Starbucks prepares to reopen stores and have employees return to work as company predicts 'normal operations' in the US by June

Starbucks announced that it is preparing to reopen stores across the United States and hopes to resume normal operations in June. 

 Kevin Johnson, CEO said Starbucks will use different formats and timing to reopen stores after some shuttered and others limited operations amid the coronavirus lockdown. 

Starbucks, unlike grocery stores and hospitals, was not permitted to stay open after stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines were mandated. 

'This is prompting many to define the next steps that will appropriately prioritize health concerns while, at the same time, take thoughtful and measured steps to serve our communities.' 

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%

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."

U.S. Hotel Industry Reports 22.6 Percent Occupancy for Week Ending March 28th - 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 22-28 March 2020, according to data from STR. 

In comparison with the week of 24-30 March 2019, the industry recorded the following:

• Occupancy: -67.5% to 22.6%

• Average daily rate (ADR): -39.4% to US$79.92

• Revenue per available room (RevPAR): -80.3% to US$18.0500

  Aggregate data for the Top 25 Markets showed steeper declines across the metrics: occupancy (-74.5% to 19.6%), ADR (-43.9% to US$89.71) and RevPAR (-85.7% to US$17.60).  

  New Orleans, Louisiana, recorded the steepest decline in RevPAR (-92.8% to US$10.27), due primarily to the second-largest decreases in occupancy (-84.9% to 12.7%) and ADR (-52.3% to US$80.74).

  Oahu Island, Hawaii, experienced the steepest drop in occupancy (-86.4% to 10.5%).

  Miami/Hialeah, Florida, posted the largest decline in ADR (-57.9% to US$116.64). 

  Of note, occupancy in New York, New York, was down 81.8% to 15.2%. In Seattle, Washington, occupancy dropped 76.6% to 18.5%.

Hotels and Airports See Jaw-Dropping Declines in Foot Traffic in March

Social distancing is a precautionary measure against coronavirus, but it is also taking a hit on the global economy

The Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel saw a 70 percent drop in foot traffic between the end of February and the second week of March. Foot traffic at a DoubleTree hotel at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport declined nearly 65 percent in the same timeframe. Traffic at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco and the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel was down 60 percent and 51 percent, respectively.

“The effect of coronavirus is going to leave a lasting impression on travel, both domestic and international,”

John F. Kennedy International Airport had the biggest decline in foot traffic of all U.S. airports in the Placer.ai study. The airport, New York City’s busiest, had a nearly 42 percent foot traffic drop from late February to the second week in March. San Francisco International had a 41 percent decline, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport rounded out the top three with a nearly 37 percent drop

U.S. Hotels Will Need More Than What’s in the $2 Trillion Relief Package: Industry Trade Group CEO

The $2 trillion U.S. economic relief package passed Friday to offset a coronavirus economic downturn is more of a lifeline than stimulus to the hotel industry, according to the CEO of one of the industry’s largest trade groups.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security — or CARES — Act into law.Many hotel operators qualify for some of the $500 billion in loans and loan guarantees the $2 trillion emergency spending package includes to businesses hit hard by the coronavirus economic downturn.

The CARES Act loan limit is capped at 250% of a business’s average monthly payroll, which the AHLA estimates is enough to enable hoteliers to meet payroll and debt service obligations for four to eight weeks. But the trade group wanted to see the limit at a higher 400% cap.

Companies like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt have furloughed tens of thousands of employees while occupancy at some properties plunge to single-digit levels. The April 1 rent and mortgage payment deadline this week will be an initial financial hurdle for the industry in the ongoing coronavirus-led economic downturn. For the most part, Rogers said he is hearing of lenders and landlords offering short-term leniency on upcoming payments.

The CARES Act offers SBA loan forgiveness to businesses that re-hire furloughed employees by June 30, but the AHLA doesn’t anticipate the hotel industry will be fully recovered by then. Instead, the organization wants the deadline pushed out.

President Trump weighs cruise line bailout: Would they need to come home to the U.S.?

President Donald Trump said he likes the idea of major cruise ship companies shifting their corporate registrations to the U.S. as a possible requirement in order to qualify for aid under the federal stimulus bill.

He also voiced support for the notion of the government taking ownership stakes in airlines in exchange for loans to keep them afloat as vital businesses.

The comments came as industries assess how they fared after the Senate passed the $2 trillion stimulus bill,which now goes to the House. Trump has repeatedly voiced support for airlines and cruise ship companies, saying they are great businesses that deserve to be kept afloat despite being devastated by the business downturn in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump noted that the cruise lines order a lot of goods in the U.S and have thousands of employees, including many who work on U.S. soil. He hinted that perhaps there may still be a lifeline for the industry by the time the final version of the stimulus hits his desk for a signature

Corona crisis: OYO offers free stay to doctors & nurses in US; Ivanka Trump, Paytm boss bowled over by gesture

 Ivanka Trump, the senior advisor to President Donald Trump, has lauded an initiative by Ritesh Agarwal-founded Indian start-up OYO Hotels to offer free stays to doctors, nurses in the US helping in the fight against the novel coronavirus, describing the gesture as "impactful acts of benevolence".

The OYO press release said that beginning March 24, medical first responders will receive free accommodations at any OYO Hotel in the United States so they can sleep, shower or just get off their feet and recharge.

The medical personnel can call a designated number to get their reservation for the nearest OYO and with a valid active First Responder identification, OYO Hotels will cover all the costs.

IHG Announces Senior Leadership Appointments in the Americas

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announces that it has named two versatile IHG leaders into new senior leadership positions – Jay Caiafa, Chief Operating Officer, Americas, and Brian Hicks, Senior Vice President, Commercial and Revenue Management, Americas

Caiafa has been with IHG since 2013 and has held multiple leadership roles with the company.  In his previous role as SVP, Hotel Lifecycle and Growth, he led multiple teams across all aspects of the hotel lifecycle, including architecture, design, construction, hotel openings, hotel ramp up, renovations and quality assurance, and also oversaw teams responsible for the delivery of the Americas growth strategy.

With his promotion to COO, Americas, he will lead the Americas Operations Leadership Team, with oversight of more than 4,000 IHG hotels across the U.S. and Canada, and will further strengthen and cultivate relationships with owners. In addition, he will continue his role as IHG’s representative on the Metro Atlanta Chamber Board of Directors, driving engagement with the broader business community in the home of the company’s Americas headquarters.

Prior to his time with IHG, Caiafa led teams at companies across multiple industries, including legal, commercial real estate finance, strategic consulting and biotechnology.

Hicks has more than 30 years of international hospitality experience – the majority of which has been with IHG, including more than ten years working in the Americas region. He was promoted from his previous role as VP, Global Revenue Management Strategy. In his new role, Hicks will lead the Revenue Management function and the Commercial team in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, and will be responsible for overseeing and integrating all revenue-generating strategies, initiatives, programs and plans to drive competitive commercial performance across the region. In addition, he will lead the Americas Revenue Strategy Committee, working with Global and Regional Revenue leaders.

Stéphane Gras Appointed General Manager at Four Seasons Megéve & Les Chalets du Mont D'Arbois

Stéphane began his career at the Waldorf Astoria in New York before joining Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in 1999 as Assistant Room Service Manager at Four Seasons Hotel New York.

He hold a Bachelor's degree in International Hotel Management from the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland.

His career in the Group has taken him to the four corners of the world: the United States, Egypt, Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, and more. After 20 years abroad and a series of extremely enriching experiences on a professional, human and cultural level, He took up his position in Megève on February 3, 2020. He now manages the destination's two hotels (Four Seasons Hotel Megève and Les Chalets du Mont d'Arbois, Megève, A Four Seasons Hotel) as well as the Golf du Mont d'Arbois and the mountain restaurants in the Edmond de Rothschild Heritage Group (Le Club du Mont d'Arbois, La Taverne du Mont d'Arbois, La Pizzeria de la Taverne, L'Idéal 1850, L'Auberge de la Côte 2000).

Radisson Hotel Group Signs Hotels In Long Island City, Los Angeles, Nashville And San Francisco

ABOUT RADISSON HOTEL GROUP

Radisson Hotel Groups one of the world's largest hotel groups with seven distinctive hotel brands, and more than 1,400 hotels in operation and under development around the world. Radisson Hotel Group portfolio includes Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson.

Radisson Rewards is our global rewards program that delivers unique and personalized ways to create memorable moments that matter to our guests. It offers exceptional loyalty benefits for our guests, meeting planners, travel agents and business partners.Our signature Yes I Can! service spirit and being uniquely 100% Carbon Neutral.

More than 95,000 global team members work for Radisson Hotel Group and at the hotels licensed to operate in its systems.

Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) announced at its Americas Business Conference in Las Vegas, Nev. the signing of five hotels set to join its Americas portfolio, including three Radisson RED hotels in top U.S. destinations.

Radisson RED Los Angeles Arts District

RHG’s West Coast portfolio will add another feather to its cap with the signing of Radisson RED Los Angeles Arts District. The hotel is anticipated to open Q1 2024.

Radisson RED San Francisco Market Street

That makes two for Radisson RED in San Francisco with the signing of Radisson RED San Francisco Market Street. The hotel will be part of a historic building on Market Street and will undergo a $14 million renovation to bring the Radisson RED brand to life. The hotel is anticipated to open Q3 2021. At last year’s conference, Radisson Hotel Group announced the signing of the new-build Radisson RED San Francisco Airport set to open in Q4 2022.

Radisson RED Nashville Arts District

 The hotel, which will be managed by Radisson Hotel Group, is anticipated to open in Q3 2021.It  will be part of an existing commercial building, following an extensive renovation which includes adding six floors to construct the hotel. Guests will be able to book any of the 120 guest rooms

For more information, visit:
www.radissonhotelgroup.com/media