The Star Stories en - March 2023

WELLBEING

Prioritize self-care. Use fun as fuel.

Build connections with your community.

We care for people so they can be their best

We care for people so they can be their best

One of the most important characteristics of our company that makes a big difference among other companies is constant communication. For this reason, the ALG Q1 Global Town Hall was held on March 7, an important moment for all colleagues to learn about all the activities and present the achievements obtained as a team. During this event, the winners of the Values Awards were presented

If you were unable to attend the Town Hall, don’t worry, you can access the recording by clicking the button:

Values Awards Winners:

Working together, we can achieve all our goals!

COLLEAGUE EXPERIENCE SURVEY 2023

Being a better workplace is more than a definition; it is an activity built daily. That is why, during March, the “Colleague Experience Survey 2023” was deployed. Through this survey, we could listen to all our colleagues and thus continue implementing initiatives that make us a great place to work and continue with our purpose: “We care for people so they can be their best.”

HYATT COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF DREAM HOTEL GROUP

The acquisition closed on February 2, bringing more than 600 colleagues and 12 vibrant lifestyle hotels to our portfolio.

Last November, we shared with all of our colleagues the news that we had signed an agreement to acquire Dream Hotel Group, and earlier this month, we closed the acquisition, accelerating our asset-light growth. The acquisition of the lifestyle hotel brand and management platform includes 12 hotels within the Dream Hotels, The Chatwal, and Unscripted Hotels brands, extending Hyatt’s strong brand footprint in strategic destinations such as Hollywood and several new locations in New York City.

Dreams Hotels has been united as a brand within Hyatt’s Boundless Collection. The Chatwal and Unscripted Hotels brands are now part of Hyatt’s Independent Collection, joining Hyatt’s Unbound Collection and Hyatt’s JdV, respectively.

WOMEN OF ALG COMMEMORATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

In March, we commemorate a significant date for women within ALG, so we joined the “Embraceequity” movement in all destinations.

Diversity & Inclusion

In case you missed our ALG Women’s Diversity and Inclusion Circle team celebrating International Women’s Day, don’t worry; you can access the video here:

We appreciate and thank all the colleagues who participated in the dynamic by recording a video! Below, we share with you some photos:

PARTICIPATE IN THE VALUES AWARDS!

Do you know a colleague who lives our values every day?

If the answer is yes, we invite you to nominate an Amstar colleague for the Values Awards by clicking the button below:

The winner will be presented at the next edition of our Global Town Hall

WELLBEING FAIR VALLARTA

At Amstar, we live our values to the fullest, and that is why last March 6th, we invited all our colleagues in Puerto Vallarta to celebrate the value of wellbeing through our team’s platform, where they were able to participate in different games and dynamics, but above all to reflect on the value of wellbeing which tells us that we should prioritize personal care, use fun as a stimulus and build connections within the community.

Thanks to our team in Vallarta for their participation and to our Human Resources team in Cancun, who was in charge of initiating such a creative activity.

COMMEMORATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AT AMSTAR, #EMBRACEEQUITY

At Amstar this year, we joined the “Embrace Equity” movement, which promotes a world free of prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination. That is why in March, we commemorated and recognized our female colleagues on this special day through a special activity that consisted of sharing a photograph with the Embrace Equity pose and adding a phrase expressing why they believe Amstar is committed to Equity or what it means to them to work at Amstar.

Not only women participated in this activity, but also our dear colleagues joined the cause. Below, we share the pictures with you.

CELEBRATING TOGETHER “THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AND FLAG DAY” ON ARUBA

At Amstar, we enjoy celebrating together the important dates that are marked part of history. That is why in March, our colleagues in Aruba commemorated “The National Anthem and Flag Day,” where we commemorated the independence of Aruba.

Every year Arubans celebrate this day with great pride, featuring parades, sporting events, numerous cultural events showcasing Aruban cuisine, and games all over the island for children and adults.

A bit of history:

On March 18, 1948, Aruban politician Shon A. Eman submitted the first formal proposal to separate Aruba from the Netherlands Antilles. In 1976, twenty-eight years later, political leader Betico Croes declared the first Flag and Anthem Day. Arubans are incredibly proud of their beautiful anthem, “Aruba Dushi Tera,” a waltz composed by three celebrated Aruban artists: Juan Chabaya “Padu” Lampe, Rufo Wever, and Hubert Booi. In Padu Square, located in downtown Oranjestad, an extraordinary work of art dedicated to the anthem composers can be seen.

A DAY WITH... HOTEL CUSTOMER SERVICE

Department objective:

To make our clients even happier by helping them find the experiences that will create the best memories of their visit to Los Cabos and assisting them with any inconveniences that arise during their stay.

Departments/contact areas: Airport, Customer Service, Transportation, and General Cashier representatives.

Team members:

Miguel Fajardo

Luis Fernando Azpiri

Raúl Navarro

Juan Pablo Barraza

Axel Omar Arias

Karla Marcela Carrasco

Destination Manager

Destination Supervisor

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Pool leader – Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas

Jimena Meléndez

Luis Guillermo Castillo

Ivonne Arlene Osorio

Daniel López

Ishi Kenji Méndez

Rodrigo González

Damaris Alejandra Pérez

Uriel Octavio Lucía

Claudia Núñez

Gregorio Ivan Hernández

Aldo Ramirez Aguilar

José Francisco Medina

Concession – Zoetry Casa del Mar

Concession - Secrets Puerto Los Cabos

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Pool leader – Riu Santa Fe

Concession - Secrets Puerto Los Cabos

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Pool Leader - Riu Palace Baja California

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Gilda Daniela Romero

Jonathan Josue Vargas

Mauricio Sides

Ivan Ricardo Zarazua

Guillermo Enrique Valenzuela

Benigna Zavaleta Bustos

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Concession - Breathless Los Cabos

Concession - Dreams Los Cabos

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

Hotel Customer Service Representatives

“The future does not get better by hope it gets better by plan”

Jim Rohn (1930 - 2009)

INTERVIEW WITH THE AREA LEADER RAÚL NAVARRO

What has been your trajectory within the company?

2004 to 2014, I was a sales representative in the destinations Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, and Riviera Maya; in this last destination, I had the opportunity to occupy the position of Team Leader, allowing me to expand my vision and after that period I was invited to the position of Destination Supervisor in Los Cabos.

Today this opportunity has led me to interact and learn from various departments, which lead me to understand the relationship and importance of “the grain of sand” that we all contribute every day in our tasks, looking for ways to strengthen each member of the team and working on the evolution of their performance, to optimize and bring the customer experience closer to excellence.

What does Amstar mean to you?

A school, family, playground, and life experience allow each team member to express themselves, contribute their talents, and learn.

What is the department’s main strength?

The diversity of its members and the access to information in a changing market brings the human touch, “a friendly face in a faraway place,” to an activity that tends to become colder every day: Customer Service.

What are the main challenges facing the department today?

Due to the geographical position of Los Cabos, access and flight routes, in addition to the trend towards short stays combined with the digital era and competitiveness in our market, all this motivates customer service representatives to innovate, to be creative in their customer contact strategies, to improve their sales and closing techniques, to have a work structure to minimize the impact of the challenges above. Being the sales representatives’ ambassadors of the destination, they are the ones who highlight the attractions, culture, food, and landmarks.

The challenges are just a mark to overcome for those who work in sales.

What departmental information would be helpful for all colleagues within the company to know that would help the department provide better service, meet its goals, or achieve a more significant impact?

The most important thing that other departments should know is the challenges of the destination. How? By understanding the sensitive areas that impact the guest, we refrain from making promises that can’t be fulfilled due to commercial restrictions (policies of tour providers) and governmental limits (in the area of transportation to DMCs).

Los Cabos is a unique and particular destination where contrasts in service prevail and coexist.

In Amstar our priority is your personal and professional development, so we put at your disposal our online platform My Learning, where you can have access to our catalog of courses that will help you to be your best version.

MINDFUL EATING

By We Emotionally Care

Mindfulness is known as focusing thoughts, emotions and physical sensations on the present moment with the aim of becoming more aware of one’s situation and choices rather than reacting to them.

Thus, mindful eating refers to conscious nutrition. This is derived from the same philosophy of mindfulness, which is about consciously paying attention to and assessing the present experience.

Mindful eating refers to using all of our senses—both physical and emotional—to experience and truly enjoy the food choices we make at every meal. By doing so, we help improve the overall eating experience, encouraging us to make more satisfying and nutritious choices for our bodies without judging eating behaviors, since there are different types of eating experiences and as we become more aware of our habits, we progressively improve them.

Mindful Eating can bring benefits such as:

Improving digestion

By eating consciously and slowly, you can improve digestion and prevent stomach upset, flatulence and bloating.

Weight control

Mindful Eating can help you control your weight. By being aware of hunger and satiety cues, you can avoid overeating and enjoy more of what you eat.

Stress reduction.

Mindful Eating can help you reduce food-related stress. By becoming aware of your thoughts and emotions while eating, you can address unhealthy emotional eating patterns.

Improving

your relationship with food

Mindful Eating can help you improve your relationship with food by cultivating a greater appreciation for healthy foods.

How can we do it?

This method focuses on the experience, body-related sensations, and thoughts and feelings about food, raising awareness without judging.

Consider where food came from, how it was prepared and who prepared it.

Eat without distractions, turn off any electronic devices and focus on what you are consuming.

Be aware of the internal and external cues that affect how much you eat.

Eat slowly, allow yourself to savor and enjoy what you are eating.

Pay attention to your senses, notice how food looks, tastes, smells and feels in your body as you eat. Ask yourself how food makes you feel.

Pause if you feel it is necessary or if you feel distracted or anxious. Take a moment to breathe deeply and return to the present moment.

Recognize how your body feels after eating that meal.

Be kind to yourself, try to be mindful without judging, just pay attention to your thoughts without reacting to them.

You can do some deep breathing or meditation before or after a meal.

Reflect on whether you have emotional eating patterns. If you tend to eat in response to your emotions, Mindful Eating can help you identify this and develop new ways to respond to your emotions without food.

Mindful eating is an approach to eating that could complement any eating pattern.

Research has shown that mindful eating can lead to greater psychological wellbeing, increased eating pleasure and body satisfaction. Combining behavioral strategies such as mindfulness training with nutritional awareness can lead to healthy food choices that reduce the risk of chronic disease, promote more enjoyable meal experiences, and support a healthy body image.

Note: Mindful eating is not intended to replace traditional treatments for clinical conditions or eating disorders. Always consult a health professional before making any changes to your eating strategies you may be considering.

WATER AND ITS IMPORTANCE TODAY

Water is one of the resources most present in living beings. It is not only about the need to drink and hydrate, but water regulates terrestrial ecosystems maintaining the balance necessary for animal and plant subsistence. One of its main functions is to be a true natural climate regulator. Without water, such stability would be weakened.

Besides, the importance of water for the human being is evident, as the amount of water in our body almost reaches two thirds—it is present in our body tissues and vital organs. Water is a fundamental element for vital bodily processes. Without drinking water, we could not survive more than three or four days.

We see the importance of water in human activities, mainly because 70% of water is used for agriculture, 15% in industry and the other 15% is used for domestic use.

Turn off the faucet when not in use—a running faucet uses up to 12 liters of water per minute!

Fix leaky pipes and faucets in kitchens and bathrooms— an average of 170 liters of water per month can be saved.

REMEMBER... WATER IS LIFE!

Here are some specific actions we can take on a daily basis at home and at work:

Turn off the faucet while soaping up the dishes.

When disposing of cooking oil, never pour it down the drain, as this contaminates running water. Instead, you can store it in a jar and dispose of it in the trash.

Use buckets of water to wash your car instead of a continuous flow from a hose—you can also save up to 12 liters of water every minute.

Select a short wash cycle when using the washing machine. In addition to saving water, you also save time and energy. Besides, washing with cold water can save up to 60%.

TOP WEIGHT LOSS TIPS BY

DAVID

PRITCHARD

Losing weight should enhance your health, not come at the expense of your health. Also, if your weight loss approach doesn’t become a lifestyle, you’ll likely slip back into old habits, and the weight will creep back on.

Eat real food

A calorie isn’t a calorie. Three hundred calories worth of cooked oats topped with blueberries, cinnamon, and nuts isn’t going to have the same effect on your body as a 300-calorie blueberry muffin made with refined carbs, sugar, and artificial additives. In addition to offering more overall nutrition, whole foods are more filling, satiating, and energizing, and they create a different impact on blood sugar and insulin regulation, digestion, and metabolism.

Eat more veggies

In my practice, I see that even health-conscious people often miss the mark. But for both weight loss and optimal health, consistently eating more veggies is one of the most important habits you can foster.

Non-starchy vegetables—like leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, and onions—are incredibly filling and nutrientrich, yet they provide just 25 calories or less per cup. There fiber, prebiotics, and antioxidants have been shown to reduce inflammation, a known obesity trigger, and alter the makeup of gut bacteria in ways that enhance immunity and improve mental health.

Drink more water

You’ve probably heard this one a million times, and it helps. But in my practice, I find that most people don’t follow through. Water is needed for every process in the body, including healthy circulation, digestion, and waste elimination. Studies show that water does indeed help rev metabolism, and while the effect may be slight, it can snowball to create a greater impact over time.

Drinking water before meals has also been shown to naturally reduce meal portions, which may help prevent slight overeating, which inhibits weight loss. As a minimum

I recommend eight cups a day.

Eat on a regular schedule

This is a biggie. In my experience, a consistent eating schedule helps to regulate appetite and better support metabolism, energy, and digestive health. My clients who eat at erratic times tend to be more prone to over or undereating. Both are problematic, as undereating can stall metabolism and lead to rebound overeating.

A good rule of thumb is to eat within about an hour of waking up, and not let more than four to five hours go by without eating. This may mean something like breakfast at 7 a.m., lunch at noon, a snack at 3 p.m., and dinner at 7 p.m. Once you get into a groove with meal timing, your body tends to respond with hunger cues at expected meal/snack times and crave balance, meaning a drive to stop eating when full.

Cook at home more often

This one may be pretty obvious, but it’s tried-and-true. Takeout and restaurant meals are notorious for oversized portions and a generous use of starch and sugar. And it’s really difficult to not eat too much, whether that’s due to the tastiness, or not wanting to waste food—even if it’s more than your body needs.

In addition to supporting healthy weight loss, you can also save a considerable amount of money, and you can use your cooking time to unwind, listen to a podcast, or catch up with your partner.

COMPETENCIES FOR VICTORY: MANAGEMENT BY COMPETENCIES

Hello again! Welcome back to this series of articles where we tell you all about job competencies.

Today we will talk about how competencies have impacted the business world and especially the strategies for managing them, reaching what is known today as competency-based management. That is a form of management that seeks to maximize the performance and development of an organization’s personnel through identifying, evaluating, and developing the competencies considered essential for success in each job or company.

Competency-based management is based on the idea that the success of an organization depends on, to a large extent, the quality of the performance of its personnel. For this reason, it focuses on developing individual competencies and promoting a culture of continuous learning. In addition, it seeks to align the company’s objectives and strategies with the skills and capabilities of its personnel so that results can be better.

Likewise, this type of management has several benefits. First, it helps companies identify employees with the necessary skills to perform a specific job. It allows companies to allocate jobs more effectively, increasing efficiency and productivity. Second, competency management helps companies identify areas where employees need further development and training. By identifying gaps in employee skills, companies can provide targeted training to close those gaps and improve employee performance.

In conclusion, competency-based management is a methodology that can be very useful for companies wishing to improve the performance and development of their personnel. By focusing on developing individual competencies and fostering a culture of continuous learning, the potential of each employee can be maximized and, therefore, the organization’s success. Would this type of management benefit us as a company? Remember to come back next month to learn more about the fascinating topic of competencies!

KUDOS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT!

From: Lucy Theurel

To: Daniela Robledo

I want to send a KUDO to Dani for being a wonderful person, friend, and colleague. Undoubtedly her professionalism and sincerity are great examples of our values.

From: German Shaub

To: Norma Domínguez y Reyna Gómez

For their commitment and dedication to Amstar. To Norma for serving as President of the Site Mx Executive Committee and Reyna as VP of Young Leaders. Without a doubt, they are an excellent example for all colleagues.