WTTC hosts first virtual AGM with 120 members and WTTC ambassadors

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, hosted its first ever virtual AGM, attended by more than 120 CEOs from across the globe, to discuss the progress made so far, the challenges our sector has faced through this pandemic, and the importance of international collaboration.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has devasted the global Travel & Tourism sector, WTTC has been at the forefront of leading the private sector in the efforts to rebuild global consumer confidence, and the drive to rebuild international travel.

In its first ever virtual AGM, the meeting was chaired by Chris Nassetta, president & CEO of Hilton and WTTC chair, and saw contributions from members around the world and WTTC’s vice chairs including: Gary Chapman, president group services & dnata, Emirates Group; Jeffrey C Rutledge, chief executive officer, AIG Travel; Jerry Noonan, co-founder, Global Hospitality & Leisure Practice, Spencer Stuart and Darrell Wade, co-founder and chairman, Intrepid Group.

The regional vice chairs who were also in attendance included: Jane Sun chief executive officer of Trip.com; Desirée Bollier chair and chief merchant, Value Retail; Manfredi Lefebvre, chairman, Silversea Cruises; Arnold Donald, president & CEO, Carnival Corp; Alex Zozaya, executive chairman, Apple Leisure Group; and Hiromi Tagawa, Executive Advisor, JTB Corp.

The meeting was also attended by WTTC ambassadors, Taleb Rifai, WTTC global ambassador; chairman of International Advisory Board of International Institute for Peace through Tourism and former UNWTO Secretary-General; Michel Taride, WTTC ambassador EU, strategic advisor, former group president Hertz International and chair of the GTTP Advisory Board; Michael Frenzel, WTTC ambassador EU and president of Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry; and Peter Greenberg, WTTC ambassador US and CBS News travel editor.

Major 2020 initiatives presented to attendees included WTTC’s ground-breaking 100 million Jobs Recovery Plan, which was presented to and welcomed by the G20 during an historic meeting between G20 Tourism Ministers, and more than 45 CEOs and Members of WTTC in October, under Saudi Arabia’s leadership.

Furthermore, in its ‘G20 Declaration’ announced last week, the Heads of State said they would continue their efforts in collaborating with stakeholders, including the private sector, to facilitate the Travel & Tourism sector’s recovery from the pandemic.

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Accor to merge with Ennismore to create hospitality’s ‘leading lifestyle operator'

The owner operator of The Hoxton and Gleneagles is to enter into a merger with Accor in a bid to create the ‘world’s leading lifestyle operator in the hospitality sector’.

Ennismore and Accor have entered into ‘exclusive negotiations’ to become a combined entity that will comprise 12 brands, with 73 hotels in operation and a pipeline of more than 110 hotels and another c.70 hotels under ‘active discussion’.

The brands include The Hoxton, Gleneagles, Delano, SLS, Mondrian, SO/, Hyde, Mama Shelter, 25hours, 21c Museum Hotels, TRIBE, JO&JOE and Working From_.

The new entity will be headquartered in London and will take the name Ennismore.

Sharan Pasricha, founder and CEO of Ennismore and Gaurav Bhushan, CEO of the Accor Lifestyle division will become co-CEOs.

Accor will be the majority shareholder of the new entity, with Sharan Pasricha holding a substantial minority position, with the deal expected to be completed in the ‘first semester’ of 2021.

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Accor introduces Vivaah at Novotel

Novotel has introduced Vivaah at Novotel. Leveraging its 20 properties across 15 gateway cities across India. With Vivaah at Novotel, guests get to select a host hotel in any city as their wedding venue.

Puneet Dhawan, Senior VP Operations, Accor India and South Asia said, “We are fuelling our resources with digital innovations and entering into this new segment of virtual weddings to make our guest’s day special in the current times. Novotel is one of our most popular brands in India with 20 properties across the nation. With ‘Vivaah at Novotel Hyderabad Airport’ we strive to fulfil all our guests’ needs and demands with our dynamic hospitality services.”

Rubin Cherian, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Airport said, “We understand emotions and expectations of our patrons from wedding celebrations ‘Vivaah at Novotel’ provides guests an opportunity to choose from a range of options and design their dream wedding. Bearing the current situation and the restriction on the number of people one can invite for the wedding, Novotel Hyderabad Airport has introduced personalized wedding packages. The wedding packages are carefully crafted and are completely holistic in nature. They cover all the aspects that are required to make a wedding a festive and resplendent affair. Our teams are working continuously to help and assist them to make these celebrations more joyous. With our ALLSAFE label’s strict safety and hygiene protocols, guests can be rest assured and enjoy their moment.”

The two distinctive features of this initiative are Dawat by Novotel and Shagun by Novotel for food and gift hampers respectively which are the two integral parts of any Indian wedding.

With Dawat by Novotel, the guests attending the virtual wedding based out of key cities with a Novotel property will have the same culinary experience delivered at their home, which is served at the host hotel. This way even if physically they are in different cities, they will be able to enjoy the same delicacies as served at the wedding. If a particular town other than the host city has a substantial number of guests, Novotel Hyderabad Airport also provides an option to book a banquet in that particular city, which will also project the wedding on a big screen. The same food and beverage services will be provided at the hotel, which are being served at the host property.

Another aspect of this initiative is Shagun by Novotel, through which Novotel hotels in different cities help guests in delivering selected gift hampers to their relatives and friends. Guests can choose these hampers from plethora of options starting from Royale priced at INR 4000, Luxe package at INR 3000, Prestige hamper at INR 2000 and Premium at INR 1000.

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A pandemic won’t stop weddings

The events industry was one of the first industries which started facing strains when Covid-19 started spreading. Events were being cancelled, people were dropping out at the last minute as panic spread, leaving the organisers with little to do anything about it. The industry was trying to find ways to keep clients engaged and future projects coming during the lockdown, with ways like virtual workshops, seminars, conferences, and more.

The wedding industry, however, couldn’t survive solely through virtual events. Weddings needed to happen for organisers to survive. During the lockdown, people had desperately sought to get married at their own homes, with barely 10-20 people. No decorators, caterers, choreographers or anyone else were needed for these lockdown weddings. Now, after the series of unlocks and the cap being increased and decreased, the wedding industry still doesn’t have hopes from the upcoming wedding season.
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Sahara Star collaborates with PREFME to offer guests with a contactless experience

Sahara Star recently resumed operations with all the safety measures in place. Given that they have resumed operations in full-swing, the hotel company also announced about their partnership with the leading-edge hospitality technology innovator, PREFME. With this, the hotel has taken a leap towards adopting newer technology.

This alliance with PREFME has also increased the safety meter a notch above the regular safety measures with a contactless and personalized experience for the guests at the hotel.   

PREFME provides contactless check-in/out, offers guests to personalize their stays. It also has a feature of multilingual chat. The application also presents the users with in-app service booking, in-app food menu & ordering, food ingredients scanner, along with many other benefits.

With the Prefme app, the guests can pre-check-in from any corner of the world, whereas, on arrival, they can get their identities verified through a quick & secure digital ID verification and avoid check-in queues. Guests can also enjoy a completely contactless and hassle-free checkout by viewing their services and making payments from the app.

Commenting on this collaboration, Manish Sodhi, CEO, Hotel Sahara Star said, “By keeping in terms with the Covid-19 situation in the country, we are ecstatic associating with PREFME giving the best and safest experience to our guests and team members. At Sahara Star, we make sure that our guests experience a completely relaxed stay, and easily access our hotel in a contactless way right from their smartphone.”

The PREFME technology will not only ensure a seamless guest experience amid ongoing Covid crisis but will also help in enabling Post-Covid operations.

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FAITH submits its pre-budget recommendations for the Indian Tourism, Travel & Hospitality Industry

FAITH the policy federation of all the national associations representing the complete tourism, travel and hospitality industry of India (ADTOI, ATOAI, FHRAI, HAI, IATO, ICPB, IHHA, ITTA, TAAI, TAFI) & cause partner AIRDA has submitted its pre-budget recommendations to the Union Budget FY 21 -22 for the Tourism, Travel  & Hospitality Industry of India.

The core vision laid our by FAITH is that of Tourism - Made in India. As per their vision, India should aim to become one of the most preferred Tourism destinations both for domestic and international tourists offering best in class tourism experiences, infrastructure & services and to enable Indian tourism entrepreneurs to create value for all their stakeholders.
 
As per the World Economic Forum, tourism 2019 competitiveness study, India was ranked at 34th among 140 countries. This ranking is up from 2013 when Indian tourism was ranked at 68th. The  goal is to move India into the Top 20 rank in global tourism competitiveness in 5 years post COVID-19 normal.

In line with this vision, FAITH has proposed the following Budgetary themes for Indian Tourism for Union Budget FY 21 - 22:

• One India, One Tourism

• Export competitiveness

• Domestic leadership

• Capital Formation

• Removing inefficiencies

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Taj Safaris welcomes guests with its Wildlife Escape offer

Taj Safaris, India’s first and only luxury wildlife circuit, has come with its Wildlife Escape offer for a new season of holidays in the wild. The new offer allows guests to enjoy the incredibly diverse wildlife in some of the most renowned National Parks in India and Nepal.

Offering an inclusive experience that allows one to feel the thrill of the forest while delighting in the touch of luxury at the intimate safari lodges, with the Wildlife Escape offer guests can look forward to private safari jeep rides to spot a host of flora and fauna including the Royal Bengal tigers and white tigers, leopards, Barasingha or swamp deer, hyenas, Sloth bears, wild dogs, and over 250 varieties of birds in India’s forests and the one-horned rhino in the jungles of Nepal.

In addition to safari drives, guests can enjoy myriad unique local experiences such as a spectacular high-tea picnic by the serene Khoka Lake at Pench National Park or a Walking Safari to spot wild mammals, birds and aquatic life at Bhamni beside the Banjaar River at Kanha National Park.

At Bandhavgarh National Park, guests can revel in the simplicity of Ranchha village with its mud houses amidst farmlands; whilst at Panna National Park, guests can walk with a local Pardhi guide to the Ranipur village, located in a territorial forest that boasts of gorges and waterfalls. Standing on the banks of the river Rapti, Meghauli Serai in Chitwan National Park, Nepal offers large infinity pool with a viewing deck and a ‘machan’ over the river for private dining and wildlife viewing.

Wildlife Escape is an all-inclusive offer that includes daily meals, a safari ride and recreational activities that allow one to celebrate the revitalizing essence of nature. Considering the uncertainty around travel, the offer allows for flexibility with select cancellations/modifications and is fully refundable. 

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UNWTO joins IMO to highlight importance of cruise tourism

The two UN agencies also recognised the efforts made by the industry, countries and international organizations to protect the safety, health and well-being of passengers and crew, as well as the health of the population of destination port States of cruise ships.

In a joint statement, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently highlighted the importance of the cruise sector for the world economy.

According to industry data, the cruise sector supports 1.2 million jobs and contributes US$150 billion to the global economy every year. Tourism is vitally important for Small Islands States, where it sustains millions of livelihoods and brings substantial socio-economic benefits.

The two UN agencies also recognised the efforts made by the industry, countries and international organizations to protect the safety, health and well-being of passengers and crew, as well as the health of the population of destination port States of cruise ships. Since cruise operations were suspended worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry has been reviewing and enhancing its protocols to identify ways to go further in protecting the health of passengers, crew and the general public. 

The joint statement invites governments to use the Guidance on the gradual and safe resumption of operations of cruise ships in the European Union in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic (shared by IMO in Circular Letter No 4204/Add.26) to facilitate the recovery of the sector under safe conditions, as well as three framework documents (operator framework, passenger framework and seafarer framework) developed by the United Kingdom’s Chamber of Shipping together with CLIA.

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Airbnb and MTDC partner to promote unexplored destinations in Maharashtra

Airbnb has partnered with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) to promote homestay and bed & breakfast (B&B) tourism in the state of Maharashtra. By promoting homestay tourism, this partnership will encourage travel to lesser-known destinations and will enable inclusive community-led tourism in the state, that will further enhance economic prospects.

Under the agreement, Airbnb and MTDC will:

• Promote nearby travel-to destinations in Maharashtra that are off the beaten track and offer a unique experience to travelers

• Onboard three MTDC properties within Maharashtra that will offer travelers differentiated offerings including farm stays

• Conduct webinars and workshops to train homestay hosts and B&B owners on Airbnb’s enhanced cleaning protocol—the first overarching standardized guidelines for cleaning and sanitization in the home sharing industry—to support hosts in advance of reopening communities for travel.

The partnership furthers both parties’ commitment to support a sustainable tourism ecosystem,  while highlighting current and upcoming tourism destinations in the state. Through knowledge  sharing and training workshops with hosts, the partnership will also enhance the potential of  tourism to create jobs and sustain livelihoods for local communities and will spotlight unique  properties as more travelers explore stays near metro cities. 

Announcing the partnership, Aaditya Thackeray, Minister for Tourism, Environment & Climate Change and Protocol, Government of Maharashtra, said: “Maharashtra is an  ecologically and culturally rich state and offers travelers unique travel experiences. We are  committed to improving community-driven hospitality that is sustainable and offers travelers  accessible, affordable and quality tourism. Safety is also key. With Airbnb, we will strengthen the  ecosystem for the growth of homestays and B&Bs in the state, to revive tourism growth in the  coming months. We appreciate Airbnb’s effort in helping us promote tourism in Maharashtra.”

Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager (India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan) at  Airbnb, said: “This partnership is a valuable opportunity to drive rapid demand growth towards domestic tourism and to support economic recovery. Airbnb has always been committed to  highlighting unique destinations that are off the beaten track, and to ensure that economic benefits  of tourism reach as many communities as possible. We are proud to be working with MTDC, and  to support their vision. Rebuilding trust in travel is a long-term mindset and requires a collaborative  effort between governments, tourism authorities and private players. We have witnessed  commendable efforts put in by the Government of Maharashtra and MTDC towards this endeavor  and are fully committed to support them”.

According to Airbnb’s own search trends and data, destinations within Maharashtra such as  Karjat, Igatpuri, Alibag and Panchgani remain widely searched for options with their stunning  scenery, including in the backdrop of the Western Ghats, and offer authentic cultural experiences  for travelers.

Ascott India and UNHCR organise Vintage Car Rally in Chennai

Actors Shantnu and Kiki Vijay at Somerset Greenways Chennai

Chennai – The Ascott Limited (Ascott) organized a Vintage Car Rally in the city on

Sunday, 8 November 2020. The event was organised in association with the United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Refugee Agency and Historical Cars Association of

India. The car rally was organised in support of refugee welfare and highlight the role of the communities

hosting them.

The event began with a display of the classic cars at Citadines OMR Chennai, Ascott’s apart ’hotel

located in Sholinganallur. Over 15 classic cars including Cadillacs, Mustangs, Jaguars and Mercedes’

were on display, with some vintage car owners arriving from Bangalore and Goa to participate in the

event. The car rally was flagged off by Ms Karin Stoll, Consulate General of Germany in Chennai and

Mr Nitirooge Phoneprasert, Consulate-General of Thailand in Chennai. The vintage cars proceeded

towards the city centre and the rally culminated at Somerset Greenways Chennai, Ascott’s serviced

residence in MRC Nagar.

Ms Supriya Malhotra, Ascott’s Area General Manager for Chennai, said: “We are excited to partner with

UNHCR and the diplomatic community in Chennai to host this event this year. We hope this paves the

way for more such collaborations in the future.”

The event saw a remarkable turnout of vintage car enthusiasts and key members of Chennai’s diplomatic

community.

About The Ascott Limited

The Ascott Limited is a Singapore company that has grown to be one of the leading international lodging

owner-operators. Ascott’s portfolio spans more than 190 cities across over 30 countries in Asia Pacific,

Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the USA.

Ascott has more than 69,000 operating units and over 49,000 units under development, making a total

of more than 118,000 units in over 760 properties.

Chief Guests at the Event

Cars On Display - Citadines OMR

Chief Guests Flag Off The Rally

Americans Aren’t Staying Home for the Holidays

The pandemic has snarled leisure and business travel this year, but the latest travel horizons™ survey, conducted by MMGY Travel Intelligence, found that the travel industry is likely to get a significant boost over the holidays. The survey, which queried people planning to travel in the next six months, found that half of respondents intend to take trips between November and early January, with 25% traveling for Thanksgiving, 31% traveling for the December holidays and 15% for New Year's celebrations.

The holiday season is being met with optimism, as 67% of those who will travel indicated that they are enthusiastic about their upcoming trips. Much of that fervour is from Millennial travellers - a generation that outpaced its older counterparts1. Thirty-five percent of Millennials will travel for Thanksgiving, compared to only 23% of Gen X, 18% of young Boomers and 8% of older Boomers. For the December holidays, Millennials also led other generations with 43% planning to travel, while only 26% of Gen X, 19% of younger Boomers and 8% of older Boomers will travel.

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InterGlobe Hotels wins the 7th IGBC Green Champion Awards 2020

InterGlobe Hotels Private Limited has been conferred the prestigious 7th IGBC Green Champion Awards 2020 under the category of 'Pioneer in large scale adoption of green buildings in hospitality sector in India'.

InterGlobe Hotels Pvt. Ltd. has been involved in the development of around 6 IGBC green ibis hotel projects so far in the country. The award was presented to JB Singh, President and CEO, InterGlobe Hotels in a virtual event organised recently. 

The Green Champion Awards is an annual flagship event organised by Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), part of CII. The award is the most prestigious honour bestowed by IGBC upon the leaders of the green building movement in India. In line with the global spotlight on people and health, the theme for this year is: 'Hygiene, Health and Wellbeing' in Green Built Environment. Each year, organisations are felicitated as recognition of the efforts of organisations that strive to further advance green building movement in the country.

Commenting on the win, JB Singh, President and CEO, InterGlobe Hotels, said that,”We are honoured and delighted to be the recipients of the prestigious ‘Green Champion award’. Our teams work with a deep commitment to ensure best ethical practices are adopted, and this recognition would go a long way to motivate us to remain steadfast in this effort. It is our belief that the natural environment is a vital part of our business environment and this must form a part of our strategic perspective. We also believe that as a leading and a responsible industry player, we have a special role and responsibility to confront the challenges of climate change and sustainability and take a long term and a broad view. We will continue to remain committed to this effort and I would like to congratulate our teams, and everyone involved in our company who continue to work behind the scenes, helping us set new benchmarks.”

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Choice Hotels International Reports 2020 Third Quarter Results

In the third quarter of 2020, Choice Hotels continued to provide a broad range of support to its franchisees, guests, and communities while improving its overall financial and liquidity position. Highlights of third quarter and year to date 2020 results include:

• Domestic systemwide revenue per available room (RevPAR) outperformed the total industry by nearly 20 percentage points, declining 28.8% for third quarter 2020 compared to the same period of the prior year, and exceeded the chain scale segments in which the company competes, as reported by STR.

• Fourth quarter domestic RevPAR through October 24, 2020 has continued the pattern of sequential quarterly improvement, and October 2020 RevPAR is expected to decline by approximately 25% from the same period of 2019 (see Exhibit 7 for weekly RevPAR trends).

• The company awarded 232 new domestic franchise agreements year to date through September 30, 2020, a 38% decrease compared to the same period of the prior year. Nearly 70% of the agreements awarded year to date through September 30, 2020 were for conversion hotels.

• Net income was $14.5 million for the third quarter, representing diluted earnings per share of $0.26.

• Third quarter adjusted net income, excluding certain items described in Exhibit 6, decreased 52% to $36.8 million from third quarter 2019.

• Adjusted diluted earnings per share for the third quarter were $0.66, a 52% decrease from third quarter 2019.

• Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) for the third quarter were $74.9 million, a 34% decrease from third quarter 2019.

• The company reported cash flow from operations of over $68 million in the third quarter 2020.

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JA Manafaru Maldives Reopens with New Attractions

Multi award-winning 5-star All-Inclusive resort JA Manafaru Maldives has officially reopened, having spent recent months focused on a remodelling and upgrade of interiors, the introduction of a new lounge concept, new menus in all restaurants and a brand-new Maldivian Cultural Awareness Centre.

Positioned at the most Northern tip of Maldives in the beautiful Haa Alifu Atoll, JA Manafaru offers privacy, and distance from other islands as it sits idyllically where the Arabian Sea meets the vast Indian Ocean. Fringed with exquisite powder beaches and crystal-clear waters teeming with exotic marine life, the chic enclave features 84 luxurious beachfront and over-water villas and residences, each with their own private pool. The accommodation options range from 135 sqm to 1600 sqm, providing complete serenity and the lagoon-ringed island location reassures guests of its safety.

Positioned at the most Northern tip of Maldives in the beautiful Haa Alifu Atoll, JA Manafaru offers privacy, and distance from other islands as it sits idyllically where the Arabian Sea meets the vast Indian Ocean. Fringed with exquisite powder beaches and crystal-clear waters teeming with exotic marine life, the chic enclave features 84 luxurious beachfront and over-water villas and residences, each with their own private pool. The accommodation options range from 135 sqm to 1600 sqm, providing complete serenity and the lagoon-ringed island location reassures guests of its safety.

A wealth of dining options are available, from traditional Indian Ocean cuisine, international fare and seafood feasts, all available on the All-Inclusive meal plan which also offers guests premium beverages from 11am-11pm. One of the most picturesque spots on the island has been transformed into the new White Orchid Lounge - set to open in December, an atmospheric ocean lounge treating guests to balmy breezes, Asian street food and melodic beats. Guests can also enjoy Kakuni, the all-day island hub, Andiamo Bistro with its lush green backdrop and Ocean Grill - incredible beachfront dining under the stars.

Opening soon, the Maldivian Cultural Centre is a highlight for visitors, showcasing traditional arts and crafts from around Maldives as well as artefacts found on the island itself. Complimenting this space will be Utheemu Gallery, showcasing a cultural photography and access to specific publications about the country. Additional activities available for both adults and children include a PADI-certified dive centre, jet-skiing, water-skiing, mono-skiing, fun tubing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, kayaking and catamaran sailing. There is a Marine Awareness Centre, beach volleyball, futsal pitch, tennis court, badminton court, pool table, and games room as well a recently upgraded fitness pavilion, now with the addition of a Yoga deck. Travellers can enjoy Maldivian cooking classes, dolphin-watching, boat cruises, fishing, yoga, eco-golf and the award-winning Calm Spa Sanctuary, offering Ayurveda, aromatherapy, and wellness journeys.

The Safest Hotels During The Covid-19 Crisis

If you're thinking of traveling during the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak, you might be wondering: Is there a list of the safest hotels during the COVID-19 crisis?

There is. The Safe Travel Barometer, a startup that ranks travel companies based on their cleaning and sanitation practices, released the list exclusively to FORBES. It's a handy guide for anyone interested in staying somewhere that takes safety seriously.

Why is a list of the safest hotels for coronavirus so important? Because too many hotels have said too little about their sanitation efforts. They've either published a vaguely worded press release, meant to soothe worried guests but short on specifics, or they've said nothing substantive other than, "We'll do better."

But the most alarming result of the Safe Travel Barometer research is that there just isn't a lot of information on hotel safety out there. Many properties have said little or nothing about their cleaning practices. That should be troubling to every guest, but also something worth remembering. It's not the hotels on this list that you should worry about — it's the ones that are not on this list.

A Hilton CleanStay seal at the Canopy by Hilton Scottsdale Old Town in Scottsdale, Ariz.

CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT

How to tell if your hotel is safe during the COVID-19 crisis

Of course, some hotels go above and beyond, which is something else to look for. At the Canopy by Hilton Scottsdale Old Town in Scottsdale, Ariz., each door has a Hilton CleanStay seal, signifying that it’s been sanitized to the hotel chains high standards. The property, Old Town Scottsdale’s first new hotel in over a decade, opened just a month ago, so it its cleaning protocols have been there from the start. (One hotel guest told me that he always travels with sanitizing wipes and cleans surface areas himself. At the Hilton, he says, the wipes remained white. “I was impressed,” he says.)

After the housekeeping staff at the historic Beverly Hilton services a room, they bring in an ultraviolet light to sanitize even more deeply, says hospitality expert Anthony Melchiorri.

"If you have questions or would like to know more about the exact safety measures put in place to protect your health, call the hotel where you plan to stay and ask them what to expect," he says.

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Peru enters phase four and begins tourism reactivation

Tourism is currently one of the most affected sectors and it represents the third largest economic activity in Peru, generating more than 1.4 million jobs. In this sense, and given the reduction in the numbers of the pandemic, the South American country has been reactivating the sector in a gradual, responsible and sustainable way, applying bio-safety protocols to travel with safety and confidence.

Several indicators of this reactivation have been seen recently: last Tuesday 13th, Peru received the Safe Travels seal from the WTTC, a certification endorsed by the UNWTO and the CDC. Furthermore, the country has doubled the number of domestic flights and recently PROMPERÚ launched the 'Volver' campaign, which seeks to reactivate domestic tourism.

Important museums and archaeological sites in the country were also reopened in October, with all the biosecurity measures needed and receiving only 50% of their usual capacity in visitors. Added to this is the expected reopening of Machupicchu, scheduled for the first days of November receiving only 30% of its capacity in visitors.

FSSAI extends upgraded Food Safety Compliance platform for food businesses to entire country

Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) has been operational in 9 States/UTs viz. Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat, Odisha, Chandigarh, Goa, Manipur, Puducherry and Ladakh wef 1st June 2020. FSSAI is now ready to extend FoSCoS to entire country wef 1st November 2020.

Since 2011, the FSSAI’s online licensing platform FLRS (Food Licensing and Registration System) is the soul of the licensing ecosystem with 100% India (all State and UTs) coverage, 70 lakh licenses/ registrations issued till date, over 40 lakhs licensees/ registrants actively transacting on it.

FSSAI is launching its cloud based, upgraded new food safety compliance online platform called Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS, URL – https://foscos.fssai.gov.in). It will replace the existing FLRS (URL – https://foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in).

FoSCoS is conceptualized to provide one point stop for all engagement of an FBO with the department for any regulatory compliance transaction. FoSCoS has been integrated with FoSCoRIS mobile app and will soon integrate with present IT platforms of FSSAI such as INFOLNet, FoSTaC, FICS etc.

Sample management, improvement notices, adjudications, audit management system etc activities/ modules will be enabled in phased manner in future. Technologies such as GPS location tagging, picture capture etc will be utilised in future to ensure transparent and accountable extension field services such
inspections and sampling.

In future it will be integrated with other platforms of Government of India such as GST, PAN, MCA etc. to ensure a 360 degree profiling and validation of businesses. A single regulatory platform will enable pan India integrated response system to any food fraud and ensure an advanced risk based, data driven regulatory approach.

FoSCoS will be offering licensing, registration, inspection and annual return modules. It essentially has flows similar to FLRS, so that users have convenience in migrating to FoSCoS.

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Vikram Choubal joins The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts as their Senior Vice President Design

The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has appointed Vikram Choubal as Senior Vice President, Design and Technical Services.

Prior to joining The Leela, Choubal was Vice President, Project Management at Marriott International for South Asia.

In his new role, Choubal will provide technical support and oversee the design, planning and execution of all hotel projects within The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts portfolio. With over three decades of experience in hotel project management, Choubal has had a solid grounding in hospitality engineering, architecture, design, and construction.

“We are delighted to welcome Vikram to The Leela family and to have someone of his calibre and extensive experience lead our design and technical services team. Vikram brings with him the necessary expertise and a proven track record in project management and design development across  multiple brands, which will be extremely valuable to us as we embrace the next new phase of our growth trajectory,” said Anuraag Bhatnagar, Chief Operating Officer, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts.

Choubal began his career in the merchant shipping industry, sailing on oil tankers for 14 years, gaining hands-on experience of working with people across the world, before moving to the hospitality industry. His experience in the hospitality sector includes a stint with The Oberoi Group, heading engineering, operations and projects as Vice President, and IHCL (TAJ Hotels) as Vice President Projects prior to joining Marriott International.

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Tabish Siddiquie Named General Manager At The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club

As the resort's general manager, Siddiquie will be responsible for all aspects of daily operations, including sales and revenue generation, marketing, guest and employee satisfaction, human resources, financial performance, and the membership club. Siddiquie will be actively involved in the St. Petersburg community, building strong relationships with local officials, businesses, and guests to continue The Vinoy's legacy as an iconic pillar on downtown St. Petersburg's welcoming waterfront.

Siddiquie's appointment reflects his impressive 20-year track record successfully running exceptional properties across the globe. Most recently, he served as the general manager of The Ritz-Carlton Denver, which attained its highest ever revenue and profit under Siddiquie's leadership. Prior to his time in Denver, Siddiquie honed his hospitality skills around the world at luxury hotels and resorts such as The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal, The Ritz-Carlton Almaty in Kazakhstan, The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman and The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco. This will not be Siddiquie's first time on Florida's Gulf Coast, as he oversaw food and beverage at The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, including the hotel's members club and golf course, from 2008 to 2011.

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The Abu Dhabi hotel has partnered with the Emirates Agency for Kosher Certification

Armed Forces Officers Club and Hotel (AFOCH) in Abu Dhabi has been certified as kosher compliant by the Emirates Agency for Kosher Certification (EAKC).

EAKC representatives guided the AFOCH team through the certification process, providing consultation on implementation of a designated kosher certified kitchen, selection of kosher certified food, procurement of relevant ingredients and a guide on kosher catering.

Kosher, meaning fit or proper in Hebrew, is a term given to foods which have been properly prepared to meet the strict religious dietary requirements of Jewish people. Abu Dhabi began establishing official kosher certification services shortly after the historic UAE-Israel peace treaty in September.

As per Circular 65 from Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), all hoteliers are advised to include kosher food options on their menus.

The rules around kosher catering are extensive and complex, demanding many F&B venues to learn an entirely new set of practices. The rules cover where/when ingredients are sourced, the cleaning process of fruit and veg, the slaughter and preparation of meat, the fish used, the avoidance of mixing meat and dairy and many other guidelines. 

To ensure all these rules are respected, venues must have a separate area for kosher food preparation.

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