Hotel Magazine | February/March 2019

$

10.95

February/MARCH 2019 • Vol. 5 No. 2

REFURBISHMENT OF GYMS JUST GOOD BUSINESS

Caitlan Mitchell, Editor, caitlan@reviewmags.com

Refurbishment is an ongoing challenge for operators. What season to start the work, to do all rooms or just some, and at what cost.

This issue we look at grass options, maximising space, and an often neglected refurbishment area, the gym. When travelling for either business or leisure, the gym can be an important factor for guests in choosing a hotel and indeed in choosing to return.

Gyms need to be well lit and spacious, clean and with the latest in equipment to allow for most if not all fitness trends. Don’t

just throw in an oversized mirror, a treadmill and a swiss ball.

Before renovating or adding a gym to your establishment, visit a variety of gyms near you. Go inside, walk around. There is a lot of different types of equipment out there; look out for the most popular equipment and how often they are used. In this issue, we take a look at what equipment is available.

The HOTEL team were excited to learn about a creative initiative from QT Wellington.

The “Your Art. Our Rooms” where the hotel is working with the art community to decorate nine brand new guest rooms, aligns with the hotel’s philosophy to actively support the local creative scene.

Please share with us your refurbishment news and initiatives, and you could feature on our pages.

CYBERCRIME IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

The average cost of a data breach on a company is: $3.86M & 50 Days cost in time

PS Sarah Mitchell has taken maternity leave with the arrival of baby Hugo. I’m holding down the fort while she is away, so please do not hesitate to send through your comments and news to me.

21 percent of all files are not protected in any way.

383 million customers’ information was stolen from Marriott International from between 2014 to 2018.

ISN’T IT ROMANTIC This star-studded comedy follows a Natalie, a young woman is who is extremely cynical about all things romantic, that is until she wakes up one day to find herself living inside a romantic comedy -and the worst part is, she’s the leading lady.

This film is rated PG-13 and is targeted towards comedy lovers, young couples or even families. Some of the film’s big names include Liam Hemsworth from The Hunger Games series and Rebel Wilson from Pitch Perfect.

Only 1 percent of all hospitality breaches involve insiders.

www.hotelmagazine.co.nz CHAIRMAN: Peter Mitchell, peter@reviewmags.com PUBLISHER: Tania Walters, tania@reviewmags.com ADMINISTRATION MANAGER: Kieran Mitchell, kieran@reviewmags.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Sarah Mitchell, sarah@reviewmags.com EDITOR: Caitlan Mitchell, caitlan@reviewmags.com CONTENT MANAGER: Caroline Boe, caroline@reviewmags.com

EDITORIAL TEAM: Alan Higgs Mark Fullerton Georgina McKimm Chris Glavovic SENIOR DESIGNER: Raymund Sarmiento, raymund@reviewmags.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Ciaran Carroll, kez@reviewmags.com

100% OWNED ISSN 2423-1193 Review Publishing Co Ltd

Suite 9, Level 3, 20 Augustus Tce, Parnell, Auckland PO Box 37140, Parnell, Auckland Tel (09) 304 0142 or Fax (09) 377 2794 HOTEL is published bi-monthly under license. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to HOTEL. The opinions and material published in this edition of HOTEL are not necessarily those of the publishers unless specifically stated. All material appearing in HOTEL is copyright and may only be reproduced with the consent of the publisher. Copyright 2019.

1,370,710,977 The total number of records containing personal data that was compromised in 2018.

February/MARCH 2019

1

FOUR-LEGGED GUESTS

CHAINS DOMINATE NZ A new market report from Horwath shows chains represent over 7.45 percent of the AsiaPacific hotel market and make up 34 percent of all rooms.

This trend is most evident in Japan where chains make up 5.3 percent of all properties and 33 percent of rooms.

In New Zealand chains are more prominent, trailing only Singapore in terms of chain saturation. Across the country, 48.2 percent of all hotels and 78.1 percent of all rooms fall under chains, most of which are international. Of New Zealand’s 50 hotel brands, only ten are domestic, and the other 40 are internationally owned, the fewest domestic hotel brands in the Asia-Pacific. Horwath expects the concentration of brands to only increase in New Zealand, primarily because of the 50 percent growth of room supply the country

will experience by 2022.

In comparison, of the 126 brands in Australia, 65 are domestic, and 61 were international. Japan had the highest ratio of domestic brands in the Asia-Pacific, with 136 domestic brands and only 46 international brands. By rooms, AccorHotels is still by far the biggest chain in the country, with 4,366 rooms under its wing across 31 hotels. Quest, however, has the most hotels, with 33 properties and 1,413 rooms.

Of the domestic chains, Scenic Hotel Group has the most rooms (1,561) across its 16 hotels, closely trailed by Distinction Hotels with 1,296 rooms in 12 hotels and Heritage Hotels with 18 hotels and 1,238 rooms.

By rooms, Distinction is the biggest domestic brand (1,242), and Novotel is the biggest international brand (1,437). l

DIVISIVE HOTEL APPROVED Resource consents have been approved for a five-star, 130room hotel development in Queenstown. Two hotels on the other side of the street to the new development, owned

by Event Hotels, opposed the resource consent as they were concerned about the use of cranes, excessive noise and traffic problems.

Event Hotels did not withdraw its submission;

2

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

however, it accepted a revised set of conditions for the development which included rules around construction noise and a vibration management plan.

The site is being developed

by Well Smart Investment Holding, a Singaporebased hospitality real estate investment and development company who bought the land in 2016. l

There’s always been a market for people who can’t bear to be separated from their four-legged friends, and this market is growing.

According to the American Pet Products Association 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey, 37 percent of pet owners take their animals on the road – almost twice as many pet owners as a decade ago. While holiday parks and camping grounds have long allowed families bring dogs to sleep outside the cabin or tent, New Zealand hotels have started making ground in the pet space.

At Jet Park Hotels, owners Liz Herrmann and John Lateulere have been avid supporters of the SPCA for a long time, so it makes sense that their hotels are pet-friendly.

Both hotels at Auckland Airport and Rotorua have dedicated ‘PetStay Rooms’.

The rooms are fitted out with tiled flooring making for easy clean-up, and include a pet bed with a duvet or blanket and sheets, as well as food, water and some treats. The Auckland Airport property also has an open field to exercise animals, as well as a separate entrance to bring pets in and out of the hotel. Nicole Lawson, group general manager for Jet Park Hotels said that pet stay rooms are becoming more and more popular. “[They’re] mainly leisure guests.

We welcome all owners and pets into our hotels. Our staff enjoy engaging with all the family members, and their ‘fur-babies’.

People who travel with their pets are delightful and respectful and cause no disruption to the business,” said Lawson. At U Hotel Group, pets are embraced at all of five of its properties. Founder and CEO of U Hotel Group, Suresh Subramaniam, had similar thoughts about guests bringing pets.

“It’s mostly leisure guests, but there’s a few corporates who relocate from a location who need to stay somewhere for a month or so with their pet,” said

Subramaniam.

Naumi Auckland Airport Hotel is another New Zealand hotel that embraces pets.

“At Naumi Auckland Airport Hotel we welcome dogs and cats up to 9kg. Guests can bring up to two pets per room with a charge of $30 per pet, however, guide dogs are hosted free of charge,” said Chris McIntosh, general manager, Naumi Auckland Airport Hotel. “On arrival in the room pets are greeted with comfortable bedding, as well as food and water bowls so that guests don’t need to worry about packing these items. At our Paksa restaurant, we have a dedicated pet menu so cats and dogs can feast on the likes of salmon sashimi and venison tartare.”

“Our aim at Naumi Auckland Airport Hotel is that pets enjoy their stays as much as their owners.”

In terms of transport in New Zealand, Air New Zealand leads the way with its pet policy. Domestic cats and dogs, and even small birds can be checked in as baggage on all Air New Zealand’s domestic services. Alternatively, Jetstar is not equipped to fly pets in any capacity.

Auckland Transport allows disability assist dogs to come onto buses and trains but does not allow for any other kind of pet. Waiheke Island Buses are the one exception as dogs are allowed on board.

AT’s ferry services allow for dogs and small animals to be carried on board, although its recommended for guests to check with the operator beforehand.

Wellington’s Metlink is more forgiving for pet owners. It also allows assist dogs on all trains, buses, ferries and taxies, and as of April 2018 domestic pets are now also allowed to travel on all Metlink transport as long as the pet is enclosed in a cage or other carrier.

While there are some special conditions hotels need to consider with pets (allergies, cleaning, pet menus), the growing market share interested in travelling with pets makes it worth hotels taking

STARTS WITH

For more information contact 0800 242 327 or visit ahbeardcommercial.com Gaye Whyte NZ Commercial Account Manager 021 734 309 | gaye@ahbeard.com

Alan Hawkins NZ Commercial Account Manager 021 906 017 | alan@ahbeard.com

Marissa Smith NZ Commercial Co-ordinator 09 320 0678 | marissas@ahbeard.com February/MARCH 2019

3

NORTHLAKE’S PLANS INCLUDE HOTEL Pullman Nadi Resort & Spa will hold its soft opening on April 19 and its grand opening on an unannounced day in May. According to French newspaper Le Figaro, AccorHotels is poised to launch a new hotel brand ‘Greet’ later this year. It plans to bring independent hotels with 50 to 70 rooms under its banner and require little standardisation.

Plans to launch the Aurora Station space hotel have come to a halt as Orion Span fell well short of its US$2 million seed funding goal. The company only raised US$235,700 by its deadline.

Swiss-Belhotel International appointed Nick Mannion as general manager of Swiss-Belsuites Victoria Park, Auckland.

Oytun Cevik joined CityLife Wellington as the hotel’s new manager.

He worked previously as general manager of Swiss-Belsuites Victoria Park, Auckland. Across the country at CityLife Auckland Zuzana Sheppard has been appointed front office manager.

Throughout New Zealand, 24 electric vehicle chargers have been installed in holiday parks to encourage holidaygoers to use electric vehicles.

The Westin Perth has been sold to Malaysia’s YTL Corporation. While the hotel’s sale price was not publicly disclosed, analysts have estimated a price upward of $200 million.

Daydream Island Resort in the Whitsunday Islands off the East Coast of Australia is re-opening on 10 April.

Adelaide’s Mount Lofty House has completed its $3 million refurbishments, creating a new reception area, restaurant, bar and conference facilities.

Meanwhile, work continues developing the historic Sequoia luxury lodge and its 14 new suites. The new development plans to open on September 2019, at a cost of $15 million.

The U.S. Travel Association’s latest Travel Trends Index suggests the country’s travel growth will slow over 2019 but domestic business travel in particular is expected to grow 3.4 percent.

Marriott’s new millennial-focused Moxy brand will debut in Australia when Moxy Melbourne South Yarra opens in July 2021.

In 2018, 15.8 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia, more than any other year prior and a 13 percent increase over 2017.

4

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

Northlake Investments Limited has added plans to build a 113-room hotel with a restaurant, bar, and gym to its development in Wanaka.

The plans for the hotel include 113 rooms, a restaurant, bar, gym facilities and parking for 70 vehicles.

It will have two buildings, 88 of the rooms with kitchenettes and the other 25 without.

“The hotel proposal brings with it frontof-house functions that are complementary to the scale and character of the Northlake Development as a whole and to the small scale of the local village hub,” said the development’s Urban Design Statement.

The hotel was not originally a part of the development’s plans which consisted of a 1500home subdivision, a commercial retail space including a restaurant, early childhood centre and office buildings. The block of land where the hotel will sit currently hosts a tennis court and temporary sales offices. l

WEATHERDON APPOINTS NEW LOCAL GM New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific’s leading supplier of guest-room products R. Weatherdon and Co., has appointed Bronson Chin, as local general manager, dedicated to the growing needs of the sector. Now that Weatherdon has established a dedicated warehouse to provide speedy delivery, Chin will now oversee business development, operations and logistics.

Bronson, an Auckland local, brings with him a business background in IT, marketing and supply chain management.

His diverse skill-set enhances his approach to clients, working across all sectors of the industry from refurbishment and refits to advising hotel management launching new properties.

“It’s a fast-moving industry and at the same time, we are always adding to and refining our

range of over 600 products including the wellknown Nero range of electrical appliances, all designed specifically for heavy-duty wear and tear.

The position provides a terrific opportunity to work with diverse clients on everything from dormitories to luxury lodges, as well as back-of-house facilities,” said Bronson Chin.

“Furthermore, Weatherdon is a family owned company that has been in the business for over 40 years, so there is a deep history of expert advice and a solid reputation to draw from.”

Weatherdon’s top team of designers and manufacturers are also able to specify standards to meet the unique demands of the hospitality sector. Manufacturing their own robust appliances they also supply brands from trusted suppliers. l

ART INSTALLATION BEGINS Artwork by New Zealand artist Sara Hughes commissioned by SKYCITY is currently being installed on the New Zealand International Convention Centre, with artwork from Peata Larkin to follow soon after. The process begins with 98 glass fins being installed on the western and eastern exteriors and will be followed by the glass artwork feature on the southern side where over 500 panels of varying size will cover the top level. “The artwork reflects the experience of walking through the New Zealand bush and looking up through a canopy of trees to see the unique light and colour of the forest,” said Hughes. “It’s really exciting and moving for me

personally to see this work lifted into place and on public display for the first time.

Warren Mahoney, who designed the NZICC alongside Moller Architects and Woods Bagot said the highly collaborative process helped the NZICC’s design have an enduring civic presence and identity. “In many ways, we’ve been speaking on behalf of the building over the last few years. That’s why it’s so exciting to see the building increasingly start to speak for itself, and installation of the first of the Sara Hughesdesigned fins will see a powerful and distinctive part of the project’s identity assert itself on the skyline. We’re looking forward to the first fins quickly weaving the larger veil of colour over these elevated and visible sections of the NZICC’s façade,” said Richard Archbold, project architect, Warren and Mahoney Architects.

The 500-plus panels of different sizes, shapes and colours will be installed over the next six months, lifted by mini crane or tower crane at an average of six to eight panels per day. “Some of these glass panels are up to 9m high and weigh as much as 1.3 tonnes, and they have very specific placements, so the team on site have a delicate and challenging job ahead of them,” said Callum Mallet, general manager, NZICC. Once Hughes’ installation is completed, work will then begin on installing Peata Larkin’s 105 metre-long terracotta wall which will span from Hobson Street to Nelson Street, through the future laneway of NZICC and wrap back into the building. The NZICC has also been delayed.

It’s now expecting to open in the second half of 2020 because the aluminium composite panels in the building were linked to fire risk and must be removed. l

February/MARCH 2019

5

KEEPING IT CREATIVE

Midway through 2018, QT Wellington launched an initiative called ‘Your Art. Our Rooms’ where the hotel challenged the art community to submit pieces to decorate the bedhead walls on nine brand new guest rooms.

After receiving over 270 entries from local and national artists, the hotel chose to redesign all 25 rooms on the fourth floor with bespoke artwork in its newly launched Gallery 4.

The end result is 25 rooms which acted as canvases for the selected artists who fitted out each room with one-of-a-kind artwork.

The artists were given the colour palette for the rooms, but aside from the that, the assigned space was theirs to let their imagination loose.

Guests staying in the Gallery 4 rooms will see walls, balconies, and ceilings all covered with unique artwork from 19 New Zealand artists. “Gallery 4 signifies

QT really making our mark and identifying ourselves as a part of our country’s artistic community,” said Garth Solly, general manager, QT Wellington.

“We are thrilled we have an art collection where guests can fully immerse themselves in established and up-and-coming homegrown talent, as Gallery 4 boasts works

by Angus Muir, D Side, Dr Johnson Witehira and also fosters the next wave of artists.”

Local Wellington art critic Mark Amery and street artist DSIDE were chosen to be a part of the competition’s judging panel.

“The collection in its lobby represents its importance and depth of involvement in this

country’s art realm, so I was honoured when asked to be involved,” said DSIDE. “This project is extending the collection into the bedroom so people can have a different encounter with them. The newly designed rooms also come with the option of a private balcony – painted with local art - looking out over the Wellington Harbour, “The hotel has a philosophy that

Behind the Design

thrives on actively supporting the local creative scene which is why we’re giving an opportunity for artists to be a part of our history,” said Solly.

With the launch of Gallery 4, the hotel also dropped ‘Museum’ from its name, now operating just as QT Wellington. The hotel will continue to honour its history with its eclectic collection of art and decorative furnishings. l

Indyk Architects started design work with the QT Wellington when the property was first bought

by Event Entertainment and Hospitality, back when it was still known as the Old Museum Art Hotel in Wellington.

“We started with the new fit out of the harbour facing rooms – level one, two and part three in 2015. This involved the design of minibars, wardrobes, bedheads and complete bathrooms along with new lighting concepts and fitting and carpet designs to these north facing rooms and balconies,” said Shelley Indyk, director, Indyk Architects. Indyk Architects’ mission was to maintain the property’s artistic qualities and content but within a new elegant

6

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

and quirky QT environment.

Following that, Indyk redesigned the ground floor, creating a new reception, bar, lounges, entire wall finishes, and large angled mirror frames. After the ground floor, Indyk began creating a new restaurant and bar within the hotel’s existing carpark, which eventually become the funky Asian food and wine venue Hot Sauce.

Most recently, Indyk worked on the Level 4 accommodation which became Gallery 4.

“I was very interested to make the hotel particular to Wellington through art pieces and art stories. I became familiar with a wonderful city full of creativity, good food and venues, where the quality of light is mesmerising, and the wind is totally daunting. This was a unique experience which I would be happy to embark upon again.

I have met a wonderful potter, glass artists, mural artists, light artists and installation artists.”

Indyk has worked on other QT projects like the flagship QT Sydney where they created 200 quirky and unique guest rooms, hallways and suites, both in heritage buildings.

They also worked on resolving, detailing and coordinating QT Melbourne and QT Perth which were both new-build projects.

Additionally, the team worked on Rydges hotels, such as Rydges Melbourne where the team created a bespoke large reception entry carpet and Rydges Hobart where they created a reception dining ground floor.

Having been in the industry for a long time, Shelley Indyk has seen and been a part of how hotel design has changed and evolved.

“I think that hotel design has come a long way in the last seven years. There are many more designer hotels than before giving the guests a unique experience.

Above all hotels have become more linked to the neighbourhoods that they stand within.”

The challenge in modern design is making the building relevant to their surroundings and local environment.

“I think making hotels particular to their context is the challenge now. As the world becomes one global community, and Instagram and Pinterest define our imagery and interest, how does one create and design unique hotels that somehow stimulate an understanding of place and context.”

Indyk has over 30 years’

QT SYDNEY

QT MELBOURNE MASTERPLANNING > RESIDENTIAL > COMMERCIAL > HOSPITALITY

experience working in a broad range of commercial, hospitality and residential projects.

“We bring a love of design, a total commitment to detailing and love of materials. We bring an audacity of finishes and textures, and we are perfectionists in a world of commercial reality where perfection is not always the outcome and aim.”

“We insist on quality if we cannot achieve perfection.” l To contact Indyk Architects call +61 2 9361650, visit www.indykarchitects.com.au or email shelley@indykarchitects.com.au.

QT WELLINGTON W indykarchitects.au E shelley@indykarchitects.com.au / T +612 9361 6850

February/MARCH 2019

7

THE FUTURE OF MIRRORS William Thom pioneered New Zealand’s mirror silvering industry in New Zealand back in 1938. He aimed to create quality and affordable mirrors, and that’s exactly what Trendy Mirrors embody with their service.

side-lit LED mirrors, creating a calming and relaxing feel.

Entrances, foyers, and bars are another great place to use mirrors.

On top of that, a full-length dress mirror is a must in a hotel bedroom, whether that be made to size in unframed or framed to compliment the décor. Trendy Mirrors specialise in custom-made and also provide architecturally designed mirrors.

“Our mirrors can be custom made to size in almost any shape or form with LED light and demister options.

Mirrors are made to architectural designs or any creative design unlimited to your imagination. Mirror types can be made in silver, bronze, grey or antique, safety-backed or toughened mirror. There are virtually no limits to what can be made with our CNC water jet and CNC glass cutting equipment,”

Trendy Mirrors creates a new generation of high-quality mirrors that last, at a realistic price.

Many areas in a hotel can benefit from a mirror, some obvious, some not so much.

In a hotel environment, LED mirrors are an excellent finishing touch to a quality bathroom with rectangular, magnifying, defogging and custom-made options.

Bathrooms can benefit from

said Damien Thom, managing director, Trendy Mirrors.

Their mirrors made with copper-free ecological Mirrox technology, and unlike traditional mirrors, with Trendy Mirrors you’ll have the option to never worry about fogged mirror glass again. The mirror is always clean and clear for use, with electric mirror demisters defogging the mirrors while the guest is showering.

This not only benefits the guest but also requires much less cleaning for staff, as well as increasing the mirror’s longevity. Trendy Mirrors are designed to be durable with simple and straightforward hanging systems which are factored into the designs.

They also have their own team of installers servicing many main

centres throughout New Zealand and can arrange installation in other areas as required. The design team will work with you from concept to completion including, project planning and installation to provide cost effective, efficient mirror products for your project. l For more information, call 03 343 4666, email sales@trendymirrors.co.nz or visit www.trendymirrors.co.nz

MAKE IT A COMBO New customers are attracted to your brand for a variety of reasons, including brand reputation, performance and service/product. Once engagement begins, prospective customers want to know exactly what you can do for them, how is your brand a good fit for their brand. Today the mixture of print, digital and social media options are many and backed with the support of good editorial content is the dream layering advertising option, but all too often it is felt that the cost of that layering is beyond reach. With the menu builder option from Apparel magazine, you have the benefit of a team of writers, digital marketers and industry professionals who can help you build your client relationships by providing those extra layers that you thought beyond your budget.

Our Menu Morning Report

Facebook Post

Every weekday, Apparel produces a Morning Report which features three one-liner news stories. This may include a brand/company tag or related hashtags.

This singular post can be a standalone image and text, a gallery of images with text, a hyperlinked story to our website (if chosen with the Website Story option), or a video.

Instagram Post

PR Story

A standard Instagram post requires either imagery supplied by the brand or the product supplied for our in-house photographer to photograph. This is a single post which includes a brand tag and campaign/brand related hashtags if any.

Our team of industry experts and writers are more than happy to provide you with a press release for you to send to all of your clients.

Max 600 words as part of this menu builder. For more, please inquire.

Website Story

E-Newsletter

Found on www.apparelmagazine.co.nz, a website story can consist of up to 20 images in a gallery, a video, and up to 600 words. This story can be supplied or written by one of our staff writers.

Our weekly e-newsletter is sent on Fridays and includes a feature image, one sentence from the story, and a READ MORE hyperlink back to the Apparel website for the full story. See full newsletter reach under the Online section of this media kit.

Receive any TWO digital, PR or Social Media options FREE with any ratecard print advertisement.

For example:

Full Page Advert

Instagram Post

Featured Newsletter Story

Custom made to your design Trendy Mirrors has a wealth of experience spanning three generations producing quality New Zealand mirrors.

Our designs cover every conceivable shape and type

Low maintenance artificial gardens and green spaces will boost your image and add the wow factor to your guests' sense of arrival.

We supply and install Unreal Grass surfaces for a wide selection of commercial facilities including restaurants, cafes, hotels and motels.

Contact us today for a free quote and estimate WWW.TRENDYMIRRORS.CO.NZ Phone: +64 3 343 4644 Email: sales@trendymirrors.co.nz

8

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

We service all areas of New Zealand If you have any questions about Unreal Grass or if you would like our cost and obligation FREE estimate services, please contact us.

027 774 4660 Or email Baz Woodcock, National Sales Manager at baz@unrealgroup.co.nz

KEEPING IT GREEN Grass adds a natural flair and comfortable feel to a property. The problem is, growing green grass in hotel or restaurant environments year-round can be a fulltime job in itself.

high-use commercial properties.

Architects and developers value artificial turf for areas with high foot traffic or places where grass would be unaffordable to maintain.

Live grass is also timeconsuming for whoever oversees tending it. In New Zealand, where extreme weather conditions can mean droughts and cyclones can be just a week apart, artificial grass offers an easy solution.

Unreal Grass offers a range of grass sizes and types, from 12mm sport field length grass to the lush, soft and natural looking 40mm Belle grass which complements any landscaping project.

They supply and install surfaces for a wide selection of commercial facilities including hotels, motels and restaurants. If your property is a sea of concrete or needs more green grass, you may want to consider converting your rooftop into a relaxing roof garden or adding grass to apartment balconies.

Low maintenance artificial gardens and green spaces boost your site’s image and add a wow factor.

Artificial lawns are capable of withstanding high levels of wear and tear and exposure to heavy rainfall, making them suitable for

In many cases, hotels and apartments above the ground floor are not allowed to irrigate or are trying to cut down on water use. Artificial grass lets you have perfectly green grass year-round, without the regular maintenance and expenditure. As Unreal Grass contains a certified UV Defender, you don’t have to worry about discolouration from direct sunlight.

The use of artificial grass isn’t limited to outdoor areas either, Unreal Grass carries the relevant code compliance for indoor

COMMERCIALLY MADE

MATTRESSES Big Save Commercial’s largest bulk selling mattress last year was the Sweet Dream, popular throughout backpackers, hostels, and halls of residence.

SINGLE

$152 +gst

KING SINGLE

$185 +gst

DOUBLE

$221 +gst

QUEEN

$259 +gst

SW

EET

E DR

SW

EE

T

E DR

AM

PL

US

H

installations and as such, artificial grasses can be used indoors just as easily for carpeting, walkways, pool-sides or similar uses.

Unreal Grass is supplied by the largest artificial grass manufacturer in the world and is code compliant and certified free of chemicals and heavy metals.

All products also come with a 10-year guarantee, making sure your grass looks fresh and new. l For more information, call 027 7744 660 or email baz@unrealgroup.co.nz

SINGLE

$186 +gst

KING SINGLE

$221 +gst

DOUBLE

$260 +gst

QUEEN

$299 +gst

COOPER

AM er 2 seat

Angled timber legs for strength

Tufted back to add extra detail and elegance

The Cooper range is perfect for those who are after a clean and modern Scandinavian look.

$589 +GST

Angled armrests for comfort and style

Durable polyester fabric

B e d se tt e

e

$1045 +G ST

2 .5 s e ater

$669 +GST

For Big Save Furniture Commercial, call Barry Beaumont on 029 200 5300 barryb@bigsave.co.nz February/MARCH 2019

9

MAXIMISING SPACE

Laura Lochhead and her team at Pocketspace Interiors had a big year in 2018. The studio had the opportunity to design The Liberté Hotel, The Wairua Lodge River Retreat, ACG Colleges, Giltrap Group, a Filipino restaurant in Ponsonby as well as a barber and a dessert bar. The team’s residential department has also been busy working with villas and apartments dotted around Auckland.

10

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

L

ochhead believes most New Zealand hotels aren’t designed in a way that gets the full use out of the space.

She understands that space is no longer just space, and now needs to have iconic everlasting moments throughout the property.

“I really feel that hotel rooms aren’t designed right, and a lot of hotels aren’t capitalising the real estate that they have. They all have single-use furniture, making the room one dimensional.

What if a table folded down from the wall, or a wardrobe fitting twisted and flexed into the space to hang garments to suit those who like to fully unpack and those who do not? You can buy less but do more with the four walls and ceiling that you have.”

Another imperfection she sees in New Zealand hotel design is something a lot of hotels and motels are guilty of, which is not regularly maintaining and updating their rooms. “If you say, ‘those chairs have one more year in

them’ think again. People are after an experience, personality and a moment of delight when they first open that door, so give it to them.”

Pocketspace is New Zealand’s only small space studio. People approach the studio wanting their space maximised and is then matched with Pocketspace’s young aesthetic. Another of its niches is Pocketspace’s three-day turnarounds, which on big projects has been the team’s saving grace, keeping up with site progression and communication.

“First and foremost, we always tackle every project with a list of functional objectives and a list of aesthetic outcomes. Identifying what our unique aesthetic approach is with each project comes from the client’s brand and compliments it with new innovative products and trends in the interior market.” l To get in touch with Laura Lochhead and the team at Pocketspace Interiors, email laura@pocketspaceinteriors. com, phone 09 212 6820 or visit www.pocketspaceinteriors.com.

colourtrending

mixing the

Gem Ottoman from nood

Retro interior design mixes styles and objects from trends and fashions of the past with pieces from the present. It lives by the philosophy of “everything old is new again.”

Agoura cushion from Freedom Furniture

Resene Yowza

Resene Indian Ink

hile designs change and evolve, old styles often find a way to come back into fashion. Modern retro makes throwbacks to styles of the past, but not too far back.

These nostalgic retro designs evoke feelings, awake memories and bring people back to better times, making an immediate connection between the designer and the guest. A modernretro room features bold colours, textures, patterns, prints and geometric shapes. It mixes old styles with new techniques. It combines the muted tones of retro design, juxtaposed with modern technology and touches as well as strong hues adding contrast and interest.

While designers can experiment with these components, the best retro décor is often simple but fashionable and can create a whole new mood and ambience in a room.

A retro twist doesn’t mean filling everything with overly bright colours and crazy patterns but instead opting for tasteful midcentury chairs like the Parker Furniture rocking chair. In a soft blue colour like Resene Yuma Resene Unwind, the mid-century chair also features Selvedge Edge Hand Loom wooden legs which Mat from Citta Design give it a naturally warm and friendly but also slick and stylish touch. Retro pieces like this chair can enhance the existing style of a room while also standing out from the dull and ordinary.

The right pillows or rugs can turn any room into a hip, playful space to set the tone for the

It wouldn’t be a true retro exhibition without looking at some bright pieces. The Tote Tray Table from nood in a striking colour like Resene Turbo would make its mark in any setting. Portable and practical, the table’s unique colour could be the perfect fit inside or outside in an artistically bold hotel looking to be original and different from the pack.

Fitting vibrant pieces into a living arrangement is a delicate task. Match the colours poorly, and it looks tacky; get it right, and you have put together a special creative look. The Gem Ottoman from nood is an example of this. In a colour similar to Resene Yowza, the ottoman is simple and straightforward, the perfect multipurpose and functional piece in a living room.

The Pallas table by Classicon from Matisse is another example. In a colour similar to Resene Thumbs Up, this table Resene embodies elements of Green Smoke retro design as well as capturing a postShift table lamp modern futuristic from Citta aesthetic. Strong lines, unmissable bold colour, kinks and notches give it the charm to command attention at a glance.

The 3D stool from Citta is a timeless piece.

Its wooden curved seat in a colour like Resene Natural wood stain gives it a natural homely feel, while the minimalistic legs give it a modern and smart appearance. l

W

3D stool from Citta Design

Resene Thumbs Up Pallas table from Matisse

rest of the property. The handmade Selvedge Edge Hand Loom Mat from Citta Design is exactly that. The natural toned cotton in a colour similar to Resene Yuma is comfortable and tasteful. Its mustard toned citron band with tasselled edges makes it stand out while blending and complementing other modernretro pieces.

The Agoura Cushion from Freedom Furniture is sophisticated and doesn’t try to grab too much attention for itself. It’s the perfect cosy accompaniment to add an accent or texture, making the perfect finishing touch in a room. It could be paired with a different colour cushion cover that would match the Resene Indian Ink tone, to create a mixmatched look.

One primary feature of the retro design is its muted colour choice. The Shift Table Lamp for Citta Design is a glorious example of using subdued unconventional colours to make a statement. In a pistachio colour like Resene Green Smoke, the lamp features a very clean design, but the quirky and distinct colourway is what truly makes it special. The table lamp makes its mark without being unnecessarily extravagant or showy.

Rocking chair from Parker Furniture

Resene Natural Wood Stain

Resene Turbo

Resene Unwind

Colours available from Resene ColorShops

Tote Tray Table from nood

www.resene.co.nz

0800 737 363 February/MARCH 2019

11

SO/ AUCKLAND At the end of 2018 Auckland had a new hotel join its city skyline, with AccorHotels opening SO/ Auckland.

T

he hotel is located on Customs St, occupying the former Reserve Bank.

It is a new build but has retained the vault area space which is used to house the hotel’s unique conference and meeting space.

The Auckland property is the seventh hotel in the SO/ brand and describes its target market as urban and social people looking for a colourful and vibrant getaway or hangout.

One distinct feature of SO/ hotels is how they embrace art. Every SO/ hotel has been designed by big names designers who can let their artistic vision run wild. Kenzo Takada, Christian Lacroix, Viktor Rolf are some of the designers who have previously designed for SO/. In Auckland, SO/ teamed up with Benny Castles of WORLD to design a creative avant-garde work of art.

12

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

Fashion house WORLD was chosen because of its bold, energetic, playful style.

WORLD’s creative touch and influence can be seen in everything at the hotel, from the staff’s ‘attire’ to the wallpaper, artwork, neon installations and the hotel’s volcano logo and wider theme.

“It’s been an exciting journey with the global SO/ team since 2011 to prepare for the opening including two years of immersion with the brand at SO/ Bangkok.

Every touch of a SO/ hotel is unique to its location and thanks in large part to our signature designer world, we have unlocked a destination truly unique to our shores,” said Stephen Gould, general manager, SO/ Auckland.

Each SO/ hotel reflects its surroundings, and for SO/ Auckland that means playing off the city’s volcanic history.

The volcanic theme touches all elements of the hotel, with specially designed rooms Vapour, Liquid and Solid not just named after the theme, but also incorporating elements of it throughout.

“We knew from the outset this was a very special project to collaborate on. Our role was to create an experience that helped guests and visitors leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind and welcome them into a new world,” said Benny Castles, designer and director, WORLD. The furniture and lighting

installations were done by Dutch design house Moooi. The most attention-grabbing piece is the Mega Chandelier created by Marcel Wonders on the ground floor entrance at the hotel’s Mixo Bar. The hotel also has a restaurant and bar that it hopes will pull in locals as much as visitors.

On the top story, the HI-SO rooftop bar is neon-lit with wide views of the Waitemata Harbour and Rangitoto Island.

Just beneath it, renowned French Chef Marc De Passario, former owner of Michelin-starred restaurant L’Esprit de la Violette runs the hotel’s Harbour Society restaurant.

Aside from the food and beverage offerings, SO/ Auckland also features SO/ Spa which caters

for all wellness and relaxation needs with Himalayan detox therapy, Tibetan sound healing, chakra balancing and peeling Chlorella masks all available. l

February/MARCH 2019

13

www.ServiceIQ.org.nz

0800 863 693

Please call ServiceIQ now to find out how your hospitality business can go to the next level with one small step. With ServiceIQ it could even be free.

The difference comes down to three words and one simple and effective concept: on-job training.

It’s the difference between just doing the job and doing it brilliantly. So brilliantly in fact, that your customers come back more often, spend more, bring their friends and colleagues, write favourable reviews and recommend you to others.

Some people have a talent for service, but they still need to learn the right skills to do it well. The tricks of the service trade. The art of satisfying customers.

IT TAKES A LOT MORE THAN WEARING AN APRON, AND CARRYING A COFFEE, TO BE A WAITER.

TRAINED

THEY ARE

AREN’T BORN

WAITERS

TAUPO LAKESIDE RESORT FOR SALE

OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE MANAGEMENT RIGHTS On Waiheke Island, the management rights for apartment complex business The Sands is up for sale.

The previous owners have decided to move to Taranaki after enjoying a good income through their tenure, creating an opportunity for a new owner to buy the management rights.

With 32 apartments and villas spread across three multi-level buildings, the site is located in a prime beach location on Waiheke Island.

Across the road from Onetangi Beach the property is virtually the last site on The Strand and has an almost secluded feeling.

Beach access is just a walk across the road, and for boat enthusiasts, launch access is less than 100 metres away. Effectively 50 percent of the complex is available in the letting pool. The family-friendly resort offers choices of fully self-contained one, two- and three-bedroom apartments.

All the apartments feature full-width bifolding windows which maximise the views of the beach and surrounding area, as well as a fully equipped kitchen and laundry. There are three one-bedroom apartments, all featuring openplan lounge and one bathroom.

The ten two-bedroom apartments each have their own bathrooms and open-plan living space. Each apartment sleeps four.

Across the three three-bedroom apartments,

each apartment has a master ensuite and shared bathroom for the second and third rooms.

These apartments are perfect for family holiday apartments or for sharing with friends and sleeps six.

The current vendors had been operating 15 of the 32 apartments, so there is scope to increase apartment inventory if the new owner desired.

The Sands Waiheke Island Apartments & Villas management rights are being sold by way of private negotiation through Resort Brokers agents Wayne Keene and Leanne Bate. l To get in contact with Wayne Keene call 021 666 991 or email wayne@resortbrokers.co.nz, and to contact Leanne Bate call 021 035 0049 or email leanne@resortbrokers.co.nz

The Village Resort was developed directly opposite Lake Taupo in the late 1980s. The property was sold off to individual owners, purchasing either fixed or floating weeks of the timeshare, each with its own unit title.

Its owners have now voted to sell the property as a single entity, and it is now being sold as a freehold investment through Resort Brokers Limited. There are in total 22 spacious apartments, combination of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms in a number of blocks on approximately 5,0002m of freehold land. The southernmost units at the property get wide lake views down to the mountains in National Park. The property features a wide selection of facilities such as a reception, games room, outside swimming pool, owners lounge and facilities, an indoor heated swimming pool, spa pool, BBQ area, children’s playground, car parking, and a tennis court. The Village Resort is within easy walking distance of retail, bars, restaurants, and supermarkets in the town centre, but far enough away to avoid disturbances.

Being in Taupo, the resort is also close to a lot of local attractions like Taupo Tandem Skydiving, Huka Falls Jet, Tongariro River Rafting, all just a short drive away. Having been built by Fletcher Corporation and designed by Evans Smythe Architects, the property was built with quality materials and good workmanship. l The property is for sale by tender through Resort Brokers agent Gordon McGregor. To get in contact with Gordon McGregor call 021 99 88 10, or 09 369 9700 or email gordon@resortbrokers.co.nz

Ph: +64 9 369 9708 Fax: +64 9 369 1100 PO Box 1191, Shortland Street, Auckland 1140

14

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

Licensed REA 2008

NEWLY EXPANDED VENUE FOR SALE Located just 30 minutes from the Auckland CBD and Auckland International Airport, Waitakere Estate has been placed been placed on the market for sale.

The hotel lies in a unique ridge-top position, set among 28 hectares of untouched native New Zealand forest.

The main wing at the hotel includes 14 standard guest bedrooms as well as a two-bedroom apartment, two onebedroom apartments, and a two-bedroom guesthouse. The team has just completed the new South Wing at the hotel which features eight new rooms, a sauna, gym and health spa, as well as a garden terrace. The property also has resource consents approved for a further 12 suites alongside the new wing.

The property also includes an outdoor swimming pool, chapel, helicopter pad and

extensive on-site team building activities allowing it to cater to a wide range of market segments.

The Waitakere Estate is currently run by brothers Reg and Hugh Nevill-Jackson, and marketed under the Heritage brand as Heritage Collection Waitakere Estate.

Freehold land, building and going concern business are now being marketed for sale by negotiation through Bayleys Auckland.

“The bedroom and facility configuration of Waitakere Estate allows for the hosting of small corporate meeting and functions which traditionally book weekday stays, with the domestic leisure market booking Friday and

Saturday night short-breaks,” said Carolyn Hanson, the salesperson alongside John Greenwood selling the property for Bayleys.

“With ecotourism now a defined niche within the wider tourism sector, there is the potential for any new owner of Waitakere Estate to reposition the business as an eco-lodge to take advantage of its location within the ranges and just a short drive from the plethora of wild West Coast black sand beaches. That’s a big attraction for the likes of trampers and bird watchers.” l Get in touch with Carolyn Hanson by calling 021 380 806, 09 309 6020 or email carolyn.hanson@bayleys.co.nz

With 18,000 buyers on our database, LINK will sell your business, faster.

NO

O B L I GAT

I ON

10

0

%

CO

NFIDENTIA

L

O B L I GAT

I

FREE BUS APPR INESS A I SA L 10

%

0

With a team of 12 specialist hotel and accommodation brokers throughout New Zealand, it’s no wonder we sell more than anyone else.

NO

ON

FREE BUS APPR INESS A I SA L

CO

NFIDENTIA

L

08 0 0 54 6 52 8 C A L L TO DAY

LINK NZ Offices are Licensed REAA08

Hotel Mag Ad_LINK Dec 2018_210x155.indd 3

7/11/2018 1:10:43 p.m.

February/MARCH 2019

15

Want your product featured? Contact ankita@reviewmags.com

BRINGING DESIGN TO THE BENCHTOP

INTELLIGENT DRYING

With an intelligent sensor that continuously reads hair temperature and adjusts the heat as necessary, the Infinite Protect Hair Dryer ensures hair never rises over a healthy drying heat of 85 degrees Celsius. The dryer also features an advanced ceramic grille which transfers micro-conditioners infused with Shea Oil and UV filters to guests’ hair as they blow dry. The infinite Protect Hair Dryer also comes with three heat, two speed and cool shot switches, 7mm and 11mm concentrators to allow guests with all hair types to control airflow and keep their hair happy.

The new Russell Hobbs Inspire Range includes a new toaster and kettle range with a unique rippled texture, bringing a contemporary design element to any benchtop. A combination of textured plastic and stainless-steel accents makes the appliances a classy addition in kitchen. The kettle also features Rapid Boil technology – allowing guest to boil a cup in less than a minute.

For more information visit www.russellhobbs.com

BEAUTIFULLY SIMPLE DESIGN

RUSSIAN GOLD

If you don’t know Blunt by now, they’re the company that has reimagined the humble umbrella. Designed to be both functional and beautiful, the Blunt Umbrella is a pleasure to use, even in the most challenging weather conditions, leaving you with a smug feeling that you’ve discovered a little secret that not everybody knows about. Once you’ve used one, you’ll spot other Blunt users in the street and they’ll probably spot you too, sometimes even giving you a knowing nod, like some kind of secret cool kids club. What is better, they are made to last and are backed by a no-nonsense warranty resulting in less umbrellas ending up in rubbish bins at the first sniff of rain. Like they say, having a Blunt Umbrella makes you look forward to rain. Walking in the rain under an umbrella has always been a favourite moment but now it will be even more fun.

For more information visit www.bluntumbrellas.com

THE WORLD’S LIGHTEST

In a nationwide exclusive, Auckland Mobility Warehouse has brought out the AMW MALETA, the world’s lightest, remote control folding Travel and Care Mobility Scooter, with no assembly required.

Flight legal and cruise ship approved, the traveller can use this in the hotel, train, ship or store in the cupboard or a small car boot. Nationally available through AMW, these are the ideal tool for the new revolution of aged or discerning travellers with rental revenue capabilities.

See more at www.mobilitywarehouse.co.nz or call 09 827 6699 to discuss viewing the range.

TOUCH OF FUSION

16

hotelmagazine.co.nz

% 100 100% OWNED OWNED

Heralded by trend forecasters as the colour of the year, rose gold accessories are becoming the must-have for on-trend accommodation providers. The Nero Luxe hairdryer by Weatherdon reflects the providence of luxury in many ways. A high gloss finish and warm sophisticated glow is an unexpected head turner in the midst of mundane metallics.

Weatherdon’s team of gun-designers has made fashion-forward decisions, opting for black and rose gold Off/On heat control buttons, avoiding the traditional red-forheat and blue-for-cool shot. The cord is two metres long, just that little bit extra to eliminate tedious times or contortion tricks to reach the power point.

For more information visit www.weatherdon.com.au

All the authentic flavours and aromas that conjure up the hustle and bustle of busy Asian streets have been cleverly recreated in the new MAGGI Taste of Asia range of sauces and pastes. Developed using authentic Asian recipes, MAGGI Taste of Asia has been expertly perfected in the East for ease of blending in the West. The range comprises six new on-trend flavours: Hoisin Sauce; Korean BBQ Sauce; Chilli Garlic Paste; Thai Chilli Jam; Panang Curry Paste; and a Stir-Frying Sauce.

Versatile and ready for your ‘fusion’ touch, the Chinese New Year in New Zealand has never tasted better with MAGGI Taste of Asia. To request a product demonstration with some free samples (limited availability), contact the Nestlé Professional consumer services team on 0800 830 840.

For more information on the MAGGI Taste of Asia range and some exciting and inspiring recipes go to www.nestleprofessional.co.nz

WORLD RENOWNED TEA

Basilur Tea is a premier tea brand exporting the finest of Ceylon Tea to a worldwide clientele in over 75 countries. Basilur Tea bears the expertise, experience and the knowledge to identify the finest of tea leaves and take it to higher realms by creating the most eclectic blends of tea and use state of the art, modern techniques to secure its freshness and quality. Basilur is world renowned for its pure Ceylon tea and the presentation of it in different forms of artfully designed packaging to suit the needs of many occasions and individuals. Basilur has been providing authentic Pure Ceylon tea to the foodservice industry, offering many varieties of products, including different merchandise. Basilur products are available in easy to use foil envelopes and presentation boxes in different sizes. Provide your guests with the true experience of Ceylon’s finest tea with a touch of elegance and luxury with Basilur.

For more information visit www.basilurtea.co.nz.

NO MORE FOG

With Trendy Mirrors you’ll have to never worry about fogged mirror glass again. The mirror is always clean and clear for use because the electric mirror demisters defog the mirrors while the guest is showering.

This not only benefits the guest but also reduces cleaning time for staff, as well as increasing the mirror’s life.

For more information, call 03 343 4666, email sales@trendymirrors.co.nz or visit www.trendymirrors.co.nz.

RECYCLABLE GOODIE BAG

PERFECT IN ANY SETTING

The Samsung 50” Smart TV Full LED Ultra HD 4K has refined details making it fit perfectly in any setting. Guests can enjoy the TV’s beautiful colours, sharpness and contrast levels thanks to the TV’s UHD Dimming which processes the screen in small blocks, meaning guests can see more precise details on the screen. At LeasePlus you can get the Samsung 50” Smart TV Full LED Ultra HD 4K from $20.66 per month, while stocks last.

Call LeasePlus on 0800 800 325 for more information.

Currently, you have to pay to have all your left-over guest hair and body care products sent to landfill, which seems like a pretty big waste. So Health Pak invented the Goodie Bag. This little bag (made from recycled paper) is designed to encourage guests to take home their partially used amenities and finish them at home and then pop them in their recycling.

Contact us today to find out how little it costs to be a goodie.

For more information visit www.healthpak.co.nz.

TRUE LAUNDRY EXPERTS

LOW MAINTENANCE

Low maintenance artificial gardens and green spaces will boost your image and add the wow factor to your guests’ sense of arrival. Unreal Grass supplies and installs surfaces for a wide selection of commercial facilities including restaurants, cafes, hotels and motels. Commercial and hospitality ranges of grass are competitively priced and expertly installed, ensuring an elite aesthetic and low maintenance solution that will complement your facility whether it be a front lawn, entranceway, pool surround lobby feature, a golf green or a fully functional hospitality area.

For more information call 027 7744 660 or email baz@unrealgroup.co.nz.

Speed Queen provide a complimentary laundry review service. Whether looking to improve your current operation or evaluate bringing laundry in-house, Speed Queen can provide valuable information and assistance.

They can help you choose the right location and layout for your laundry and everything in between.

The team are true laundry experts and offer all sorts of guidance, service and support.

Contact sales@speedqueen.co.nz or call 0800 773 337.

February/MARCH 2019

17

STAYING SAFE IN THE DIGITAL AGE Cybersecurity is an issue that is far from exclusive to the hotel industry. However, the hotel industry is particularly susceptible to threats and data breaches, and with more and bigger data leaks happening every year it’s time for the industry to step up to the challenge.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA Before Marriott had data for approximately 383 million guest nights stolen, cybersecurity was already a top issue in the hotel industry. Since the turn of the 21st century, there have also been major breaches at Hyatt, Trump Hotels, Hilton Hotels, Starwood Hotels (prior to its merger with Marriott), Mandarin Oriental Hotels, Huazhu, Rosen Hotels, as well as countless other smaller operations.

According to Verizon’s 2018 Data Breach Investigations report, the main threats of hotel data breaches are from hacking and malware.

In the accommodation industry, most breaches occur at the point-of-sale. It works with remote attacks aimed at places where retail transactions occur, and both the terminal and the user itself are targeted with either hacking or malware.

But despite the risks and downfall of a security breach, data is a vital tool for almost all hotel operations. Understanding data is necessary to drive future direct bookings and is especially helpful for independent hotels to help learn about their guests and determine who their targeted audience is.

Hospitality data analytics company SnapShot discussed how data is collected and why it’s so important.

“Every action and task in a hotel generates data. When a housekeeper finishes cleaning a room and inputs the completion into the software, that’s data. When a front desk officer

18

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

checks a guest into their room, that’s data. When a guest orders room service and informs you of their food selection, that’s data,” said Carson Booth, CEO, SnapShot.

“Hotels have data stockpiled in operational systems, secondary platforms like online travel agency partners, and tertiary platforms for functions like SaaS systems or messaging. But just collecting data and keeping data is not enough to benefit from its value. Only when the data is collected and harmonised it’s ready for further analysis and deep mining, transforming it into invaluable company assets.”

When data isn’t protected or used properly, however, all the resources spent collected is wasted, and comes at a big cost.

“By realising the advantages of data sooner, rather than later, the hotels that do catch on first can benefit from data technology before the rest of the industry. Data is essentially worthless unless it is properly stored, intelligently related to the various parts, and made accessible to users and other systems,” said Booth. l

HIRING THE HELP OF HACKERS Hyatt is offering hackers a reward to find bugs, flaws, and vulnerabilities in its apps and websites. ‘Ethical’ hackers will be invited to test the Hyatt software and securely report problems and potential weak points to Hyatt. “At Hyatt, protecting guest and customer information is our top priority and launching this programme represents an important step that furthers our goal of keeping our guests safe every day,” said Benjamin Vaughn, chief information security officer, Hyatt.

“As one of the first global hospitality brands to launch this type of programme, we extend the ways we care for our guests and deepen our commitment to protecting their sensitive information.” The initiative, called the ‘bug bounty programme’, will offer the hackers cash rewards for security flaws. “In today’s connected society, vulnerabilities will always be present.

Organisations like Hyatt are leading the way by taking this essential step to secure the data they are trusted to hold.” l

TALKING WITH THE CORDIS I.T. TEAM

Roshan Perera IT Manager & Greg Jenkins I.T. Services Officer, Cordis, Auckland

Cybersecurity can affect everybody in a hotel.

But there are people working day in and day out to keep a company and its guests safe.

At Cordis, Auckland, IT manager Roshan Perera and IT services officer Greg Jenkins are the resident experts on cybersecurity. They explained what they’re doing to prevent doing threats at Cordis, Auckland.

“The hospitality industry, in general, is the most susceptible to cyber attacks and we at Cordis Auckland keep a diligent eye. We have invested in security infrastructure and building the security awareness within the Cordis team,” said Perera and Jenkins.

Cybersecurity is a threat that grows and evolves over time, and the team at Cordis, Auckland has seen it change and adapted to it.

“For the past four to five years it has been very challenging as the internal and external threats has increased tremendously, like fake accounts and intrusions via botnets targeting the reservations, sales and finance teams have become a nuisance. Most of these attacks came from browser impersonators.”

“Cordis Auckland is currently working along with security experts in safeguarding our guests’ information and working towards achieving and maintaining PCI-DSS compliance. This will be an ongoing process that The Langham Hospitality Group as an organisation undertakes to ensure that we are adhering to the security standards set by PCI SSC (Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council).”

The pair believe the way for the hospitality industry to better protect itself is to work together to make a plan.

“The entire hospitality industry needs a vision for security and that there is much more to cybersecurity and privacy than compliance or risk. It is important for key players in the industry to develop an appropriate vision in conjunction with compliance and risk. Once a vision has been set then a strategy to deliver the vision should be developed, and this will be every person’s responsibility.”

From their perspective, financial gain is the key motivator for intruders. Hotels look after so much data which is worth a lot of money especially when credit cards are involved, which makes them hot targets for criminals.

“Breaking into hotel systems is a lucrative source of income for cybercriminals because of the personal information stored in payment card data. The problem with hotels is a lack of segregation on their systems, networks and expertise around cybersecurity. Apart from that, third-party software applications not updated or refreshed on a regular basis could be particularly vulnerable for internal and external threats.” l

AUCKLAND HOSPITALITY IS CHANGING – HOW WILL YOU KEEP UP? With new hotels opening in Auckland, changes to immigration regulations, and a perceived shortage of hospitality workers all on top of people’s minds this year, there’s no doubt the hospitality industry is facing significant changes – and challenges.

Facing those challenges head-on is Auckland Institute of Studies (AIS).

At AIS, high-level programmes integrate theory, hands-on training and insights from leading industry professionals to produce graduates with real industry experience and the knowledge to provide world-class services.

That will come in handy with several new hotels opening in Auckland this year, including new hotels from Sudima and Indigo. These additions to the Auckland hospitality industry seek to claim back some of the business lost to disruptive competitors such as Airbnb and continued growth in the Auckland tourism market.

While these establishments are a real win for the hotel industry, they will still need to find talented employees to join their teams and become the faces of their brands.

AIS is here to meet that demand, with skilled and experienced graduates coming through its doors every day. However, new hotels aren’t the only change taking place right now. For many hospitality providers, a significant concern is immigration, with changes to immigration laws leaving some wondering where

they now stand when it comes to hiring migrants.

Study can be the difference between a pool of potential employees and visitors from overseas who are unable to work.

With high-level programmes on offer, the international students at AIS become well-trained employees who are eligible to stay in the country as skilled migrants.

They become a large part of the diverse workforce of which the industry should be proud and provide a solution for industry operators concerned about who they can hire.

It seems that while the industry faces some testing times, there are skilled graduates ready to rise to the challenge and help hotels embrace the new. Will you make sure you’ve got the right people on board to meet this change? Talk to AIS to discover how its graduates could become your people. l Contact AIS today on 0800 788 392 or email enquiry@ais.ac.nz to tap into a wealth of enthusiasm, skill and knowledge.

February/MARCH 2019

19

techbytes

HILTON PARTNERS WITH NETFLIX

HOTEL MEETS… Chris Curtis first got involved in technology when he worked in software development in various industries including human resources, security for banks and governments, and even at a point developing technology to detect termites inside walls.

Along the way he had a stint in Hong Kong, working at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, starting as a software engineering manager before moving up to be the general manager of a product development subsidiary.

The gambling industry has some common ground with the accommodation industry, such as the need for systems to always be up and running.

In 2016, Curtis moved into the accommodation sector as the general manager of operations at Allotz. Day-to-day, Chris drives product features, maintains the product support side of the company, making sure everything is on the right path and that all operations are running smoothly.

Allotz delivers cloudbased solutions for the accommodation sector.

A new product coming from them is ABI (Allotz Business Intelligence).

It’s a web-based system that updates managers and accommodation operators with visualised, easily-digestible sales data.

Hoteliers can quickly look at updates from ABI and see what periods are selling and what aren’t. l To contact Allotz, call +61 7 5667 3400, visit www.allotz.com or email chris.curtis@allotz.com.

20

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

Many hotels offer guests Netflix, but Hilton has taken it a step further. The chain has partnered with Netflix to let guests stream from their rooms on their own accounts in Hilton Connected Rooms. Guests will also be able to control the temperature, light, TV and more from their mobile device or TV remote.

It works through the Hilton Honors app, where guests can sign and add Netflix and other streaming media providers to their “favourites” list for easy access.

“We know our guests want to feel connected while travelling, just as they do at home, so we’re giving them seamless access to their favourite Netflix shows, films and specials while on the road,” said Noelle Eder, executive vice

president and chief information and digital officer for Hilton.

Guests without Netflix accounts will be able to sign up and start watching while existing members will be about to continue from where they left off.

“This partnership extends our commitment to enabling our members to watch their favourite Netflix series, movies and specials

wherever and whenever they want, and we’re thrilled to be bringing our service to Hilton guests all over the world,” said Bill Holmes, head of business development, Netflix.

Hilton currently has more than 1,800 Connected Rooms and plans to roll the technology out across tens of thousands of rooms across the world in 2019. l

A HAND WITH THE ‘GRAM Hotels and tour companies have started offering packages that offer a social media service. Last year, Ibis hotels in Switzerland launched an ‘Instagram-sitter’ service which hired social media influencers to take over holidaygoers Instagram accounts and post photo and stories on the guests’ behalf. Now the Italian tour company Roma Experience has taken that idea to the next level, giving guests the option to hire an ‘Instagram boyfriend’ to capture all the candid moments.

“We know that social media has become a hugely influential factor for travellers,” said

Davide Bolognesi, marketing manager, Roma Experience. “It is important for us to keep up with the continually developing desires of our travellers, and as high-quality holiday snaps become an ever more important factor for travellers, we want to ensure we provide that.”

The package includes hiring a professional photographer to follow travellers around for three hours, snapping photos at Rome’s most famous landmarks. The service does not come cheap, however, asking for an additional $590 NZD on top of the $1230 NZD starting price for the tour. l

PHONES AWAY, FREE STAY In the Swedish city of Gothenburg, Hotel Bellora is promoting its new Check Out Suite, a room with prices that vary depending on the amount of time guests spend on the screen.

The room comes equipped

with a Skärmfri (screen-free) lamp which measures how much time you spend online. When a guest connects their phone to the lamp using the room’s Wi-Fi, the lamp will glow a particular colour depending on how much

time is spent connected—white for the recommended 30 minutes of screen time per day, red for anything over that. If a customer does not go online at all, the room will be free. The room starts at SEK 2400 (NZ $388) but will decrease per screen usage.

US Professor and author of ‘Reclaiming Conversation,’ Sherry Turkle, said she is concerned for people who use social media to dictate their lives, for people “whose self-worth and focus becomes dictated by how they are accepted, wanted, and desired by social media.”

Hotel Bellora’s motto? “The less time—the cheaper the stay.

If you let screens be completely free, you will have more time with each other. A win-win, simply.” l

SAFFIRE LX The all new SAFFIRE LX features sophisticated RFID technology in a contemporary design

Transform guestroom access to a new level of convenience State of the art RFID Electronic Locks DormaKaba offer a selection of locking options and access control systems that provide front and back of house security, efficiency and convenience. Options are available for all budgets.

Full body locks are recommended for both new and retrofit applications. DormaKaba locks can be equipped with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for secure mobile access integration and a seamless digital experience.

Make Mobile Access a reality today DormaKaba locks’ compatibility with mobile apps allow for convenient and efficient check-in process. Our locks support multiple integration options.

SAFFIRE LX

Quantum Pixel

Ilco 790

Quantum RFID

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT US:

Call 09 966 7662

A: B3 13 Lovell Court, Rosedale 0632, Auckland

E:office@brantasinternational.com W: www.brantasinternational.com February/MARCH 2019

21

LEASING FOR THE FUTURE

Each new year brings a whole new bunch of aspirational people to the gym, going running in the morning or trying to eat healthier to improve themselves. It is no different for accommodation providers who have the opportunity to reflect on weak areas or elements that can be improved. For instance those television sets that you bought in the early 2010s are starting to look dated, and guests definitely notice.

K

eeping your property up to date is difficult but it’s also important because if you’re not upgrading, everybody else will overtake you.

New Zealand has a 50 percent increase in room inventory expected in the five biggest hotel centres by 2022, meaning there will be more competition, and a higher standard will be expected. Most hotels refurb every three years now, making it more expensive than ever before.

The alternative to buying an overhaul of

new items every year with a very expensive outlay is to lease. The clear benefit of leasing is conserving capital. Buying beds, televisions, tables, kitchen equipment and everything else adds up to a lot of money very quickly.

At LeasePlus, a room refurb can cost as little as $83 a month, with no big capital outlay.

When you lease, you can upgrade more frequently and whenever it suits, rather than when capital is available. Leasing means you don’t have to bear the expense of the upgrade, meaning you can upgrade every year

The alternative to buying an overhaul of new items every year with a very expensive outlay is to lease. The clear benefit of leasing is conserving capital. Buying beds, televisions, tables, kitchen equipment and everything else adds up to a lot of money very quickly. rather than saving up for a big refresh every half a decade. With technology moving and evolving at an unprecedented speed, LeasePlus protects accommodation operators from the risk of asset obsolescence and gives them a chance to be ahead, rather than catching up to everybody else.

The benefits also ring true for maintenance.

When you lease you aren’t responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the furniture. If something breaks, LeasePlus will fix, replace or upgrade it. It’s not just noticeable things like the bedroom and lounge furniture, and TV screens that make an impact to the guest experience. Behind the scenes, often replaced items like freezers and cookware are just as important to update.

If even now, after New Year’s has come and gone, and the extended summer season is just too busy to commit to a fresh up, the quieter season is just around the corner and is another perfect chance to catch up.

With reduced occupancies, hoteliers have a little bit of downtime to prepare for the following year and stay ahead of the curve.

LeasePlus is there to help accommodation and hospitality businesses achieve their visions, offering customers new and upgraded fit-outs for only a small cost each month rather than one big outlay. l For more information call 0800 800 325 or email sales@leaseplus.co.nz

22

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

EQUIPMENT CONSULTANTS

Matrix equipment has been making waves in the fitness equipment arena. It is already the preferred brand for several world class hotel chains including Four Seasons and Marriot.

With its smaller footprint and versatile layout options, it is an ideal choice if space is an issue in your facility. Matrix is brought to you in New Zealand by NRG Fitness Equipment.

NRG have completed more than 100 installation in the past two years. Multiple finance options are available.

We’d be happy to talk with you about your requirements.

Contact Reece now on reece@nrgfitness.co.nz or call on 0212486250. For more information please visit www.nrgfitness.co.nz l world.matrixfitness.com

AN ENLIGHTENED EXPERIENCE Preferred by some of the world’s finest hotels and resorts, Matrix offers a comprehensive portfolio of premier cardio, strength and integrated technology solutions. We can equip you to present inspired fitness opportunities to your guests with minimal effort for you.

Established in 2002, Blue Fitness has been distributing and servicing the worlds leading fitness equipment brands in New Zealand and the South Pacific for over 17 years. Based in Auckland, but with a nationwide footprint of sales and service people they work with the country’s best gyms and have fitted out a number of hotels across all levels. In 2017 Blue Fitness added Precor® to their suite of over 20 brands. Precor® is the preferred vendor for many hotel groups across the globe.

Equipment leasing is often in house and combined with a service plan offers hotel owners peace of mind with regards the equipment and service levels of guests.

For more information visit www.bluefitness.co.nz, email sales@bluefitness.co.nz or call +64 9 8450035 l

MX14_AD_Hospitality_sngl female male_spa.indd 1

5/21/14 9:04 AM

Do you know how to maximise your fitness facility? Is your space designed in the most effective way? Life Fitness has an experienced design team that will work with you for the limitless possibilities and choices to suit your business. The team provides innovative layout concepts to maximise the user experience and facility performance.

Life Fitness is New Zealand’s largest operator in the commercial fitness equipment market. They understand the needs of both independent hotels and international chains and help define brand standards, differentiate you from the competition and increase customer satisfaction along the way. With their experience and equipment, you will keep your guests coming back for more. Life Fitness puts your business first and offers extensive consultation to guide you.

For more information visit www.lifefitness.co.nz or call 0800 895 185 l

February/MARCH 2019

23

OVER 100 YEARS OF LAUNDRY SERVICE

For over 100 years Speed Queen has built a legacy on providing equipment for any commercial laundry needs. It has become the world’s largest commercial laundry company.

Speed Queen’s laundry systems are designed to meet the flexibility and capacity needs of the hotel industry. Vital components of hotel operations bedding and towels need to be done quickly at a minute’s notice and on a large scale.

Speed Queen’s range covers hardmount washer-extractors perfect for hotel ground-floor laundries, as well as softmount washer-extractors which are ideal for second floors or higher because of its heavyduty suspension which absorbs vibrations, without the need of special foundations.

Unlike its competitors, Speed Queen machines are specifically

built for the commercial laundry environment, rather than just residential machines in a tough exterior.

Speed Queen machines are built to be tough, because durability is important to accommodation providers.

The company’s history dates back to 1908 when Joe Barlow and John Seeling bought some hand-powered washing machines and schemed ways to improve the technology, devising a way to increase efficiency with high speed gearing.

Now Speed Queen builds, designs and supplies equipment to millions of laundromats and laundries. They offer solutions like EFTPOS payment systems, which give accommodation providers choice and flexibility.

With these systems customers walk up to payment terminals, follow the prompts on screen and the owners don’t have to worry about handling cash.

They may be the oldest manufacturer in the world, but they’re constantly innovating and creating new market leading products. l To learn more contact sales@speedqueen.co.nz or call 0800 773 337.

FIXING YOUR WIFI WITH PAUL BLACKWOOD Paul Blackwood of Hospitality is rarely their field of expertise and Internet got started in technology needs a design from an experienced by repairing Commodore 64s while specialist.” studying computer engineering at Security is always a hot topic AUT. After graduating he went for hoteliers. Whether that be data to London to work in IT in the security, physical safety or network banking sector. When he came back security, hotels have a responsibility to New Zealand, he was a network to keep their customers safe. In admin for a few years before he regards to WiFi, that can mean moved into VOIP and PBX with protecting guests from one another.

Samsung in the early-2000s.

“You should protect guests Around 2003, while from each other. Unlike a working for Samsung home or office network, he would often travel we don’t want guest to Korea where the devices being able hotels had WiFi. to ‘see each other’ “It was so handy, or sharing data I thought I would between them. always try to stay This is an internet in hotels with WiFi portal. The hotel when I was travelling guest WiFi has one in NZ, but we really job – get the guest device didn’t have any,” said on the internet securely Paul Blackwood Paul Blackwood, director, as if they had the whole Hospitality Internet. network to themselves with no “I decided to make a business one else on it.” Paul Blackwood addressing this shortage and that and Hospitality Internet have been is what we have been doing since offering WiFi services for fourteen 2005. We have completed around years, helping accommodation 300 designs and installations.” providers to get secure WiFi Even now in 2019 accommodation networks up and running. Having providers still struggle with internet been in the industry for so long, and WiFi issues daily. Blackwood Hospitality Internet knows how to believes most of the problems come fix and solve any faults or problems down to coverage and capacity. that may arise.

“The design has to be just right To get in touch with Paul or for your situation. Often the local to learn more about Hospitality IT company may have been asked Internet call 0800 483 786 or visit to implement a solution, but this www.hospitalityinternet.co.nz. l

24

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

Serving Secure Wireless Internet To Your Guests

GUEST INTERNET & WIFI SOLUTIONS

FOR HOTELS, MOTELS, LODGES AND APARTMENTS • Super easy for staff • Access options customised to your exclusive requirements • Access for multiple devices at once • Guaranteed WiFi coverage • All devices are isolated for protection of you and your guests

SUPER SMART & SECURE

0800 483 786

Call us for special deals and free installation*

Email sales@hospitalityinternet.co.nz or visit www.hospitalityinternet.co.nz

IN

conversation with

JIMI KENEDYGRANT

James Kennedy-Grant was born in Rhodesia in 1971, before emigrating to New Zealand in 1978.

The first job he worked was selling clothes and stocking shelves at Barkers on Queen Street when he was still at school.

Despite always wanting to become an electrician, Kennedy-Grant worked at Schwarzkopf Professional for many years before taking a 12-month break and then jumping at the opportunity to work for a local manufacturer.

His career at Health Pak began in December 2004, and he’s been there ever since. On a typical day, KenedyGrant is at his desk early, working on products before anyone else comes in.

“I’m at my desk by 0700 and work on longterm product development until about 0800 when the rest of the team arrives,” he said. One of ‘Jimi’ Kennedy-Grant’s biggest milestones at Health Pak was developing a shampoo bottle made from 100 percent recycled milk bottles.

“We make six shampoo bottles from every 2-litre milk bottle.” Above all Kennedy-Grant is a relatable guy – he said the biggest obstacle he’s faced in his career is his “total inability to have a tidy office” “Without a doubt, the most rewarding part of the job is developing new products, either customised for hotels or our own brands.”

Every element of Health Pak’s products keeps the environment in mind. For instance, all their cotton bud shafts are made from renewable compressed cotton, rather than plastic.

All packaging has been chosen to fit the specific product best, they don’t have one cheap environmental fix for their products, instead

carefully picking the best solution for the product and how it will be dealt with post use.

“Back in 2005, long before product impact was a big issue, we developed all our liquid and hard soap formulations to be paraben free and biodegradable.

Our current formulations are based on those same principals. We do everything in our control to minimise the impact of our products, while still delighting your guests with locally made New Zealand products.”

The Health Pak collection has 16 ranges of soap, hair care and body products which all tell guests a different story, whether that be a massive inner-city hotel, a small B&B or a motel.

To get in contact with Jimi visit www. healthpak.co.nz, call 09 579 6268 or email jimi@healthpak.co.nz. l

February/MARCH 2019

25

20

minutes with

CARMEN LEONG SKYCITY Grand Hotel Carmen Leong was born and raised in Malaysia, before moving to New Zealand to study over four years ago.

26

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

S

he initially dreamed of becoming a psychologist, but while looking for a part-time job during her studies, she came across job listings at SKYCITY and jumped on the opportunity.

Her role at SKYCITY Hotel began as a porter before transitioning to the position of guest services representative at the SKYCITY Grand Hotel.

“I wanted to work with people. At the time, it didn’t matter which career field I was in. There’s always something new to look forward to every time I come into work. That’s what makes coming to work fun and exciting,” said Leong.

When she began at SKYCITY she described herself as shy and timid, but the experience working the front desk gave her confidence to grow out of her shell and be more outspoken.

Obviously, that’s changed now, as Leong has been chosen to represent New Zealand at the World Receptionist of the Year competition in London following her Receptionist of the Year win at the AICR NZ awards.

“I was nominated on the Quest for the Best which is our internal staff awards recognising excellence and employees who live out the SKYCITY values, consistently achieving outstanding customer service. Then I recently won first place as the Receptionist of the Year 2018 New Zealand.”

As with most roles in the fast-paced and everchanging hospitality industry, no two days are the same. “It’s always busy with many of our VIP guest arrivals and departures, often with groups as well. We are constantly following up on room status, amenities for VIPs or special occasions and frequently making restaurant and East Day Spa bookings.”

For Leong, the biggest challenges involve getting ahead of guests and knowing what they want. “It can be challenging to anticipate and determine each guests’ expectations, especially frequent travellers who stay in hotels all around

the world. There is the need to keep on trend and to find new, innovative ways to provide our best services suited for guests.”

At the same time, the best and most rewarding part of her job is meeting the unusual demands and requests that are brought in, as it gives her the chance to provide a better experience for guests.

Leong has travelled to Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and Indonesia. Hong Kong left a deep impression on her because of its attractions like Disneyland, Sea World, cultural sites and the street markets.

In the long-term, Leong aspires to manage a hotel of her own, but in the meantime would like to gain some more experience first.

Her advice for those trying to break into the industry is “Be unique. Be confident. Try to step into the expectations of the hotel that you’re working at to contribute to its aims and goals.

If you show that you’re eager and enthusiastic to learn, you will succeed. Above all, enjoy yourself.” l

I wanted to work with “people.

At the time, it didn’t matter which career field I was in. There’s always something new to look forward to every time I come into work. That’s what makes coming to work fun and exciting.

”

CATCHING UP WITH CAPSTONE

Capstone Hotel & Resorts grew significantly in 2018, expanding its portfolio to fifteen hotels throughout New Zealand.

“We are seeing positive growth results year-on-year and look to continuing this trend in 2019.

It has also been an exciting year with a number of properties undergoing refurbishments,” said Clare Davies, managing director, Capstone Hotels & Resorts.

In 2019, Capstone plans to continue supporting its key partners and has a number of new properties coming on board with Capstone throughout the year. The team has a significant year planned with events domestically and offshore, including key trade events such as TRENZ. Capstone, like

everybody else in the industry, has enjoyed the boom the tourism industry has experienced over recent years.

“New Zealand is a beautiful, safe, friendly destination. We are in the midst of great tourism growth globally, and it is fantastic to see visitor numbers growing with increased international air capacity, along with a growing domestic market.

It is refreshing to see that visitor numbers are being disbursed to regional New Zealand. I believe TNZ have done a great job at showcasing the best of New Zealand offshore and I believe we have a strong proposition to entice continuing visitor growth.”

Capstone offers many different services for properties including full management services where

Capstone’s team take over the daily operations and develop a profitable strategy for the business and brand in the long term.

The company has owned and operated hotels and tourism companies, so understanding how to succeed is built into its business approach.

Capstone also offers sales and distribution services to grow revenue for your business, as well as various consultations projects. Some examples of consultations they’ve worked on before include hotel rebrands, change management strategies, and implementing reservation systems.

“We are always keen to hear from hotel owners or investors that may require management services of support with sales and distribution nationally and internationally through our strong, experienced team.” l For more information on Capstone Hotels & Resorts visit www.capstonehotels.co.nz or call 0274476386.

• Full Hotel Management • Sales and Distribution Management • Hotel Operation Support • Tourism and Accommodation Consultancy Services • Northern Hemisphere Sales Support and Contracting • Yield Management and OTA and Trade Support • NZ Owned and Operated • Results Driven C O N TA C T :

C L A R E D AV I E S Managing Director P : 027 447 6386 E : clare@capstonehotels.co.nz W : capstonehotels.co.nz

February/MARCH 2019

27

TACKLING SUSTINABLE TOURISM GROWTH

Sally Attfield Hotel Sector Manager Tourism Industry Aotearoa

During the summer season, we can be sure that our tourism industry will be in the media spotlight for both the right and wrong reasons.

On one hand, many communities are keen to attract more visitors to enjoy their local activities and attractions. They are looking for the economic benefits, including jobs and thriving businesses, that visitors bring. This in turn creates vibrancy and potentially attracts people to settle and invest.

However, we know that some of our most popular destinations will continue to struggle with

straining infrastructure and difficulties in attracting enough workers to create the visitor experience we aspire to. We have seen where this creates a community backlash against tourism growth.

Three recent national initiatives are addressing some of the challenges created by the rapid growth in tourism in recent years.

At the beginning of November, TIA joined with six other New Zealand tourism and government organisations to launch Tiaki – Care for New Zealand, an initiative that encourages international and domestic travellers to act as guardians of Aotearoa.

Tiaki – Care for New Zealand encourages Kiwis and visitors alike to experience New Zealand in a way that keeps everyone safe, protects our environment, respects our culture and protects the country for future generations.

The Tiaki Promise will be promoted through newzealand. com and on Air New Zealand’s international services.

Accommodation providers

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

TIM O’HARA Head Concierge, QT Wellington, Member Les Clefs d’Or New Zealand

The hospitably industry can be a tough but a very rewarding career for those of us that have chosen to be part of it.

It offers great diversity, the chance to travel and work around the globe and if you have the right attitude you can progress up the ladder as quickly as you like.

28

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

It’s not uncommon for someone to become a hotel manger before they are 30 these days. I also like that along with meeting different people every day you also find you have work friends from all corners of the world.

For us concierges, we love what we do and we chose to make being a hotel concierge our chosen profession within hotels. The top accolade any hotel concierge can achieve is membership into the Les Clef’s d’Or Concierge Society.

The pride we have to wear the golden keys and when guests see them and comment and know what they mean and what it is to receive them.

Many of our Les Clefs d’Or members here have been working at a concierge desk for over 15 years and some at the same hotel for that duration of time. For our members around the world their length of a time as concierge has spanned over 30 years or longer and still going.

So why do we do what we do?

The simple answer is we love it. The role of a concierge can be a varied one. I will always remember a general manager

can play their part in helping to share the Tiaki Promise. I encourage you to visit www. tiakinewzealand.com where you can find a range of Tiaki Promise materials in multiple languages.

This is available free of charge, and will help you and your staff promote New Zealand etiquette to your guests.

It will also help you work towards the Tourism Sustainability Commitment – in particular business commitment 6: Visitor Engagement - businesses educate visitors about New Zealand’s cultural and behavioural expectations. A few days after the Tiaki Promise was launched, both the Government and TIA released their draft tourism strategies.

The Government’s draft Tourism Strategy is closely aligned with the industry’s own updated growth framework, Tourism 2025 & Beyond. The Government strategy sets out how it will support the tourism industry, with the ultimate aim of enriching New Zealanders.

We are pleased to see that the Government is seeking the same outcomes from tourism as the industry – that it contributes positively to our communities and environment. Meanwhile, the update of Tourism 2025 has an increased focus on the sustainable

development of the tourism industry. Tourism 2025 was incredibly successful in aligning our industry when it was released in 2014. But a lot has changed since then.

Our industry has a growing focus on sustainability in its broadest sense, including economic, environmental, host community and visitor sustainability. The industry is also increasingly recognising and adop-ting the Maori values of kaitiakitanga (guardianship), manaakitanga (hospitality) and whanaungatanga (working together).

These three values and the principles of the Tourism Sustainability Commitment have all been incorporated into Tourism 2025 & Beyond, which sets out the industry’s vision for ‘Growing a sustainable tourism industry that benefits New Zealanders’.

We are seeking industry feedback on the draft Tourism 2025 & Beyond framework, with a view to releasing the final version in the first quarter of 2019, along with a set of actions to achieve our goals. So there is a lot of good work going on at the national level to support tourism operators, including commercial accommodation providers. l

I will always remember a general “manager who once told us, that we are the CEO of the hotel, the “Chief Entertainments Officers”. who once told us, that we are the CEO of the hotel, the “Chief Entertainments Officers”.

That friendly welcoming person as you arrive or depart. We are are here to showcase our cities and New Zealand, we need to be in the know. Every visitor has a different plan and being able to assist in helping achieve this and a chance to make a difference to someone’s once in a life time holiday, is one of the best feelings.

We’re also the problem solvers having to think outside the box.

We have had many weird and wonderful requests, as long as they are legal and moral we will never say no and if we have to, it is not until we have exhausted all other solutions but will always have other alternatives to offer.

We are the multitasker, on those crazy busy shifts when you got a cruise ship turnaround and dealing with over 500 pieces of luggage coming in and out, making sure nothing is left behind, the large conference

”

group in-house who require room drops be done within a certain time, while making sure you know what your team are doing and helping all the other guests staying in the hotel.

The times when you’re running around the city finding rider items for a celebrity VIP who is in town, then you get back to your desk, you’re asked to book a taxi for Mr. and Mrs. Jones to go to the airport.

We love that no two days are the same and we thrive on the challenge when we are given those out of the ordinary requests and being able to come through with them using our skills, knowledge and contacts. It keeps us coming back for more.

I believe hospitality is an infectious business, and some may branch out and try something new, but many always say that they miss the hospo life when they are no longer a part of it and some still find a way back into the industry. l

KILLING THE GOLDEN GOOSE

“We are all well aware that the tourism industry is a megastar. It is an industry that brings spenders to the country, regions, cities, towns, villages and rural areas. And all New Zealanders benefit in some form or another from this industry.

Rayma Jenkins President, Bed & Breakfast Association NEW ZEALAND www.bandbassociation.co.nz

However, there are costs associated with this industry (as with all industries), there are increased infrastructure requirements (from which everyone benefits not just tourists) and advertising spend to ensure that regions attract their share of visitors. However, it appears that Councils with their need for more funds to provide the infrastructure and the promotion of their region believe that the Accommodation Industry should bear the full cost along with the administration costs for collecting the additional funding. Auckland Council simply reallocated a large portion of the budget for attracting events to the City to Accommodation providers through increased rates known as the APTR. Calling what is happening in Auckland ludicrous, is polite.

Their efforts to try and make the increase rating fair has failed dismally. How can rating a one bedroom let at $13,000 – $18,000 be regarded as equitable?

Any Council which targets those listed on peer-to-peer sites

is picking the low hanging fruit.

Imposing commercial rates only on those properties which are easy to find runs the risk of these properties going underground and even more importantly operating an unsafe and non- compliant business. Or, as we are witnessing, closing.

In Auckland, this is tantamount to killing the goose who lays the golden egg. It is widely known there is not enough accommodation (certainly not enough reasonably priced accommodation) available when there are events held in Auckland. The consequence of home-based B&Bs and selfcontained accommodation closing means there will not be enough beds for those from out of town to stay to attend the ATEED promoted events the accommodation sector is being asked to fund. They will not be able to afford to visit Auckland to shop, dine and visit other tourist activities and attend the event.

Their purchases in the businesses of Auckland contributes significantly to Auckland’s economy. Accommodation spend is calculated at less than 10 percent of the total visitor spend.

Home-based accommodation scores highly in satisfaction levels especially if it is hosted and especially by the international market. However, they should not have to pay rates that are substantially higher on a per room

basis than commercial properties.

Commercial rates should be a matter of size and location, not the number of days occupied. At the very least rates should be based on the number of booked units, not days open, as one room for 133 nights would earn significantly less than three rooms for 133 nights.

Everyone should be contributing to rates on an equal basis. Why is it that homeowners who operate small accommodation businesses (and through their guests bring millions of dollars into the local economy) pay commercial rates – yet other home-based businesses, including home-based tourism operators, do not? Many hairdressers, accountants, plumbers work from home and do not pay commercial rates, yet these businesses use as much of the local infrastructure as accommodation providers.

A bed tax is being suggested as the solution, and Airbnb can easily make those payments on behalf of their hosts as they take the payments. It would be much more difficult to implement with those owners who take payments directly, although it is common overseas. This adds to the cost for the tourists and locals. For those on a 30+ day tour this would be significant and again the burden is put on the accommodation industry when the wider community benefits.

Administratively the way Auckland is imposing this rate is less than equitable. Firstly, there is no way that all accommodation lets are being found, and secondly, it is dependent upon the homeowner making a statutory declaration. It seems the frontline staff of Council do not understand the ruling (it is self-contained properties) and not room lets in someone’s home.

Twice I have had conversations that illustrate that the concept of a B&B is not understood by the person answering inquiries at Council. All of these blunders and the court case to follow are

costing the Auckland ratepayer even more.

As all of Auckland benefits from tourism, the Council should stop worrying about increasing rates by a small percentage. Auckland Council rates are less than most regional cities and this would make it simple and equitable.

Taking into account the amount it is costing Auckland Council to implement the APTR it will cost the ratepayer less in the long run.

Share the load widely and don’t place the burden on one industry.

There is a broader New Zealand wide issue here. Many Councils are looking to Auckland to see the development of their policies and how these can be implemented in their regions. Every region is short on infrastructure funds and every region wants to spend to encourage tourists because of the benefit they bring to the region but who pays for the underlying cost of the country hosting these tourists.

The accommodation industry along with other tourism industry players need to come up with a policy that not only is fair and equitable to all involved but easy for councils to implement and manage. Yes, someone needs to pay for the increase in costs incurred by the increase in tourism but asking one sector of the tourism industry to cover it and the tourists themselves, who have already paid to enter the country and contribute significantly via their spend to local communities and GST to central Government, is not realistic.

All who benefit from tourism should contribute and BBANZ does not shrink from that responsibility but it should be equitable to all involved and all who benefit.

I gratefully acknowledge the Auckland guests whose conversation planted the seed of the title of this article and the assistance given by our Secretary Fiona Rollings and Vice President Liz Webster.” l

AN INDISPENSABLE RESOURCE

Visit www.restaurantandcafe.co.nz for more information or email info@reviewmags.com to purchase a copy.

February/MARCH 2019

29

100% New Zealand Wine - the best type WWW.SAINTCLAIR.CO.NZ facebook.com/saintclairfamilyestate twitter.com/saintclairwine 100% FAMILY OWNED 100% NEW ZEALAND WINE 100% SUSTAINABLE

30

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

MEET THE CHEF

DAN FRASER Duke of Marlborough Hotel

The Duke of Marlborough Hotel’s kitchen can serve 500 people on a busy summer afternoon. Executive Chef Dan Fraser heads the operation and describes the work environment as manic—but feels confident with his strong team, their positive attitudes, and the overall level of professionalism.

“A

s a young chef I grew up in bars and grills, so I learned to cook a steak and the sort.

The real revelation came much later while working for Simon Gault at Euro. He showed me how to showcase an ingredient rather than fill a plate. I learned a lot here, sort of like a new awakening to the potential of food,” said Fraser.

Fraser has been at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel for eight years now, where he started as a sous chef. Fraser has worked across a number of restaurants including Euro Restaurant, Malt Bar and Killarney Street Brasserie, but calls The Duke of Marlborough his “little piece of Paradise in the Far North”. Fraser also spent time working aboard a Regent Seven Seas Cruise Liner.

“Strict German and Austrian chefs on the cruise lines taught me very quickly that I was nowhere as good as I thought I was at the time.”

Fraser has found a love for the fresh ingredients he can source from Northland. “We have fresh kawakawa growing around town which is cool—the fresh has a much herbier taste than the dried. Our fish comes in whole, and we process on site. Therefore, we are lucky

enough to get large Hapuka and Tarakihi straight from the boat to the wharf. The chefs have an opportunity to butcher and use lesser cuts such as the cheeks and wings for specials.” On top of sourcing locally, Fraser has sought ways in which the Duke’s kitchen can run more efficiently.

“When I first started at the Duke I noticed that due to the volume of the restaurant, the kitchen could easily get bottlenecked by the grill or the fryers. Now, I use sous-vide a lot to help with the sheer quantity of meals which are needed.

The results are very predictable which minimises time and waste.”

Fraser describes the necessity of travelling regularly to keep up with culinary trends, “The food scene is a forever changing environment

and you need to stay on the pulse, or you could quickly fall behind.”

He also enjoys using his recently acquired KOPA charcoal oven which helps him get more flavour into his meals when time allows.

Reflecting on his history with cooking, Fraser’s dedication and persistence in the industry is clear.

His accolades have been well earned. “Sometimes I shudder at the crap I was producing and thinking it was good at the time. I’m a very harsh critic of myself but have hoped that this has finessed my style today.” Comparing that to the way he described his introduction to cooking, it almost seems comical. “Like a lot of other chefs, I fell into the profession by washing dishes as a kid and ended up never leaving.” l February/MARCH 2019

31

NZ’S CHEESE CULTURE F&B TRENDS IN THE US In the US, hotel food and beverage revenue per occupied room (RevPOR) increased 2.7 percent in 2018, according to data from STR. The increase came from all hotel classes, with beverage the biggest winner, with RevPOR increasing by 4.2 percent.

“Beverage was the name of the game in 2018, and we can expect to see more of that in 2019,” said Veronica Andrews, director of digital data solutions, STR. “We also found it noteworthy that beverage revenues grew across all hotel classes through hotel venue operations and hosted events in

catering and banquets.”

Among F&B departments, catering and banquets also experienced significant growth with a 3.4 percent increase in revenue per available square foot.

“Innovation and creative use of public space continued to have a positive influence on hotel F&B results.”

In-room dining RevPOR was the only segment seeing a decrease down 4.2 percent, suggesting a possible shift from traditional room service to more self-serve or communal restaurant and bar options in the hotel. l

CONTAINER KITCHEN FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

The finalists have been drawn for the Burns & Ferrall Great Container Kitchen. Burns & Ferrall drew the five finalists from a miniature container kitchen within the kitchen itself, currently housed at the Burns & Ferrall headquarters in Auckland.

The Great Container Kitchen giveaway is being held as part of Burns & Ferrall’s 70th birthday celebrations. Up for grabs is a fully equipped, fully functional commercial kitchen housed inside a custom-built recycled container – an amazing container kitchen worth over $125,000. To get in the draw, customers only needed to spend $1000 at Burns & Ferrall.

“We’re really excited to be here today,” said CEO Tony Broome. “It’s been months in the making, and to be able to give away such an amazing prize is fantastic. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our sponsors and partners, so we’d like the thank them for helping us make this happen.”

Sponsors include RATIONAL, BDR Max,

32

hotelmagazine.co.nz

100% OWNED

Garland, Winterhalter, Turbo Air, Frymaster, Silverchef, CSL Containers, Restaurant & Café Magazine, Project Floors, Food First, Staybrite Stainless Fabricators, T&S, Nuovair and Contract Flooring.

The finalists are: • Arrow International Ltd. • Foodstuffs Wellington Vendor #2000621 • Epiphany NZ Ltd. • Courts Fiji Ltd. • Wanaka Gourmet Kitchen The winner will be announced at Taste on Normanby Road in Auckland on March 12. l

According to the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers, New Zealanders are becoming more adventurous with their cheese taste. The speciality cheese market is growing and expanding, and its influence on the wider cheese market is becoming more pronounced.

The top ten speciality kinds of cheese in New Zealand last year were: 1. Feta (plain) 2. Camembert 3. Brie 4. Parmesan 5. Blue Vein 6. Haloumi 7. Blue Cheese 8. Flavoured feta 9. Gouda 10. Harvati

On top of this, the fastest growing New Zealand-made speciality cheeses are haloumi, cheddar, mozzarella and gruyere.

Neil Willman, Chair of the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association, encourages Kiwis to continue searching for more New Zealand made cheeses to try. The growth is positive but he would like it to keep expanding.

“New Zealanders consume an average of only 8.2 kilograms per person annually, compared with Australians, who eat an average of 14.7 kilograms per person—both of which lag far behind the global leader, Denmark, with an average consumption of 28.1 kilograms per person,” said Neil Willman.

One way in which people are being encouraged to indulge in New Zealand cheese is the introduction of the ‘New Zealand Cheese Trail’ to the existing FoodPath of New Zealand. The FoodPath NZ links locals and travellers alike, bringing them to New Zealand’s premier eateries and local food treasures.

The downloadable app is a brilliant travel companion and will help lead consumers to a broad range of culinary experiences. Included on here are New Zealand’s cheesemakers—something that will provide excellent exposure to what we have to offer. Tourists and locals alike can now delight in the pleasure of local cheesemakers and boutique eateries serving up premium New Zealand cheese. l

CREATING LUXURY IS A TOUGH JOB! And only the best commercial laundry equipment can produce luxurious towels and linen, reliably and efficiently, cycle after cycle, day after day, year after year. Speed Queen is the world’s oldest

and largest manufacturer for good reason — because it’s tough enough to help you create luxury!

0800 77 333 7 | speedqueen.co.nz