HM JUNE 2018

Leadership rules Over 800 attend the largest ever AHICE in Melbourne

THE BUSINESS OF ACCOMMODATION IN ASIA-PACIFIC Vol. 22 No.3 Bi-monthly June 2018

Boom time

FOR MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL How Marriott International is leading the development boom across Australia and New Zealand

Women in Leadership A special report profiling top executives

Executive changes Major movements in the Australasian hotel scene

Australasia in demand HM’s annual hotel development guide to Australia and NZ

handy is a centerpiece of modern travel.

Revolutionize hospitality. handy.travel

T HE WORL D’S T R AV EL C OMPA NION About handy handy is an industry-first revolutionary IoT hospitality solution designed to uplift ancillary revenue, guest satisfaction, and drive better cost efficiencies for hoteliers.

For travelers, it is a complimentary amenity that offers hassle-free travel with 24/7 connectivity to hotel guest services anytime, anywhere.

New Standard in Travel Technology for Guests handy is the ideal mobile companion for the modern traveler, offering: • Free internet, local & international calls • Curated travel guides • Exclusive promotions for hotel offerings • On-the-go hotel concierge service

A HOT EL’S BES T F RIEND Powerful Channel For Engagement for Hotels handy is the next evolutionary step in hospitality

• handy Analytics & Reporting

proven to drive revenue, brand loyalty, and boost guest engagement.

• TripAdvisor Hotel Review • Hotel Display Banner

For hotels, it is a suite of tools providing call-to-action functions that communicate to guests, catering to their needs seamlessly.

• Direct Hotel Phone Lines • Push Message to Guests

Get in Touch For more details, please contact: Justin de Villiers General Manager Australia & New Zealand justin.devilliers@tinklabs.com +61 (0) 401 747 383

handy.travel

contents Bi-Monthly – June 2018

44 Features.

28 Conferences

A wrap-up of AHICE and the Design-Inn Symposium

32 HM Q&A

Our annual special feature on Women in Leadership

28

38 Human Resources

20 Development

Interviews, news, profiles and new developments

57 Human Resources

News and people on the move

58 Concierge Corner Interviews and news from Les Clefs d’Or Australia

Outsourcing is in the spotlight

39 Technology

Leading digital compendium providers for hotels

40 Design

Top tips on refurbishing by some top architects and designers

42 Development

56

HM’s annual hotel development special report

53 Development

How the leading suppliers can help in the pre-opening phase

56 Human Resources The latest in super from Australia’s top funds

Check In. 06 Inside Word

The editor’s letter

16

08 News

What’s made headline news in the hotel world across Asia-Pacific

18 Marriott

International.

How the world’s largest hotel chain is leading Australasia’s development boom.

Photographed exclusively for HM at the Sheraton on the Park in Sydney A Marriott International promotion.

hotelmanagement.com.au 5

insideWORD

Australia’s largest ever hotel deal gets the green light

Managing Director

It’s been over six months in the ‘official’ making and now it’s finally official: AccorHotels will acquire the second largest hotel chain in Australia, Mantra Group, for AUD$1.2 billion, taking the group in Australia to 330 hotels and over 50,000 rooms.

As was showcased on the cover of the last issue of HM, Mantra Group has been an incredible success story in the Australian accommodation industry over the 12 years, one that saw the company, in the words of CEO Bob East, go from “a raw opportunity in 2006 to a billion-dollar company in 2018”.

East and his team built Mantra up to a business that would be sold to AccorHotels with 130 properties, 24,000 hotel rooms, 6,000 team members and four exceptional brands across Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and the United States.

Here at HM magazine, we have watched Mantra evolve into the incredible business that became: from its birth in 2002 to its acquisition of Outrigger’s Australian operations twice, the name change from Stella Hospitality in 2009, to signing Pat Rafter as the face of the company in 2011 and listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (as revealed by HM) in 2014.

The team at Mantra have been close industry friends of HM, especially Bob East, Tomas Johnsson, Mark Hodge and Michael Moret-Lalli, those that were the core drivers of the business.

Mantra built up a team of General Managers that became the most sought after in the industry and right up until the sale to AccorHotels, were the company in Australia and New Zealand that so many people wanted to work for.

One of the most exciting things about this deal is the team members are joining the other huge success story in the Australian hotel industry: AccorHotels. It is a company that has so many similar roots here in Australia, from its birth in 1990 with one hotel (Novotel Sydney Darling Harbour) to its various acquisitions of companies like Quality Pacific Corporation and Mirvac Hotels and Resorts and becoming the biggest operator in the nation.

The biggest similarity between the companies is the amazing quality of the staff and when you combine the talents of these two chains, it can only mean great things for the travelling public.

On behalf of the team, we’d like to congratulate AccorHotels on the acquisition of Mantra and wish the teams of both companies all the best in the coming months.

Enjoy this issue of HM and inside you’ll find a special report on the deal on page 8.

Yours in hospitality,

James Wilkinson jwilkinson@intermedia.com.au

Strapline

ISSENBERG

Check In

N - MICHAEL EXCLUSIVE MANTRA ACQUISITIO ERG, looks at the ACCOR’S ON

AccorHotels’ leaders: and Simon McGrath Michael Issenberg on the Gold Coast

EL ISSENB CEO, MICHA ific Chairman and in an exclusive column for HM. AccorHotels Asia-Pac we n of Mantra Group was thrilled when company’s acquisitio FHRI hotels, I to integration of the further $1.2 billion

W

global invest a Having led the s globally would that AccorHotel hen Accor and announced in 2017 tourism market portfolio. set up in in the Australian acquire the Mantra 30 years. show of confidence Australia in team over almost easy This was a strong of our Australian will be a relatively 1990 I am the hard work I believe Mantra recognition for one country and could have integration of FRHI, with hotels in of not sure anyone After the global predominantly have a strong record we are dealing Both companies imagined the enormous or integration because similar values. we have vast experience.

Check culturally we share Inwe would enjoy success the last two a country where in tourism and 330 successfully. In and investment reach more than other businesses innovation, growth basis. we can integrate years later we would 28 monthly number proven that the almost predict on an by acquiring We have already new businesses presence in China; 50,000 rooms been acquiring hotels and over to strengthen our years, we have 25hour hotels, Huazhu hotels the country. tion space; and complementary we partnered with two operator in accommoda 2016, In integrating of alternative history of 11 compete in the We have a long with our acquisition OneFineStay to our lifestyle portfolio. credentials in the catering and Accor, starting later 29 hotels tree to increase our to hotel groups into bot to enhance Management and Rixos and Banyan Orient Express Hotels and Potel&Cha in Resort Mantis 1990s. hotels under the early es in F&B; In 2017, we invested offerings.

Corporation in a to open up opportuniti increase our resort under Quality Pacific from a relative newcomer to venue space; ResDiary most recently Movenpick to who will help us us for our digital disruptors These deals took TFE Hotels Rachel Argaman, luxury; and the foundation new has resigned and setCEO, in a number of deliver from the companywe in Australia and have is invested set to embark on a new venture where, with our pipeline, we have leading player outside of hospitality. travel over a hundred At the same time Pacific. in newhotels.”

Asia“CEO, with credentials ourrole Argaman will remain Rachel Argaman we watched the market. expand success throughout will leave TFE Hotels in her 2002, different. as CEO noend staytoahead until isthe pursueofa new one core goal: to of July and TFE Mantra came along inoutside Gold theand is made withChairman, our guests. for take Allan When Mantra opportunity of theon Vidor, will hotel position hospitality industry,” an oversight role experience existing Every acquisition t our during TOGA Group out a strong the transition an enhanced forged Managing Director and TFE Hotels Chairman us to complemen until a replacement allow us to deliver periodus interest as they andannounced Allan Vidor because it allowsis appointed.build operational verticals afield. for to further the group and on May 15. certainly proving “I investment have had rights the great strategic pleasure letting Coast and then a t of working with Rachel for 20 This is managemen on the block was years and she has our made an indelible mark on the on and of TOGA Group Mantra’s strong The newest kid “On behalf TFE Hotels, group,” Vidor had other things we want leverage share best we Rachel portfolio, to acknowledge But and thank our teams will said. “We will now the for herunder globalpool commitment search and a lower cost. embark on atalent forboth a worthy competitor.

Rachel’ and contribution s replacement 43 hotels to theatorganisation.” and look forward to the efficiencies deep acquiredbecame in the industry. we Argaman appointment for of a new learn from Mantra’s TOGA guesttoexperience West,ofSebel) also2007. continue our remarkable mind and in 2012 Hospitality Group bestCEO will Quay CEO We in June journey. brands because The to deliver thethorough group Grand, (Quay was renamed TFE number one Hotels and ArttoSeries we can continue“This will be aBreakfree process Mirvac portfolio so that ensure we a joint venture appoint theInright consolidated our in 2014, followingpractices partnership Mantra, in Australia.

Peppers, further with Far East Hospitality. During her tenure, to continue toadrive the individual strong ourreputation maintain $254 million which significant expansion the business haswill We grown Australia. market. both locally and they have from its own network beginnings and internationally.” as a serviced apartment Australian Australian more outside of t our position in the launched on the operator to a multi-brand expanding even hotel group they complemen in brands multiple when Mantra As the locations in Australia, New of leading hotel apartment are seeking different FRHI, guests see some of these Two years later, chain in Germany, with further growth our acquisition Zealand and Europe. brands because time, you may As afocused intomultiple memberon Austria and we were of Chief Executive billion.

Switzerland, the reasons. is room for global search for Argaman’ therean stock exchange, advocate to globally for $2.9 Women, Argaman has also been s replacement We believe of travel for different presents so that they appeal women in leadershipindustry hotels andofresorts brands ourthe different types a unique opportunity hotel roles across the industry and particularly next CEO, Vidor said. which added 155within each of for and the entire experiences and differentiate TOGA. to TOGA loyalty. years is Group few a fosters and better Singapore’ anything do that to Fast-track Hospitality to Holdings joint n phase unlike emotional bonds Far Eastour What we need venture,create new colleagues, consolidatio s resignation TFE an ofArgaman’ Hotels, coincides with her 20-year anniversary is head-quartered in Sydney of consumers and was in the midst “Approaching and has a growing group at TOGA. forward to welcoming look distinct groups European head 20 years with TFE the largest hotel office located in Berlin.

Hotels was a time of both celebration acquisitions, we we had seen before. the to create not just had to compete As with previous and reflection together With a portfolio for me… celebration forofallathat in Australia and because hoteliers working of nearly 100 risean extraordinary and groupAustralia, hotelacross inghotels This happened because New Zealand and from each of other Europe, TFE people of the OTAs, learning group have achieved,” , the best-perform she said.asset-light and power more importantly Hotels has a strong development pipeline with a further 20 with the might “The company increasingly hotels due to open over the next in Australia, but tion, has gone from operating that three years. five, from workplace. in alternative accommoda digital disruptors in one country one brand toaseven “It is an exciting time for both mosttoattractive andof from eight serviced apartments in the and number Ms Argaman and TFE Hotels suburbs to today, basis. business models and we wish her great success in her future market on a regular endeavours,” Vidor said. were entering the AccorHotels’ Issenberg: ‘We will also learn deep from Mantra’s talent pool’

Check In

TFE HOTELS CEO ARGAMAN TO LEAVE HOSPITRACHEL ALITY INDUSTRY SET

TRA GROUP ACQUIRES MAN after the Paris-based LS OFFICIALLY , Mantra Group, May ACCORHOTE the second largest hotel company in Australia end of y approvals at the er and regulator acquired AccorHotels has the final sharehold company received

this deal will job creation and

allow us to

future of the region and s and the the economic growth of of both AccorHotel the industry.” completed its acquisition deal further develop growth was a hallmark The ccorHotels has that innovative has McGrath added for AUD$1.2 billion. and Mantra Group and customer initiatives Peppers, BreakFree models, brands Mantra Group. an innovative includes the Mantra, hotels in in economic business the Mantra Group has built representing 138 “Our innovation title owners,” he years and Art Series brands, its 10,000 strata over the last 27 and Bali. experience for ess has seen fueled our growth Zealand, Hawaii CEO, Michael on the best partnershipbespoke approach and responsiven Australia, New Chairman and business focused this value in leveraging East’s leadership AccorHotels Asia-Pacific Group is the latest chapter t. We see enormous es. said. “Under Bob “The Mantra new opportuniti rooms under managemen the region.

Issenberg, said: and expertise to create AccorHotels in maintain and grow network and of s it spirit story rial t the AccorHotel entrepreneu in the strong growth Sydney on Darling We look Mantra Group’s perfectly complemen with the Novotel for our guests. and properties Since our launch become the largest and new experiences more “Mantra’s brands AccorHotels has new destinations to create an even played a always groups provide to has both us Harbour in 1991, Australia expertise of will enable the Pacific, and the talent and hotel group in we’ve forward to combining great company story. to the and dynamic team.” “I am immensely proud of the key role in that journey innovative, agile said, a significant contributor a signal of our been an enjoyable CEO, Bob East, “AccorHotels is deal is ased business. It’s now Mantra Group industry, and this as an Australian-b ASX in 2014 and destination we’ve achieved Australian tourism our float on the built and what both as an attractive for our and the team here 2007 through to business Australia since in the in team the belief market confidence success.” for me leading s. I have enormous but also as a feeder s to continue this with AccorHotel for global travellers closing this deal Simon and AccorHotel based in the Gold Coast wider network.” be to working with s will operate Asia Pacific and will continue to is looking forward business units. the deal, AccorHotel and over 900 leadership team At the close of AccorHotels Pacific Australia The Mantra Group line with all other Gold Coast, working and resorts across largest to McGrath, in the desk at the over 330 hotels s will also be the our Mantra office, reporting my feet under welcome Pacific. AccorHotel getting to We .

Asia throughout of government “I’m looking forward to know the detail of this business. values, expertise Gold Coast, outside from our shared and getting McGrath said, employer on the we will benefit with the team – Pacific, Simon s and together, AccorHotels’ AccorHotels COO colleagues to AccorHotel McGrath said. brands will enhance rial spirit,” “The Mantra Group es for our people, and entrepreneu new opportuniti to portfolio and create tourism is critical We believe that partners and guests.

A

10 HM The

Business of Accommoda

tion

Deputy Editor

6 HM The Business of Accommodation

Editor-In-Chief

Deputy Editor

Bonnie Tai btai@intermedia.com.au

Group Sales and Sponsorship Manager Adam Daff adaff@intermedia.com.au

Editorial contributors

Jack Carter, Emma Castle, Andrew Jarvie, Howard Kemball, Peter McBrearty

Production Manager Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au

Circulation and Subscriptions Manager

Chris Blacklock cblacklock@intermedia.com.au

Subscription enquiries

1800 651 422 Subscribe to HM magazine - 6 issues for AUD $88 (inc. GST) subscriptions@intermedia.com.au

Published by

41 Bridge Road, Glebe NSW 2037, Australia. (PO Box 55, Glebe NSW 2037, Australia) Tel: +61 (0) 2 9660 2113 Fax: +61 (0) 2 9660 4419 ABN 940 025 836 82

Unilodge sson heads to Argam John revea tra COOan ls next career move Man In an exclusive column for HM, TFE

. university relationships and maintain key to thrilled to be able in the student “I am personally s proven the opportunities presented someone with Peter’ and in particular, officer, Tomas sectorRACHEL work alongside Hotelstion CEO, Chief Operating and believe that accommoda be able to looks att track Mantra Group’s new Chiefto a new of the UniLodge business to ARGAMAN, industry whyrecord she’s departing developmen be the hotel role where she can appointed as the strength strategic skills will make a difference Johnsson, has been operational Johnsson said. people’and myon s lives. of UniLodge. take advantage,” of student Officer to create a formidable James, Executive the you have asked why forchosen complementary is the leading provider Zealand I have of the to leave the hospitality of driving growth “UniLodgeindustry 10 Iyears and and New team, to help partnership for the future growth After where am going. So toHotels, through ASX them maintain their independence tion in Australia trainedover the is Mantra answer where I am going: I am joining Opal accommoda and dignity.

Aged Carethe business as CEOthat he said. juggernaut on 6 August.inOpal a sale I am truly proud of what to double has 72ofAged company,” the form executive; I, together Care Residences for pipeline with aand an hospitality exceptional with conclusion 30 in team, sweet-spot the the a pipeline. to have seasoned is a listing It is looking at substantial Johnsson which representsdelivered at TFE Hotels. I Johnsson growth leave an outstanding with over the next few years’ years, Group, Tomas fewand years, next with25 has the and agility. the bench strength, Accor Hotels challenge Sweden teamover intelligence, and passion originally of reimagining aged care to the student in to scale to deliverfrom on the pipeline regards of newcapacities into the burgeoning in a more truly “home” me in like design and hotels we have moving service model. coming,backing, in senior leadership is now While there is a huge amount to keep our guests has strong financial experience at the heart to do and “The of the company,includes senior c learn,business industry. the prospect of making tion opportunisti asset anstrong a difference culture as the “can Australia. accommoda His career to date and to continue our caring emerging for our elders do” hotel company. t expertise and is my ‘why’ ofinpicking Mirvac, The development and the reason said. developmen a history I pipeline of decided hotels overhethe to leave Tomas has t roles with Rydges, l aspirations,” TFE after 20 next four years early Mantra managemen is very strong, sales and fondly theyears. with next generation that strategy with internationa pleased note coming remember Vibe hotels I don’t andthink such astothose that I have “left hospitality”. were classes Mantra across operations,Johnsson GPT and Sydney t Letting Rights In an era whereJohnsson and Hobart, nextt. generationis a the voiceisofparticularly is in Melbourne, the customer Travelodges Peter Bates, whenisManagemen ever stronger, and rightly asset managemen in Auckland and and incredible years has revelled in Adelaide, marketing CEO ofinUniLodge, the market and so, I believe that going TFE Collection hotels in to an industry the current Chairman which the Brisbane, and HOTA. understood customerinexperience Executive Auckland as AAoA the poorly and of (residents Melbourne over business and families) needs to beinfront director which will set a new standard in returns remaining the and theand the business centre Australia stage keeps growth phase me squarely in a service and customer nextreposition maximising TFE Hotels. I invite everyone in to treat themselves to a stay 11 to accelerate The be ablespace. to centric Aged careyears.

Calile, an urban resort in Fortitude resonates with me onthe subsequent ment.com.au at many levels. It is an industry where Valley about hotelmanage when it opens excited in the September fundamental really is how to deliver this year. We have many beautiful “I am nowchallenge sustainable, high-quality, accessible new Adina’s coming also, which will halo care to our elderly. Importantly, the brand, in Brisbane, Sydney, the challenge is also how to do Melbourne, Canberra, and two it with both Quincy Hotels exceptional clinical outcomes coming in Sydney and Melbourne. and whilst remembering that human connection is at the heart of human well-being.

I am not leaving my many friends Everyone deserves to live with across the travel industry. I will dignity, respect and relevance, and therefore, continue to be based in Sydney and have the customer experience is paramount. forged many friendships, as one does in It is an industry with real social this wonderful industry, who I purpose: to nurture a sense of consider to be lifelong friends belonging and and not merely connection so our elders can work colleagues. I look forward truly live their later years, an industry to continuing to mentor and be that needs mentored by to foster intergenerational and people whose opinions I greatly community contact, and importantly, value and whose opinions I will deliver a seek as my personalised resident experience. new team and I work to introduce more hospitality-like experiences for our Opal Aged Care delivers specialist residents in aged care. aged care through its highly trained team. Opal is an industry-leading As I transition to the aged care organisation that cares for over industry, I do so with the knowledge 6,000 residents in four states, employing that “companies don’t succeed, people more than 7,500 team members do”. I know that the board of Opal across Australia. It will grow significantly Aged Care, chaired by Professor Peter in scale over the next 3 years.

Shergold, are committed to delivering The organisation is investing in new the highest outcomes in resident and existing infrastructure to meet specialist care and customer satisfaction, the current and future needs for aged care and to the evolution of our residences in the community. Opal has also to be more aligned to the qualities formed a national education partnership of the home as opposed to an institutional-style with Dementia Australia to ensure care environment. I so look forward its residents living with dementia receive high to joining the company, to working quality care and support from with the strong team already in an expertly place there, and, together with them, making a difference.

hotelmanagement.com.au 17

MEET THE HM TEAM…

Bonnie Tai

James Wells

In association with

16 HM The Business of Accommodation

Publisher

Publisher

Rachel Argaman is heading to the aged care industry

James Wilkinson Editor-In-Chief HM magazine and hotelmanagement.com.au

James Wells

Simon Grover

Adam Daff

Group Sales and Sponsorship Manager

Adrian Tipper

Creative Director

DISCLAIMER This publication is published by FAB Media Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof.

To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.

Copyright © 2018 - FAB Media Pty Ltd.

checkIN

News, Interviews, Opinions, Reviews

The Mantra Group executive team, as seen on the cover of HM April-May 2018

AccorHotels acquires Mantra Group

AccorHotels’ AUD$1.2 billion purchase of Mantra Group has cleared its final hurdles – Mantra shareholder approval and the green light from the Federal Court of Australia – paving the way for the company to take over the second largest hotel chain in Australia.

The move means AccorHotels will now operate 330 hotels and over 50,000 rooms in Australasia, alongside acquiring one of the best hospitality workforces in the world.

Find all of the coverage – including an exclusive column on the takeover from AccorHotels Asia-Pacific Chairman and CEO, Michael Issenberg – on pages 10 and 11.

8 HM The Business of Accommodation

Check In AccorHotels’ leaders: Simon McGrath and Michael Issenberg on the Gold Coast

ACCORHOTELS OFFICIALLY ACQUIRES MANTRA GROUP AccorHotels has acquired the second largest hotel company in Australia, Mantra Group, after the Paris-based company received the final shareholder and regulatory approvals at the end of May.

A

ccorHotels has completed its acquisition of Mantra Group for AUD$1.2 billion. The deal includes the Mantra, Peppers, BreakFree and Art Series brands, representing 138 hotels in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Bali.

AccorHotels Asia-Pacific Chairman and CEO, Michael Issenberg, said: “The Mantra Group is the latest chapter in the strong growth story of AccorHotels in the region.

Since our launch with the Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour in 1991, AccorHotels has become the largest hotel group in the Pacific, and Australia has always played a key role in that story.

“AccorHotels is a significant contributor to the Australian tourism industry, and this deal is a signal of our confidence in Australia both as an attractive destination for global travellers but also as a feeder market for our Asia Pacific and wider network.”

At the close of the deal, AccorHotels will operate over 330 hotels and resorts across Australia and over 900 throughout Asia Pacific. AccorHotels will also be the largest employer on the Gold Coast, outside of government.

AccorHotels COO – Pacific, Simon McGrath said, “The Mantra Group brands will enhance AccorHotels’ portfolio and create new opportunities for our people, partners and guests. We believe that tourism is critical to 10 HM The Business of Accommodation

the economic growth of the region and future job creation and this deal will allow us to further develop the industry.”

McGrath added that innovative growth was a hallmark of both AccorHotels and the Mantra Group.

“Our innovation in economic business models, brands and customer initiatives has fueled our growth over the last 27 years and the Mantra Group has built an innovative business focused on the best partnership experience for its 10,000 strata title owners,” he said. “Under Bob East’s leadership this bespoke approach and responsiveness has seen it maintain and grow rooms under management. We see enormous value in leveraging Mantra Group’s entrepreneurial spirit and expertise to create new opportunities.

“Mantra’s brands and properties perfectly complement the AccorHotels network and will enable us to provide new destinations and new experiences for our guests. We look forward to combining the talent and expertise of both groups to create an even more innovative, agile and dynamic team.”

Mantra Group CEO, Bob East, said, “I am immensely proud of the great company we’ve built and what we’ve achieved as an Australian-based business. It’s been an enjoyable journey for me leading the team since 2007 through to our float on the ASX in 2014 and now closing this deal with AccorHotels. I have enormous belief in the business and the team here is looking forward to working with Simon and AccorHotels to continue this success.”

The Mantra Group leadership team will continue to be based in the Gold Coast office, reporting to McGrath, in line with all other AccorHotels Pacific business units.

“I’m looking forward to getting my feet under the desk at the Gold Coast, working with the team and getting to know the detail of this business. We welcome our Mantra colleagues to AccorHotels and together, we will benefit from our shared values, expertise and entrepreneurial spirit,” McGrath said.

Check In

EXCLUSIVE - MICHAEL ISSENBERG

ON ACCOR’S MANTRA ACQUISITION AccorHotels Asia-Pacific Chairman and CEO, MICHAEL ISSENBERG, looks at the company’s acquisition of Mantra Group in an exclusive column for HM.

W

hen Accor set up in Australia in 1990 I am not sure anyone could have imagined the enormous success we would enjoy or predict that 28 years later we would reach more than 330 hotels and over 50,000 rooms by acquiring the number two operator in the country.

We have a long history of integrating complementary hotel groups into Accor, starting with our acquisition of 11 hotels under Resort Hotels Management and later 29 hotels under Quality Pacific Corporation in the early 1990s.

These deals took us from a relative newcomer to a leading player in Australia and set the foundation for our success throughout Asia Pacific.

When Mantra came along in 2002, we watched with interest as they forged out a strong position on the Gold Coast and then further afield.

The newest kid on the block was certainly proving a worthy competitor. But we had other things on our mind and in 2012 we acquired 43 hotels under the Mirvac portfolio (Quay Grand, Quay West, Sebel) for $254 million which further consolidated our number one position in the Australian market.

Two years later, when Mantra launched on the Australian Stock Exchange, we were focused on our acquisition of FRHI, which added 155 hotels and resorts globally for $2.9 billion.

Fast-track a few years and the entire hotel industry was in the midst of consolidation phase unlike anything we had seen before.

This happened because hoteliers had to compete with the might and power of the OTAs, because of a rise in alternative accommodation, increasingly asset-light business models and a number of digital disruptors that were entering the market on a regular basis.

Having led the global integration of the FHRI hotels, I was thrilled when we announced in 2017 that AccorHotels globally would invest a further $1.2 billion to acquire the Mantra portfolio.

This was a strong show of confidence in the Australian tourism market and recognition for the hard work of our Australian team over almost 30 years.

After the global integration of FRHI, I believe Mantra will be a relatively easy integration because we are dealing predominantly with hotels in one country and a country where we have vast experience. Both companies have a strong record of innovation, growth and investment in tourism and culturally we share similar values.

We have already proven we can integrate other businesses successfully. In the last two years, we have been acquiring new businesses on an almost monthly basis.

In 2016, we partnered with Huazhu Hotels to strengthen our presence in China; OneFineStay to compete in the alternative accommodation space; and 25hour hotels, Rixos and Banyan Tree to increase our lifestyle portfolio.

In 2017, we invested in Potel&Chabot to enhance our credentials in the catering and venue space; ResDiary to open up opportunities in F&B; Mantis and Orient Express to deliver new luxury; and most recently Mövenpick to increase our resort offerings.

At the same time we have invested in a number of digital disruptors who will help us stay ahead of the market.

Every acquisition is made with one core goal: to expand our credentials in new travel verticals and allow us to deliver an enhanced experience for our guests. Mantra is no different.

This is a strategic investment for us because it allows us to complement our existing portfolio, leverage Mantra’s strong management letting rights and build operational efficiencies at a lower cost.

We will also learn from Mantra’s deep talent pool and both our teams will share best practices so that we can continue to deliver the best guest experience in the industry.

We will maintain the Mantra, Peppers, Breakfree and Art Series brands because they complement our own network and they have a strong reputation in Australia. In time, you may see some of these brands expanding even more outside of Australia.

We believe there is room for multiple brands because guests are seeking different experiences and different types of travel for different reasons.

What we need to do better is to differentiate each of our brands so that they appeal to distinct groups of consumers and create an emotional bond that fosters loyalty.

As with previous acquisitions, we look forward to welcoming our new colleagues, to learning from each other and working together to create not just the largest hotel group in Australia, but more importantly, the best-performing hotel group in Australia and the most attractive workplace.

Mantra COO Tomas Johnsson heads to Unilodge Mantra Group’s Chief Operating officer, Tomas Johnsson, has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of UniLodge.

After 10 years of driving growth for the juggernaut that is Mantra Hotels, through ASX listing to the conclusion in the form of a sale to the Accor Hotels Group, Tomas Johnsson is now moving into the burgeoning student accommodation industry.

Tomas has a history of picking emerging asset classes and remembers fondly the early Mantra years when Management Letting Rights were poorly understood in the market and has revelled in maximising the business returns over the subsequent years.

“I am now really excited about the

opportunities presented in the student accommodation sector and in particular, the strength of the UniLodge business to be able to take advantage,” Johnsson said.

“UniLodge is the leading provider of student accommodation in Australia and New Zealand with a pipeline to double the business over the next few years, which represents a sweet-spot for me in regards to scale and agility.

“The business has strong financial backing, development expertise and an opportunistic strategy with international aspirations,” he said.

Johnsson is particularly pleased to note that the current CEO of UniLodge, Peter Bates, is remaining in the business as Executive Chairman to be able to accelerate the next growth phase

and maintain key university relationships.

“I am personally thrilled to be able to work alongside someone with Peter’s proven development track record and believe that my operational and strategic skills will be complementary to create a formidable partnership for the future growth of the company,” he said.

Johnsson is a seasoned hospitality executive; originally from Sweden with over 25 years’ experience in senior leadership capacities in Australia. His career to date includes senior management roles with Rydges, Mirvac, GPT and Mantra across operations, sales and marketing and asset management. Johnsson is a director of AAoA and HOTA. hotelmanagement.com.au 11

Check In

Former Jumeirah exec Leser takes over Langham Langham Hospitality Group has announced the appointment of Stefan Leser as Chief Executive Officer.

Based in Hong Kong, he will oversee all aspects of the group’s global portfolio of hotels, resorts and residences, and will be providing strategic guidance to achieve the company’s vision, implementing organisational processes for all divisions, and leading the global expansion drive.

Leser has nearly 30 years of experience in the travel and hospitality industries, most recently at Jumeirah International where he was the group chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors.

At the Dubai-based company, Leser was responsible for several significant milestone projects, such as the inauguration of The Terrace at Burj Al Arab and the completion and launch of Jumeirah Al Naseem, the group’s luxury hotel overlooking the Arabian Gulf.

Prior to joining Jumeirah, Leser held senior roles for more than a decade at Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd., the leading Swiss travel services provider.

As a member of Kuoni’s executive board and executive vice president of the outbound and specialists division, Leser directed the company’s travel businesses, covering the Nordics, United Kingdom, Benelux, India, China, Hong Kong, and Switzerland.

He was also responsible for all businesses specialising in inbound destination management which had a purview of USD$3 billion in revenues and 8,000 employees.

Leser has also spent six years working in the information technology industry with Swissair and EDS Corporation.

He holds a MBA from Augusta State University of Georgia (U.S.) “Langham Hospitality Group has a solid reputation with a fine collection of hotels in four continents,” said Leser.

“The company is definitely ripe for expansion into new markets and I look forward to leading the team to deliver highly personalised service and support the future growth of the group’s outstanding portfolio of hotels and residences.”

12 HM The Business of Accommodation

New Langham CEO, Stefan Leser

Support and comfort you and your guests deserve

Sealy is Australia’s most recognised and trusted bedding supplier to the accommodation industry.

The product of choice at leading hotels and resorts for over 30 years.

Contact us for more information or to request a quote

P| 07 3331 5200 E| commercialsales@sealy.com.au sealy.com.au/commercial

Check In

Associations welcome

Federal Budget The leading accommodation and tourism industry associations in Australia have welcomed the 2018 Federal Budget.

The Accommodation Association of Australia (AAoA) said the Federal Budget taxation crackdown on offshore online travel agencies “should be supported by all states and territories so it can become a reality”, according to the organisation’s CEO, Richard Munro.

In addition, Munro said, the AAoA is keen to ensure that “if the tax change proceeds, the financial hit shouldn’t be to the bottom line of accommodation businesses across Australia”.

“We welcome the first step the Turnbull Government has taken to force offshore online travel agencies to pay their fair share of tax in Australia,” Munro said.

“The dominant online travel agencies command almost 85 per cent of online accommodation bookings in Australia, yet they employ very few people in Australia and pay virtually no tax in Australia.

“It’s high time that these wrecking balls of Australia’s accommodation industry start paying their way instead of robbing hard-working local accommodation businesses of revenue, costing Australian jobs.

“On behalf of our members, we intend to write to all relevant state/territory Ministers to urge them to support the change the Federal Government is proposing to extend the GST to offshore sellers of hotel accommodation,” he said.

Munro said the Accommodation Association would also like to see the competition regulator play a far greater role in this policy area than it is at the moment.

“While this crackdown on online travel agencies is an excellent initiative, the last thing we want is for these foreign giants to ramp up their commissions even more, meaning Australian accommodation businesses simply end up paying online travel agencies even more,” he said.

“Therefore, we would like the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to take immediate steps to ensure this doesn’t happen.

“We are also promising to continue our campaign to ban parity pricing, which prevents accommodation businesses from advertising a lower room-rate on their websites than online travel agencies,” Munro said.

Munro additionally said even more GST revenue could be recouped if the proposed tax change was extended to apply to sharing economy accommodation providers.

Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) was also supportive of the Federal Budget, saying it was a “good news story for tourism with a range of important measures 14 HM The Business of Accommodation

Australia’s hotel industry associations have welcomed the latest Federal Budget

in investment, productivity and skilled training that will back the growth of the vital sector”, according to CEO Carol Giuseppi.

Giuseppi said targeted infrastructure spending, an increase in the Tourism Australia budget over the forward estimates, employment initiatives based around improving skills shortages and $45 million in regional tourism funding grants were all positive moves.

“This Budget is a win for the tourism sector in many areas with infrastructure spending targeted at a range of industry-friendly projects,” she said.

“We particularly welcome the $300,000 earmarked for a much-needed cruise ship options study for Sydney, as well as funding for an economic zone around Sydney’s second airport and up to $5 billion on the Melbourne Airport Rail link.

“We also welcome the funding increase for Tourism Australia, which will see its total appropriation rise to $162.2 million by 2021/22 – funding we are pleased to see will be quarantined from the Government’s Efficiency Fund.

“This shows the importance the Federal Government places on promoting the tourism sector and we thank [Tourism] Minister Steve Ciobo for his efforts on this front,” she said.

Giuseppi welcomed additional spend in the Building Better Regions Fund as a real boost for tourism in regional Australia.

“The Government will provide $206.5 million over the next four years for round three of the Building Better Regions Fund – this includes $45 million to improve tourism-related infrastructure and supporting demand-driven projects in our regions,” she said.

“This shows the Government is serious about helping to drive investment in the tourism sector and increasing visitation to our rural and regional areas.”

Giuseppi said the Government was also moving to address the chronic shortage in skills in the tourism sector with funding committed through the Skilling Australia Fund to grow the number of apprenticeships in Australia. Building workforce capability remains a key priority for our industry.

“Following calls from TAA, the Government will also expand a range of refund provisions for the Skilling Australians Fund Levy which is good to see,” she said.

Giuseppi said the tourism industry, including the accommodation sector, was continuing to perform strongly in both visitation, expenditure and investment.

“In 2017, both international and domestic visitor nights increased 4.8% to 265 million and 350 million respectively,” she said.

“International visitor expenditure increased 5.6% to $41 billion and domestic visitor expenditure increased 5.8% to $64 billion, meaning the industry is on target to meet the Tourism 2020 overnight expenditure target band of $115 billion to $140 billion.

“In terms of investment, there are over 200 hotel projects and 40,000 rooms in the capital city supply pipeline across Australia,” Giuseppi said.

The Tourism and Transport Forum Australia (TTF), however, said it was a “bittersweet budget for tourism and transport sectors”.

The TTF welcomed the nation-wide investment in big-ticket transport infrastructure projects in the Federal Government’s 2018-19 Budget, but said the Government “has missed a golden opportunity to reap the benefits from substantially increasing its funding for Tourism Australia”.

“After what can only be described as a disappointing budget for the tourism sector last year, there will be some relief across the sector with $140 million to secure Australia’s position as one of the world’s leading film production destinations, $45 million in regional tourism grants and a big commitment to deliver badly needed infrastructure projects right across the country,” said TTF Chief Executive, Margy Osmond.

Check In

TFE HOTELS CEO RACHEL ARGAMAN SET TO LEAVE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TFE Hotels CEO, Rachel Argaman, has resigned from the company and is set to embark on a new venture outside of hospitality.

“CEO, Rachel Argaman will leave TFE Hotels to pursue a new opportunity outside of the hotel and hospitality industry,” TOGA Group Managing Director and TFE Hotels Chairman Allan Vidor announced to the group on May 15.

“On behalf of TOGA Group and TFE Hotels, we want to acknowledge and thank Rachel for her commitment and contribution to the organisation.”

Argaman became CEO of TOGA Hospitality Group in June 2007. The group was renamed TFE Hotels in 2014, following a joint venture partnership with Far East Hospitality. During her tenure, the business has grown from its beginnings as a serviced apartment operator to a multi-brand hotel group in multiple locations in Australia, New Zealand and Europe.

As a member of Chief Executive Women, Argaman has also been an advocate of women in leadership roles across the industry and particularly within TOGA. Argaman’s resignation coincides with her 20-year anniversary at TOGA. “Approaching 20 years with TFE Hotels was a time of both celebration and reflection for me… celebration for all that an extraordinary group of people have achieved,” she said.

“The company has gone from operating in one country to five, from one brand to seven and from eight serviced apartments in the suburbs to today,

where, with our pipeline, we have over a hundred hotels.”

Argaman will remain in her role as CEO until the end of July and TFE Chairman, Allan Vidor, will take an oversight role during the transition period until a replacement is appointed.

“I have had the great pleasure of working with Rachel for 20 years and she has made an indelible mark on the group,” Vidor said. “We will now embark on a global search for Rachel’s replacement and look forward to the appointment of a new CEO to continue our remarkable journey.

“This will be a thorough process to ensure we appoint the right individual to continue to drive our significant expansion both locally and internationally.”

As the leading hotel apartment chain in Germany, with further growth into Austria and Switzerland, the global search for Argaman’s replacement presents a unique opportunity for the next CEO, Vidor said.

TOGA Group and Singapore’s Far East Hospitality Holdings joint venture, TFE Hotels, is head-quartered in Sydney and has a growing European head office located in Berlin.

With a portfolio of nearly 100 hotels across Australia, New Zealand and Europe, TFE Hotels has a strong development pipeline with a further 20 hotels due to open over the next three years.

“It is an exciting time for both Ms Argaman and TFE Hotels and we wish her great success in her future endeavours,” Vidor said.

Argaman reveals next career move

In an exclusive column for HM, TFE Hotels CEO, RACHEL ARGAMAN, tells JAMES WILKINSON why she’s departing the hotel industry to a new role where she can make a difference on people’s lives.

“James, you have asked why I have chosen to leave the hospitality industry and where I am going. So to answer where I am going: I am joining Opal Aged Care as CEO on 6 August. Opal has 72 Aged Care Residences and 30 in the pipeline.

It is looking at substantial growth over the next few years, and has the challenge of reimagining aged care in a more truly ‘home’ like design and service model. While there is a huge amount to do and learn, the prospect of making a difference in caring for our elders is my ‘why’ and the reason I decided to leave TFE after 20 years.

I don’t think that I have ‘left hospitality’. In an era where the voice of the customer is ever stronger, and rightly so, I believe that going to an industry in which the customer experience (residents and families) needs to be front and centre stage keeps me squarely in a service and customer-centric space.

Aged care resonates with me on many levels. It is an industry where the fundamental challenge is how to deliver sustainable, high-quality, accessible care to our elderly. Importantly, the challenge is also how to do it with both exceptional clinical outcomes and whilst remembering that human connection is at the heart of human well-being. Everyone deserves to live with dignity, respect and relevance, and therefore, the customer experience is paramount.

It is an industry with real social purpose: to nurture a sense of belonging and connection so our elders can truly live their later years, an industry that needs to foster intergenerational and community contact, and importantly, deliver a personalised resident experience.

Opal Aged Care delivers specialist aged care through its highly trained team. Opal is an industry-leading organisation that cares for over 6,000 residents in four states, employing more than 7,500 team members across Australia. It will grow significantly in scale over the next 3 years. The organisation is investing in new and existing infrastructure to meet the current and future needs for aged care in the community. Opal has also formed a national education partnership with Dementia Australia to ensure its residents living with dementia receive high quality care and support from an expertly 16 HM The Business of Accommodation

trained team, to help them maintain their independence and dignity.

I am truly proud of what I, together with an exceptional team, have delivered at TFE Hotels. I leave an outstanding team with the bench strength, intelligence, and passion to deliver on the pipeline of new hotels we have coming, to keep our guests at the heart of the company, and to continue our strong culture as the ‘can do’ hotel company. The development pipeline of hotels over the next four years is very strong, with next generation Vibe hotels such as those coming in Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart, next generation Travelodges in Auckland and in Adelaide, incredible TFE Collection hotels in Brisbane, Auckland and Melbourne which will set a new standard in Australia and reposition TFE Hotels. I invite everyone to treat themselves to a stay at The Calile, an urban resort in Fortitude Valley when it opens in September this year. We have many beautiful new Adinas coming also, which will halo the brand, in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and two Quincy Hotels coming in Sydney and Melbourne.

I am not leaving my many friends across the travel industry. I will continue to be based in Sydney and have forged many friendships, as one does in this wonderful industry, who I consider to be lifelong friends and not merely work colleagues. I look forward to continuing to mentor and be mentored by people whose opinions I greatly value and whose opinions I will seek as my new team and I work to introduce more hospitality-like experiences for our residents in aged care.

As I transition to the aged care industry, I do so with the knowledge that “companies don’t succeed, people do”. I know that the board of Opal Aged Care, chaired by Professor Peter Shergold, are committed to delivering the highest outcomes in resident specialist care and customer satisfaction, and to the evolution of our residences to be more aligned to the qualities of the home as opposed to an institutional-style care environment. I so look forward to joining the company, to working with the strong team already in place there, and, together with them, making a difference.”

Check In Rachel Argaman is heading to the aged care industry

hotelmanagement.com.au 17

Boom time

Marriott executives Richard Crawford, Maria Verner, Sean Hunt and Andrew Smith

FOR MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL How Marriott International is leading the development boom across Australia and New Zealand.

A

hotel development boom is well underway in Australia and New Zealand, reflecting the exceptional improvement in hotel trading conditions over the past five years.

While Sydney and Melbourne are clear front runners, there is significant development underway in key gateway cities such as Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and Auckland.

Marriott International is leading the way with more than 20 major hotel projects currently under construction, or planning, adding over 5,500 rooms to Australia and New Zealand’s new supply.

“This is an extremely exciting time for Marriott International as we significantly grow our footprint across Australia and New Zealand, as well as the wider Pacific region,” said Sean Hunt, Area Vice President, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, Marriott International.

“We are on track to grow our Pacific network to 50 hotels across 14 brands by 2020, creating more than 2,500 hotel jobs across the region.”

Marriott International’s development pipeline spans all market segments from mid-scale to luxury. In 2018, for example, the hotel group will open W Brisbane this month, the first new-build five-star hotel to open in the city’s CBD in 20 years. Followed by Four Points by 18 HM The Business of Accommodation

Now open: The Westin Perth

Cover Story

A MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION

Sheraton Sydney, Central Park in August, a brand new hotel located in the city’s trendy Central Park district, close to vibrant cafes, bars, shops and galleries, in August.

Other exciting openings this year include Four Points by Sheraton Auckland this month, Marriott International’s first property in New Zealand and The Westin Brisbane in November, Westin’s fifth property to open in the Pacific region.

“High occupancy levels and capacity constraints particularly across Sydney and Melbourne, will continue to fuel our growth over the next five years. Demand for new and high-quality accommodation is outstripping supply and despite having over 5,500 additional rooms already signed across Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney, there’s still room for more,” Hunt said.

“In secondary markets where high levels of additional supply are coming, Marriott International’s ability to drive demand and fend off competitors will be crucial.

The strength of Marriott International’s brands, as well our vast global sales team, strong digital platforms and market-leading loyalty programs, will help our properties to continue achieving above-market results even in the most challenging conditions,” he said.

Marriott International is also on track to boast the largest portfolio of upper upscale and luxury brands and properties across the Pacific region, with two-thirds of the new supply pipeline. The company’s robust pipeline includes the introduction of five hotels from its top-tier luxury brands signalling a demand for upper upscale services in the market.

The Ritz-Carlton will re-enter Australia with the opening of The Ritz-Carlton Perth in 2019 and The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne in 2020; the famed W Hotels brand is on track to open W Brisbane this month followed by W Melbourne in 2020; and The Luxury Collection will open The Tasman in 2019, marking Marriott International’s debut in Tasmania.

“Australia is doing a fantastic job of driving interest in the luxury segment by showcasing the premium product

Coming soon: Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Central Park

Newly renovated: Sheraton on the Park, Sydney

and experiences available here, but, as across the board in this market, demand is still outweighing the hotel product available. We expect new luxury hotel supply to come into the market progressively over the next 3-5 years and for this supply to be well-absorbed and encourage further development,” said Richard Crawford, Senior Director, Hotel Development, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.

Marriott International is also seeing greater demand for lifestyle hotels in response to the changing accommodation preferences of Millennials and Gen Z. “These generations are looking for more than a clean bed and a room-service burger.

They desire authentic social experiences that allow them to tap into the destination and leave with lasting memories they can share with their friends and family,” Crawford said.

“Take two of our lifestyle brands, Element and Aloft, for example. Through Element, we’re starting to offer a novel accommodation concept: four rooms clustered around a large communal living room to attract people travelling in groups. Whereas the focal point in an Aloft hotel is a bar that lures locals and visitors through karaoke nights and performances by local musicians. People chat and drink in the lounge, while playing pool or relaxing on comfortable sofas.

“Aloft and Element feature predominantly in our current development rollout across Australia, where we recently opened Aloft Perth and are on track to open Element Melbourne in 2019 and Aloft Melbourne South Yara in 2020. W Hotels and The Luxury Collection are also recognised as global leaders in the luxury lifestyle segment.

“An expansion priority in the Pacific region is to establish urban footholds for Marriott International’s newest lifestyle brand, Moxy Hotels. Launched in 2014, 25 hotels have already opened in gateway cities including New York, London, Vienna, and Berlin, and there are more than 85 new builds in the confirmed global pipeline,” Crawford said.

Marriott International is also committed to updating existing assets. Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas, Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast and Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay have all completed a significant renovation in the past five years and seen a significant improvement in terms of performance as a result.

Sydney’s iconic Sheraton on the Park is the latest hotel in Marriott International’s Australian portfolio to undergo a multi-million dollar transformation. Brought to life by acclaimed interior designer Joseph Pang, the newly designed hotel will usher in a new era of refined luxury, cementing the hotel’s position as one of Sydney’s leading five-star hotels.

Underpinning Marriott International’s success is the company’s rapidly growing loyalty programs, Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest.

“The incredibly high number of loyalty members we have in the Australian market, which is currently sitting at over one million, is a key part of our growth strategy,” Hunt said.

“We will continue to use our loyalty programs as an integral component to deliver personalised customer service experiences to ensure we continue to attract new customers and our existing clientele keep returning.

“This is a really exciting time for Marriott International. We will open a new hotel somewhere in the world, every thirteen hours for the next three years, a sign of our confidence in the global hotel market. Here in the Pacific, I am really excited about the new hotels coming into Australia and New Zealand and extremely confident that we’ll continue to take advantage of new development opportunities as we move closer to our goal of 50 hotels by 2020.” n hotelmanagement.com.au 19

Development

An artist’s impression of Holiday Inn Melbourne Coburg

Holiday Inn set for Coburg InterContinental Hotels Group(IHG) revealed at AHICE it had penned a deal with Barnes Capital to open a striking Holiday Inn in Coburg, Melbourne’s up-and-coming northern suburb.

When it opens in 2020, guests at Holiday Inn Melbourne Coburg will enjoy views across the town and its surrounding landscape, including Coburg Lake Reserve. It will feature a gym and large meeting facilities, as well as a bar and all-day dining, establishing it as the destination to sip, dine and unwind.

The 150-room new-build hotel will show off a bold, new design statement for Holiday Inn, created by architects Hachem, with its mirrored glass design destined to become a landmark in the heart of Coburg.

“Holiday Inn is famous for bringing joyful experiences to guests across the globe, and Holiday Inn Melbourne,” said IHG’s Senior Director of Development – Australasia, Abhijay Sandilya.

“Coburg will be a shining example where magnificent design meets great service. We are

thrilled to bring the world’s best-known hotel brand to regional areas, suburbs and other pockets of Australia that are crying out for a great place to stay.”

Barnes Capital Managing Director, Martyn Barnes, said: “Coburg, and northern Melbourne in general, is a suburban market that is growing rapidly, yet still underrepresented by great hotels.

We are so happy to partner with IHG to bring Holiday Inn to this great location in the centre of Coburg CBD.”

IHG SIGNS DUAL-BRANDED HOTEL IN MELBOURNE

An artist’s impression of the Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins and Holiday Inn Melbourne Bourke Street Mall

20 HM The Business of Accommodation

IHG also revealed at the 9th annual Australasian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE) in Melbourne on May 2-3 it is set to open its first Australian dual-branded hotel by 2022 with the signing of Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins and Holiday Inn Melbourne Bourke Street Mall, in the heart of the CBD. The AUD$200 million mixed-use development, currently trading as The Walk Arcade, will front onto Bourke Street Mall on one side and Little Collins Street on the other, allowing Holiday Inn to make the most of the pedestrianised retail haven and Hotel Indigo to bring the edgy laneway neighbourhood to life.

There will be 453 rooms in total: 181 in Hotel Indigo and 272 in Holiday Inn. Onsite amenities include F&B outlets, a gym, meeting spaces and a unique guest lobby and room experience for each brand.

IHG’s Senior Director of Development – Australasia, Abhijay Sandilya, said it just made sense to dual brand the properties due to the sought after location and the sheer scale of the building.

“IHG has experience with dual branded properties in other markets, including the Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn Express in Singapore Katong, and a dual-branded Even Hotel and Holiday Inn Express planned for Auckland in 2020. We are excited to bring Hotel Indigo’s neighbourhood story and Holiday Inn’s Joy of Travel together to provide guests of all types with the experience that appeals to them.

“This long-term deal means Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn will have presence in the heart of Melbourne CBD for many years to come,” he said.

Tony Tai, spokesperson for owner Focus Ventures Pty Ltd, said: “Much consideration has been put into the plans to transform the property into an iconic Melbourne site that complements its strategic location. Together with our consultants, we have put forth a combined retail and hotel site plan that is able to attract top retailers from around the world.”

Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins is the second Hotel Indigo to be signed in Melbourne and the fourth in Australia, following Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, Sydney’s Central precinct, and Melbourne’s Docklands.

Hotels have always been spaces full of life. Now those spaces themselves can come alive.

Ultra HD 4K, another amazing display of innovation LG Ultra HD 4K offers a breathtaking viewing experience enhancing customers in-room entertainment.

Contact your local LG Authorised Dealer or LG representative for more information.

LG.com.au

Development

Now open: The Sebel Brisbane Margate Beach

AccorHotels signs new Brisbane hotel

An artist’s impression of Hyatt Place Springvale

Hyatt Place hotel to be built in Springvale

Hyatt Hotels Corporation revealed at the 9th annual Australasian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE) in Melbourne on May 2-3 that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with PEC Portfolio Springvale Pty Ltd for a 200-key Hyatt Place hotel in Melbourne’s Springvale.

“We are delighted to expand the Hyatt Place brand in Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city,” said Hyatt Hotels Corporation Asia Pacific Group President, David Udell.

“The hotel will mark the tenth Hyatt-branded hotel in Australia and it will be a great addition to Hyatt’s brand footprint in Melbourne, which includes Park Hyatt Melbourne, Grand Hyatt Melbourne and Hyatt Place Melbourne Essendon Fields,” he said.

Hyatt Place Melbourne Springvale will be located at the intersection of Springvale and Dandenong Roads in the heart of the Monash Employment and Innovation Cluster, an area that is home to a number of academic institutions, businesses and medical facilities. Hyatt Place Melbourne Springvale will become the second Hyatt Place hotel in Australia upon its expected opening in 2020.

The hotel will be developed by PE Capital, one of the leading boutique investment management firms in Australia, and will form part of a mixed-used complex, which will also include co-working facilities and retail stores.

22 HM The Business of Accommodation

AccorHotels has entered into an agreement with developer Traders in Purple for a $15 million new build hotel, The Sebel Brisbane Margate Beach, which is now open.

Announced at AHICE, the beachfront hotel features 58 spacious and elegantly decorated studio rooms, each of which features a separate dining area and balcony.

The hotel also has an onsite bistro and bar, while business guests are catered for by the hotel’s conferencing facilities and rooftop entertainment space.

AccorHotels General Manager – Franchise Australia, Danesh Bamji, said AccorHotels was thrilled to partner with Traders in Purple to bring another iconic Sebel property to Queensland.

“The Sebel is a well-established brand, known and loved by guests for its high quality and stylish apartments,” he said. “The new hotel will showcase The Sebel’s brand signatures including inspiring décor coupled with warm service to make guests feel welcome throughout their stay.”

Traders in Purple CEO, Brett Robinson, said, “We’re delighted to be partnering with AccorHotels through The Sebel brand to deliver superior boutique accommodation, dining, conference and wedding amenities while also leveraging Margate’s lifestyle experience with sandy beach access and wellbeing guest experiences.

The 4.5-star Sebel Brisbane Margate Beach is located on the corner of McCullouch Avenue and Margate Parade and is easily accessible from Brisbane’s CBD and is only a short distance from Brisbane Airport.

HYATT CENTRIC TO MELBOURNE’S CBD Hyatt Hotels Corporation has entered into a management agreement with Little Projects for a Hyatt Centric hotel in Melbourne’s CBD. Hyatt Centric Melbourne, the second announced for Australia alongside a project in Hobart, will boast a prime location on Downie Street, providing a launch pad for guests looking to explore everything Melbourne has to offer.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation’s Asia Pacific Group President, David Udell, made the announcement during AHICE. “We are thrilled to work with Little Projects, a respected developer in Melbourne that shares our vision of authenticity and creativity, to bring the Hyatt Centric brand to Australia for the second time,” he said.

“Melbourne’s cosmopolitan vibe makes it an ideal destination for a Hyatt Centric hotel.”

Slated to open in 2020, Hyatt Centric Melbourne will feature 280 guestrooms and suites, a restaurant infused with locally inspired fare and a rooftop bar fit for celebration, featuring hand-crafted signature An artist’s impression of cocktails and views of Melbourne’s Yarra Hyatt Centric Melbourne River and Southbank.

Development

Ovolo is undertaking an extensive makeover of the former Emporium Hotel in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley

Ovolo reveals plans for Brisbane’s Emporium Early May marked the start of an era for the Emporium Hotel Fortitude Valley, Brisbane with Ovolo Hotels officially taking ownership and revealing the hotel would be known as ‘The Valley Brisbane’.

Revealed at the 9th annual Australasian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE) in Melbourne, The Valley Brisbane is the first phase in the evolution of the famed Emporium Hotel where selected Ovolo touches such as effortless living and experience-based culture will take centre stage.

Phase two will see the hotel evolve to become Ovolo The Valley with the transformation of

the rooms, public spaces and some exciting new food and drink concepts also being added and of the unique art and design alongside the celebrated Ovolo ‘Freebies’ such as free mini bar, breakfast, WiFi, happy hour, all-day snacks and more.

“The Emporium Hotel was an obvious addition to our collection of hotels, given its design heritage, serviced focused culture and location as we aim to bring Ovolo’s effortless living ethos and unique design to Brisbane through this this hotel and the recently launch Ovolo Inchcolm,” said CEO of the Ovolo Group, Girish Jhunjhnuwala.

“We are excited to see the evolution of this hotel come to life over the remainder of 2018 with some creative collaborations with leading the hotel design agency Woods Bagot and famed New York F&B concept and design agency AvroKO to launch the truly unqiue Ovolo The Valley.”

The Valley Brisbane marks the second milestone for the boutique designer hotel collection in Brisbane after the launch of Ovolo Inchcolm in early April. The collection has seen a rapid expansion in Australia over the past 12 months also including the renowned Hotel Hotel in Canberra, taking its Australian collection of hotels to six properties and four in Hong Kong.

Enriching the way people live, work and play through architecture and interior design.

Specialising in hotel new builds and refurbishments across Asia Pacific.

Richard Dalman +64 3 366 5445 BreakFree on Cashel

design@dalman.co.nz dalman.co.nz

Development

An artist’s impression of the new Melbourne Vibe Hotel

Construction starts on new Melbourne Vibe Hotel Construction has started on the new Vibe Hotel Melbourne located in and above the former Fletcher Jones showroom on the corner of Queen and Flinders Streets.

Caydon Property Group’s design team will preserve the 145-year-old building’s façade and add a 24-storey glass fronted tower with four distinct design sections marking the links between old and new. Its upper levels will take in views of the Yarra River to Port Phillip Bay, while its dual frontage ensures city views to the north and south-east.

The original two-storey building on the Queen Street site was built in 1873 in the Renaissance Revival architectural style and was called the Cobden Building, first serving as offices for the maritime trade. In 1955, clothing manufacturer

and retailer Fletcher Jones bought the building for $260,000, and it became an iconic fixture for Melbourne shoppers. At its peak, the company employed 2700 employees and ran 55 stores, using the building as its main city showroom until the company’s collapse in 2012. It was then occupied by hip streetwear brand Culture Kings.

The new Vibe Hotel Melbourne will have 206 rooms, contemporary communal areas and a building design that tells a story via four distinct ‘layers’ or strata. The first strata is Heritage, where the existing building will be rendered in beautiful classic steel blue and offwhite, with touches of chrome and metal. The second is Transition, the bridge between old and new, marked by external stone fins, bronze glazing and black window frames. The Tower

level is a modern masterpiece, with protruding window jambs in black and bronze that beautifully complement the light grey pleating in the façade. The Crown is the final statement, with a light grey glazing and black window framing, marked by a timber vertical screen and a finished concrete spandrel.

TFE Hotels CEO Rachel Argaman said this marked a great year for the Vibe Hotels brand, which is growing from nine hotels to twelve.

“We have just opened Vibe Hotel North Sydney and we have three more stunning new Vibe Hotels under construction including Queen Street in Melbourne, Argyle Street in Hobart and Sussex Street in Darling Harbour, so it’s a very exciting time for the brand,” said Argaman.

Vibe Hotel Melbourne is set to open in late 2019.

VERIU OPENS LATEST SYDNEY HOTEL Veriu Central has opened in Sydney

24 HM The Business of Accommodation

Veriu Hotels and Suites has officially launched the Veriu Central hotel in Sydney’s Surry Hills, showcasing the art deco inspired heritage hotel situated in one of the city’s popular dining hot spots.

The new 112-room hotel is a AUD$15 million conversion of the heritage listed ‘Wentworth House’ and will add to the thriving dining scene of this inner-city precinct by offering a selection of restaurant and bar venues on-site.

Food and beverage operations at Veriu Central and across selected future developments will be managed in partnership with James Metcalfe of JRM Hospitality, one of Sydney’s most respected chefs and consultants.

Veriu Central’s design and decor remains true to the eccentric character of the building, combining old world elegance with contemporary style that exudes the past and embraces the energy and personality of modern day inner Sydney.

“One of the foundations of the Veriu brand is to incorporate the unique elements of each building and provide guests with a different experience each time they stay in one of our hotels,” said Veriu Hotels and Suites’ Chief Operating Officer, Caspar Schmidt.

“It’s our point of difference that no hotel is the same – but the core value of creating great spaces to enable guests to explore the local surroundings and feel connected to the city is consistent throughout the network.”

Development

Marriott’s Executive Apartments are heading to Australia

MARRIOTT EXECUTIVE APARTMENTS TO DEBUT IN AUSTRALIA Australia’s first Marriott Executive Apartments have been confirmed for a new $360 million luxury mixed use development on St Kilda Road in Melbourne.

Marriott will operate 176 serviced apartments rooms located on levels 1 to 5, providing separate lobby and concierge services, as well as extensive amenity for guests and residents.

The building will also house 163 residential apartments, including five penthouses and nine

sub-penthouses in an L-shaped tower overlooking an expansive formal garden on the rooftop of a seven-level podium.

The building, called Illoura House, is being developed by Woodlink and designed by Bates Smart and is located at 424-426 St Kilda Road.

“Beautiful and thoughtful projects such as Illoura House are driving a new dawn for St Kilda Road, which in 10 years we believe will be a luxury shopping, residential and dining district with

the feel of a Parisian boulevard,” said Woodlink Project Director, Antonio Tarros.

“We have a lot of confidence in this vision for St Kilda Road as does Marriott International, which recognises the continued evolution of this area.”

Hotel-style amenities at ground level include a 20-metre pool, gymnasium, spa and sauna. A residents’ lounge, private dining room and wine cellar will complement the formal rooftop garden.

The Westin Perth officially opens Marriott International has officially opened The Westin Perth in Western Australia.

“We are delighted to open the doors to this world-class property,” said The Westin Perth General Manager, Peter Brampton.

“The Westin brand is synonymous with well-being and we believe the property will deliver a unique hospitality offering to the West Australian hotel market.

“This is the first of four new Westin properties opening in Australia over the coming years, including sites in Brisbane, Darwin and Coolum,” he said.

All of the hotel’s 368 guest rooms – including ten Club Suites, eight Westin Suites, five Executive Suites and one Presidential Suite – were designed by Melbourne-based design firm, BAR Studio.

Westin Perth’s signature restaurant, Garum, is headed up by acclaimed Melbourne chef, Guy Grossi. Garum offers guests a contemporary Roman dining experience in the stunning heritage listed Hibernian Hall, a Perth landmark. The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days per week.

The Haven Lounge, located in the hotel lobby offers guests light meals, crafted cocktails and signature Westin High Teas.

For business and conference guests, the hotel has 2,300 square metres of event space across nine venues, including an 800-square-metre pillarless grand ballroom. All event spaces have natural light and are equipped with the latest in audio-visual technology.

All guest rooms feature walk-in rain showers, Westin’s Heavenly Bed and Linen, and White Tea amenities. All rooms feature artwork and photography showcasing unique West Australian landscapes. Club Rooms also have access to The Executive Club Lounge for breakfast and evening drinks and canapés.

Westin signature touches can be experienced in every facet of the hotel from the Heavenly Bed, to the Eat Well Menu for Kids and the Eat Well Meeting Breaks menu offering.

The Westin Workout Gear Lending Program helps travellers pack light and stay fit, with the hotel offering New Balance shoes and clothing for guests

to use during their stay for only AUD$5, enabling guests to maintain their workout routine without the added bulk of travelling with their fitness gear.

Westin Perth guests will enjoy 24/7 access and state of the art Technogym equipment in the WestinWorkout Fitness Studio or for those who prefer exercising outdoors they can take part in RunWestin. Guests can ask concierge for the RunWestin local running maps that will take runners to iconic Perth locations such as Kings Park, the Swan River and Elizabeth Quay. Guests can also join a group run which is led by a Run Concierge where available.

For guests seeking some time out, Westin Weekend packages allow guests to stay longer with extended breakfast hours and a late Sunday checkout.

Now open: The Westin Perth

hotelmanagement.com.au 25

Key News

The AAoA welcomes a rail link for Melbourne Airport

The accommodation industry is strongly supportive of a fresh Federal Government proposal to build a rail link to Melbourne Airport from the central business district (CBD) of Melbourne.

Speaking on behalf of the industry, the Accommodation Association of Australia’s CEO, Richard Munro, said the quicker the project becomes a reality, the more benefits there will be for the industry, as well as the local and national economies.

“Melbourne is a truly global city and therefore, a rail link from the CBD to Melbourne Airport would be a key piece of infrastructure for the The Accommodation Association has been on the road in regional areas

Melbourne Airport rail link a game changer city, for Victoria and for Australia, including the tourism industry,” Munro said.

“Given the increasing problem local and international visitors to Melbourne are having with congestion, a project such as this has the potential to be a real game-changer.

“With congestion being a constant problem on the Tullamarine Freeway, a rail link to Melbourne Airport would be well patronised by corporate travellers and people travelling for leisure alike.

“Virtually all of the airports servicing the largest cities in the world are connected to city centres and local major transport hubs by rail, and in Australia,

there are already airport rail links in Sydney and Brisbane, while Perth is under construction.

“The increased access to and from one of Australia’s important tourism gateways would be extremely positive for the Victorian and national economies, as well as communities along the transport corridor.

“The accommodation industry is particularly pleased the Andrews State Government has indicated it will work with the Turnbull Federal Government on the rail link to Melbourne Airport.

“Both governments are to be commended for supporting what is an extremely important proposal,” Munro said.

ACCOMMODATION ASSOCIATION HOSTS REGIONAL FORUMS The Accommodation Association has reconnected with our regional areas through a series of forums. We kicked off with eight stops visiting; Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Dubbo, Bathurst, Shepparton, Albury, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong.

We had a fantastic line up of speakers including the Accommodation Association’s National Membership Manager, Michelle King, who provided an overview of key issues affecting our industry from online travel agencies to non-compliant short-term accommodation. There was also the Accommodation Association’s Senior Workplace Relations Consultant, Noel Teskey, who provided an update on current and developing industrial and workplace relations issues that could affect their property.

Tom Chappel from STR taught members how to grow revenue through the value of benchmarking, understanding market performance and top revenue tips they could implement. From Leonards Advertising, we had Kate Faithorn explain how properties can understand their target markets and unlock their Helix Personas, whilst Margaux Law talked members through how to master digital and database marketing.

The Accommodation Association would like to thank STR and Quattro Risk Services for sponsoring the forums and the following properties for hosting: Port Pacific Resort, Port Macquarie; Quality Hotel Powerhouse, Tamworth; Quality Hotel Bathurst; Western Plains Cultural Centre, Dubbo; Wyndhamere Motel, Shepparton; Mantra Albury; Mantra Pavilion Hotel, Wagga Wagga; and Best Western City Sands/Wollongong Golf Club.

26 HM The Business of Accommodation

PRESENTED BY

NATIONAL AAOA EVENTS ROUND-UP AAOA BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE

The AAoA held a breakfast roundtable with the Accommodation Association’s CEO, Richard Munro to discuss issues affecting the local accommodation industry

ADELAIDE MARKET UPDATE

The AAoA held an Adelaide hotel market update and economic outlook forum, hosted by TFE Hotels’ at the Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury

COMMONWEALTH GAMES REVIEW

In Queensland, the AAoA held a post-Commonwealth Games Review hosted by Novotel Surfers Paradise

VICTORIAN STATE BOARD

The Victorian State Advisory Board held an executive lunch with the Victorian Opposition Party, hosted by TFE Hotels Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne

Support for the Pyjama Foundation The Accommodation Association was proud to support ATHOC and their annual Golf Day. This year’s was the 13th Annual ATHOC Foundation and Time to Share Golf Day, with 144 players out on the field at Palmer Colonial. Of the $30 000+ raised – $10 000 was given to the Pyjama Foundation.

hotelmanagement.com.au 27

Conferences The F&B panel at AHICE 2018

RECORD CROWD AT

AHICE 2018

The ninth annual Australian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE), hosted and presented by HM Magazine, saw over 800 hotel owners, CEOs, executives, managers, leading suppliers, consultants and educators from all across the Asia-Pacific arrive in droves at the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne for two full days of learning and networking in early May.

BY BONNIE VAN DORP & JAMES WILKINSON

A

HICE 2018 kicked off with a talk by STR Regional Manager Pacific, Matthew Burke, and Deloitte Economics Bryon Merzeo who gave a ‘by the numbers’ update on the year that

has been.

Burke said “2017 was an incredible year” for the tourism industry. “Europe continues to perform and it’s an all-time high. It has been able to rebound from the terror attacks which is a great result,” he said.

Back home, “business trips grew 14 per cent in Australia in one year alone,” Merzeo revealed.

HM magazine Editor in Chief, James Wilkinson, then led a question and answer session with AccorHotels’ Pacific Chief Operating Officer Simon McGrath, before Savills Global Head of Sales George Nicholas took to the stage to give a global hotel sales outlook.

McGrath said it was an exciting time for the industry in Australia at present as the company continued to grow organically alongside the Mantra Group acquisition.

An interesting fact revealed by Nicholas was that “almost 94 per cent of all hotel transactions in Q1 2018 were completed by inter-regional investors”.

Later on, the audience engaged in a panel session on emerging chains in the spotlight which was moderated

by Lustro Hotels Chief Executive Sonia Lefevre.

Delegates heard from Veriu Hotels and Suites COO Caspar Schmidt; Dave Baswal, COO, Ovolo Hotels; Doma Group, CEO, Jure Domazet and Onyx Hospitality Group, VP of Operations, Craig Bond.

Dr Jerry Schwartz, Director and Founder of the Schwartz Family Co, took to the stage next for an investor Q&A session. He spoke of the success of his Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour property and his new Four Points by Sheraton property which is due to open in the brand new Central Park precinct later this year.

28 HM The Business of Accommodation

“It’s a little bit of a hidden secret,” Schwartz said of the location of his new Four Points by Sheraton hotel.

“But this will be the largest hotel opening in Sydney this year,” he promised the audience.

One of the highlights of the day was the major keynote delivered by former CEO of Starwood Frits Dirk van Paasschen on the power of disruption.

“The wellspring of disruption is technology,” van Paasschen told the audience. With the rapid advancement of technology, van Paaschen questioned, “why is it then that some companies aren’t getting better with all the new tech coming on board?”

He implored the audience to look to tech-savvy young people to reinvigorate their businesses.

“It’s a great time to be young. There’s nobody out there with 20 years of social media experience,” he said.

The afternoon was similarly jam-packed with content. The audience heard from Wyndham Worldwide Corporation CEO Geoff Ballotti (via a video interview); Hyatt Asia-Pacific Group President David Udell; AAoA CEO Richard Munro; Ord Minnett Senior Research Analyst John O’Shea and JLL’s Managing Director of Global Mergers and Acquisitions, Tony Ryan.

Udell said Hyatt was on a signing spree in Australia, with the company signing two hotels in two days during AHICE. “It’s an exciting time for Hyatt in Australia and particularly here in Melbourne,” he said.

Munro spoke about the major challenges in the Australian accommodation industry at present, highlighting ongoing issues including regulation for the home sharing market and also the fees and commissions of the Online Travel Agents (OTAs).

O’Shea gave an analysis of the Australian accommodation industry, which he said was performing well at present, while Ryan revealed there were more major merger and acquisition deals to come.

“We know of five potential takeovers at present globally that haven’t been announced,” Ryan revealed.

Pro-Invest Group CEO Ronald Barrott, in his investor Q&A session, then broke the news at AHICE that there would be a brand new Holiday Inn hotel to be built by Sydney Airport.

Mulpha Australia GM Lucia Grambalova then led an engaging Q&A panel session on what owners want. Joining her on the panel was M&L Hospitality Asset Manager Clay Bennett-Bremner; Schwartz Family Company Director Dr Jerry Schwartz; Colliers International National Director Nigel Greenaway; Essendon Fields Director

Conferences of Development Damian Dalgleish and Pro-Invest Hotels Group Managing Director, Phil Kasselis.

Tourism Australia Managing Director John O’Sullivan then took to the stage to give delegates an update on the state of the tourism industry. He revealed that the latest Crocodile Dundee campaign is the most successful to date, garnering 200 million views from all around the world.

He said: “The currency of ‘feeling welcome’ has never been so important. We need to make Australia the most desirable and memorable destination on earth.”

The HR panel on retaining top talent led by AHA WA Chief Executive Bradley Woods, inspired heated discussion among panellists Julian Clark, CEO, Lancemore Group; Sarah Derry, VP Talent and Culture Australia, AccorHotels; Lynda Ugarte, Head of HR and Operations, IHG and Tish Nyar, Director of Operations Aus/NZ, TFE Hotels.

One of the biggest challenges facing the industry right now is the Visa 457 changes which have affected Australia’s steady stream of talented overseas chefs, the panel said.

Another was on the topic of Indigenous Australian employment, which AccorHotels is actively Hostplus’ Head of Infrastructure Investments, Jordan Kraiten, then took to the stage for a Q&A and spoke about the focus and objectives of Hostplus’ current infrastructure portfolio and the successes the fund was having.

That was followed by a panel on development which included IHG Senior Director of Development Abhijay Sandilya; AccorHotels Pacific VP of Development Lindsay Leeser; Marriott International Senior Director of Development, Richard Crawford; Hyatt Hotels VP of Development Monika Dubaj, and Hilton VP of Development Robert Scullin.

Crawford said that the term luxury has been misused a lot in the industry, reminding delegates that the Marriott view of the word is that “luxury sits above five star”.

“The beauty of luxury is that it caters to a want, not a need,” he said.

AccorHotels Asia Pacific Chairman and CEO Michael Issenberg commanded the stage next with an engaging Q&A session with HM Editor in Chief, James Wilkinson.

The two conversed on the Mantra acquisition and whether Accor would continue its buying spree in Australia.

Frits van Paasschen

The AHICE exhibition was as popular as ever Marriott’s Craig Smith

Over 800 attended AHICE 2018

Networking at AHICE

“We’re never done,” Issenberg said.

When asked how hoteliers can work better with the Government, Issenberg replied: “We have to lobby, we have to work with Canberra – they need our help. We all have a responsibility to help grow this industry. If we don’t work hard together we’re gonna miss the greatest wave we’ve ever had”.

The day wrapped up with a 2018-19 Australasian Hotel Performance Outlook moderated by Withers Worldwide’s head of hotels, Robert Williams. He was joined by Anthony Stanley, Director of Distribution and Revenue Management, Choice Hotels Int’l; Matt Taplin, Senior VP of Resort Operations and Property Development, Wyndham Hotel Group; Ruwan Peiris, Head of Operations, IHG; Robert Dawson, Area VP Pacific, Marriott International.

DAY TWO

The momentum continued on the second day, with delegates hearing thought-provoking updates and presentations by Tourism Australia Chair and Mantra Chief Executive Bob East; followed by an industry update delivered by Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) Chair Martin Ferguson and Q&A sessions with Travelodge Asia Chairman Stephen Burt and Intrust Super Chief Executive Brendan O’Farrell.

East led the day off talking about AccorHotels’ acquisition of Mantra Group and how successful he had led the business over the past 10 years, which ultimately saw the company acquired by one of the world’s leading and largest hotel chains.

“I’m very proud of what the Mantra Group team achieved and how far we took the business,” East said.

Ferguson spoke about issues facing the industry at present, such as the home sharing market, and what TAA was doing on behalf of the industry.

Burt spoke about the growth of Travelodge in Asia and the opportunities that brought the business, while O’Farrell looked at which Australian states were top for investment at present and how the fund continues to perform well with its global investments.

Time Out Australia Managing Director Michael Rodrigues then led a panel discussion on food and beverage issues and trends. The panel was comprised of Matteo Restaurant Director Adam Abrams; Restaurant and Catering Industry Association Chief Executive Juliana Payne; Design Assembly Principal Paul Wiste; Pastuso Chef Alejandro Saravia and Site Hospitality Managing Director Dave Galvin.

A big F&B issue affecting the hotel industry is the new visa 457 rules which has effectively “turned the tap off ” experienced international chefs coming into the country, the panel said.

“The local industry is losing out on highly skilled chefs due to a political issue,” Payne said.

IHG Managing Director Leanne Harwood took to the stage next with HM’s James Wilkinson to discuss her new role and ways to develop staff to take on leadership roles.

Harwood said that the talent pool for top level jobs is getting smaller and smaller.

“Hospitality isn’t just a part-time job, we do have great careers available for you,” she said.

A highlight of the day for many was Professor Toby Walsh’s keynote presentation on how artificial intelligence will impact the hotel industry. >> hotelmanagement.com.au 29

Conferences He said: “AI has the opportunity to make us happier, healthier and wealthier.”

“The smartphone in your pocket has more power than the technology that took us to the moon.”

Staying on the topic of innovation, B-Hive founder Tammy Marshall delivered an educational presentation on the ‘7 Deadly Sins of Innovation’, and how to embrace them and use them to your advantage.

She implored the audience to make sure that the innovations they were implementing were meaningful to their customers. “Don’t just innovate for the sake of innovating,” Marshall said.

Another highlight of the day was PR Maven Kim McKay’s keynote on the business of influence and what hoteliers need to know about influencer marketing.

On the topic of targeted social posts, she said: “Consumers are more likely to survive a plane crash than click on a banner ad,” she said.

Instead, consumers are looking to honest influencers for recommendations on products and services, she said.

The technology discussion continued in the afternoon with a panel discussion led by Ted Horner the Managing Director of E Horner & Associates. He was joined by tech experts Toby Berger, Revinate; Jeremy Holmes, Elements of Byron; and Wayne Taranto, Crown Group.

The group delved into the emerging tech hoteliers should look into, including digital compendiums and in-room tablets.

The second iteration of ‘what owners want’ saw Gus Moors, Head of Hotels, Australia at Colliers International moderate a panel comprised of respected industry asset managers.

On the panel was Ross Beardsell, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group; Howard Kemball, KCom; Dean Minett, Minett Consulting; Andrew Taylor, Cre8tive Property and Andrew Williams, Dransfield Hotels and Resorts.

TFE Hotels Chief Executive Rachel Argaman and Far East Hospitality CEO Arthur Kiong then gave an update on their brands and expansion plans.

Kiong hinted that the Quincy brand may soon debut in Sydney, while Argaman revealed that as many as 6-10 hotels are in the pipeline for TFE in Australia.

Later, Marriott International president Craig Smith took to the stage for a Q&A session with HM’s Wilkinson.

Smith spoke on the importance of having good competitors in the market to spur innovation and creativity.

“We’ve got some great competitors here in Australia,” he said.

The annual AHICE Hotel Jeopardy saw Lancemore Group’s Julian Clark, Raddisson Group’s Barry Fleischmann and Colliers International’s Karen Wales compete on who had the best hotel trivia knowledge. After a fun, heated battle, Wales was crowned the 2018 victor.

Norman Arundel, Director of Hotel and Resort Operations, Event Hospitality and Entertainment, then spoke about the growth of the QT and Rydges brands across Australasia and the significant interest both are generating.

With the sharing economy a hot topic in the industry, the session with Airbnb Country Manager for Australia, Sam McDonagh inspired heated discussion among delegates.

McDonagh spoke about the issue of unregulated properties, the changing nature of travel, the massive growth of hotels using Airbnb and the new trend of ‘healthy travel versus mass travel’.

30 HM The Business of Accommodation

The 2018 Real Estate Outlook panel The A.H. Beard stand was popular at AHICE

Val Harding of Interior Images addresses the AHICE welcome reception

The afternoon panel session led by Michael Moret-Lalli, Managing Director, MM Leisure, saw panellists take to the stage to discuss the trends among midscale and upscale developments.

The panel comprised Barry Fleischmann, Director of Development – Australasia, Radisson Hotel Group; Matt Holmes, Director – Development and Acquisitions, Wyndham Hotel Group South Pacific, Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific; Michael Herman, Executive Development Manager – TFE Hotels; Peter Hill, Director of Development – Hotels and Resorts, Event Hospitality and Entertainment Limited; and Tushar Raniga, Area Vice President, Business Development, Next Story Group.

That was followed by an exclusive video interview with AccorHotels Chairman and CEO, Sébastien Bazin, who said the company’s acquisition of Mantra Group was an exciting opportunity as the business continues its phenomenal global growth.

“It’s very exciting and Mantra is very powerful,” he told HM. “The brand, the people and the quality of the units is extraordinary.”

Finally, the day wrapped up off with an open floor discuss with former Starwood CEO Frits Dirk van Paasschen, who discussed what he would have done with Starwood had he still been CEO – which would have been to change the company name to SPG – and also the global push towards unbranded properties.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY INTERIOR IMAGES

Interior Images celebrated its 20th year in the business this month by sponsoring the AHICE 2018 Welcome Reception, which was held at Spice Alley in Melbourne.

Commenting on the massive milestone, founder Val Harding said she was “incredibly proud of all they had achieved but also grateful and humble for the wonderful business partnerships they had established along the way”.

“When Interior Images was established in 1998, guest amenities lacked quality, status and customer appeal,” she said. “I come from a design background, but I am passionate about hotels, so I set out to raise the bar.

“I identified a guest amenity brand to import from England, opened up the Fodor’s guide to Australian hotels and started to call everyone on the list,” she said.

Harding also utilised the spotlight to announce a brand new partnership with highend Aussie label, Grown Alchemist.

“We constantly seek to align our business with quality brands to keep our portfolio current and fresh, so Grown Alchemist being a great Australian brand, brings a genuine quality story to our hotel offering.

“Grown Alchemist and its amazing journey, fits incredibly well with our philosophy to support local brands and we are so excited to bring this iconic and reputable Australian brand to the hotel space.” n

Conferences DesignInn 2018 attracted a leading designer crowd

Successful DesignInn Symposium hosted in Melbourne Designers, architects, specifiers, consultants, hotel owners and asset managers packed out Grand Hyatt Melbourne for the 2018 DesignInn Symposium hosted by HM magazine and SHAPE Australia on May 1 prior to AHICE.

T

he program, themed around ‘making an impression – creating memorable moments’, saw a host of speakers from all across the design industry share ideas, and discuss key issues currently impacting the industry.

SHAPE Australia Chief Executive Officer Peter Marix-Evans said: “Creating memorable moments in the hotel and hospitality space has never been more relevant for brand penetration, revenue growth and longevity”.

“Ever-changing and never a ‘one size fits all’ solution, how does the industry use design to push the boundaries of the guest experience, whilst delivering on a brand promise consistently?”

Guests then heard from Dave Baswal, Ovolo Hotels; Jonathan Conroy, WMK; Catherine Love, PTW; and James Campbell, DWP, on exporting to Asia.

Keynote speaker Joost Bakker – the poster boy for green living – then delivered a powerful talk on sustainability and design.

Asked where he finds design inspiration, Bakker replied: “I almost always get my inspiration from the past. Whether you’re in Japan or Melbourne, I think there’s so much you can take from past traditions – they’re always unique.”

Later on, Grant Filipoff from Bates Smart; Artist Zhong Chen from The Chen Hotel and AccorHotels’ Lindsay Leeser delivered an engaging panel discussion on how to make a good local impression. Much of the discussion was centered around the F&B space.

Leeser told delegates at the session: “You can’t operate hotels today and not have a core focus on food and beverage”.

Tony Chi, the founder of tonychi in New York, delivered a stand-out presentation on how to deliver highvelocity projects that transform global business.

Chi’s portfolio includes iconic names such as Rosewood London, InterContinental Geneva, Andaz Tokyo and Park Hyatt Shanghai.

He said: “For every project I take on, I always go through ‘chemistry measuring’. I need to look at myself

and how I relate to the city, site and owner. How can I create something far greater than their vision?

“It’s not just about the bottom line. You also have to figure out what you’re willing to give.

“I’m fortunate enough to have worked with the same team for the last 20 years.

“So I don’t have to really ‘make love’ to anybody I don’t know,” he joked.

With food and beverage a hot topic for hoteliers, some of the leaders in this space including Chi; Sven Almenning from the Speakeasy Group; and Nicholas Kalogeropoulos from Calibre Feasts discussed ways in which to design a memorable experience for your hotel guests.

Almenning said the element of surprise was a good way to enhance guest expectations, pointing to his ‘birthday cake’ strategy.

To surprise the patron on their birthday, Almenning has all of his staff at Mjolner – a viking themed restaurant in Sydney – sign a birthday card and leave it on the table. On arrival, the birthday guest will also receive a special gift to take home.

“You expect to get a free glass of champagne, but you don’t expect to get a present,” he said.

The day wrapped up with a panel discussion on who to impress; owner, operator or guest?

The panel was comprised of Richard Crawford, Marriott International; Steve Skarrott, SB&G and HM’s Editor-In-Chief, James Wilkinson.n

Visionary: Tony Chi

hotelmanagement.com.au 31

HM Q&A

Women in

Leadership

HM sits down with several of Australia’s leading female hotel industry executives to talk leadership, operations, career influencers, brands and much more.

BY EMMA CASTLE & BONNIE VAN DORP

What’s been your career trajectory? Have you always worked in this industry sector?

As a teenager I was fascinated with Japan so after university I relocated to Tokyo to learn the language and immerse myself in the culture. When I moved back to Australia I worked as a Japanese tour guide at Ayers Rock Resort. It was an incredible experience and cemented my desire to work in travel. My career trajectory from there has seen me work across the globe for the last 20 years, most recently based in Paris as the CEO of New Markets Europe and Africa at Club Med.

What’s in store for Hilton this year from an operations perspective? What can we look forward to?

With 23 operating and nine pipeline hotels across Australasia, we aim to double our footprint within the next five years putting the right brands in the right locations at the right time. Before the end of this year we have three hotels opening within the region in Wellington, Port Moresby and Perth. And there’s also some exciting news we will announce very soon on this front.

What do you love about the Hilton business and its brands?

I love the spirit and vision that Hilton’s founders had to build an iconic worldwide brand with an unmatched level of hospitality and guest loyalty. To have grown from one to a portfolio of 14 unique brands really does go to show just that and is something that I am proud to be part of. I also love the purpose-driven culture of giving back to the community through Hilton’s corporate responsibility initiative, Travel with Purpose.

Heidi Kunkel Vice President Operations Australasia, Hilton

Congratulations on your new position as Vice President Operations - Australasia. What attracted you to the role?

T

hank you! After 10 years abroad, it’s been great to come home and join a company that has strong growth ambitions and a dynamic culture.

Hilton’s core values of hospitality and integrity are also very much aligned to my own, so it was a role that I could not pass up.

32 HM The Business of Accommodation

Any advice for people who would like to rise through the ranks of the hotel industry?

Gain as much experience as possible across the various functions of a hotel allowing yourself to have a deeper and broader understanding of what it takes to deliver a great guest experience. Secondly, make the most of the learning and development opportunities available to you throughout your career journey. Finally, you need passion and dedication.

What are the biggest challenges facing the hotel industry and what would you like to see happen to resolve them?

Operating a sustainable business: Through Travel with Purpose, we have just announced a new commitment to cut our environmental footprint in half by 2030 and double our social impact investment across all our hotels. With this, Hilton will also commit to sending zero hotel soap to landfills.

Attracting and retaining the right talent: We are a business of people serving people so finding the right talent is always a priority, especially amidst our rapid growth in the region. Team member engagement and long-term career growth are critical to our success and this is why we are committed to helping our team members reach their full potential.

Diversity and inclusion: We place an emphasis on fostering diversity in the workforce because a diverse team brings a variety of ideas and perspectives that make us stronger. Since we launched the Women in Leadership program in 2015, over 120 female team members in Australia have gone through the program and over 30% have either been promoted or transferred within the company. In addition, 37% of women at Hilton are in leadership positions within Australasia. >>

HM Q&A

Leanne Harwood Managing Director, Australasia and Japan, IHG

Congratulations on your new position as MD for Australasia and Japan.

What does your new role entail?

colleagues who have had children and sit in highprofile senior roles.

It does mean having an almost superhuman ability to juggle priorities and manage time, but the dimension it brings to a team is invaluable – if it makes everyone think a little more about balance and what’s important, then that’s a very positive change indeed.

Is there a glass ceiling, and if so, what can be done to address this?

What changes have you seen with regards to gender diversity during your time in management?

T

hank you! It’s a great time to come back to Australasia as IHG continues its growth momentum, building on one our best years in 2017. The role I am in has evolved from being Chief Operating Officer to Managing Director, which has broadened the scope of accountability to include the business strategy around growth and performance, as well as the operation of our 80 hotels in Australasia and Japan.

The glass ceiling is a relic of the past and inequality is no longer an acceptable norm – I truly believe the sky is the limit. For us at IHG we don’t need to look far to see this playing out. Our Europe Middle East, Asia and Africa (EMEAA) leadership team is a perfect example of equal gender representation, including the Managing Directors of our four Business Units.

Yes, at the hotel General Manager level we do have more work to do to properly balance the scales, and we have been taking steps to do so, including the rollout of RISE, our mentoring initiative for female colleagues who aspire to be a GM.

Do you think being a woman in hospitality has helped or hindered your career?

I have worked in hospitality my entire career and it is one of the better examples of egalitarian society. A hotel team is a rainbow of nationalities, cultures, ages, qualifications, sexualities and creeds, and each has an equal voice and opportunity. Where else can arrive without an education, start in the kitchen and work your way up to GM of a multimillion-dollar hotel?

Gender is no different. Sure, in years gone by GMs may have been almost exclusively middle-aged white men, but that statistic has been crushed and we find ourselves in a much more diverse and equal world. I’m proud to have played my part in that. So, while gender may not necessarily have helped my career, I’ve not let it hinder in any way.

Do you think that your organisation has a more female-friendly culture because of you? If so, in what ways have you influenced this?

I certainly hope so! I would say I’m more of a proponent of equality, rather than a champion of women. When I started my career in hospitality, operational leadership was an unmistakeable area of gender inequality, so taking on increasingly senior operational leadership roles was my way of making positive change from the inside. It has meant promoting more flexible expectations of working hours, shifting the culture to be more inclusive, and bringing a more balanced approach and expectations around the traditional hospitality culture.

Sometimes it can be disheartening if you look up at people who inspire you and don’t see people who are like you. I hope that by forging a path I’ve played a role in making it easier for future female leaders.

In your opinion, do you think child rearing can be a career killer for women looking at upper management roles?

Having a child may pause your career journey, but it should not rewind it. Taking time out to have a family is not the career killer it was 30 years ago when I was told I wouldn’t make it far because I was likely to run off and have kids. I am so proud to say that I have seen 180-degree change and now I have many amazing female 34 HM The Business of Accommodation

Intrinsic inclusion. Anyone in the 21st Century with an iota of common sense recognises that a diverse leadership team is critical for balanced and creative thinking, and women now have a seat at the table without needing to battle for it. Where imbalance still exists, we have a clear mandate to tip the scales and support females in their leadership path.

What career advice would you give a woman wanting to have a family and progress upwards in her career?

Go for it. Most employers won’t give this a second thought nowadays – talk to yours about your ambitions and what your journey looks like. They’ll make it work – and if not, the doors are always open for great talent at IHG!

What role do men have to play in women’s careers?

Everyone plays a role in diversity and inclusion. I have had many mentors over the years, both men and women, who have supported me along my career journey. Women have the benefit of being able to share their similar journeys, while men can play a great role in wiping out unconscious bias.

My most important – and tolerant – male supporter has been my husband, who has moved with me across 13 cities and 7 countries in the past 20 years. I am the architect of my own destiny but it certainly has made it easier to have a great partner by my side.

Do you mentor other women?

I have been a mentor to several women over the years and, less formally, am part of a close group of female colleagues who support each other through the good and difficult times. Women thrive when they can connect, share and learn from others’ experiences, and there are challenges that only another female colleague can relate to, so and it makes such a huge difference to have a safe and comfortable environment in which to share. >>

HM Q&A

Lucia Grambalova General Manager Hotel Investments, Mulpha Australia Limited

I

Is there a glass ceiling, and if so, what can be done to address this?

don’t believe there is a glass ceiling in the sense of an imposed flat limit across all women in the workplace preventing them from rising to the C-suite or on boards. However, it is apparent there is a certain level of inherent gender bias within the workplace, and across society as a whole, which can make it harder for capable women to achieve their place in the C-suite and board level at the same rate as their male counterparts. Much has been written about this, and the present discussion around ASX companies having gender mandated minimum of 30% shows it is something which the business community and regulators are mindful of; and this action will go some way to addressing the issue.

Personally, throughout my career I was fortunate not to be subjected to this phenomenon first hand as I was treated fairly, with respect and was provided with the exactly same opportunities as my male counterparts. True gender parity is a key to running a successful organization and I believe many industry leaders share this view.

The easiest way to affect change is a personal one; if you’re male ask for paid-parental leave, expect the same flexible working conditions to be available to you as to the mothers in your workplace, and to your partner; if you’re a manager lobby for these changes to be made available in your workplace and as team leader change the measurement of output, not to the hours or days spent at a desk, but rather the quality of material produced.

Do you think being a woman has helped or hindered your career?

I have been offered a lot of opportunities during my work life and I do not recall any circumstances where I felt I was disadvantaged by my gender.

What career advice would you give a woman wanting to have a family and progress upwards in her career?

Having an open conversation with their manager resetting everyone’s expectations; staying in touch during maternity leave; and most importantly finding some sort of balance, which is probably never going to perfect for everyone, would be my top three pointers. Women tend to be very critical and hard on themselves, which makes things even harder. So, celebrate wins and don’t ‘sweat’ the little things.

What role do men have to play in women’s careers?

Men still have the majority of senior management positions in most industries so yes, men have to be involved with women’s careers. Ideally, their role should be as a sponsor, informal champion for women and advocate advancing women’s careers. They should also use their authority to change culture to drive gender inclusiveness and ensure the best people of any gender have unfettered access to career advancement.

Do you mentor other women?

Yes, I do and have been for years. I do it primarily as there are not many female leaders in hotel asset management/ hotel investments/ hotel operations, even though this trend is progressively changing; also, I’m a believer in ‘pay it forward’ concept. I speak to many younger women about their aspirations, daily challenges and progress in general, and I’m continuously amazed how many talented and hard-working women are out there wanting to make their mark. >>

Do you think that your organisation has a more female-friendly culture because of you? If so, in what ways have you influenced this?

The property industry has come so far in terms of gender diversity and inclusive workplaces. I’ve been fortunate to be a part of that and I consider supporting my fellow female colleagues in the property industry to be one of my biggest drivers at this point in my career.

If you have children, how do you balance the demands of being a mother with the demands of work?

I have two young children and I think everyone in my position finds it difficult to achieve balance. During the week I try to keep a very rigid routine which I think is comforting for the children and then I look for quality time over the weekend.

If you have children, how did you manage your maternity leave?

I would not have been able to return to work when I did without support from my amazing mother, husband and workplace which provided me with a great level of flexibility. It takes a village to raise a child and I was fortunate to have that support when I needed it.

In your opinion, do you think child rearing can be a career killer for women looking at upper management roles?

Absolutely not, just look at Gail Kelly. If a woman, or a man for that matter, decides to take a work hiatus to be the primary caregiver in their family I don’t believe it is a career killer. It may mean they may not reach upper management roles as quickly as they would have otherwise had they not taken a break from work. Women just need the support from their partners, and not just at home; if you’re a man and you’re a manager support the parents at your workplace by fostering an inclusive family friendly workplace.

What changes have you seen with regards to gender diversity during your time in management?

Mainstreaming of the issue, and the understanding that achieving true gender diversity at C-suite and on boards goes hand in hand with family friendly workplaces and flexibility; and the amazing young women coming up behind us who literally will not take no for an answer. hotelmanagement.com.au 35

HM Q&A

Amanda Cottome General Manager of Brand Experience, Ovolo Hotels & General Manager of Ovolo 1888 Sydney Tell us the path you have taken to your role and any tips you have for GMs of the future?

I

started my career in hotels as a telephone operator back in the time before mobile phones – I am showing my age with that comment! I worked my way up through rooms division with a short segue into reservations and revenue management. I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work on rebranding and pre-opening projects during this time which gave me invaluable experience in leading change and systems and process design.

I entered Mirvac’s emerging leader’s program and this led me to become an operations manager in a smaller hotel. This was my first exposure to F&B management and the boutique hotel environment. I landed my first general manager’s gig with Urban Hotel Group and it was here that I discovered the power of brand and my passion for design.

My tips for future general managers are to surround yourself with coaches that you admire and learn from them, be open to feedback and continually reflect on your behaviour and performance, and learn to be resilient as it’s a key requirement.

Ovolo has a real focus on fashion and food and beverage. What have you been doing at your hotel and how are customers responding?

At Ovolo we just love fashion. Our major brand partnership is with Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia, which is really exciting for us. It’s actually happening as we speak. We love being able to showcase our gorgeous hotel to an A-list crowd and this week, the hotel is abuzz with activity. We have buyers, designers, models and media staying in-house. Designers are launching their collections and photo shoots are a daily occurrence. We also love to get creative and incorporate fashion into other areas of the hotel, including fashion-inspired cocktails being served for our daily happy hour event.

Our guests love being part of the action.

Have you got anything new coming up at the hotel?

There’s always something happening at Ovolo and, in line with our F&B focus, we’ll be launching a new concept in July 2018. I don’t want to give too much away as we haven’t made any official announcements yet but we’re excited to very shortly launch a brand new food and beverage concept and inspired interior changes that will really bring life to the ground floor of the hotel.

As part of the renovation we will be redesigning our guest arrival experience with the removal of our traditional front desk. In the afternoon, check-in will occur in a relaxed lounge-style setting and guests will enjoy a glass of wine from our wine list, inspired by the Mediterranean (oops, I think I may have just given our F&B concept away).

How is business generally and what are your expectations for the rest of the year?

Year-to-date business performance and forward holdings have led us to be optimistic about the remainder of the year’s performance. The face of Pyrmont is changing with the opening of ICC Sydney and more technology-related businesses moving into and expanding in the area (i.e. Google). With these changes we’re seeing growth across both the MICE and corporate contracted segments.

We are excited about the changes in the area and are seeing vast improvements in the local food and beverage offering and recreational spaces. These changes, teamed with new hotel products coming online, will assist in cementing the precinct as a world class leisure destination.

What are some of the things you’re doing to attract new guests and keep guests returning?

We’re creating brand fans by providing our guests with an experience like they’ve never had before. Our goal is to make each and every guest’s stay with us effortless and it’s this refreshing approach to hospitality that has seen Ovolo become industry leaders in this space. Our Ovolo freebies are a big part of this, with breakfast, mini-bar, WiFi, loot bag 36 HM The Business of Accommodation

and happy hour all free for guests who book direct with us. We also really care about our guests experience and make sure we take the time to get to know our guests so we can create an ever better and more memorable experience for them – and hope they’ll return!

Any developments for the Ovolo brand that you can share with us?

As always with Ovolo we are always on the lookout for what we can do to improve and make life even easier for our guests. This year you can expect us to make an announcement about new rate approach along with some other brand offerings. We are also looking to bring our other brand Mojo Nomad out to Australia very soon – stay tuned as there’s always something happening at Ovolo. n

We imagine your future

WE ENSURE YOUR SUCCESS

As a market leader in hospitality worldwide and the number one hotel operator in Australia and New Zealand, AccorHotels possesses exclusive expertise to optimise performance, generate differentiation and reinvent the hotel business sustainably.

With more than 4,200 hotels in 95 countries, there is no better time for owners to join an international hospitality group of the size, quality and experience of AccorHotels.

To find out more, contact development.au@accor.com, or visit www.accorhotels-group.com

Rooms division Outsourcing is popular for hotels in Australasia, particularly when it comes to housekeeping

Out of house Outsourcing has been a huge trend that has disrupted many industries, including hospitality. EMMA CASTLE speaks to some of the key players in the Australian industry.

O

utsourcing contracts have a tendency to expand, with clients who – once the trust is in place – add more elements to the mix.

LUXXE CEO Craig Coughlin says that his company is responding to this trend by creating a turnkey solution that will bundle all of the housekeeping costs, linen, towelling, paper goods and guest amenities into a total price per room.

Coughlin says, “This will then put all stock management and ordering in the hands of LUXXE which not only gives hotel management more time but delivers a fixed cost per room.”

He says that housekeeping is just one of the services that is being outsourced making this an area that is ripe for development.

“With the growing number of new hotels and inventory appearing across Australia, there is a big trend in outsourcing housekeeping, minibar, stewarding and even maintenance functions right from the pre-opening stages,” said Coughlin.

Coughlin says LUXXE has been around for long enough that it doesn’t face the human resources challenges that plague competitors.

He says, “We have a solid reputation across the industry from our staff – and that means that we have great people who are approaching us for employment.

“We have built our company values around our people – not around our company. That is one of the great things 38 HM The Business of Accommodation

about being the owner of the business. Take care of our people and they will take care of our clients.

“Find an outsourced partner you can trust and that will do the right thing by you, their staff and your customers,” Coughlin says.

AHS Hospitality Business Support Manager Mary Tsobanopoulos says that AHS, a subsidiary of one of the largest recruitment firms in Australia, Chandler Macleod, has taken a very proactive stance in staff development.

“We have a fully integrated system called iLearn, to manage and record the life-cycle of their employees from sourcing, to ongoing learning development. AHS’s critical mass ensures that we have an unequalled access to available staff. As a result, AHS are able to select people with the right profile for the right job,” she says.

In terms of developments within the AHS business, Tsobanopoulos says that AHS is constantly reviewing and upgrading its technology.

She says, “Our broad experience with all major suppliers of eHousekeeping platforms that integrate with hotel PMS enable us to determine the most suitable option if the operation warrants the system. In addition, our own internal system, AHS Mobile Website, was created to provide a single location for communication for our clients to access relevant data continues to be enhanced with further functionality including automated dashboard inspection reporting for single and multiple properties.” n

Are you ready to outsource?

Amanda Daff, Employment solicitor and co-founder of Employment Innovations, a company that provides outsourced employment law advice, HR and payroll services, explains what you need to look for in business partners.

To find the right partners for your business, follow Daff’s six point checklist: 1. Australian knowledge: Does your supplier have local expertise?

2. Cultural alignment: Is the supplier aligned to the values of your organisation?

3. Proven results: Does the supplier have a proven track record of success?

4. Is innovation at their core: Does the supplier have an innovation and technology road map?

5. Longevity: Is the supplier financially stable?

6. Strong change management processes: Does the supplier present a well-defined Implementation process?

Technology

Handy is elevating the guest experience globally

Guest SATISFACTION HM investigates the big trends in apps and digital compendiums that are constantly innovating across the world.

D

igital compendiums and apps, once the domain of more cutting-edge brands, are now considered standard but even in this space, there’s constant innovation.

Currently taking the accommodation sector by storm is Handy, an industry-first revolutionary IoT hospitality solution designed to uplift ancillary revenue, guest satisfaction, and drive better cost efficiencies for hoteliers.

Elevated with new functions, the world’s first mobile operating system becomes more intuitive, meeting the needs of today’s mobile, digital traveler with greater speed and efficacy.

For guests, Handy’s cutting edge technology breaks barriers in the guest experience with smart-room automation. Combined with mobile connectivity, a hyper-personalized experience is delivered to nextgeneration travellers.

Handy is a complimentary amenity that offers hassle-free travel with 24/7 connectivity to hotel guest services anytime, anywhere.

One of the top hotels in the world to be partnering with Handy is One&Only Cape Town and the property’s Resort Manager, Nick Solomon, said the offering was proving popular amongst staff and guests.

“There are so many aspects to Handy that make it a valuable product for us,” he said. “Obviously there is added value for the guest, to be able to phone their family or their loved ones at home without incurring any extra charges is a huge benefit.

“But what I like about it most, is the fact that I’m able to stay in touch with guests at all times.

“We can communicate promotions and special offers to them and they can easily engage with us directly in return too,” Solomon said.

He said there were a number of benefits to having Handy in the guest rooms of the luxury property.

“The most important thing about maintaining your position is to make sure that your guests are happy, there’s no point getting people into your bars and restaurants and making money off them if they don’t walk out happy,” he said.

“Everybody’s got different things that they love about Handy. For our Guest Relations Manager, her favourite will certainly be the fact that she can send out push messages to our guests and make sure they are aware of the hotel’s promotions.”

Steve Wooding, CEO of Tapendium, a digital compendium developer and supplier, says that the mandatory inclusions for a digital solution seem to

be an F&B feature to increase in-room dining revenue and hotel restaurant reservations, a spa feature to facilitate booking of spa services, and guest services features like limousine bookings and housekeeping requests.

Beyond these baseline inclusions, Wooding says that there’s a lot of tailoring that goes into the creation of a branded digital solution.

“We do not believe that one size fits all. Tapendium is a powerful software built on Samsung’s tablet and Knox security system,” he says.

“The beauty of Tapendium is that it is customisable and scalable. We can customise the software based on the hotels requirements and objectives.

“Lately we had requests to build features to promote the hotel gift shop, cross-selling among properties, and increase sign-ups for thr hotel loyalty program.

“Hotels are always on the look-out for the best method/platform to engage their guests – to effectively communicate and deliver seamless customer service.

“Customers, on the other hand, want a fuss-free solution. Our latest innovation is multiple language functionality – the hotels suite of services can be presented in their desired language depending on their customer demographics.

“Another potential feature is Tapendium’s capability to provide detailed reporting on consumer behaviour, collecting big data for future analysis,” Wooding says.

The obvious questions is: What kind of data?

Wooding says: “Tapendium can collect behavioural data that could be translated and analysed to predict customer behaviour on an increasingly personalised level. We are exploring dynamic content and offers based upon user interactions with Tapendium. We are also integrating voice control into key Tapendium functions to support our hotel partners looking at adopting this technology for their guests.”

When quizzed about apps versus digital compendiums, Wooding says that hotels shouldn’t rely solely on apps to provide information until they are sure that 100% of their guests will have their app.

As for printed compendiums, he says, “it is getting less relevant as hotels are looking at more cost-effective ways in engaging customers in real-time, improving productivity and reducing their carbon footprint”.

“By removing the printed compendium, the hotel can become so much more dynamic with seasonal menus and responsive promotions, both of which are not possible with long, slow print runs to consider,” Wooding says. n hotelmanagement.com.au 39

Interior Design

Designed by Dalman: Breakfree on Cashel in Christchurch

Refurbishing Sustainably One of Australasia’s leading architects and interior designers, RICHARD DALMAN, Managing Director of Dalman Architects, offers his top ten tips on how to refurbish your hotel sustainably while focusing on budget restraint.

I

t may sound counter intuitive to some, but the best way to refurbish your hotel sustainably while also saving money is to engage an architect or interior designer with hotel experience and a focus on achieving your goals. Here are some of Dalman Architects’ top tips we ask our clients to consider before proceeding with their refurbishment.

1. ASK WHY?

Ask yourself why you are undertaking the refurbishment so you can clearly focus your attention and money on the priorities. Is it to just freshen things up, or to attract more guests, or is it to target a different market segment completely?

2. PUT SUSTAINABILITY FIRST

If sustainability is a key driver for you then for every decision, ask “what impact will this have on the environment?”. There is a lot to consider: site ecology, passive design, low toxicity of materials, recycled or recyclable materials and with low embodied energy, high use of natural light, low energy options for space and water heating, cooling and lighting, energy management systems, zero ozone depleting plant, water efficiency, locally made product, and construction processes that are efficient, safe and reduce waste.

3. BE CREATIVE

Don’t accept the ordinary. Think creatively. What can you re-use in a clever way? What are you demolishing that could be re-used or re-purposed? For example in Mantra’s Break Free Christchurch refurbishment, we re-used demolished floor boards for wall and ceiling panelling.

4. BE FLEXIBLE

Think through your design to allow maximum flexibility for future changes in technology, your guest profile, or even your next refurbishment.

40 HM The Business of Accommodation

5. BE DURABLE

Good quality materials specified appropriately for the situation last longer and require changing less often. These materials don’t need to cost more, it’s just a matter of knowing who to buy from and then making the right selections.

6. BE FAST

The less time spent on site the less time you have contractors affecting your hotel operations, guest experience and revenue. Ensure the refurbishment is well planned and construct as much off site as possible before the refurbishment begins. Ensure all FF+E items have been ordered and are ready to be installed as soon as they are required.

7. THINK OPERATIONS

Many design decisions you make can have a direct impact on housekeeping, maintenance and other staffing costs. Think these through carefully to ensure your operational costs are not adversely impacted.

8. THINK FIT

Be sure that what you specify for your refurbishment can fit through the doors and up the lift, or if it’s a major operation, be craned in through the façade. There have been many examples of large furniture items, bedheads and other joinery units not actually being able to be installed!

9. UPGRADE THE TECH STUFF

While mechanical plant and hot water systems are not seen by guests as the décor is, they are certainly noticed if they are not performing. An upgrade coupled with an energy management system could save large amounts of money over the coming years.

10. MOCK IT UP

Mock-up or trial rooms are extremely useful. Not only do they provide the owner and operator with a 1:1 scale model of the design so they can understand every detail, but they are also useful in determining issues with the design and construction process. Additionally, they set a benchmark for the various trades to meet for the main rollout.

Interior Design

REVAMPS THAT TREAD LIGHTLY ON THE EARTH Deciding to refurbish your hotel brings countless opportunities to implement sustainable solutions that will save money into the future, SHAPE Commercial Manager, ANDREW PICKERING, tells HM.

A

t home I’m a greenie at heart. When staying in a hotel I am guilty of extralong showers, jamming the key tag to keep the AC running and taking home all the shampoo and soap bottles – just because I can. Isn’t this what all hotel guests do? So how do we ensure hotel guests (and staff ) ‘reduce and reuse’ when most guests are in the mindset of luxury and entitlement?

SMART BUILDINGS AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

We can implement smart systems that reduce wasteful consumption while protecting the guest experience; like energy management systems. These systems require initial investment however their efficiencies will make significant savings on annual electricity costs. Some have a possible payback in only 12 months where all savings made after the first year go straight to the hotel’s bottom line. Greywater recycling can also be an effective way to recapture those extra-long showers making further savings on water costs.

RENEW TIRED OLD INFRASTRUCTURE

Building infrastructure should also be upgraded; for example AC units are now significantly more efficient than older models, which coupled with better pipework insulation will automatically reduce ongoing power costs. Such savings are evidenced by case studies noted by David Kirk; Department Head of Hospitality, Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh, UK. in his article Environmental Management in Hotels.

CAPITALISE ON YOUR WASTE

Why not consider a commercial composting unit as proposed by Joost Bakker; Zero Waste Activist at our recent Design Inn Symposium? The amount of food waste can be reduced to near zero along with rubbish removal costs. The compost can also be used on the hotel’s sustainable vegetable garden or given back to your food providores which could reduce your food supply costs.

EXTEND YOUR THINKING AND BUDGET

These few examples of implementing sustainable solutions will all attract an initial investment and therefore require a long-term view. I challenge hotel operators, owners and asset managers to open up your refurbishment budget to a 10-plus year full life cycle cost considering all the flow on savings. This investment decision should also acknowledge that a greener and more sustainable hotel operation would also add capital value to the property – and benefit the planet.

Owners, Operators and Designers: How you can all work better together

Leading hotel designer Tony Chi

Before starting any new project, leading global hotel designer and innovator Tony Chi always goes through what he calls “chemistry measuring” at the very first meeting.

“I need to look at myself and how I relate to the city, site and owner. I ask myself, ‘how do I create something far greater than their vision?”

It takes Chi just 10 minutes to figure out whether or not his vision would be compatible with his client’s.

“If I survive or if he or she survives in the first 10 minutes – then I’m going to get to have the chance to talk about what I’m going to do for you,” he says.

Chi, who flew in from New York just to speak at DesignInn in Melbourne during May, said he also conducts chemistry measuring on his team.

And it must work, because Chi has worked with the same team for the last 20 years.

“I don’t really make love to anybody I don’t know,” he laughed.

So how should the team come together?

Chi said it’s a little like writing a symphony and that you need to know who will be the composer and who will conduct.

“Let’s be very clear. If you want to be the composer or the conductor but you’re actually a pianist – then what part of the job do you want me to do?” n

hotelmanagement.com.au 41

Top property: Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour

Development

DEVELOPING

AUSTRALASIA

HM’s special annual report on the hotel development scene in Australasia: the hot cities, development models, brands and much more.

EDITED BY JAMES WILKINSON

ACCORHOTELS Simon McGrath Chief Operating Officer – Pacific

There has never been a more exciting time to be part of the hospitality industry particularly as it moves into a tier one sector. Travel and tourism contributed over AUD$55 billion to Australia’s economy last year, up 6%, while it was the third consecutive year tourism outpaced the rest of the economy.

There is no doubt there is still a lot of room for further growth in the sector which means development in hard and soft infrastructure is critical.

We have a strong development pipeline over the next three years and pleasingly over 50% of our pipeline projects are with existing owners; it is a privilege to work with owners and expand their portfolios. What’s also pleasing is how well our recently opened network of hotels are performing, including Pullman and ibis Brisbane Airport, ibis Styles Hobart, The William Inglis Hotel, Novotel Melbourne South Wharf, Novotel Brisbane Southbank and Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour. Our committed pipeline projects including The Porter House – MGallery

by Sofitel, Swissôtel Gold Coast Hope Island Resort and Novotel and ibis Melbourne Little Lonsdale Street are progressing well and will be exciting additions to the network.

The opening of Novotel and ibis Melbourne Little Lonsdale Street at the end of 2018 is particularly exciting for our group as it will be our first dual-branded tower development in the Pacific. Mixed-use developments are becoming popular with owners as they look to maximise land values and consolidate resources and we welcome the charge.

Business has remained very strong over the last 12 months and in the second half of this year we will open five new-build Mercure hotels and two new-build Novotels. The growth in our luxury portfolio has been significant and in the last year we opened Pullman Adelaide, Sofitel Wellington, Hotel Grand Windsor in Auckland which is part of our MGallery collection and Grand Mercure Auckland and Wellington.

Since the integration of Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel we have consolidated our standing as the region’s leading luxury hotel operator.

We look forward to bringing the Fairmont and Raffles brands to our shores in the not too distant future.

ACCOMMODATION ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA Richard Munro Chief Executive Officer

According to data from Tourism Investment 2017 a total of AUD$10.8 billion in accommodation projects are planned with the majority in capital cities which account 42 HM The Business of Accommodation

for 77 projects valued at AUD$9.2 billion. Regional areas accounted for 25 projects valued at AUD$1.6 billion By any mark, this is positive news, as we are witnessing new entrants from limited to full service models enter into our industry who are keen to deploy capital into our sector.

Teaming smart capital with professional accommodation operators results in a healthy pipeline at sustainable levels.

As our industry grows, our membership continues to grow at the Accommodation Association of Australia (AAoA) which means we have more resources to offer services, benefits and key advocacy for our members. I know that as we continue to be a major employer, tax contributor and economy driver, governments will support us as well as look at ways to tax us. We have witnessed decisions that the AAoA have intervened on where an incredible tax of 5% of gross turnover was considered and consequently defeated. Another government that attempted to introduce a whopping 12.5% stamp duty on all new developments owned by foreign owners, again something we fought hard to defeat.

CHOICE HOTELS ASIA-PAC Trent Fraser Chief Executive Officer

Choice Hotels Asia-Pac started the year with with four new build hotel properties joining the network across Australia and New Zealand The pipeline of activity will add 431 rooms to the group, with new properties secured across Victoria, Western Australia and Christchurch, New Zealand.

Our goal for 2018 is to see significant growth in our portfolio size and it’s great to start the year with a series of new build announcements. Our development team also has a significant pipeline of other opportunities across the Asia Pacific that they are pursuing, putting us on target for another successful year.

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL Karen Wales Director – Transaction Services, Hotels Asia Pacific

The Australian hotel investment market has transitioned over the past ten years as offshore capital has become more prevalent. Strong offshore interest has placed upward pressure on pricing for Australian hotels and yields have compressed, thereby improving hotel development feasibility. Hotel development activity has increased after a decade low of supply increases. >>

THE CALILE HOTEL BRISBANE - TFE HOTELS COLLECTION OPENING 2018

ADINA APARTMENT HOTEL SOUTHBANK MELBOURNE OPENING 2019

ADINA APARTMENT HOTEL MELBOURNE WEST END OPENING 2019

ADINA APARTMENT HOTEL BRISBANE OPENING 2018

VIBE HOTEL HOBART OPENING 2020

ADINA APARTMENT HOTEL CANBERRA OPENING 2020

ADINA APARTMENT HOTEL SYDNEY OPENING 2019

THE DEVELOPER’S HOTELIER

VIBE HOTEL SYDNEY DARLING HARBOUR OPENING 2019

development.TFEhotels.com

TFE Hotels is the only Australian hotel group with in-house end-to-end development solutions and a leading hotel operator with 100 hotels across Australia, New Zealand and Europe. We are positioned to deliver market-leading returns on your investment, with over 50 years experience and proven efficiencies across vital areas including technical services, architectural and interior design, procurement, asset management, IT, payroll, project management, centralised accounting and finance, sales, marketing, HR, revenue and distribution. We speak the language of owners and developers, offering clear solutions that add value at every stage.

Contact our Development Team today: P: +61 2 8705 8438 E: michael.herman@tfehotels.com E: andrew.dunn@tfehotels.com

Development Coming soon: The Calile Brisbane, part of the TFE Hotels Collection

capitalising on international demand growth as the primary entry ports into Australia, however both have high barriers to entry, despite what existing activity may suggest. Brisbane and Perth do not need additional stock above existing pipeline in the short and medium term.

EVENT HOSPITALITY & ENTERTAINMENT Peter Hill Director of Development – Hotels and Resorts

Offshore capital, particularly from Asia, is driving the strong forward pipeline of new luxury rooms with most state capitals expected to see new luxury rooms opening over the next few years. New product is of a standard not currently available in the Australian hotel market and we will see the entrance of many new international luxury brands.

Lifestyle hotels are expected to make their mark on the Australian hotel landscape over the coming decade, having emerged as a considerable segment of the global hotel market. Defined as “the next generation of boutique hotels” and driven by the chains, they borrow the best elements of boutiques and throw in advantages only a chain can offer, like loyalty perks, consistency, strong distribution platforms and economies of scale.

In Sydney, RevPAR growth for the emerging boutique and lifestyle segment has been stronger than for the broader City hotel market, making it an attractive segment for investors. Hotels are often located in the city fringe, perfect for travellers who want to feel more integrated into the fabric of a city, and for investors where land is at less of a premium.

DRANSFIELD HOTELS & RESORTS Dean Dransfield Managing Director

In an overarching sense, the hotel pipeline in Australia is on a large upward swing with development activity well above recent trends with over 250 projects mooted or under construction in capital cities. This follows a long period of small to negligible supply at the national level with modest supply in select markets. This change in activity is now to the extent where we are hearing the words “oversupply”, “shadow stock” and “supply glut” being occasionally mentioned in several markets, which is causing some spirited discussion in the market place. The reality is that most cities still have capacity, and in some cases, a need, for additional longterm supply, over and above what is currently in the pipeline.

Robust demand growth which has been driving revenues and in turn hotel values, is expected to continue over the long term as Asian powerhouses and low-cost carriers continue to flourish. This is bringing capital to the development table which has recently been closed out from existing hotel acquisition as stock is being tightly held. Across the 10 major cities in Australia, we have in excess of 25,000 probability weighted net rooms in our live pipeline with an estimated value of circa AUD$12 billion expected. As an annualised supply growth rate, this is still well exceeded by demand growth expectations.

Looking at the three-year outlook, the 10 major cities have a cumulative 12,000 rooms in the live pipe, with concentration in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, each having over 2,000 rooms mostly in construction. Sydney and Melbourne remain the key to unlocking and 44 HM The Business of Accommodation

We have a strong pipeline for growth. QT Perth is on track to open in August 2018 and our first managed QT hotel, in Parramatta, is estimated to open in 2021. We are also adding a further 18 rooms at QT Wellington which will be completed in August 2018.

Atura Adelaide Airport will open in September 2018. We acquired a site next to QT Wellington, New Zealand and we are evaluating a mixed-use development incorporating residential apartments, hotel and entertainment. As a business we are uniquely placed to bring the expertise of entertainment spaces into hotel developments, which is an area we plan to explore in the future.

We are focussed on growth of our management arm and have had great success over the past six months under the Rydges Hotels & Resorts brand. In Australia we have contracted Rydges Mackay Suites (February); Rydges Newcastle (March); Rydges Pit Lane (April); and Rydges Darwin Central ( July). In New Zealand, Rydges Wellington Airport opens in September 2018.

We have a compelling proposition for owners: we are local, with owners having direct access to our senior executives, 24/7 on call; have a strong global distribution network; and are 100% results driven. Of course, we also have all of the key features of global operators from loyalty programs, staff engagement initiatives and excellent digital marketing capabilities. We think and act like owners, because we are owners.

HILTON WORLDWIDE Robert Scullin Vice President of Development – Australasia

At Hilton, we have made a commitment to double our footprint across Australasia within the next five years.

We are certainly well on track to achieve this goal, with currently nine hotels in the pipeline which are all expected to be open by late 2020.

Our current focus is very much on the upscale and upper upscale brands, being Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Curio Collection by Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton brands. In December 2017, we welcomed our first Curio Collection by Hilton property in Australia with the opening of West Hotel Sydney. We see tremendous opportunity for both new-build and conversion of upper upscale hotels which are all unique in their own right. We have also started moving into the mid-scale space and will be able to announce some exciting projects very soon.

From my experience, the model which is desired by developers and owners varies depending on the product type. For example, when considering midscale and upscale hotel brands, standalone properties are predominantly preferred. Whereas for upscale and luxury hotel brands, developers tend to prefer mixed-use developments as they believe the presence of a reputable global brand such as Hilton Hotels and Resorts will aid in the speed and price achieved on residential sales, and will also be quite attractive to potential retail tenants.

Hilton’s primary business model in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific has been hotel management agreements. We are seeing however a trend towards franchise agreements, particularly in focusservice and mid-market brands. In Australasia, we presently have two franchised properties in New Caledonia and French Polynesia and will be opening our first franchise property in New Zealand in Q3, with the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Wellington.

Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland remain the strongest locations for development at present. >>

HOLIDAY INN MELBOURNE COBURG, OPENING 2020

Building success in partnership IHG® manages and franchises some of the world’s best-known hotel brands, including InterContinental®, Kimpton®, Crowne Plaza®, Holiday Inn® and Holiday Inn Express®. Momentum is building with 19 hotels opening in the next few years in Australasia. The number is growing monthly and new additions will include Hotel Indigo®, our popular boutique and lifestyle brand.

If you’d like to join the IHG family as we continue our growth journey, get in touch with our local development team today. development.ihg.com abhijay.sandilya@ihg.com

©2017 InterContinental Hotels Group. All rights reserved. Most hotels are independantly owned and operated.

Development From 2019 the big task of opening our great pipeline of hotels across Australasia begins, including four Hotel Indigo, six Holiday Inn Express, four Crowne Plaza, four Holiday Inn and the first Even Hotel outside of North America. That’s where IHG has a brilliant pre-opening and operations team to take the reins and bring the hotels to life.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL Richard Crawford Senior Director, Hotel Development – Australia, New Zealand & Pacific

Sydney is in massive demand for new hotels

HORWATH HTL NEW ZEALAND Stephen Hamilton Director

RevPAR in New Zealand’s main centres has risen by over 50% over the past four years, as a result of almost no new supply and a strong increase in demand.

Several major developments in New Zealand’s key visitor destinations are expected to reach completion and a number of announced projects will begin construction. There are some challenges to achieving the right mix and volume of new rooms.

The hot destinations are Auckland and Queenstown where annual occupancies have reached 87% and 83% respectively. We are aware of approximately 30 new hotels (3,800 rooms) which are expected to open in the key destinations, increasing room supply by 18%.

In Auckland, 12 new hotels are expected to add 15% to room supply over the next three years, with 50% of the rooms being in the 5-star category, 25% in 4.5-star, and 25% in the 4-star category.

The most significant hotel to open will be the 195 room Park Hyatt at Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour. The successful launch of this hotel is of significant interest to all Auckland hotel stakeholders.

In Queenstown, five new hotels are expected to add 15% to room supply, with 60% of the rooms being in the 4-star category.

85% of Christchurch’s additional rooms will be in the 4.5-star category. Wellington will see at least three new hotels, predominately 4-star, and Rotorua will achieve at least one new 5-star hotel.

The pipeline and demand growth story from 2020 onwards is very different.

INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP Abhijay Sandilya Senior Director, Development – Australasia

I expect the huge signing momentum we’ve established in the past 18 months to continue, and my hit pick is that boutique and lifestyle is the segment to watch – in fact, I am confident we’ll have some more Hotel Indigo signings in the back end of 2018, among others.

Mixed use is now the new normal and it’s safe to say that – with a couple of exceptions – all our upcoming hotels are part of mixed-use developments.

They generally have a retail component, and then some include residential, corporate and even childcare. Mixed use makes sense to get the best and highest use from an asset by maximising synergies and, especially for brands like Hotel Indigo which is centred around the neighbourhood story, it also brings a sense of community and buzz to the hotel.

In terms of location, the majority of our focus continues to be on Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland, but we’re also looking at opportunities in other capital cities and micro markets in Victoria, Western Australia and New Zealand.

We are always open to franchising our brands in strategically important locations – with the right partner – however we find that most opportunities that come our way are for management agreements.

Owners are looking for the best returns on their asset, and that means looking to the big hotel management companies, like IHG, to bring their global expertise and run a great hotel.

46 HM The Business of Accommodation

2017 was a year of great advancement for Marriott International’s hotel development team in the Australia Pacific region, establishing a new presence in Sydney and signing a record 1,780 new hotel rooms in the region.

Pleasingly, 2018 will be a year of similar growth, with favourable market conditions continuing to energize the hotel investment community, particularly in Melbourne (where Marriott has seven new hotel deals signed), Sydney and New Zealand.

In the four-year period to 2021, Marriott International will double its presence in the Australia Pacific region, taking our footprint to beyond 50 hotels and resorts.

This growth will be characterised by inaugural footholds in markets including Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart, and Auckland, while at the same time signalling the arrival (and in some cases re-entry) of brands including W, Ritz-Carlton, Element by Westin, Moxy, Le Meridien, and Luxury Collection.

These names point to two strong themes of Marriott International’s growth in the region. Firstly, there is an emphasis on the development of luxury hotels, the segment in which Marriott is most dominant globally and where opportunities exist in numerous Australian markets to raise the bar beyond existing traditional five star offerings. At the same time, we are welcoming strong developer interest in our next-generation brands, like Aloft and Moxy, which appeal to contemporary travel behaviours and bring with them the advantages of low cost development and lean operating models.

MINETT CONSULTING Dean Minett Founder & Director

There is no doubt that the hottest city in Australia at the moment for hotel investment, on a sheer volume basis, is Melbourne. With nearly 8,500 rooms forecast to come into the market over the next eight years, that is a lot of hotels.

I would expect there will be some of these that drop off the map, however it appears the large, upper-upscale or luxury hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton, Shangri-La and Mandarin Oriental are certainly still coming. And, when they do arrive, I expect there to be quite an impact on rates as I doubt that the new kids on the block will be discounting. On the other hand, there is strong interest from the major groups in planting their limited service, lifestyle brands which are lower in price, higher in experience. Interesting times all around!

Australian cities in demand at the moment are Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart and Cairns and, even though occupancies wouldn’t seem to support it, there appears to be quite strong interest from a number of hotel groups in Brisbane.

Looking at owners’ preferred operational models, there are number of developers who have moved well away from residential development and are now embracing mixed-use or straight hotel projects. They do have a big learning curve as they seek to understand the differences between a lease and a management agreement however more appear to be accepting of an HMA once they become comfortable with owning the P&L. (Not all owners can understand how a management company can take so many different fees and still be profitable!) Smart developers will of course take advice in these matters and hopefully reach a good outcome for all. >>

When we fly... we fly together.

An International Hotel Management Company Making a Huge Impact...

World-Class Hotels in Key Markets The company has had impressive expansion throughout Australia and New Zealand, with the objective to multiply its portfolio from five hotels today to 40 properties in the coming decade. Vietnam is now a key market with hotels in the major destinations of Nha Trang and Halong Bay.

A Brand for Every Occasion With an extensive collection of hotel brands to choose from, ranging from two to five stars, SwissBelhotel International can adapt to every market. One especially exciting brand is Swiss-Belsuites, the upscale serviced apartment concept for leisure and business travelers who appreciate additional space and comfort. Whatever you investment, Swiss-Belhotel International has a brand for you.

Our Goals Swiss-Belhotel International currently has a large and diverse pipeline of more than 75 hotels and resorts in 22 countries on three continents, comprising 14 different brands. Key openings scheduled for the coming months and years include: • Indonesia – 5,178 rooms • China – 1,020 rooms • New Zealand – 1,500 rooms • The Middle East – 3,174 rooms • Vietnam – 1,667 rooms • Australia – 1,200 rooms • Central Asia – 2,000 rooms

Join us Swiss-Belresort Nha Trang, Vietnam Opening late 2018

as we continue our expansion in Australia and New Zealand...

Oliver R. Faull Vice President - Australia and New Zealand Tel: +64 9 524 6023 | E-mail: oliverfaull@swiss-belhotel.com swiss-belhotel.com

Development MM LEISURE Michael Moret-Lalli Managing Director

From my new view of the hotel world as an independent, it appears that branded operators are continuing to enjoy strong new-build deal flow despite some earlier schools of thought that activity would be trailing-off by now. This will absolutely continue across the short to medium term as each of the core markets experience new supply across differing time periods – Perth and Brisbane already seen substantial new stock with more to come; Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart expecting strong short term supply; Sydney seeing the beginning of what appears to be much needed new supply; and Canberra on the verge of what appears to be another run of new build offering after having recently absorbed the new supply of four years ago.

Without doubt the mid- and upscale-segments will continue to be the cornerstone of Australia and New Zealand growth/new supply across the mid- to long-term. That said, I think the most attractive segment to hotel developers and owners across the short to mid-term will continue to be the lifestyle segment within the upscale, upper-up and luxury spaces. This positioning not only provides design flexibility and innovation previously not enjoyed under branded operators, but also what is a broadly agreed rate premium with educated consumers that are seeking local authentic experiences. Also, watch for the growth of Wellness offerings in conjunction with these lifestyle brands to power the next wave of product.

ONYX HOSPITALITY GROUP Craig Bond Executive Vice President of Operations

We are very much looking forward to our first hotel in Australia, when Shama Luxe Aurora Melbourne Central opens in late 2019 as part of one of the city’s tallest towers and most comprehensive retail precincts.

Known in the earlier years for our Amari resorts at Thai beachside locations like Phuket and Koh Samui, ONYX Hospitality Group has been on an expansion phase. Today, we have 47 hotels and properties operational in 8 countries across Asia-Pacific, with close to 30 hotels in the development pipeline, which will bring our reach to 12 countries over the next few years.

We are a multi-segment and multi-brand player, with properties in the full service upper upscale, midscale and serviced apartments categories represented in our Amari, OZO and Shama brand names.

As our presence continues to expand, we are seeing an increase in the number of new openings and pipeline projects located within mixed-use IHG's Holiday Inn brand is growing across Australasia

48 HM The Business of Accommodation

developments. Examples include Amari Yangshuo in Guilin, China, which is a key feature of a downtown complex of shops and restaurants, and of course, our upcoming Shama Luxe within Melbourne’s Aurora Central development.

We are in active discussions with various partners on projects, not just for Shama but for our Amari and OZO brands, across key Australian cities. We are confident that we will soon have more Australian presence in our dynamic development pipeline.

OVOLO GROUP Dave Baswal Chief Operating Officer

So far, all Ovolo hotels are very CBD based focused across Australia and Hong Kong. This focus will continue and we will aim to strengthen our position as a leading lifestyle hotel brand in all key cities. There are also plans to expand into regional markets. We are looking at places like Noosa, Byron Bay, Cairns and the Gold Coast to create eco-friendly, lifestyle resorts. Again, they will all be F.U.N. (Fabulous, Unconventional and Never boring), based on the characteristics of their location, culture and history. Early days, but it is something we are very keen on. We are always looking for new opportunities.

Another concept Ovolo is also considering for Australia is Mojo Nomad, a new ‘affordable luxury’ brand recently introduced in Hong Kong. Mojo Nomad offers ‘Creative Living’, bringing the hotel together.

It is centred around community and the use of designer shared spaces and facilities. Our project and design team visited various establishments across Europe and the US during the conceptualisation of the brand.

Taking learnings from the best design led-hostels and boutique hotels in Europe, we looked at and evaluated the pricing models, value added services, ancillary income generators, guest facilities and characteristics of the popular sites in forming what we could offer given our footprint.

Ovolo is also very enthusiastic about future opportunities in Australia.

PRO-INVEST HOTELS GROUP Phil Kasselis Managing Director

Pro-invest’s focus is on the midscale and lifestyle hotel segments. This is where we are confident in our ability to maximise risk-adjusted returns for our investors.

By developing purpose built, high quality, select-service hotels such as Holiday Inn Express, we’re able to make the best use of income producing GFA compared to building full-service hotels, and drive much higher profitability by implementing a highly efficient operating model.

Our Australian Hospitality Opportunity Fund 1 was launched in 2013 and raised $380m equity to develop, own and operate a portfolio of Holiday Inn Express hotels across Australia and New Zealand. Each hotel is developed by Pro-invest Developments and operated by Proinvest Hotels Group under franchise agreements with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

Our Fund 1 portfolio comprises nine Holiday Inn Express hotels totalling 2,233 rooms, of which three are open in Sydney’s Macquarie Park, Brisbane and Adelaide city centre, with our Newcastle hotel scheduled to open later this year. Our pipeline includes an additional five hotels in various stages of development across key markets including, Melbourne CBD, Melbourne Southbank, Sydney Airport, Queenstown and Auckland.

Being a hotel developer, owner and operator, our group is in an advantageous position to drive optimum asset performance by controlling the site selection criteria and approaching the hotel design and development phase with an owner/operator mindset. During the operational phase, the benefits of using a franchise model provides access to world-class operating systems and sales and marketing distribution channels to generate RevPAR premiums, while our asset management and hotel operational expertise enables us to maximise investment returns for our stakeholders. >>

Accor News

A ACCORHOTELS PROMOTION

Mitchelton’s BOUTIQUE BRILLIANCE HM sits down with ANDREW RYAN, Owner of The Mitchelton Hotel Nagambie, which will join AccorHotels’ MGallery by Sofitel network on 1 July 2018.

Andrew Ryan, Owner of The Mitchelton Hotel Nagambie, MGallery by Sofitel

W

ine and tourism are becoming an increasingly attractive blend, so when Andrew Ryan saw the famed Goulburn Valley winery Mitchelton Estate up for sale in 2011, it was easy for his family to imagine the vineyard’s future potential. Andrew comes from a family that has played a key role in driving Australian tourism – literally. Father Gerry established the Jayco caravan company over four decades ago, with a new Jayco being built every 11 minutes, employing over 1100 people. While Jayco’s factory is in Dandenong, both Gerry and Andrew call Nagambie their second home with its lakes and high-quality soils ideal for horse breeding, farming and growing grapes.

Since taking over the Mitchelton in 2011, Andrew has spearheaded the significant upgrade and development initiatives throughout the estate. The most recent addition and centrepiece, the 58 room Mitchelton Hotel, is now part of AccorHotels’ distinctive boutique brand – MGallery by Sofitel. The hotel boasts a modernist exterior and an elegant marble lobby, while the large rooms and their private terraces make the most of the views across the vineyards and river to the distant hills. The venue includes a day spa, The Muse Restaurant, the decadent Ministry of Chocolate outlet and a function centre, making it popular for weddings and corporate retreats.

The tourism industry runs in your family DNA, so you must have been excited to have the opportunity to translate Mitchelton into a multi-faceted tourism and hospitality venue?

trades as possible and now with the hotel and restaurants in full swing, we continue to work with as many local suppliers as we can for produce and services. It is very important to ourselves as well as our Executive Chef who prides himself on local produce.

You decided to incorporate the Mitchelton Hotel in the MGallery brand – what attracted you to the brand and how important is it for the hotel to be part of a global brand?

Originally we were recommended by a family member who owns two properties under the M Gallery banner to get in touch and the more time spent with the team, I think they are the right fit for us. The importance is the access to customers, support with marketing, procurement and staff.

Staffing is always a challenge in regional areas – what do you do to attract and retain quality staff?

From the moment we first visited the Estate, all we could ever see was the potential in what it could be as all aspects of the hospitality spaces were underutilised including the lack of accommodation. The hotel and day spa is something that we wanted to develop early on with our acquisition of the estate. It has always been the missing piece in the puzzle for Mitchelton and one that we felt would really enhance the tourism offer of the property and the greater region.

We have a mix of staff from the local area and from Melbourne. The key managerial roles are held by those who were trained in Melbourne but the aim is to create careers for the younger local community, encouraging them that they don’t need to necessarily leave Nagambie to have a career, we are developing training programs for the hotel and hospitality departments of the business.

You’ve picked some outstanding designers for the hotel’s exterior and interior design – how important is it for hotels in such scenic locations to invest in quality design and facilities?

Has your experience with the Mitchelton Hotel given you a taste for further ventures in the hospitality industry?

As Robin Boyd was the original architect, we felt it was incredibly important to work with a design firm that understood the landscape and would respect the existing environment and create a building that settled into the space rather than taking it over.

I have worked with Hecker Guthrie since 2006 on a number of projects in the realm of residential, commercial and hospitality so it was natural to work with them again.

Design and quality is incredibly important and attention to detail is critical. This all plays a part in how it makes someone feel, increasing the overall customer experience. It is important to design for longevity rather than the latest trend.

How important is ‘localism’ to your hotel and restaurant?

In terms of attracting locals or supporting the local market? It’s a yes to both, we want Mitchelton to be a second home for the local residents, where they can celebrate special occasions, visiting the day spa or just popping in to stock up on wine! We also like to support the local community which started at the construction phase, using as many local

The Mitchelton Hotel is the largest hotel of our portfolio and have gained some real insights as it was developed from the ground up.

We are also involved in the Prince Hotel which is a mix of accommodation, bars and restaurants which the accommodation part of the business has just gone under a complete renovation and now we are working on Circa, changing the restaurant to a whole new chapter.

I have a small cocktail bar called the Ugly Duckling in Richmond as well as Seven Nightclub in South Melbourne, which is also about to undergo a transformation.

Once those projects are up and running soundly, if the right opportunity came along that we could improve and make it something special, I certainly would like to expand. n hotelmanagement.com.au 49

Development encompassing market appeal and leveraging the equity of the Radisson name is poised to tick all the boxes for developers.

For example, a current Park Inn by Radisson project takes lifestyle design inspiration and connects a serviced apartment tower which shares the hotel amenities. This flexible approach is a twist on the emerging dual-branding concept/ design trend, which we expect to see more of in years to come.

In terms of desirable development markets, Sydney remains tops (albeit challenging) in Australia. And after existing hotel performance recently posted double digit RevPAR gains, Auckland and Queenstown are certainly creating a buzz.

Coming soon: The Tasman, a Luxury Collection property

In mid-2017, we launched a second fund to further expand our Holiday Inn Express footprint throughout the region, to also include Even Hotels, IHG’s latest upscale lifestyle hotel brand designed with wellness at its core, enabling guests to maintain their wellness routine while being on the road. Our first Even Hotel site has been acquired in central Auckland and our development team is scouting for additional locations in Sydney, Melbourne and other key markets in Australia and New Zealand to expand this very exciting wellness-oriented hotel brand.

QUEST APARTMENT HOTELS James Shields General Manager – Growth

In the next two years, we anticipate 16-20 new property openings across Australasia and the UK. Quest is currently building 12 apartment hotels in Australia, expecting to open six properties in Melbourne in the next year or so, as well as developing properties in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Maintaining such momentum involves tapping into hot market segments. Currently the demand for Quest’s offering is strongest on the eastern seaboard, moderate through the middle of Australia, and steady on the west coast. We observe that the strongest demand continues to be in the suburban and regional locations, rather than CBDs. Working with developers, we have witnessed business models change and evolve, driven by the aim to achieve the highest and best use. Of our more recent developments, the majority have been in mixed-use which, shows there has been a shift away from the traditional stand-alone apartment hotels.

Trends such as high land values, competing land uses and high construction costs have put pressure on developers to maximise highest and best use.

RADISSON HOTEL GROUP Barry Fleischmann Director – Development, Australasia

Robust development activity continues to exceed our expectations. This year, the Radisson Hotel Group Asia Pacific has had its strongest start ever, signing a dozen HMA contracts YTD, possibly hitting twenty by mid-year. We expect 2018 to see a record number of new construction projects for our group which will translate into consistent monthly property openings during 2019-2022.

Our upscale brands are leading the charge: the rejuvenation of our Radisson brand with its Scandinavian inspired design has been very well received and our lifestyle select brand Radisson Red continues its momentum.

As the market dynamics become satiated in Australian capital cities, we see the next wave of development to occur in suburban and regional areas of Australia. Our midscale Park Inn by Radisson brand is ideally suited for many of these projects. Our flexible approach, wide 50 HM The Business of Accommodation

RAY WHITE HOTELS Mark Bullock Director, Investment Sales & Advisory – Australia

Management Agreements are still the norm in Australia. When owners become more experienced in the operations of hotels, I believe we will see the establishment of more hotel owners move to the op-co/prop-co structure; in which they will effectively own and operate whilst franchising to a major hotel company. A key illustration of this is the Pro-invest Holiday Inn Express model currently being rolled out across the region.

With more residential developers looking to the hotel sector as a way to supplement returns, we are receiving numerous enquiries from developers looking for hotel leases. Whilst there are limited operators that will enter into lease agreements, it will be the role of both intermediaries and hotel management company developers to educate these ‘new’ hotel developers that a straightforward lease is not the norm in our industry. And, consequently, that hotel operators have adopted asset light strategies where lease liabilities will not be carried on the operator’s balance sheet. These developers will require good advisors to walk them through the hotel development process, and it will also provide hotel asset managers with the opportunity to grow their portfolios as these new owners will need more granular assistance in understanding hotel operations.

STR Matthew Burke Regional Manager – Pacific

Developers and investors continue looking favourably on Australia’s bustling hotel market, with RevPAR sitting 16% higher in 2018 compared with 2007, based on March 2018 figures. Australian hotel inventory is poised to grow by 7,000 rooms per annum through to 2020. The biggest questions right now are: which markets are seeing the most supply growth, what type of new supply is being built, and what will this mean for future performance levels?

This year to date as of May, Australia has added 2,114 hotel rooms to its inventory, and another 6,334 are set to enter the market by the end of the year. Melbourne and Sydney account for 80% (1,664 rooms) of the country’s pipeline for the remainder of the year, with the majority of rooms in branded upscale properties and serviced apartments. Melbourne and Sydney are currently set to add a combined 6,660 new rooms (4,742 in Melbourne, and 1,924 in Sydney) by 2020. Supply growth over the next few years is expected to remain heaviest in the branded upscale class and serviced apartments, with substantial developments across brands including Adina, Crowne Plaza, Four Points by Sheraton, ibis Styles, Marriott’s W brand, Quest, and Ritz Carlton.

Australia’s hotel demand has continued to grow at a faster rate than supply. The number of rooms sold increased 3.2% this year to date, outpacing a 1.5% growth in supply. In addition to steady ADR (average daily rate) growth, this has resulted in a nationwide RevPAR growth of 3.9%. While this same growth trajectory has not been seen in all markets; Melbourne, Perth and Sydney remain the key markets to watch for supply growth impacting performance levels. >>

WE’RE MAKING HISTORY

In the 1960s, Launceston’s Kings Wharf grain silos were built on the banks of the Tamar River.

Today, Peppers Silo Hotel has been built using the silo barrels and is a chic, sophisticated meeting place for Launceston locals and visitors alike, complete with its own restaurant, bar and cutting-edge conference facilities.

As a renovation of a historical site, this is another first for us – a company which is used to creating history in the hotel sector.

mantragroup.com.au

Development SWISS-BELHOTEL INTERNATIONAL Gavin Faull Chairman & President

Swiss-Belhotel International has been very successful in the establishment of a strong base in Asia and especially Indonesia. Now with 75 hotels open and another 85 in the pipeline this will remain a strong resource for the future.

There is now growing excitement within the company for the Australia and New Zealand market. The successful opening of SwissBelsuites Victoria Park, Auckland and Swiss-Belhotel Brisbane in late 2016 followed by the success of Swiss-Belsuites Pounamu Queenstown has brought the operating hotels to five based on strong returns.

Swiss-Belsuites is now growing into an iconic brand for the Australia and New Zealand market and is ideally suited to the apartment style segment which in the past has been the domain of smaller operators. The strength of an international hotel group with far reaching sales and marketing resources has brought another level of success in this segment. With a combination of lease and management rights there is a degree of risk but the effective brand profile has managed to lift performance to levels not previously experienced in these properties. The use of management rights is a way forward in the future to enable mixed ownership entities to be able to access the skills of an experienced hotelier.

The major cities of Australia and New Zealand will be a clear focus for Swiss-Belhotel International although some of the regional areas of New Zealand are showing excellent promise. SBI will open 10 new properties in the next three years under a variety of agreements.

TFE HOTELS Michael Herman Executive Development Manager

TFE Hotels has a huge pipeline of new hotels, with 17 set to open in 2019 and 2020. Following the openings this year of Adina Serviced Apartments in Dickson, Canberra, and the new Vibe North Sydney, we have two more hotels to open this year: The Calile Hotel in James Street, Brisbane, and Adina Apartment Hotel on George Street, Brisbane.

In the second half of 2019 we will welcome an Adina in Southbank, Melbourne, and three Vibe Hotels in Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart city centres. We are also excited to bring a new hotel brand from Asia to Sydney’s Rocks precinct and later to Melbourne.

In 2020 we plan to open Adina Hotels in Fremantle, Macquarie Park, Sydney centre and West Melbourne. We’ll also open another Vibe Hotel in Adelaide, two Travelodge Hotels in Auckland and Adelaide, plus two more beautiful TFE Collection hotels in Auckland and Melbourne.

On top of this, 2020 has four new Adina projects planned for Germany and our first one in Austria.

TOURISM AUSTRALIA John O’Sullivan Managing Director

Over the last few years, I have seen a wave of hotels injected into Australian cities, following the same growth trajectory we’ve been witnessing in our international arrivals.

With over 40,000 rooms in the pipeline, investors’ perception of the Australian hotel sector has never been better. However, the bulk of this investment so far has been limited to our capital cities, in gateways like Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane.

Australia’s vibrant tourism industry isn’t just about cosmopolitan cities and I see real prospects for investors to take advantage of another growth opportunity – regional Australia.

Tourism to regional Australia continues to strengthen, with visitors increasing on average by 4.1% per annum over the past five years, to a total of 173 million. With 45 cents of every tourism dollar being spent outside capital cities, I can’t underestimate the importance of regional dispersal.

52 HM The Business of Accommodation

New news is vital to developing regional tourism centres – you just have to look at the influence of Mona on Tasmanian tourism. Accommodation and attractions encourage dispersal of travellers, spreading the benefits of tourism beyond our capitals. The introduction of world class products like the d’Arenberg Cube in South Australia’s McLaren Vale and Jackalope Hotel on the Mornington Peninsula is essential to satisfying the growing numbers of international visitors coming to Australia and their increasing demand to experience the best of our country.

VERIU HOTELS & SUITES Alex Thorpe & Rhys Williams Founders & Directors

Veriu Hotels & Suites will see a steady growth over the next two years with three planned openings at Green Square (144 rooms), Elizabeth Bay (35 rooms) and Surry Hills (30 rooms). We are bringing a genuine local flavour to our lobby areas, combining check-in within a social, communal atmosphere; and we will continue to focus on guest ROI so they feel a real connection and value when they stay with us.

Punthill Apartment Hotels in Melbourne, acquired by the Veriu group in February 2018, will also see a steady growth with an addition to the network in July opening in Ivanhoe (52 apartments). We are also looking at several other areas of Victoria with further announcements pending.

We are always looking for new opportunities that will benefit our guests and partners which will see our brands expand into new states and territories over the next five years, and we are currently discussing opportunities in Adelaide, Newcastle, Wollongong, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Hobart, Perth, NZ and Asia.

WYNDHAM HOTEL GROUP Matt Holmes Director – Development and Acquisitions

Wyndham is experiencing significant growth across the South Pacific region, and Australia and New Zealand are particular areas of focus. Before 2020, we will open new Ramada by Wyndham properties in Batemans Bay and Vanuatu, as well as our first Wyndham for the Western Australia capital, Wyndham Lux Perth. The Ramada brand also made its debut in Sydney earlier this year with the opening of Ramada Hotel and Suites Cabramatta. We have another three Ramada properties under development in Auckland, New Zealand’s first Ramada Encore

by Wyndham under construction in Christchurch and we are expecting further additions in Queenstown, where we already have two properties.

We’re also expanding the Tryp by Wyndham brand, which is designed to immerse guests in the individual culture and spirit of destinations, and we will soon be launching the Wyndham Garden brand in Australia after its first New Zealand property opened in Queenstown earlier this year. n

Development

Pre-opening ESSENTIALS HM finds out from six leading suppliers how they can assist in the pre-opening phase for hotels.

EDITED BY JAMES WILKINSON

Stylish: The Calile, Brisbane

hotelmanagement.com.au 53

Development Top beds: A.H. Beard supplies top hotels

A.H. BEARD Peter Deveny Group Commercial Manager

A.H. Beard supplies a range of mattress models to hotels and resorts across Australia and New Zealand under our King Koil Commercial brand. King Koil is a preferred supplier of many of the world’s leading hotel brands, including Hilton Worldwide, Marriott, IHG, Stamford Hotels, plus leading Australian brands such as Rydges, QT and Art Series Hotels.

A.H. Beard also supplies signature bespoke mattresses and bases to the most acclaimed properties in the region, including Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, Elements of Byron, Saffire Freycinet, Macq01, The Old Clare Hotel, Jackalope Hotel, Jonah’s at Whale Beach to name a few.

We work collaboratively with the Design and Operations teams on these custom projects to deliver a unique bed that exceeds guest expectations, while being cost effective and operationally sound.

A.H. Beard offers installation on most projects, along with removal and environmentally responsible disposal of old beds if required. As a founding member of the ‘Soft Landing’ mattress recycling product stewardship scheme, A.H. Beard is committed to reducing our impact on the environment while helping to provide employment opportunities for people in our community who face long term challenges.

For properties that are looking for the complete sleep package, A.H. Beard offers upholstered bases, matching headboards, and premium quality Talalay and Memory Foam pillows. We also offer a range of smart sleep solutions that help to monitor and improve sleep quality.

We look forward to the launch of several key properties offering quality King Koil Commercial by A.H. Beard sleep in the coming months, including QT Perth, The Riley, Crystalbrook Collection’s new hotel in Cairns, Four Points by Sheraton Central Park Sydney, and the refurbishments at Novotel Darling Harbour and Crowne Plaza Melbourne.

FAIRMONT DESIGNS George Tsai Chief Executive Officer

As a global hospitality furnishing provider over two decades, Fairmont Designs has delivered exceptional service across a broad range of projects, from premium casinos and 5-star midtown hotels to exclusive resorts and local inns. We are proud of our reputable track record of supplying high quality bespoke guest room furniture, public area seating, and joinery from our three Asian factories.

Furniture and fixtures are major investment by hotel owners. We understand that product quality translates to its durability, and it plays a critical role in up keeping your guest experience.

FDH is currently working with major international brands on numerous high-profile projects in Australia, the Middle East, and Asia.

We are looking forward to our 4th year of solid performance in Australia.

Some major projects at present include: The Star, Sydney; The Star, Gold Coast; Pullman Melbourne; InterContinental Perth; Sheraton Perth; and Rydges Brisbane.

54 HM The Business of Accommodation

INTERIOR IMAGES Val Harding Managing Director

Oscar Wilde famously quipped, “Let me be surrounded by luxury, I can do without the necessities!”

While many of today’s travelers might agree with this sentiment, every hotelier knows that offering the right necessities, those readily accessible and of the highest quality, is the foundation of true luxury.

That’s why for the past twenty years, Interior Images has helped hotels open with small indulgences that make huge impressions with guests.

Up until the mid-1990s, the quality of hotel toiletries in Australia was embarrassingly poor. Interior Images raised the standard of hotel soaps and shampoos by bringing the world’s best luxury brands, such as Bulgari, Molton Brown, Frette, REN, Malin+Goetz, and most recently, Grown Alchemist, to the market.

Such offerings allow new properties to reaffirm their positioning and rival their local and international counterparts.

While beautifully fragranced amenities get most of the attention, quality accessories are equally important. A missing shower cap in a moment of need can ruin a guest’s experience and a new hotel’s TripAdvisor rating, so Interior Images provides a wide selection of quality dry amenities and accessories. In-stock and available for immediate dispatch, our affordable range comes with peace of mind (at no extra cost).

In recent years, the definition of luxury has evolved to include greater levels of customisation. That’s why Interior Images has expanded our bespoke capabilities and become the industry leader at bottling the essence of a hotel brand.

With tailored scents, unique packaging and out-of-the-box accessories, we are currently developing custom collections for hotels of all styles and sizes.

We complement those collections with customized robes, slippers, hangers, pens and almost anything else a Hotelier needs.

It’s about quality in everything we do.

The View custom collection

Fairmont Designs at the Hospitality Design Show in May 2018

Development you and your design team to ensure one point of contact, seamless project management, supply products fit for purpose, on time and on budget with guidance and recommendations along the entire process.

R.WEATHERDON & CO Robert Weatherdon Managing Director

Leading products from Weatherdon

The ALISEO Bathroom Mirror LED CUBIK from Swisstrade

ROGERSELLER Anita Arnold Business Development Manager

Our projects team at Rogerseller consult and assist the hotel owners and design team right from the inception of the design phase. With careful consideration of the correct products ‘fit for purpose’ to not only meet the needs of the bathroom design and style, but for cleaning, maintenance and to a budget. We offer quality products that last the test of time and less maintenance issues in the future. We also offer products for environmental resorts, such as water conservation, energy saving or reducing waste; ideal for remote hotel / resort locations or eco-sensitive hotels.

Established in 1895, Rogerseller is still today an Australian family owned business. We take pride in our quality and align ourselves with high quality brands from across Europe and Australia along with our own range of fittings. We offer a wide range from toilets, basins, showers, baths and including the smaller accessories that are the finishing touches and needed within a bathroom such as makeup magnifying mirrors, washing lines, special hooks and towel rails and racks.

We also offer ‘one off bespoke pieces’, such as luxurious stone baths for an amazing bathing experience to enhance beautiful hotels and stunning resorts. Customisation of the size, shape and depth to suit the room, the style and or design team. We also can modify to meet any existing waste or plumbing requirements if renovating existing hotel bathrooms. Vanities can also be made to measure to maximise the space in the room and ease of cleaning with integrated bowls and seamless surfaces.

Currently we are working on some stunning projects across the country, including Daydream Island, Hayman Island and Emporium Hotel South Bank Brisbane.

Rogerseller truly can assist you with quality bathrooms products for your hotel. Our educated staff with many years of technical plumbing and building experience are here to assist you along with commercial warranties for peace of mind across our entire range of products. We work closely with

Whether it is a hairdryer, kettle or clock radio, inroom accessories speak volumes about your brand.

Guests automatically do a quick, almost unconscious, scan of what is on offer the moment they step into their room.

Some housekeepers and property managers baulk at investing in much needed small appliances that are specifically designed for the sector. When it comes to the bottom line the allimportant long-term yield trumps the short-term outgoings.

It’s vital to choose quality appliances especially designed for heavy-duty wear and tear. A domestic product will often cost more in the long run either because it is not robust enough for hotel use or a range is discontinued.

Pre-opening is when we work with the designer to ensure the fixtures fit. Size does matter: floor space is costly so appliances need to be compact.

Check the hairdryer has a retractable cord and the special size ironing board squeezes into the wardrobe. There are two pertinent considerations.

Would someone who has never used this particular appliance be able to do so with ease? Secondly, are the controls clearly understood in anyone’s language?

Our team of designers and manufacturers are able to specify standards to meet the unique demands of the hospitality sector. We’re currently working with several wonderful new properties, all very different in size and style, such as the very individual Felix Hotel, Sydney Airport; New Pullman and Ibis, Brisbane Airport; the refurbishment of Victoria’s RACV Cape Schanck Resort and we’re looking forward to starting work with new Quest properties nationally.

SWISSTRADE Peter Weingartner Director

With rapidly-growing competition amongst hotel operators and new market entrants, we early-on recognised the need for Swisstrade to offer holistic Guest Room specialisation in the premium, luxury and lifestyle sector.

As a team of former hoteliers, we understand the operating realities and the pressures arising in the lead up to a new hotel project. Our expertise in product scheduling, global sourcing and supply chain planning is highly valued by our clients, especially in the early development phase. Simply put, our ability to understand each stakeholder’s interests and to bring it all together on time and on budget, provides the peace of mind and confidence our customers come to us for.

Today, after more than 20 years in the business, Swisstrade offers a consolidated, factory-direct sourcing and supply service for new-build hotels as well as local stock at short notice for hotel renovations across all major guest room categories, such as: hotel-specific equipment and appliances; bespoke accessories and décor items; signature textiles and bedding; and global toiletries brands & hotel cosmetics.

Bringing internationally recognised guest room equipment brands such as JVD and ALISEO to our region has been hugely successful, as has our collaboration with ABSOLUTE LIFESTYLE, which allows us to offer bespoke in-room accessories tailored to the interior designer’s brief.

International hotel operators appreciate that our products meet their brand and safety standards as well as tick the box for the owners, who value the longevity of our quality brands. That said, I am proud of our long list of valued clients, such as the much-anticipated W Brisbane and the Emporium Hotel South Bank in Brisbane, the Hyatt Regency Sydney and West Hotel Sydney, the InterContinental Perth or the Grand Windsor Hotel Auckland to name just a few. n hotelmanagement.com.au 55

Human Resources

Super Stars

HM finds out the latest in superannuation from the nation’s two leading hospitality industry funds HOSTPLUS and INTRUST SUPER.

T

HOSTPLUS

he Treasurer’s 2018-19 Federal Budget handed down on May 8 included legislative changes to insurance in superannuation that will impact hundreds of thousands of hospitality and tourism workers.

These proposed changes follow considerable work undertaken by the superannuation sector to release the Insurance in Superannuation Voluntary Code of Practice to drive further improvements across the insurance industry. The Code is opt-in for super funds and aims to ensure members’ insurance cover is appropriate and affordable for their needs.

Hostplus will sign up to the Code and is fully committed to ensuring best practice across all insurance offerings. In fact, their existing arrangements already meet most elements of the Code. Yet, despite best efforts by industry, some competitor funds will not be committing to it.

This begs the question – why?

Hostplus recognises that there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to insuring members and they support measures taken to address account balance erosion. This includes segmenting each member’s level of cover based on their age, gender and industry occupation to ensure they are only paying for cover that is relevant to them.

This unitised method has consistently ensured members’ automatic insurance premiums are under one per cent of their estimated level of salary, as proposed by the Code. If your super fund is charging insurance fees above one per cent of your employees’ salary, you need to ask – why?

Cross-subsidisation may be an issue with your fund.

56 HM The Business of Accommodation

Hostplus’ insurance philosophy is simple: they want to protect their members when it matters the most – at the point of claim. Did you know that Income Protection claim income is generally offset by other income, such as the ability to claim on government benefit? If your staff are paying for default Income Protection that they may never be able to fully claim, you need to ask – why?

Hostplus is also concerned about the rising mental health epidemic – an issue that is likely impacting your staff and your business. Did you know that some super funds charge premiums for insurance cover, yet fail to pay out the full value – especially for conditions related to mental health, suicide or self-inflicted injury? If your super fund does not pay 100 per cent of insured values in all default scenarios, you need to ask – why?

Outside of insurance, other measures proposed by the Federal Government to reduce account balance erosion include reducing administration fees and banning exit fees. At Hostplus, their fee structure is transparent and has remained unchanged for 14 years. It costs members $1.50 per week and doesn’t include unnecessary fees on top – such as exit fees and percentage-based administration fees. If your fund applies these additional fees, you need to ask – why?

Ultimately, the sole purpose of superannuation is to provide retirement benefits at retirement. It’s therefore essential that employers partner with a fund that offers a low cost-base, provides insurance offerings that are genuinely affordable and appropriate, and has a proven track-record of superior returns. Don’t be afraid to ask your super fund these hard questions.

Human Resources Hostplus and Intrust Super are leading the way for hotel employees in Australia

INTRUST SUPER

Being able to enjoy an active lifestyle can help many people maintain a healthy balance between work and daily living. And having happy and healthy workers can help you keep up your daily staff levels, because fewer staff will need to call in sick.

But there’s always the danger that an active lifestyle could lead to injury. And for casual staff, who are unable to access sick leave, an injury that requires time off work can lead to serious financial difficulties. That’s why some super funds offer automatic income protection. Income protection offers some financial security if an illness or injury prevents someone from working. This is particularly important for casual workers, who often live on their income from week to week. The insurance allows workers to receive some income when they take time off work to recover.

Intrust Super’s insurance covers all eligible employees, including casual workers. The Fund’s PayGuard income protection insurance can provide financial security to your staff if an accident should happen that prevents them from working.

PayGuard can replace up to 90 per cent of an eligible member’s income. Eligible members can also be automatically covered up to $300,000 with Intrust Super’s life and disability insurance. Intrust Super’s combined insurance offering has been awarded Money magazine’s ‘Best Value Insurance in Super’ six years in a row.

EASING THE COMPLEXITY OF SUPERANNUATION

Superannuation can be a complex matter for most of your employees. That’s why Intrust Super provides an independent financial planning arm, Intrust360°, to help our members get the most out of their superannuation and their finances. While it can be beneficial to talk to a financial adviser face to face, finding the time is not always easy, especially while working odd hours in hospitality.

Intrust360° recently introduced a new, low-cost service, Phone360°, with these members in mind. Your staff can receive simple superannuation advice straight over the phone. With this phone advice service, more Intrust Super members can receive low-cost superannuation advice and improve their retirement outcomes.

Should your employees require more detailed financial advice, face-to-face appointments with the Intrust360° financial advisers are also available.

REWARDING YOUR STAFF NOW

On the move

Young hospitality staff don’t have time to prioritise superannuation when they won’t use it until the end of their working careers. That’s why Intrust Super has introduced a rewards program your staff can use to gain valuable benefits from their super right now.

Intrust Super Rewards gives your staff access to over 4,500 special offers and discounts over a range of categories – many of them discounts for travel and accommodation across Australia. They can also save money on trips to the cinema, the weekly grocery shop and even tickets to theme parks. n

HM looks at some of the key industry appointments in Asia-Pacific.

In response to its growing hotel pipeline and emerging business opportunities, Pro-invest Hotels Group has appointed MICHAEL BOURNE as Group Head of Operations. Bourne was previously Area General Manager with IHG, overseeing the SB&G Group hotel portfolio comprising the Intercontinental Melbourne Rialto, Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach, Crowne Plaza Canberra, Crowne Plaza MB Melbourne and Holiday Inn Potts Point. He has over 25 years of hotel experience in the luxury, boutique and lifestyle hotel sector holding senior multi-unit area general manager and general manager roles with major hotel groups including IHG, Hilton and QT Hotels.

Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific has appointed NIGEL WARWICK to the role of General Manager at Wyndham Sydney Suites. Warwick is an accomplished hospitality professional with experience across all aspects of the industry, including marketing, sales and hotel operations.

He joins Wyndham from TFE Hotels where he worked in numerous Australian and New Zealand properties, including NW as General Manager of Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Central and Vibe North Sydney.

LEON MASCARENHAS has been appointed as the new operations manager for the Heritage Collection based in the Auckland corporate office of Heritage Hotel Management Ltd. He has a diploma in hotel management from the India International Trade Centre, Mumbai and a comprehensive background in managing international and local hotels.

Mascarenhas began his professional career in Mumbai as the LM assistant manager at the Grand Hyatt where he worked for three years before moving to New Zealand. In Auckland he held roles at Skycity Grand and Stamford Plaza. Mascarenhas headed back overseas to take up the role of resort manager at the Buri Rasa Village Resort Thailand. Most recently he was with the Adina Apartment Hotel in Auckland.

KIRSTY LUCAS has been appointed National Sales and Partnership Manager at Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ low cost airline, reporting to Jared Simcox, Country Manager Australia, effective immediately. Lucas joins Scoot with over ten years travel and tourism industry experience, including an extensive background in sales, marketing and media, originally based in Perth, before relocating to Sydney in 2015. Prior to her new KL appointment, Lucas was the Regional Manager, Australia at TravMedia and has previously held positions in a variety of tourism based businesses, including TFE Hotels and Rottnest Fast Ferries in WA. hotelmanagement.com.au 57

Concierge Corner

Peter McBrearty, Les Clefs d’Or

The Langham Melbourne’s Kiwi Star HM sits down with The Langham Melbourne’s Concierge, SAM HALLETT Interview By Peter McBrearty How long have you been a Concierge for and tell us the path your career has taken.

I have been part of a Concierge team for 14 years now, of which 12 have been as a Concierge. I first began my hotel career as a porter at Citylife Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand. After a year I decided to move to the entertainment capital in Auckland at Skycity Hotel, where I worked for six years. I subsequently became a member of Les Clefs d’Or in 2008 and in 2011 my young family and I decided to move across the ditch to Melbourne.

I received a call from yourself (the Chief Concierge at The Langham, Peter McBrearty) on the day I arrived in the country, who arranged for me to come in for an interview for the Concierge position, and a day later I had signed a contract to start. From my perspective, it’s by far the best hotel currently in Melbourne, which makes it a dream job.

Have you had a particular role model in your own career as a professional Concierge?

No doubt my role model when I first started in hotels was Shaun Ryan, who was the Chief Concierge at Citylife Hotel, and was also later President of Les Clefs d’Or New Zealand.

Shaun actually declined my application when I first applied to work at Citylife Hotel, but I later reapplied and was offered a position. Shaun was also later my Chief Concierge at Skycity Hotel, so we worked together for over 6 years, and he was actually the main reason I applied for my Golden Keys.

58 HM The Business of Accommodation

How difficult was it for you initially on your arrival in Melbourne to take up a position as Concierge and begin advising guests on how to get the best out of their stay in what was at the time also a new city for you?

I have to say when I first started at the Concierge desk at The Langham I had my doubts about whether I could provide the type of service required at a 5-star hotel, but fortunately given you are an elder statesman of the Concierge industry Peter, and one of the most knowledgeable Concierge I’ve ever come across, helped, as you have been available to take my phone calls if I ever had a question from a guest I wasn’t sure about. You have been a major help and inspiration as a Concierge up to this day.

A major focus of the educational symposium at the recent UICH Les Clefs d’Or Congress in Seoul was on the incorporation of new technologies into the day to day service delivery of our members worldwide. Do you see the progressive impact and implementation of new technology as being a potential threat to the role of the Concierge, or more as a means to further enhance their guest service?

This is a difficult question, but there is definitely nothing like having the contacts that Les Clefs d’Or Concierge have in the industry and first-hand knowledge on your city. I believe technology can only improve our service levels and the speed with which we can deliver requests for our guests. n

The largest event on the Concierge calendar is the UICH Les Clefs d’Or International Congress, which this year took place in Seoul Korea. Nearly 450 Concierge from around the world met at the InterContinental COEX, hosted by Chief Concierge and President of Les Clefs d’Or Korea Stefan Kim. The warm hospitality and organizational skill of our Korean friends ensured the Congress was both enjoyable and educational, and as always the meetings provided us with the opportunity to learn and also further develop our international contacts. The educational symposium included addresses from neuroscientist DongSeon Chang; Gareth Long, Director of Operations Support, Australasia & Japan IHG; Andrew Pirret, Director Operations, Mobile Services, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts; and the legendary Gerard “Jerry” J Inzerillo, Chief Executive Officer, Forbes Travel Guide.

Discussions ranged across topics such as how the function of the human brain affects our perception of various visual and other cues – and the associated impact on our perception of guests, the power of emotional intelligence, whether there is a co-existence between emotional connectivity and evolving technology, and also the evolving influence of artificial intelligence and advancing technologies on the role of the hotel concierge. These potentially information dense subjects were presented in a very accessible and interesting format, and the presenters also conducted an animated question and answer session afterward.

We were also very happy to welcome our Indonesian associates as the newest section into UICH Les Clefs d’Or, and also into our own South East Asia and Oceania Zone, joining Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and The Philippines, in what really is a particularly dynamic region.

Next year’s Congress will be held in Cannes, and as it will coincide with the 90th anniversary of Les Clefs d’Or France, is expected to reach capacity very quickly now that registrations have commenced.

Our Sydney members continued the focus on evolving technology at their most recent bimonthly meeting at the Sofitel Darling Harbour, with a presentation from Fujitsu on existing and potential applications of technology in the hospitality industry – with one of our members observing that their own early adoption of body cameras had already substantially reduced the financial cost and time devoted to resolving disputed car damage claims. In mid-May our Sydney members joined with hotel front office staff and industry associates to conduct their Annual Hospitality Industry Scavenger Hunt, while our Melbourne members will hold theirs on June 17th. While these events are certainly a lot of fun, they also serve to surreptitiously educate our front of house staff on the attractions and services available for their guests in their respective cities.

Peter McBrearty is President of Les Clefs d’Or Australia and Chief Concierge at The Langham, Melbourne

Presents

2018

NOMINATIONS CLOSE FRIDAY JUNE 15, 2018 KEY DATES FOR 2018 Nominations Close Friday, June 15, 2018 Finalists Announced Monday, July 30, 2018 HM Awards 2018 Gala Presentation Dinner Friday, September 7, 2018 Venue International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney, Darling Harbour Dress Black tie Table bookings T: 0422 419 343 E: bookings@hmawards.com.au

Presenting the 2018 HM Awards The HM Awards are on for the 16th time in 2018 and HM Magazine is proud to have opened nominations online on Tuesday May 1, 2018. These awards independently recognise excellence in accommodation across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. The gala dinner heads to the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney for the first time on Friday, September 7 where, after more than 1,500 expected nominations are tallied, close to 45 winners will be announced across categories for properties, departments and people.

Sponsorship enquiries, contact: Adam Daff T: +61 (0)2 8586 6207 E: adaff@intermedia.com.au

Enter online at:

www.HMawards.com.au

132 467 intrust.com.au