment history.

If the registered tourism unit has paid an average GST up to Rs 1 crore per year, the unit will be entitled to a working capital loan of Rs 50 lakh. 

"Eat out to help out" - Britain aids hospitality sector with voucher scheme

Britain’s government will hand out vouchers worth 500 million pounds ($625 million) to the public to boost spending at restaurants, cafes, and pubs that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 lockdown. For the month of August, everyone in the country will be given an “Eat Out to Help Out discount” voucher.

Britain’s foodservice industry, which employed 1.8 million people before the crisis, has suffered thousands of job cuts, with layoffs announced by firms including the owner of the Upper Crust and Caffe Ritazza chains and Pret A Manger.

For More Information Click Below :

in.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-britain-vouchers/eat-out-to-help-out-britain-aids-hospitality-sector-with-voucher-scheme-idINL8N2EF2KF

Distressed deals in hospitality biz on the rise

Owners of hotels and resorts are dialling real estate consultants in desperate efforts to sell their properties amid the demand destruction in the tourism and hospitality industry from the coronavirus pandemic.

These properties, which have gone on sale in the past two months, are valued between ₹50 crores and ₹500 crores each and include some of the top domestic and international hospitality brands.

For More Information Click Below:

www.livemint.com/companies/news/distressed-deals-in-hospitality-biz-on-the-rise-11594254376840.html

Frasers Hospitality reopens properties with new cleaning measures

Frasers Hospitality is reopening its properties with new health and safety initiatives in place in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

Following the easing of restrictions in the UK, serviced residences in England reopened on July 4 and those in Scotland will open on July 15, with a phased reopening of boutique lifestyle hotels Malmaison and Hotel du Vin.

Fraser says it has introduced the following measures across its properties as part of its new #FraserCares initiative

For More Information Click Below:

www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2020/07/08/frasers-hospitality-reopens-properties-with-new-cleaning-measures/

Chef Ananda Solomon: I believe if the food is good, the croowds will return

Chef Ananda Solomon, the force behind what was the city’s first authentic Thai Restaurant, announced the launch of his own property in February. Of course, your diarist had told you all about it in January.

Solomon used the past months to train his delivery team online and, at the end of June, he finally did return to the cooking station of his 4,000 sq ft property to offer deliveries across the city.

For More Information Click Below :

mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/opinion/the-informer/chef-ananda-solomon-i-believe-if-the-food-is-good-the-crowds-will-return/articleshow/76867478.cms

Park Inn by Radisson opens new hotel in South Carolina

Park Inn by Radisson has announced the opening of its latest property, Park Inn by Radisson Florence, South Carolina. This marks one of the first new-build Park Inn by Radisson Hotels to open in the US.

With the health, safety, and security of guests and team members as its utmost priority, Park Inn by Radisson Florence, SC has begun implementing Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol program. This program is designed to ensure guest safety and peace of mind from check-in to check-out.

For More Information Click Below :

tradearabia.com/news/TTN_370079.html

Mandarin Oriental Announces New Hotel and Residences in Vienna to Open in Late 2023

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced that it will manage a luxury hotel and branded residences in Vienna, Austria that is scheduled to open in late 2023.

The 17 Residences at Mandarin Oriental will be located on the top two floors of the building and will have private access to the roof, with several of the apartments offering outdoor terraces and stunning citywide views.

The project is owned by Brisen Group, headquartered in Geneva. London based designers, Goddard Littlefair, have been appointed to create the hotel and residence interiors.

For More Information Click Below:

www.hotelnewsresource.com/article111462.html