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.
Press Releases
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.
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.
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.
Analysis: Leisure & Hospitality Unemployment Double the National Average
The latest unemployment figures prepared for the U.S. Travel Association by Tourism Economics paint a dire picture: the travel-dependent Leisure & Hospitality industry is suffering from a 15% unemployment rate—nearly double the national level.
STR’s SHARE Center crowns winners of Student Market Study Competition
STR's SHARE Center crowned an undergraduate team from Virginia Tech University and a graduate team from the University of New Orleans as the winners of the STR Student Market Study Competition held virtually during 21-22 November 2020.
Starship Autonomous Food Delivery Robots Deployed at University of Houston
A fleet of 30 Starship autonomous delivery robots has been deployed at the University of Houston, home to over 53,000 students, faculty and staff. In partnership with Chartwells Higher Education, UH is the first institution of higher education in the state of Texas to offer robotic food deliveries on campus. The recipient can even track the delivery — made to a building's nearest outdoor entrance — in real time.
U.S. looks set to lose 9.2 million jobs in 2020 due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions, says WTTC
A staggering 9.2 million jobs could be lost in the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector in 2020 if barriers to global travel remain in place, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) revealed.
Cornell Announces Dates and Keynote Speakers for its 2021 HR in Hospitality Conference
We are pleased to announce our 2021 HR in Hospitality Conference Keynote Speakers. Joining us will be Gerry Fernandez, president and founder of the Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance, and Kevin Jacobs, executive vice president and CEO of Hilton Worldwide.As President and Founder of MFHA - an educational non- profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace- Gerry Fernandez has spent decades educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. An engagingly energetic Speaker who practices "straight talk", he travels across the US and internationally, bringing authentic perspective on building Cultural Intelligence that raises the topline, improves the bottom-line, and builds brands' cultural authenticity.
Radisson Hotel Group Announces Its New Americas Development Team
Radisson Hotel Group today announced the appointment of Bill Hall and Jason Yarbrough as senior vice presidents of development for the Americas. Hall will lead a team of franchise sales and development directors covering the western U.S., and Yarbrough will lead a team of franchise sales and development directors covering the eastern U.S.
MGM Resorts Named To The Diversity Best Practices Inclusion Index, Recognized For Creating Inclusive Workspaces
The Diversity Best Practices (DBP) Inclusion Index, names MGM Resorts International as one of 98 organizations to earn a score of at least 60 percent and a place on the index. This recognition highlights MGM Resorts' work and leading practices in the following major areas such as recruitment, retention and advancement of talent, corporate culture, workforce demographics and transparency.
Estate Of Kirk Kerkorian Donates Additional $2 Million To The MGM Resorts Foundation For MGM Employee Emergency Grant Fund
MGM Resorts International Founder, Kirk Kerkorian's estate announced a donation of an additional $2 million to The MGM Resorts Foundation to support MGM employees impacted economically by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Study: 40% of Excess Unemployment Is in Leisure & Hospitality Sector
Faced with a fresh round of bleak employment data, the American travel industry is renewing its pleas for leaders in Washington to return to the negotiating table and finalize another coronavirus-related relief package—without which the prospects for an overall U.S. economic recovery look increasingly grim.
STEP Act Would Provide Needed Relief for Travel Employers
U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on introduction of the Sustaining Tourism Enterprises During the COVID-19 Pandemic (STEP) Act (S. 4299):
Survey: Only 37 Percent Of Hotels Have Brought Back At Least Half Of Their Employees
As Congress debates a new round of COVID-19 recovery legislation, a new survey of American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) members shows that the pandemic continues to have a devastating effect on the hotel industry and its employees. Results show nearly nine in ten hotels have been forced to lay off or furlough employees due to COVID-19 and the resulting drop in travel. Four months into the crisis, only 37 percent of survey respondents report that they have been able to bring back at least half their full-time employees.
HANYC Foundation Announces Minority Leadership in Hospitality Scholarship
HANYC Foundation, the charitable arm of the Hotel Association of New York City, has announced a new scholarship dedicated to the advancement of minorities into leadership roles in the hospitality industry.