Human Resources
Strategic Solution Partners Continues to Expand Its Hospitality Consulting Team
Strategic Solution Partners continues to expand its hospitality consulting division with experts in key fields that can bring innovation and change to hotel owners, management companies and restaurants.
U.S. Travel Reacts to Latest Job Figures
The U.S. Leisure & Hospitality sector gained 355,000 jobs in February and the industry's unemployment rate now stands at 13.5% — compared with 379,000 jobs gained and a 6.2% unemployment rate for the overall economy, according to the monthly employment report released Friday by the Department of Labor. U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following comment:
The Castell Project, Inc. Issues “Diversity of Hospitality Industry Public Company Boards 2021” Report
Officials of Castell Project, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the careers of women professionals in the hospitality industry, today released the "Diversity of Hospitality Industry Public Company Boards 2021" report. The statistical document presents data about hospitality industry public company boards and compares statistics to 2020 Women on Boards Gender Diversity Index produced by 2020 WOB (www.2020wob.com).
Study Implies $15 Minimum Wage Would Have Outsized Impact on Hotels
The Biden administration has proposed a new federal minimum wage of $15 an hour as part of its COVID-19 relief program.
The NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality Launches the Hospitality Innovation Hub
During a time when innovation across the hospitality, food and beverage, event, and travel and tourism sectors is more prevalent and critical than ever before, the NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality has launched a new Hospitality Innovation Hub (HI Hub), which will foster entrepreneurship and creative solutions for the industries it serves. It has been funded through a generous gift of $1,000,000, made by Jeffery Yau to support the Tisch Center in this new endeavor. Yau is the CEO of Puyi Optical and Europe Watch Company, based in Hong Kong. His commitment to the Tisch Center is central to supporting the vision of Associate Dean Nicolas Graf and the future of the hospitality industry.
Leisure & Hospitality Accounts for Whopping 39% of Jobs Lost to Pandemic
Almost four in 10 of all the U.S. jobs lost since February of last year are in the Leisure & Hospitality industry, according to analysis of the latest Department of Labor national jobs report—triple the number of the next-hardest-hit industry.
Florida International University and Women's Hospitality Initiative partner to launch groundbreaking hospitality leadership course
As part of its ongoing commitment to advance opportunity and remove barriers for future women leaders, Florida International University (FIU) and its Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management has partnered with the Women's Hospitality Initiative (WHI) to implement WHI's groundbreaking academic course, "From the Classroom to the Boardroom: Leadership for Women in Hospitality."
GBTA Canada Builds Committee Offering
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world's largest business travel association, launches five new regional committees as GBTA Canada continues to evolve and increase its local presence.
Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon G. Adelson to take Medical Leave of Absence
In March of 2019, Las Vegas Sands Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sheldon G. Adelson announced he was receiving treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Mr. Adelson recently resumed his cancer treatment and will be taking a leave of absence as of today from his role as chairman and chief executive officer of both Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS) and Sands China Ltd.
West Virginia Community Focused Hotel Chosen as Location for Saira Hospitality’s First Permanent Hospitality School
Both set to launch in spring 2021, trailblazing NGO Saira Hospitality announce first permanent hospitality school in collaboration with The Monastery Boutique Hotel in Wheeling, West Virginia. Together, Saira and The Monastery will work to create enhanced learning and development opportunities for those in the local community who are unemployed or underemployed, ultimately providing jobs to successful graduates within the luxury hotel & it's community spaces. With the help of Saira, The Monastery will be able to achieve its aim of creating a unique offering which is unfailingly authentic to the destination, where guests, staff and community members alike are invited in to explore and expand their horizons.The launch of a permanent school is a huge milestone for the 501c3 non-profit which aims to educate hospitality brands in how to give before they take, create stronger bonds with locals and disrupt the industry's traditional recruitment processes which tend to overlook locals in favour of international applicants or poaching from competitors. This milestone follows 4 years of curating successful bespoke pop-up hospitality schools in collaboration with brands such as Bunkhouse, Four Seasons, Habitas, Rosewood and Virgin Limited. To date 250 carefully selected students have graduated from Saira Hospitality's transformational, free-of-charge, programs and are now pursuing career opportunities which would have previously been unavaila ble to them. Saira's hotel partners have seen an impressive 100% ROI and benefit from an expertly trained, passionate and engaged workforce of locals with a deep understanding of local customs, activities and geography.The permanent school, which will be based in Wheeling's incredible architectural and historical gem, The Scottish Rite, will offer a 10-week program covering topics from service qualities and loyalty programs, to wellness and emotional intelligence. The varied curriculum focuses on improving communication and soft skills through experiential learning lead by specially trained lecturers and industry experts. In the first year three programs for up to 36 students each will be offered with a look to increase this number from year two onwards. The permanent school will also benefit from Saira's long-term partnership with Cornell University's online learning platform, eCornell, which enables them to offer students the opportunity to receive recog nition from the prestigious university, further enhancing the underprivileged students' employability."The launch of a permanent school allows us to expand on the ripple effect we see from our pop-ups by continuing to truly benefit the community over time, take on more students and provide enhanced support for past graduates to progress their careers" said Harsha L'Acqua, CEO & founder of Saira Hospitality. She continued, "I couldn't be more excited to continue our journey challenging the status quo of the industry, we have plans for the school to be self-sustainable in the near future, creating a new model for free-of-charge, high-quality hospitality education for communities globally. Partnering with Roxby Development on our first permanent school feels like a perfect fit for Saira Hospitality. Our partner could not be more passionate about revitalizing Wheeling and West Virginia as a whole, bringing a taste of luxury and lifestyle hospitality to th e community and inviting them in."West Virginia is perfectly positioned to attract both students and guests looking to drive to their next adventure whether that be for education or exploration. The original Wheeling Monastery is currently being transformed into the hotel space with it's 18 keys, restaurant, bar and multiple indoor & outdoor event spaces which will be utilised for an extensive community program. Highlighting the monastery's architectural beauty and original features the interiors create an atmospheric yet welcoming cosiness reflective of a grand home. Uniting the grounds historic charm and it's trailblazing community-first concept means the hotel is perfectly positioned to cater to guests seeking more purposeful yet still luxurious travel experiences in 2021 and beyond. Speaking of their partnership Founder of Roxby Development & The Monastery Jeffrey Morris said "I highly admire the work the Saira Hospitality team do to drive change in the industry and knew they were the missing link to really bring The Monastery and our vision for a transformative hospitality experience which brings out-of-town guests and the community together. The Wheeling community is already excited about what's to come, they are open-minded, welcoming and filled with the hospitality gene - we can't wait to launch our first program with Saira Hospitality and look forward to welcoming our first guests to this unique hotel and it's community spaces in Spring 2021."For more information visit: www.sairahospitality.comFollow Saira Hospitality's project updates and upcoming launches on Instagram
Omni Hotels & Resorts Paid Out Over $50 Million In Payroll Expenses Directly To Its Associates
A Message From Omni Hotels & Resorts' President.
Omni Hotels & Resorts refutes claims it misused PPP funds
Hospitality union Unite Here has called Omni Hotels & Resorts' use of millions in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding into question, claiming the luxury hotel chain has failed to rehire workers in line with PPP provisions. Omni has refuted the allegations.
Hotel Worker Employment Data Reveals Paycheck Protection Program’s Failure to Keep Workers on Payroll
As Congress continues to debate further Paycheck Protection Program aid, UNITE HERE Local 11's analysis of internal hotel worker employment levels in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Phoenix from May to October reveals that the PPP failed in its primary goal of returning workers to their jobs, and instead bailed out large hotel chains on a massive scale.
Best Western® Hotels & Resorts Selects FranklinCovey’s “Gold Standard” Leadership Development Curriculum To Elevate Leadership Excellence
Best Western Hotels & Resorts (BWHR) and FranklinCovey, a global performance improvement firm, announced today that BWHR has selected FranklinCovey's "gold standard" leadership development curriculum to assist in further elevating leadership excellence in its General Managers at more than 2,000 properties across North America. The program will launch in December 2020.
How The Biden Administration Could Enforce Labor Laws
As President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office in January, the U.S. hotel industry can prepare for the likely changes to come under his administration.
Hotel Workers’ Union Analysis Reveals Omni Hotels Took Over $76 Million of Paycheck Protection Program Funds But Failed to Rehire Workers
A new analysis by UNITE HERE, the hospitality workers' union, reveals that billionaire-owned Omni Hotels received over $76 million of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds, but did not rehire workers at several hotels. The disclosure was included in a letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) urging an investigation into how one of the PPP's largest beneficiaries failed to fulfill Congress's intent with the pandemic program.
Choice Hotels Continues Focus On Increasing Diversity Across Hospitality Industry By Creating One-Of-A-Kind "Choice Hotels Owners African American Alliance"
Part of the company's longstanding commitment to diversity, Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) announces the creation of the Choice Hotels Owners African American Alliance (CHOAAA). As the hotel industry's only franchisee-focused group dedicated to Black and African American hoteliers, CHOAAA will provide ongoing representation, support and advocacy for these underrepresented entrepreneurs.
Corporate Governance Study: Lodging Boards 2020
The hotel/travel industry has been particularly hard hit by COVID. Many of the industry's venerable brands have had to do the unthinkable, furlough or layoff significant percentages of their workforce. Many executives and even board directors have taken pay cuts during this health crisis. We wonder how this pandemic will impact corporate governance and the tough decisions facing public hotel/travel companies. We have been studying governance practices in the industry for nearly two decades and we have seen huge strides in the quality of board practices. Our study this year examined 56 public lodging companies across five critical areas of corporate governance:
US hotel employment drops by 365,000 over four weeks
Despite TSA-reported air traffic numbers that reached pandemic records, hotel worker unemployment took a big hit after the Thanksgiving holiday, labor management data form Hotel Effectiveness shows.