Hotel News In Brief

Nov 02, 12 | 12:09 am

Some current conversation starters…

Konover Hotel Corporation Attains Green Key Certification for its Entire Portfolio - Becomes the first Management Company in the United States with Full Adoption.

Green Key Global, operators of the Green Key Eco-Rating Program (Green Key), have announced that the Konover Hotel Corporation is the first management company in the United States to attain Green Key certification for its entire portfolio.  While several hotel management companies have certified individual properties, Konover is the first with 100-percent adoption. Konover certified 17 select-service and economy hotels throughout New England (Connecticut) and the Midwest (Indiana, Kansas, Michigan), representing a variety of branded and independent properties.  Several of the properties belong to brands with an existing partnership with Green Key, such as Microtel (via the Wyndham Hotel Group) and Country Inn & Suites (via Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group). "We are proud of our work to date in registering our portfolio for Green Key and in our status as the first management company with full program participation," said Peter H. Mason, CHA, Executive Vice President of Konover Hotel Corporation. "But this is just a first step towards our goal of running sustainable properties.  The resources made available to Green Key members, in particular the performance report issued to new members, have helped our properties make incremental progress towards this goal."  Green Key, which is currently the largest green hotel certification program in the world, with nearly 3,000 members, provides a variety of educational tools to members to help them reduce their environmental footprint, save money and effectively market themselves to eco-conscious consumers.   The Green Key Performance Report is a comprehensive document tailored to each participating property, with recommendations and resources based on how the property responded to the Green Key questions. "Green Key's original mission was as an educational program, and that remains to this day," explained Tony Pollard, Managing Director of Green Key Global. "It is very gratifying to us when a company fully commits to the program in that spirit, rolls up its sleeves and gets started, and Konover has embraced the process."

Dusit Thani Maldives Undertakes Benchmarking of Environmental Performance

In an important milestone, the environmental performance of Dusit Thani Maldives has been recognised by EarthCheck; the travel and tourism industry’s leading environmental management, benchmarking and certification company. EarthCheck operates the world’s most scientifically rigorous benchmarking program and measures key indicators such as energy and water consumption, total waste production, and community commitment to provide a holistic picture of operational performance.  Benchmarking involves submitting a year’s worth of operational data to EarthCheck, and this is in turn compared with industry data collected from more than 1200 organizations in over 65 countries.  By taking such a scientific approach to measuring the effectiveness of their sustainability practices, Dusit Thani Maldives has been able to identify where the resort was out-performing others and where room for improvement remained. “Our company constantly seeks ways to contribute to the community and to ensure that we are providing the most sustainable products we can deliver, “says Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Dusit International, Mr Chanin Donavanik. “Dusit’s search for an agency who could quantify the results of our endeavours led the hotel group to EarthCheck, a credible, internationally respected certification programme.” “We are proud that Dusit Thani Maldives has achieved this Benchmarking Level,” Mr. Donavanik continues, “And will ensure that our focus remains strong to continue achieving greater heights of sustainabiltiy and responsible tourism.” With the goal of living in harmony with the local environment, Dusit Thani Maldives is focused on green energy solutions.  Biodegradables are used for composting, fertilising and landscaping while staff do their part by cultivating a herb and vegetable garden lowering the carbon footprint and reducing the reliance on imported produce.  To ensure minimal impact on the environment, the resort invested in state of the art engineering for optimum energy and resource efficiency.  Its approach includes solar thermal heating and heat recovery pumps, all metered for power consumption in guest rooms and public spaces.  An on-site water-bottling factory produces still and sparkling mineralized water to reduce one-way plastics.  Additionally the hotel laundry is heated by a diesel steam boiler using minimal electricity.  LED lights also illuminate all guest areas at the property.

Australian Hospitality Salary Survey 2013

This important set of statistics is of vital importance for Hoteliers, General Managers, Human Resources Managers, Directors of Finance, Accountants, Lawyers and Project Managers, as a comprehensive guide to evaluating key personnel salary levels and for future budgetary forecasts. Spectrum International Hospitality Recruitment Services have been producing this report for the past 17 years. The survey covers all states of Australia and breaks down the hospitality segments into 5 star Hotels, 5 star Resorts, International Hotels and International Resorts and All Suites Apartment Hotels. This is an excellent set of information to keep you up to date with what the market is offering management in the Australian hospitality industry. In order to secure your copy of this survey, please contact Spectrum on +61 2 99649455 or send an email to spectrum@spectrum-international.com

Key Appointments in the Industry

Congratulations to these new appointments…

Pan Pacific Hotels Group has announced the appointment of Jill Tan-Gunter as Vice President, Human Capital & Development. A Singapore citizen, Jill joins the Group with more than 30 years of human resources experience in the hospitality field with previous appointments at Marco Polo Hotels Group, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Holiday Inn. In her new role, Jill will be leading the Human Capital & Development team and driving Pan Pacific Hotels Group’s global talent and capability strategies as it expands its portfolio under both its Pan Pacific and PARKROYAL brands. With the Group’s five upcoming openings in Singapore and China, its portfolio of hotels will create close to 2,000 job opportunities, employing over 10,000 associates across Asia, North America and Oceania.

Kimpton’s oceanfront Vero Beach Hotel & Spa is pleased to announce the addition of Kimpton veteran Duncan Clements as the hotel’s new general manager. With more than 20 years of experience in various segments of the hospitality industry, Clements will oversee the sales, marketing and day-to-day operations of the 113-room hotel located along Florida’s Treasure Coast. 
 “We are pleased to have such a seasoned hospitality expert leading this unique gem within Kimpton’s portfolio of Florida hotels,” said Rick Colangelo, Vice President of Operations Northeast/Southeast, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. “His vast experience across three continents and personalized approach to customer service make him an ideal fit for Vero Beach Hotel & Spa as we look to make this the area’s must-stay resort hotel for local and international leisure and social guests, as well as groups seeking a distinctive ‘home away from home’ oceanfront getaway experience.”

The Latest in Hotel Opening

New milestone in Toscana Resort Castelfalfi: first hotel is opened. The development of the Toscana Resort Castelfalfi has taken a major step forward with the opening of the first hotel. The boutique hotel La Tabaccaia, in the walls of the village’s former tobacco factory, opened on schedule on 6 October. The 3-star hotel with 32 rooms is the first of three hotels planned for the resort. Castelfalfi is an eleven square kilometre estate and an 800 year old village in the heart of Tuscany, lying between Florence, Pisa and Siena. In the wake of the serious rural exodus of the 60ies only five people were left in the village. Over time the 26 village farmhouses became derelict. Now TUI is resuscitating the village of Castelfalfi in four separate building phases. The plans for the renovation and restoration of Castelfalfi include two more hotels with 120 and 170 rooms each. In addition, restored and new build properties in the traditional style, designed with the individual requirements of the future owners in mind, are for sale. The restoration of all properties fully complies with the strict listed building regulations. The total area built on represents 0.03 percent of the area of the 1,100 hectare estate. “The opening of the boutique hotel marks an important step in the development of this unique resort. Our first guests will signify that life is returning to this magical spot in Tuscany,” says Stefan Neuhaus, head of the development company. Neuhaus is also happy with the sale of the properties. The new owners in Toscana Resort Castelfalfi come mainly from Germany, Austria and the UK.

Marriott International to double Asian hotel operation. Marriott International has announced it expects to more than double the size of its portfolio in the Asia-Pacific region in the next few years. With 132 hotels open in Asia today and a pipeline of signed and approved deals now totaling an additional 143 properties, the company expects to grow to at least 265 hotels by 2016, with more than 80,000 rooms in 16 countries. Commenting on the announcement, Simon Cooper, Marriott International’s president and managing director in Asia, said: “We are delighted with our growth in the region and believe it is a great testament to the popularity of our brands and the quality of our hotels in Asia that we expect to double in size by 2016. “We operate a strategically targeted brand portfolio and our products clearly resonate with our guests, our hotel owners and the communities in which we operate. “We have seen great growth across our portfolio and expect to be launching new brands in the region soon, with the introduction of Fairfield by Marriott in India next year and the launch of our EDITION brand in Bangkok in 2014. “We expect to grow dynamically but sustainably in Asia for many more years to come.”

Starwood continues growth with debut of Le Meridien Mexico City. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Trinity Investments, LLC and Terra Investments S.R.L.C.V. announced the debut of the first Le Méridien Hotel in Mexico City with the opening of Le Méridien Mexico City. Situated at Paseo de la Reforma 69 in the heart of the city’s vibrant financial and cultural district, Le Méridien Mexico City combines timeless chic design and a love of the arts and cuisine, offering travellers a distinctive and compelling experience. “The opening of Le Méridien Mexico City is part of Starwood’s aggressive expansion strategy in Latin America marking the 71st Starwood hotel in the region and the seventh in Mexico City,” said Osvaldo Librizzi, Co-President of the Americas, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “We’re thrilled to bring Le Méridien to Mexico City, which continues to be a preferred destination for business and pleasure.” “Since being acquired by Starwood more than six years ago, Le Méridien has undergone a comprehensive brand re-launch,” said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader, Le Méridien & Westin. “The brand boasts the strongest portfolio ever in its forty year history and the debut of Le Méridien in Mexico City, which is a hub for style and creativity, marks another key milestone in our transformation.”