October 2020
HOTEL SURVIVAL HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THESE CHALLENGING TIMES? Economists, strategists and tourism professionals set out their views on the way forward.
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The Summit 14th October 2020 | Online
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INSIDE HOTPLATE
Tourism NI
Tourism NI
Recovery Campaign
Further details of the campaign, including online entry form, can be found at nihf.co.uk. Please do not hesitate to give us a call to discuss your ideas on 028 9077 6635.
Marketing support for graded accommodation, visitor attractions and experiences.
Northern Ireland Hotels Federation The McCune Building 1 Shore Road, Belfast BT15 3PG Tel: 028 9077 6635 Web: nihf.co.uk Email: office@nihf.co.uk Closing date for initial applications is 30th June 2020.
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HOSPITALITY EXCHANGE NORTHERN IRELAND HOTELS FEDERATION
DON’T MISS OUR SPECIAL ONLINE EVENT ON WEDNESDAY 14TH OCTOBER.
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STOICISM & SURVIVAL COMMENTARY FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE ON THE SEASON AHEAD P. 4
P. 6-7
MEMBER NEWS
HOTPLATE
Only a few snippts this month. Hopefully we’ll be back to more positive news soon.
Northern Ireland Hotels Federation The McCune Building, 1 Shore Road Belfast BT15 3PG Tel: 028 9077 6635 Web: nihf.co.uk Email: office@nihf.co.uk
P. 6 TOURISM SECTOR Michael Williamson from ASM on the bigger tourism picture.
P. 15 JANICE LOOKS AT THE UNCERTAIN SEASON AHEAD Adrienne Hanna from Right Revenue looks at how to make the most of staycations.
P. 15 RNIB AND NIHF WORKING TOGETHER Helping to support Blind and Partially Sighted People.
P. 20-21
CLICK THIS IMAGE TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE CONFERENCE WEBSITE.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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s President of the Northern Ireland Hotel Federation, I’ve possibly had one of the most unusual terms of office in the organisation’s history. To say that we live in unprecedented times is at best, something of an understatement. As things stand, the majority of the sector is open; unfortunately, with severe restrictions in place. Trading has been further impacted by additional measures in the Derry and Strabane District Council area. Since hotels were allowed to open on 3rd July 2020, business has been a challenge but as long as we are allowed to remain open, we have a fighting chance of survival. By open I mean subject to the conditions under which we were originally allowed to open. The resilience of the sector has been notable and is evidenced by the fact that over 85% of Northern Ireland’s hotel rooms opened between July and September. Sadly, a number of hotels have closed their doors this week as a direct result of the increased restrictions. Regrettably, their evaluation has been that business was unviable. This has heighted worries and led many to question the sustainability of a severely restricted sector over the winter. Many hotels, including the Grand Central where I am based, remained open during the lockdown. Hotels housed NHS staff and other essential workers. As an industry, we were happy to be able to play our part and contribute to the efforts to support the NHS. Our commitment to the local economy has never wavered and as I write this, it is important that I reiterate
our commitment to its recovery. The role of hotels goes beyond an economic one; the rural hotel provides a social hub for smaller village locations, a place to meet, stay and host visitors. Throughout Northern Ireland, hotels stage family occasions, welcome tourists and play an important role in offering a safe haven from modern day stresses. Our plea is that we be allowed to continue to do so. The hospitality industry has acted responsibly; we have followed the rules, absorbed the costs and adapted our businesses. The fear is that the continued erosion of business by way of increasing restrictions will result in irreparable damage to the hotel industry. Winter is on its way and we are already feeling a very cold wind blowing in our direction. On 14th October, we will be running the twenty first Hospitality exchange and I’d like to thank all of you who have supported us with this event and over the last difficult months. The programme is available online at hospitalityexchange.org.uk. The event will be virtual and whilst it’s a pity that we cannot meet in person, we hope you’ll log in and join us for the morning. The Federation will continue to lobby on your behalf and values your support. The challenges ahead are considerable. The uncertainty of the situation makes it very daunting, but we will continue to press for support and better understanding in an effort to improve the current situation. I would therefore like to thank you, both our hotel and trade partners for your continued support over the last year.
STEPHEN MELDRUM President
It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the hard work that Janice, John and Anna have done behind the scenes during these unprecedented times. They have relentlessly lobbied our Executive, and for our members have been on hand to provide support and advice. I would like to thank them on behalf of the Board and our loyal members. I wish you good health and hope that times will improve in the coming months.
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HOTEL INDUSTRY
STOICISM & SURVIVAL JANICE LOOKS AT THE UNCERTAIN SEASON AHEAD You know that things are really bad when economists move from producing forecasts to creating scenarios. Since 2016, the Federation has commissioned a hotel report which outlines developments in the sector, tracks industry performance and provides a forecast for the coming months. The reports have consistently highlighted the massive annual investment the sector has made while outlining emerging challenges and charting the story of the hotel sector’s contribution to the local economy. The latest report has drawn on a number of sources but forecasting in any meaningful way has proved impossible. The report reflects the simple but stark reality; the industry is in survival mode trading within a severely restricted framework. The narrative to date: as 2020 dawned, after a number of years of considerable investment, the hotel sector was well placed to capitalise on new opportunities. With a record 9500 rooms, good air access to the island and the creation of a new brand, everything pointed to a strong trading year. In 2019, around 2.5m bedrooms had been sold. Predictions for 2020 indicated that it would be a year of rate consolidation with limited new rooms entering the market and spend by international visitors expected to grow. The staging of The Open had stimulated interest in golf tourism. New markets were opening up and despite Brexit, there was an air of cautious optimism. Indeed, Brexit was viewed as being the biggest challenge on the horizon. To date, the impact of this has not been felt,
nor is it clear yet what the impact will be. On this issue, the government has not covered itself in glory. There has been considerable vocal opposition around their approach to international law and it’s still not clear if there will be an exit deal! At the start of this year, the hotel industry was in a strong position. First quarter trading was good with rate, occupancy & REVPAR holding up well. Bubbling in the background, there were stories of a strange virus in China, but Wuhan was a long way away. At the end of February, business from China was being cancelled and there was an emerging health crisis in Italy. Each day brought more news, none of it good. By March, the month that heralds the start of the new tourist season, businesses were beginning to feel apprehensive. The Covid-19 pandemic was spreading. The focal point of the month, St Patrick’s Day, when buildings around the world turn green and Ireland traditionally captures the world’s attention, was essentially cancelled. Hotels limped through the rest of March before eventually being ordered to close at the end of the month. A small number of premises remained open to house essential workers. On the 3rd July hotels were given permission to re-open. The sector slowly came back to life as premises sought to limit occupancy in order to abide by social-distancing restrictions. At the end of August, 85% of NI’s bedroom stock was available. Despite the lack of international visitors and no coach, conference or major events income, hotels performed above expectations
JANICE GAULT Chief Executive
in August. Trade held up in early September. However, curfew measures and restricted trading meant by consequence, hotels effectively closed. The mandated closure in March with furlough support was the insurance that hotels needed to survive. Government initiatives recognised that the sector was a viable one and intervention allowed businesses to shut up shop and wait for better times. The situation today is very different as it appears that hotels will now be left to flounder. Recent support mechanisms and the limbo of being open whilst in reality not being able to trade places the sector in a precarious position. Staying open and bleeding cash, or putting up the shutters without the fiscal means of preserving the business, is the stark reality. With winter on the horizon, recovery seems a long way off. Resilience has been the name of the game to date. Hoteliers have always been a stoic bunch and have fought to survive in the past. The skills that they have honed through previous crises will be truly tested in the coming months.
Track market recovery, benchmark Occupancy on the Books 100% free of charge. Launching this year across Northern Ireland. Join hoteliers worldwide who are benefiting from our complimentary Forward STAR program. Benchmark your Occupancy on the Books against the local market for the next 365 days.
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MEMBER NEWS
HASLEM. » The Beannchor Group has opened its new £4 million development at Lisburn Square, Haslem Hotel. Haslem features 45 bedrooms, an 80-seater open plan lobby and bar area, a 68-seater restaurant, residents’ gym, and conference room.
NIHF MEMBER NEWS
FITZWILLIAM HOTEL
EUROPA HOTEL
GALGORM SPA & GOLF RESORT
James O’Donnell from the Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast has been named ‘Bar Manager of the Year’ at the Institute of Hospitality Awards for Northern Ireland.
The Europa Hotel has completed the first phase of an extensive renovation programme of its guest bedrooms.
Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort, has unveiled its new, enhanced Thermal Village and Spa provision, representing an investment of more than £2 million into the Resort’s tourism credentials.
Speaking of his achievement, James said: “I’m delighted to win this award and really proud of myself and my team. I love my job, the people I work with, and the people we get to meet every day - both hotel guests and regulars. This award means a lot to me and everyone else at The Fitzwilliam, who continually work to provide outstanding service to our guests.”
The programme, which will be completed by March 2022, will see the 100 front-facing Superior bedrooms, 80 Classic bedrooms and five Suites redesigned and upgraded. Upon completion, all rooms will be individually air-conditioned, have automated window blinds, new bathrooms and refreshed interiors and Classic rooms will have a new King Cloud Bed with Super King Cloud Beds in the Superior rooms.
Work on the expansion project commenced in March this year after closing its doors in line with government safety restrictions. The newly-reopened Resort now boasts a suite of new attractions for spa guests, including a 10 metre infinity pool on the shores of the River Maine, a 200m2 Palm House relaxation area encompassing 6 heated loungers, and a brand new Salt Room for halotherapy experiences.
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HOSPITALITY EXCHANGE
The Summit 14th October 2020 | Online Hospitality Exchange 2020 will be an online only event but that shouldn’t stop us getting together to discuss business and learn about how to survive in this new normal. The Summit will be an event looking at all aspects of tourism and hospitality. It takes place on 14th October.
Why attend
What you get
How to book
If you run any hospitality business or you are involved in tourism, this is the conference for you.
Live Event Access to the Live Stream for this event.
Cost Access to The Summit is priced at a one-off fee of £50 inc VAT.
Hotel Updates With data from STR and NIHF, The Summit will provide a comprehensive update on hotel performance across the pandemic and look forward to beyond. Top Speakers With top economists and travel journalists, there’s plenty of inspiration and advice for all. Government Support Hear directly from the Economy Minister and the heads of both tourism agencies on what is being done.
Recorded Sessions Access to the sessions online after the event in Special deals are available for NIHF Members. case you miss one or wish to review it again. Additional information on the website at Hotel Report 2020 hospitalityexchange.org.uk or by calling A PDF of the very latest Hotel Report for 2020 028 9077 6635. with updated statistics from STR and more. Book online now at: Live Engagement hospitalityexchange.org.uk Send in your questions and take part in the debate while it’s taking place. Hospitality Exchange The McCune Building 1 Shore Road, Belfast BT15 3PG T 028 9077 6635
Programme 09.30 Summit Welcome Veteran BBC reporter, Mark Simpson, kicks off the morning. Mark will oversee the sessions, interview guests and field questions from delegates.
11.00 Networking Break Grab a coffee from your kitchen and try some virtual networking using our linked social media and live forum.
09.40 Hotel Report 2020 The launch of this specially commissioned report will look at performance through the pandemic, challenges for the sector and the support needed for survival.
11.30 Economy Minister in Conversation Minister Diane Dodds MLA will outline her support for the sector, plans to ensure its sustainability and the challenges of keeping Northern Ireland on the tourism map.
10.00 Hotel Performance 2020 The stats, the stars and the full story from Sarah Duignan of international benchmarking company, STR.
12.00 The Economic Outlook Neil Gibson, Chief Economist at EY, presents a tourism & hospitality perspective on the economy with insights into the effects of the pandemic, recovery and the stimulus required to restore business.
10.30 Tourism Recovery Niall Gibbons, CEO Tourism Ireland and John McGrillen, CEO Tourism Northern Ireland, on keeping the sector alive, consumer sentiments and support plans for the coming months.
12.30 Industry Opinion A panel discussion on how to survive and what’s next for tourism in 2021. 13.00 The Staycation - A Summer Success Travel journalist, Pól Ó Conghaile, on what makes a super staycation.
The Summit 14th October 2020 | Online
HOSPITALITY EXCHANGE
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Support Hospitality Exchange wouldn’t be possible without the support of many people, not only the delegates and speakers, but the companies and organisations below that have stepped up to assist in these uncertain times. Thank you.
Trade Members AIB BOI Payment Acceptance Bunzl McLaughlin Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality BWH Hotel Group Calor Coca-Cola HBC NI Counterpoint NI Criton Diageo Dillon Bass ESL Services
Sponsors
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Hotel Market in Northern Ireland A report from the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation on the hotel market and the challenges it faces.
OCTOBER 2020
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TOURISM NEWS
NEW VISITOR CENTRE FOR DERRY NEW CENTRE POISED TO PROVIDE ENHANCED TOURIST FACILITIES ONCE NORMALITY RETURNS Derry~Londonderry has a new stateof-the-art Visitor Information Centre at Waterloo Place. The new centre, located in the heart of the city centre and adjacent to the historic City Walls, will be the new hub for tourists to the city and area. The refurbishment works commenced in December of last year following the decision by Derry City and Strabane District Council to relocate the Visit Derry Information Centre from Foyle Street into the city centre. Thanks to funding from Council, the Department for Communities, the Department for Economy and Tourism NI, work commenced on the project to put in place a world-class tourist facility for the city and region. Welcoming the opening of the new facility, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr Brian Tierney said the opening of the new visitor information office was a significant milestone for Derry and the wider region. He said: “This is a very important tourism capital project for Council and
all our partners. We believe that it will greatly benefit our tourism business and domestic and overseas visitors and allow us to showcase and promote our tourism product in a much more animated way to a wider audience. “We believe this location, right in the heart of the city centre and adjacent to the historic city walls, will be popular with tourists as Guildhall Square and Waterloo Place is a central hub for visitors to the city and that it will also greatly help retailers and local businesses in that area of the city centre.”
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TASK FORCE RECOVERY ACTIVITY Mid and East Antrim Borough Council (MEABC) has announced the appointment of NIHF Board Member, Colin Johnston, as Chair of its specialist Hospitality and Tourism Recovery Task Group. Mr Johnston, Managing Director of the Galgorm Collection, will lead the Task Force in the development and implementation of a five-year Integrated Tourism Strategy for Mid and East Antrim.
Chief Executive of Tourism NI, John McGrillen commented; “This is a significant project for tourism in Derry~Londonderry and we are delighted to support it. This new interactive visitor centre compliments Tourism NI’s new experience brand, Embrace a Giant Spirit and sends a clear message to the people here that they should stay home, support local and explore what is on our doorstep.”
SPA UPDATE SLIEVE DONARD UPGRADE The Slieve Donard Resort has announced the completion of a £550,000 renovation of its spa. The investment programme, which started in January, includes the introduction of a double-treatment room, a private relaxation room for small groups and a shared relaxation room. As part of the enhancements, the sauna, steam room and swimming pool have been refurbished, the changing rooms have been updated and the treatment rooms and décor have been refreshed.
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Recovery Campaign LARGE MARKETING CAMPAIGN WITH 75% FUNDING TO KICK-START HOTEL RE-OPENING Tourism NI launched a major recovery campaign in July to help kick-start the tourism industry after lockdown. The Federation was again tasked with engaging with the industry to facilitate a new Co-operative Marketing Fund for all graded accommodation, tourist attractions and experiences. The fund was significantly increased and a 75% subvention was offered.
Claims are still being processed but reports so far indicate that it had a fantastic impact in bringing in business from domestic tourism and from the Republic of Ireland. As we head into a winter of uncertainty and more lockdowns, the Federation continues to work with Tourism NI to identify ways to stimulate demand once the opportunity arises.
Tourism NI
Tourism NI Further details of the campa ign, including online entry form, can be found at nihf.co.uk. Please do not hesitate to give us a call to discuss your ideas on 028 9077 6635. Northern Ireland Hotels Federation The McCune Building 1 Shore Road, Belfast BT15 3PG Tel: 028 9077 6635 Web: nihf.co.uk Email: office@nihf.co.uk Closing date for initial applic ations is 30th June 2020.
Outdoor 96 Sheet Poster NORTHERN IRELAND HOTELS FEDERATION
Recovery Campaign
Marketing support for graded accommodation , visitor attractions and experiences.
TOURISM SECTOR
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HOTEL INDUSTRY MICHAEL WILLIAMSON FROM ASM What next? Covid-19 has been a leveller for international tourism. No nation is unaffected by it. We will all be starting, more or less, from a zero base when international travel returns in earnest and this will put us in direct competition with destinations that were not competitors historically because the pool of marketable visitors will be reduced by the resulting economic shockwave and low traveller confidence. So, what are the prospects for our key markets and how do we reactivate them when the time comes? All-Ireland Domestic: Our best prospect for the next 6 months provided current/new incentives continue to be offered such as eat out to help, tourism vouchers and the removal of restrictions on late night opening and event attendance. But, this market is not large enough to sustain the industry across the island so we must cast our net further. MICE: Many cities depend on this market which was valued at $805bn in 2017 therefore, they will not allow it to evaporate without a fight. As it emerges from the current travel restrictions, there will be substantial competition to secure future bookings. Belfast managed to gain traction in the conference and exhibitions markets recently - indeed, much of the recent hotel development in the city is predicated on strong demand from such bookings. While there have been few cancellations to date, that may not continue to be the case. A real challenge for us. Independent overseas visitors: Spend more and stay longer, so they are vital for the long-term sustainability of the industry. But, high infection rates across the island may diminish our appeal, so we need to make sure that we clearly communicate the actions
taken to ensure a tangible and safe environment for visitors. But we face other challenges in this arena, including limited access.
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Corporate market: Driven by the Irish and GB markets, technology has all but replaced the need to travel. While largely outside the remit of tourism development/promotional agencies, re-engaging with this market will be crucial and we must play on the theme that there is no replacement for face to face contact. Group business: Despite the appearance of some tour business over recent months, this market has been decimated. As the operators begin planning for 2021, one wonders what itineraries they will decide on and the level of demand for them.
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Local/special events: Weddings and other events constitute a large slice of revenues for many rural hotels and Covid-19 has played havoc with these markets. For now, there is no real sign as to when normality will return.
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Despite these challenges we have got to be ready to maximise opportunities as they arise. So, here are some thoughts on what we need to do and push for: •
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Marketing and PR: while Tourism Ireland will deal with overseas markets, its orientation may not be consistent with the closer to home markets we depend on. Therefore, enhanced budgets for TNI & DMOs is required to pursue the GB, Irish and group markets; MICE: this will be a battleground with fewer and smaller events. We must lead the race to win future business, so a larger budget for customer engagement and PR is required. So too is a more generous and sizeable conference subvention scheme, the addressing of direct air access limitations and Air Passenger
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Duty; where social distancing is likely to be an ongoing requirement, grant support for businesses with the wherewithal and space to expand facilities should be made available, otherwise capacity will continue to be compromised. For others, some level of revenue support to assist survival is needed; Financial training – for smaller enterprises, knowing the cost of doing business can be a challenge. Such knowledge will be crucial in helping make informed decisions and for survival; Extended “holiday at home” voucher scheme; and Future scoping – although global tourism is in a mess now we cannot ignore the structural changes that were taking place anyway – we need to be aware of, and ready for, those changes. The risk is we forget about the future while grappling with the present.
Unselfish collaboration has been at the core of working through the many challenges presented by COVID-19 and for that the industry has my greatest respect. So too do the teams at TNI, NIHF and Minister Dodds - all work tirelessly in the interests of tourism in the full knowledge that almost every industry is under some level of distress or threat. Better days will return. We were on a positive trajectory before Covid-19 and we remain one of the new kids on the block. It is incumbent on us all to ensure that we get back on track as soon as practical and that our tourism infrastructure remains intact.
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HOTEL INDUSTRY
HOW TO KEEP THE STAY IN STAYCATION ADRIENNE HANNA LOOKS AT HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITIES. When you start a business, people who evaluate your idea tend to ask you the same four questions: 1. 2. 3. 4.
What problem are you solving? How do you plan to solve it? Who will pay for this? How do you plan for customers to keep paying for it?
And this got me thinking... isn’t that exactly the same in hospitality? Aren’t we facing the exact same questions from our owners/managers right now, just in a different format? Our problem (and I prefer to think about it as an opportunity) is that it is all about the ‘Staycation’. For many hoteliers, I do completely understand that this is challenging. Gone are our wonderful corporate, tour and M&E segments, and this has been replaced and will be replaced for the foreseeable future by Staycation. But what if we turn this and try to see this as an opportunity (and for many, many hotels this will be). We have one wonderful segment to concentrate on getting right. No need to dilute your precious PPC budgets on campaigns to attract international travellers. No need to design packages or content around overseas guests. No need to have salespeople knocking doors for non-existent contracts. Right now, we have one thing to do and that is, get Staycation right. So how do we solve this problem? And who will pay for it? 1. Use the data. You have a PMS or if you are lucky enough to have a Revenue Management system and CRM system, you will have a whole wrath of new data that you can use. And you need to use this to know and understand your customer. As always, do not try and be all-thingsto-all-people but look at who your customers are (and yes, good data will give you an understanding of that) and then do everything you
can to meet their needs. 2. Design great packages that tell an interesting story. As long as we are allowed to travel, your customers will want to come, so make sure you are offering the very best experience you can and that starts at your customers ‘aspirational’ part of their journey. They want to know that when they come to stay, that they will have not just an experience, but an amazing experience. Think about a ‘stay closer’ campaign... if a guest stays with you, then you are allowing them to ‘stay closer’ to... and the next part is up to you. Stay closer to a great beach; a beautiful place to hike; a child-friendly attraction; an award-winning restaurant; biking; arts; culture - the list is endless. Give your guests something to aspire to and a reason, and they will come. 3. Make sure that your rate strategy is correct for longer lead times. Yes, we all know that business now is mainly last minute but there are lots of people who are looking at booking rooms for 90+ days in advance. They might have other family members to consider or perhaps hoping that there are better days to come but either way, make sure you have great, enticing and interesting packages online and available to book. 4. Consider rates for longer stays. There are many people who just won’t consider a foreign holiday, but absolutely will consider multiple breaks closer to home. These stays are often more than 2 nights with many hotels showing an average of 3 or 4 night stays, so make sure that you have great packages for longer length of stays and again make sure that you have interesting inclusions or suggestions of what to do while they are with you. 5. Talking about inclusions, is there something that you can include
ADRIENNE HANNA Right Revenue
- even in your B&B rates that show a guest that you are offering something great to reward them for their stay. This doesn’t have to cost very much - perhaps a complimentary room upgrade; a glass of fizz on arrival; tickets to an attraction or bike hire. Go back to point 1 and understand your guest and try to include something wonderful. Oh, and please don’t think that ‘well our guests are coming and we are giving them nothing, so why should I???’ Narrow thinking can lead to narrow decisions. What if you exceed expectations? What if guests checked out, genuinely excited to come back? Or even better, tell their friends about how you wowed them...What difference might that make? 6. Not all hotels are used to the Staycation market but we are all used to hospitality and that means ‘be hospitable’. So if you aren’t a family hotel, can you be? Can you do something great that might attract families to stay? One example I use often, is that a hotel close by did not have family rooms and no room for extra beds, so they bought little pop-up tents for the
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kids, lay quilts on the floor and made a standard double room into a family adventure! What can you try to gain your market share? 7. Be flexible - things are changing every day and not one of us knows how this will play out short-term but we do know that hotels will be around long-term, so to get through this we need to be flexible with our guests. If you have bookings that suddenly need to cancel due to new restrictions or perhaps because a family member is shielding, then now is NOT the time to enforce cancellation policies. This is out of your guest’s control and if you remain ‘hospitable’ then your wonderful guests will return. And how do you keep those customers paying for it and becoming returning customers? 1. Communication is key. If you don’t have a great CRM then now is the time to get one. You need amazing confirmation emails telling your customers how safe and welcome they will be. You need great prestay emails that ensure your guests start to feel that ‘wow’ feeling before they even get to your door and that gives them inspiration on things to do. You need wonderful during-stay emails that remind them that your restaurant is open or that they can book a beauty treatment. You need genuine poststay emails that say thank you and politely ask for a review and as important as all of the above, is your very targeted bring-back emails. Let your customer know that you know them. You know when they stayed, why they stayed, and offer them something wonderful to come back. Genuine, open, honest and targeted emails with an interesting story will bring people back. 2. But only if you WOW them. I have heard countless stories from friends and family where they went to stay in a hotel to be completely ‘underwhelmed’ when they got there. You
can tick every single box above but if your operational team are letting you down, then you are in trouble. It might be difficult to show your smile beneath a mask but a genuine welcome with warm and friendly engagement with your guests is never missed. 3. Now more than ever is the time to invest in great technology. I can pretty much bet that if your hotel looked at every technology piece and how they all linked together; how that impacts on your useful data and most importantly, how each system can improve your customer journey, then I can pretty much bet that there are improvements that could be made. In the words of someone much wiser than me, it is not just the cost of improving your technology landscape, it is the cost of NOT doing it that you need to consider... Revenue manage every single part of your guest journey and by that I mean that now, more than ever, you need to understand costs. How much is your new cost of occupied room? How much is each and every package actually adding to your bottom line? You have got to start your strategy from the bottom - up. For further information on how Revenue Management can benefit your recovery strategy, please just ask@ rightrevenue.co.uk
Here at Right Revenue, our goal is to support hotels with amazing technology, and in turn help you make strategic rate decisions. In partnership with the Northern Ireland Hotel Federation we are excited to offer you use of two bespoke reports completely FREE OF CHARGE (already included in Right Revenue if you are an existing customer) 1.
The first is our Cost of Occupied Room Calculator - this calculator will help you work out the real cost of an occupied room and is an invaluable tool that can be used time and time again as your cost base changes. So many hotels consider only fixed assets but what would your true cost look like if you included your cost of customer acquisition or the wage costs you should assign to rooms division? We can help with that and this in turn will give you a much clearer idea of your true nett costs and is a businesscritical tool to ensure you set your rate strategy from the bottom - up. 2. The second is our Package Calculator - so often we see hotels offering a rate just because they have offered the same price before or it seems like a ‘comfortable’ rate to sell at. But how much profit are you actually making? Let us help. We can calculate your profitability and then give you suggestions on the very best rate to sell at, to ensure your customer receives a great deal but that you are also securing profitability. These two reports are offered completely Free of Charge (normally charged at £50.00 per month) and I hope you see this as our way of doing what we can to support you during this difficult time. Our existing customers love them and if you would like further details, please just click: https://rightrevenue. co.uk/revenue-support-tools/ and quote CALCULATE as we would love to help.
Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality are delighted to present our collaboration with FieldDay Ireland and launch the Sea Collection; a unique luxury Irish Capsule Collection for the Hotel, Spa and Hospitality industry
NEW
Guest Amenities Collaboration FieldDay: SEA Collection FieldDay was born in 2002 when Alix, a girl from County Down was inspired to capture and bottle the scents of the Irish countryside. The essence of fieldDay is relaxing, and refreshing. Picture a breezy day at the shore with waves splashing on the rocks. Field Days’ Sea fragrance is fresh and exhilarating with citrus notes of lemon and bergamot. The collection comprises of a choice of 30ml Doypack or 480ml Square dispenser bottle: • Conditioning Shampoo: Cleansing gentle formula. Extracts of watercress • Body Wash: Clean up with our gentle body wash. Guarana extract • Body Lotion: Be kind to your skin. With vitamin E and shea butter • Conditioner: Gentle formula to leave hair smooth and less likely to tangle. Green walnut extract • 25g Vegetable soap Bar: Finely milled all-vegetable soap. With jojoba oil. From concept to development, we worked together researching earth-friendly innovations in terms of formula and packaging; resulting in a collection that has positive environmental impacts. Sustainability at Bunzl Rafferty is at the core of everything we do. Our goal is to drive a sustainable change, through innovation and collaboration; giving our business and customers the opportunity to make planet friendly choices.
Eco Benefits
Vegan friendly & Cruelty free No parabens & Dermatologically tested Fully recyclable Lower carbon footprint. Each doypack uses 68% less carbon emissions than a regular 30ml
Please visit www.bunzlrafferty.com For further information/specs and pricing and retail products
ECONOMICS
Webb Wonders
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Musings from the Federation’s Economic Advisor
SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE FOR TOURISM ANDREW WEBB ON THE VUNERABILITY OF TOURISM. The tourism sector is in a very vulnerable position and can only be struggling to remain resilient in the face of the sheer scale of the challenge faced since the start of the lockdown. This is a time of year when the sector should be looking back on a successful summer and pausing for breath before looking forward to a busy festive season. Unfortunately, the year is shaping to be beyond anyone’s worst imagination and my sympathies are with all those in the sector who have made our tourism sector so successful over the recent past. It feels a little hollow to write that the crisis will end, and that growth will return but it will, and the tourism sector is well placed with a fantastic product to recover well. I was thinking back to pre-Covid-19 times and reflecting that in 2019 Tourism Northern Ireland (TNI) had an ambition to deliver a £2Bn economy by 2030, based on increasing length of stay, number of out-of-state visitors and increasing visitor spend. In order to achieve this, TNI set out a priority
of developing NI as a world class short break destination offering an internationally compelling Experience Brand built upon our Landscape, Heritage & Culture. TNI identifies the culturally curious as a key market segment, seeing those who wish to explore the culture and history of a place as a priority market. In addition, regional dispersion is a key priority, with benefits to be realised in every part of NI. I guess these ambitions remain, but will be harder to achieve, and will require a massive effort to convince visitors to come here…or convince those of us already here to use our hospitality sector. The domestic, and cross border visitor will be crucial to the sector’s recovery. For the domestic market, confidence is crucial, as is incentive. We saw how successful the eat out to help out scheme was. That gives hope that a new ‘Holiday at Home’ voucher initiative, with £50 going to households to be used for short breaks and discounts on tourist attractions will incentivise people to take staycations and support the local economy.
For the longer term, recovery will likely depend on finding a vaccination and re-establishing (and establishing new) routes into our airports, as well as attracting the cruise ships back. There is no hiding from the challenge of, but we’ve been here before and know what it takes – compelling reasons to be here through a high-quality hotels, pubs and restaurants, major events and marketing of our natural tourism assets. It surely feels like cold comfort to a sector that has faced what the hospitality sector has faced, but we do have a far better product to offer tourists now thanks to the massive investment efforts made by the sector to invest over the last five and more years.
Sight loss:
Helping you to help your customers during coronavirus Here are a few quick tips to help you feel confident in interacting with customers living with sight loss during this time. Be aware
Use verbal communication
Social distancing
Sight loss is a spectrum
Not all blind and partially sighted people “look blind” (wear dark glasses, use a cane or a guide dog), so be mindful that it may not always be obvious. People living with sight loss will find it difficult to maintain social distancing, so keep this in mind when you’re on the shop floor.
Introduce yourself
If you think that someone needs help, just introduce yourself – a simple: “Hi I’m Steve, do you need any help?” can go a long way.
Saying “Go over there” while pointing means very little to someone who can’t see where “there” is. Try and be specific, for example: “The card machine is above your right hand”. We all see differently, so get to know the people you’re interacting with; some might need help reading prices, while others just want guiding – for those with very low vision, you may need to say when you’re leaving so they know you’ve not just gone quiet! Remember, we’re all individuals.
Don’t make assumptions
If someone does need help, let them tell you what they need – don’t assume they’re lost when they’re actually wanting to find a specific item or garment. Just ask.
Guiding
If someone usually requires “traditional” guiding, have an open conversation about safe alternatives.
Talk naturally
RE200609
Don’t be afraid of using “visual language” like “nice to see you” – just relax and be yourself – you’ll feel awkward if you try to censor yourself.
For further information, visit rnib.org.uk
© RNIB registered charity in England and Wales (226227), Scotland (SC039316), Isle of Man (1226). Also operating in Northern Ireland.
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NIHF WORKING WITH RNIB RNIB PRAISES NIHF FOR SUPPORTING BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PEOPLE Sight loss charity, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), has praised the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) for circulating RNIB best practice guidance to its 100 members and showing support for the 55,600 people living with sight loss in Northern Ireland. Social distancing has turned the lives of blind and partially sighted people upside down, with two thirds saying they feel less independent now than before lockdown. Socially distancing safely in places such as shops, restaurants, hotels, offices, banks and public spaces has become close to impossible. The RNIB guidance circulated by NIHF to its members highlights the social distancing challenges faced by blind and partially sighted people and provides guidance to businesses about what they can do to help. It is hoped the guidance will be circulated amongst staff within each hotel so they will have awareness of sight loss and the difficulties of socially distancing and will also be knowledgeable about how best to cater for their blind and partially sighted guests. Country Director of RNIB in Northern Ireland, Dr Jacqueline Witherow, said: “Social distancing has proved to be a tremendous challenge for people with sight loss. The Northern Ireland Hotels Federation’s actions in sharing RNIB’s best practice guidance far and wide will help rebuild the independence blind and partially sighted people have lost and provide confidence in navigating a changed world. “We want businesses and the wider public to better understand the
difficulties our community faces and the support they can provide to those with sight loss.” President of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation Stephen Meldrum, who is also the General Manager of Belfast’s iconic Grand Central hotel, said: “The Northern Ireland Hotels Federation is happy to pledge any support to the RNIB and assist them in raising awareness of the needs of blind and partially sighted people. “The Federation will be making members aware of the RNIB’s best practice guidance and sharing its content to help us understand the issues and to enable us to offer exemplary service to all our customers. “Social distancing has its challenges for everyone. The RNIB guidance highlights the challenges facing people with sight loss when trying to social distance and will help hotels like ours, to understand the needs of blind and partially sighted people. We want everyone to feel safe and confident staying in our hotels.”
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NORTHERN IRELAND HOTELS FEDERATION
Members. We are here to support you.
