Canadian Lodging News - May 2015 by Ishcom Publications

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C A N A D I A N

LodgingNews May 2015 Vol. 12 No. 4

c a n a da’ s l o d g i n g b u s i n e s s n e w s pa p e r $ 5 . 0 0

THE OFF-DUTY CONDUCT DEBATE

TRAVELODGE JOINS SUPERIOR

IS THE TFW PROGRAM DEAD?

FEATURE: BALLROOM BLITZ RAMPING UP THE BANQUET GAME

Pacrim to bring Red Roof to Canada COLUMBUS, Ohio — Red Roof is expanding its reach again, signing a 20-year deal with developer Glenn Squires of Pacrim Hospitality Services, who anticipates shovels in the ground for the first four new-build units this summer. This is not the first time Red Roof has tried

to come to Canada, but the difference this time is that it has teamed up with a Canadian hotel company in a deal that is backed by Chinese investors. Squires, a 35-year hospitality veteran and native of Newfoundland & Labrador, is CEO of Pacrim.

Squires told CLN he is pleased with the scope of the deal, which aims to build and brand 40 hotels across Canada over the next 20 years. “This agreement is between myself and Red Continued on page 3

DESIGN FEATURE: THE RAVEN AND THE MOON AT SKWACHAYS

Geoff Ballotti, Wyndham president/CEO

Wyndham: less theatre, more social responsibility

Story on page 18.

By Colleen Isherwood, Editor

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — This year’s Wyndham conference held last month didn’t feature the president and CEO landing on the moon or climbing Mount Everest. With the changing of the guard from Eric Danziger to Geoff Ballotti just over a year ago, the tone of the 6,000-person conference featured less theatre and more emphasis on social responsibility. Ballotti opened up the conference by talking about his wife’s work with autistic children at Cranberry Sunset Farms. And chairman of the board Steve Holmes bookended the opening session with an emotional address talking about his new role as a grandfather, and a story about a breakthrough in communication with an 11-year-old boy with autism. Continued on page 3

This is Economy Lodging. This is Motel 6.

M688_Motel6_Ad_Hotelier-8.125x3.5.indd 1

Motel 6 Canada 416.966.8387 motel6@realstarhospitality.com A division of Realstar Hospitality

2015-04-22 10:49 AM

Marc Staniloff President and CEO Superior Lodging Corp. Calgary, Canada

WHY I CHOOSE WYNDHAM HOTEL GROUP TO BE MY PARTNER “My relationship with Wyndham Hotel Group began in 1992 with a single Super 8 in Calgary. Since then we have opened more than 150 Super 8 hotels and have recently added Microtel to our portfolio. We worked together to develop a prototype that was good for Canada, and Wyndham Hotel Group was very receptive to our input. Throughout this partnership they have been consistent, supportive and understanding of our goals. With plans to open 75 more Microtels in Canada over the next 25 years, our future is firmly with Wyndham Hotel Group.”

For further information call (888) 223-4680 or visit us at www.whgdevelopment.com This is not an offer. An offer can only be made through a Franchise Disclosure Document, a copy of which can be obtained by contacting Wyndham Hotel Group at 22 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ 07054. All hotels are independently owned and operated with the exception of certain hotels managed or owned by an affiliate of the company. © 2015 Wyndham Hotel Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

Red Roof eyes Atlantic in Pacrim deal

BRIEFS

Continued from page 1

TIABC conference returning to Vancouver

Roof. It’s a 20-year deal, so it is for the kids and the senior management team. When I first spoke to Red Roof, they were talking about three or four properties for the new brand — I preferred an extended development program.” The first four hotels will be up and running by 2016. They will be in Squires’ backyard, as Pacrim is based in Bedford, N.S. These will be new builds, not conversions, with most built as Red Roof PLUS+ properties, Red Roof ’s enhanced and upgraded offering. The first four hotels will be opening in Grand Falls and Bay Roberts in Newfoundland & Labrador and Wolfville and Antigonish in Nova Scotia. “This agreement signals Red Roof ’s strong growth internationally and the demand for our upscale economy product. The key to our success is our ability to find partners with deep local knowledge,” said Andrew Alexander, president of Red Roof. “Canada is a perfect market for us. Canadian consumers are ready for a true economy hotel brand; a new value proposition.” The new Canadian properties will not only boast PLUS+ upgrades and amenities but many will also have indoor pools and restaurants adjacent to their properties, both a major attraction for the leisure market.” Phil Hugh, chief development officer, Red Roof, said the Red Roof Plus+ brand is suitable

VANCOUVER — The Tourism Industry Association of BC announced on April 2 that the BC Tourism Industry Conference will be returning to Vancouver October 20-21. Building on the success of the BC Tourism & Hospitality Summit in 2014, this year’s conference will offer a wider variety of workshops, new keynote speakers and the opportunity to bring government and industry operators together. Attendees at the BC Tourism Industry Conference represent all sectors of the industry, from city/community destination marketing organizations, to independent operators, and provincial and municipal government leaders. Upwards of 400 delegates are expected to attend this year’s event.

Red Roof Plus+ exterior view. for Canada, since it offers the highest service level and it works in markets that can offer a little higher RevPAR. “It’s economy, but it can compete nicely with properties in the midscale sector.” Pacrim will help develop the hotels in the Eastern and Atlantic regions as well as a second group of Canadian properties due to open in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta over the next few years. Squires has taken a 50 per cent interest and has partnered with Chinese investors to form Canada China Culture Hospitality Development Inc. operating as CCC Hospitality Development. CCC has committed to fund a number of Red Roof Inns across Canada. Squires noted that Cushman & Wakefield is currently mapping the country to determine appropriate locations, focusing on small to medium sized markets that have limited hotel offer-

ings or aging hotel stock. The Canadian venture is Red Roof ’s second foray into the international arena. Late last year, the company announced that it was partnering with respected Brazil-based Nobile Hotels to develop 35-40 properties — new builds and conversions — across the country over the next 25 years. The first property, a conversion of an existing hotel, will open in Brasilia in 2015. Red Roof is a leader in the economy lodging industry with franchised, corporate-managed, and corporate-owned properties. It has 400 pet-friendly properties, offering fee-free stays for pets across the U.S. The brand recently completed a $200 million investment to renovate and upgrade hotels nationwide with sleek and modern NextGen redesign elements. The company is also rolling out Red Roof PLUS+, an enhanced offering at a value price.

Wyndham Rewards and Days Inn update Continued from page 1

The Wyndham umbrella With more than 500 properties, Wyndham is by far the largest of the major hotel groups in Canada, but how many people know that Days Inns, Howard Johnson, Super 8 and Travelodge belong to the same hotel family? The answer: not very many! The thread common to all these brands is Wyndham Rewards. Last year Wyndham set out to change that by implementing its $20 million “umbrella” television campaign promoting its brand family, which met with great success in the U.S. Irwin Prince, of Realstar Hospitality, master franchisor of Days Inns in Canada and a member of Wyndham’s Franchise Advisory Committee, talked to Josh Lesnick, Wyndham’s chief marketing officer, about the opportunity to take advantage of Wyndham Rewards to scoop up some potential business. For the first time ever, Wyndham will be spending $1 million for a summer and fall umbrella advertising campaign. The ads will feature three television commercials dealing with all brands, Days Inns and Super 8. “This is more money than any brand has ever spent in Canada,” Prince said. The advertising funding will follow right on the heels of changes to Wyndham Rewards that will make the program easier, faster and more accessible. The new program has three main tenets: • Go free by earning just 15,000 points to get a free night. • Go fast by using just 3,000 points and a little cash to get a free night. • Go get ’em by earning 10 points for ev-

ery dollar spent or 1,000 points, whichever is more. The program is “Built to reward: no tricks, just Wyndham Rewards Magic.” Wyndham has hired Kristoffer Hivju, the red-bearded actor from Game of Thrones, to act as the Wyndham Rewards Wyzard. The ad campaign for Wyndham Rewards launches to consumers May 11. It gives guests 3,000 bonus points for each stay this summer. “We’re not going to be the best kept secret any longer,” Lesnick said.

TORONTO — Big Picture Conferences announced on March 31 a strategic partnership with the B.C. Hotel Association to produce the Western Canadian Hotel & Resort Investment Conference, to be held at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver October 19-20. “Big Picture Conferences is pleased to welcome members of the B.C. Hotel Association to this year’s show,” said Orie Berlasso, conference producer and managing director of Big Picture Conferences. The conference provides a year-end perspective on the Canadian hotel and resort investment market, with specific attention to the western provinces, and helps investors, developers, lenders, architects, designers, hospitality consultants collaborate and gain a better understanding of this rapidly evolving industry.

OPUS Vancouver launches Pampered Pooch package

Two-year roll for Days Inns Canada Did you know that if you added all the guestrooms in Atlantic Canada, the Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, you would come up with 150,000 — the same number as the city of Las Vegas, which has an area of just 130 square miles? That’s how Irwin Prince, president and CEO of Realstar Hospitality, master franchisor for Days Inns in Canada, opened his presentation a the Wyndham hotel conference in Las Vegas. Days Inns is one of Wyndham’s 16 brands. The last 24 months were good ones for Days Inns, with the opening of 14 Canadian properties, including the first in the Yukon at the end of March. Eight hotel deals are in the works, with six Days Inns expected to open by year end and shovels in the ground for the other two. Prince said the weather was not kind to Atlantic Canada this year — Charlottetown got almost as much snow as Whistler — the difference being that they didn’t want it! Oil went from a high of $100-plus a barrel to between $50 and $55 per barrel; Keystone is on hold until the next U.S. president; western projects are

Big Picture teams with BCHA

On an early morning walk with Irwin Prince at the Wyndham conference, from left: Judi Fitzgerald, Hannah Enkerlin, Robb Frias, Melissa Stober, Suzy Pakmalaki. Photo: Irwin Prince. on hold and feeling that pain. At the same time, gasoline prices are at a six-year low, which bodes well for both domestic and U.S. summer travel in Canada; the Canadian Tourism Commission is now spending money to market Canada to the U.S.; and PKF is projecting 2 per cent RevPAR growth driven by rate, with 5 to 6 per cent growth in major markets. Prince gave the assembled franchisees three numbers to ponder: 73 per cent occupancy, $125 ADR, and $91 in RevPAR. Those are the statistics for the four top-performing Canadian Days Inns. “This includes new and conversion hotels in B.C., Quebec and the Maritimes,” he said.

VANCOUVER — Vancouver’s OPUS Hotel on March 31 announced that it had launched Pampered Pooch, a package offering doggy spa treatments and a Bow Wow Butler service. Starting at $589, the Pampered Pooch option includes a designer bandana from local doggy outfitter Dog and Crow; a one-hour, in-room doggy massage or reiki session; and a canine portrait. OPUS Hotel’s Bow Wow Butler can help arrange everything from a celebratory doggy birthday cake from Vancouver’s Big Dog Little Bakery to a manicure and grooming at Yaletown’s Barking Babies or a dog walk with a licensed professional.

IHG launches Share Forever promotion with Coca-Cola ATLANTA — InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and The Coca-Cola Company announced on April 20 that they’ve partnered for this summer’s Share Forever promotion. From May 1 through Sept. 7, members of the IHG Rewards Club will have the opportunity to share their rewards with the people they care about the most. Not only will members be able to earn bonus points of their own, they’ll have the opportunity to earn additional points and free nights they can share with others. The Share Forever promotion gets IHG Rewards Club members 500 additional points after just one night at an IHG hotel.

May 2015 | 3

C A N A D I A N

EDITORIAL

Alternative labour solutions

So what happens this summer in Canmore, Alberta during peak season when the hotel labour crunch reaches crisis proportions? “Check in time will be six o’clock. There will be huge incentives for guests to get their rooms cleaned just every three days. And we won’t accept reservations for under three days.” That’s the answer I got when I posed that question to a Canmore hotelier at the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association Town Hall meeting in Banff last month. And yes, customers will adapt and he will likely do fine, since he’s dealing with a top-demand summer tourism market just outside the Banff park gate. Other options emerged at the AHLA and Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association conferences, where labour problems were once

again front and centre. Both conferences mentioned Aboriginal employees as one possible solution, since that demographic group is actually growing. In an enlightening session at the AHLA on attracting and retaining aboriginal workers, speakers Sheila Harrison, director industry and government partnerships for the Alberta government, and Rob St. Denis, youth labour market consultant for Community Futures Treaty Seven, said that for Aboriginal people, the term family takes in the broader community. Relationships between employers and their Aboriginal employees often break down when the employee is called away for a funeral or other extended family event. It’s considered offensive if the employee doesn’t attend. There are other cultural differences — such as a preference for speaking softly and a soft rather than firm handshake. There are still issues to be solved — a hotel

still has a basic problem if all of its Aboriginal employees attend the same funeral for a few days. But the Alberta seminar opened up some dialogue, and helped hoteliers appreciate cultural differences. In Saskatchewan, we learned about Mark Wafer, who has seven Tim Hortons in Toronto and has hired 41 people with disabilities — one third of his workforce. In a video, Wafer explained that he didn’t do it because it was the right thing. It just made good business sense, as the employees are top performers, loyal and productive, and their attitude is contagious. AHLA is also putting half a million dollars into an innovative partnership with Olds College that brings the learning to the workers on their phones or tablets, and encourages young workers through a dual credit program. Problems abound but solutions do too! — Colleen Isherwood, Editor

LodgingNews

PUBLISHER

Steven Isherwood ext. 236 · sisherwood@canadianlodgingnews.com EDITOR

Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 · cisherwood@canadianlodgingnews.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Marni Andrews· marni@trolltales.com Larry Mogelonsky · larry@lma.com ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Kristen Smith ext. 238 · ksmith@canadianlodgingnews.com Jonathan Zettel ext. 226 · jzettel@canadianlodgingnews.com ASSISTANT EDITOR

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Stephanie Giammarco ext. 0 · sgiammarco@canadianlodgingnews.com CIRCULATION

SPOTLIGHT

Peter Elliott ext. 228 · pelliott@canadianlodgingnews.com

The off-duty conduct debate

By Lisa M. Bolton & Andrew Ebejer The dismissal of Jian Ghomeshi from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in late 2014 and the unexpected resignation of Leslie Roberts from Global News in early 2015 have made off-duty conduct one of the most talked-about workplace issues this year. The question many employers are asking is: When does an employee’s private life become a workplace issue? The answer is: When the employee’s conduct negatively impacts the employer’s legitimate business interests.

When can employee private life become employer business? Courts and labour arbitrators have traditionally drawn a line between an employee’s work and private life; declining to uphold discipline for “off-duty” conduct where there is no clear connection to the workplace. However, it is an implied term of every employment relationship that the employee faithfully perform his or her duties. When an employee acts in a manner contrary to this obligation, whether on or off duty, and the conduct negatively impacts or is likely to negatively impact the employer’s legitimate business interests, the employer may discipline the employee up to and including dismissal. Generally speaking, conduct is likely to

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be considered detrimental to an employer’s business interests in any of the following circumstances: the nature of the conduct prevents the employee from continuing to perform his or her duties (e.g., loss of credibility or confidence where the employee is in a position of trust); co-workers have refused or are reluctant to continue to work with the employee as a result of learning about his or her conduct (often related to violence or harassment); there is a risk of injury to co-workers or members of the public; the employee has been guilty of a serious breach of the Criminal Code for which the employee has not been granted a pardon; or the conduct has harmed or will harm the employer’s reputation or brand.

Reputational or brand damage Courts and labour arbitrators will uphold discipline for “off-duty” conduct which may cause reputational or brand injury when the damage or potential damage is considered to be substantial in the eyes of a regular member of the public: …where the interest asserted by the employer…is in its public reputation and in its ability to be able to successfully carry out its works, the concern must be both substantial and warranted. The test, so far as possible, is an objective one: what would a reasonable and fair-minded member of the public…think if apprised of all the relevant facts? Would the continued employment of the [employee], in all the circumstances, so damage the reputation of the employer as to render that employment impossible or untenable? (Ottawa-Carlton District School Board and OSSTF, District 25 (2006). Not surprisingly, this analysis is highly contextual and depends on both the nature of the employer’s business and the alleged misconduct. Some off-duty conduct is easy

to condemn (e.g., serious criminal conduct). Other conduct is not as easy to categorize including, for example, where the conduct is not illegal per se, but may nonetheless undermine the employer’s business interests (e.g., private racist remarks). When assessing potential reputational harm, two preliminary questions should be considered: (1) Is the employee an important representative of the organization (not necessarily the key representative); and (2) Is the employee’s conduct inconsistent with and harmful to the employer’s reputation? By way of example, think back to 2009 when Kellogg’s declined to renew Michael Phelps’ sponsorship after a photo of him smoking marijuana at a college party went viral, or the numerous sponsors Tiger Woods lost when his infidelity became public.

CONTROLLER

Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 · tammy@canadianlodgingnews.com

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD JASON CHESKES Above The Line Solutions VITO CURALLI Hilton Worldwide PHILIPPE GADBOIS Atlific Hotels & Resorts MARK HOPE Coast Hotels ELIZABETH HUESTON Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc. BRIAN LEON Choice Hotels Canada Inc. ROBIN MCLUSKIE Colliers International Hotels BRIAN STANFORD PKF DR. DAVID MARTIN Ted Rogers School of Hospitality CHRISTINE PELLA Serta Mattress Company TONY POLLARD Hotel Association of Canada ANDREW CHLEBUS LG Electronics

Final thoughts for employers Before disciplining an employee for offduty conduct, undertake a thorough investigation and carefully consider the potential impact of the employee’s alleged misconduct. If the conduct is likely to have a substantial negative impact on the employer’s business, a disciplinary response may be warranted. However, acting without fully considering the issues can expose an employer to liability and additional unwanted public attention if the discipline is later found to be unjustified. For these reasons, prior consultation with expert employment law counsel will help an employer appropriately respond to off-duty conduct, and minimize unnecessary risk. Lisa M. Bolton and Andrew Ebejer are lawyers with Sherrard Kuzz LLP. Bolton and Ebejer can be reached at 416-603-0700 (Main), 416420-0738 (24 Hour) or by visiting www.sherrardkuzz.com.

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS VOLUME 12 · NO. 4 · MAY 2015 Canadian Lodging News (www.canadianlodgingnews.com) is published 10 times a year by Ishcom Publications Ltd., 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ont. L4X 2W1 T: (905) 206-0150 · F: (905) 206-9972 · Toll Free: 1(800)201-8596 Other publications include the Canadian Chains and Buyers’ Directory as well as: P A C I F I C / P R A I R I E

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Travelodge joins the Superior Lodging hotel family

Marc Staniloff and Steve Robinson. By Colleen Isherwood, Editor CALGARY, HALIFAX, BOCA RATON, Fla. — There’s a new joint entity on the Canadian hotel scene: Superior Lodging Corporation and Waramaug Hospitality Canada have joined to acquire master license rights for Travelodge Canada from Halifaxbased Holloway Lodging Corp. The new company, headed by Superior Lodging Corp. CEO Marc Staniloff, will be called Superior Lodging TL Corporation. Michael Rapps, chairman of Holloway, will be a member of the new company’s board of directors. In a related deal, Waramaug now has a controlling share of the development rights for Super 8 Canada. This will make the combined portfolio for both brands 221 hotels. Wyndham

Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company with over 7,600 hotels in 70 countries worldwide, grants the rights for both deals. “Canada’s strong economy bodes well for our organization and we expect Super 8 and Travelodge to benefit greatly from the augmented management experience that this newly formed team brings to the table,” said Paul Nussbaum, chairman, Waramaug Hospitality Canada LLC. Staniloff told CLN he identified Travelodge as a great fit for Superior 10 years ago, but it is only in the last six months that the deal came to fruition. “Travelodge is a logical brand to grow in Canada — a different offering from Super 8. It’s a conversion brand rather than new build, and it has a good footprint in Canada. Travelodges can have more rooms and more

latitude than Super 8, which is controlled by the Wyndham development agreement. “We want to kick start the Travelodge brand and bring it up to scale. We have the name and the development ability and we can grow it.” Ultimately, Staniloff plans to top out at 200 Super 8s and 130 to 140 Travelodges in Canada. “Over the past two decades, my team and I have been extremely successful in developing hotels across Canada with a specific focus on branded, limited-service hotels,” he added. “I strongly believe the market is ripe for continued expansion as it relates to these brands and look forward to lending my expertise on this new venture.” “We feel it is a very positive move and we are looking forward to leveraging the power of the combined set of companies,” said Steve Robinson, president of Travelodge Canada. “It will improve our relationship overall with Wyndham, and give us the power to negotiate deals across the country.” There are 85 Canadian Travelodges and six Thriftlodges, and Robinson said they are looking to expand both brands. Holloway acquired the franchise business through its acquisition of Royal Host Inc. in July 2014 and de-

termined that the franchise business was not a core asset for Holloway. Holloway sold the franchise business for $21.0 million which is significantly more than the value underwritten by Holloway at the time of the acquisition of Royal Host. Holloway estimates that it will record a gain on the sale of approximately $6.4 million or $0.33 per share in the first quarter of 2015 and does not anticipate paying any tax on the sale of this business. The purchase price for the franchise business was satisfied through a cash payment of $16.0 million and the issuance of $5.0 million of subordinated secured notes. The notes are fully amortizing over their life and are secured by 75 per cent of the current and future receivables of the two hotel franchise businesses with a combined 221 franchised hotels. Holloway expects these notes to be outstanding for a short period of time only. Michael Rapps, Holloway chairman, stated, “While the franchise business was a solid asset within Holloway’s portfolio, it was not a core asset for us. The sale of this business will allow management to focus on our core business of owning and operating hotels. In addition, we believe many investors overlooked our ownership of this business and the sale of this business should unlock value for our shareholders.” Super 8 and Travelodge are ex-

pected to expand their presence by converting unbranded hotels across Canada, particularly where the highest numbers of unbranded guestrooms reside in Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. Geographically, 64 per cent of Super 8’s Canadian hotels are located in Western Canada, 29 per cent of hotels are located in Central Canada, 6 per cent of hotels are located in Atlantic Canada and 1 per cent of hotels are located in Northern Canada. For Travelodge, 58 per cent of all Canadian hotels are located in Western Canada, 38 per cent are located in Central Canada, and the remaining 4 per cent are located in Atlantic Canada, leaving room for both Super 8 and Travelodge to strategically expand on either side of the country. In addition to Super 8 and Travelodge, Superior Lodging Corp.’s Canadian hotel collection includes Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham, Wingate by Wyndham, Marriott Courtyard, Marriott Residence Inn, Holiday Inn Express and JMarc Suites. At the Wyndham Hotel Conference in Las Vegas last month, Staniloff told Canadian franchisees that the company currently has 132 Super 8 properties and plans to grow to 170 by 2023. Superior partners with MasterBUILT hotels on the Microtel properties, and plans to grow from 9 to 14 properties by the end of this year.

Online Revealed: where travellers are going TORONTO — About 150 people from the tourism and travel sphere descended on the Telus Centre for Performance and Learning in early April for the 10th anniversary edition of Online Revealed.

Then and now Keynote speaker Hari Nair, vicepresident of market management North America for Expedia, shared Canadian travel insight and research. Nair expects worldwide e-commerce sales will double in the next five years to $2.4 trillion and sees mobile-commerce as the new wave. Of those engaging with travel, 67 per cent do it on mobile.

He said room night bookings are on the rise in Canada from domestic and international travellers and package products have been on the rise, with a 37 per cent year-over-year increase in January and 33 per cent in February. Nair noted that there tends to be less cancellation when it comes to packages, indicating travellers consider them more of a commitment. Nair said music and travel are the two categories that are going to see the most change in terms of technology. Providing a quick history lesson in technological advancement, Nair illustrated how the pace of change is accelerating and the speed of adop-

tion and mass integration is increasing. “It’s becoming incredibly hard to predict where the world is going, so we don’t,” said Nair. Personal computers only account for a small share of connected devices, with smartphones and tablets seeing more and wearables and smartTVs coming onto the scene. “If your online strategy is for a PC, you’re thinking about yesterday,” said Nair, noting the majority of time spent viewing digital content is either on a mobile or tablet device. He said Expedia’s continued focus is investment in technology. In 2006, its technology spend was $115 million and that number grew by six times to

$686 million in 2014. He said they are investing in an approach that is working: 1. Be scientific. Identify problems, test hypotheses and the follow data. 2. Make things easy. Travel is changing and planning is complex. “There’s a big debate: is it the age of information or the age of distraction?” Nair asked. “The question is: how do you create experiences, when the attention span is 90 seconds?” The next generation would rather text, needs to be connected and is spending time gaming with apps, which steals minutes from planning. “We have to take these guys on head to head because that’s who we’re

Hari Nair, Expedia. competing with for time,” he said. 3. Big ideas, small changes. “Nobody can compete with someone whose learning cycle is day to day,” Nair said.

TIAPEI members talk tourism with provincial leaders CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI — With a PEI election in full swing, the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island (TIAPEI) hosted an April 9 panel of provincial candidates including premier Wade MacLauchlan to discuss tourism issues. Held at the Murphy’s Community Centre, the panel consisted of MacLauchlan (Liberal Party), Rob Lantz (Progressive Conservative Party), Peter Bevan Baker (Green Party) and

Mike Redmond (New Democratic Party) “This event gives people the opportunity and knowledge they need to make an informed decision when they head to the polls,” Kevin Mouflier, president of TIAPEI, said in a release. “TIAPEI’s role as the voice of the industry is to be the chief lobbyist for the issues that matter to tourism operators and their employees.”

TIAPEI members posed questions to the panel about how they intend to grow tourism, the placement of a marketing levy, changes to HST and minimum wage. Each year, tourism in PEI accounts for approximately $380 million in economic activity and seven per cent of GDP, the highest percentage of any Canadian province, and provides over 7,000 full-time equivalent jobs for Islanders.

From left: Rob Lantz, Peter Bevan Baker, Wade MacLauchlan and Mike Redmond.

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Is the Temporary Foreign Worker program dead? BANFF, Alta. — While Dave Kaiser of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association says the Temporary Foreign Worker Program still has a heartbeat, some of his hotel members aren’t so sure. A year ago at the AHLA annual conference, the federal government announced a moratorium on temporary foreign workers in the food service sector. At this year’s conference Town Hall session, Kaiser updated members on the events of the past year, detailing the sweeping reforms announced by the feds last July. Kaiser pointed out that Alberta’s hotel industry foreign workers number about 3,000 compared to the 380,000 TFWs in the federal program before the reforms. The need for TFWs varies greatly across the province with resort communities such as Banff and Canmore and remote resource communities affected the most. Asked if the TFW program was dead, Kaiser replied that one of the most promising options he has talked about with the federal government is a program specific to the hotel and lodging industry modelled after the seasonal agricultural workers program, which was not affected by the reforms. But some members of the audience said the program is almost dead, with one hotelier noting that the declining caps of 30 per cent on foreign workers this year, 20 per cent next year and 10 per cent the following year are based on a property’s current percentage of foreign workers. In other words, if you had 15 per cent TFWs, you can’t raise that to 30 per cent. Another hotelier was more blunt. “I’m sorry — it’s dead,” he said. The AHLA has other options, and is spending $500,000 to help fund an innovative new

hospitality program at Olds College in Olds, Alta., north of Calgary. Ralph Troschke of Olds College outlined the benefits of the mobile-focused program that will feature YouTube videos delivered to high school and college students and those in the industry requiring additional training, on their smartphones or tablets. The length of the program has been reduced to 14 months, including three months of practical work experience. It also features dual credits, where students can earn credits that count toward both high school and college diplomas, in a bid to attract younger students to the hospitality industry. Other possible ways to alleviate the labour shortage were explored at the conference, including the Canada-Alberta Jobs Program, AHLA’s Employer of Choice program, a targeted employment website called TourismWorks.ca and hiring more Aboriginal workers, as Aboriginal youth are the fastest growing demographic group in the province (see article page 7). In other news, the Check In Canada program has hired Bruce Okabe, former deputy minister of Tourism for B.C. and former CEO of Travel Alberta, as a project manager. When Okabe took on the project, he had no idea what online travel agencies (OTAs) were or anything about their relationship with Canadian hotels. Now that he understands the role of Check In Canada as a Canadian alternative to OTAs which sends bookings directly to the property, he told CLN, “I’m an evangelist.” Okabe will also make his pitch to provinces that haven’t joined Check In Canada at the upcoming Hotel Association of Canada board meeting in Halifax next month.

Town Hall panel from left: Dave Kaiser, AHLA; Ralph Troschke, Olds College; Celia Koehler, AHLA and Perry Wilford, past chair, AHLA.

Erica Blewett and Lena Cimmarrusti of the AHSA.

AHSA will include restaurants

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BANFF, Alta. — The Alberta Hotel Safety Association has changed its name to the Alberta Hospitality Safety Association in a bid to attract more restaurant members, new executive director Lena Cimmarrusti announced on Saturday, April 18. There has been a lot of conversation and consultation about this during the past 10 years, Cimmarrusti told delegates to the Sunshine Breakfast, which was part of the AHLA conference. “I am excited to expand the mandate to attract more resources for our members.” AHSA has restaurant members already — the name change just makes it more welcoming and official. The association’s Sunshine Breakfast honours hospitality employers who implement a health and safety management system that meets the standards required to achieve a Certificate of Recognition (COR). Buffalo Métis Catering and Chili’s Texas Grill Calgary were among those who renewed their COR certification. Peter Lambooy, Alberta WCB director, customer service and risk management, was on hand to present a refund cheque for $975,251 to be shared among the 66 COR certificate holders under the Partnerships in Injury Reduction program. The cheque represents discounts in WCB rates due to lower claims among COR participants.

SHHA: Jim Kilkenny honoured with life membership REGINA — Jim Kilkenny, general manager of the Delta Regina, was named a life member of the Saskatchewan Hotel and Hospitality Association at a luncheon at the SHHA annual conference held at the DoubleTree Regina April 14-15. Kilkenny is a long-serving member of the association, said CEO Jim Bence.

• • • • •

SHHA Scholarship Awards At the luncheon, SHHA also honoured the following students from Saskatchewan Polytechnic Kelsey Campus: • J.R. Freestone Scholarship - Kathy Ta-

• •

larski George G. Grant Scholarship - Travis Boser Chairman’s Scholarship - Chris Udey President’s Scholarship - Chantelle Buffalo Director’s Scholarship - Raina Pelletier Sheraton Cavalier Scholarship - Carmen Jack Canalta Hotels Scholarship - Ashten Brown Canalta Hotels Scholarship - Morgan Davis

SHSA Leadership Awards The Service and Hospitality Safety Association honoured the following people with their Safety Centered Leadership Award. • Natalie Szankar, GM, Best Western Royal Hotel • Murray Waters, GM Ramada Saskatoon • Amy McNeil, executive director, SARC/ SARCAN Recycling • Ian Wilkinson, Saskatchewan Abilities Council

The labour shortage is all your fault! Jim Kilkenny, GM Delta Regina.

Tips for hiring Aboriginal Employees Speakers at both the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association and Saskatchewan Hotel and Hospitality Association noted that Aboriginal youth are the fastest growing demographic in both provinces. The Aboriginal Human Resource Council in Alberta offers the following tips when hiring Aboriginal employees. Basic Aboriginal cultural differences • Community is the foremost of all values. • Oral is preferred over print. • Goals are met with patience. • Work is often motivated by group need. • Silences are acceptable. • Listening skills are prized. • Soft spoken words carry farthest. • Nodding signifies understanding but not necessarily agreement. • Group praise over individual praise holds a higher value.

If you are a member of the baby boom generation, Canada’s labour shortage is all your fault, Dr. Linda Duxbury, a professor from Carleton University, told delegates at the Saskatchewan Hotels and Hospitality (SHHA) conference in Regina last month. In order for a society to regenerate itself, it needs 2.1 children per couple, while Canada has a birth rate of just 1.5. The last time we achieved that sustainable birth rate was in 1969. And people are living longer, with the average Canadian life expectancy now 83 years compared to just 41 in 1900. “You boomers didn’t have the courtesy to die young,” Duxbury said. “And it’s not just boomers, but Gen X — you too did not procreate! For the foreseeable future, there are no kids!” Duxbury noted that a dramatic increase in immigration is needed. Canada currently admits about 240,000 immigrants, 40 per cent of whom get jobs. By 2026, we will need 600,000 to

800,000 labour force-ready immigrants. Not only can we not assimilate that many immigrants, but we can’t attract them, Duxbury said. Most of the developed world faces the same labour shortage problem, leaving immigrants with low levels of education from underdeveloped countries. Within Canada, there is also a job skills mismatch — people without jobs and jobs without people. People who got good manufacturing jobs after grade 12 or 13 have found that those jobs are gone, never to return because Canada can’t compete. “Those people are in their 40s now, and they’re not suitable for [the hospitality industry]. We have to reskill them,” said Duxbury. “We need to spend more money on reskilling than on temporary foreign workers.” Duxbury made some suggestions regarding what has to be done. o We need to have discussions and do things differently with First Nations groups;

o We have to sell our industry much differently to both young people and their parents; o Electricians and plumbers make much more than hospitality workers and we have to deal with that; o Becom- Dr. Linda Duxbury. ing Employers of Choice will make our businesses more attractive; o Offer employees education and training; and o It’s a big enough industry that we should band together to provide solutions.

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Basic guidelines for interviews 1. Cultural differences don’t always mean visible features are present. 2. Cultural differences may explain uncommon behaviour. 3. Avoid stereotyping candidates. 4. Assess each candidate on individual merit. 5. Prepare the candidate in advance by “walking” them through the interview process.

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Interview setting guidelines 1. Create a degree of informality to reduce anxiety and intimidation. 2. Be inclusive in setting the interview board. 3. Prepare board members for cultural sensitivities prior to an interview with an Aboriginal person. Source: Aboriginal Human Resource Council.

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BY OFFERING WIDER FOOD CHOICE, INTERACTIVE ACTION STATIONS AND IMAGINATIVE PLATING AND PRESENTATION, HOTELIERS ARE STEPPING UP THEIR BANQUETING/SPECIAL-EVENT GAME.

BY DON DOULOFF Hilton Lac-Leamy Ballroom Event.

Park Hyatt Toronto Beef Tataki appetizer.

anquets, encompassing everything from weddings, corporate meetings and events (and everything in between), are big business for hoteliers, and thanks to a variety of factors, operators are stepping up their game in this lucrative and competitive segment. “Large-scale kitchen equipment continues to improve with the advancement of technology,” said Greg MacNeil, director of food and beverage at the Sheraton Centre Toronto. He cites “ovens capable of various cooking methods allow chefs to cook meals for hundreds at the touch of a button, making serving a crowd better and faster than ever.” To that end, Miles Chesher, partner at Chesher Equipment, reported a trend, during the past several years, of pre-cooking food in bulk, plating and placing it in a fridge, on a trolley, then wheeling the trolley into a combi oven (offering the functionality of convection and steam cooking, separately or in combination) and re-heating it during banquet service. Pre-cooking food allows the kitchen to “do all the tough prep ahead of time, Monday to Friday, so they don’t have to pay high-priced help on the weekend and the kitchen isn’t jammed with a backlog at serving time,” said Chesher. He added that re-thermalizing with heat and steam prevents food from drying out and keeps quality intact. “The most significant change in banqueting is the conception and introduction of re-therm cooking,” said Mary Ann Gamboa, director of sales and marketing, InterContinental Toronto Centre. “This concept became the trend in Europe 20 years ago and is only now trending here in North America. It is a very expensive investment initially for the equipment; however, the return on investment is substantially quick, due to labour savings and precise combi-therm cooking, which gives better yield on the food product. The ovens re-therm the plated food with computerized programs that monitor and measure the amount of moisture in the cooking chamber and acclimatize the heat settings for perfect re-heating of the food.” “Sous-vide/thermal cooking has definitely had a significant difference on how we are able to improve food offerings in plated banquets as well as buffet,” said Marc Cassier, executive director, conference services and catering, at Fairmont Raffles Hotels International. Hand in hand with the combi oven system of heating up pre-cooked banquet foods is a move away from “Escoffier-style” service — where staff go from table to table, serving each plate’s protein and side dish component separately — in favour of fully plated service, said Louis-Philippe Audette, president of Rational Canada Inc. Driving this trend, he said, is clients’ high expectations of hotel event food; hotels’ need to compete with their own on-site restaurants; and banquet chefs’ desire to serve high-quality fare. Plus, heating up pre-cooked foods saves hotels and their event clients money, since the kitchen “only has to heat up the plates they’re going to serve,” minimizing food waste. In addition, by plating food in the kitchen, rather than leaving that task to non-kitchen staff serving each item separately at table, chefs can create eye-pleasing presentations. Moreover, combi oven finishing systems allow hotels “to do plates that they could never do

Rational finishing a la carte dish. before,” such as braised beef shoulder for 700 people, he said. Improved equipment is also elevating food buffet presentation. When it comes to pans, for example, “hotels are getting away from cafeteria and institutional looks,” and in place of traditional square pans, properties are adding visual flair with wave- or oval-shaped pans or with serving vessels such as stock pots or roasting pans, said Alain Goyette, Canadian regional sales manager at kitchen equipment manufacturer Vollrath. On buffets, the trend is moving away from rolltop chafers to permanent-buffet induction units dropped into the table or, alternatively, portable induction units, said Goyette. “Introduction of induction units into buffet set-ups has also greatly increased the quality of food that is being held versus the chafing dish,” said Cassier. Increasingly, buffet tables are displaying bowls and platters, perched on stands, “to give height” to food presentation, noted Goyette. Joan Monfaredi, executive chef at the Park Hyatt Toronto, noted a trend toward such creative buffet-service ware options as glass, ceramic and wooden bowls and platters. Additionally, “the coupe bowl has been a revelation — very versatile, a modern look on the table and (it) holds the presentation. Although round plates are coming back, rectangular plates are still hot, for sampler dishes,” said Monfaredi. When it comes to special-event food, a number of trends are emerging. At Fairmont, Cassier has noticed a focus “on healthier options, particularly with proteins, where poultry, fish and pork are more popular than beef and lamb. Additionally, we continue to see an increasing demand for menus catering to dietary restrictions, particularly gluten-free and low-fat menus. We are seeing a shift towards more buffet and reception offerings, allowing our guests to be more selective with their culinary choices. We are also seeing an interest in smaller portions — tapas-style receptions — as well as more interactive stations (those with chefs preparing fresh items).” Guests are also wanting “much more of a restaurant-style approach” when dining in Fairmont’s event spaces. Goyette said that action stations, such as pasta stations or do-it-yourself mashed potato bars, are popular at events. These interactive menu options “not only create more of a networking environment, but also eliminate the need for special meals, giving the guest the ability to choose what they like and avoid those foods that they may have intolerances to or have chosen to eliminate from their diet,” said Vivian Bakerdjian, director, food and beverage, Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites. In addition, meeting planners are “asking for, and selecting, healthier and sustainable options.” Bakerdjian reports a spike in the numbers of dietary preferences rather than dietary restrictions due to allergies (requested on menus). “Hotels have had to rethink menu design to ensure a wider spectrum of dietary requests are covered.” Another trend, stand-up style receptions, “allows for more networking and a greater variety of foods to be served at an event,” said Gamboa. Also popular are banquet menus that allow guests to select from a variety of options for each course. “This concept has been around for many years in luxury hotels.

However, it is gaining popularity among other hotels as well, as health concerns and allergies are currently more prevalent.” “Many of our clients are from outside the province, and they are looking for a taste of Quebec’s finest products and recipes when they plan an event at this hotel,” said Melissa Noel, marketing and transient market manager at InterContinental Montreal. “For us, that means a breakfast buffet with maple butter crepes or a themed coffee break with Quebec apples and apple cider.” “Beef is currently the most popular choice for the majority of the hotel’s banquets, with chicken the second most popular choice,” reported Gamboa. “Vegetarian meals are now very popular as a second choice, even for guests that are not strictly vegetarian.” She also said guests are more health conscious than ever before and are requesting gluten-, dairy- and nut-free options. Also resonating with groups are specialty foods with company logos, or an event theme logo as a point of difference for guests to remember the event or create an impact on guests. Candy stations, too, are on the up-trend, said Gamboa. On the corporate social responsibility front, operators, increasingly, must pay heed to eco-friendly concerns when putting together meetings and events. For example, according to information provided by InterContinental Hotels Group, government and corporate clients are increasingly requesting hotels’ environmental credentials through the RFP (request for proposal) process. Hotels, and their suppliers, are meeting that demand. For instance, properties are switching to filtration systems that dispense still and sparkling water on tap, said Paula Tekela, owner of Q water, who noted that it’s “becoming a bottle-less industry.” The use of filtration systems eliminates bottled water, reducing soft costs (no more purchasing, inventorying, refrigeration and recycling of bottled water); produces fresher, cleaning tasting water, since it is on-demand; and increases hoteliers’ profit margin, she said. Eco-friendly alternatives to conventional bottled water are part of the Global Citizenship at Starwood program, said MacNeil. From a food and beverage perspective, Starwood works to minimize waste by providing local vendor options, sustainable food choices for menus and condiments in bulk dispensers. Fairmont has developed an Eco-Meet sustainable meetings program that incorporates such green practices as donating untouched food to local food banks or shelters; eliminating disposable food and beverage products in favour of linen napkins, china and glassware; and encouraging planners to consider mitigating operational impacts through conservation, recycling and energy efficiency. The Hyatt Earth Goals program includes such initiatives as waste diversion, timers on water taps, low-flow faucets and Energy Star-rated kitchen equipment and ware washing. For its part, InterContinental Toronto Centre has implemented an Orca machine that composts all of its organic waste in-house, eliminating the need for organic waste pick-up from the hotel. The property has also implemented the use of biodegradable items, such as small forks for hors d’oeuvres and bamboo plates for receptions.

May 2015 | 9

INSIGHTFUL. GROWING. LEADING.

THE POWER OF STARWOOD PARTNERSHIP. With a portfolio of 65+ hotels and strong growth momentum, Starwood Hotels & Resorts continues to expand its presence in Canada. With ten distinct brands and the award-winning Starwood Preferred Guest® loyalty program, Starwood is well positioned to drive results for our partners. 203 964 4468 STARWOODHOTELS.COM/DEVELOPMENT

PETER WONG

SHERATON OTTAWA HOTEL ONTARIO, CANADA

PRESIDENT, KECK SENG GROUP, NORTH AMERICA

“Our partnership with Starwood includes multiple hotels and multiple brands in North America and Asia Pacific. Starwood has always been a responsive and dynamic partner – always ready to listen and support us to create memorable and engaging guest experiences that drive maximum value and return to its partners. In this highly competitive business environment, the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program is a definite asset given its global reach and loyal member base. We look forward to not only continuing but also broadening this great partnership with Starwood in the years ahead.”

SHERATON SAIGON HOTEL & TOWERS VIETNAM

GDG15022_CanadaLodgingNews_42115.indd 1

W SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

SHERATON SAIGON HOTEL & TOWERS VIETNAM

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON EDMONTON GATEWAY ALBERTA, CANADA

SUKHI RAI PRESIDENT, PHI HOTEL GROUP

MICHEL DOUVILLE GENERAL MANAGER, FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON LÉVIS & CENTRE DE CONGRÈS ET D'EXPOSITIONS DE LÉVIS

“In my 11 years of working with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, I’ve opened three new Four Points by Sheraton hotels. I’ve enjoyed great support on the architecture and design side as much the ongoing operational support. Starwood has a dedicated team of Canadian-based operations professionals who help ensure owners maximize the potential of their hotels and the Four Points brand. The Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program is the best I have encountered during my many years in hotel operations. To me, Starwood equals great quality, great systems and technology, and great opportunities.”

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON LÉVIS CONVENTION CENTRE, QUEBEC, CANADA

“PHI Hotel Group has been more than impressed with Starwood’s strong business strategy. We have had tremendous success with the Four Points by Sheraton Edmonton Gateway and are strong believers in the brand’s global platform. The Starwood team has been a delight to work with from pre-development to operations. As we continue to grow our diverse portfolio of hotels, we look to evolve our partnership with Starwood and already have additional hotels under construction and in development.”

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON LÉVIS CONVENTION CENTRE, QUEBEC, CANADA

©2015 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Aloft, Element, Four Points, Le Méridien, Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Tribute Portfolio, W, Westin and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.

4/21/2015 12:05:23 PM

S U P P LY L I N E S the latest enhancement in addition to the other existing industry leading benefits from IHG Rewards Club such as Reward Nights with no blackout dates and access to a wide selection of offerings in the new global redemption catalogue.

New Electrolux & Wascomat distributor announced

Hotel Indigo Ottawa participates in IHG’s Business Rewards program.

IHG launches Business Rewards ATLANTA — InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced on April 13 the launch of IHG Business Rewards, a global business bookings program offering rewards on all qualified business bookings for guestrooms, meetings and all events booked at over 4,700 IHG hotels worldwide. Created for bookers — members who book accommodation, meetings and events for others — IHG Business Rewards will reward members with IHG Rewards Club points for their B2B business in a single global program. IHG Business Rewards members will now see all earned points from booking and staying appear in one account. In addition, IHG Business Rewards members will earn reward points for every booking — whether reserving a guestroom or a large conference on behalf of someone else, there is no booking threshold and no minimum qualifying spend. All IHG Business Rewards bookings will also count toward achieving IHG Rewards Club Gold or Platinum tier status, when the same member books and stays at an IHG hotel. Once members start earning points with IHG Business Rewards, they will have access to all of the redemption options available in the IHG Rewards Club global catalogue, from hotel stays, air travel and electronic goods, to brand name merchandise and restaurant vouchers. Regular special offers and promotions will also be available exclusively to IHG Business Reward members. IHG Business Rewards consolidates the benefits of four regional programs: Booker Rewards Club, BusinessClub/AGENT, Elite Diamond Club and IHG Meeting Rewards. The new program is

INWOOD, N.Y. — Laundrylux announced on April 16 that New Jerseybased Equipment Marketers is now an authorized Electrolux and Wascomat distributor for coin and on-premises laundry equipment. “We are pleased to welcome Richard and Susan LaMaina along with the entire Equipment Marketers team to the Electrolux and Wascomat distributor network,” said Cody Milch, vice-president of on-premises laundry at Laundrylux, in a release. “A true industry leader, Equipment Marketers has a 70-year reputation for exceptional service and support. We look forward to growing the business and our relationship.” “I’m excited to be working with the team at Equipment Marketers,” said John Olsen, vice-president of vended sales for

Laundrylux, in a release. “Equipment Marketers is a professional company with an established market presence and reputation for excellent customer service. We look forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship.” Founded in 1945, Equipment Marketers has grown to become a leading distributor of commercial laundry equipment. The company provides a complete range of laundry services from site design, equipment selection, installation, preventative maintenance and on-call service.

Amazon broadens its hotel business model SEATTLE, Wash. — Recently, retailer Amazon has begun to broaden the way it works with hotels. To that end, Amazon Local updated its iOS and Android apps and began adding independent properties offering rooms at published rates, a significant departure from the drastically discounted, distressed inventory that has, during the past few years, been Amazon Local’s bread and butter. By doing this, Amazon is attempting to give properties the flexibility to work with the company on an ongoing basis, not

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only when they have rooms to sell at, for example, 50 per cent cheaper than published rates when properties’ business is suffering, according to skift.com. Expect Amazon to continue finding ways to expand the parameters of its hotel business model, and to try to devise a value proposition for hotels and consumers that differentiates it from the pack. Among the hotels that have loaded their published rates, availability and photos through the Amazon Local extranet or plan to do so soon are sister properties Ledges Hotel and The Settlers Inn in Hawley, PA, as well as Ocean Place Resort & Spa in Long Branch, NJ, and Salishan Spa & Golf Resort in Gleneden Beach, OR, according to skift.com. Unlike the vast majority of properties featured in Amazon Local, the above hotels are seeing their rooms displayed at published rates without a strike-through price indicating the level of the discount. Clearly, Amazon is looking to broaden the way it works with hotels to provide additional value for independents. So far, however, Amazon hasn’t given any indication that it plans to take on Booking.com, Expedia or Hotels.com.

H O S P I TA L I T Y S C H O O L U P D AT E Welcome to Canadian Lodging News’ survey of Canadian Hospitality Schools. There are a number of interesting developments this year, including a new flagship program at Olds College that uses mobile technology to engage students and front-line workers, and a postgrad wine and beverage program at George Brown. This year we asked for stories about learning institutions along with the normal facts and figures. Here is what we found.

Alberta

learners, including Aboriginals and other under-represented groups.

NORTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (NAIT)

SOUTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (SAIT)

EDMONTON — NAIT has 100 hospitality students. It offers a 2 year Diploma, Hospitality Management, a Degree program through JR Shaw School of Business. At NAIT, cultural diversity in the classroom adds value to the learning experience for both Canadian and international students.

CALGARY — Southern Alberta Institute of Technology has approximately 250 students and offers a 2 year Diploma in Hospitality Management. SAIT’s new online certificate of achievement in F&B Leadership helps professionals transition into leadership roles. Courses include marketing/ strategic planning, finance, project management, leadership, human resources, operations analysis and F&B capstone.

OLDS COLLEGE OLDS, Alta. — In 2013, Olds College assumed the responsibility for the Hospitality and Tourism programming mandate from Red Deer College. The college is now working with Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) to build a flagship hospitality program. The concept includes three key areas: Engaging front-line workers who require additional training to enhance their skills and productivity. Engaging students across the province through a high school dual-credit program to allow for awareness and entry into the industry. Investing in middle managers to provide knowledge and training to make them successful. Rather than attending school to learn, the program will leverage mobile technology to bring the training to employees and students. This allows the program to reach potential

B.C.

Chris Udey of Saskatchewan Polytechnic (right) receives the Chairman’s Award from Jim Bence, CEO of the Saskatchewan Hotel and Hospitality Association in Regina last month.

DOUGLAS COLLEGE COQUITLAM, B.C. — Douglas College has about 170 students, and offers a Diploma in Hospitality Management. The college has found that guest and colleague expectations are evolving so that internal and guest relationship management strategies are increasingly important in customizing experiences and value.

ROYAL ROADS VICTORIA, B.C. — Royal Roads offers two different programs: a BA in Global Tourism Management; and a BA in International Hotel Management. The programs have about 44

students. Royal Roads’ BA in International Hotel Management ends with an internship, ensuring that students are working at the end of their degree program.

SELKIRK COLLEGE NELSON, B.C. — Selkirk College has 70 students in its hospitality programs. Program Types include a 2 year Diploma in Resort and Hotel Management; and a 2 year Diploma, Post Graduate Hospitality. First-year focus is on hospitality courses in Nelson. The second year includes core business courses in Ac-

delivering the winning presentation at the 2015 Young Hoteliers Summit! Aaron was accompanied by his teammates: Anna Church (Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne), Nirmitee Mehta (Ecole Hoteliere Lavasa), Donal Ennis (Shannon College of Hotel Management) and Maruan Elana (MODUL University Vienna GmbH), who have been rewarded with the ultimate experience. Each group member has been granted a seven-day, all-expense paid trip to visit three of the Dorchester Collection’s iconic hotels in Milan, Paris, and London. Each member will also have the opportunity to visit the Dorchester Collection corporate office in London following their trip.

VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE VANCOUVER — Vancouver Community College’s program is approximately 325 students strong. The college offers a 2 year Diploma in Hospitality Management; and a Bachelor Degree, Hospitality Management. Trends at Vancouver Community College include advances in technology, employee empowerment, decision making and analytics.

Saskatchewan

Guelph students honoured at Young Hoteliers Conference LAUSANNE, Switz. — HAFA Coop students, Aaron Laurie and Brittany Ho, represented the University of Guelph at the 2015 Young Hoteliers Summit hosted by Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne. At the Summit, student delegates from the top hotel schools around the world were broken out into teams of five and presented a case challenge. The Dorchester Collection - the head sponsor of the Summit and the challenger provider tasked each team with redesigning the organizational structure of the company from a hierarchy to a network. Congratulations to HAFA student Aaron Laurie and his team for

counting, Management, Marketing and Economics in Castlegar, B.C.

SASKATCHEWAN POLYTECHNIC

Photo shows Brittany Ho and Aaron Laurie. — Story by Lisa Fodor

SASKATOON — Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Hotel and Restaurant Management two-year diploma program has been running for close to 40 years and boasts a tradition of fostering industry relationships as well as providing hands-on training for students. The program gives students relevant industry knowledge and builds core management skills to use in any industry but focuses on hotel and restaurant operations from the ground up. Areas of study include: revenue management, human resources, sales & marketing, rooms divisions management, restaurant planning and operations management, food and beverage service, catering and convention management, cooking and

food preparation, as well as accounting. Saskatchewan’s hospitality industry supports Saskatchewan Polytechnic students by providing scholarships, guest lecturers and work experiences. Industry input ensures the student’s education is relevant, such as training on up-to-date POS systems and leading front office software (Opera). Graduates receive six weeks of practical work experience in various areas of the hospitality industry including front office, housekeeping and other areas chosen specifically by the student as their after-graduation focus. Graduates can use their diploma to enter the third year of four year degree programs at Husson University/University of Fredericton in New Brunswick (Business Administration) and Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C. (International Hotel Management).

Manitoba ASSINIBOINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BRANDON, Man. — Assiniboine Community College has been delivering exceptional learning experiences for over 50 years. Among the many disciplines offered by the college are the Culinary Arts and Hotel & Restaurant Management diploma programs. Students learn by doing at the college’s North Hill Campus in Brandon, Manitoba inside the Manitoba Institute of Culinary Arts. This beautiful heritage building features

May 2015 | 1 3

H O S P I TA L I T Y S C H O O L U P D AT E George Brown opens postgrad wine and beverage program TORONTO — George Brown College’s Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts (CHCA) announced in early March the introduction of a wine and beverage business management postgraduate program. According to the college, this is a first-of-its-kind program in the wine, beer and spirits business and suited to those looking to advance their careers in the food and beverage industry. “This program offers several benefits for those looking to enter the beverage management business,” Lorraine Trotter, dean of the CHCA, said in a release. “Not only does it reflect industry trends and the needs of employers, it also provides students with unique hands-on learning opportunities, international exposure and additional pathways for career success in the competitive food and alcohol beverage industry.” The program will touch on key sectors of alcoholic beverages and provide students with the business skills needed by the industry, the college said. It will be a full-time course, completed over three semesters. “The core of what we wish to achieve through this program would

be to have well-trained graduates with professional knowledge of the alcohol beverage industry,” said Dario Guescini, chair, school of hospitality and tourism management. “Students will master the areas of wine, beer, mixology, food pairing, and then expand on those fundamentals with an understanding of food and beverage business management. They will also have the opportunity to learn though field placements at wineries, breweries and distilleries.” In order to be admitted to the program, students must have a degree or diploma in food and beverage management, hotel, tourism and leisure management, special event planning or a related area. Students with industry experience may also be considered for program acceptance. The introduction of the program coincides with the college’s planned renovation and expansion of its student-focused concept restaurant, The Chef ’s House. Renovations are expected to be complete by this fall and students in the new postgraduate program will use the facility to gain hands-on experience.

Humber College offers overseas study programs. a spacious modern teaching kitchen, culinary theatre and 60-seat dining room. Students and faculty host several sold-out events throughout the year, inviting guests to enjoy incredible experiences that provide practical learning opportunities for students while allowing them to showcase their talent. The annual Grey Owl Restaurant is arguably their crown jewel event, welcoming more than 1,250 guests over four weeks to indulge their senses at a fine dining restaurant that is applauded year after year. Graduates of the programs go on to excel in the hospitality and tourism field, landing jobs across Canada and the United States. Some start their own successful businesses, providing mentorship and career opportunities for fellow alumni. The programs maintain close ties to industry and

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,past graduates, keeping curriculum current to meet and exceed industry standards, graduating students that are ready for dynamic and fast-paced careers.

Ontario ALGONQUIN COLLEGE OTTAWA — Located in Ottawa, Algonquin College offers a 2 year Diploma in Hospitality Management (Hotel & Restaurant); and a BA in Hospitality & Tourism. At Algonquin College, all courses are online, hybrid traditional in-class (all have work placement). E-text is available for all programs. The fouryear undergraduate degree program provides skills in analysis and problem solving.

CONESTOGA COLLEGE WATERLOO, Ont. — Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is Ontario’s fastest growing college and a leader in polytechnic education. The college delivers a full range of career-focused education, training and applied research programs designed to address real-world needs, prepare students for success, and contribute to the prosperity of the communities they serve. The Hospitality and Culinary Arts Programs are offered at the downtown Waterloo Campus, offering students access to the vibrant academic and entertainment area of the region. Conestoga’s Hospitality and Culinary Management programs have a balance of hands-on (cooking and service) and theory courses as well as embedded industry recognized certificates. Smaller classes allow for individual attention and student / faculty interaction. The rich heritage of food, hospitality and festivals in the region offer many opportunities for field trips, networking and paid cooperative studies. The college’s post diplomas in Event Management and Global Hospitality Management allow students to further their studies in these specialized areas. Courses offered include: Hospitality and Tourism Management; Hotel and Restaurant Management; Bartending and Mixology; Event Management; Global Hospitality Management and Culinary Management Apprentice Training. Contact person: Keith F. Müller, Chair: Business and Hospitality, kmuller@conestogac.on.ca. Phone: 519-885-0300 x 5231. For more information, visit www.conestogac. on.ca

FLEMING COLLEGE PETERBOROUGH, Ont. — “The Hospitality Program at Fleming College is excellent! After my first year as a student I was able to travel to Banff and work for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and create lasting employment opportunities!” said recent graduate Sophia Darling. Hoteliers don’t have to look any further than to the students and graduates of Fleming College’s hospitality program to find some of the best recruits for the hotel industry, says Jennifer Rishor, coordinator, Hotel & Restaurant Management at Fleming College - School of Business Studies. Located in the heart of the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario, Fleming College offers students of its hospitality program the opportunity to engage in hands on, real-world experiences, locally, regionally, nationally and even internationally. “The hospitality program provided me with the skills I need to work

Cynthia Shaw and Sophia Darling, recent Fleming College grads. internationally. As a graduate I already have a job at a hotel in Switzerland working in guest services!” said recent graduate Cynthia Shaw. From the Kawarthas to Banff to Jamaica, and with leading industry employers such as Marriott, Fairmont, Hilton, Trump, and the Holiday Inn, Fleming prepares students through practical experiences combined with relevant courses delivered by industry professionals. Fleming graduates bring so much more than just the skills needed to do the job. Want to learn more about working with our students and graduates? Contact: http://flemingcollege.ca/ programs/hotel-and-restaurantmanagement

BARRIE, Ont. — Located in Barrie, Ont., just an hour north of Toronto, the Georgian College hospitality programs have more than 250 students enrolled. Program types include a 1 year Certificate, Hospitality Skills; and 2 year & 3 year Diplomas in Hospitality Administration (Hotel & Resort). First-year students experience Hospitality Boot Camp at Kempenfelt Conference Centre. At business retreats each semester at hotels and resorts, students “live” the experience of each property.

with over 500 industry leaders, including InterContinental Hotels Group and Choice Hotels Canada, to provide Hospitality Management and Hospitality & Tourism Operations Management students with a wide range of opportunities to gain ‘real world’ experience. Industry leaders are invited to educate students on ‘best in class’ industry practices in the lodging industry. Hospitality management students also gain experience while operating the Humber Room restaurant during their 15week placement. “Internship placements connect industry leaders to an engaged talent pool,” says Stephanie Kratz, internship consultant, Hospitality & Tourism Programs. Popular semester abroad exchange programs to Europe and Taiwan allow students to travel and gain international experience. Two-week international study trips are offered to Nicaragua or Spain and Italy. Students can also earn a Global Citizenship Certificate. For more information on student internships or hiring a Humber grad, please contact Susan Somerville, dean, School of Hospitality, Recreation & Tourism, Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, 416-675-6622 ext. 4550, Susan. Somerville@humber.ca.

HUMBER COLLEGE

NIAGARA COLLEGE

TORONTO, Ont. — Humber College students gain ‘real world’ experience through internships and training. “Our integrated programming combines classroom and lab instruction in our state-of-the-art facilities, with invaluable internship placements with industry leaders, providing Humber students with the skills, knowledge, confidence and experience to be a valuable asset to any organization,” says Susan Somerville, dean of the School of Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism at Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning. Humber College has partnered

NIAGARA REGION — Located in Niagara region, Niagara College has 2,000 students in all of its hospitality programs. Programs include a 1 year Certificate, Hospitality & Tourism; a 2 year Diploma in Hospitality Management; and a 4 year degree in Hospitality Business Operations. The programs include full culinary labs, wine tasting rooms, Benchmark restaurant and a front desk with an Opera PMS system to access a virtual 50-room hotel. The program offers a paid co-op, and is setting up a centre of excellence in tourism, hospitality and business innovation in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

GEORGIAN COLLEGE

H O S P I TA L I T Y S C H O O L U P D AT E istration; Business Communication, Tourism Management; M.Sc., Tourism and Hospitality Management; Ph.D., Service Management. There is a co-op program with 12-week work period at end of second year. Other features include Certifications from the Wine & Spir Spirit Education Trust. There is a seniorlevel course in market feasibility/ valuations; and the school is adding lodging expertise in this year.

Quebec ITHQ Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University.

RYERSON UNIVERSITY TORONTO — Ryerson University, has the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The Ted Rogers School of Hos Hospitality and Tourism Management is one of the largest schools of its kind in Canada. We offer a unique blend of applied professional, professional professionally-related and liberal studies courses designed for the development of future managers and leaders in the Canadian and international hospitality and tourism industries. The mission of Ryerson University is the “advancement of applied knowledge and research to address societal needs”. The school has em embedded this into both the student experience, and faculty research and teaching. Students have tackled multiple difficult sustainability issues ranging from HR issues within cruise ships and sex tourism to reducing environmental impacts to industry research that includes Green Marketing in Hotels’, Local Food has Curb Appeal’ and ‘What Motivates Toronto Restaurants to Source Local’. Students were also tasked with re researching the latest trends and tools available for online reputation management of hospitality organizations to create training and operating pro procedures for frontline managers.

CENTENNIAL COLLEGE’S NEW BUILDING FOR HOSPITALITY, TOURISM AND CULINARY ARTS TORONTO — As of fall 2016, Centennial College will have a striking new 350,000-square-foot facility that will be the home of the new School of Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts and the Centennial student residence offering accommodations for 740 students. These rooms will be available

Graduates from their dynamic four-year Bachelor of Commerce degree program enjoy a high placement rate within all sectors of the hospital hospital-ity and tourism industry thanks to this approach to applied education. Notable alumni include: Vito Curalli, executive director, Cana Canada and International Sales Hilton Worldwide, Robin McLuskie, vice president, Colliers International Hotels, Kevin Frid, president of Americas, Fairmont Raffles Hotels Interna Interna-tional. Contact: Dr. David Martin, director, Email: htm@ryerson.ca. Phone: 416-979-5041. Website: www.ryer www.ryerson.ca/tedrogersschool/htm/index. html

SENECA COLLEGE TORONTO — Seneca’s School of Hospitality & Tourism is well known for talented, job-ready graduates and strong sector partnerships. As evidence of this, the last five years show a remarkable increase in first year student enrolment. Seneca has been servicing the hospitality, tourism and airline industry for over 35 years and is recognized as an industry leader with two distinct products: 1. Market-driven programs set to industry standards. globally 2. Service-driven, minded graduates with a

to the public during the summer months when the facility is converted to a fully functioning conference centre. The entire ground floor will be dedicated to the school, including a 90-seat restaurant, grab & go cafe, 3 culinary labs, 2 baking labs, a beverage tasting lab and 8 smart classrooms. The eighth floor at the top of the building will be a 20,000-squarefoot venue for meetings and events and will feature four operational

knack for problem solving and a unique understanding of the business aspects of service leadership. Contact: Angela Zigras, MEd. academic chair, School of Hospitality and Tourism, Seneca College. Email: angela.zigras@senecacollege. ca. Phone: 416-491-5050 ext. 77531. Web: www.senecacollege.ca/school/ tourism/who-we-are.html

ST. CLAIR COLLEGE WINDSOR — At St. Clair College, about 110 students are enrolled in a 2 year Diploma, Hospitality Management (Hotel and Restaurant Manage Management) program. St. Clair’s campus is also a fullservice catering facility. This provides opportunities for paid jobs in cater catering and use of banquet facilities for hands-on instruction. The college has a partnership with Walt Disney World and Central Michigan University allows six to 10 students from Hos Hospitality Management and Tourism programs to work full-time at Walt Disney World from July to January.

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH GUELPH — University of Guelph’s hospitality programs accommodate more than 450 students. Programs include Business Com Communication, Hotel and Food Admin-

hotel suites. All of these operations will be designed for experiential learning for students, helping them gain valuable hands-on experience before graduating to begin their careers. A new school leadership team is in place as well as several key faculty positions to continue to deliver top-quality programs focusing on the core job skills needed for career success and leadership skill development for life success.

MONTREAL — Located in Montreal, Institut de Tourisme et Hospitalité du Québec has approximately 500 students, who study 2 year & 3 year college and university programs. The college has more than 40 years spent developing advanced ex expertise and extensive network of contacts, including partnerships with the Québec hospitality and tourism industry.

New Brunswick NEW BRUNSWICK COMMUNITY COLLEGE ST. ANDREWS, N.B. — Just 12-15 students can work towards a 1 year Certificate, Hotel & Restaurant Op Operations, and continue at UNBSJ for BAMHT, see below. The program includes Touch Bis Bistro POS system for student training. Students operate a 60-seat full service restaurant two days a week, banquet style and restaurant style.

UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK SAINT JOHN, N.B. — UNBSJ of offers a BA Applied Management, Hos Hospitality and Tourism. Students are encouraged to work in the industry (90 per cent work summers and often during the school year). Co-op/for Co-op/foreign exchange programs and work working relationships with local hotels and tourism businesses are featured.

Nova Scotia CAPE BRETON UNIVERSITY SYDNEY, N.S. — Cape Breton Uni University has about 280 students who study for a BA in Hospitality and Tourism Management. The program includes one-third tourism courses, one-third business courses and electives. For example, a student takes electives in history if interested in museum positions, or lan languages if interested in international

travel. Students must complete two paid internships in any term.

MOUNT SAINT VINCENT HALIFAX — Mount Saint Vincent accommodates approximately 100 students, with programs that include a 1 year Certificate; 2 year Diploma; and a Bachelor of Tourism & Hospitality Management. Degree candidates complete a co-op program of three work terms. Program competencies are in hotel management, food and beverage management and tourism management. Scholarships are available. Almost all of program is available through distance education. An exchange program is available for one or two semesters abroad.

NOVA SCOTIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DARTMOUTH, N.S. — With various locations around the college, Nova Scotia Community College has about 140 students working towards its 2 year Diploma in Tourism Management. There is a 22-week co-op. Stu Students use the Opera training system. They work in a learning lab such as Fresh 21 dining room at Akerley, which is open to the public. A 10-day learning simulation is offered. Software deals with operating a mid-size hotel as an executive team.

P.E.I. HOLLAND COLLEGE CHARLOTTETOWN — Holland College takes just 31 students and of offers a 2 year Diploma, International Hospitality Program. The program has an Interna International global component (to many courses) on hotel and restaurant operations and marketing and courses on global issues pertaining to travel/ hospitality industry. A partnership with University of Cancun exposes students to tourism and hospitality experiential products of the Yucatan.

N.L. COLLEGE OF NORTH ATLANTIC ST. JOHN’S, Nfld. — Accommodating 25 students, CNL offers a 1 year Certificate, Hospitality Services and 2 year Diploma, Hospitality Tourism Management. Students can earn a certificate after year one and diploma by completing one additional year. Year one: core skills and characteristics of hospitality tourism industry; year two: supervisory and management skills. There is a six-week work term between years one and two.

May 2015 | 1 5

OPENINGS, SALES AND RENOS Castlegar, B.C. property converts to CBVI CLEVELAND — Vantage Hospitality Group announced on April 6 the arrival of Canadas Best Value Inn & Suites in Castlegar, B.C., in a property converted from a Quality Inn. “We expect to add several comparable hotels in Canada in the coming months,” said Bill Hanley, group president of International Development for Vantage Hospitality, in a release. Located in the Selkirk Mountains off Highway 3, the 48-room pet-friendly property features a restaurant and lounge, business centre with free Internet, meeting facilities for up to 60 people and valet cleaning service. Guestrooms provide free WiFi and refrigerators, while non-smoking, handicap-accessible and kitchenette rooms are available. Visitors to the area enjoy an abundance of water activities, hiking and biking trails, and attractions such as Zuckerberg Island, the Doukhobor Village Museum and the Canadian Railway Museum.

Choice Hotels Canada adds three properties in Q1 TORONTO—Choice Hotels Canada, Canada’s largest hotel franchisor, opened three new hotels during the first quarter of 2015 and will welcome two additional hotels at the beginning of April. “We are pleased to have had opportunities to develop high-quality properties with new franchisees and strengthen existing partnerships to complement the strong group of hotels within our network,” said Brian Leon, managing director, Choice Hotels Canada. “2014 was an exceptionally strong year for us in terms of hotel development and we look forward to seeing those efforts come to life through 2015 and beyond.” First quarter Choice Hotels Canada openings include: • Quality Inn, Moncton, NB (64-room conversion) • Quality Inn & Suites, Hinton, AB (70-room conversion) • Les Trois Tilleuls Hotel & Spa, an Ascend Hotel Collection Member, Saint-Marc-SurRichelieu, QC (39-room conversion) • In addition, the organization added two hotels to its portfolio in the first week of April 2015: • Quality Inn & Suites, Mississauga, ON (124room conversion) • Comfort Inn & Suites, Campbell River, BC (55-room new build) “We’re pleased to welcome the Comfort Inn & Suites to the Choice family. This market leading property in Campbell River is our first new build hotel on Vancouver Island,” said Tim Oldfield, managing director, Choice Hotels Canada. “We’re also excited about the opening of our ninth Ascend property, Les Trois Tilleuls Hotel & Spa, which marks our fourth Ascend hotel in Quebec. And with the addition of the hotels in Moncton, Hinton and Mississauga, the Quality portfolio has grown to 84 properties from coast to coast.” The company expects to open more than 10 hotels in the second quarter of 2015.

Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Airport sold for $15M TORONTO — Colliers International Hotels announced on March 30 the sale of the Hilton Garden

1 6 | Canadian Lodging News

Inn Montreal Airport to Shelter Canadian Properties’ parent company for $15 million. Opened in 2003, the Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Airport offers a fitness centre, indoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi, business centre, complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access, ZMaya Restaurant and Bar, two meeting rooms totalling about 2,500 square feet plus an outdoor seasonal terrace of about 500 square feet, and complimentary 24-hour airport shuttle. The property is close to Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and also close to business and industrial parks, leading office and retail, and leisure and corporate demand generators.

Exterior Canada’s Best Value Inn, Castlegar, B.C.

Hilton takes over Delta Meadowvale MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — The Hilton team has taken over the Delta Meadowvale Hotel and Conference Centre in Mississauga, Ont., reflagging it to become the Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale. The property adds to Hilton’s presence in the Greater Toronto Area, joining the Hilton Toronto, Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel and the Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites Conference Centre & Spa. The reflagged property features 374 renovated guestrooms in addition to 40,000 sq ft. of meeting and banquet facilities. In addition to a seasonal outdoor saltwater pool, its indoor swimming pool features “Big Blue” — the longest indoor waterside in the GTA, complementing a full-service fitness centre with four indoor tennis courts, five squash courts and more than 50 group fitness classes each week. Multiple F&B options include the revamped Quest Restaurant and Bar, a modern, upscale dining room, Arabica, a bistro-style grab-and-go coffee bar and Chop Steakhouse, set to open in the summer.

Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Airport was sold for $15 million.

Don Cherry’s Sport Grill and HoJo Kingston KINGSTON, ON — Don Cherry’s Sport Grill Inc., is proud to announce that an agreement has been entered into that will see the opening of a new Don Cherry’s Sports Grill, in Kingston, Ontario. The Don Cherry’s Sports Grill, currently under construction is located at 686 Princess Street. The property is close to downtown and is part of an extensive redevelopment project that includes the Howard Johnson Kingston.

Interval affiliation with Club Intrawest — Ucluelet MIAMI, Fla. — Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services and an operating business of Interval Leisure Group recently announced the affiliation of Club Intrawest - Ucluelet. Set in the coastal village of Ucluelet on Vancouver Island just minutes from the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, it is the ninth Club Intrawest property to join Interval’s global network.

Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Red Deer opens RED DEER, Alta. — The Microtel Inn and Suites, which opened last month in Red Deer, Alta., is a 100room hotel located off Alberta Highway 2 near several businesses and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, Heritage Ranch, Wild Rapids Waterslide Park and Cabin Fever Fun Centre. The hotel offers a wellness area, complete with fitness centre, hot tub

Deluxe tub in Trump Toronto’s Sky Suite. and sauna; a business centre; and two meeting rooms which can accommodate up to 70 people for parties, banquets and presentations. Guests can enjoy free continental breakfast, free parking for cars and large vehicles and free WiFi access.

Trump’s Sky Suite and Wellness Suite TORONTO – Recognizing a growing trend of guests seeking a level of exclusive residential-style hotel accommodations, Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto has unveiled the “Sky Suite” and the “Wellness Suite” to meet the needs of an affluent and discerning niche market of travellers. With stunning views, these two unique suite accommodations offer one and two bedroom plans suitable for senior executive and celebrity travel. Rates for the Sky Suite starts at $6,000 (quad occupancy) and $3,000 for the Wellness Suite (double occupancy), exclusive of taxes and fees.

Mundi acquires two Best Westerns EDMONTON — The Best Western Cedar Park Inn in South Edmonton and the The Best Western Plus Westwood Inn in West Edmonton have been purchased by hotel entrepreneur Ron Mundi. The Best Western Plus Westwood Inn has 172 guestrooms and is close to West Edmonton Mall. It has 11,000 square feet of meeting and event space suitable for conferences, weddings and events. The Best Western Cedar Park is well situated along major routes in Edmonton with easy access. Located within South Edmonton’s shopping and business district, near the University of Alberta it is an ideal location for professional and leisure travel. The properties both have full service restaurants that will be transformed into trendy, popular eateries for hotel guests and the public. Renovations to each property are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015.

PEOPLE

Atul Patel, GM, Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport.

Mark Shalala, VP franchise development, Choice Int’l.

From left, Rudy Pillay, HR manager, Residence Inn, Suzanne Allemeier, general manager and Arlene Keis of go2HR. Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport announced on March 26 the appointment of Atul Patel as its new general manager. Patel brings more than 20 years of hospitality experience to his new role. Previously, he held the position of general manager at Comfort Hotel Airport North, in Toronto, and from 1996 to 2015, provided regional support for multiple locations under Northampton Group Inc. Choice Hotels International has named Mark Shalala as VP of franchise development for Cambria Hotels & Suites. Shalala rejoins Choice Hotels with more than 15 years of experience of hospitality development and franchise sales experience. Most recently, he served as senior director of development at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and was responsible for the strategic growth of Starwood’s nine upscale and luxury lifestyle brands in the southeastern United States and in the Caribbean. Skål International Vancouver inducted, on March 30 and April 6, respectively, two new members, Peter Lee, senior director of franchise development with Wyndham Hotel Group, and Steven Chen, general manager of Best Western Northgate Hotel, SummerSet Pub and North Vancouver Hotel. Lee has more than 30 years of experience in hospitality operations, sales and marketing, food and beverage as well as franchise development, and, while at Wyndham, has won a number of accolades, including the

President’s Club Achievement award for nine years. Prior to his nine years with KC Group, which oversees Chen’s current properties, he was the property manager with Garden City Plaza and sales manager with the Sandman Hotel Group. In addition, he is a member of the marketing committee for Vancouver’s North Shore Tourism Association. The Residence Inn by Marriott Vancouver Downtown, managed by SilverBirch Hotels and Resorts, has won the coveted 2014 Employees First Award, sponsored by go2HR, BC’s tourism and hospitality human resource association. Suzanne Allemeier, general manager, identifies with the title of the hotel’s most recent award. “It’s appropriate that this award is called ‘Employees First’ because that’s very much our philosophy,” she says. “We believe in putting employees first and treating them with the same courtesy and consideration with which we expect them to treat our guests.” Superior Lodging Corporation recently hired Nigel Lucas, as vicepresident, franchising and development. Lucas, who is based in Toronto, came to Superior from Choice Hotels Canada. His background also includes work with PKF, Thomas Consultants Inc. of Vancouver and Delta Hotels. He started as a consultant for PKF and progressed through positions as project manager, senior development analyst and franchise

Peter Lee, Wyndham Hotel Group (left photo, centre), and Steven Chen, GM Best Western Northgate Hotel (right photo, centre). With them are Skål’s Lydia Miller and Angus Wilkinson.

Nigel Lucas, VP franchising and development, Superior development director before joining Superior. Hospitality industry veteran Nadeen Ayala has been appointed senior vice president, communications, Wyndham Hotel Group. In this role, Ayala is responsible for setting the strategic direction, planning and implementation of global public relations, internal communications and franchisee communications, while articulating the hospitality giant’s mission to its key stakeholders, including media, consumers, franchisees and employees. Ayala, who joins Wyndham from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, brings with her more than 20 years of experience creating and leading global corporate, brand, reputation management and executive communications strategies. She most recently led the company’s global crisis communications strategy and managed brand and executive communications globally for its largest brands, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and Westin Hotels & Resorts. Xeros, the innovator of an ultralow water laundry system, has appointed Joe Bazzinotti as general manager, North America, and is responsible for North American sales, operations and marketing. Stefan Meir also joins the team as national sales director and is responsible for developing and managing programs for the distribution of Xeros technology in North America. Bazzinotti brings more than 20 years of experience in operations and commercial laundry sales. Most

Nadeen Ayala, senior VP communications, Wyndham Hotels. recently, Bazzinotti was a senior executive for Macresco Inc., a Bostonbased consulting firm. Prior to that, he served as the CEO for American Dryer Corporation. Meir also brings 20 years of commercial laundry experience and

Stefan Meir, national sales director, Xeros. comes to Xeros from Almo Inc. and LG Electronics, where he served as director of commercial laundry sales. He has business development experience in the hospitality, healthcare, coin laundromat, dry cleaning, and apartment laundry room areas.

Kalene Finnegan wins Stephen Phillips Award TORONTO — Kalene Finnegan, a hospitality management student at Humber College, is the winner of the Hotel Association of Canada’s coveted Stephen Phillips Passion for Hospitality Award. Finnegan’s work experience includes time at Deerhurst Resort, the Ontario Hotel Motel and Restaurant Association and The Humber Room. She has also volunteered with St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, and with the ORHMA’s adaptive cooking Kalene Finnegan classes. “When I got news that I was the 2015 Stephen Phillips Award Recipient I was absolutely blown away,” Finnegan said on receiving the award. “To be recognized for your accomplishments is an award in itself, but to be recognized in honour of Stephen Phillips is absolutely remarkable. Stephen Phillips was a very successful and driven individual and made the hospitality industry a better place. This award has opened my eyes to the world of possibilities within the hospitality industry and I cannot wait to continue on this wonderful journey!” Finnegan’s immediate plans are to complete her program at Humber with an Honours standing; then she is considering attending University of Guelph to receive her BComm in Hotel & Food Administration. After that, she hopes to work in a leadership role, and her dream is to open her own hotel. The award includes a $1,000 bursary, and is named in honour of Stephen H. Phillips, former vice-chairman and CEO of AFM Hospitality Corporation Ltd., who passed away from cancer in 2007.

May 2015 | 1 7

BEFORE AND AFTER

At Skwachays, a room like no other

Sleeping area.

TOP 6 LIST Six common sense guest safety reminders from DoubleTree Regina

Desk and chair. Wild Sage Kitchen & Bar and the Regina DoubleTree by Hilton.

By Colleen Isherwood, Editor

Golden moon motif.

The kitchen. By Don Douloff VANCOUVER — MCM Interiors Ltd. has created a one-of-a-kind guestroom, dubbed The Moon Suite, at Vancouver’s Skwachays Lodge, that weaves aboriginal art and mythology into a magical, spiritual space. The Vancouver Native Housing Society invited MCM Interiors to participate in this collaboration involving local hospi-

The washroom. tality interior designers, aboriginal artists and suppliers who donated their goods and services. Taking artist Mark Preston and Sabina Hill’s graphic aboriginal art as inspiration, MCM reimagined the space (Room 505, occupying about 295 square feet) based on the folk tale of the Raven and the Moon, according to MCM’s Dale Kosowan, who designed the suite.

MCM incorporated the legend and art in inventively eye-catching ways. A circular dropdown ceiling and bed frame highlights a golden moon motif that gazes down on guests as they sleep on a queen bed flanked by nightstands accessorized with original raven-inspired art. Neutral tones, punctuated with gold, give the suite an airy, ethereal feel that complements the art and pays homage to the folk tale scripted onto a decal mounted on the TV wall: A prominent figure in Aboriginal mythology, the Raven is a trickster god whose deeds have shaped the world. One such act of divine mischief led to the creation of the sun, stars and moon. When the Raven stole these prized possessions from the chief and released them into the sky, he brought light into a world that had otherwise been dark.

REGINA — As a guest at the DoubleTree Regina last month, I appreciated the common sense safety tips contained in the in-room welcome booklet. Here is what it said: We don’t mean to overstate the obvious, but when we’re travelling sometimes that bit of extra excitement or fatigue clouds our judgment. So here are some gentle reminders of the sort your grandmother might give you. Just because we care. 1.

If it’s dark, use the front entrance of the hotel. You’ll not only be safer, but you’ll also be greeted by bright lights and friendly faces.

Go ahead: lock the door behind you when you come back to your room. In fact, use all the locks we’ve provided. While you’re at it, make sure any doors connecting your room to an adjoining room are also locked. Why not? They make such a satisfying sound when they clunk into place.

Make sure you know who is on the other side of the door before opening it. If someone unexpected knocks and says he or she is a hotel employee, take a moment to call the front desk and check. If he or she really is an employee, we promise they will not be offended. In fact, they’ll applaud your good sense.

Treat your key card like your car keys. It’s safest in a pocket, wallet or purse. Which is also the best place to keep your cash and other expensive items. We also offer in-room safes and a hotel vault for really valuable stuff. After all, if it’s under lock and key or out of sight, it’s a lot less likely to be stolen.

You’re in a new city, you meet some nice person at a restaurant or a show, and think, what’s the harm of inviting them back to the hotel. May we suggest that if you want to get to know a stranger better, do it in a very public, very well-lighted place, not in your hotel room. If they’re really as nice as they seem, they won’t mind a bit.

Don’t be afraid to speak up. If you see anything at all that looks a wee bit suspicious, call us. We’d much rather check it out and find out it’s nothing, than have a situation escalate or go unnoticed.

COMING EVENTS Sept. 9-10, 2015: Canadian Resort Conference, Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver. Contact: Sharon Mattimoe. Tel. 321-948-1319; Email: Sharon@perspectivegrp.com. Website: pespectivemagazine.com. Oct. 18-19, 2015: CONNECT Food + Drink + Lodging. Vancouver Convention Centre West. Contact: Nora Cumming. Tel.: 604-628-5655. Email: Nora@connectshow. com. Website: connectshow.com. Oct. 19-20, 2015: Western Canadian Hotel & Resort Investment Conference. Hyatt Regency Hotel Vancouver. Contact: Orie Berlasso. Tel.: 866-887-4453. Email: Orieberlasso@bigpictureconferences.ca. Website: hotel-resortinvest.ca. June 18, 2015: Choice Hotels Canada Charity Golf Tournament, Piper’s Heath Golf Course, Hornby, Ont. Proceeds go to the Aga Khan Foundation, Canadian Feed the Children and Sleeping Children Around the World. Contact: Laura Armstrong. Tel.: 905-206-7346; Fax: 905642-7796. Email: Laura_armstrong@choicehotels.ca.

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Oct. 20, 2015: MHA ‘15 Tradeshow, Manitoba Hotel Association. Victoria Inn Hotel, Winnipeg. Contact: Jerry Weir, show manager or Ryan Kirkness, sales manager. Tel.: 204-942-0671 or 888-859-9976. Email: info@centrex.ca. Website: www.ManitobaHotelAssociation.ca/mha15.

In the section titled Stay Safe and Secure, the DoubleTree also offers advice on what to do if there is a fire, tornado, snowstorm or thunderstorm.

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2015-02-20 12:05 PM

STAYING AGILE IS CRITICAL. FORTUNATELY, OPENING MORE THAN 1,100 NEW* HOTELS HAS KEPT US IN SHAPE. In the past six years, Hilton Worldwide has opened more than 1,100 new hotels around the world, bringing us to more than 4,000 hotels in 90 countries today.* In Canada, we have 104 hotels open from coast to coast with a growing pipeline of over 40 signed projects. Impressive growth, made possible by our ability to adapt to the world’s increasingly complex business environments. As a result, we’ve developed a wealth of experience creating and operating the most award-winning portfolio of hotels in the industry. Not a bad workout for a 95-year-old.

For development opportunities in Canada, please contact Tom Lorenzo, Vice President and Managing Director of Development (+1-203-463-3407, thomas.lorenzo@hilton.com), and Jeff Cury, Director of Development (+1-514-695-6798, jeff.cury@hilton.com).

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*From January 2008 to January 2015