FORUM
Of DIALOGUEVol. V
INDUSTRY LEADERS
United by Patience! A SOURCE of INSPIRATION & ENCOURAGEMENT
VOLUME V. February, 2021
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BE PATIENT. THE BEST THINGS HAPPEN UNEXPECTEDLY. THE RED FAIRY PROJECT
Dear Friends & Colleagues, Patience means that we have to see our expectations through a new lens and manage them accordingly. Too fast, too soon is a guaranteed recipe for further disaster.
Frank M. Pfaller
Health is the bedrock of any thriving society. If your health is President | HoteliersGuild Publisher compromised—or if you’re worried about catching a deadly disease, then it’s hard to concentrate on anything else. Staying alive and well becomes your priority to the necessary detriment of everything else. Over the last year, many of us have experienced that reality ourselves for the first time in our lives. Most of our every days decisions now depend on how we can minimize the risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19? Epidemiologists have either become the new pop-stars for some, or they are condemned by contrarians. ‘Social distancing’ the ‘RO’ of the virus and ‘flattening or increase of the curve’ forced their way into our vocabulary. This past year has also forced us to do accept new realities, as it quickly exposed the travel industry’s vulnerabilities and weaknesses that had been there all along. Diversity. Customer relations. The climate. Employee relations. Excesses. And health. The new year offers the chance to work on the fissures we now see even more clearly. We had to pause big time in 2020 and we may need to take it easy again in 2021. And yes, it will be a year of grieving, for what we lost, and of processing, as we learn to carry on. That, we should not lose sight of. And now that spring is announcing itself ( in Europe), no one wants to be patient anymore. Our colleagues who work in the hotel, travel and catering industries are rightly impatient and in some cases highly indignant. They want to make the carnage of 2020 a distant memory as soon as possible. Understandable, isn't it? Tens of thousands of jobs have been lost, businesses have failed, growth plans have been cancelled, and revenues are gone forever - amidst a rising death toll. Who wouldn't want to escape this for a fresh start? However, for all of them, especially the global players like the airlines, but also the sun chair renters and the ice cream vendors on the beach, there is a common lesson: PATIENCE! However, the idea of patience in business sometimes seems to be at odds with a competitive, stubborn forward thinking. The thinking is that if you wait, you lose. The pandemic has made it abundantly clear that normality as we had understood it does not exist. And probably therefore did not exist before the coronavirus became a
household word. The world moves fast and change is constant. The pandemic has shown us this in all clarity. However, we should now start to look at the idea of a return to normality, however that turns out to be. Let's just assume that things will never return to where they were over a year ago now. The best news after all is, that vaccines are now on the market. But part of the reality is that we cannot close our eyes and have to get used to more possible scenarios - CLIMATE and DEPLOYMENT in some developing countries where one step up and two steps back are taken. Expecting a seamless recovery would therefore be a delusion. Somebody much wiser than me once said “the two things that define you are your patience when you have nothing, and your attitude when you have everything.” Words to live by in 2021, with renewed hope and PATIENCE. IN THE NEWS: HoteliersGuild’s LeadingHôtelières chapter in collaboration with our Co-chair, Prof. Dr. Sowon Kim of EHL’s ‘Women in Leadership’, the IUBH School of Business and Management and Institut Paul Bocuse with Prof. Dr. Willy Legrand and Prof. Dr. Henri Kuokkanen respectively, are delighted to announce the creation of “Young Hoteliers Insights” -- a space dedicated for aspiring future hospitality leaders to contribute to our industry with their reflections, ideas, trends and hottest topics as viewed by their generation -- that will be featured in the HoteliersGuild’s ForumOfDialogue magazines and in our LookBooks. PLEASE JOIN US WITH THIS MESAGE ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM to mark InternatioanWomensDay, March 08th: ”To mark IWD, I #ChooseToChallenge the persisting gender imbalance at the top end of the global hospitality trade. As our industry continues to struggle against one of the toughest climates in living memory, it is more important than ever that we harness skills and insights from all members of our community and set an example of equal opportunities across the board. This is why I have joined with #LeadingHotelieres: a team of remarkable women in hotel business and academia working together to understand systemic bias in traditional hospitality working patterns and create the solutions that will lead to a brighter, more inclusive future for our beloved industry. #IWD #leadinghotelieres #hoteliersguild #womeninleadership #inclusivity #womeninhospitality #womenleadingtheway #genderequality #femaleleadership #seniorfemaleleaders #SDG5 #womeninthehotelindustry #womeninbusiness #womenempowerment #womensupportingwomen #flexibleworking”
Gratefully acknowledging the support of our panel members & friends!
Individuality is at the core of the Preferred brand, and we celebrate all forms of diversity:
I am proud to share that I’ve doubled down on my commitment to this key value by cofounding LeadingHôteliéres, part of the HoteliersGuild community with Frank M. Pfaller, that has a mission promoting gender equality within the hospitality industry.
Lindsey Ueberroth
CEO, Preferred Hotel Group
It is a great pleasure and honour to join the panel of the HoteliersGuild. I am delighted to support industry colleagues dedicated to working on solutions towards a hospitality industry, which is kind to the environment, healthy to its workers, pleasing to its guests, efficient for the operators and profitable to its owners. Thank you Frank for this unique opportunity to contribute to a future proofed hospitality.
Prof. Dr. Willy Legrand Professor of Hospitality Management at the
Please join us to welcome @Frances Kiradjian to our private society HoteliersGuild and to the LeadingHôteliéres Chapter. Frances, Founder & Chair of BLLA, with over 25 years in travel and hospitality, launched BLLA in 2009 to bring global attention to independent, upscale boutique hotels and brands. Her experience spans from hotel booking technology to third party travel programs to radical and advanced marketing strategies. Frances was an integral part of the groundbreaking systemic change of the way people traveled which led to the contemporary boutique movement. A warm welcome from all of us @HoteliersGuild, dear Frances and we look much forward to your support for our cause! Frank M. Pfaller President | HoteliersGuild
Frank, Hello Frank, I am so honoured to receive your innovation to join I amprestigious so honoured to which receive your email your group, I am verylovely pleased to this morning and an invitation to join your accept! prestigious which am very Frank pleased Thank you forgroup, the very warmI welcome M. to accept! I am looking forward to further contributing Pfaller. Forgive this brief email. I believe theforevents of to your organization and collaborating the the dayofhave totally spent exhausted me, 34 butyears I didn't benefit all. Having more than want to women leave my desk without acknowledging bringing in our industry together, there has your wonderful email. never been a better time for the support and clear Pleaseoflet me know if there isand anything you need focus women and inclusion diversity. from me. I have joined the groups, so excited to meet everyone virtually of embody course. the Thank you againinvolved, Frank. You certainly Thank you again, Frank. You certainly embody best of hospitality! the best of hospitality! Warmest regards, Warmest regards, Frances Founder & Chair BLLA
Please join us to welcome @Caroline Klein to the HoteliersGuild LeadingHôteliéres Chapter. Caroline, Chief Communications Officer with Preferred Hotels & Resorts, leads corporate positioning efforts, and manages the company's reputation through consistent messaging across all touchpoints; developing new and enhanced communications strategies; and she oversees all aspects of corporate communications. She’s also serving a s C h i e f C o m m u n i c a t i o n s O f fi c e r o f Preferred's sister division, PHG Consulting, a global travel and tourism marketing and consulting agency. A warm welcome from all of us @HoteliersGuild, Caroline! Frank M. Pfaller President | HoteliersGuild
Dear Frank – I am incredibly grateful for your offer of a complimentary personal membership with @HoteliersGuild, and am so pleased to accept. I look forward to participating in the cause moving forward, and will absolutely connect with @Maria at @MasonRose as well to see how I can support the publicity efforts. Again, thank you for considering me for this. Best, Caroline Caroline Klein Chief Communications Officer Preferred Hotels & Resorts Beyond Green PHG Consulting
At Hoteliersguild We are honoured and Beatrice Tollman, President and Founde Carnation Hotel Collection. Beatrice is s family who own The Travel Corporatio across the globe. through their non Foundation. With a passion for hosp renowned within the travel and hospit forward to her moral support of our L lucky to already count with her daught
At Hoteliersguild We are honoured and humbled to extend a warm welcome to Beatrice Tollman, President and Founder of the family-run, award-winning Red Carnation Hotel Collection. Beatrice is such an important figure in the Tollman family who own The Travel Corporation and support hundreds of charities across the globe. through their non-for-profit initiative, the TreadRight Foundation. With a passion for hospitality and philanthropy, she is now renowned within the travel and hospitality industry and we look also much forward to her moral support for our Leading HÔteliéres chapter, where we are so lucky to already count with her daughter Vicki’s assistance.
Frank M. Pfaller President | HoteliersGuild
humbled to extend a warm welcome to er of the family-run, award-winning Red such an important figure in the Tollman on and support hundreds of charities n-for-profit initiative, the TreadRight pitality and philanthropy, she is now tality industry and we look also much eading HÔteliéres chapter, where we so ter Vicki’s assistance.
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Dear Frank,
It is a great honour to accept my Honorary Ambassadorship with HoteliersGuild, and to join this society of people in our hospitality industry who I greatly admire. I am especially delighted to acknowledge the importance of sustainability and travel as a force for good within your society. Since Stanley and I opened our first hotel more than 60 years ago, hospitality has continued to evolve, but I believe that integrity, determination and striving for the very best for our guests is even more important today. These are the qualities that I value the most in our wonderful teams, and they work hand-in-hand with our commitment to build a sustainable future, through conservation, leadership and support for our local communities.
I am so proud that our collection now stands at 20 unique and special properties. In December 2020, it was a dream come true to open Xigera Safari Lodge in Botswana, our love letter to the magic of the African bush. After six decades of devotion to exceptional hospitality and personal service, this was the culmination of a life-long dream for my family, and today, our passions and our purpose remains the same... To share these beautiful moments and experiences with our guests. With warmest wishes, Beatrice Tollman
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Dear Frank Thank you so much, for this incredible honour and opportunity to be part of such a distinguished group of hoteliers and professionals. I feel deeply privileged and so appreciate being recommended by Xavier and Paul. I have read through the presentation and it really is such a wonderful concept and initiative with values and principles that we as a family and brand strongly believe in. I accept with pride and pleasure and look forward to meeting you all in person at the very first opportunity. Please let me know what is required at this stage from my side. With thanks and my best wishes Vicki
FORUMOFDIALOGUE SERIES
Commitment to Gender Equality from Lindsey Ueberroth CEO of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Co-founder & Ambassador LeadingHôtelières
HoteliersGuild
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Individuality is at the core of the Preferred brand, and we celebrate all forms of diversity. I am proud to share that I’ve doubled down on my commitment to this key value by cofounding LeadingHôtelières, part of the HoteliersGuild community with Frank M. Pfaller, that has a mission of promoting gender equality within the hospitality industry
The Preferred Life preferred hotels & resorts
Xenia zu Hohenlohe Managing Partner | Considerate Group Xenia began her career in the hospitality industry 23 years ago and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the company. She has handled the PR for cultural tourism Spain and international hotel groups such as Mandarin Oriental Hotels and Oberoi Hotels as their European Account Manager. She then spent three years at Amanresorts, first heading Sales & Marketing for The Americas & Europe, then building up the European Sales Office in London before moving into operations as Assistant General Manager for the Amanjena, Marrakech. Having developed a thorough understanding of the various operational as well as commercial aspects of the hotel business, she joined forces with Benedetta to rebrand and re-position the Considerate Hoteliers Association. Xenia is based in our Munich office and is fluent in five European languages, which positions the company perfectly for a European expansion. Xenia’s motivation is her life-long concern for the environment and desire to create new systems for the integration of sustainable practices into the hospitality industry
Invitation to participate in HoteliersGuild’s LeadingHôtelières Flexibility Study
LeadingHôtelières (LH) is founded by CEO and President of the prestigious HoteliersGuild, Frank M. Pfaller, and co-founded by CEO at Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Lindsey Ueberroth. Our mission is to accelerate gender equality at the highest industry levels, in line with UN’s Sustainable Development Goal Five (SDG5) and we act via four key pillars: Academia & Research, Sponsorship & Network, Communication & Media and Design & Development. LH is led by Considerate Group Founding Partner, Xenia zu Hohenlohe, who leads as Chairwoman for the inaugural year and is joined by co-chair EHL Prof. Dr. Sowon Kim.
Given the LH mission and the effects of the Covid19 pandemic, the working theme of LH’s first target year was set to be: Driving flexible working structure in hotels. In particular, LH is undertaking a research study on flexibility for hotel employees and we would need your help to understand the situation in your
hotel / properties, and would of course give you full access to the study results in return. The study will examine what influences the various types of flexibility models hotels have and how these types of flexibility models are associated with outcomes such as organisational resilience and employee wellbeing. This study is led by EHL Prof. Dr. Kim, and the LeadingHôtelières’ Academia & Research task force members Maribel Esparcia, Prof. at ICD Business School & MD at European Sustainable Hospitality Club, and Dr. Renee Minnaar, Destinations & Systems Trainer at andBeyond Travel. In addition, this study counts with the involvement of expert scholars, Dr. Nick Beutell, Prof. at La Penta School of Business, Iona College and Dr. Hans-George Wolff, Prof. at Cologne University.
Some of our HoteliersGuild members have already manifested their support and will participate in our study. Could we also count with your support for this endeavour? If yes, we will need 5-10 people (per hotel) to respond to a 20min survey and 1-2 persons (per hotel) to respond to a few questions.
If interested, please contact: Frank M. Pfaller at fmp.hoteliersguild@me.com or Dr. Sowon Kim at sowon.kim@ehl.ch. Note that this study is pro bono, confidential, anonymous, and you will have full access to the study results.
An initiative created by HoteliersGuild, EHL, Institut Paul Bocuse and IUBH under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Sowon Kim, Prof. Dr. Willy Legrand and Prof. Dr. Henri Kuokkanen
MAKING - A - C H A N G E
YoungHôtelièresInsights aims to develop the professional visibility of our young female talent in a
network of established hoteliers and hôteliéres.
EHL’s Women in Leadership, IUBH University of Applied Sciences, and Institut Paul Bocuse share a commitment to promote our top female students in the hospitality industry. Together with HoteliersGuild’s LeadingHôtelierès chapter, we created YoungHôtelièresInsights (YHI), a space dedicated for aspiring female hospitality leaders where they can contribute to our industry with their reflections, ideas, trends and hot topics as viewed by their generation. A compilation of these i n p u t s w i l l b e f e a t u r e d i n t h e H o t e l i e r s G u i l d ForumOfDialogue magazines and LookBooks with the aim to develop the professional visibility of our young female talent in a network of established hoteliers and hôteliéres . EHL’s Prof. Dr. Sowon Kim and Founder of WIL says: “We focus on female students and from time to time male students here is a thought, we could for example limit to 10-20% of male contribution, and content could be in lines of male championing women (in line with one of our pillars) like for example how they see the contribution of their female peers; this might be eye opening for the established hoteliers reading such a piece and realising why there might be a need for them to change too. From my perspective making the “YoungHotelièresInsights” primary female is not being exclusive but rather in line with the mission of HoteliersGuild’s LeadingHôtelierès chapter. In addition there is a need to be inclusive when a group is a minority which in this case is women in leadership positions. While everyone needs to be promoted is these hard times, the system is heavily biased against women which is the exact reason why less than 5 percent of the top leadership functions across business and politics worldwide are occupied by women, and hence the raison être for HoteliersGuild’s LeadingHôtelierès chapter”
The Start Of Our New FORUMOFDIALOGUE SERIES Featuring Young Future Leaders
On the Way to Net-Zero Emissions from Gaiane Herrero Graduate from EHL
HoteliersGuild
Of Swiss and Spanish nationality, Gaiane Herrero graduated from EHL in February 2021. W ith experiences at the Boutique Hotel and Coliving start-up in Paris, Gaiane has a keen interest in Service Design and Sustainability. Gaiane is fluent in French, Spanish, and English. She is passionate about music and theatre. Gaiane Herrero can be reached at gaiane.herrero@ehl.ch. Gaiane Herrero is a former student of EHL Professor and Women in Leadership Founder Dr. Sowon Kim who co-chairs the HoteliersGuild LeadingHotelières Chapter.
Before Covid19, the hospitality industry accounted for around 10% of our global economy. In 2019, no less than 15'000 hotels were in the pipeline attesting to the industry growth and place in our society (Hotel Management). In such a thriving industry implemented changes can have a global impact not only on its activities but also on other industries. As we face difficult times with the Covid19 and the climate change crises, it is time for us as an industry to take a stand and inspire others with our actions. The hospitality industry must change to strive in the long-term and has the chance to inspire others by doing so. Despite the difficult situation preventing hotels, restaurants, and events from operating smoothly, field actors can take the chance to prepare properly for the future. As the current crisis forces us to reconsider our ways of designing service and experience, we also have to face climate deregulation. Travel and tourism's role in it are pushing the industry to adapt and evolve. In our situation, reducing hotels’ and restaurants’ energy consumption is the right thing to do; however, it does not make up for the whole situation. Indeed, reducing is not offsetting and focusing solely on this part will fall short of reaching the net-zero carbon emissions goal. Using less energy and generating less carbon emissions are critical parts of the final objective. For now, not all carbon emissions can be avoided in our growing industry; reducing the operation's emissions is insufficient due to a significant lack of sustainable alternatives. Therefore, to reach the net-zero emissions goal throughout the hospitality industry, we must find ways to offset the carbon emissions of construction or customers' travel, for example. Nowadays, technological initiatives are developed to capture CO2 out of the atmosphere to help our ecosystem survive and support our economy in fighting climate change. Significant research has focused on new processes that pull CO2 out of the atmosphere to store it underground (see companies such as Climeworks, Drax or Carbon Engineering). Unfortunately, today these new technologies are still in development. In the meantime, hospitality actors can consider partnering up with other better-known and more developed initiatives, such as companies that restore ecosystems, potentialize the ocean's capability to store the CO2, help new more sustainable agriculture techniques, or use biomass in construction (Net Zero Climate). By joining the UN's Race to Zero, companies can set themselves on the track to more sustainable operations thanks to more precise guidelines and better-defined objectives (UNFCCC). The hospitality industry has already created or partnered with concepts to reduce carbon emissions and energy usage. For example, by putting in place simple concepts like avoiding washing linen every day or giving part of their profit to NGOs that reforest areas of our planet. It thus made the first step towards more sustainable operations. Partnering with or investing in the initiatives mentioned earlier would come as a second step reinforcing our industry's reaction to our society's current challenges. Younger generations always expect more engagement from companies on climate change. Therefore, besides taking a stand to preserve our ecosystem in the long term, engaging in a path to net-zero emissions is a way to secure clientele in the long term.
The Start Of Our New FORUMOFDIALOGUE SERIES Featuring Young Future Leaders
Is A University Education The Way To Go In The Hospitality Industry? from Ariane Pogge Student from EHL
HoteliersGuild
Of German nationality, Ariane Pogge is a final year student at EHL who will be graduating in July 2021. With experiences at the Buckingham Palace and AccorInvest, Ariane has a keen interest in Rooms Division & Revenue Management. Ariane is fluent in German and English and has a basic proficiency level in Spanish and French. She is passionate about Interior Design and baking. Ariane Pogge can be reached at ariane.pogge@ehl.ch. Ariane Pogge is a former student of EHL Professor and Women in Leadership Founder Dr. Sowon Kim who cochairs the LeadingHotelières Chapter of HoteliersGuild.
I entered the hospitality industry by starting a three-year apprenticeship at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Düsseldorf, Germany. Before committing to a bachelor's program, I wanted to discover whether this was the right industry for me. The apprenticeship ultimately confirmed my intention to build a career in hospitality, aiming to advance quickly up the corporate ladder. Hence, I applied to EHL to help me achieve that goal. Now in my last year, I find myself in a sizeable group of soon-to-be graduates competing for opportunities in the hospitality job market. As I’ve begun to test the job market waters, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, I’m prompted to reflect on the experiences and qualifications I acquired at EHL. Entry-level positions such as Front-Desk Agent would've been perfectly suitable after the completion of my apprenticeship. However, despite the knowledge, transferrable skills, and practical experience gained in my two EHL internships, finding job offers matching my profile has been rather challenging. I certainly don't regret the path I've chosen. It has allowed me to grow and to start a valuable professional network. Nevertheless, I cannot help feeling disillusioned. Indeed, universities must promote their programs and benefits to attract new candidates. However, the somewhat embellished value proposition of an almost guaranteed job offer upon graduation makes young high school graduates all too susceptible to overblown expectations, which could quickly end in a rude awakening. But why is there a mismatch between our expectations from a bachelor's degree and employers' expectations towards us? It is no news that there has been a growing demand for university-level education. OECD stats show that the share of tertiary education attainment has risen from 38% to 52% over the past decade1. To prepare us for employment after graduation, universities are in regular exchange with the industry to continually optimise the curriculum. The fully-accredited Bachelor of Science comprises a range of subjects from Revenue to Hotel Asset Management. Not only do we learn to think strategically, but also to manage interactions in diverse teams. There shouldn't be a gap between our earned capabilities and the industry professionals' expectations. Considering all that, is the resulting graduate what is needed or wanted in the hospitality industry – an industry that has traditionally been rather slow to change and requires you to work up the ranks no matter what the academic qualification might be? The industry's readiness for bright university graduates, or maybe lack thereof, might be one side of the coin. However, I also want to reflect on us – the student body. The mismatch of expectations might originate from an overstated image of our capabilities, leading to inflated expectations for our initial employment opportunities. After all, we realize not everyone can be a top-level executive, but naturally, no one wants to believe they’re the one not cut out for the task. Moreover, the university open days and brochures promising a fast track to success are too tempting to discard the power of a bachelor’s degree – even if vocational training could make someone happier than a corporate-type job. Where does that leave the future of hospitality education, and how can the gap between young talents’ and employers' needs be closed? The online learning platform typsy.com2 might provide one possible alternative to just vocational training or a pure bachelor’s degree. It aims to “redefine what education really means" to "shrink the size of our degrees," making further education in the hospitality industry more accessible and commonplace. Giving people more options to learn and grow could make this field even more attractive. In the end, however, any qualification will only be worth as much as what we make of it, and success will certainly only come with the right work ethic 1 Leybold-Johnson, I. (2019). Vocational training or degree? Employment rates are similar. Retrieved from https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/oecd-education-at-a-glance-_vocational-training-or-degree--/45208654
The Start Of Our New FORUMOFDIALOGUE SERIES Featuring Young Future Leaders
Personalization in a Covid-19 World from Ana Gabriela Schupp Student from EHL
HoteliersGuild
Of German nationality, Ana Gabriela Schupp is a final year student at EHL who will be graduating in July 2021. With experiences at the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois in Switzerland and Neodent in Brazil, Ana Gabriela has a keen interest in Finance and working with data. Ana Gabriela is fluent in German, English, Spanish, Portuguese and has a basic proficiency level in French. Having lived in Germany, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, and Brazil, she is passionate about travel, horseback riding and challenging herself in sports. Ana Gabriela can be reached at anagabriela.schupp@ehl.ch. Ana Gabriela Schupp is a former student of EHL Professor and Women in Leadership Founder Dr. Sowon Kim who co-chairs the LeadingHotelières Chapter of HoteliersGuild.
In an era where technology has facilitated access to data, consumers are increasingly aware of the tradeoffs between personalized experiences and their privacy. Data gathering and predictive analysis have created a paradox between privacy and personalization. Yet, are we personalizing brand interactions at the cost of consumer privacy? This question will continue to gain traction in a post Covid-19 world. The pandemic has accelerated the volume of digital bookings and purchases. Physical storefronts and travel agencies have been severely impacted, with a "new normal" signifying digitalization over tradition. While the move online provides an opportunity to maximize personalized marketing efforts, it will also heighten consumer privacy concerns. The usage of advanced analytics to reach consumers with the right messages has been widely accepted in the industry. For the F&B sector, predictive analysis has provided opportunities to personalize product recommendations, while for travel it has enabled imagery to be specifically adjusted to different segments (Wiener, et al. 2020). To survive in the competitive online landscape, brands must learn to further leverage online channels, while safeguarding consumer data. Now more than ever, personalization will be essential to drive value and maximize visibility. One new consideration is the increasing prevalence of just-in-time personalization. Market share will belong to the companies that are able to adapt to the shifts in demand, based on "high-frequency leading indicators". Data analytics provides real time data on consumer spending, coupled with latest search trends and web traffic information. With the uncertainty of the recovery trajectory, this information provides valuable insight for businesses to identify key markets and aid with capacity planning. Access to consumer data will be a driver in managing digital spending and promotions towards the right markets (Wiener, et al, 2020). Likewise, there will be a need for "data driven decisions" and "digital speed" in reallocating capital, while being "ready to reinvent" by investing in technology (McKinsey, 2020). One stellar example is Starbucks' ability to utilize data across geographies to plan reopenings and understand demand patterns for their drivethrough sales (Walton, 2020). Yet, the success of these initiatives will depend on content delivery and the extent to which customers feel comfortable with the level of personalization. To add value, companies must employ these strategies overtly. When consumers consciously disclose information and receive sufficient justification and rewards, they are more accepting of data collection (Aguirre et al., 2016). The diminished risk perception allows businesses to ethically collect data in exchange for a privacy price, namely personalized offers and discounts. On the other hand, covert strategies create negative consumer reactance due to skepticism about how their information was retrieved (Chen et al., 2018). By impeding customers from protecting sensitive information, such as locations, purchases and stream history, companies risk straining these relationships (Aguirre et al., 2016). Thus, if implemented correctly, the shift online provides a valuable opportunity to leverage data. To tap into the benefits of personalization systems, while mitigating the risk perceptions, data collection strategies must be employed overtly. The effects of Covid-19 on digitalization are here to stay and adaptation will be vital to ensure the longevity of businesses and customer relationships. References Aguirre, E. Roggeveen, A. & Wetzels, M. (2016). The personalization-privacy paradox: implications for new media. The Journal of Consumer Marketing; Santa Barbara, 33(2), 98-110. doi:10.1108/ JCM-06-2015-1458 Chen, Q. Feng, Y. Liu, L. & Tian, X. (2018). Understanding consumers’ reactance of online personalized advertising: A new scheme of rational choice from a perspective of negative effects. International Journal of Information Management 44, 53–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2018.09.001 McKinsey & Company (2020). How six companies are using technology and data to transform themselves. Retrieved from : https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/ how-six-companies-are-using-technology-and-data-to- transform-themselves Walton, C. (2020). 3 Ways Starbucks Will Emerge From COVID-19 Stronger Than Before. Retrieved from : https:// www.forbes.com/sites/christopherwalton/2020/04/03/3-ways-starbucks-will-emerge-from-covid-19-stronger-than- before/?sh=216406191844 Wiener, L., Abraham, M., & Colgan, M. (2020) Three Personalization Imperatives During the Crisis. Retrieved from : www.bcg.com/en- br/publications/2020/three-personalization-imperatives-during-covid-crisis
. FORUMOFDIALOGUE SERIES
Women in Hospitality Managing Work and Family from Prof. Dr. Sowon Kim Associate Professor
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne Co-Chairlady HoteliersGuild LeadingHôtelières
HoteliersGuild
The conflict generated from managing work and family is real. For half a century, the primary focus of research on this topic was driven by this potential conflict. Still today, female leaders reveal what seems to be a trade-off between career and children. One of the most powerful women in the world - former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi - shared and advised when stepping down as CEO from PepsiCo last October:
I've been blessed with an amazing career, but if I'm being honest, there have been moments I wish I'd spent more time with my children and family. Make the most of your days and make space for the loved ones who matter most
Indra Nooyi Balancing demanding jobs and family: what research reveals In a quest of understanding further how women with demanding jobs and family responsibilities cope with their work and family life, I conducted a study interviewing female leaders primarily in the hospitality sector across Switzerland. As an increasing number of women join leadership positions without an intention to leave their family ambitions behind, I focused in particular on what factors enabled women to achieve their life goals. I found that women have a dual-centric identity as they place a high identity on both and work family roles, and not necessarily one over the other. Women perceived their work and family spheres as integrated (vs. segmented) even if the degree of permeability (cognitive, affective, and behavioral spillover of roles) and flexibility (roles are elastic and mutable) of work-family boundaries were context dependent. In general, women who ran their own hotel properties had greater permeable and flexible boundaries than women who were hired to manage a business unit or operation. Women excelled in proactively developing an ecosystem of support which included family (nuclear and immediate), company (supervisor, peer, and subordinate), and the institution (childcare systems) and engaging in boundary management behaviors. Read More HERE
HoteliersGuild is honoured and proud to count with Sowon Kim’s support as Cochairlady for HoteliersGuild’s LeadingHôtelières chapter. Dr. Sowon Kim, is an Associate Professor at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne and Co-founder of the EHLWomen in Leadership (WIL) Initiative launched in 2018. She teaches bachelors, masters, and executives in the fields of organizational capital and leadership and intercultural management. D r. K i m ’s research focuses on personality, networking, work-family, and leadership d i v e r s i t y. S h e has published in diverse outlets such as the Journal of Vocational B e h a v i o r, Human Resource Management J o u r n a l , Personality and Individual Differences, and Journal of Environmental Psychology. Dr. Kim holds a PhD from the University of Geneva, was a Visiting Scholar at IESE Business School and I N S E A D Fontainebleau (both funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation) and is a Visiting Professor at the University of Geneva. Prior to academia, Dr. Kim has gained substantial business experience in the consumer goods, high-tech, broadcasting, and jewellery industries. speaks four languages and lived in eight countries before settling in Martigny with her family.
MARIAPajares | MD
TANYAaROSE | FOUNDER
London
MASON ROSE
SALES • PR • DIGITAL • CONNECTIONS • ADVISORY
What are the prime lessons you have learnt from the pandemic experience?
Tanya:
For this issue of ForumOfDialogue, Frank M. Pfaller interviewed Maria and Tanya…
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I was recently in conversation with Mason Rose Founder, Tanya Rose, and Managing Director, Maria Pajares (Maria is also leading the communications for HoteliersGuild’s newest chapter, LeadingHôteliéres).
As a leading international Communications agency in the luxury hospitality sector, I was interested to hear their thoughts about the past year and, more interestingly, the path that lies ahead
Relationship is everything. Of course we already knew that and it comes as no surprise but it has been gratifying to experience the real meaning of strong and trusted relationships during this challenging time. We have enjoyed very open, ongoing conversations with our clients throughout the past year and navigated a path with each and every one so that we have been able to successfully support each other’s business and goals throughout. One of the first things we did (before zoom webinars became the norm) was to gather our hotel clients and other industry friends on a biweekly video call with key players in the industry to share insights and ideas – this was a private forum (for invited hoteliers only) and we know that this became a lifeline for many at a critical moment in time. As a whole team, each and every one of us at Mason Rose has been focused on communicating regularly with media, trade and a wide circle of industry contacts internationally – we are confident that these strengthened relationships will bear fruit in the future.
Maria: Our team have been extraordinary, demonstrating relentless energy, creativity and resilience – I have received countless positive messages from clients in support of our team throughout this challenging time. This hasn’t surprised me as I know that we are fortunate to have an exceptional team. In return we have done all we can as an agency to support our staff, for example offering flexibility for working parents who are home schooling, organising a network of regular one on one catch up calls to check on wellbeing, continuing with our appraisal system and I’m pleased to say we promoted 2 or 3 members of the team during this time.
Like many businesses, we have learnt valuable lessons which will help us build an even more resilient, flexible business model moving forward, although we have been very fortunate to have weathered the storm well.
What are some of the moments you are most proud of during the past year?
Tanya: We announced an exciting partnership with leading creative agency, Studio Black Tomato, in the summer which was the culmination of years of working together and admiring each other’s work. One of the positives
that has come of this situation is a renewed appetite for individuals and companies to find creative ways to come together and offer the market enhanced services. Together Mason Rose and Studio Black Tomato offer a treasure chest of marketing services from Sales and PR to digital, creative and advisory services. Additionally, we launched Mason Rose Access which brings together under one umbrella our contacts and connections that we have built up over the years, from HNWs to celebrities to brands, cultural institutions and so on and offers our clients direct access to this invaluable network.
Maria: Again, our team have been incredible – their positive attitude has been exempelary and they have provided great support for each other throughout, on a personal and professional level. They have also stretched their imagination and been so creative, finding PR angles and securing coverage at a very difficult time. Having a range of expertise and offering a variety of services has also helped us, particularly in terms of our international coverage. When travel wasn’t possible from the UK we were able, for example, to switch focus to European activities thanks to our presence in other markets. In fact, the growth of our international division is an area we have been very focused on during the past year and this has brough us new clients - it certainly felt like an achievement to bring in new business during such a difficult time.
What is the focus for 2021 onwards – how do you see things playing out?
Tanya:
The vaccine rollout, particularly here in the UK, gives us all a lot of hope. Now with the new administration in the US and the speeding up of the vaccine rollout there also, we are feeling more optimistic about US travel moving forward as well as UK – both markets are really key for the majority of our clients. In terms of trends, we are starting to hear from some of our hotels that bookings from the over 50s in particular are kicking in from May onwards. There is no doubt that the desire to travel is strong and a combination of vaccines/tests/health passports etc will enable travel to gradually pick up again. Our hotels are enabling easy access to tests for guests before returning back home, really acting like much more than a hotel to ensure that the whole journey and travel experience is as seamless and enjoyable as possible
Maria
Most of our planning in terms of marketing and activities is based on a big push from spring onwards. We have a number of exciting developments going on in terms of our business and are looking forward to fulfilling those plans in 2021 and beyond Like everyone, we are looking forward to seeing business and life gradually return and flourish again – and to TRAVEL!
LONDON 4-14 Tabernacle Street London, EC2A 4LU United Kingdom +44 (0) 207 426 9928
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A tribute to Lebanon – Opinion from Dagmar Symes Member of LeadingHôtelières
HoteliersGuild
Dagmar Symes was the first female GM to serve at Lebanon’s iconic Phoenicia Hotel. Despite leaving in 2018, she has remained a staunch supporter of the country’s hospitality scene. The Cedrus Libani, also known as the Cedar of God, is an emblem of pride for the Lebanese. This small Mediterranean country’s magnificent mountains transform into pearly white peaks in winter. Spending six years of my professional career in Lebanon’s luxury hospitality industry made me appreciate its fragile structure, intriguing personality, exorbitant joie de vivre and mesmerizing beauty and diversity, all of which have deeply engraved my soul. With a colorful history dating back to ancient times — the Phoenicians being among the most influential civilizations to have inhabited Lebanon — this land is imbued with rich culture and traditions. It was known in the 60s and 70s as the Paris of the Middle East. The name resonates in the city of Beirut not only for its cultural vibes as a hub of creativity, art and fashion but also for the remnants of its status as a French colony during the Second World War. More recently, Lebanon portrays a contradicting reflection compared to its heyday. The country’s political, social and financial crises since its independence are red threads in its history. A deeply rooted position in regional geopolitics together with a corrupt political system has completely hollowed out the country. Lebanon is currently going through its most turbulent period in modern history, a result of the October 17, 2020, revolution, political instability, economic collapse, Covid-19 and the massive explosion at Beirut Port. The horrific blast claimed hundreds of lives, injured and displaced thousands of people and destroyed major parts of the capital including Beirut’s most prestigious hotels and tourist landmarks. My message to Lebanon is this: You will fight for what you deserve, because you deserve so much more than you have been given. The once busy streets of bar hoppers and fashion addicts have been decimated. In absence of the competent government, citizens have been taking the lead to rebuild their city, their capital, their identity and their nation. This time the impact is different; it changed people’s mentality and stance towards the country’s future. While some might say that dusk has settled upon the land of the cedars, others believe the sun is just rising. Lebanon, don’t let anyone dim your light, steal your identity or take away from you what you believe in and stand for. You are a land of eternal hope, a land of laughter and perseverance where contradiction is the daily bread. Lebanon is more than a country — it is a symbol of hope. It is the people who make the country what it is, with their generosity, genuine hospitality and friendliness, stepping up in face of challenges and embracing life. Despite the recent discovery of oil and gas, tourism will always remain one of the country’s main lifelines. The hospitality and tourism sector is largely viewed as a beacon of strength and the biggest employer following the public sector. The once blooming restaurant scene is crumbling under the weight of the current crisis — increased costs of living, dollar shortage and lower purchasing power — yet there is this unremitting resolve to overcome this crisis. There are certain indicators of a solid belief that this small but proud country has certain international benefactors working behind the scenes. Luxury hotels and properties are currently in the process of being rebuilt. Despite Covid-19’s impact on humanity as a whole, the pandemic may have an unlikely positive effect on travel. The shift from conventional holidays to more eco-friendly and sustainable trips provides a stimulating outlook for Lebanon, a country that possesses a large number of authentic villages and countless traditional lodging options. Ultimately, solid political and economic reforms are the cornerstones to reviving our faith in Lebanon. Lebanon is a bubble of colorful dreams, a land of endless beauty and a place where inspiration can be found around every corner. Until we meet again…
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WHY HOTEL OWNERS SHOULD INVEST IN SUSTAINABLE ADD-ON ACCOMMODATIONS from Luca Franco CEO LuxruyFrontiers Supporting Member of HoteliersGuild
HoteliersGuild
It’s no secret that while the COVID-19 pandemic has hit “pause” on international travel, we can all agree that a bounce back in the luxury leisure segment is coming with a bang. And as we’ve said before, when it is safe to travel again, we believe that this pause will cause travelers to be more conscious of the effects of tourism and prioritize more sustainable, nature-based, authentic, and unique travel experiences. Herein lies a great opportunity for hotel owners to meet the demand and adapt to the changing times by looking for creative ways to implement more sustainable business practices. In the past, to capitalize on evolving consumer preferences many hoteliers would look to revamp their properties through traditional methods including general renovations, upgrades to amenities and programming, alongside changes to sales and marketing strategies. Though these efforts are commendable; for today’s purpose driven traveler these methods do not go far enough in addressing the growing desire to adapt sustainable business practices in a meaningful way. So, what are existing properties to do? Luckily for existing properties, there is a viable solution to address rising sustainability concerns and create a meaningful story to reengage guests and attract media attention. Hotels and resorts sitting on excess land have the opportunity to transform idle properties by adding revenue-generating accommodations while embracing the growing (and here to stay) sustainable travel movement. Add-on or satellite projects leverage theexisting infrastructure from the operating hotel or resort, but can take on an entirely different form. Over the past 10 years, Luxury Frontiers has worked with clients that have seen an enormous amount of success from this method. An example of this is Camp Sarika by Amangiri, which opened in 2020 as a satellite experiential offering to the world-famous Amangiri desert resort in Southern Utah in the United States. Officially opening its doors in April of 2020, the height of the pandemic worldwide lockdown, all 10-luxury tented suites were sold out for the entire summer, not to mention the warm welcome to the stage from prominent publications. While not taking away from the experience of Amangiri, Camp Sarika adds another element to the story by offering a completely immersive adventure experience, keeping travelers and media from all over the world with their eyes fixed on the iconic property, and previous guests eager to return. Another clear example of a resort embracing the nature-focused travel movement is Nayara Tented Camp, part of the Nayara Resort cluster nestled in the Arenal National Park in Costa Rica. Designed by Luxury Frontiers, N a y a r a Te n t e d C a m p w a s developed to provide a natureforward luxury experience and the first ever resort to take the concept of the African safari tent to the Costa Rican rainforest. Opening in November of 2019, the camp has received a similar media reception as Camp Sarika by Amangiri and re-engaged previous Nayara guests, offering avenues to expand the boutique brand.
Hotels and resorts sitting on excess land have the opportunity to transform idle properties by adding revenuegenerating accommodations while embracing the growing (and here to stay) sustainable travel movement.
Luxury Frontiers strives to deliver well-to-do travelers continue to and resorts with the opportunity to excess land into revenuethat embrace the growing ecoconnecting the guests to the local luxury tents, tree-top structures, alternative building methodologies to luxury eco-resorts, Luxury eco-sensitive, prioritizing local materials and resources, benefiting the community and, offering enticing them to return soon.
alternative experiences today’s seek. How? By providing hotels transform idle properties and generating accommodations friendly travel movement while culture and environment. From Frontiers’ hospitality creations are travelers unforgettable memories
Some of benefits of sustainable add-on accommodations include: • Quick payback (usually under 3 years) • Endless storytelling opportunities • Monetizing idle, excess land while increasing its value • Product / amenity diversification, market diversification • Low per key development cost compared to traditional room construction • Incremental revenue resulting from additional inventory • Shorter development timeline (usually under 12 months) • Incremental operating profit and rate premiums • Leveraging existing infrastructure and branding • Heighten brand reputation through social responsibility and environmentally sustainable practices Integrating sustainable practices to create unique and authentic travel experiences is no longer a trend but fast evolving into the mainstream of luxury travel. Alternative add-on accommodations are the perfect way for land and hotel owners to make a strategic entrance into the sustainable travel marketplace and see a quick return on investment. Join the movement!
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FOOD WASTE SERIES - Food hacks and tips from Giulia Manelli Hospitality Sustainability Consultant and Trainer Fifty Shades Greener
HoteliersGuild
This second blog of the food waste series is dedicated to practical tips on how to reduce food waste either at home or in a professional kitchen because that’s where we can all make a big difference in the amount of food that we throw away every day. The first step to take if we want to reduce the amount of waste we produce is to shop wisely: • atart creating a weekly menu, • xheck your cupboards, fridges and freezers before shopping to have a clear idea of what you have and what you need to buy, • write a shopping list and stick to it, it will help you both spending less and managing food waste. These three rules are already followed in most restaurants or hotel kitchens in order to reduce food costs, applying them to our homes will give tangible results in terms of money saving and waste reduction. I don’t know how most people feel about having to come up with ideas for lunch and dinner every day but I have had enough! It’s a good idea after a year of home-meals-only to dedicate as little time as possible to thinking about what to eat: you can sit down once a week, decide what to have each day and shop accordingly and that’s JOB DONE! Next step is to store what we buy correctly: • The temperature of our fridges shouldn’t be higher than 5 ̊C, investing a few pounds in a fridge thermometer is a good idea. Also remember that the colder shelf is the bottom one and the warmer parts are the door compartments. • Store vegetables in the drawers, to prolong greens life you can wrap them in a damp cloth. • Raw meat, poultry and fish should be stored in containers with lids in the bottom shelf to prevent contamination. • Ready to eat food and dairy can be stored on the top shelves. • Use the shelves on the door for products with a long shelf life. • Follow the golden rule of any restaurant: FIFO First In, First Out, that means that you should store at the front or at the top older food product so that you remember to use them first. • Remember that bananas, apples and tomatoes produce ethylene as they ripen which speeds up the ripening process of any fruit or vegetable nearby so avoid accidentally accelerating the ripening of fresh produce you want to keep for longer by storing them separately. • Freeze any ripe fruit that you won’t be able to eat, chop it up and save it for smoothies. • Freezing bread in slices is also a good way of reducing waste as is freezing any leftovers, they will make great “emergency meals”. • Keep your dry store cupboards tidy and always store products in the same place so that it’s easier to know what you have and what you need to buy. Having worked as a chef for a long time I am used to labelling food, it is great practice to do the same at home, especially when you store food in containers in the freezer; in my opinion it’s best to consume frozen goods within two months of being frozen. This brings me to another cause of food waste: Best Before and Use By labels. It’s important to be able to read labels correctly, so let’s clarify the difference between the ‘best before’ date and the ‘use by’ date: • ‘Use by’ means that the food may be unsafe to eat after this date so that’s the throw-away date although some foods will still be edible for a couple of days after the use by date. • ‘Best before’ indicates that the taste or texture may not be the same after the date, but it’s still edible, it is the manufacturer’s guarantee that the quality of the product, such as colour, smell and taste, will be retained up until this date if stored correctly. After the ‘best before’ date has expired, you don’t have to throw the product away. Instead, trust your own senses and check whether the food is still good enough to eat. Current legislation doesn’t cover how these dates should be calculated; manufacturers are, for obvious reasons, risk-averse about date setting, they calculate the life of their products for scenarios in which the product is correctly handled but also for worst-case scenarios in which they assume that everything that could go wrong does go wrong, the result is that sometimes products will still be good for consumption 14 days after the expiry date on the packet. This doesn’t mean that we should be less cautious about expiry dates, but there is a case for using our judgment before throwing away food, we can use our eyes and our sense of smell and taste to evaluate if a certain food is still safe to eat. On this matter Too Good To Go has launched a campaign called Look – Smell – Taste – Don’t Waste, you can read more about it at the following link: https://toogoodtogo.co.uk/en-gb/campaign/commitment. It is estimated that up to 10% of the 88 million tonnes of food waste generated annually in the EU are linked to date marking, so understanding them is vital and helps us make smart food purchases as well as wasting less. In the UK an average family throws away up to £700 per year of perfectly edible food, another issue to address when trying to waste less is cooking the right amount of food depending on how many people you have to feed. Restaurants should standardise their portions and could offer small and regular portion sizes to accommodate different type of guests. Feel free to get in touch if you want to get help with portion planning and other tips on how to reduce food waste either at home or at your business. The last suggestion for today’s blog is to make yours the principles of the “Nose to Tail” and “Root to Fruit” movements, try to use as much as you can of anything you buy and try to buy whole foods, the less a product has been handled the better. For example, buy a whole chicken instead of legs and breasts, you can butcher it at home and make 3 - 4 meals for two people with one chicken (and a tasty treat for your pets, if you have any), you can freeze the parts you are not going to use immediately and make stock out of the carcass or you can make pesto out of carrot tops and roast cauliflower leaves to gain an extra side to your main course to name but a few ideas. I will be sharing a few recipes in the next few days on our social media pages so check them out if you need some inspiration!
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Wellness is key to recovery leaving every guest with an enhanced impression from Celine Vadam Members of LeadingHôtelières Founder CEO WE(I)Think
HoteliersGuild
Healing. That’s a word we’re hearing everywhere at the moment. Healing from the traumas brought on by the pandemic, the insecurities and fears, the lack of contact and human interactions, the losses of freedom, finance, work, and people. Healing our self-esteem, our health, our mind and our body. Healing is the word for 2021, in every social category and every part of the world. Through its unique place in people’s lives, providing to both guests, employees and locals, the hospitality industry has an important role to play in this healing journey, and wellness is the key to unlock it. The Cambridge Dictionary defines hospitality as “the act of being friendly and welcoming to guests and visitors”, while the Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health”. As hoteliers, we have the opportunity and responsibility to take care of the people we interreact with. And with all the knowledge now gathered, easily accessible and implementable around wellness, we have the tools to not only “be friendly and welcoming” to our guests and visitors, but go the extra mile to be kind, caring and empowering, leaving every guest with an enhanced impression. Offering a good night sleep to leave the guest refreshed and ready for their day? That should be a given and the top goal of every hotelier. With a range of additional services offered, from food to spa, fitness and various experiences, every department of the hotel has the opportunity to make the guest feel better, nurtured and energised, leaving them with a sense that they benefitted from their stay in that property. A happy guest is a returning guest, the best ambassador your hotel could dream of. Which is why it is important to provide a curated, authentic and genuine hospitality wellness experience, infused throughout the property. Wellness is not having a gym or a spa, and salad on the menu. It is about the story you want to tell. How you give your employees and guests the knowledge and create the conditions for them to live a healthier, happier life. How you allow guests to continue the wellness journey that they may have created at home. We haven’t spoken about sustainability yet, but it goes hand in hand with wellness. Holistic health is tied to taking care of the planet, the buildings, the environment and ensure clear air, clean water, non-toxic materials and products that our body might be in contact with externally and internally. Where to start? By trusting your spa director, who should be the most educated person on property about wellness, and who can help lead the discussion towards change. Putting wellness back at the centre of your property’s ethos and placing the spa director on the discussion table to create synergies between the different departments. Wellness can be infused in every part of the hotel and is a beautiful way to translate the hotel’s story, its values and create a personal interaction with every guest. For that to happen, spa directors need to be more recognised, taken seriously and given the managerial tools they need to manage the spa facilities as they should. There needs to be a shift away from the negative legend that says spas can’t be profitable and instead seen as a lucrative department. Try allocating a daily fee taken from the rooms department and redistributed to spa revenues, for each guest using the spa or gym. How is your spa profit margin looking now? Better, right? And what about guests choosing a property because of their spa facilities? Too often, the focus is on the room and m², but is it really how guests select their property? Solely because one room as more m² than its competitor? Most unlikely. On a side note, hotel schools have a role to play in helping boost spa directors to be more recognised, by offering dedicated managerial level degrees. Often, spa directors are therapists promoted to this function, learning-by-doing and climbing the ladder. Nevertheless, various tools and how to make important decisions that will help the spa concept and impact its attractiveness and operation effectiveness are needed. Doing market research, creating bespoke menus, choosing and negotiating product ranges, and dealing with therapists are all important business decisions that require specific skills. Now that you are working with your spa director, empower your therapists! Spa treatments, like fitness and mindfulness training, are increasing in popularity and celebrity trainers are now all over Instagram, helping you stay fit during lockdown. People are more educated about wellness, health, nutrition and fitness. You need to promote your therapists and trainers the same way you would promote your chef. Through my work, I was able to try different types of massages and treatments (tough life, I know!), which made me realise the craftmanship and creativity behind massages and spa treatments. The technique, the ceremony, the products used are all elements that play with your five senses and are curated by the therapist. It’s also a unique moment that the property has for a one-to-one interaction with the guest and a unique opportunity to make them feel good, relax, unwind. F&B also has a big impact on making people feel better. Healthy food has now passed the stage of being associated to diets and restrictions, and people now understand its relationship with a longer, healthier and happier life. Who said that healthy and tasty don’t get along? Yummy, trendy and bespoke healthy food is now more easily available, which can be adapted to each region, availability of resources and produce. What you put in your body has the power to make you feel energized and happy, or bloated and tired. Healthy food is about working with nutritious ingredients that will complement each other and quantities that will create a balanced, nutritious dish. Too often, healthy food is seen as adding a few greens or a salad on the menu. However, learning how to cook healthy food, and even more vegetarian or vegan for that matter, is like learning a new type of cuisine. You wouldn’t expect a Japanese chef to know how to cook French food without training, right? It’s the same with healthy food (and in there you can also put vegan and vegetarian). The techniques have similarities but the ingredients and how to use and combine them is different. Don’t underestimate the need for training and guidance to create authentic, healthy meals. Guests are also more educated today on these matters and training should not be reserved for the kitchen but also to the floor, for those who are in direct contact with the customers and need to be able to answer their questions on the choice of ingredients, their provenance and their nutritional benefits. Now what if implementing wellness in your property was also benefiting your employees? A collateral positive impact of more wellness in your hotel is on the staff. By educating your staff to healthier practices, they are more likely to implement them in their personal life and benefit from it. Win-win! Maya Angelou said: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Make your guests and employees feel amazing when they are on your property, and they will never forget you. Cheers to a new year and healthier guests, staff and hospitality industry.
FORUMOFDIALOGUE SERIES Presents: Impact Design
30 min. With Sue Harmsworth from Yasmine Mahmoudieh Members of LeadingHôtelières
HoteliersGuild
VIEW HERE
HELERI
VIEW HERE
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No true luxury without sustainability! from Sonu Shivdasani CEO & Founder
SONEVA
HoteliersGuild
OK! As to the background, my whole life is quite diverse. I was born and brought up in England. When I was six, my father took me to Nigeria. He was very successful in trading. 50 years ago, the Ministry of Trade decided to import substitution industry. That´s why my father spent a year in Nigeria building up a tomato factory. I spent six months there and was educated by a teacher in the local village. I went to the village by donkey. So that was a little bit of my young life. Finally I ended up in the Maldives where we built Soneva Fushi. At Soneva we are the owner of our hotels. Luxury, even in hospitality, has become quite institutional. So the idea of Soneva is being both, the owner and operator. We created our own luxury. When you are the owner and the operator together, you can follow a clear philosophy that’s not diluted like sometimes you have third parties owning properties. Twenty years ago luxury and sustainability did not go together. We started many years ago and I have always stated that there is no true luxury without sustainability. I think there are still a few people who believe that if it is sustainable, it can’t be luxurious especially in some of the newer markets. But once people visit our resorts, we completely convince them that’s not the case. The context of the rich has changed because the world nowadays has changed. There is a greater urbanization. In an urban context, luxury is what is new and modern. We offer our guests natural luxury, taking them back to the natural beauty of the world. A great air-conditioned restaurant with famous interior designers may be luxurious, but it is nothing unusual anymore. True luxury touches people´s hearts and that is exactly what we do here in this remote area. I think we’re the most sustainable because that we live in. Our guests can see the in the Indian Ocean or having the salad We opened officially in ninety five when I studying at the University of Oxford at Maldives were dominated by German resort, one tour operator, the standards imported, including the peas and the water for showers and toilets. They didn’t at first sight. So they were taking material Unfortunately there wasn’t any respect for that because if you come from the passionate about the ocean, you might
“We offer our guests natural luxury, taking them back to the natural beauty of the world.”
we take advantage of the nature stars through the largest telescope fresh from the garden. first came to the Maldives. I was the time. In those days the and Italian guests. It was one were very simple. Everything was vegetables. They were using salt have any capital, you could see this from the reef to build the houses. the environment. I can understand Maldives and you’re not not respect what you see.
We arrived at the Maldives and felt that this is a pity. It is a beautiful destination with an amazing geography. We decided to do something different that is more sensitive because we came from a different context. We started in ninety five with one hotel. People then asked us to manage theirs. We did not come from a traditional hotel background, we focus on the leisure traveler and the fact that people were looking for unique experiences. And today that is our common place. We have consistent values. I was twenty-six in the early days when we started this company. I was quite young and had limited experience of managing people. And that’s exactly what was a challenge in the first days. People thought we were mad, they thought the environmental thing was mad. But nevertheless quite a lot of people, including general managers, joined us because we had the luxury of creating something different. We were excellent because it was different at that time. And our way of thinking was different, too. We started to attract like-minded people. Our chief commercial officer for example is vegan and has very strong environmental beliefs. It has to come right from the heart. You should have a purpose that your hosts believe in you and start to accept your way of life. The world is changing now because of the Corona Virus. But every crisis has a learning. I love the Chinese word for crisis: One side is danger, which obviously one has to protect against and the other side means change in opportunity. And we have looked on to this crisis like other crises in that way. I think us as a team, we are much closer together because we have gone through this. We have survived in many ways better than others. So we have commanded a lot of respect amongst those here whose family members work in other resorts where they are now redundant. We reject opportunities that we might have said yes to in the past. So when we sold Six Senses, we did not give up, we delegated to focus on other aspects such as the experience of eating and drinking. Now we are returning to wellness: Soneva will have the world’s largest one and two bedroom water treatments. We have the space and privacy, and that is why we are going to add this. And we will add a second wellness center. All our resorts are focused on wellness, wellbeing and sustainable luxury.
Celebrating 25 Years of Soneva
To all those who convinced us to say goodbye to shoes. To everyone who discovered our 60 flavours in the ice cream room. To everyone who took the slide, not the steps. To all the free-divers, sushi chefs and middle-of-the-ocean hammock loungers. To everyone who shared our vision for sustainable luxury. To the barefoot booksellers, the chocolatiers and the sandcastle superheroes. To all our friends who share our vision, to all the many hands that built it. To all those who know we have barely begun. Thank You ! #Soneva25
HoteliersForGood
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Sneak-A-Peek | CaribbeanNews from Bill Bensley Ambassador of HoteliersGuild
HoteliersGuild
I love the message that Frank has chosen to share in Forum Of Dialogue - the idea of being United by Patience. For the next LookBook he kindly asked me to share one of our most recent projects, a work in progress coming out of Antigua, which in itself has been an exercise in patience. Once a designer who would hop on a plane at the drop of the hat, I must say I regretted not getting to discover such a gorgeous site, nor get a feel for the story we want to tell about Antigua through experiencing it. The process of unravelling a places history from afar has been a lesson in itself. Instead we have doubled down here in Bangkok and patiently unearthed every piece of information, every tidbit and clue, from books, art, articles and stories, videos and even old black and white movies of the island. Understanding a place with an intricate and at times very difficult history tested us, but we dived into it and translated it into what I think is possibly our very best design EVER. The cherry on top for me was watching our clients go giddy - virtually - as they recognised names and faces and little known stories from their homeland, honoured by a little studio on the other side of the world in Bangkok. Now we continue to be united in patience as we watch this and other projects come to life, such as the Capella Hanoi which is opening soon (27 Jan). It will be the first hotel of mine I haven't been able to put the finishing touch on by hand. But as we wait for vaccinations to take effect, I cross my fingers that 2021 is the year I'll be able to see it with my own eyes, and watch guests walk in and delight in the experiences designers like me and hoteliers like you bring to life.
⦁ Name of Property: Jolly Beach Resort Antigua (Final Name TBC) ⦁ Location: Jolly Beach Antigua ⦁ Number of Keys: 66 ⦁ Proposed Opening: 2022/2023 ⦁ Design Story: Out of the sands of Jolly Beach in Antigua will soon emerge a five-star luxury resort, wellness centre and members club, predicted to be the best in the Caribbean. The development, backed by the Ayre Group, will be designed by mastermind hotel designer Bill Bensley, a Bangkok based architect, interior designer and landscape architect who is behind some of the best hotels in the world, and has designed over 200 hotels in over 30 countries. Bensley is known for remarkably unique and whimsical designs, which integrate sustainability and local culture in every aspect. Among them are the Four Seasons Tented Camp Chiang Rai in Thailand, the JW Marriott Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Bali's the Capella Ubud (recently awarded best hotel in the world), Oberoi Amarvilas and Udaivilas in India, the Ritz Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico, and his own Bensley Collection Shinta Mani Wild in Cambodia, as Bensley is both a hospitality designer and owner/operator, bringing a huge wealth of experience to the table. This will be my first resort in Antigua, and I’m keen to understand the idiosyncrasies of the island's culture and Jolly Beach, an environmentally sensitive piece of beachfront and mangrove. The resort's core purpose is to be a hotel which celebrates the people of Antigua, and teaches all visitors something new about the island’s rich history and heritage - from the prehistoric era all the way to the present day. It will be built by the artisans and craftspeople of Antigua, using their knowledge and melding it with the ‘Bensley's Experience’ of the best sustainable methods & designs, which we recently published in a white paper. The resort will comprise 36 standalone villa "estates" with perfectly private gardens, pools, outdoor pavilions and verandas; 20 master suites, also with their own private gardens, pools etc. Of these, no two will be alike, with each one telling the story of a character who played a part in Antigua's history. The resort will also have 5 private residences, "The Fortress Estates", set at the highest point of the resort with sprawling views, available for sale to private owners, whilst managed by the hotel operator. Each of these will contain 3-5 bedrooms, living and dining, ballroom sized entertaining space with secret garden, private cinema, smoking room, rum room, gym and spa as well as the possibility of an additional villa connected via tunnel. The hotel will also have the Bodog Beach Society with a pool, changing rooms, beach water sports centre, kids club and gymnasium. Alongside this will be the Wellness center, based on an ancient Taino village, which will offer the best integrative health treatments in complete discretion and privacy. All of these facilities will be accessible to guests both inhouse and out through the Ocean Club membership. Read more in HoteliersGuild’s Spring/Summer LookBook - coming soon!
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Maribel Esparcia Pérez Professor at University of Lleida Introducing European Sustainable Hospitality Club
HoteliersGuild
ROOTS January 2021
Maribel Esparcia Pérez
TRAVEL
SERVICE & SIGNIFICANCE The perception and expectations of the relationship between business and society are changing. The levels of trust in brands are decreasing, and consumer behavior is evolving at a fast speed. Now, more than ever, hospitality industry leaders have an opportunity to build back better and focus on service and significance. ¿What does service significance mean?
and
Today's managers are under so much pressure. Shareholders are looking into agility, bright strategies, and resilience. Furthermore, governments and communities are increasingly expecting businesses to support social issues and tackle global sustainability challenges. Service is at the core of the tourism industry business model. Despite a very complex industry system, it could have a greater positive impact if leadership teams and mid-management are involved with global grand challenges so they can contribute to tackling them. That means using business as a force for good, purpose-driven, and focus on significance. As the tourism activity reactivates, more jobs will be automated by technology. Thus, some operational roles will keep evolving, and other change or even disappear as we know them today. This is especially important for the academic world. Universities should include practical knowledge about soft skills, sustainability, and technology in tourism studies.
As the hospitality industry blossoms from the current situation, it will be more evident that tourism and hospitality education programs must include technology and sustainability teaching, or content will be irrelevant, and students will not be prepared for market needs. From the operations side, learning and development departments have to foster educational programs that include leadership, sustainability, and technology education for entrylevel employees, mid-management, and leadership roles. As company owners, service and significance is a new paradigm where rethinking business models and making purpose a priority is a must to use hospitality businesses as a force for good. The industry has an opportunity to redefine strategies and develop regenerative practices that support the local community, suppliers, biodiversity conservation, employees' wellbeing, shareholders, and all the business stakeholders. The causes supported and a valuedriven approach to management must be at the business core. Only by serving purpose companies will be profitable in the long term. The purpose is the answer to How is the world a better place by your company being here? - Alex Edmans The power of purpose is obvious as the world battles the threat that the COVID-19 pandemic presents to societies today. Hospitality industry leaders have an opportunity, and moral responsibility, to commit to tackling global grand challenges (SDG's).
FOR HOTELIERS GUILD
Legacy.
Your brand legacy is every life you touch.
HOSPITALITY SUSTAINABILITY + INNOVATION Now more than ever, we are writing our industry's future Our purpose is to advocate to preserve natural resources, ensure human rights and people development are a priority in the travel industry. We are guided by European regulation and key international frameworks such as PRI, GRI, UN SDG's Agenda for 2030 to provide ESHC members 24/7 access to sop's and procedures, operational and strategy documents, a marketplace of sustainable suppliers (products and services), handbooks, procurement protocols, and an online academy with modules for employees and leadership teams. The platform improves the hotel digitisation process, cooperation with stakeholders, and internal communication. Do you need to cut your consultancy budget? With the ESHC platform, you can connect with industry peers and share best practices while accessing scientific research and strategy papers.
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#4 Wellness dining – from indulgence to purpose from Hotel Designs & Ari Peralta Arigami
HoteliersGuild
For article four in the Hotel Designs LAB series, Hotel Designs and Arigami explore wellbeing through the lens of F&B. Helping us reimagine the wellness dining experience are gastrophysicist and award-winning neuroscientist Prof. Charles Spence (Oxford University), nutrition coach Carola Becker and multi-sensory chef Jozef Youssef (Kitchen Theory). Ari Peralta writes…
Our series, which has already explored topics such as sound, hygiene and biophilic design, empowers hoteliers, designers, architects and suppliers with informed ideas and innovations that promote validated wellbeing. Following the impact of the global pandemic, the wellness market will continue to exponentially rise, and evolve. Wellbeing, and specifically wellness dining, has become a pivotal aspect of our everyday lives – and is here to stay. Guests are actively pursuing products, places and experiences that encourage wellbeing and healthy outcomes. Wellness dining is quickly becoming a strong part of that ethos, with more hotel brands pivoting towards a greener and more nutritional approach to their F&B operations. Wellness is a state of optimal health that is based on maximising human potential. Our bodies and mind, much like our environment, depend on energy. That got us thinking: How can we help transform the industry’s approach to food, by focusing more on intended outcomes? How can we create nutrient-rich offerings that are also tasty and delicious? How can we inspire design to create multi-sensory eating spaces that encourage wellbeing? Read More HERE
Hotel Designs LAB, powered by Arigami, is a series of thought-leadership articles that are designed to empower interior designers, architects, hoteliers, developers, technologists and hospitality brands. Each article that is meaningfully published in this area is driven by science and innovation insights, with reference to industry experts throughout in order to help transform the design industry’s approach to space and wellbeing.
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Preventing Pandemics: the role of architecture. from Alberto Apostoli Owner
Studio Apostoli
HoteliersGuild
As a hotel and spa designer, in recent months I have been asked several times how these accommodations will be conceived to meet the new needs dictated by the pandemic. I generally reply that I don't have a magic wand. We can think of many small solutions but, considering that hotels and spas are places where people meet and that the proximity of people is the best propellant for viruses, I would say we don't have many tools. The only solution to fight the virus is to prevent it. In fact, we must take care of the earth and ourselves to make both stronger and ready to receive future and, unfortunately, likely pandemics. The hardest part is undoubtedly up to scientists and doctors, but we designers too, in our own small way, can contribute, building edifices that respect the environment and, above all, that educate people to do the same, so that the "sustainable experience" lived during the holiday, is replicated by the hotel guests once they return to their homes. Ecological construction materials and renewable energy sources are well-established themes and are mainly aimed at the "external" environment. This is certainly very important, but great effort must also be made in the design of the interiors, working in compliance with what are defined as “geometries of nature”. The architecture of the stimulate more significant nature, through the choice of glass surfaces for the influx of insertion of vegetation and the The growing trend to spaces goes in this sense: boundary between inside and The well-being of the people before the pandemic, primary importance. As we factors related to well-being: sleep.
“Ecological construction materials and renewable energy sources are well-established themes and are mainly aimed at the "external" environment. This is certainly very important, but great effort must also be made in the design of the interiors, working in compliance with what are defined as “geometries of nature”.”
interiors should in fact interactions between man and more sinuous shapes, large sunlight, natural finishes, propagation of natural sounds. integrate internal and external there is no longer a rigid outside, but fluid spaces. was a growing theme even becoming now of absolute know, there are four main diet, movement, stress and
For what my experience is, even from a personal point of view, the latter is perhaps the most important and the one on which I focus most when designing. To ensure well-sleep, in addition of course to the use of mattresses and sheets in natural materials (a choice that I take for granted in a certain type of structure) and soundproofing materials, we can work on adjustable lighting.The goal is to simulate circadian rhythms. Nowadays there are lighting systems that feature a colored temperature monitor that changes from subtle red lighting at night to brighter simulators at dawn that wake guests in a more natural (Very important for jet lag guests); this is of help to not to suppress melatonin levels. It is in fact now known that a correct circadian rhythm favors the immune system. To encourage this, some accommodation facilities mark the times of the day and indicate when it's time to relax and go to sleep. In general, I believe that we designers must put aside the ambition to create amazing buildings, in favor of structures that merge with nature and almost disappear in it.
STUDIOAPOSTOLI
It is my view. I believe in growth and synergy between Hospitality and Wellness. A growth that is the fruit of market demands, but also of technical innovations, new lifestyles and creative opportunities. The result is an architecture capable of generating value, accentuating regional characteristics and improving the way we live and relate to ourselves and others. These are places destined to become ever-more part of our future, able to develop economic opportunities but, at the same time, to play a primary role: improving quality of life. Alberto Apostoli – Founder and CEO.
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Industry Interview with Yvette Thomas-Henry LeadingHôtelières Member Regional Vice President & General Manager Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | Saint Kitts and Nevis
HoteliersGuild
As a female-owned company with an all-female team, The Local Foreigner has a penchant for seeking out the stories of the powerhouse women who make this industry great. So when we learned that the new management team at the Four Seasons Nevis is now run by two women — General Manager Yvette Thomas Henry and Resort Manager Ruby Garcia — we knew we needed to learn more. We recently sat down with Yvette to talk about her accidental path to the travel industry, her love for New York, and her new life on a tiny Caribbean island. Tell us your story – your home, your background, your passions, and how you got into the hospitality industry. I was born in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and raised in St. Croix. After high school, I moved to a small college, Wooster College in Ohio, before eventually making my way to New York City where I studied Speech Language Pathology at Pace University. My initial interest in hospitality stemmed from my needing a job to help with expenses while completing my degree. My desire to work in an environment that was fun, flexible and filled with interesting people led me to hotels. I was fortunate enough to walk by the The Plaza Hotel while they were in the midst of hosting a job fair. With glamorous thoughts of meeting famous celebrities flooding my mind, I popped in and was hired as a front office agent. From there, the rest is history… I worked my way up to an assistant manager position there, after which my career in the hotel industry took off. Prior to joining the Four Seasons family more than 12 years ago, I held leadership positions at the property level with brands such as The Waldorf Astoria, Conrad Hotels and The Ritz-Carlton. You have a special connection to New York — our home town! What do you love most about the city? Yes! I spent many great years in New York, studying for my undergraduate and graduate degrees, starting my first hospitality job at The Plaza, and finally as the Director of Rooms for the Four Seasons New York. I love the diversity of the city. From Harlem to Chinatown to Little Italy— there is just something so special and enriching about being in a city that has a place for so many cultures. I also fell madly in love with Broadway. After working for Four Seasons in New York, Washington DC, and Atlanta, what was it like switching gears to a Caribbean resort? While still the General Manager in Atlanta, I became a Regional Vice President and for just over a year I oversaw two of our Caribbean resorts, the Four Seasons Resort Nevis and the Ocean Club in the Bahamas. That experience provided me the insight into what being back in the Caribbean would be like after departing over 30+ years ago. By that time, I was ready. I now had the maturity to appreciate the richness of the Caribbean life, the beauty of the culture and the people as well as enjoy a slower pace that would give me and my husband more quality time together. I love being surrounded by the beauty of the island, finding time to exercise daily, making friends with the locals, returning to and embracing the culture. I’m excited by the prospect of seeing how I can bring value to the property, especially being the company’s only regional RVP of Caribbean descent. Now, having come back to the region after many years working and living in the United States, I can personally identify with the resort’s positioning as a modern embodiment of the spirit and soul of the Caribbean. While never expecting to have to deal with a global pandemic, closed borders, or restrictions on travel, I am grateful that this happened while on an island paradise surrounded by beauty, open spaces filled with nature, and the Caribbean Sea steps away from my office. You’re a US Virgin Islands native. Was moving to Nevis somewhat of a homecoming for you? What do you love most about the island? Yes, definitely. My mother was born and raised on Nevis’ sister island of St. Kitts, where her mother was born and raised and where I started primary school, so moving to Nevis is certainly a kind of homecoming. In the six months I have been living here, what I’ve come to love most about the island is the natural beauty, the many beautiful flowers across the resort and the island, listening to birds chirping in the morning and seeing the stars light up the sky at night. There are some really special treasures that await the lucky traveler. I also adore the island fruits; I recall so many of them from my childhood and feel incredibly blessed that I now have access to them when they are in season. Most of all, however, the people are the secret sauce that makes this island special. They are kind, warm, generous and filled with pride. I really enjoy getting to know them and my husband and I have been blessed to be warmly welcomed by many of them. The Four Seasons Resort Nevis recently underwent a top-to-bottom renovation. What are some of your favorite aspects of the newly remodelled resort? When I officially came on board as RVP and General Manager of Four Seasons Nevis at the beginning of January, it was right on the heels of the completion and launch of the final phase of the resort’s enhancement, which over the past two years saw
a multi-phase unveiling of re-envisioned guest rooms and suites; the opening of delicious new dining outlets; a beautiful new space for the Kids for All Seasons kids club; a stunning new pier to welcome guests upon arrival; and a new signature infinity edge pool at the heart of the resort. I am excited and honored to have the opportunity to lead such an incredible team at such a great moment in its history. Fill in the blank: Travelers probably don’t know that they can ____________ at the Four Seasons Nevis. …also enjoy access to more than 50 luxury rental homes as part of our Private Retreats program, offering the ultimate Caribbean escape. Located in our exclusive enclave, these homes provide space and privacy to connect with family or friends as well as complete access to the resort facilities. Whether you’re seeking a home away from home or a quiet place to work from home, our dedicated team ensures every moment of your stay on our island sanctuary is tailored to your individual needs. If you could craft the perfect day in Nevis, what would it look like? Offering a captivating combination of adventure, discovery, serenity, and recreation, there is truly so much to do at Four Seasons Resort Nevis that it’s hard to craft just one perfect day. But if I had to narrow it down, I would try my best to incorporate a bit of all of the different sides of Nevis: In the morning, I would recommend getting an early start to the day with breakfast in the comfort of your guest room, suite, or villa. If in a villa, you can enjoy the privacy of your world being interrupted by a visit from chirping birds (there are approximately 156 different species on the island). If you are in a guest room, I encourage you to meditate to the sound of the waves as they wash upon the sand. Next you would head out on an island tour with any of our talented taxi tour guides. At just 36-square miles, the island can be circled in just about an hour, but it is jam packed with history and culture, such as sugar mill ruins from the island’s once bustling sugar trade; U.S. Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton's childhood home; the Caribbean’s oldest Anglican Church; and much, much more. Upon your return to the resort, I would recommend an al fresco lunch with your toes in the sand at our Kastawey Beach Bar, which serves up traditional Nevisian fare like jerk BBQ chicken, spicy rotis, and the freshest fish you can find. From there, enjoy an afternoon of relaxation under the sun at our new signature Limin’ Pool. After time in the pool, I would take the walking paths along the golf course to see a few of our communities in our Private Retreats rental program, while keeping an eye out for the monkeys that are often out and about the resort. Be prepared for some spectacular views of our sister island of St. Kitts. In the evening, head to our Resort Pier to catch the spectacular Nevisian sunset and unwind with a glass of wine or a cold beer and fresh shucked oysters. Then, for dinner, head over to our new On the Dune restaurant, which serves a delicious Caribbean-American menu with a relaxed yacht club style atmosphere. Finally, after dinner, walk just a few steps over to the On the Dune bar for one final moonlit nightcap, while enjoying live, late night entertainment right on the beach. If time permits, head back to the pier after dark to view the aquatic life all around the pier while gazing at the star filled sky. You were the first African-American female GM of the Four Seasons Atlanta and Four Seasons Nevis and the first African-American female Regional Vice President for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. What advice would you give to women who want to follow in your footsteps? My advice would be to make sure that you are changing the game. Take some risks, take some chances. Do things differently. Allow for the opportunity that someone else's idea is better than yours and give them the freedom and the opportunity to run with it and then give them the space to be supported and applauded for it. There is nothing like creating a space where employees feel empowered, where they feel supported, where they feel they have all the tools and all the support or resources around them to be their best, most creative selves. Leave a mark, a body of work that creates a legacy that raises the bar. Use your voice and your position to engage, motivate and inspire others. Above all, be prepared to do the hard work, to make the tough calls, to lead with your heart and your head. Be a leader that others are inspired to follow. Being a General Manager is an all-consuming job. What do you like to do when you’re off the clock? We hear you’re quite the roller blader! You’re absolutely right about rollerblading… After honing my skills in Central Park, it’s been my preferred method for navigating short distances and getting in a little exercise. Now I look forward to ending my day with long walks around the challenging walking paths along the golf course with my husband, swimming in our pool, discovering the unique treasures on the island, making friends in the community, walking along the beach, and waking up to various birds in
our backyard. We also love to visit St Kitts, which is a short ferry ride from Nevis. Outdoors is the best place to be here and there are endless things to do, in the water and out. Life in paradise has been special. Where do you go when you need a vacation? Are you a city slicker, or beach bound? When boarding a flight, my passport is likely to be stamped with a destination that’s tropical. I love going someplace where I can spend quality time with my family or going on distant getaways with my girlfriends. My husband and I have agreed to visit many of the nearby Caribbean islands over the next few years. We also plan to return to Cartagena, Colombia as soon as it is safe to travel again. We fell in love with that city when we visited to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We also fully expect to explore places we’ve never been to. Life is definitely about the next journey for us.
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What does Sustainable Travel really mean? from Angelina Villa-Clarke Journalist & HoteliersGuild Media Supporter
Type to enter text
HoteliersGuild
Angelina Villa-Clarke FORBES Contributor Travel Chasing the dream: I write about travel and the world around me One of the few upsides of the pandemic, has been how—because of our enforced stillness—we’ve had time to consider our impact on the planet. For those passionate about travel, we’ve heard much talk about the necessity of seeing the world in a sustainable manner in the future. We’ve heard how slow travel will be the way forward in preventing us damaging the environment, and also how, by engaging with local communities, we can have a positive effect on destinations that we are interested in. We’ve listened to how we should take note of our carbon footprint and how we should choose wisely when it comes to a travel company’s eco credentials. In reality, however, what does this all mean? Once we get the green light to travel again, will our green awareness be quickly forgotten? A new book out on 1 April Karnikowski (£14.99, handbook for those wanting further harm. Best of all, it surrounding ‘ecoways on travelling as
2021, Go Lightly, by travel writer Nina Laurence King Publishing) is an essential to explore the world without causing it explains the sometimes confusing jargon awareness’, and gives easy and achievable sustainably as possible.
As a travel writer taking a growing awareness about planet,” citing that the estimated eight per cent of degraded wilderness areas, culture’s and more....” “During lockdown,” she emissions decreased by as years, as we stopped flying devastation about the loss the pandemic could show travel world.”
many trips each year, Nina says that she had the impact of her travels on a “stressed travel industry is “responsible for an the world’s carbon emissions, as well as over-touristed towns, the erosion of local writes in her introduction, “global carbon much as 17 per cent, the lowest level in 14 and driving and consuming. Once our of lies and livelihoods abated, we realised us a cleaner, slower and more conscious
Covering subjects such as how to pack with more consideration, how to protect wildlife, how to consider our “foodprint” and how to Go Lightly: an essential handbook for green implement mindful practices into each travel day, Go Lightly gives the travellers everywhere. (CREDIT: LAURENCE KING reader a tool kit of fresh ideas for traveling more consciously. It also covers how to embark on eco-friendly adventures, including biking, boating and camping, how to choose ‘green’ companies and how to connect with other cultures. The book also highlights the work of some of the world’s most inspiring eco-adventure pioneers – such as Caitlin GarciaAherm, cultural conservationist and founder of Thread Caravan, conservationist and filmmaker, and Rob Greenfield, adventurer and activist. Aptly, lending a ‘light’ touch to the subject of ‘lighter’ travel are the vibrant and beautifully whimsical illustrations by Xuan Loc Xuan, who uses an earthy aesthetic and woodblock-style to give the book an uplifting, hopeful tone. Based in the Australian surf town of Byron Bay, Nina writes for a wide range of publications and her career has seen her journeying through Mongolia in ex-Russian military vehicles, exploring the Namibian desert in open-sided safari trucks and dodging icebergs in Antarctica in an icebreaker ship, and beyond, to over 60 countries. In response to climate change, she is now revolutionising her travel habits, and here, for Forbes, she exclusively reveals her top ten sustainable travel tips which are easy for us all to embrace. 1. PLAN SLOWER ADVENTURES An antidote to mindless, warp-speed travel, slow journeys are about harking back to the way we used to travel, and remembering what a privilege travel is. Take fewer but longer trips, savor the journey (such as those long train, van or boat trips) and leave plenty of unscheduled time for discovery.
2. TRAVEL CLOSER TO HOME Whether it’s a camping trip in a forest a few hours away, or a stay in a nearby beach cabin, journeying close to home is one of the best ways to lighten our carbon footprint. It’s all about retraining ourselves to be as curious about the places close to us as we are about foreign lands. 3. PACK MINDFULLY The heavier your bag, the heavier the plane, train or car, the more fuel that vehicle needs. Pack minimally and pack existing, borrowed or second-hand garments instead of buying new, remembering that fashion is our planet’s second biggest polluter after the oil industry. 4. CLIP YOUR WINGS The Swedish term tagskyrt, or “train bragging,” is one to embrace. Trains use up to 50 per cent less fuel than planes. Their emissions aren’t released directly into the upper atmosphere, and they help make the journeys as enjoyable as the destinations. Opt for transport run on green, renewable energy wherever possible. 5. GO PLASTIC-FREE Avoid contributing to the eight million tons of plastic dumped into our oceans each year by saying no to sneaky single-use plastics. Pack reusables, including insulated water bottles, stainless-steel food containers and linen or hemp tote bags, don’t use mini toiletries, and avoid bioplastics, too, since they present their own challenges . 6. CHOOSE LOCAL Travel more mindfully. (CREDIT: XUAN LOC XUAN / LAURENCE KING PUBLISHING) Funnel your hard-earned travel dollars directly into the community you’re visiting by choosing small, locally-owned hotels and cafés. Extra points for prioritizing those linked to social enterprises, that use organic and ethical suppliers, and that are mindful about resource use. Putting more thought into who our money benefits, and how, can spark immense change. 7. SHARE CONSCIOUSLY If you’re sharing your trip on social media, try to use it to inspire your audience to make better choices when they travel, and consider withholding location information so you don’t contribute to attracting over-tourism.
Go slowly and embrace your surroundings. (CREDIT: XUAN LOC XUAN / LAURENCE KING PUBLISHING)
8. SHOP CAREFULLY Step away from the cheap plastic tat and the internationally-made luxury goods, and towards the locally-made and handcrafted. You’ll end up with more unusual souvenirs that you’re more likely to treasure, while supporting local artisans.
9. RESPECT ANIMALS Whether it’s riding camels in India or cuddling baby tigers in Thailand, any situation where an animal is forced to behave in opposition to their natural instincts should be avoided. 10. GIVE FEEDBACK Don’t be afraid to send those difficult emails—to hotels you believe were greenwashing, companies that weren’t trying to minimize their footprint, or businesses using single-use plastics, for instance. Hopefully, you’ll inspire then to implement more environmentally friendly options in the future.
Find a lighter direction. (CREDIT: XUAN LOC XUAN / LAURENCE KING PUBLISHING)
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Angelina Villa-Clarke Writing and discovering the world is second nature to me. I have been a journalist for over 18 years, based in London, UK and started off on Marie Claire Magazine writing the London Pages, and then moved on as features editor for In Britain, the magazine for the British Tourist Authority. After my post-graduate qualification in Journalism at the London School of Printing - I joined British Airways' High Life Magazine. During my 11 years on this title, I could be frequently found in an airport en route to places such as Costa Rica, Montenegro or Mexico. For the past six years, I have been a freelance travel journalist, writing for a wide range of titles, such as Metro Newspaper, City AM Newspaper, Canary Wharf Magazine, Tatler's Travel Guide, Harper's Bazaar, The Jewish Chronicle, and many more print and online outlets. I'm interested in new places, interesting people, cool design and, above all, authenticity. My expertise is 'luxury intelligence' – cool openings and new destinations. I’ve lived in Barbados and Venice, Italy, and continue to travel widely, often with my family in tow. I’ll never tire of discovering the world around me. I’m always looking for the ‘new’, so tweet me @AVCbeauty22, follow me on Instagram (@angelinavillaclarke) and read my blog: https://angelinascasa.com
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How the covid crisis has affected aspects this Swiss hotel’s quest for more sustainable operations
from Tim Weiland HoteliersGuild Member General Manager The Alpina, Gstaad
HoteliersGuild
Who still wants to travel with closed borders, PCI tests, quarantine restrictions, flight cancellations and all of the uncertainty surrounding the global travel community? It seems that many are still very keen on getting out for a change of scenery and forget about the palpable suffocating anxiety – even for a few days. Gstaad has been benefiting from this desire to evade the cities and to get out into nature. At the time of writing this, ski slopes are open, and with just a few limitations, hotel guests can take full advantage of our facilities: the spa, four distinct restaurants, and other hotel facilities. At The Alpina Gstaad we are very conscious of our currently privileged situation, but we also want to evaluate how this affects our operations from a human and an environmental perspective. The regular guests have stayed away, but many first-time visitors and more domestic travelers are coming to explore the region: their region! The guests we now host are locally or regionally based. Hardly anyone has taken a long-haul flight to get here – most come by car, though often with heavy luxurious gas guzzlers, but many more than usual have also opted for the more sustainable, hassle-free and scenic train journey. Up to 300km is the radius that most guests have been travelling to arrive here. What a change to just the year before when our key feeder markets were USA, Brazil, Asia and UK. External guests without room into the property which has coming and going, the in and uninterrupted shuttle to be challenge, now there is rhythm in the village has Not everyone is skiing, but even if it is just a stroll shop the boutiques lined up operate through the definition of luxury is are certainly the new surroundings of the spacious layout of the combination.
“External guests without room reservations are no longer allowed into the property which has drastically affected the bustling coming and going, the in and out, the valet parking and the uninterrupted shuttle services. Parking in the village used to be challenge, now there is plenty of free spots available. The rhythm in the village has taken on a different tune.”
reservations are no longer allowed drastically affected the bustling out, the valet parking and the services. Parking in the village used plenty of free spots available. The taken on a different tune. everyone enjoys the outdoors or through the Promenade to window with luxury goods that exclusively click&collect. With times like these, clearly evolving - Nature and space indulgence, while the rural and raw d e s t i n a t i o n , p a i re d w i t h t h e property make for a winning
The full team has been recruited for the season, no positions were made redundant and no facilities of the operation were closed. The teams have a calmer rhythm though, overtime is not accepted, and at least 2 full days off per week are given to everyone. The ambience is still slightly tense at times, when rumours about new restrictions float around or when new cancellations come in due to another border closing. The spirit of hospitality however remains alive and well, with more focus and time for serving the individual guests during work, but also more free time allowing for a better work-life balance. Never have we experienced a season with such few sick leave days, although the free time has led to more ski accidents. The recruitment for the summer season seems to be nearly unnecessary – throughout all departments, the team members are grateful for having jobs and working hard to show their value to the organization, and the maintain their positions. Turnover, one of the challenges of seasonal hotel operations is expected to be much lower. From a human perspective, this property has actually seen some benefit. On the other hand, new guidelines and restrictions have created a whole new way of running the operation. The efforts of eliminating plastics over the past years has made a U-turn, as guests are expecting new sanitation standards to be the norm, be it the individually packaged cashew nuts at the bar or amenities in the room. Under the watchful eye of our friends and partners, both NOW and Earthcheck, we are focusing on finding the right balance between a high-end, cosy and sustainable guests experience, while at the same time policing our staff and our guest’s daily actions and working within the realm of what is allowed and suggested.
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Recommended read by Mark Norris HoteliersForGood Supporting Partner
HoteliersGuild
What is the Future of Work in the Hotel industry? Time to rethink and do better The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our lives upside down in a way that few could have ever imagined, restricting individual movement and turbulently shocking our systems. At the time of writing this article, COVID-19 has infected over 92 million with over 2 million deaths worldwide. On the front line of the fallout is the global travel and tourism industry, one of the world’s largest with $5.7 trillion in revenue and responsible for an estimated 319 million jobs before the pandemic, or roughly one in 10 people working on the planet. According to the International Labour Organization, over 100.8 million jobs were lost worldwide in 2020, with the Asia Pacific region hardest hit with over 81 million jobs lost, followed by Europe with employment dropping by over 13 million. As a global expert on top level management searches for the hotel industry, the future of work raises more questions in my mind than I have answers. I am passionate to shine a spotlight on such a crucial issue that is uppermost on the minds of everyone in the industry, most of all the millions of people who have found themselves without jobs and have little prospect of finding the sort of work they are familiar with. I am focusing first on luxury travel – a sector which I am better acquainted with and which has flourished exponentially in recent decades. It has given the international traveller access to an extensive selection of new destinations and incredible experiences to enjoy around the world. In my view, we should be proud and praise the hotel industry for raising the bar in architecture, design and increasing environmental awareness that created so many breathtaking properties, and coping with the ever-increasing high level guest expectation and demand for great service. The Ritz-Carlton Motto “We are Ladies & Gentleman serving Ladies & Gentleman” captured that so brilliantly, exemplifying the anticipatory service to be provided by all its staff members. It is also refreshing that great hotels have once more become the central hub in capitals around the world with their amazing public spaces, sense of place, excellent gastronomy, luxurious accommodations, stunning spas, excellent sporting & leisure facilities, event spaces and standalone restaurants and bars. They have become ‘the destination’. This was not only good news for the guest, it also provided a fantastic platform for career opportunities at all levels. Expansion created a multitude of high level leadership positions in corporate (CEO, CFO, COO, CMO, CIO, CHRO, CDO, CXO, CSO, etc.) and in operations (GMs, Executive Committee, Chefs, other Specialist Roles), career growth potential in the general employee level, and a myriad of support roles for suppliers and specialist consultants. The hotel industry also provided employment opportunities at a local level, brought money and new facilities to countries, interest in local food and crafts, kept local traditions and customs alive, and supported conservation of natural environments. Emerging markets worldwide benefited massively from high value tourist travel. Take the Maldives, as a case in point, where tourism business has become the major employer and contributor to the country’s GDP growth.
READ MORE
Now Sustainability Tool
“
Now
is right along the line with our own philosophy and
engagements for sustainability and responsible luxury in the hospitality industry.
HoteliersGuild
and NOW share the same philosophy and we believe that we are at an urgent and defining moment and we must act now because ‘it is the right thing to do’.
HoteliersGuild is proud to support NOW in our Strategic Alliance! Frank M. Pfaller President, HoteliersGuild | CoutureHospitalityConcept
“
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Beyond the Pandemic: Existential Questions Facing the Hospitality Industry of the 2020’s from Jeffrey Catrett, Academic Director, Institut Paul Bocuse & Prof. Dr. Henri Kuokkanen LeadingHôtelières Advisory Board member | Associate Professor and Vice Dean, VP EuroCHRIE
HoteliersGuild
COVID took center stage in 2020 and continues to be the most pressing issue at the beginning of 2021, resulting in the most challenging period for hospitality in recent memory. Consequently, industry professionals are focusing on immediate survival issues, such as when will vaccine passports arrive, restrictions ease, and borders open again. When will the urge to travel or dine out overcome the fear of infection, and when will business travel and entertainment return - or will it rebound at all? 2020 and the beginning of 2021 has not only been about COVID. This period has exposed the real consequences of environmental neglect: vast wildfires in Australia and California, the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, record locust infestations in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, and India, and the imminence of the Arctic icecap meltdown. In a fresh UN survey of 50 countries, 2/3 of the 1.2 million respondents considered climate change to be a global emergency (UN, 2021). It has also been the year of massive unemployment for many versus unprecedented wealth accumulation for the few, and of social unrest, as economically deprived or disenfranchised populations unleash their frustration and fury in the streets and as refugee migrations overwhelm infrastructures across the globe. Previously stable democratic institutions worldwide have exhibited a level of insecurity unknown in generations, with political unions, strategic alliances and trade pacts imperiled or broken. Even the pandemic itself raises issues beyond its immediate economic effects. In an age of globalization, will recurring dangerous viral outbreaks and spread constitute the new norm? Will reactions to the pandemic result in greater social division or signal the beginning of a move toward greater unity? The questions that face hospitality, awaiting the return of “normalcy”, go beyond simple occupancy and average rate recovery to much deeper considerations of how the industry will evolve. As the world begins to get COVID under control, what will be the lessons learned by industry in general and how would these lessons impact the hospitality industry? After the 9/11 attacks, pundits prophesied that business would decentralize operations in order to reduce the risk of being targeted and went so far as to say that business would go entirely online through video-conferencing. Business did indeed break up offices into multiple locations – the New York World Trade Center built back only one tower – and the growth of video-conferencing continued its rise in popularity already underway prior to the attacks. However, the full transition to online communication did not occur as suggested, perhaps in part because the tools for online meetings were limited at the time. 9/11 was a one-day event with direct consequences to travel and mobility spread over a relatively limited period, whereas COVID looks to become a nearly two-year phenomenon and has forced a massive shift to online technology and digitalized decentralization. The pandemic has raged simultaneously with exponential development in the fields of automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Will the fragile health of human resources and the possibility of new virus strains accelerate reduction in human staffing throughout all industries in favor of automated solutions that were already under development before the crisis? Will online distance solutions become the norm for many industries rather than the exception, greatly reducing business travel, corporate dining, meetings and events, etc.? If so, would the reduction in business-generated income for hospitality and tourism force price increases for leisure activities, thereby reducing demand? Or has the forced reliance on digital solutions during the pandemic reiterated the importance of in-person social interaction leading to a new boom in business travel, dining, and meetings and increased leisure travel and dining out with a social focus? For their part, will hotels and restaurants continue to push digital cost-savings and convenience and continue the elimination of check-in and check-out functions, counter positions in restaurants, full-service dining with its labor intensity, and back-of-house posts from housekeeping to accounting which had already begun before the pandemic? Or will hotels and restaurants choose to reinforce the human experience and relationship-building between customers and employees and retain their large workforces? The question may be more complex events that have marked this period. In many former agricultural workers, factory employees, much lower-paying jobs within the service sector resentment against the industry within this work by some or as manual servitude by others. earn a wage adequate for the middle-class populations, hospitality jobs may represent simply economic deprivation with little opportunity for governments are pushing to increase minimum governments are proposing a Universal Basic cost structures for hospitality organizations through becomes perennial, discourage people from taking and restaurants complain that it is as lucrative for take a hospitality position.
“The word Hospitality suggests humanism, caring, generosity and kindness, while the word industry implies coolheaded business dedicated to profit maximization.”
than it first appears precisely because of the other countries, the so-called “left behind economy” of and, increasingly, clerical staff have often turned to and particularly hospitality. In general, there is population as it is seen as inadequately masculine Furthermore, this group is frequently unable to existence they had known before. For other the extension of generations of servitude and advancement or learning a real skill. Some wages significantly as in the US, while other Income. These developments will either redefine wage increases or, if a guaranteed income hospitality jobs. Already, in the Netherlands, hotels people to stay at home on social welfare rolls as to
As the customer increasingly searches for unique and authentic experiences, today’s oneoff and fragmented hospitality industry cannot imagine returning to the economies of scale that lowered costs in the era of highly-industrialized cookie-cutter chains that predominated a few years back. Even before 2020, in the absence of scale economies, automation may have been the only way forward to maintain prices at a reasonable level in the current era of destandardization and frequent renovation. This situation would be exacerbated by wage increases in the US, which might trigger a knock-on revision of hospitality wages and salaries worldwide or, at the very least, a redefinition of hospitality organizational structures. Simply seeking higher prices across the board because of increasing costs would reduce the overall volume of travel and restaurant visits, serving little purpose. However, if automation and artificial intelligence mean hospitality employs even fewer staff members from the local community, the strain between tourists and locals as well as the strain between those with and without means may continue growing. Added to these concerns are the increasingly obvious environmental threats to the long-term viability of choice hospitality locations and questions about the sustainability of food sources; both will require additional investment. Hospitality will likely find itself squeezed between priorities at a time when society is trying to sort itself out for the future beyond pandemic effects. The hospitality industry has always lived with what appear to be conflicting purposes. The very word hospitality suggests humanism, caring, generosity and kindness, while the word industry implies cool-headed business dedicated to profit maximization. This strain has often resulted in the industry being portrayed in film and television as hypocritical, two-faced, and even money-grubbing. In this sense, hospitality is a microcosm of competing views of business. At the end of the 20th Century, shareholder value, prominently advocated by Milton Friedman, was accepted as the principal raison d’être of enterprise. Other stakeholders were subservient to this purpose, theoretically benefitting through marketing and trickle-down economics. From this perspective, digitalization to reduce costs is the obvious next step in the pursuit of greater profitability. However, Edward Freeman's stakeholder view of business has gained importance during the past decades. In this view, customers, employees, managers, the local community and even the natural environment are entitled to equal consideration with shareholders. While shareholders risk their investment, customers risk their expendable incomes, employees risk their livelihoods, and communities risk their integrity. This focus has moved hand-in-hand with the increased importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) that goes beyond greenwashing or fulfilling minimum expectations. Hospitality customers are also changing. Particularly, though not exclusively, younger generations are seeking more meaningful lifestyles that emphasize humanism, respect for the environment, healthiness, and a less excessive, more balanced and proportionate way of moving forward (Booking.com, 2020; McKinsey, 2020). The long-predicted move towards transformational experiences seems to be taking hold in hospitality today. For the next generations, this move may link with CSR and stakeholder thinking and demand the industry to create experiences that include an aspect of planetary purpose. The perceived urgency of climate action will further support such development, but the natural environment is not the only stakeholder concerned. Perhaps the short to medium-term evolution of hospitality will involve developing digital capabilities to allow for a redistribution of human resources away from low-paid and uninteresting menial and administrative tasks to better remunerated curating of experiences and relationship development, especially those that we call “ethically meaningful customer experiences”. These are CSR-born experiences that can at once serve the needs of guests, communities and the environment while fitting the demands of a younger customer base. Perhaps hospitality will come to see that using government funding and credits to help unskilled workers acquire skills will not only serve the community but also promote real loyalty and engagement for a defined transition period as opposed to years of resentment and low productivity. Whether these approaches will succeed in serving all stakeholders or will simply push more unskilled and semi-skilled employees out of the mainstream economy remains to be seen. Either way, the hospitality industry will face existential questions in the coming years that range far beyond recovery from the COVID slump. Booking.com. (2020). Impact awakening: the rise of responsible travel. Retrieved from https://www.booking.com/articles/impact-awakening-the-rise-of-responsible-travel.en.html McKinsey. (2020). How Gen Z and millennials are shaping the future of US retail. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/how-gen-z-and-millennials-are-shaping-the-future-of-us-retail UN. (2021). Climate change is a ‘global emergency’, people say in biggest ever climate poll. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/01/1083062
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Cultivating Patience in Turbulent Times: The seventh Generation Principle from Prof. Dr. Willy Legrand Member of HoteliersGuild LeadingHôtelières Advisory Board Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management IUBH University of Applied Sciences Bad Honnef, Germany
HoteliersGuild
Modern corporations and business schools have perpetrated a system of thinking which favors quarterly reporting and short term key performance indicators (KPIs) under the almighty Gross Domestic Product – but those approaches are being more intensively criticized by well-established economists, researchers and business leaders alike (e.g. Pilling, 2018; Kappor and Debroy, 2019; Stiglitz, 2019). The short-termism of businesses can lead to decisions such as costcutting and underinvestment in long-term projects at the detriment to sustainability-related research and development or other medium and long-term related areas such as sustainable products development and risk reduction. It is no surprise that 'climate action failure' has been on the top of the World Economic Global Risk Report yearly list in regards to impact since 2013 (WEF, 2021) and biodiversity loss in the top 5, both in terms of impact and likelihood, this past year (WEF, 2021) with clear links to 'infectious diseases'. Prof. Dasgupta recently published a 600-pages report on The Economics of Biodiversity with a clear message: over the past two decades, we have witnessed a 40% drop in natural capital per person (Dasgupta, 2021). In the words of The Guardian’s economic editor Elliott, this is really "capitalism for dummies, because any company that was as cavalier about its inventories of all other forms of capital – its machines, its IT systems, its buildings and its people – would soon go out of business" (2021, para 3). So, have we yet to realize that the course of action taken on short-termism has failed to prepare us for the crises we are facing? Arguably, short term perspective is not an absolute problem if that perspective would take in consideration the full costs of decisions being made. However, a full costing of products and services, inducing all externalities - the unpriced natural capital costs from greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, waste production, air pollution and so on – has yet to be implemented. What is then the true cost of our food and beverage offerings if we were to cost soil depletion, water footprint, carbon emissions, reduction of forest cover for agriculture and so on? What is the true cost of an overnight stay if the hotel electricity is sourced from coal-fired power plant
considering the climate impacts? Would our
industry be profitable (in the traditional P&L The problem with short termism is that it tendency to neglect to take into account how fossil fuels to heat cool or ventilate hotels, the future. Actions are needed today but with This is because with sustainability, managers,
sense) if all externalities were accounted for?
“The problem with short termism is that it leads to shortsightedness…”
the return on investment time to grow, thus
leads to short-sightedness.
There is a
actions today, such as continuing to burn affect all of us now as well as our children in a great dosage of patience on the outcomes. decision makers and investors need to give taking a longer view. Certainly, quick retrofits
such as LED upgrades may have a less-than-a-year payback, low hanging fruits are attractive. Larger investments such as building management systems that allow you to closely monitor that every piece of equipment operates at optimum levels are not necessarily linked to a short-term straightforward payback. Building a passive house, carbon neutral hotel property requires upfront additional investment with longer returns. Is it worth it? Undeniably. But we could turn around and ask the 7th generation forward. This is perhaps the next step in cultivating patience in turbulent times: the seventh generation principle. This decision making process is based on “an ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) philosophy that the decisions we make today should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future” (ICT, 2020, para 1). Ultimately, we inherit the decisions that were made by our ancestors. The question asked by Australian philosopher Krznaric: “are we being good ancestors?” (2020) is very pertinent. We need to cultivate patience in these trying days, but the problems are at our doorsteps. As 20th century economist Kenneth Boulding pointed out: “Our success in dealing with the larger problems, is not unrelated to the development of skill in the solution of the more immediate problems.” (1966, p. 13) References: Boulding, K. (1966). The Economics of the Coming Spaceship Earth. http://arachnid.biosci.utexas.edu/courses/THOC/Readings/Boulding_SpaceshipEarth.pdfDasgupta, P. (2021), The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review, London: HM Treasury.Elliott, L. (2021). We're on a collision course with the planet. But with public support, that can change. The Guardian. February 10, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/feb/10/planet-public-biodiversitycrisis-pandemic ICT (2020). What is the Seventh Generation Principle? May 30, https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/seventh-generation-principle Kappor, A., & Bebroy, B. (2019). GDP Is Not a Measure of Human Well-Being. Harvard Business Review, October 04, https://hbr.org/2019/10/gdp-is-not-a-measure-of-human-well-being Krznaric, R. (2020). The Good Ancestor: How to Think Long-Term in a Short-Term World: A Radical Prescription for Long-Term Thinking. WH Allen. Pilling, D. (2018). 5 ways GDP gets it totally wrong as a measure of our success. World Economic Forum, January 17, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/gdp-frog-matchbox-david-pilling-growth-delusion/ Stiglitz, J. (2019). It's time to retire metrics like GDP. They don't measure everything that matters. The Guardian, November 24, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/24/metrics-gdp-economic-performance-social-progress WEF (2021). The Global Risks Report 2021, 16th Edition, World Economic Forum, https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-global-risks-report-2021
IUBH
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HAPPY & CREATIVE FRUGALITY from Charles Gallavardin HoteliersGuild Supporting Partner Architect Partner T3Architects of
SONEVA
HoteliersGuild
…a new approach for the Hospitality Industry All Hospitality industry knows since several decades that the respect of communities and environment are essential to offer great Hotels and Resorts worldwide, promoting the local “sense of place”. Covid19 pandemic still reinforced the idea of considering natural landscape and local traditions as a key factors to make a project unique and meaningful. That’s why I would like to introduce the way for the next step… 3 Years ago, 3 famous and humble French architects/engineers /teachers/Publishers, Philippe Madec, Alain Bornarel and Dominique Gauzin-Muller have proposed a Manifesto for a “Happy & Creative Frugality” – https:// www.frugalite.org/fr/le-manifeste.html with the idea to reconsider the Act of building. The movement really start to spread around the World and already count 11,500 signatories, architects, landscapers, civil groups emerged in different promote another approach to including Hospitality projects, being to do more with less! construction), more principles, low-tech solutions, energy efficiency…), more (involved local communities/ geo-sourced and bio-sourced footprint & sense of place),
society members and several
“How many times I convinced my own Clients to reduce the construction density to preserve the beauty of the site and at the end, create a much more attractive EcoResort…”
to build and more wellness and
countries with the intention to Program, Design & Build, of course! The main intention More quality (long terms sustainability (bioclimatic no chemicals, no plastic, social responsibilities contractors/suppliers), , more materials (low carbon more know-how and creativity happiness (collaborative work
made with a kindness approach), more gender and minorities equity… less destructive, less concrete and aluminum, less stress… Hospitality industry is one of the several sectors which participate to the Global warming and consume a lot of natural resources, directly or indirectly, through Mass tourism, transportation (especially airplane), data centers (online booking), etc. A part of Hoteliers already work hard to be as sustainable as possible, designing Bioclimatic Buildings adapted to the local climatic conditions, hiring Architects and landscapers proposing Master Plans which preserve the trees and plants, keep the natural ground wherever it is possible (to avoid heat islands and waterproofing of soils). How many times I convinced my own Clients to reduce the construction density to preserve the beauty of the site and at the end, create a much more attractive Eco-Resort… Financial Feasibility Studies remains important to make a project successful but the research of maximizing profit must be reconsidered in regards to the future generations. If you listen your hearth, you generally know if the project you are implementing is truly sustainable and ethic or not. This is also the meaning of the movement Happy & Creative Frugality: Give more sense to our acts and projects, be in harmony with Nature, benevolent with the territory, and build with the least impact… “Where we only spoke of exploiting, we now think in terms of exchange and osmosis”. We have to give to Earth as much if not more than what we took away… In terms of Design and construction, Frugality approach will be first to compose with rather than against Nature. Then, the second step is to get a very deep understanding and analysis of the existing conditions of a future project, to make sure the Resort or Boutique Hotel can be perfectly immerged into the natural environment. Concerning the buildings, we have to consider which local resources we can find in a perimeter of 200km before to start designing any shape. The locally sourced materials, ideally issue from the ground (earth, stone, sand…) or from the plants (trees, rice husk, straw, palm leaves, bamboo…) should be a source of inspiration and will offer good designers many possibilities. Today, there is no more reason to import materials from another part of the World; that’s doesn’t make any sense (except for a very specific equipment that you cannot source locally). By building with local resources and materials, you save time, you reduce carbon footprint
and beyond, you promote the local know-how and traditions. It doesn’t mean that you cannot innovate anymore, or create new biophilic shapes. It just means that you reinvent vernacular Architecture, bringing the knowledge, creativity and performance of the 21th Centuries. But without neglecting the local history, local savoir-faire, local communities. Frugality approach also promote Low-tech solutions rather than racing for high-tech solutions. Invest in human collective intelligence rather than in unnecessary equipment and/or GAFA applications… Low-Tech doesn’t mean “basic” solutions. Low-tech require a lot of research & development to create some ingenious system, but easy to be repaired and maintained. Low-Tech approach is probably the innovation of tomorrow… “Transition experiences point to the need for a paradigm shift. This change of model, the new stories to be constructed and shared, require taking into account the issue related to the occupation and use of space and resources involved in living, working, exchanging, educating, care, produce, move.” (Daniel Kaufman). We could imagine a true change of model in Hospitality industry to limit the impact of Hoteliers on the territory. This transition, if we are not doing it by ourselves, will be more and more imposed by warming effects, new variation, etc. So better to be are still not convinced that q u i c k l y, r e a d s c i e n t i f i c reports) to be aware. Once the same way… “If Covid), everything can be
the World context: global
“The last thing to do would be to do everything we did before. ” (Bruno Latour, Philosopher and Sociologist).”
selected, sorted, interrupted accelerated. This is time for
pandemics, oil & gas price prepared, and for those who the paradigm must change magazines (not only economic aware, you cannot continue everything is stopped (due to called into question, changed, for good or on contrary annual inventory. To the request
of common sense: “Let’s restart production as quickly as possible”, we must answer with a cry: “especially not!” The last thing to do would be to do everything we did before. ” (Bruno Latour, Philosopher and Sociologist). And you, if you are honest with you and the company you are leading or managing, what could you do to make the Hospitality sector more resilient, more sustainable, more respectful of human wellbeing? On one hand, as customers of Hotels and Resorts, we are expecting good welcome, some decent comfort, feeling good and having spaces to relax or practicing activities, but you also search the Authenticity which will make your stay and your selected destination unique, different from what you already now, getting your senses awake… If not, what is the meaning of traveling? On another hand, as customers, we should also reconsider how to select Hotels and Resorts. Having in mind this frugal approach, it can be a good manner to make your choice and say: “Let’s go in this Eco-Resort because they really preserved the environment, avoid the use of chemicals, offer organic food, and respecting the local communities”. On the opposite, we can imagine that more and more customers start to boycott Hoteliers who continue to damage environment (huge mas market hotel build on the beach, destruction of the existing forest, etc.), limit the right of the local communities (block the access to the sea, reject waste water into the sea, etc.), importing a large part of the materials from abroad to build or using high carbon footprint materials (aluminum, Portland cement, etc.), offer frozen imported food (instead of cooking local “organic” or fresh products which participate to create benefits on the local communities)… We are really in this period where the World can change, or not… Each of us must take responsibility for the future of Hotel industry.
“Frugality (the good and just harvest of the fruits of the earth) requires an intellectual effort to be heard, understood and accepted. At the same time, the brain, the ability to make connections, has no limits…” (Daniel Kaufman). We can hope than many Hoteliers will make this intellectual effort to improve or even imagine and build their future projects…
To go further with this Article about Frugality approach in the construction industry, and indirectly in the Hospitality Industry, I would like to share with you a Youtube Link about the Cycle of Conference called “Metamorphosis and organized by the movement Happy & Creative Frugality: https://www.youtube.com/c/Frugalit%C3%A9heureuseetcr%C3%A9ative/featured Speakers speaks French for this first sessions but in a near future, those meaningful conferences and discussion will get English sub-titles. And next conferences will welcome speakers from all over the World to expose their view about Frugality.
Read More Here: Happy & Creative Frugality Group
Here are some Sentences which came during the discussion and we will give you an idea of the subject: We picked up the vernacular where it left off, retaining materials and craftsmanship and adding contemporary use to it. (Julien Choppin – Architect – Collective ENCORE HEUREUX) The act of building is a predator on environment. (Emmanuel Pezrès – Architect / Researcher) Frugality means getting out of the project all that is not necessary. (Marie and Keith Zawistowski – Architects/Teachers) The silicone gun comes when the intelligence stops! (Dominique Gauzin Müller – Architect/Architectural critic/Publisher) The territory is an act of love between a population and its site. (Thierry Paquot / Philosopher / Urban Planner) We go from a bioclimatic of the sun to a bioclimatic of plants and wind… (Alain Bornarel- Engineer) It is time to return to nature as the seat of the living. (Philippe Madec – Architect / Teacher) The living is worth gold (Gilles Clément – Landscape Designer) 70% of the carbon footprint is on board from programming (Philippe Bihouix – Engineer / Low-Tech specialist)
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How COVID-19 can stimulate healthier hospitality leadership from Petra Deuter Executive Director, Iconic Luxury Hotels – International & Head of Talent Development L+R Hotels |Member of LeadingHôtelières
HoteliersGuild
Much has already been written about how travel and tourism will be irrevocably changed by the coronavirus pandemic. Optimists and realists alike are focusing on more environmentally friendly ways of reaching our chosen destinations, more sensitive ways of considering local culture and more sustainable, ethical methods of sharing and distributing the financial benefits of tourism. But what about the hospitality and in particular the hotel industry itself? If there was ever a time for us to engage in honest, unflinching self-reflection, this is it. As travellers and vacationers are ready and willing to change their habits, so the hotel industry must look to reshape its practices for the future. Responding to the crisis Facing possibly the toughest situation it has ever encountered, the hotel industry now needs fresh solutions to these challenges. Management cannot simply fall back on “we’ve always done it this way”. In the post-COVID-19 marketplace, only different approaches and attitudes will succeed. A new style of leadership When the hotel sector goes back to work, the most urgent need will be to reassess staffing needs, operational procedures and ensure our guests return sooner than later. Ultimately, recoup lost income, re-establish cashflow and focus on the quickest returns on investment. Operating structures will have to be pared-down and become more efficient. Leaner, more agile leadership with effective change management skills must create imaginative, practical plans to get businesses back on track. Managers will have to adapt to the new situation with new-found agility. The days of a Hotel Manager shut away in a back office are over. They will need to be multi-faceted: even more present throughout the hotel, taking care of guests and staff, mobilising their teams, coaching/teaching and leading by example. In this new climate of lower hotel occupancies and reduced income, one role per employee has become an unaffordable luxury. Staff will now need to be trained to take on a broader range of disciplines. Managers should emphasise the positive aspects of this: employees will enjoy more varied work and gain a wider range of experience to help them progress their careers. Creative, cost-efficient business models will be needed for operations, sales, marketing, revenue management and distribution strategies. Trusted employees should be invited to contribute to management decisions; their perspective ‘at the coal face’ will help shape your recovery policy and make them feel more involved and valued. It’s vital these new initiatives are communicated clearly throughout the business, to ensure they are adopted successfully. Keeping your teams motivated There are undoubtedly difficult financial decisions to be made, and it can be tempting to focus wholly on saving cash. But this is short-sighted. Hotel businesses which have laid-off the majority of their employees will find it difficult and expensive to recruit the skilled talent they need as the market recovers. Conversely, firms who have furloughed as many employees as possible to give them some degree of security can expect greater loyalty and renewed commitment. Identify your core people and work hard to retain them. Management who also display integrity and a sense of unity, for example by ensuring fair pay cuts during this difficult time, will be more highly regarded by the workforce after the crisis. This is the ideal moment for top executives to show strength, empathy and vision. Employees will respond best to leaders who inspire through their energy, optimism and sense of purpose, and create a collaborative, environment that encourages and nurtures development. Whilst it may seem counter-intuitive, now is the perfect time to invest in your most talented employees, for example by encouraging and providing cross-training. In the hotel’s immediate future there will be fewer staff, and employees and managers alike must be ready to use new skills. Mitigating the impact on employees For hotel staff, the pandemic has bitten hard, and with countries taking separate routes to easing their lockdown restrictions, it is unclear when and how the worldwide travel and tourism industry recovery will kick in.
This leaves many employees worrying about their income now and their job security mid to long term. The situation is especially tough for those already on low wages, with few savings, yet the anxiety is also felt right up to senior management. Are their positions safe? Would they be able to find a similar role elsewhere? Great C-level leaders and managers are those who stay connected and communicate regularly with their employees, sharing objectives and building that vital sense of hope for the future. Part of the recovery process must involve making the workplace more attractive and productive. Ensure the work environment is balanced, with genuinely equal opportunities and fair rewards for everyone. Revisit how you evaluate performance; is it an objective and positive system? Failing to address these aspects could lead to your talented employees looking elsewhere. Image and perception Hotel leadership responses to the crisis have varied. Many have taken positive action. In the absence of paying customers, some hotels have opened their rooms to help isolate patients who are not critically ill, easing the burden on hospitals. Or temporarily taken in homeless people, who would otherwise be especially vulnerable to the virus. Others have kept kitchens running, to help feed emergency workers who haven’t had time to source meals for themselves. These positive actions, displaying a spirit of generosity will mean these businesses are better perceived by potential guests. Those who have been distant and unsupportive during the pandemic will find that empathy and integrity are important, and guests and employees have long memories. Goodbye old order, hello new era There is a broad consensus that the travel and tourism industry cannot return to how it was before COVID-19. The lockdown has given guests, hotel business owners, directors, managers and employees time to assess how we all live, work, travel and relax. Personal well-being, work/life balance, the vulnerability of the planet and a stronger determination to protect it, will change how hospitality is perceived and must perform in the future. Some hotel businesses, however, seem to have learned little from the experiences of 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis. Those who cling to the old, pre-COVID-19 model are unlikely to prosper. Companies and leaders with the sensitivity and emotional intelligence to address guest and employee concerns, with policies that demonstrate fairness and diversity, will fare best of all. The pandemic cannot be ignored or wished away. For hotel employees at all levels, it should be seen as an incentive to develop fresh skills and become more valued and marketable, as multi-functional, hands-on and strategically savvy individuals. For hotel owners and management, this is the start of a new era: the opportunity to learn from experience and use the freshly gained insight to develop more dynamic, creative, sustainable leadership that is fit for a brave new world.
Petra Deuter is Executive Director, Iconic Luxury Hotels – International & Head of Talent Development L+R Hotels. She has held a number of senior executive and management roles in the airline and hotel sectors over the last 20 years. As Managing Director at Lufthansa at the time of 9/11 and Vice President at Accor during the 2008 financial crisis, she has hard-earned experience of steering a business through challenging situations.
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About Sadness, Anger & Frustration from Paul Bruce-Brand General Manager
Ellerman House | Cape Town
HoteliersGuild
The remarkable thing about HoteliersGuild is that the guiding principles embody everything so needed in a Post Covid World and they were created long before this crisis. Frank Pfaller speaks about being “United by Hope” and this theme has been one of the key hallmarks of our experience with clients, staff and the larger community over the past year. Yes, there’s been sadness, anger, frustration, loss and heartache, but amidst the chaos of 2020 have been profound moments of exhilaration, happiness, generosity, hope and most of all, creativity and ingenuity. Running a busy hotel leaves one with little time to stop and reflect. It is a way of life my team and I are accustomed to, but COVID-19 changed all of that, as South Africa’s initial lockdown was strict and intense with everyone confined to their residences for the most part. Our usual complement of on-property staff suddenly shrunk to two during the first few weeks of lockdown. Being forced to slow down and do routine activities such as mowing the expansive lawn and cleaning the pool gave me time to reflect, time to appreciate each staff member’s contribution to the whole and empathise with their daily frustrations and delights and also to know that the ongoing involvement of Ellerman House in the community is vital.
In times of crisis the real heroes always emerge, and I was completely blown away by the support, tenacity and hard work of key personnel at Ellerman House during this year — those who put up their hands and without ever being asked, gave everything of themselves to support others and to ensure that Ellerman House emerges out of this crisis stronger and better than ever before. Even while facing their own tough circumstances, they were determined to create magic and it is thanks to this magnificent team that the following transformative projects happened: MUSIC FOR MEALS Music for Meals was born from a desperate need for food in the communities around us. Ellerman House has always supported the Click Foundation, which Nicola Harris formed to counter the education crisis in this country by providing numeracy and literacy programmes in underprivileged primary schools. When Click Foundation adapted their model to include food relief, chefs Peter Tempelhoff, Rudy Blaauw and their teams arranged special permits to start preparing meals for needy communities in the then-closed Ellerman House and Fyn Restaurant kitchens. Each week since March, Ellerman House staff has prepared and delivered food to vulnerable communities in collaboration with Be the Difference Foundation. SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY We are humbled by the acts of generosity shown during what has been a difficult time for the entire world: neighbours dropping off groceries and veg for our feeding project; guests donating to Music for Meals or joining us in the townships; guests calling and emailing daily just to see how we are; staff using their immense talents to showcase their true potential; our owners showing their deep kindness and understanding to all staff. We have witnessed kindness and joy in communities so often perceived as nothing more than zones of crime and aggression, where even the most vulnerable grannies pitch in to help and where we watch kids without shoes and tatty clothes joyfully laughing and teasing one another in the queue for food. We have seen our musician friends lose their entire source of income, yet still volunteer time after time to perform to raise money for causes close to their hearts. Hospitality, now more than ever, is about transforming people’s lives, from those within the organisation, to the guests and the surrounding communities and businesses. COVID-19 has merely accelerated the changes, which were already happening in defining what luxury actually is.
Ellerman House - Cape Town | featured in HoteliersGuild’s LookBook
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Are we in the Era of Hospitality 4.0 or Hospitality 1.1: Where does wellness fit?
from László Puczkó By Laszlo Puczko, PhD MA MSc CMC, Chief Executive Officer & CoFounder for Health Tourism Worldwide
HoteliersGuild
To state the obvious wellness has gained momentum in the last couple of years. This is not independent from the growing of both the mass and the celebrity media in many countries. Not surprisingly real estate developers and owners expect high(er) returns on their investments containing some sort of wellness component(s). Are they right to do so? Wellness can be understood and translated in rather many different forms and ways. • Traditional luxury would translate ‘wellness’ as something pretty and appears to be exclusive defined by tangible components. • More alternative luxury approaches would incorporate less mainstream ideas such as lemoga (lemur yoga) or massage setting under a hot spring waterfall. We can always come up with a new treatment, an expensive skincare product or unique exotic ritual inspired by first nation heritage that can become the new trend and can find its way to the market at a luxury property. Have you tried perineum sunning, yet? All this said, to be able to recognize how the true meaning of wellness can meet new luxury we need to revisit some fundamental characteristics and approaches of hospitality. As we all know the term and concept of hospitality is derived from the Latin word “hospes”, meaning both visitor and stranger, i.e. hospitality has its roots in ancient history. In every culture throughout history of humankind providing hospitality always meant providing shelter, comfort, safe environment and kind looking after. This leads us to the first disruptive contradiction. Why, all of a sudden, wellness and/or wellbeing has become a major interest of hospitality players? Should not hospitality as a concept fundamentally mean providing services that improve the wellbeing of guests? Since the wellness/well-being domains can and should be translated and adapted in many different ways hotels have so far had unlimited options in creating wellness-oriented services, and brands. So, why now? Because it is a fashionable buzzword? The second challenge may be even more disrupting to the current approach in hospitality. Even in the most acclaimed hospitality schools students learn that nothing has really changed in and about hospitality since the Ancient times. I tend to believe that this is in the very core of the problem. Why? There are extensive discussions and analyses about industrial revolution 4.0. Sectors, industries, governments, companies have been working on to find out how they can adapt and comply. Where does hospitality, and especially luxury hospitality stand, then? Does the sudden wellness-interest represent hospitality 1.1 with tweaking about wellness issues here and there, or the industry is ready to step up its game and enter into hospitality 4.0? One of the characteristics of new luxury suggests that ‘Real luxury does not complicate but simplify the life and is highly subjective’. In and more likely after an unprecedented world epidemic any kind of travel, especially to a foreign destination can easily be considered as luxury. We know from numerous studies that any form of travel contributes to the wellbeing of the traveller positively. However short lived that positive impact maybe. We are going through significant changes on how new luxury maybe defined and understood. Having free time is luxury. Not being online is luxury. Being able to travel is luxury. Having access to serene nature is luxury. Even being well may appear as luxury! Apart from the mainstream, global brand driven understanding of luxury there are numerous new interpretations of luxury depending on where we are and who we are. Where does wellness feature in all of this? The ‘new’ extended understanding of luxury is conceptual and not constructed. It is not lead by the tangible but more of the intangible. This is where wellness, or more appropriately wellbeing brings great opportunities, and then, consequently better financial performance. Wellness as we see it today is, to most part, is little more than the commercialized adaptation of wellbeing. Materialized in products, such as wearables, sports gear or even a bread maker! Luxury hospitality players may learn from established brands that traditionally specialised in one or more aspects of wellbeing. They can also learn from standalone anchor properties, but
also from properties and concepts
t h a t a re re a l l y f a r f ro m t h e
traditional understanding of luxury.
Lifestyle entrepreneurs in wellness
(or wellpreneurs) can inspire
brands, properties and service
p ro t o c o l s . T h e f i g u re b e l o w
indicates a couple of examples how
differently luxury can be
understood, and then consequently
been translated to a certain
wellbeing element. Certainly, the
art of creating and selling wellness-
improving services is the ability of
proper identification of luxury-
motivation pairings. Taking the 4.0 approach not the
wellness department is the one that
brings additional ROI. That is the
1.1 approach. The conceptual
(re)definition of luxury brings the
higher TrevPAR and RevPAR figures.
Wellnessified value propositions are
interwoven to every aspect of
hospitality. If you stay in hospitality
1.1 then you remain believe in
wellusions. Wellness is not a luxury necessity,
but more so a necessary luxury.
About the author László has been working in the field
of travel and health for 25+ years.
He is an experience engineer, strategist and trainer, and wellbeing intelligence expert. He has gained experiences in the private as well as in public sector environments both in medical and wellness tourism. László is one of the very few people in the world who has been active in every aspect and domain of health tourism. He is an economist and art & design manager, and holds masters degrees and a PhD, and is a Certified Management Consultant. László has been lecturing and running tailor-made trainings and masterclasses in over 40 countries all around the world. He has been actively involved both in industry as well as academic arenas and authored numerous industry reports and specialist books and publications. He was the project lead on the path making report for UNWTO & ETC titled Exploring Health Tourism, as well as a pioneering study for Global Spa Summit titled Wellness Tourism and Medical Tourism: Where do spas fit? László is a hot spring and wellness enthusiast and holds a Diploma in Forest Bathing!
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Blessing or curse? Tourism and Biodiversity from Dr. Frauke Fischer Scientist Sustainability Award Winner of the University of Würzburg
HoteliersGuild
Blessing or curse? Tourism and Biodiversity FRAUKE FISCHER!! The relationship between tourism and biodiversity is complex. Tourism is dependent on Biodiversity and at the same time threatens it, but done right it can be one of it’s biggest guardian…. Here is the story: Nature soothes our souls so it is almost inevitable for a perfect holiday experience. But it’s not only the sight of beautiful landscapes with rich flora and fauna that we count on while traveling, it’s also a bunch of other ecosystem services the nature offers us, like production of food, clean water and air, the protection from floods or extreme heat and other things we need to feel comfortable. Unfortunately way to often by traveling we threaten exactly these services we are so much longing for by destroying biodiversity. To get to our destiny we need roads, airports and harbors. To stay there we need hotels, resorts, and camping sites. All this infrastructure covers ground. Covered ground that cuts through habitats and leaves no room for animals to live, plants to grow, water to drain away and fill freshwater reserves. And once we are there, we want water activities, build promenades and anchorages in coral reefs and mangroves that would otherwise have protected us from floods and storms. And we produce an awful lot of waste, often in regions without functioning waste management systems let alone recycling infrastructure so ending up in (official and unofficial) landfills or the oceans. And just by bathing our sun protected bodies in the sea we leave an estimated 14.000 tons of sunscreen lotion covering coral reefs worldwide every year. And not curious enough, when rolling up our beach mats we unintentionally lift up and carry away so much sand that it affects the beaches ecosystem. (On some Sardinian beaches the use of bath mats is already prohibited.) And we haven’t even talked about the climate footprint of traveling. That sounds devastating – but it doesn’t have to be. Tourism is an essential industry in many societies and more and more governments, hospitality companies and individual hotel owners understand, that their future prosperity relies on the surrounding nature and it’s functioning ecosystems. So the key is not to prevent people from spending holidays in nice areas but to take the value of ecosystem services into account and design tourism in a way that protects biodiversity and finds sustainable uses of ecosystems.
Pathway to heaven The good news is, whatever steps are taken towards a more sustainable tourism, it will always lead to a more pleasant experience of hospitality - more green, more quiet, more beautiful - and more over, it generally benefits the local community in economic terms. Here are some points of action: Planning Phase When looking for the right building site for a new project, it is important to conduct a proper environmental impact assessment (EIA) in order to understand potential harm on biodiversity and ecosystem services connected with building and running a hotel or resort. On the other hand, the EIA might throw a light on potential benefits from existing ecosystem services worse to preserve for the operation of a hotel or resort (e.g. forests cleaning air and water, cooling effects of vegetation, protection of infrastructure from natural disasters or extreme weather, regulation of waterflows etc.) They might safe money later on. Building Phase A good architect will help you to reduce impacts on the environment and might for example include the natural surroundings, standing trees, shrubs etc. in the planning, making use of natural air conditioning and ventilation. The use of long-lasting, locally produced renewable or recycled building material not
only saves resources and money while strengthening local economy, it also leads to a modern, high quality design highly appreciated by customers. Where negative impacts are inevitable they could (and should) be compensated for. A variety of compensating schemes already exists - biodiversity experts could help to find the right one. Operational Phase While operating a hotel or resort establishing procurement regulations (for food, furniture, consumables…) that assure the exclusion of products that have excess negative environmental impacts in all stages of the product life should be installed. Whenever possible food should be from regional sources, seasonal, and either organic certified or from known sources that support biodiversity. Other products should be of high quality (extending time in use), recyclable or circular. Those areas of a premise that are not built on give the opportunity to support biodiversity on site. Even small entities can be transformed into little insect habitats. Insects need food plants and nesting sites. A variety of indigenous plants improve the habitat for a variety of different species that can help regulate the natural food chain and even prevent the overpopulation of some of them (mosquitos or rats etc.). Bird feeders do not only help birds through harsh times (such as winter in temperate regions) but might also give guests the opportunity to observe wildlife. Training of staff is an important part to make any biodiversity friendly business work. Staff in charge of procurement, facility management, cleaning, guest-care, and cooking need to be trained to understand and support your biodiversity strategy. E.g. a chef who is aware of over-fishing, deforestation for soy and palm oil production, and climate change effects of food waste will deal differently with food, put other dishes on the menu, and hence help to protect biodiversity and safe you money (due to less waste). Locals offering guided tours into nature and natural sights are the best ambassadors for the idea of appreciating, preventing and enjoying natures wealth. Involving them and their knowledge as much as possible in planning and operation should be a matter of course. Where tourism and hospitality are managed consciously it can not only prevent major harm to biodiversity it can be an important guardian. The profits tourism generates make “nature conservation” an economically reasonable strategy and stabilize local community. There is no need to hunt down rhinos when tourists pay to see the living ones. And strolling (sustainably) through National parks tourists fulfill the job of rangers. (Unfortunately, we see this in drastically growing numbers of poaching in National Parks where tourism came to a break due to Covid-19.) All this makes the harmonization of biodiversity and tourism not only an obligation but a very promising business case for our future passion for travel.
Species and functioning ecosystems Diversity of ecosystems is the third major part of biodiversity. Coral reefs, rainforests, desserts or savannas are all examples of ecosystems. Losing individuals (and hence genetic diversity) or even entire species makes ecosystems more fragile. Analogous to the rivets of an airplane wing, the more species there are, the safer the structure becomes. When rivets are popping out – i.e. species become extinct - that is bad news for the stability of the system and hence for us. What has nature ever done for us? Ecosystems deliver ecosystem services. These include the provision of fertile soils (the base of global food production), the regulation of climate, diseases, nutrient and water cycles, pollinating crops, and the production of natural resources such as timber or marine fish. The value of these ecosystem services is estimated to be at least double the monetary value of the global GDP. If people try to replace them, they do it never for free, worse, and often not at all. Without functioning ecosystems our world becomes unstable, insecure and unmanageable. That is bad news for the hospitality and tourism sector. Nature’s safety net Hospitality and tourism depend on a stable environment: politically, economically and ecologically. The Global Risk Report published by the World Economic Forum in January 2020 highlighted that major threats for humanity are all directly linked to biodiversity loss. In terms of likelihood and impact biodiversity loss is a greater “The real number of r i s k t h a n c y b e r- a t t a c k s , infor mation infrastructure breakdown, financial failure or species is estimated to be e v e n w e a p o n s o f m a s s destruction. at least 8 million, and Why tourism & hospitality sectors should care about maybe much higher than biodiversity Biodiversity is an asset for all and a product for many players that. Despite of the fact in the sector. Biodiversity is a risk insurance, because coral that we know so little reefs or mangrove forests shield shores from devastating storms and tsunamis, forests protect infrastructure from about their numbers, landslides or generally because ecosystem services function functions, and roles in properly. How business could care ecosystems, we know that Check the value chain of your products and services for negative effects on biodiversity and set rigid biodiversity standards for your service providers and suppliers. Train your staff and make them ambassadors for biodiversity. Prevent negative effects of infrastructure construction already during the planning phase by conducting sound environmental impact studies.
Who knows that the skin of the Orinoco Lime Tree Frog contains a protein that can kill the yellow fever pathogen? Or that in 2017, during Hurricane Irma, more than 600,000 people were protected from flood hazards by mangroves - and not by artificial dams? In their new book "What has the mosquito ever done for us?", the Würzburg biologist Frauke Fischer and the economist Hilke Oberhansberg use these and many other examples to show what nature can do that is incredible and why we should rather work with it than against it.
Life in its fascination and abundance
When a tiny male fish has grown attached to a huge female, lobsters stay young forever and a beetle is named after Arnold Schwarzenegger, it sounds amusing at first. Biodiversity can make you laugh and marvel - and yet it does much more than that: "Biodiversity ensures that we have food, that the air is clear and the water drinkable, that we get healthy faster and get sick less often," says Frauke Fischer. Without microorganisms there would be no beer or humus; without mosquitoes there would be no chocolate.
In fact, there is no area of life that is not scientists, which will be published on 6 October want to lament the extinction of species, serious evidence and figures, such as that the global since 1970. But what they want above all is to To this end, they have compiled a large number of we need biodiversity - more than anything else.
dependent on biodiversity. The book by the two 2020, makes this impressively clear. "We don't as it is," say the two authors. They also provide mammalian biomass has decreased by 82 percent describe life in all its fascination and abundance. astounding examples and put in a nutshell why
The authors Dr. Frauke Fischer is a research assistant at and Tropical Biology) at the Julius-Maximiliansresearch is on "biodiversity" and "social lectures and workshops; in 2003 she also founded their commitment to sustainability, climate protection
the Department of Zoology III (Animal Ecology University of Würzburg (JMU). One focus of her responsibility". To this end, she regularly holds the agency "auf!", which advises companies on and the conservation of biodiversity.
Hilke Oberhansberg holds a doctorate in economics; she studied interdisciplinary environmental sciences and, after many years in international corporations, now works in the field of environmental education and consulting.
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