Canadian Lodging News - January 2017 by Ishcom Publications

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C A N A D I A N

LodgingNews January 2017 | Vol. 13 | No. 10

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PHOTO: ALEX SARNA

Airbnb on HAC president’s priority list

By Colleen Isherwood, Editor

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

OTTAWA — Susie Grynol’s first five weeks on the job were a whirlwind, as the new HAC president and CEO, who hails from Fort Frances, Ont., flew to Toronto for meetings, attended her first Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) conference, and hosted her first board meeting and dinner in the same week. “I’m enjoying it immensely,” Grynol told CLN. “The industry has been incredibly welcoming and it’s been so energizing to meet my members, our strategic partners and my talented staff.” Grynol adds that her new position fulfills a long-term goal of being CEO of a national association. Her background includes a professional designation in association management, five years on Parliament Hill, eight years at the Asso-

ciation of Consulting Engineering CompaniesCanada (ACEC) running government relations, PR and events, and close to three years at the Retail Council of Canada, one of Canada’s largest trade associations, as head of their Ottawa office and the lead on Federal advocacy. She also holds a degree in history and political science. “One of the delightful surprises in my transition from retail to hotels is that many of the issues are similar. The legislative requirements and red tape for employers are the same; operational challenges like high merchant credit card fees are the same. The private sector business mentality of the membership also translates. But most importantly, I have a great deal of experience in developing and executing successful issue campaigns, and I’ll be doing very similar work for this industry.” One of her biggest priorities is to ensure that

the shared economy (Airbnb) plays by the same rules as hotels. “Our industry has no problem with competition as long as the multi-jurisdictional laws, like health and safety regulations and taxation, are applied equally.” Labour is another topic on her to-do list. “Many people falsely believe that acute labour shortages have gone away with the price of oil, but there are still legitimate labour shortages during peak seasonal periods all across Canada.” Grynol wants the government to acknowledge the seasonal nature of the accommodation sector and create a Seasonal Lodging Worker Program that would allow foreign, truly temporary, workers into Canada to fill the gap. As a girl from small-town northwestern Ontario, Grynol was one of five kids growing up. She attended French immersion from grades K-8 and was a gymnast, competing on the trampoline at a national level at the height of her career. She is also a Royal Conservatory trained pianist and was a professional singer in university. “Growing up I did what every small-town girl does — I fished, I spent time on the lake and I lived outdoors.” Grynol is passionate about young people. She spearheaded the launch of two Young Professional Programs, one at ACEC and the other when she was the elected president of the Canadian Society of Association Executives Ottawa Chapter. In the summer she volunteers as a musical director and camp counsellor at a bible camp in Fort Frances, and she mentors dozens of young people informally. “I was so fortunate to have mentors and leaders in my life who took the time to teach me and gave me countless opportunities to take on new projects. I believe everyone should benefit from such investment, particularly when they are young and trying to navigate through the quagmire of life.”

CLN’s 2017 Buyers’ Directory

CBRE: 2017 HOTEL OUTLOOK

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What’s in store for Red Lion/Vantage

BRIEFS Destination Canada supports tourism research VANCOUVER — Destination Canada, the University of Guelph and the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) have teamed up to support tourism researchers across Canada, it was announced Nov. 4. The partnership includes both a funding component and an open tourism research database where researchers can access thousands of raw data sets. The database includes over 52 million data points about travellers’ perceptions of Canada, representing survey results from just over 118,000 people surveyed from 2007-2013.

Tourism HR Canada Launches Rapid reSearch Tool From left: Roger Bloss, Greg Mount, Bernie Moyle and moderator David Eisen at the all-access session. By Colleen Isherwood, Editor LAS VEGAS — The first ever RLHC/Vantage conference took place last month in Las Vegas. Changes are in store following the Red Lion takeover of Vantage, and Canada is very much in the picture. Vantage Hospitality founders Roger Bloss and Bernie Moyle will be working with Red Lion president and CEO Greg Mount for the foreseeable future. And the Vantage name will be phased out gradually as new hotels come on board. The conference, held at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, answered many of the questions surrounding the deal announced on Sept. 13. To recap, Red Lion, which had 113 hotels at the time of signing, acquired Vantage’s more than 1,100 properties for $23 million in cash plus 690,000 shares of Red Lion common stock. Red Lion has Hotel RL, Red Lion Hotels, Red Lion Inn & Suites, GuestHouse and Settle Inn brands. Vantage’s brands are Americas Best Value Inns, Canadas Best Value Inns, Lexington by Vantage, and more. Together, they currently have 15 brands. While the deal may seem a bit like David taking over Goliath, Red Lion has two things Vantage needed: superior technology systems including the RevPAK suite of hotel manage-

ment programs; and presence in more upscale segments of the market. Mount will be president and CEO of the combined company, which now includes 1,250 hotels. Bloss will be EVP and president of global development and Moyle will be EVP and COO. Bill Linehan, who has been EVP and CMO of Red Lion for almost three years, will retain that title and round out the executive team. “If they’ll have me, then I’m staying,” said Moyle, 58, at an all-access session at the conference. “I love what I’m doing and I’m in for the long haul — easily a five-year run.” “I’m 60 and I’m not here forever,” said Bloss. “I chose RLHC and they liked our everything.” Said Moyle, “It will be a long time before Roger and I ride off into the sunset.” Mount explained that while they will retire the Vantage name internally, there will be no immediate change externally. “But as we add new hotels to the system, we will delete ‘by Vantage’,” he said. “The three of us agreed to keep existing partnerships in place, to keep the focus exactly where it has been,” said Bloss. “We are not going any further until we are best in class in that market ... and that includes Canada, eh!” He added that they are excited because they have an on-the-ground master license with Glen Blake, Rick Keane and Arun Deo for develop-

ment of select service brands. He noted that they will also be using Red Lion’s corporate development team to develop both Red Lion and Vantage upscale brands in Canada. “Before, we were waiting for new talent to kick in. Now that it’s kicked in, we can kick off !” Vantage has 33 Canadian hotels, two Lexingtons and the rest Canadas Best Value Inns, while Red Lion has just one Canadian property. Bloss, Moyle and Mount all expressed satisfaction with the deal. “When Greg came on [to Red Lion almost three years ago], we looked at them from afar,” said Bloss. “We approached them at the Lodging Conference in September. We liked what they did with GuestHouse. We were looking for a partnership; Bernie and I were not looking to be dismissed. That’s not what we wanted to do to our Vantage team and members.” Bloss and Moyle looked at the deal from their different perspectives. They looked at a map and saw where Red Lion’s existing properties complemented theirs and added strength in upscale sectors. “How can we not do this?” Bloss asked. “This was the right thing to do.” Mount’s view was more pragmatic. “Ultimately, the best barometer is how the public markets react. The 20 to 25 per cent growth subsequent to acquisition was a great barometer,” he said

APA Coast Coal Harbour Japanese style VANCOUVER – Downtown Vancouver now has a taste of Japanese hotel room chic, following the acquisition of Coast Hotels by APA Hotel Group. The Coast Coal Harbour Hotel was officially renamed the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel by APA and is the first APA branded hotel in Canada. APA will also be basing their North American operations in Vancouver. New features have now been added to guest rooms at the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel by APA, making it the first Coast Hotels property to incorporate these signature APA brand amenities. APA Hotels in Japan are known for high quality, highly functional and environmentally friendly rooms. New guest room features include: Japanese automatic bidets (TOTO), shown at right; 55-inch flat screen TVs; and welcoming origami cranes.

OTTAWA — Tourism HR Canada has launched the Rapid reSearch tool, it was announced in late November. The simple user interface allows analyses of jobs, hours worked, annual salary and hourly wages for multiple tourism occupations. Users can select the province, territory, industry group or occupation they are interested in. They can also select data specific to gender, age, immigrant status and work status. Data comes from the 2012 Provincial Territorial Human Resource Module (PTHRM). Tourism HR Canada is releasing the current version of Rapid reSearch to all stakeholders and will be seeking feedback on the interface in order to make improvements. When new PTHRM data is available in June 2017, the dataset will be updated and improvements to the Rapid reSearch interface will be made. The updated version will be available to members or for a small fee.

George Brown commerce and culinary degree TORONTO — Beginning September 2017, George Brown College Chef School students will pursue a bachelor of commerce with a culinary specialization, it was announced Nov. 10. The new Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Culinary Management), the first program of its kind in the country, aims to provide students with the tools they need to achieve and sustain long-term success in the food and beverage industry.

IHG introduces Amazon Kindle benefit to rewards club members DENHAM, UK — InterContinental Hotels Group’s IHG Rewards Club members in the U.S. can now receive complimentary access to a curated list of Kindle books from Amazon Publishing and Kindle Singles, it was announced Nov. 17. Kindle Singles — essays, memoirs, narratives and short stories — and Kindle editions of Amazon Publishing books are available to IHG Rewards Club members via the IHG app and can be read on any device, including smartphones and tablets, using the free Kindle app. Kindle Singles and Kindle editions of Amazon Publishing books will be offered to members based on their membership level. For example, Club members will be eligible to receive one Kindle Single or Kindle book from Amazon Publishing bi-annually.

January 2017 | 3

C A N A D I A N

LodgingNews

YEAR END REVIEW

2016 saw record-setting transactions SOME OF THE TOP TRANSACTIONS OF 2016 PUBLISHER

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

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

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

PARK INN & SUITES VANCOUVER DATE Jun-16 PRICE $52M ROOMS 117 PRICE/KEY $444,400 LOCATION Vancouver

NOVOTEL TORONTO CENTRE DATE Jun-16 PRICE $54M ROOMS 262 PRICE/KEY $206,100 LOCATION Toronto

FAIRMONT VANCOUVER AIRPORT DATE Sep-16 PRICE $90M ROOMS 286 PRICE/KEY $233,200 LOCATION Vancouver

FOUR SEASONS TORONTO DATE Sep-16 PRICE $225M ROOMS 259 PRICE/KEY $868,700 LOCATION Toronto

LE SQUARE PHILLIPS HOTEL & SUITES DATE Nov-16 PRICE $38M ROOMS 160 $237,500 PRICE/KEY LOCATION Montreal

Kristen Smith ext. 238 · ksmith@canadianlodgingnews.com ASSISTANT EDITOR

Bill Tremblay ext. 226 · wtremblay@canadianlodgingnews.com ASSISTANT EDITOR

Don Douloff ext. 232 · ddouloff@canadianrestaurantnews.com SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 · dmcgilvray@canadianlodgingnews.com ACCOUNT MANAGER

Kim Kerr ext. 229 · kkerr@canadianlodgingnews.com PRODUCTION

Felicia Mangiardi ext. 0 · fmangiardi@canadianlodgingnews.com

By Brian Flood and Vanessa Boland, CBRE Hotels 2016 was a record year for hotel investment in Canada with total transaction volume approaching $4.0 billion. Despite the weak investment climate in energy-based Canadian markets, investment activity — particularly in Metropolitan Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal — has remained strong. Activity was fuelled by the lower Canadian dollar, an abundance of equity capital, resilient debt market conditions, and an overall stable national economy. The level of domestic and foreign investor interest in Canadian real estate is at record levels, with strong representation from Asia and the Middle East. The number of single asset hotel transactions in 2016 increased by 7 per cent over 2015 levels, from 112 to 120 hotels. The overall sale price per room for single assets declined to $115,000 in 2016 versus $123,000 in 2015 due to a change in the asset profile from larger full service assets sold in 2015 to primarily limited and focused service hotels in 2016. Excluded from the above figures are the portfolio transactions which occurred in each year. The Canadian market typically sees a small number of portfolios trade in any given year; however, in 2015 and again in 2016 portfolio transactions have garnered strong

TRANSACTION VOLUME 2010-2016

4 | Canadian Lodging News

interest, particularly from overseas buyers. In 2015, the 23-property Fortis portfolio sold for approximately $365 million, while the 112-property InnVest REIT sale traded for $2.1 billion in 2016. Including the InnVest sale, the Canadian hotel market has seen a record total of 232 hotels change hands with a transaction volume of approximately $3.9 billion in 2016. This will be a banner year for hotel investment with overall deal volume exceeding the prior record of $3.8 billion seen in 2006 and 2007, when Legacy REIT, CHIP REIT and CP Resorts transacted. With strong demand for hotel investments, capitalization rates in key markets continued to decline through 2016 and are now at record low levels in several markets. This combined with strong operating numbers has driven hotel values to historic highs.

Central Canada On a regional basis, Central Canada (Ontario and Quebec) continues to dominate transaction volume, accounting for 70 per cent of all national trades in 2016. There were a total of 84 transactions this year versus 72 in 2015. The most active market was the Greater Toronto Area (25 sales) where notable transactions included the Four Seasons Toronto ($225 million), Novotel Toronto Centre ($54 million), and the Holiday Inn and Express Toronto Markham ($31.8 million). In Montreal, there were a total of five trades in 2016, with two notable transactions: Le Square Phillips Hotel & Suites ($38 million) and the Sheraton Montreal Airport ($50.8 million).

Western Canada British Columbia and Vancouver in particular continued to report robust investment activity accounting for approximately 18 per cent of aggregate trades, with five hotels transacting in Vancouver. Notable trades in Vancouver include the Fairmont Vancouver Airport ($90 million) and the Park Inn & Suites Vancouver ($52 million). The Alberta and Saskatchewan markets reported a limited amount of investment activity. Weak operating results and investor uncertainty about the long awaited recovery

have curtailed sales activity at the present time. Other than the sale of a 50 per cent interest in the Candlewood Suites & Holiday Inn Edmonton West ($172,900 per key) and the Four Points by Sheraton Edmonton Airport ($153,600 per key), most transactions occurred in tertiary markets at low per-key values between $60,000 and $70,000. Saskatchewan had no transaction activity this year.

Eastern Canada Single-asset hotel transaction activity in Eastern Canada continued to be sluggish with limited product coming to market. Trades were only seen in the province of New Brunswick, all involving limited service properties.

Hotel trades outlook for 2017 The outlook for hotel investment in Canada is favourable through 2017. While we anticipate there will be gradual increases in interest rates through 2017, there remains high investor confidence in the commercial real estate sector. Investment real estate and hotel real estate in particular, will continue to attract investors and entrepreneurs alike. Bill Stone (shown at left), executive vice-president with CBRE Hotels Capital Markets Group, provided his outlook for the coming year. “2017 will be one of the decade’s most active years, on the heels of an exceptional 2016. Canada continues to be recognized as a safe capital haven with robust operating fundamentals, particularly in its three largest markets. Competition for hotel assets will remain strong with multiple bids following tight marketing programs, attracting Canadian, U.S. and offshore investors from around the globe.” Brian Flood (brian.flood@cbre.com) is a senior managing director of CBRE Hotels’ Valuation & Advisory Group in Canada; Vanessa Boland (vanessa. boland@cbre.com) is an analyst with CBRE Hotels, Toronto. CBRE Hotels is the largest dedicated hospitality group offering professional services to the Canadian hospitality and tourism industries.

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Peter Elliott ext. 228 · pelliott@canadianlodgingnews.com CONTROLLER

Stacey Holmes ext. 237 · sholmes@canadianlodgingnews.com

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

CANADIAN LODGING NEWS VOLUME 13 · NO. 10 · January 2017 Canadian Lodging News (www.canadianlodgingnews.com) is published 10 times a year by Ishcom Publications Ltd., 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ont. L4X 2W1 T: (905) 206-0150 · F: (905) 206-9972 · Toll Free: 1(800)201-8596 Other publications include the Canadian Chains and Buyers’ Directory as well as: P A C I F I C / P R A I R I E

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Canadian Lodging News Buyers’ Directory

Research by: Peter Elliott Amenities Appliances (Hair dryers, Irons, Clocks, Radios & Docking Stations) Andis Company B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Classic Coffee Concepts Inc. Conair Hospitality/Cuisinart Canada Dynamic Digital Tech nologies Hamilton Beach Commercial Hunter Amenities Int. Ltd. Jarden Consumer Solutions/Sunbeam Jerdon First Class/ Focus Products Group, LLC JustSteph Sales Inc. KBC Specialty Products Inc. Minibar North America Inc. One Shop Hospitality Supply Preferred Alliance Group Guest Supply Canada Inc. TAG Umbrellas True North Hospitality Unisource Canada Inc. Water Pik Canada Whirlpool Canada Winsham Fabrik Canada Ltd. Coffee/Tea Equipment & Accessories Boyds Coffee Company Bunn-O-Matic Corporation of Canada Canterbury Coffee Corporation Classic Coffee Concepts Inc. Faema Canada JustSteph Sales Inc. Keurig Brewing Systems

Keurig Green Mountain Kraft Heinz Foodservice Inc. Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee Inc. Nespresso Canada Recoplast Ltd. Seattle’s Best Starbuck’s Coffee Canada Stir Sticks & Picks International Inc. Van Houtte Inc.

Bathrooms Bathroom Amenities

ADA Cosmetics International Canada Inc.

Cannon Hygiene Custom Amenities Dante Group International Ltd. Deb Canada Essential Amenities Inc. Great Lakes Design Guest Supply Canada Inc. Hunter Amenities Int. Ltd. Jerdon First Class/Focus Products Group, LLC JustSteph Sales Inc. Kruger Products Lather Inc. Lion Industries Marietta Corp. Olivier Soaps Orkin Canada Purely Saltspring Sara Grace Products Swisssol Creative Body Care Tork Hygiene Products, division of SCA Unisource Canada Inc. Bathroom Fixtures Bradley Corporation BrassCraft Canada

6 | Canadian Lodging News

Ltd. Cannon Hygiene Delta Faucet Canada Dessco Design Solid Surface Counters Dyson Canada Hansgrohe Inc. Kohler Co. (Destination Kohler) Masco Canada Limited, Plumbing Group Moen Faucets Inc. RONA Inc. Tissues & Paper Products Cascades Tissue Group Kruger Products Guest Supply Canada Inc. Tork Hygiene Products, division of SCA Towels, Bathmats & Robes American Hotel Register D.B.A. Canadian Hotel Supply Cantex Distribution Inc Diversey Care, a Division of Sealed Air Fisher Distributing George Courey Inc. Great Lakes Design Guest Supply Canada Inc. Image Distributors (Canada) Ltd. Jani-King Canada JRS Amenities Ltd. Lieberman Tranchemontagne Inc. Lubertex Inc Otelia inc. Robe Works (The) Standard Textile Swisssol Creative Body Care Table Top Resources - Frette Tex-Pro Western Limited The Mansfield Robe Co. True North Hospitality Unisource Canada Inc. Winsham Fabrik Canada Ltd.

Bedrooms Beds, Bedding & Drapery American Hotel Register D.B.A. Canadian Hotel Supply A-Z Foam B.C. Murphy Wall-Bed Ltd. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Caber Sure Fit Daniadown Quilts Ltd. Eden Textile Encore Draperies Inc. Foundations

Hamida Textiles Hospitality Contract Group Inc Hypnos Canada / Araam Sleep Products Instant Bedrooms Lieberman Tranchemontagne Inc. Lubertex Inc Lutex Design Inc. Marina Textiles Marshall Mattress Co. Ltd. North Star Bedding Ltd. Northern Feather Ltd. Park Avenue Furniture Protect-A-Bed Restwell Sleep Products/Restwell Mattress Co. Sealy Canada Ltd. Serta Mattress Co. Simmons Hospitality Bedding StaminaFibre, formerly FR Systems International Standard Textile T.S.I. Texstyles Tempur-Canada Therapedic/Sleepking/ Crown Design Workroom by Design, formerly Famous Swiss Decor

Blankets, Comforters, Duvets & Pillows George Courey Inc. Guest Supply Canada Inc. Koni Hospitality Canada Les Textiles Patlin Inc. Lubertex Inc Northern Feather Ltd. Otelia inc. Protect-A-Bed Standard Textile Table Top Resources - Frette True North Hospitality Winsham Fabrik Canada Ltd. Mattresses & Protectors A-Z Foam B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Guest Supply Canada Inc. Marshall Mattress Co. Ltd. Restwell Sleep Products/Restwell Mattress Co. Serta Mattress Co. Simmons Hospitality Bedding Tempur-Canada Therapedic/Sleepking/ Crown Design

Energy Energy Management AJM Solutions Group Inc. BC Hydro/Power Smart Carrier Canada Inc. CuraFlo of BC Ltd. Direct Energy Enbridge Gas Distribution Energex Inc. Enerplace Inc. Gordon R. Williams Corporation HTS Engineering Ltd. LG Electronics Canada Lodging Technology Natural Resources

Canada/Office of Energy Efficiency NRG Equipment Inc. Onity, a Division of United Technologies Rinnai SAFLOK, member of the Kaba Group Swiss Solar Tech. Ltd. Telkonet Inc. Union Gas Verdant Environmental Technologies York International Ltd., a Johnson Controls Co. HVAC AJM Solutions Group Inc. Belimo Aircontrols (Canada) Ltd. Gordon R. Williams Corporation LG Electronics Canada NRG Equipment Inc. Rinnai

Equipment, Supplies & Uniforms ATMs Access Cash / Cash N’ Go DC Payments, formerly Direct Cash Frisco ATMs Carts Architectural Brass Co. Cambro Manufacturing Company Cari-All Products Inc. Forbes Industries Guest Supply Canada Inc. Image Distributors (Canada) Ltd. Johnson-Rose Inc. Rubbermaid Canada Commercial Products Shelby Williams Industries Inc. Techstar Plastics Inc. The Diamond Group

Dishwashers/ Warewashers

Garland Canada, a Division of Manitowoc Haddon Holdings Limited Dispensers (Beverage) Dispense Rite Distex M & M Inc. Johnson-Rose Inc. KGB Marketing, Inc. Minibar North America Inc. Precision Pours Inc. Specialty Beverage Solutions SupraMatic Inc. Exercise Equipment Brigadoon Fitness Health & Fitness Group International HydroTher Commercial Spa & Wellness Equipment Keystone Everything Sports Medical Inc. Life Fitness True Fitness Technology Kitchen Equipment Alto-Shaam Canada Inc. American Range Bakers Pride Oven Company, a Standex Company Best Manufacturers, Inc. Celco Inc. Chef Works Canada Inc. Chesher Equipment Ltd. Cookshack Inc. Crown Verity Inc. Cuisinart Canada Earthstone Wood/Gas

Fire Ovens G.S. Blodgett Inc. Garland Canada, a Division of Manitowoc GBS Foodservice Equipment Hanson Brass Hatco Corporation Henny Penny Corporation Hobart Food Equipment Group Canada Igloo Refrigeration Permul Limited Pitco Frialator Inc. Prince Castle Inc. Rational Canada Inc. Regal Ware Inc. Regethermic Canada SML Stainless Steel Group Specialty Beverage Solutions Star Manufacturing International Inc. The Diamond Group The Middleby Corporation Turbo Chef Zanduco Restaurant Equipment & Supplies Inc. Ice Machines / Makers / Refrigeration B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Cool King Refrigeration Ltd. Diamond Ice Systems Inc. Distex M & M Inc. Garland Canada, a Division of Manitowoc Guest Supply Canada Inc. Hoshizaki America Inc. Ice-O-Matic/Mile High Equipment Co. Ltd. Kolpak Walk-in Refrigeration, a Manitowoc Company LG Electronics Canada Manitowoc Ice Inc. Master-Bilt MicroFridge, Division of Danby Spa Supplies & Services HydroTher Commercial Spa & Wellness Equipment Storage & Racking Big Steel Box Bundy Baking Solutions Carter - Hoffmann Johnson-Rose Inc. MKE Industries Rubbermaid Canada Commercial Products Specialty Beverage Solutions Swimming Pools & Accessories Aquatics by Westwind Hayward Commercial Pool Products Superior Spa & Pool Swimeeze Swim Suits,

a Division of ESP Western Recreation & Development Inc. Uniforms & Protective Apparel Blackwood Career Apparel & Essentials Canadian Linen and Uniform Service Chef Works Canada Inc. Chef’s Hat Inc. - La Toque Demagny Cintas - The Uniform People Executive Mat Service Forma Uniforms Hospitality Uniforms and Supplies Lieberman Tranchemontagne Inc. Mark’s Commercial Noel Asmar Design/ Spa Uniforms Inc. San Jamar Shoes For Crews, LLC Showa-Best Glove Skechers Town & Country Uniforms Inc. VF Imagewear Vending Machines Coca-Cola Beverages Ltd. The Playdium Store, formerly Starburst Coin Machines Inc.

Food & Beverage Products Beverages (NonAlcoholic) Canterbury Coffee Corporation Coca-Cola Beverages Ltd. Fisher Distributing Icelandic Glacial Inc. Kinetico Canada Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee Inc. Nestle Canada Inc. Pepsi Foods Canada Breakfast Foods Basic American Foods Burnbrae Farms Ltd. Cavendish Farms Danone Inc. EggSolutions General Mills Bakeries and Foodservice Godiva Chocolatier Inc. Heartland Food Products Kellogg Canada Inc. Kraft Heinz Foodservice Inc. Lamb Weston Canada Maple Leaf Foodservice McCain Foods Canada Natrel, a Division of Agropur Nespresso Canada Nestle Canada Inc. Pepsi Foods Canada Rich Products of Canada Ltd.

Smucker Foods Canada TMF - The Meat Factory Tyson Foodservice

Furnishing & Decor Art & Wall Coverings Crown Wallpaper & Fabrics Metro Wall Coverings One Shop Hospitality Supply PI Creative Art Tech Stone FIoor & Wall Coatings Inc. Banquet Tables & Chairs Bum Contract Contract Supply Corp. Davidson Furniture Specialties Ltd. Dor-Val Mfg. Ltd. Fort Marketing Ltd. Groupe Bermex Holsag Canada Jamco Wood Products Ltd. Maywood Furniture Corp. Rodo Industries, aka The Table and Chair Co. Schoolhouse Products Inc. Sico America Southern Aluminum Carpets & Flooring 4M Trading Company Altro Canada Inc. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Bethel International Durkan Pattern Carpeting HD Supply Facilities Maintenance Milliken Carpet Odyssey Wallcoverings Universal Interiors Inc. Workroom by Design, formerly Famous Swiss Decor Chairs Architectural Brass Co. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Bethel International Bum Contract Contract Supply Corp. Dalfen Sales Agency Davidson Furniture Specialties Ltd. Decor-Resto Inc. Dor-Val Mfg. Ltd. Dumyat Fine Furniture Firma Bath Furniture, Div. of Carpano Int. Foliot Furniture Global Upholstery Co. Inc. Groupe Bermex Holsag Canada Homecrest Outdoor Living Hotel Concepts Ltd. Hotel Fun 4 Kids/Hotel & Leisure Living Importation Judecor

Iron Furniture Ltd. Jamco Wood Products Ltd. Jetco Mfg. Ltd. JSP Industries Keca International Inc. Noram Interiors Rodo Industries, aka The Table and Chair Co. Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Schoolhouse Products Inc. Shelby Williams Industries Inc. Simmons Hospitality Bedding Sita Enterprises Ltd. Southern Aluminum Specialty Beverage Solutions The Robert Allen Group Guest Room Furniture (Including Case Goods Advance Furniture Ltd B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Best Buy BSG Furniture Credible Upholstery Dalfen Sales Agency Decor-Rest Furniture Ltd. Dumyat Fine Furniture Emond Enterprises Foliot Furniture Groupe Bermex Hospitality Designs I.S.A.C. Hotelier Importation Judecor Jamco Wood Products Ltd. JSP Industries Park Avenue Furniture RHB Enterprises Inc St-Damase Furniture The Robert Allen Group Lamps & Lighting 4M Trading Company Altro Canada Inc. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Best Buy Bethel International Brite Lite Wholesale Lighting Distributors Decor-Rest Furniture Ltd. GE Lighting Hotelite Inc. Ideal Electric Mfg Co. JSP Industries Lion Industries Litemode Limited Panasonic Canada Inc. RHB Enterprises Inc Sylvania Ledvance Tai Pan Lighting Co. The LED Company True North Hospitality Unilight Universal Interiors Inc. Workroom by Design, formerly Famous Swiss Decor Outdoor Furniture Andrew Richards Designs Architectural Brass Co.

B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Bekke Systems Bethel International Bum Contract Contract Supply Corp. Dalfen Sales Agency Davidson Furniture Specialties Ltd. Dor-Val Mfg. Ltd. Eagle One Products Eliason Corporation Firma Bath Furniture, Div. of Carpano Int. Fort Marketing Ltd. Grosfillex Homecrest Outdoor Living Iron Furniture Ltd. Jamco Wood Products Ltd. Patio Frontiers Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Schoolhouse Products Inc. Shelby Williams Industries Inc. Simmons Hospitality Bedding Sofas Architectural Brass Co. B.H.G. (Brick Hospitality Group) Bethel International Contract Supply Corp. Credible Upholstery Dalfen Sales Agency Dor-Val Mfg. Ltd. Firma Bath Furniture, Div. of Carpano Int. Iron Furniture Ltd. Jamco Wood Products Ltd. Park Avenue Furniture Schoolhouse Products Inc. Shelby Williams Industries Inc. Simmons Hospitality Bedding Sofa So Good Stylus Sofas Inc. The Robert Allen Group

Laundry/Cleaning Products Chemicals & Disinfectants Abell Pest Control Inc. Avmor Ltd Cannon Hygiene Chix/Polymer Group Inc. (PGI) Clorox Professional Products Company Diversey Care, a Division of Sealed Air

ECOLAB

5105 Tomken Rd. Mississauga, ON L4W 2X5 Tel: 1-800-352-5326 Fax: 1-800-665-5256 www.whycleanmatters.com marketing@ecolab.ca

Enerplace Inc. Haddon Holdings Limited

Host/Racine Industries Jani-King Canada Nilfisk-Advance Canada Company Oreck Hospitality Canada Procter & Gamble Professional Rochester Midland Ltd. Sexauer Ltd Source 1 Distributors Sparkle Solutions Swissh Commercial Equipment Inc Unisource Canada Inc. Winning Brands Corporation Cleaning Services Clorox Professional Products Company Ecolab Co. Jani-King Canada

Proctor & Gamble Professional

4711 Yonge Street Toronto, ON M2N 6K8 Tel: 1-800-332-7787 www.pgpro.ca

Pure Solutions, N.A. Dryers & Washers Alberta Laundry Systems Alliance Laundry Systems LLC / Unimac Blakeslee, a Legacy Company Coinamatic Commercial Laundry Inc. Coldstream Commercial Sales Inc. Continental Girbau Inc. Electrolux Professional Laundry / Distributed by LaundryLux G. A. Braun Inc. Haddon Holdings Limited

Hobart Food Equipment Group Canada Image Distributors (Canada) Ltd. Laundrylux LG Electronics Canada Maytag Commercial Laundry Miele Limited Milnor Laundry Systems/Pellerin Milnor Corporation Ontario Laundry Systems Inc. Source 1 Distributors Stalwart Machinery & Supplies Wascomat Laundry Equipment / Distributed by LaundryLux Whirlpool Canada Ironing Equipment Coinamatic Commercial Laundry Inc. Continental Girbau Inc.

Electrolux Professional Laundry / Distributed by LaundryLux Harco Co. Ltd. Image Distributors (Canada) Ltd. Wascomat Laundry Equipment / Distributed by LaundryLux Whirlpool Canada Pest & Odour Control Abell Pest Control Inc. Alpine Pest Control Vancouver Canadian Pest Control Diversey Care, a Division of Sealed Air Jani-King Canada Nilfisk-Advance Canada Company Oreck Hospitality Canada Orkin Canada Poulin’s Professional Pest Control Services Procter & Gamble Professional Protect-A-Bed Reckitt Benckiser Canada Inc. Rentokil Canada Inc. Unisource Canada Inc. Vacuum Cleaners Diversey Care, a Division of Sealed Air Dyson Canada Guest Supply Canada Inc. Host/Racine Industries Jani-King Canada

Nilfisk-Advance Canada Company Oreck Hospitality Canada Swissh Commercial Equipment Inc. TTI Canada (Hoover) Unisource Canada Inc. Windsor Industries, a Karcher Company Member

Safety/ Security Alarms ADT Security Services Canada Ltd. Apple Security ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Ltd./VingCard Elsafe Dometic Canada Identicam Systems Level It /Select Hospitality Systems LOC International Inc. Key Cards / Locks AJM Solutions Group Inc. ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Ltd./VingCard Elsafe Dometic Canada Identicam Systems Impark Wireless

January 2017 | 7

Inncom by Honeywell Kaba Ilco Level It /Select Hospitality Systems LOC International Inc. Onity, a Division of United Technologies Salto Inspired Access Occupancy Sensors ADT Security Services Canada Ltd. Apple Security ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Ltd./VingCardElsafe Dometic Canada Identicam Systems Inncom by Honeywell Kaba Ilco Level It /Select Hospitality Systems LOC International Inc. Optima Systems Inc. SAFLOK, member of the Kaba Group Surveillance Equipment ADT Security Services Canada Ltd. Apple Security ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Ltd./VingCard Elsafe Dometic Canada Identicam Systems Kaba Ilco LOC International Inc. Onity, a Division of United Technologies Optima Systems Inc. SAFLOK, member of the Kaba Group Vaults & Safes AJM Solutions Group Inc. Kaba Ilco Knox Electronic Ltd. Level It /Select Hospitality Systems Minibar North America Inc. Safemark Systems Visual Planning Corp.

Services & Associations Accounting Services & Equipment Grant Thornton LLP KPMG PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Advertising & Printing Beaver Press Ltd. BTL Construction Knife & Fork Productions Teksign Inc. Architectural & Design Chamberlain Architect Services Limited CPNA Contract Partners of North America Emond Enterprises Hager Design International

Hirschberg Design Group Inc. HOK Design Patricia McClintock & Associes Royal Design Inc. Consultants Above the Line Solutions Altus Group Avendra Chemistry Business & Human Resources Consultants CHIC Hospitality Consulting Services CBRE CPNA Contract Partners of North America Creative Impressions Inc. Cushman Wakefield CWB Franchise Finance Grant Thornton LLP Hotel Fun 4 Kids/Hotel & Leisure Living HVS JRoss Recruiters KPMG Ontario Tourism Education Corporation Pet on Vacation PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Renard International Hospitality Search Consultants Rescue 7 Sabre Hospitality Services Sensors Quality Management Inc Smart Serve Ontario Sodexo Ontrak Purchasing Services STEM Consulting & Marketing Inc. Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) Thindata, a Transcontinental Company Tourism HR Canada, formerly Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council Tyne Hospitality Services Ltd. Vizergy Credit Cards, Processing & Money Handling American Express (Amex Canada) Cummins Allison ULC DC Payments, formerly Direct Cash Diners Club International, a part of BMO Financial Group Discover Card Global Payments Canada Inc. Interac Lanyon Passkey Master Card Moneris Solutions VersaPay Corporation VISA Canada Financial & Leasing CFO Capital CWB Franchise Fi-

8 | Canadian Lodging News

nance Synergy Merchant Services Hotel Associations Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association British Columbia Hotel Association Canadian Hotel Marketing & Sales Executives Canadian Resort Development Association Destination Canada, formerly Canadian Tourism Commission Greater Toronto Hotel Association Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Hotel Association of Canada Hotel Association of Nova Scotia Manitoba Hotel Association Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association Ontario Tourism Education Corporation Ontario’s Finest Inns & Spas Quebec Hotel Association Resorts of Ontario Restaurants Canada Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association Tourism Industry Association of Canada Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia Tourism Industry Association of PEI Insurance Arthur J Gallager Group Lockhart Inc. Western Financial Group Laundry Services Alsco Canada Corp. Apex Upholstery Coinamatic Commercial Laundry Inc. Executive Mat Service Sparkle Solutions Parking ParkSmart Inc., a Coinamatic Company Precise Parklink Real Estate CBRE/CBRE Hotels Colliers International Cushman & Wakefield IHA Inc.International Hotel Appraisers Interval International NAI Global Royal LePage Tyne Hospitality Services Ltd. Transportation Mercedes Benz

Canada

Table Top China Browne + Co. Dudson (North America) Fortessa of Canada Globe Hotelware Agency Inc. Hall China, an HLC Company Homer Laughlin China Co. Johnson-Rose Inc. Libbey Canada Inc. Morton-Parker Ltd. Noritake Canada Limited Oneida, an Everyware Global Company Puddifoot Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Steelite International Canada Ltd. Syracuse China Company, A Libbey Foodservice Company Tableware Solutions Ltd. Trudeau Corporation Villeroy & Boch Tableware / Sirius Table top Corp. World Tableware Inc., A Div. of Libbey Foodservice Company WWRD Canada Inc. Glassware Browne + Co. Dudson (North America) Fortessa of Canada Globe Hotelware Agency Inc. Hall China, an HLC Company Puddifoot Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Steelite International Canada Ltd. Syracuse China Company, A Libbey Foodservice Company Tableware Solutions Ltd. World Tableware Inc., A Div. of Libbey Foodservice Company WWRD Canada Inc. Holloware EcoDays.ca Fortessa of Canada Globe Hotelware Agency Inc. Morton-Parker Ltd. Oneida, an Everyware Global Company Puddifoot Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Syracuse China Company, A Libbey Foodservice Com-

pany Tableware Solutions Ltd. WWRD Canada Inc Silverware Dudson (North America) Fortessa of Canada Globe Hotelware Agency Inc. Johnson-Rose Inc. Morton-Parker Ltd. Oneida, an Everyware Global Company Puddifoot Regal Ware Inc. Russell Food Equipment Ltd. Steelite International Canada Ltd. Syracuse China Company, A Libbey Foodservice Company Tableware Solutions Ltd. WWRD Canada Inc. Tablecloths, Placemats & Napkins Canadian Linen and Uniform Service Globe Hotelware Agency Inc. Guest Supply Canada Inc. Hamida Textiles Hospitality Emporium Hospitality Uniforms and Supplies Kidzsmart North America Leader Laminators Limited Milliken & Co. Napery Division Mor’s Menu Cover Tricific Enterprises Inc.

Technology Cash Registers & POS Agilysys Inc. Casio Canada Ltd. Diya Enterprises Ltd. (ACS Division) Dynamic Digital Technologies Global Payments Canada Inc. Lanyon Passkey Maestro Property Management Solutions Moneris Solutions MSI Solutions Optima Systems Inc. Oracle Hospitality Panasonic Canada Inc. PAR Canada Posera - HDX POSERA Inc./ Maitre’D Resortsuite Scannabar Silverware POS Inc. Squirrel Systems Technic POS Travel Click Electronic Games & Internet Access

Allstream / Zayo Group Canopco, division of Globalive Communications, Corp. Datavalet Technologies Inc. Guest-Tek Horizon Networks Group Instacomm Canada Mitel Networks Corp. Panasonic Canada Inc. Rogers Comunications Inc. Sasktel Shaw Communications Inc. Sonifi, formerly Lodgenet Teledex Williams Telecommunications Corp. In-Room Entertainment Systems Bell TV Best Buy Captivate Network CES Distribution InnVue LG Electronics Canada National Entertainment Group Panasonic Canada Inc. PC Music Philips Electronics Ltd. Rogers Comunications Inc. Samsung Electronics Canada Sharp Electronics of Canada Shaw Communications Inc. Sonifi, formerly Lodgenet Stingray Music Technicolor Inc. Visions Business Solutions Property Management Systems Agilysys Inc. Autoclerk HMS Infotech Pvt. Ltd.

InnSource Solutions Inc. IQWare Maestro Property Management Solutions MSI Solutions Oracle Hospitality RSI International SkyTouch Technology Smart Hotel Software Tier One Hospitality Solutions WebRezPro Property Management System Software ( Front & Back of the House) Amadeus, formerly Newmarket

Cheftec / Culinary Software Services Dynamic Digital Technologies Global Payments Canada Inc. Infor Hospitality Systems Lanyon Passkey LOC International Inc. Onity, a Division of United Technologies PAR Canada Posera - HDX POSERA Inc./ Maitre’D Resortsuite RSI International Scannabar Silverware POS Inc. Squirrel Systems Tier One Hospitality Solutions Travel Click Virtual Visit Presentations Inc. WebRezPro Property managment systems Telecommunications, A/V, Video Conferences & VOIP Advanced Products Group Allstream / Zayo Group Avaya Canada Corp. Bell TV Canopco, division of Globalive Communications, Corp. Connex Telecommunications cStar Technologies Inc. Datavalet Technologies Inc. Dvise Telecom Solutions Guest-Tek Hanson Software Development Corporation Horizon Networks Group Instacomm Canada Lenbrook Industries Inc. Logiverbe Inc. Mitel Networks Corp. PhoneSuite Promoware Corp. Rogers Comunications Inc. Sasktel Scitec Inc. / Cetis Group Shaw Communications Inc. Sonifi, formerly Lodgenet Sound Products Limited Teledex Telus Corporation Virtual Visit Presentations Inc. Visual Planning Corp. Williams Telecommunications Corp. Wired & Wireless Networks Agilysys Inc FatPort, Div. of Skyboard Corp. Liveport

IT’S NOT JUST A NEW HOTEL BRAND.

IT’S A GAME CHANGER.

An innovative midscale hotel brand, Tru by Hilton, is storming the market. Development momentum is strong and enthusiasm contagious as our first properties get ready to open this March.

Be a part of the momentum. Become a partner at trubyhilton.com

Thanks to owner and customer input and insights, every detail is crafted for operational simplicity. Rooms, lobby and amenities allow guests to connect in never-before-seen ways.

Colleen O’Shea, Sr Manager U.S. East + Canada 773-263-4681 Colleen.OShea@Hilton.com

TRU IS ALREADY A WINNER: •

Boutique Design 2016 Gold Key Awards, Winner, Judges’ “So Cool” Award

•

Fast Company’s 2016 Innovation by Design, Finalist, Branded Environment

•

The Stevie Awards 2016, Bronze, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Consumer Services

Matt Clark, Sr Manager U.S. West 901-374-5317 Matthew.Clark@Hilton.com

EDITORIAL

Are relationships thawing between OTAs and brands? For years, part of every brand conference message was a warning about the evils of online travel agencies (OTAs) and how their inordinately high commissions were sucking the profits out of hoteliers’ pockets. But times are changing. In December, I attended back-to-back conferences in Las Vegas: the Red Lion Hotels Corporation (RLHC) conference and the Expedia Partner Conference. The last session I attended at the RLHC conference provided a great segue to Expedia. Melissa Maher, senior vice-president, global partner group at Expedia, was on hand to talk about the recent Expedia/Red Lion deal. And she noted that Best Western and Marriott had also struck deals with Expedia this year. Last August, Expedia and RLHC began offering RLHC’s exclusive “Hello Rewards” member-only rates on Expedia.com and Hotels.com (in the U.S.), and providing direct member signup for Hello Rewards from these sites. “It can be difficult for brands to generate any real, meaningful demand or ROI though loyalty programs without spending substantial amounts

of marketing dollars on a long-term basis,” RLHC CMO Bill Linehan said at the time. “Our approach is to be extremely respectful of the guest and the channel they chose to make their booking, so we in turn view OTAs like Expedia as partners and make sure we leverage their marketing and innovation investments to drive both customer acquisition and future loyalty.” When Melissa Maher addressed the RLHC conference, she referred to Linehan’s goals for the partnership. “He wanted to convert Expedia customers into Red Lion customers, and he wanted to grow Hello Rewards. “It’s a way to drive business direct to you,” she explained to the audience of RLHC franchisees. “If they leave Expedia and didn’t book with us, then there is a Red Lion Hotel offer for a particular hotel or brand, that links them to the hotel site.” The 2016 results for Red Lion show the program is working, with room nights up 37 per cent year over year, packages up 56 per cent and mobile bookings up 41 per cent. In September, Expedia announced a new partnership with Marriott International, which integrates Expedia’s technology to power Marriott’s own dynamic packaging platform “Vaca-

tions by Marriott” on Marriott.com in the United States. “We believe there is considerable untapped opportunity between our two companies to drive value to hotel owners and travellers alike by strengthening our Vacations by Marriott’s offering,” said Arne M. Sorenson, CEO of Marriott International. In mid-November, Expedia and Best Western Hotels announced a strategic venture that includes the adoption of Expedia’s MeetingMarket software by more than 200 Best Western Hotels across Germany, making Best Western the first global hotel brand to white label the technology. Starting early this year, MeetingMarket will be integrated into Best Western’s German homepage, www.bestwestern.de, allowing it to strategically direct its meeting and conference business using Expedia’s technology. Using the MeetingMarket software, not only can customers instantly check availability and pricing information, but they can also independently configure and book meeting rooms, accommodation, food and equipment with just a few clicks. The dynamic platform accelerates and simplifies a process which has been largely manual, inefficient and time-consuming for hotels and

event-planners. Hotels are also provided with the tools to monitor and manage their MICE sales more effectively with detailed performance reports and data on their competitive set. Three things have happened over the past few years to change the OTA/brand dynamics. Brands are recognizing Expedia’s test and learn environment that allows the company to leverage its technology to identify and test new products that meet partner business goals, while also adapting to changes in the marketplace. Scale is becoming a good reason to partner with them. Greg Mount, president and CEO of Red Lion, provided the analogy of where mustard is placed on a grocery shelf. “Where do we have our hotels placed on the shelf and how do we stand out?” he asked. With all its subsidiaries, Expedia simply has more shelves. There’s something else that’s working to ease the brand/OTA wars. “Our commissions have been coming down year over year for the past seven or eight years,” said Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to media at the conference. “The Internet is a scale business, and commissions can be very competitive with any distribution system.” — Colleen Isherwood, Editor

PROVINCIAL NEWS TIAPEI Tourism Awards CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI — On Nov. 24, 2016 the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island (TIAPEI) presented its 35th Annual Tourism Awards Gala at the Red Shores Racetrack and Casino. The evening saw the tourism industry recognize individuals in the industry who have contributed a high degree of professionalism and/or support in the tourism industry. Doug Bridges served as MC for the evening, where a total of 10 awards were handed out. Hotel industry winners included: • David & Alfred Groom, Quality Inn Garden of the Gulf and Brother 2 Restaurant – Hospitality Award for Prince County;

From left: Award winner Ian Cheverie, from The Great George Hotel and Frank Lewis, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island.

1 0 | Canadian Lodging News

•

Ian Cheverie, The Great George – Hospitality Award for Queens County; • Mary-Helen MacLeese, Meetings and Conventions P.E.I. – Walt Wheeler Media Award; and • Mel Gass, former politician and Cavendish hotel owner – Dr. Kent Ellis Quality of Excellence Award; Tourism is a vital industry in Prince Edward Island that provides over 7,700 full time equivalent jobs for Islanders. It accounts for approximately $401 million in economic activity each year and 7 per cent of GDP, the highest percentage of any Canadian province.

MHA’S 88th Convention and Tradeshow well-received by all WINNIPEG — The 88th annual Manitoba Hotel Association (MHA) Convention and Tradeshow took place Oct. 24-25 at the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre, in Winnipeg. This event has always been well-attended and well-received by MHA members and suppliers, and this year was no exception. The event kicked off on Monday, Oct. 24 with the MHA Annual General Meeting, where MHA chair Bruce MacKay and MHA president and CEO Scott Jocelyn provided the membership with an update on the MHA’s activities over the past year. MacKay shared the results of the board’s June strategic planning session, while Jocelyn informed members about the MHA’s “Hotels Matter” campaign from the recent provincial election, and highlighted the extensive travel he has undertaken to visit MHA members since becoming president and CEO on Jan. 1, 2016. Keynote speaker George Leith of Vendasta, which provides marketing platforms for small business, spoke on online reputation management. He stressed the importance for hotels to

Leo Ledohowski and Scott Jocelyn. manage their reputation across multiple websites and social media platforms, highlighting the adverse affects that negative reviews can have for businesses of all types, and providing tips for dealing with and responding to negative reviews. The day’s educational offerings wrapped up with a new session called Meet the Regulators. Representatives from government and other organizations hotels interact with on a daily basis were invited to set up tables in a mini-tradeshow format, offering brochures and other industryrelevant information. This informal session facilitated networking and information sharing between government and industry representatives, and provided a one-stop venue for hoteliers to ask questions and raise concerns. On Monday evening, more than 200 delegates, sponsors and suppliers came together to relax and enjoy a casual Las Vegas Nights themed dinner. The evening event included a delicious Las Vegas-style buffet and other fun and entertainment you’d expect from Las Vegas, including a live band, casino tables and Elvis. Tuesday morning’s keynote breakfast got

underway with greetings from another provincial government representative: Crown Services Minister Ron Schuler, minister responsible for Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries. Minister Schuler then joined Scott Jocelyn in presenting MHA Loyalty Awards to long-serving hotel owners and managers, MHA Lifetime Memberships to former chairs Josette Roch and David Kaisaris, and a Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries IMPACT Award to Leo Ledohowski of Canad Inns. Following the awards, former Winnipeg Blue Bomber turned local restaurateur Obby Khan provided an entertaining and inspiring keynote address.

Aboriginal Tourism: an emerging labour pool SYDNEY, N.S. — Tourism HR Canada spoke at the 2016 International Aboriginal Tourism Conference (IATC), hosted by the Aboriginal Tourism Association of Canada (ATAC) Dec. 12–14 in Sydney, N.S. Tourism HR Canada president Philip Mondor delivered a keynote address on partnerships in the tourism industry and developing capacity in First Nations organizations and communities. “We are glad to be participating,” said Vince Accardi, VP marketing and business development, Tourism HR Canada. “ATAC is a very important partner for us and adds a lot of value to the sector and the industry. We look forward to working with [ATAC CEO] Keith Henry to advance skills and develop Aboriginal businesses.” Tourism HR Canada uses its emerit programs all across Canada, with a variety of programs specific to certain occupations, and a certification system second only to apprenticeships in size. ATAC recently released a report in conjunction with Tourism HR Canada titled Demographic Profile of the Aboriginal Tourism Employee.

Dual brand U of S hotel to provide a mix of services SASKATOON — P.R. Hotels Ltd., as the developer for College Hotels LP, and the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) broke ground late last year on a brand new, nine-storey hotel development that will provide an exciting mix of services for the university and surrounding community. College Hotels LP is jointly owned by P.R. Hotels Ltd., owned by Lawrence and Patricia Rychjohn, and Normandale Holdings Ltd., owned by Ian and Alice Van Norman. The Rychjohns and Van Normans have a long history of developing and owning commercial, residential and hotel properties together, with one of their more notable projects in Saskatoon being The Centre at Circle and 8th mall. Under the terms of the partnership, and as a general partner on behalf of College Hotels LP, P.R. Hotels (University) Ltd., will be responsible for the capital and operating costs of the hotel, and the university will provide a long-term lease on a parcel of land within College Quarter. Located on College Drive, just east of the Stadium Parkade, the dual-branded hotel development will combine two separate hotels, a Holiday Inn Express and a Staybridge Suites, in one building. The two distinct hotels will offer both short- and long-term accommodation to campus visitors — including visiting lecturers and researchers, meeting attendees, parents, athletes, students and their families — as well as the general public. The hotel was designed by Calnitsky and Associates Architects and is being constructed by Meridian Developments. It is expected to open by April 2018. Jeff Krivoshen, chief operating officer of P.R. Hotels Ltd., said he is excited about the opportunities this partnership presents. “The extended-stay hotel will meet demand at the university,” he told CLN. “There are researchers and scientists involved with synchrotron [light] research, infectious diseases, the cancer clinic and the first and only Children’s Hospital in the province.” Krivoshen added that the unique, L-shaped building will include the 123-room Holiday Inn Express, featuring mid- to upper-scale rooms meant for shorter stays, while the 97-room Staybridge Suites will offer suites with kitchen facilities for longer-stay guests. “We are very honoured to partner with the U of S and to be entrusted to develop on its land.” Hotel amenities, Krivoshen continued, will include complimentary breakfast facilities for each brand, along with a shared lobby, swimming pool, and fitness centre, as well as a business centre and free Internet. Three meeting rooms, all on the ninth floor with panoramic views of the campus and the city, will be available for rent by guests, members of the campus community and the general public.

Home Ice Campaign gets $1 million During the ground-breaking ceremony, the Rychjohns and Van Normans made a surprise announcement that they have decided to donate $1 million to the University of Saskatchewan’s Home Ice Campaign to build a new ice facility on campus. The two-storey, twinpad ice facility in Saskatoon will have increased spectator seating, sufficient dressing rooms for both Huskie hockey and community groups, as well as dedicated space for coaches, trainers, referees and equipment storage. “Giving back to the community will benefit our project and enhance the student experience,” Krivoshen said. “The city as a whole benefits from a strong university and an active student base.” P.R. Hotels Ltd. owns and operates six other hotels, including the Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites and the Holiday Inn in Saskatoon. The university chose P.R. Hotels as its partner back in 2013 following a request for proposals process. “We are very lucky to have such generous supporters

of the U of S,” said Stoicheff. “I am deeply grateful to Lawrence and Patricia Rychjohn, and Alice and Ian Van Norman, for their contributions not only to this hotel development, but also for their gift for our new ice facility.” “The hotel is an important part of our vision for College Quarter, which is an extension of our main campus,” said U of S president Peter Stoicheff. “While the university isn’t in the business of running hotels, nor should we be, we do have a consistent need for hotel services, and that’s where this partnership comes into play.”

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bestwesterndevelopers.com | 800.847.2429 *Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate and include hotels currently in the development pipeline. Each Best Western® branded hotel is independently owned and operated. Best Western and the Best Western marks are service marks or registered service marks of Best Western International, Inc. ©2016 Best Western International, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Sponsored Content

Lending with hospitality BY COLLEEN ISHERWOOD, EDITOR

Canadian Western Bank Group (CWB) has launched a new division dedicated to the hospitality (hotel and restaurant) sectors across Canada, named CWB Franchise Finance, based out of Mississauga, Ontario. Canadian Lodging News (CLN) sat down with Ed Khediguian, senior vice president of the newly-established branch, to discuss the transaction that brought him and the team over to CWB, the approach being taken in creating their programs for the industry, and the vision for the business in the upcoming years.

CLN: Ed, it sounds like it’s been a busy year, can you tell us first about the background of your group and the sale from GE Capital to CWB? It has been a roller-coaster couple of years actually. Back in April of 2015, GE announced that it was unwinding its finance arm, GE Capital, and intended to exit through sale of all its capital divisions, and reposition the parent company back to its industrial roots. The Canadian Commercial Real Estate division was first to be sold to Wells Fargo and Blackstone, followed by the Equipment Finance platforms which were acquired by Wells Fargo and BMO. It wasn’t until early in 2016 that CWB entered into a purchase sale agreement for the Canadian Franchise Finance portfolio. The transaction closed on July 1, 2016 with CWB not only acquiring the portfolio but also hiring the entire Franchise Finance team as part of the transaction. We had been lending to restaurants since 2001 and hotels since 2002, so we’ve got a very experienced group in both of these sectors and CWB was excited to acquire our portfolio as well as the expertise of our team.

CWB FRANCHISE FINANCE TEAM

WATCH OUT FOR CRIS 2017 The Canadian Restaurant Investment Summit is an annual investment and economic conference in Toronto produced by CWB Franchise Finance and driven by our commitment to provide restaurateurs, lenders and investors with the resources, knowledge and vision to help make better restaurant and franchise investment decisions. This year, the Canadian Restaurant Investment Summit moves to the Fall. Stay tuned for exact dates and location!

CLN: So why was CWB a good fit for your group, and vice versa?

The team from left: Cameron Woof, Account Manager, Hotel Finance; Ed Khediguian, SVP; Trish Halliwell, Account Manager, Restaurant Finance; Patrick Schofield, Portfolio Manager; Tara Mascitelli, Risk Manager; Dimitri Mazur, Account Manager, Restaurant Finance; Wendy Black, Documentation Specialist; Ian Ricci, Account Manager, Hotel Finance; and Jacob Mancini, Senior Manager, Restaurant Finance.

CWB is a Canadian-based financial institution offering business and personal banking, equipment financing, trust services and wealth management across Canada. They’re well known for the common sense approach they take to business, and their emphasis on a relationshipfocused strategy; this is particularly important for us in the hospitality sectors and is well-aligned to the spirit and culture that our team has always worked with.

CLN: What differentiates you from other lenders? We take a centralized, specialized, and national approach to lending across both the hotel and restaurant sectors. We are the one-stop financing solution for recapitalization and growth capital for both franchisees (unit level financing) and franchisors (corporate lending) and work to establish a deep understanding of the segments, brands, and the markets that they operate in. Clients do not have to explain their sector to us; we live and breathe it side-by-side

with them because of the focused nature of the mandate. While hospitality is a small part of larger portfolios of larger financial institutions, the focused specialization approach inherently makes it all we do, and our raison d’être. Bigger, more broadly-based institutions can get mired in bureaucracy, and now that we have set up this division within CWB, we can be nimble, entrepreneurial and creative to match the needs of our clients.

CLN: What kinds of brands and operators are you looking to work with? We work with both the larger players as well as the smaller high-growth companies in the Canadian market. In fact, some of our most successful client relationships are with clients who started from a small base, and worked with us to develop their portfolios and brands. We’re seeking companies with high growth potential. The first step we take in establishing a financing program is to sit with the franchisors and make sure we know

all we can about the system, performance, and development goals and needs so that we can align financing structures accordingly. We do not take a cookie-cutter approach to lending within a brand, which is a key differentiator; and can be limiting to a multi-unit franchisee with embedded equity that wants to grow faster. We take the time to assess each brand and the specific operator needs within them.

About Ed Khediguian, Senior Vice President Well known on the conference circuit and on social media sites, Ed has more than 20 years of experience in the lodging, hospitality and restaurant industry. Prior to joining CWB, Ed led GE Capital’s Franchise Finance division for more than 12 years. He has both a Master’s of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Management and a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from McGill University.

CLN: So once you have vetted the brands, what kind of transactions do you look to do? We provide term lending for recapitalization, acquisition, or shareholder buyouts of assets and businesses, development lines for new store and hotel development, and for remodels and construction financing. In the restaurant sector, we also provide corporate lending for small to large regional and national high growth franchisors and

corporate store system companies, focused on providing the growth capital to the up and coming concepts. Now that we’re part of CWB, we are able to offer clients even more in terms of a complete banking relationship with cash management, deposits, and wealth management as well.

CLN: Where do you see the business in five years’ time? Our goal is to establish a brand equity and awareness centered around specialization to the hotel and restaurant sectors, a high level of capability in execution, and consistency throughout the cycle. We want to be the lender that takes the right swings with a value-creating product for the right operators, and brands that are growing. We expect to grow our book rapidly in a prudent and diligent manner over

the next few years. Solid credit quality comes from taking the time and effort to understand what is going on in the industry, from both a micro and macro perspective. We’ve got the right team, the right alignment under CWB, and we’re ready to provide accretive financing structures and products for restaurant and hotel operators across the country.

CWB’S CORE VALUES “Joining forces with the CWB Franchise Finance team was a big win for CWB in 2016 as we continue to deliver on our established commercial banking growth and geographic diversification strategy,” says Chris Fowler, CWB’s president and chief executive officer. “Our competitive strength has always been based on specialized industry knowledge and a targeted approach to niche markets, so it’s a great fit that allows us to expand our client offering. We’re also proud of our unique, award-winning culture that is based on putting people first, something that we also share with Ed and his team.”

www.cwbfranchise.com

Disruptive Forces As online travel agencies continue to beef up their sites’ functionality, hoteliers are starting to view OTAs as strategic partners.

graphic by freepik.com

By Don Douloff

Dorothy Dowling senior vice-president and chief marketing officer, Best Western.

Tony Elenis president and CEO of the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA).

Jeff Doane, senior vice-president, sales & marketing, North & Central America, FRHI Hotels & Resorts.

1 4 | Canadian Lodging News

erhaps the most disruptive force to have ever entered the hotel landscape, online travel agencies (OTAs) are here to stay, and continue to evolve at a rapid clip. Leading the way is OTA giant Expedia, home to such leading brands as Travelocity, Orbitz Worldwide, Expedia and Trivago. In 2015, Expedia spent $3.4 billion on outreach to its consumers active in more than 75 countries via 200 points of sale. Working hand in hand with these intensive marketing efforts are online sites’ improved features. In September, Expedia announced a partnership with Marriott International. Under the partnership, Marriott has integrated Expedia’s dynamic packaging technology into the Vacations by Marriott Hotel & Flight Packages product with its selection of air inventory, tours, attractions and ground transportation options accessible on Marriott.com. Travellers accessing Marriott.com to book a hotel can combine their accommodations with a flight booking from 475plus Expedia airline partners. Package bookings typically have twice the length of stay, twice the booking window and half the cancellation rate of a standalone hotel-only booking, making them an attractive source of incremental demand for owners. In June, Expedia’s Hotwire announced changes to its mobile booking platform that enable customers to reserve hotel rooms after midnight and select a bed type when making hotel reservations. Expedia has also been innovating its hotel partner platform, Expedia Partner Central (EPC). The new Value Add Promotions tool was developed based on partner demand to offer promotions other than lower rates. Value Add Promotions are deals or add-ons that help partners differentiate and draw attention to their property, allowing hotels to differentiate and drive occupancy without discounting their ADRs. REVENUE MANAGEMENT TOOL Rev+ is a revenue management tool designed to provide hotel partners with actionable data and insights. As part of EPC, the company’s partner portal that helps hotels manage their properties and rates, Rev+ enables partners to make pricing decisions to optimize revenue. Expedia also offers Market Watch, through which hotel partners can monitor competition, be notified of public rate changes and find out when an Expedia traveller visited their page, but booked elsewhere. EPC Conversations encourages direct dia-

logue and engagement between hoteliers and booked guests, enabling them to reach out directly to hotels to inquire about additional amenities and services. The EPC app provides real-time critical data that helps partners stay informed and competitive with insights about the market; read and respond instantly to feedback from guests; stay up-to-date with reservations, arrivals and cancellations; move last-minute inventory fast with Sell Tonight; and help increase visibility by creating targeted promotions. In November, TravelClick, a provider of cloud-based solutions for hotels to maximize revenue, launched its interactive Booking Engine 4.0, designed to increase conversion, drive direct bookings and incremental spend, and reduce guest abandonment. As part of the beta program, over 500 hotels worldwide have used the new booking engine and seen good results, according to a company release. Hotels that migrated to the new platform increased direct bookings by nearly 23 per cent on average and saw a 155 per cent increase in bookings on mobile devices, doubling prior mobile conversion rates. Booking Engine 4.0’s Room Hold option locks inventory and prices for up to 72 hours to reduce abandonment and continue guest engagement. The new platform also incorporates highdefinition video to entice users to upgrade and extend their stays. In addition, the booking engine has simplified the booking process by letting mobile users scan credit cards instead of keying in credit card numbers to make a purchase. HOTELIER STRATEGIES For their part, brands have gotten smarter, and have been increasing incentives, such as loyalty points, to boost direct bookings, said Tony Elenis, president and CEO of the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA). He noted that hoteliers have other strategies at their disposal to shift traffic away from OTAs: updating websites to feature stronger design and a user-friendly booking channel offering payment security; and improving search engine optimization to improve visibility in customer Google search results. “Last year, we began a fundamental shift in our thinking toward OTAs. We recognized their marketing power and how many consumers begin their travel search journey on an OTA site. We now think of our OTA relationships as strategic partnerships,” said Dorothy Dowling, senior vice-president and chief marketing officer, Best Western, in a presentation at the 2016 Best West-

ern North American Convention last October. “Having relationships with these travel giants is a must. They are a giant billboard for our brand.” Dowling said three goals guide Best Western’s approach to OTAs: “Maximize revenue and market share through these channels. Use them as an acquisition channel to increase Best Western Rewards enrollments. Learn from what they are doing well and use it on our own channels.” Maximizing revenue starts with ensuring that hotels have a strong and effective presence on OTA sites “so that we are part of the customer’s consideration.” Moreover, Best Western has focused on improving its content and reviews on the OTA websites “and we have worked with them to regain placements in the sell order to protect business volumes through their channels. Expedia and booking.com have been supportive of defining shared interests and we are working with them very closely through quarterly and annual global business reviews to find ways to grow the business. “Using these sites as an acquisition tool is the most important value they present to us. Nearly five million customers have come to us through OTA channels in just the last 12 months,” said Dowling. “We have been successful in enrolling these OTA guests into Best Western Rewards. In fact, we have exceeded our goal of five per cent enrollment of these guests. Once these guests engage with the brand through Best Western Rewards, more than 80 per cent come back to book through our channels.” DEVELOPING LOYALTY Dowling supports the idea of attracting, retaining and developing loyalty among travellers “by ensuring that any special rates made available to third parties also be made available to the brand, to market to our best customers — like the OTAs and our competitors do today.” “There is a partnership between the OTAs and the hotels, and in the right situation, both should be benefitting from the relationship,” said Jeff Doane, senior vice-president, sales and marketing, North & Central America, FRHI Hotels & Resorts. “We will certainly continue to utilize the distribution networks of our partners to drive demand into our hotels. However, the key to a successful partnership is the pursuit of dynamic rate agreements, helping to reduce parity challenges and strengthen the value proposition to key partners.” Doane said FRHI’s strategy “is to increase direct bookings and loyalty to our brand websites. By ensuring our rates are consistent across

all channels, we aim to build trust and enable guests to benefit from the perks of direct booking, such as access to our brand loyalty programs. Our goal is to encourage guests to book quickly and easily by providing hotel and brand websites that are easy to navigate and rich in enticing, informative content. We also use our loyalty programs to connect with guests on a more personal level and drive direct bookings.” Certainly, OTA bookings continue to generate substantial revenues. In Ontario in 2013, for example, revenues booked through OTAs topped $629.7 million, equating to almost 5 million room nights, with commissions paid to OTAs totaling just over $13.4 million, according to figures from Check In Canada. Elenis points out that the fastest growth in consumer booking habits is being seen in metasearch engines (or aggregators), search tools, such as Trivago, that use another search engine’s data to produce their own results from the Internet. “Until recently, travellers checked many sites to ensure they got the best price for their hotel or flight needs. Now, metasearch sites with integration on key channels are able to offer accurate customized price comparisons on one page based on user preferences — easy display,” said Elenis. “Metasearch channels list aggregated rates next to many hotel reviews. They reduce the number of steps and sites travellers need to search prior to making a booking.” CHECK IN CANADA Doing its part to reverse the tide is the Check In Canada website that allows consumers to search for accommodations by rate and availability, then book directly with the hotel. In September, Check In Canada relaunched Ontario properties from the Pan Am and Para Pan Am Games, in partnership with Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, with a listing on its consumer website, Ontario Travel.net, which, each year, is visited by more than four million people. Check In Canada has experienced success in British Columbia, where, in late October, the program celebrated its first anniversary. During that year, Check In Canada sent almost 275,000 referrals to hotels from HelloBC.com alone. Plans call for Check In Canada to increase

the number of participating properties (currently just over 5,200 Canada-wide), and boost the number of provincial and destination marketing organizations hosting the Check In Canada widget on their consumer-facing sites, according to information provided by the organization. Other goals call for creating a partnership with Manitoba and Saskatchewan’s PMOs to better serve Check In Canada’s members in those provinces. The aim is to recapture as much direct booking business back from the OTAs as

taking ample advertising around booking direct, offering lower prices on their website and incentives with points. Even though they lack large marketing budgets, smaller or independent properties can encourage direct booking by offering the lowest price on their website; ensuring staff are empowered to match a price listed on an OTA, if lower; and educating guests at check-in/checkout on the value of booking direct. If customers have booked through an OTA, independent

The Airbnb report co-written by Ken Lambert, director, HLT Advisory Inc., and Dr. Chris Gibbs, assistant professor, Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Ryerson University possible by leveraging the marketing clout of Check In Canada’s DMO and PMO partners. LEVERAGE EXISTING PROGRAMS Since Check In Canada is an industry driven initiative, it can leverage existing programs to add information to a hotel’s listing. An example is Hotel Association of Canada’s Green Key program that rates hotels on their level of ecofriendliness. Check In Canada in Ontario features a score for accessibility through the Planat online tool that allows users to post and find reviews on hotels’ accessibility. Check In Canada aims to extend the accessibility rating it rolled out in Ontario, for the Para Pan Am Games, for consumers visiting other provinces. Equipped with a brand and marketing budget, many of the big hotel companies are under-

properties can encourage them to book direct next time, to collect loyalty points and increase their eligibility for an upgrade. Some properties also offer incentives such as a discount, upgrade or special rate if the guest books direct next time. Independents can also work with their local tourism infrastructure to reach out to guests. Regional DMOs and visitor information centres are an effective and often cost-effective channel to promote properties. Independents can participate in those listing programs, whether through Check In Canada or however they are marketing local properties. Properties can also get proactive and inform their government representatives of the issues, such as tax leakage or the lack of collection of a tourism levy of DMF fee on the percentage paid to OTAs and how that is damaging the tourism

AIRBNB RENTALS More recently, a second disruptive force has arrived: Airbnb short-term rentals in houses and condominiums. In conjunction with the Canadian Hotel Investment Conference, the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ryerson University and HLT Advisory joined forces to look at Airbnb and its impact on Canadian lodging. Using Airdna data, the report focused on four Canadian Airbnb markets: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa. The number of listings in those markets has grown from essentially zero, in 2011, to almost 26,000 by Q1 2016. For July to December 2015, Airbnb represented anywhere from 128 to 1,305 booked units per night. Overall in the four markets investigated during the six-month period, Airbnb represented a 4.3 per cent share of market demand and a 4.2 per cent share of market revenue. “There is a significant difference in market share results for the large metropolis markets (Vancouver and Toronto) versus the smaller city markets (Calgary and Ottawa). Two potential explanations for this are leisure travel and real estate pricing.” While it’s true that Airbnb provides travellers lower costs, “it should be discussed in the context for each market. When you are speaking of the prices to rent a private room or share an apartment, Airbnb is considerably less than hotels. However, when you look at the average daily rate for renting an entire place from Airbnb and a hotel, the difference is not that significant.” In larger markets, the Airbnb price index is relatively the same as the hotel ADR in the market during the same time period, noted the report.

Airbnb Share of ADR

Airbnb Share of Market 5.3

industry and the community. For example, the ORHMA estimates that in 2013, in Ontario, total tax revenues lost to OTAs totalled just over $44.7 million, including $14.7 million in direct revenues through lost GST/HST, and $30 million in indirect revenues through lost federal and provincial corporate taxes.

5.1

Market

98.2

156.69 153.93

142.55 119.43 83.8

155.24 121.82

146.89 148.91 101.4

1.2

78.5

1.5

96.4

2.2

167.64

2.6

ADR ($’s)

Share of (%)

4.3 4.2

173.86

4.7 4.7

Market * Airbnb ADR was converted from US$ to CAN$ using monthly average exchange rates from the Bank of Canada. Ryerson University.

The Airbnb report co-written by Ken Lambert, director, HLT Advisory Inc., and Dr. Chris Gibbs, assistant professor, Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Ryerson University

January 2017 | 15

- Shattering the suburban cookie-cutter mould GLo:

Two rooms showing centre-loaded bathrooms.

PHOENIX — Best Western has unveiled its GLo- new construction boutique prototype, suitable for secondary, tertiary, suburban and university markets. Canada’s first GLo- will break ground in Ottawa next spring. “The first GLo- in Canada will break ground in February or March of 2017, weather permitting, construction will take 12 months and it should open in the first quarter of 2018,” said Ron Pohl, senior vice-president of brand management/development for Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “GLo- works wonderfully in Canada, if you look at secondary, tertiary and some downtown locations. In major cities, there are footprint challenges due to the cost of the land. Suburban Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa or any university town are key locations for this brand.” GLo- originated after Best Western launched - brand. A lot of developers were interits Vib

ested, but had land and sites in suburban or sec- was not intended for those ondary markets. Vib markets — it depends a lot on foot traffic for success, and works best in downtown locations in centres such as Toronto or Vancouver. “We went back to the drawing board to create a new concept that would work well in these markets,” said Pohl. “The idea was to take the - to have the most important elements of Vib, same energy within the product, and come up with a unique design that was not cookie cutter.” The end-result would be the first boutique midscale hotel in the business. - proper- hotels, the lobbies in GLo As in Vib ties will be usable at all times of day and for a wide range of activities. One of the most significant features is the centre-loaded bathrooms. Bathrooms and closets usually take up much of the space as guests enter the room, but the GLo- design puts the

bathrooms back to back longways in the middle of the two rooms. This means guests get an unobstructed view as they enter, and that the rooms look larger and more open. The actual size of the rooms is around the midscale norm of 250 square feet for a king room and 290 for a double queen room, but the positioning of the bathrooms makes them seem bigger. While GLo- has a contemporary design, and is aimed at connected travellers, providing flexible space and high-speed Internet, it is a hotel for all age groups, not just millennials. “We recognized the need for a desk. While some brands have eliminated the desk, we disagree. A desk provides comfort for many travellers,” said Pohl. GLo- provides both a built-in desk and a lap desk — basically a padded board that sits on your lap. “The most important thing for developers is the cost per square foot. We looked at every

area and included what it needs to have, but not more,” said Pohl. “For example, the difference between a five-foot wide corridor and a six-foot corridor can mean a $250,000 expense. A pool is not a requirement but a fitness centre is critically important. We looked carefully at exterior building materials to make sure they were not too expensive. We asked, ‘how much artwork do we really need?’ This might seem minor, but when you’re dealing with four storeys and 70 rooms, it adds up. We wanted the high-end boutique feel, but we didn’t want to go overboard.” - is also designed for easy cleaning, GLo with most of the furniture attached and off the ground, hard surfaces instead of carpets. “There’s no vacuuming, and mopping up is much easier. The floors should last and the furniture should last — so owners don’t have to replace it as often.” In the U.S., GLo- costs $65,000 per key, not including land. Normally a hotel of that cost - is exwould command a $55 ADR, but GLo pected to have an ADR in the mid-to-high $80s, said Pohl. Canadian numbers would be onethird higher.

First two Hyatt Places in Canada to open in Edmonton EDMONTON — Canada’s first Hyatt Place has opened in downtown Edmonton, and a second is on the way to West Edmonton. This is the first new hotel to open in the city’s downtown since 1974. The hotel, which opened its doors on Thurs., Oct. 27, includes intuitive design, a casual atmosphere, and practical amenities, such as free Wi-Fi and 24-hour food offerings, to the Edmonton area. It is located in The Quarters, which is well on its way to becoming a vibrant, flourishing community in downtown Edmonton. With $56 million in infrastructure upgrades and another $43 million allocated to new projects, the mixed-use urban village is taking shape. The hotel’s location in the heart provides easy access to the area’s best shopping and cultural favorites such as the Art Gallery of Alberta, Citadel Theatre, Francis Winspear Centre, Commonwealth Stadium and the New Rogers Place. Business travellers enjoy a short commute to the Shaw Conference Centre, Government of Canada, Alberta Treasury Branches and Edmonton’s CN Tower office building. “Our place is less than three miles from anywhere in downtown Edmonton,” said director of sales Sameh Khedr who has managed Hyatt Hotels for the last 10 years. “We are very pleased to have such a beautiful product just 450 metres from the Shaw Conference Centre.”

1 6 | Canadian Lodging News

He also pointed out that the development is owned and managed by AUM Hotel Group, a local Edmonton company that now owns five hotels in the area, including Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn and now the Hyatt Place Edmonton Downtown. The hotel’s designer, Gene Dub of Dub Architects, is from Edmonton as well. “As Edmonton continues to grow and thrive economically, we are excited to add to the momentum by welcoming the first Hyatt Place hotel to the area,” said owner Prem Singhmar of AUM Hotel Group. “It lends itself well to both business and leisure business, with extra space, but not all the frills of a full-service hotel,” said Hyatt spokesperson Jorian Weiner. “We target travellers of all ages, not just millennials. We give them exactly what they need — more spacious rooms, couches and a desk, but convenient grab and go food and a friendly staff.” Specifically, Hyatt Place Edmonton/Downtown offers: • 255 spacious guestrooms with separate spaces to sleep, work and play, as well as a Cozy Corner sofa-sleeper • Free Wi-Fi everywhere • The a.m. Kitchen Skillet, a free hot breakfast for guests available daily in the Gallery Kitchen, features signature breakfast sandwiches, fresh fruit, oat-

Rachel Macknee

•

• •

meal, yogurt, cereal, fresh-baked pastries, and more 24/7 Gallery Menu & Market serving freshly prepared meals anytime, day or night and perfectly packaged sandwiches and salads Coffee to Cocktails Bar featuring specialty coffees and premium beers, as well as wines and cocktails Odds & Ends program for forgotten items that guests can buy, borrow or enjoy for free Meeting and function space with more than 13,000 square feet 24-hour gym featuring cardio equip-

ment with LDC touchscreens and free ear buds “Edmonton is a vibrant city, filled with friendly people, inviting neighbourhoods, and an ever-expanding list of attractions and landmarks to visit,” said Rachel Macknee, director of sales and marketing, Hyatt Place Edmonton/ Downtown. “Our hotel is central to all of Edmonton’s most popular sites, and we are confident that the Hyatt Place Edmonton/Downtown will exceed guest expectations and provide them with everything they need while visiting our area.” Stay tuned regarding more news about the Hyatt Place West Edmonton.

Paige Francis: Starwood‘s specialty select brands take off

Canadian Lodging News interviewed Paige Francis, Starwood’s vice-president of Global Brand Management for Specialty Select Brands. CLN: What do Starwood’s Specialty Select Brands — Aloft, Element and Four Points — have in common? Francis: Starwood pioneered and continues to lead the industry in moving from brands segmented by price points to lifestyle brands in the specialty select sector. For example, Aloft delivers the latest in technological advances so travellers are always plugged in and connected, while Four Points is a brand that understands the needs of the business traveller – an uncomplicated friendly approach to hospitality and service – all at a great value. CLN: What are the major differences between the brands? Francis: Aloft is an innovation incubator for today’s savvy global traveller. Always ahead of the curve when it comes to piloting new technologies — like the industry’s first robotic butler, Botlr, and the world’s first Emoji Room Service menu — Aloft is con-

stantly pushing the envelope. Element hotels are designed for today’s healthy, active traveller and have redefined the extended-stay experience with a nature-inspired design philosophy that is clean, modern and bright. Four Points is the largest of the Specialty Select Brands, measured by number of hotels, and is designed for the smart independent traveller with classic and industrial elements meeting modern design. CLN: Why are these brands experiencing such rapid growth? Francis: Aloft, Four Points and Element brands have all energized and redefined the Specialty Select Segment with their distinct brand personalities and innovative offerings. In the fourth quarter of this year, the brands are collectively opening 14 hotels and bringing the total portfolio in the segment to over 350 hotels worldwide. CLN: What are the features that appeal to guests? Francis: Aloft is known for its “different by design” philosophy and between design, technology and music elements, the brand is a crowd pleaser for the millennial generation. Element fuels a balanced life on the road and for those looking to be a bit greener while travelling, guests can enjoy amenities including energyefficient kitchens and Energy Star appliances, not to mention the Bikes to Borrow program that offers complimentary bikes on property with a local trail map to help get a daily dose of exercise. Lastly, Four Points is practical with excellent service and an honest value, while improving productivity while on the road, which is something business travellers around the world need the

most, including free in-room water, in room and public Wi-Fi, wireless boardroom essentials, and more. CLN: How is Four Points’ Best Brews program going? Francis: Four Points offers its Best Brews program providing guests with access to a signature pub on site to unwind during his/her stay. The program offers a chance to sample craft beers and enjoy authentic local flavours at every hotel pub across the brand’s 200-plus property portfolio, with each brew uniquely chosen for its flavour, popularity and quality ingredients – highlighting local artisan beers and microbreweries. CLN: How many of each of the Specialty Select hotels are in the Canadian pipeline? Aloft has three hotels open: Montreal, Vaughan Mills and Calgary. Element has two hotels open: Vaughan and Vancouver Metrotown. Calgary should open in January, 2017. Three hotels are in the pipeline: Calgary Airport, Edmonton Airport and Toronto Airport. Four Points has 31 hotels open in Canada, with 10 hotels in the pipeline: Brantford, Chatham, Edmonton West, Grande Prairie, Hamilton – Stoney Creek, Ottawa Downtown, Regina, Sarnia, Sherwood Park, Vaughan. Worldwide,· Element Hotels has signed 35 hotel deals year-to-date, more than doubling the number of signed hotels in all of 2015. Aloft Hotels has signed 52 hotel deals so far this year. Four Points signed 45 hotels so far this year, nearly doubling its pace for the same period last year. By year’s end, with an additional 14 new SSB hotels opening by December 31, it will bring the total portfolio in this segment to over 350 hotels worldwide.

Millennial a mindset, not an age

TORONTO — Veteran Canadian hotelier David Oliver, who has just

become vice-president of development, Canada, for Carlson Rezidor, says while brands like Radisson Red are designed for millennials, the appeal is to a certain mindset, rather than an age range. Oliver has rejoined Carlson Rezidor, having previously served on the development team from 2003 to 2009. He was most recently senior vice-president of asset management and capital planning for Dundee 360 Real Estate Corporation, which has a portfolio of 5,000-plus luxury rooms of Fairmont and Hilton hotel assets across North America. Oliver has also held development positions with Wyndham Worldwide and Starwood Hotels in Canada. Based in Toronto, he will report to Philip Silberstein, executive vice-president, development, Americas.

While he is selling several of Carlson Rezidor’s brands in Canada, including the Radisson family of Blu, Green and Red, Park Plaza, Park Inn and Country Inn and Suites, he is very enthusiastic about Radisson Red. Oliver recently toured the latest Radisson Red, which just opened in Minneapolis, Minn. “Radisson Red is hip and fun. There’s excitement just going there — a certain vibe, a splash of colour. It’s driven by communications, with a lounge, music wall and giant screens as you go in. The food is patterned after street food that’s global in nature. It’s a casual and comfortable lounge environment, with food, craft beers and well-priced appetizers and entrees. It’s like a gathering of food trucks in a small lounge area, with pickings from around the world.” Atlific_CanLodgAd_Jan2017_text_E03_final.indd 1

2016-12-14 11:53 AM January 2017 | 17

OPENINGS, SALES AND RENOS

Guestroom at Days Inn Warman Legends Centre, in Warman, Sask.

Lobby, Quality Inn and Suites, Saskatoon.

Montreal Birks to convert to hotel, bistro MONTREAL — Birks Group Inc. and Jean Salette, owner of Le St-Martin Hotels, announced plans to convert the Birks building in downtown Montreal into a luxury 120-room property bearing the Birks name, it was announced Nov. 2. The new destination will house a high-end boutique hotel and bistro as well as the renovated Birks Montreal flagship store. Renovations for the Birks Hotel are scheduled to start next spring and it is slated to open in spring 2018. The Birks Montreal store will also undergo some renovations that will provide an enhanced shopping experience in line with the

brand’s latest retail concept. Salette has over 35 years of experience in the industry and, over the last 15 years, has focused on hotel development. He founded, developed and still operates two Le St-Martin Hotel properties in Montreal and Laval, Que. The Birks Hotel has been more than two decades in the making for Salette.

Choice’s four properties in Q3 brings total to 322 TORONTO — Franchisor Choice Hotels Canada opened four new hotels during the third quarter of 2016, increasing its total number of properties to 322, it was announced Oct. 27.

“Our hotels are in the locations travellers are visiting, whether they’re on the road for business or pleasure,” says Brian Leon, managing director. “We have no doubt these new additions will serve as fantastic representatives of our brands and work hard to satisfy the ever increasing expectations of our guests.” Third quarter Choice Hotels Canada opening include Comfort Inn & Suites, Collingwood, Ont. (73-room conversion); Quality Inn & Suites, Saskatoon, Sask. (106-room conversion); Quality Inn, Owen Sound, Ont. (79-room conversion); Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Moose Jaw, Sask. (89-room new build). In the fourth quarter of 2016, the company

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1 8 | Canadian Lodging News

expects to open four hotels.

Realstar opens Days Inn Warman Legends Centre TORONTO — Realstar Hospitality announced on Nov. 30 the opening of Days Inn & Suites - Warman Legends Centre, in Warman, Sask. The purpose-built hotel is based on the brand’s Canadian-designed G2 prototype and adds 74 rooms to the chain’s portfolio. Guestrooms and suites in the smoke-free property include a 40-inch LCD TV, free Wi-Fi access, work desk, mini-refrigerator and coffee maker. Amenities include an on-site business centre, meeting and event space, and free parking for hotel guests. In addition to a fitness room and indoor heated pool with waterslide, the hotel serves a free hot breakfast featuring waffles and omelets. With easy access to nearby restaurants, shopping and attractions, the hotel, located at 175 Clubhouse Blvd., is close to Legends Golf Club.

Hilton opens dual-branded Calgary property CALGARY — Hilton Worldwide announced on Nov. 23 the opening of the 320-room dual-branded Hilton Garden Inn Calgary Downtown and Homewood Suites by Hilton Calgary Downtown. The hotel features two distinct lobbies and dining areas, fitness centre, indoor pool and rooftop terrace offering mountain views. There is 3,016 square feet of meeting space accommodating 200 people. Hilton Garden Inn’s on-property restaurant, The Garden Grille and Bar, offers cooked-to-order breakfast and dinner, cocktails and evening room service. The Pavilion Pantry is open 24 hours and features salty and sweet snacks, cold beverages and frozen, microwaveable packaged items. Amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, 24-hour business centre and inroom hospitality centre with mini fridge, microwave oven and Keurig coffee maker. Homewood Suites by Hilton offers studio and one-bedroom accommodations featuring fully equipped kitchens and separate living and sleeping areas. Also included are complimentary daily hot breakfast, evening

Hampton Inn Montreal-Dorval is now owned by Sunray.

Radisson Vancouver Airport.

social Monday to Thursday, Wi-Fi and grocery shopping service. Located at 711 4th St. S.E., the dualbrand property is close to the National Music Centre, Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary Stampede and Calgary Zoo.

breakfast, heated indoor pool, hot tub, and fitness centre, as well as guest laundry facilities, business centre and free parking. Onsite meeting space can be configured to accommodate 60 people for conferences or banquets.

Hampton Inn MontrealDorval sold to Sunray

Two new Travelodges for Western Canada

TORONTO — The 143-room Hampton Inn & Suites Montreal-Dorval has been sold to Sunray Group of Hotels on behalf of Compagnie de Construction Brinton Inc., it was announced recently. The purchase price was not disclosed. Brokering the deal was Colliers International Hotels. The Hampton Inn & Suites MontrealDorval is located in Canada’s fourth busiest airport market and within a 20-minute drive to downtown Montreal. The property offers an attractive facility complement, including a large suite inventory, over 4,000 square feet of flexible function space, heated indoor swimming pool, fitness and business centres, 46-seat leased Bar Hampton as well as free breakfast, wireless Internet and complimentary airport shuttle service. The purchase adds to Sunray’s portfolio of 28 properties across Canada.

CALGARY — Travelodge Canada has opened two hotels in Western Canada, in Rosetown, Sask. and Dawson Creek, B.C. Opened Oct. 1, the Travelodge Rosetown, Saskatchewan offers complimentary continental breakfast and complimentary Wi-Fi. The hotel also features an onsite liquor store, restaurant and tavern, and free parking. All 42 guestrooms feature in-room coffee, a refrigerator and microwave. Opened Nov. 30, the 48-room Travelodge

Dawson Creek, British Columbia features complimentary Wi-Fi, kitchenette suites and complimentary made-to-order hot breakfast. Other amenities include free parking, guest laundry facilities and pet-friendly accommodations. All guestrooms feature in-room coffee, a refrigerator and microwave

HNA completes acquisition of Carlson Hotels Inc. BEIJING and MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Beijing-based HNA Tourism Group Co, Ltd. has completed its purchase of Carlson Hotels Inc. from Carlson Hospitality Group, Inc., it was announced last month. The deal, which was first announced in April, includes Carlson’s majority stake in Rezidor Hotel Group AB, representing 51.3 per cent of the company’s outstanding shares. The

value of the transaction has not been made public. With the transaction finalized, HNA is now obliged to either launch a mandatory tender offer for the remaining outstanding shares in Rezidor or sell down its ownership in the company below 30 per cent by Jan. 4, 2017. In late October, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and Blackstone announced that HNA will acquire an approximate 25 per cent equity interest in Hilton from affiliates of Blackstone, establishing a long-term strategic investment in Hilton and Hilton’s planned spin-offs of Park Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Grand Vacations. The transaction is valued at approximately $6.5 billion, or $26.25 per share in cash, reducing Blackstone’s interest in Hilton to approximately 21 percent. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2017.

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Motel 6 for Fort Nelson TORONTO — Motel 6 has opened in Fort Nelson, B.C., it was announced Nov. 3. The 39-room hotel offers free Wi-Fi, micro-fridges in all guestrooms and complimentary morning coffee in the lobby. In order to enhance the guest experience, the conversion property completed an overhaul in all guestrooms and public spaces. The project included upgrades to bedding, the installation of flat-screen LCD TVs and new paint. “We’re very pleased with the renovated space and look forward to showcasing our transformation,” said Gary Patara, the hotel’s owner and general manager, in a release.

Hinton’s 103-room Ramada HINTON, Alta. — Ramada Inn has opened in Hinton, Alta., near Jasper National Park, it was announced on Nov. 4. The property’s 103 guestrooms feature a kitchenette, flat-screen HDTV and free Wi-Fi. Extended-stay suites with separate living space are available. Amenities at the pet-friendly hotel include free continental

OVER

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ACROSS CANADA

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January 2017 | 1 9

PEOPLE

Jeffry Kahle, executive pastry chef, Fairmont Pacific Rim.

Philip M. Barnes departs Fairmont Pacific Rim for Savoy.

Miles Chesher (left) will become chairman of Chesher Equipment Ltd. and Chris Koehler will now become president. Jeffry Kahle has been named executive pastry chef at Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim, it was announced Nov. 4. Launching his pastry career at the Essential Baking Company in Seattle, Kahle joined Fairmont Olympic in 2006, designing desserts for its fine dining restaurant, The Georgian. In 2013, Kahle became pastry chef at Fairmont Newport Beach, in California, where he oversaw pastry production of the hotel’s restaurants and event space. At Fairmont Pacific Rim, Kahle oversees the pastry program for the hotel’s three restaurants, in-room dining and 15,000-square-foot event facility. Philip M. Barnes, who has held the positions of regional vice-president, Fairmont Hotels PNW and general manager, Fairmont Pacific Rim, is leaving the organization to become regional vice-president and managing director for London’s Savoy hotel, effective Nov. 18. Under Barnes’ stewardship since 2011, Fairmont Pacific Rim has garnered many awards and accolades. Barnes has been a member of the board of directors of Tourism Vancouver and is the co-founder of Tourism Industry Partners Society, a charity that supports the financial needs of future generations of tourism professionals and schools. David Connor joins Fairmont Hotels & Resorts as regional vicepresident, Eastern Canada, effective Jan. 3, 2017, it was announced Nov. 30. Connor will be based in Montreal and in addition to managing Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, currently un-

2 0 | Canadian Lodging News

dergoing a major renovation, he will oversee Fairmont’s hotel portfolio in Quebec City, La Malbaie, Tremblant and Montebello, Que., and Ottawa. Connor returns to Québec with more than 30 years experience in the hotel industry. Competing against seven of the city’s culinary best, Radisson Hotel Saskatoon’s executive chef Scott Torgerson claimed first place at the Gold Medal Plates Culinary Competition in Saskatoon, it was announced Oct. 31. Torgerson’s win came less than 24 hours after returning home victorious from the Culinary Olympics in Germany. Chef Ruth Wigman from Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland’s Oppidan restaurant took home the gold award at Gold Medal Plates St. John’s, it was announced Oct. 21. Wigman went head-to-head with six of the city’s best chefs. The gold medal wins secures Torgerson and Wigman places at the Canadian Culinary Championships, The Gold Medal Plates Finale, in Kelowna, B.C., Feb. 3-4, 2017. Miles Chesher, chairman of Chesher Equipment Ltd., announced on Nov. 2 a change in ownership whereby he will be succeeded by president Chris Koehler. “Over the last three years, Chris Koehler and I have been partners in the business,” wrote Chesher in an emailed letter to associates, suppliers and customers. “I brought Chris in to help Chesher grow and as my eventual succession plan. I am happy to

David Connor, Fairmont Regional VP Eastern Canada.

Scott Torgerson, executive chef, Radisson Saskatoon.

Winning dish by Chef Ruth Wigman, Sheraton St. John’s.

Grace Sammut, Resorts of Ontario, a winner at TIAO.

Ken Kirkby, Super 8 Peterborough, Super 8 GM of the Year.

TIAPEI’s Fallon MacKinnon, new human resource advisor.

(Guest Accessibility Package) program. Designed to enhance the hospitality experience for persons with disabilities, the program provides Chelsea Hotel guests with amenities and surroundings in a way that speaks to persons with disabilities. Designed by Accessibility Professionals of Ontario (APO), a full-service accessibility consulting firm, the package helps minimize any potential accessibility barriers due to lack of communication and information. The Chelsea was the first hotel in Ontario to implement the program. The Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence are jointly presented by the Culinary Tourism Alliance (CTA), the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC) and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO).

years since opening and a Top Performing Property award in 2013.” Active in the local community, both in terms of promoting and growing the Super 8 brand and also in serving the community, particularly in terms of activities fostering the growth of tourism to the benefit of the hotel industry, Kirkby was the driving force in Super 8 Peterborough being a founding member of the Peterborough Destination Association.

announce that we have concluded a change in ownership. I will be staying on as the chairman of Chesher for some time yet and helping Chesher to serve our industry in its 50th year. I hope that our business continues to progress in a positive way.” Chesher Equipment Ltd. is a wholesaler of foodservice equipment that distributes to dealers across Canada. On Oct. 1, the company entered its 50th year of operations. Resorts of Ontario’s Grace Sammut and Toronto’s Chelsea Hotel won Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence, presented at a gala Nov. 22 at The Westin Ottawa. Sammut won a Lifetime Achievement Award. A leader in Ontario’s tourism industry for over 20 years, Sammut is executive director of Resorts of Ontario and has sat on a number of committees for the OTMPC, including the organization’s international and European committees. Most recently, she served as vice-chair on the OTMPC board of directors. Sammut has also sat on the boards of the former Tourism Federation of Ontario, the Ontario Canada Select Board, and the Ontario Canada Select National Board. The Chelsea Hotel won an Accessible Tourism Award. The property is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have access to the same information as all guests, consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity. The Chelsea’s innovation is best exemplified through its adoption of the Closing the GAP

Ken Kirkby, of Super 8 Peterborough, Ontario, was named General Manager of the Year at the 2016 Wyndham Hotel Group Global Conference in Las Vegas, it was announced last month. “Ken Kirkby is one of those rare industry leaders. His focus on superior guest satisfaction, amplified by guest recognition and appreciation, is a hallmark of the service orientation that has taken his team to be consistently recognized with awards,” said Marc Staniloff, president and CEO, Superior Lodging Corp., in a release. “Ken has depth of experience over his 25-year career and it shows. His team of highly engaged employees has been awarded the Pride of Super 8 designation in each of the seven

TIAPEI has named Fallon MacKinnon its new human resource advisor, it was announced Oct. 27. A recent graduate of the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University, in Halifax, MacKinnon most recently worked at TD Insurance, focusing on home and auto insurance, working with Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick and Alberta clients. True Key Hotels & Resorts has named Andrea Tubbs director of sales and marketing, it was announced Oct. 21. Tubbs is a marketer with over 15 years experience in a variety of industries. Most recently, she has developed and executed tourism, real estate and event marketing programs. Tubbs is active in the business community in the Columbia Valley as the vice-president of the chamber of commerce and board member for Kootenay Rockies Tourism. In her new role, Tubbs’ responsibilities will include overseeing the development and implementation of sales and marketing initiatives for all True Key properties, as well management of all marketing and advertising media.

HAC 2017 Conference moves to Toronto airport area

Tony Chapman. TORONTO — Emotion versus promotion, 50 Shades of Stay and an all-star brands panel are part of the lineup for the Hotel Association of Canada’s 2017 conference, which takes place Feb. 15-16 at Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre on Dixon Road near the airport. On Feb. 16, the morning keynote, marketing expert Tony Chapman, will share his plan on how any hotel, large or small, value priced or premium, local or global, can compete based on emotion versus simply promotion — from being “mass” and one of many, to becoming one that matters, to becoming “my” hotel. One session, provocatively named 50 Shades of Stay: Understanding Ethnic Travellers, shows how knowledge of the growing diversity across Canada can mean great potential for hotels — if understood and used correctly. In this session, Jason Dunkel of Environics Analytics will share up-to-date data on Canada’s ethnic diversity, including immigration patterns, diversity by city and generation, and a comparison of diversity in Canada and the U.S. Waseem Shaikh of advertising agency, McCann Canada will

follow with how to use these insights to build a marketing strategy and CEO of Destination Canada, will outline the organization’s that will attract and better connect your hotel with these com- marketing initiatives, and explain how it will grow tourism export munities, and ultimately boost revenues. Expect to learn about revenues and support travel/tourism industry partners. Throughout the conference, HAC will be presenting its Hall language-dependency and cultural targeting; how ethnic travel practices differ from mainstream travellers; holidays and dates of of Fame Awards for 2017. Award winners include: • Humanitarian Award: Chelsea Hotel; significance for multicultural travellers; and how hotels in native • Human Resources Award: CLIQUE Hotels & Resorts; countries are leveraging new media to better serve travellers. and Led by an all-star leadership panel, What is the Future of Ho• Green Key Environment Award: Pine Bungalows. tel Brands? will discuss changing customer preferences, various consumer segments and loyalty programs, which will all drive future growth. Hoteliers have the opportunity to learn from each other by studying each other’s best practices and strategies to enhance business models. Other sessions will cover subjects such as how to drive hotel online revenues through the management and execution of online services; best practices for management to create success for the property and collectively; the performance of the company; and how to drive demand during a changing travel environment. David Goldstein, president Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre.

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January 2017 | 2 1

BEFORE AND AFTER

Hotel Sask’s $13M reno charm

The old restaurant.

The new restaurant. By Don Douloff REGINA, Sask. — A $13 million renovation to the iconic Hotel Saskatchewan has modernized the property while preserving its historic charm. “It is the hotel for Regina, the scene of weddings, baptisms, funerals and meetings for mid-level and up executives. Judges lunch there. There’s a ton of history,” said Doris Hager, president of Hager Design International Inc., the Vancouver-based firm that spearheaded the renovation. “We had concerns about how the reno would change the hotel.” The property opened in 1927 as one of Canadian National Railway’s grand hotels, and in September, 2015, it changed hands when InnVest REIT purchased the

hotel from Temple Hotels Inc. and committed funding to the refurbishment. The hotel stayed open during the phased project, which was completed in October and was the property’s first renovation in 20 years. The property is part of the Marriott Autograph Collection, and for that brand, it was key to “make the (hotel) unique and embrace its local aspect, but make it more modern and appeal to a younger, 30-plus demographic,” said Hager. In guestrooms, the team jettisoned wallpaper in favour of understated grey paint, matched by new, similarly coloured carpet. The team replaced casegoods and added new moveable desks, and revamped rooms’ colour scheme to blue and silver accents. Some rooms’ entryways were up-

dated to marble. Refreshed suites feature darker greys and black, along with darker upholstered wall panels. The project modernized bathrooms, installing marble tile and adding mirrors to the walls behind vanities (inset into which were electric mirrors), “to bring more light in.” In a number of rooms, the team added showers, boosting the overall tub/shower mix so that it’s now evenly split between both. “We added three keys to the hotel, for a total of 200 guestrooms and 27 suites,” said senior design Janine Anderson. “These keys were added by changing what were three formal dining room spaces into bedrooms within large suites that had adjoining bedrooms. New walls were built between the living room and the dining areas to create the new bedrooms, and the adjoining bedrooms were separated and turned into standard king guestrooms.” Receiving a major makeover was the lobby, where the team removed carpet and replaced it with stone-patterned porcelain tile inlaid with carpet; installed a new woodgrain front desk; brought in new leather furniture; and kept the gilded moldings and chandeliers. Walls now sport accent coverings and warm grey now dominates the colour palette. The lobby overhaul has created a “lighter, brighter, less ornate” space, said Hager. The lobby bar was moved, to a more central location against the windows, and new seating (including communal tables and wingback chairs) was added. Handpainted beams and gilded moldings were retained. Meeting and event rooms on the mezzanine and second floors were refurbished, too. In the ballroom, additions included carpet, a contemporary take on classic motifs realized in grey with black and blue accents in a striated, ‘shattered’ pattern. As with other areas of the hotel, the team kept the moldings, but painted them white. Also kept was the iconic, and hugely popular, bunny-themed artwork. The project refreshed all public bathrooms, adding new tile, incorporating new vanities and painting wall partitions.

COMING EVENTS Feb. 15-16, 2017: Hotel Association of Canada Conference. Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel . Contact: Vicki Welstead. Tel. 416-924-2002, ext. 233. Email: vickiwelstead@bigpictureconferences.ca. Website: hacconference.ca

Feb. 26-28, 2017: Restaurants Canada Show: Canada Unleashed, Enercare Centre, Toronto. Contact: Rita Grossi. Tel.: 416-649-4237. E-mail: Rgrossi@restaurantscanada.org. Website: restaurantscanada.org

May 15-16, 2017: Canadian Hotel Investment Conference. Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto. Contact: Vicki Welstead. Tel. 416-924-2002, ext. 233. Email: vickiwelstead@bigpictureconferences.ca. Website: hotelinvest.ca

Feb. 21-23, 2017: Hospitality NL’s 2015 Conference and Trade Show, Gander, NL. Hotel Gander and Albatross Gander. Contact: Melissa Ennis. Tel.: 800-563-0700, ext. 231. Fax: 709-7228104. E-mail: Mennis@hnl.ca. Website: www.hnl.ca/conference.

April 9-11, 2017: Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association Convention and Tradeshow, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper, Alta. Contact: Jordan McKay. Tel.: 780-436-6112, ext. 248; E-mail: Jmckay@ahla.ca. Website: ahla.ca

May 16, 2017: HOTELNEXT, Student Competition, Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto. Contact: Vicki Welstead. Tel. 416-924-2002, ext. 233. Email: vickiwelstead@bigpictureconferences.ca. Website: hotelinvest.ca

2 2 | Canadian Lodging News

TOP 10 LIST Top 10 Quotes from Expedia Partner Conference By Colleen Isherwood This year’s 20th Anniversary Expedia Partner Conference, held at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas last month, featured entrepreneurial, forward-thinking speakers whose topics ranged far beyond the future of OTAs and hotels into philosophy and, of course, U.S. politics. Here are some of my favourite quotes from the conference.

1. President and CEO Dara Khosrowshahi on the company’s 20 years of revolutionizing travel: The first Expedia Partner Conference was held in a parking lot; now we have 4,000 partners attending. 2. Aman Bhutani, president, Brand Expedia: To my one-year-old, a magazine is nothing but a broken iPad. .. But I see technology as an opportunity, not a disruptor. 3. Aman Bhutani, president, Brand Expedia: [Great technology] happens gradually, then suddenly. Things are not ready for prime time; then you invest a little more... If it’s a winner, suddenly it’s going to grow very quickly. Your have to invest at the opportunity phase. 4. Robert Herjavec, Shark Tank and Dragon’s Den (Canadian): Don’t invest in stuff you understand; invest in stuff you think consumers will buy. 5. Siew Hoon Yeoh founder WIT (Web in Travel) based in Singapore: Travel giants need to protect little things, like boatmen in Borneo. 6. French professor Peter Connor: Why not monetize front desks by taking deliveries? 7. CFO Mark Okerstrom (Canadian): Expedia has 5 per cent of global travel and is growing six times as fast as the global average. The company saw $12 million growth year over year, an increase of 29 per cent YOY. 8. Jason Dorsey, The Center for Generational Kinetics: Technology is only new if you remember the way it was before. 9. Expedia founder Rich Barton’s Wizard of Oz version of leadership: The Scarecrow was seeking brains; the factory of the future is people’s minds. The Cowardly Lion sought courage, something a leader absolutely must have. The Tin Man wanted a heart. As an organization, it’s important to let people know what you care about. Millennials want you to take positions on things as a mission-driven organization. 10. Barry Diller, chairman and senior executive, Expedia Inc.: Asked who he would prefer as the next president of Expedia, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, Diller replied, “I’d sell my shares!”

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Open the door to more. You’re not in the hotel business for less. You’re in it for more. So when looking for an investment opportunity that gives more of everything it takes to help you succeed — reservations, property support, marketing, technology, you name it — you’ll find more of what you’re looking for with Choice Hotels®. Bigger is better, too. Whether you’re planning a new build or changing brands, you’ll benefit from the scale and distribution of one of the world’s largest hospitality companies. With more than 75 years of experience, an unflagging focus on innovation and a commitment to your ROI, we provide every franchisee with the expertise, support and resources it takes to succeed. Open the door to more, today.