OCTOBER 2023
INTEGRITY
Tell and accept the truth
Honor your commitments
Take ownership and act with pride
We care for people so they can be their best
We care for people so they can be their best
The largest Travel Agents event organized by ALGV, Ascend 2023, took place in Cancun, Mexico from October 18th to 21st, 2023, where Amstar was a Platinum Sponsor of this great event.
With the participation of more than 650 Travel Advisors, Amstar played an important role, ensuring smooth logistics, which included airport transfers, transportation to the convention center, trips to events and parties, and familiarization excursions through the stunning Mexican Caribbean.
Operation – Responsible for receiving and transporting all attendees, the operations team and representatives of the Mexican Caribbean excelled in providing exceptional and world-class service from the beginning to the end of the event. Congratulations to everyone for this great work!
Commercial & Marketing – Additionally, as sponsors, our commercial team had the opportunity to meet, meet and pamper the Travel Advisors throughout Ascend, highlighting the following events:
Booth – With a privileged location on the exhibition floor, the team made up of Annette S, Alex J, Rossy R, James R, Fer Y, Raul S, David P and more, welcomed the Travel Advisors with signature drinks from 4 of our wonderful destinations: Margarita from Mexico, Rum Punch from the DR, Mai Tai from Hawaii and Guaro from CR.
Photobooth – In addition, we were present with an “Instagram-worthy” photobooth representing one of the thousands of experiences we offer, and in which the participants posed and captured fun moments to share on their social networks.
Workshop – Under the theme Dream Far, Travel Big, our team of BDMs had the opportunity to share with the Travel Advisors the value proposition that Amstar offers them as partners, in addition to presenting the news that 2023 has brought and what is coming by 2024.
Amstar Exclusive Yacht Experience for Top Producers – In order to recognize the Top Travel Advisors and also give them a sneak peek of one of our Signature Experiences, the commercial team hosted an exclusive yacht ride along the coasts of Cancun, evening in which there was also a tasting of delicious foods prepared at the moment and premium drinks.
Voluntourism: Giving Back in Destination Forum -Rossy Rodriguez represented Amstar in a forum where he spoke about the importance of volunteering in tourism and “giving back” to local communities, mainly vulnerable groups.
And to close with a flourish, during the closing ceremony, our president, Ray Snisky, took advantage of the large audience gathered to share a little of what is coming for ALG Vacations and Amstar in 2024, including the long-awaited rebranding of our brand!
Thanks to the entire Amstar team!
you next year
HR Global Town Hall
During the Global HR Town Hall, we revisited the best moments and major achievements of the Human Resources team across all locations, including:
Great Place To Work Certification in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and the United States.
Launch of the Welcome To Hyatt course as part of the Onboarding process.
First milestone of the Payroll Transformation Project. Diversity and Inclusion circle activations.
Positive results from the Colleagues Engagement Survey.
Global wellness activities.
Ranked 12th in the Super Companies list by Expansion Magazine for companies with more than 3,000 employees.
Standardization of the onboarding process for new colleagues from Amstar & ALG (New Colleague Experience).
Reconnecting with our Meetings & Events essence program.
Training Needs Analysis 2024
Additionally, we highlighted the ongoing efforts to align and enhance Apple Leisure Group's processes, strategies, and programs with the Hyatt culture.
Thank you to all the attendees! 9. 10.
¡PEOPLE HYway IS NOW AVAILABLE!
We are excited to announce that People HYway self service is now available to you. You can use People Hyway self service to view and update your personal information including home address, home email, home phone number, marital status, legal name, emergency contacts, and preferred language.
To access People HYway, go to hyattconnect and under My Apps, click on People HYway.
This link will either take you directly into the system or require you to authenticate through Microsoft Single Sign-On with your Hyatt Global ID login (example:1234567@login. hyatt).
If you encounter issues with your Hyatt login, please email tasc@triseptsolutions.com or call TASC (Spanish) at +52 (55) 4161-1144 or TASC (English) at +1 414 934 1900.
If the PeopleHYway screen does not load, please wait a few minutes and try accessing again from Hyatt Connect.
To assist you in navigating People HYway, please reference the user guides here, which can also be found in hyattconnect under Tools > Guides for Employee Self Service (People HYway only).
ALG guides will be found under ALG Employee Self Service Guides.
Within People HYway, click on the menu at the top left corner of the homepage and select “Employee Self Service”. Please ignore the “Manager Self-Service” tab, as ALG is currently set up for Employee Self Service only. Of the tiles showing on the dashboard, ALG only uses Personal Details, My Language, and Document Upload tiles. Please disregard the other tiles.
I'm Luis Fermin, Transportation Manager for the Dominican Republic.
OCTOBER PINK
I INVITE YOU TO WATCH THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW
Ale Camacho
BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR
CLIC HERE
IT ALL STARTS WITH THE MINDSET!
In order to continue fostering confidence, enrichment, and professional success for women, during the month of October, we held various sessions on an important topic in the business world: agility.
Organizations talk about wanting to "be more agile," but at the end of the day, agility is simply a structured approach to dealing with the unprecedented pace of change we are experiencing in the world. It is a set of mindsets, behaviors, and tools designed to help us separate signals from noise when prioritizing our time and effort and to harness the power of collaboration, diversity, and creativity in our work.
In this Agile miniseries, we discussed the four pillars of agility as an ecosystem:
Break down silos: Blurring cross-functional lines to ensure we have diverse viewpoints to solve problems creatively and collaboratively.
Adopt a growth mindset: An intentional change in the way we think and approach problems to help us see challenges in a different way and unlock creative ways to solve them.
Focus on outcomes: Clearly defining what we're trying to achieve and why, through a new and different way of planning and prioritizing.
Test & learn: Rapid experiments enable fast feedback loops that provide data to help us make informed decisions and change direction as needed.
DURING THE SESSIONS, THEY SHARED A PRACTICAL TOOL FOR TEAMS TO REACH THEIR RESULTS MORE AGILELY. THE STEPS TO FOLLOW ARE:
1. Analyze the impact.
2. Define which strategy should be prioritized.
3. Determine the behavior that will be modified with this action plan.
4. Assess our impact on this change.
5. Identify the value proposition and benefits these results will bring.
As leaders, we are responsible for establishing alignment and autonomy in our teams, defining desired goals and impacts, as well as encouraging transparency among colleagues.
As a team, we can use results-driven approaches to align according to the best working method and apply different tools to reach our goals.
"WE CARE FOR PEOPLE SO THEY CAN BE THEIR BEST"
AMSTAR HALLOWEEN 2023
Thanks to the great teamwork of Amstar, UVC, Corporate ALG, and HIC, the costume contest and horror fair took place at the Cancun UNO facilities on Tuesday, October 31st .
The event began with the costume contest, where 22 participants showcased their creativity and excellent performances on a runway to display their terrifying outfits. Our judges attentively assessed all the contestants details. Our judging panel consisted of Analuz Velarde, Giuseppe Casulli, Brian Williams, Lorena Zapata, and Dario Artezan, to whom we appreciate their collaboration in this activity.
After the runway, a dance challenge and many applauses, the 6 winners were determined:
1st place:
Jacinto Najera (Burned Zombie)
Prize: Double Pass to Xcaret
3rd place: Hernando Rios (The Plague Executioner)
Prize: Alexa Eco Show
5th place:
Jose Antonio Velazquez (The Awakening of the Devil)
Prize: Dolce Gusto Coffee Maker
2nd place: Laura Velazquez (La Llorona)
Prize: Double Day Pass at El Cid Hotel
4th place: Freddy Escamilla (Nahual from the Veracruz Huasteca)
Prize: Smart Fit Watch
6th place: Laisy Rivero (Space Dove)
Prize: Amazon Certificate
We want to give a special mention to those who made the prizes possible: Cipriana Acevedo, Giuseppe Casulli, and the Human Resources teams of UVC and Amstar.
Subsequently, colleagues enjoyed the horror fair, where they had fun with games like lotto, marbles, bottle games, riddles, and much more. They also captured unforgettable moments in the 360 camera activity.
Enjoy the 360 camera videos at the following link
We invite you to check out our new profile on Spotify!
The E-Commerce and Marketing team has started a Spotify strategy and kicked it off by creating two playlists tailored for the Halloween season.
Listen to them on these links and be sure to follow us because there are more playlists on the way!
Relive the best moments and download your favorite photos: Halloween
WE CONTINUE TO REACH OUR BEST VERSION
On the past 3rd and 10th of October, the Dominican Republic Amstar team conducted Team Building sessions, which engaged various activities aligned with three of our corporate values:
Well-being: Challenging physical activities were carried out where they had to reach the goal as quickly as possible.
Experimentation: We conducted new activities that they hadn't previously experienced, requiring them to create team strategies to achieve the goal.
Inclusion: Through the team building, we were able to strengthen interdepartmental relationships.
Within each challenge, colleagues participated in different dynamics:
1. Collect a specific number of stones from a river against the current in the shortest time possible (Jungle River).
2. Cross a hanging bridge in the shortest time possible (Zipline).
3. Achieve the lowest number of casualties and capture the flag in a team showdown in Paintball.
Through these activities, they were able to enhance skills such as teamwork, collaboration, effective communication, integration, and leadership, allowing our colleagues to continue developing their best version every day.
Why Measure Outcomes and Performance?
Objective: Measure outcomes and overall performance to determine if your strategy is effective.
Language: English
Duration: 2 minutes
Competency: Operate with excellence
Forging Synergies: The Power of Teamwork
With the aim of reinforcing the importance of teamwork, promoting effective communication and developing collaboration skills, on October 9th, colleagues from Amstar Puerto Vallarta enjoyed a workshop at the Sunscape Hotel. The workshop covered topics such as Time Management, Emotional Intelligence, Interpersonal Skills, Conflict Resolution, and the Importance of teamwork.
The workshop had the participation of Sales teams (Hotel Reps), Service teams (Airport Reps), Office teams (Customer Service and Operations), as well as the Cashier and Operations Assistant departments, totaling 40 people.
As part of team building, an activity was conducted in which three different teams-built towers using straws and toothpicks within a maximum of 30 minutes. This allowed the teams to designate a leader, organize tasks, and plan the project's construction in an orderly and fast manner, strengthening colleague integration and preparing for the upcoming season, where they will welcome customers with even more enthusiasm.
The winners of this activity were:
Margarita Guzman
Perla Garcia
Eduardo Ruelas
Alejandro Marcial
Antonio Ochoa
Paula Hernandez
Jose Torres
Ramon Martinez
Isabel Bañuelos
It's worth noting that this workshop is a complement to the "retreat" activity, where they engage in camping, integration activities, games, and an evening with a campfire in cabins in the town of Mascota, Jalisco.
Thanks to all the participants!
Successful Sales Closure Training for Inside Sales Department
On October 28th, the Effective Sales Closure for Inside Sales course was conducted with great success. The primary objective of this training was to provide participants with the tools and knowledge necessary to stand out in the sales process within the realm of Inside Sales.
Throughout the day, participants engaged in practical exercises, role-plays, and real-life examples designed to strengthen their closing skills and techniques. Emphasis was placed on mastering smart questions as a key strategy for thoroughly understanding the needs and desires of our customers.
Active interaction and enthusiastic participation from attendees contributed to creating a dynamic and collaborative learning environment. We appreciate all participants for their dedication and commitment during the course.
We are confident that the new knowledge acquired in this training will serve as valuable tools to enhance each individual's sales closing skills, thereby propelling our Inside Sales team to achieve new levels of excellence.
October 4th : World Pet Day!
We celebrate the pets that bring us joy and complete our homes without asking for anything in return.
We’re passionate about providing the best service and our results reflect our daily effort!
GROUPS ATTENDED EXCURSIONS PASSENGERS
101 Grups 25 VIPS & Sites
119,426
66,035
VOLUNTEERING IN DIRIA NATIONAL PARK
Diria National Park is located in Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, where it preserves the water that arrives to the entire area of Pampa de Guanacaste, Santa Cruz, Nicoya, Abangares, and other cantons. Therefore, on October 13th , our colleagues from this destination: Ingrid Sanchez, Karina Chavarria, Luis Carlos Ortiz, Jose Talavera and Roberto Rojas, contributed to the maintenance of the facilities that serve groups of students and volunteers on one of the main trails in the national park, with a length of 800 meters.
Protected areas in Costa Rica have a limited budget and a limited human resource, so the participation of corporate volunteers is very valuable to cover improvements and maintenance in these areas that conserve and protect the country's natural resources.
A total of 6 companies and 30 people participated in the volunteering effort. Amstar Amstar also donated tools for the use of the National Park, always demonstrating our commitment to caring for our community and the environment.
CREATING SMILES AT THE ENRIQUE BALTODANO
HOSPITAL
In Costa Rica, about 7,500 cases of cancer are diagnosed per year.
Last Thursday, October 19th, Ingrid Sanchez, Diego Matute, Roy Vargas, Rebeca Escobar and Roberto Rojas of the Amstar Costa Rica team, visited the facilities of the Enrique Baltodano Briceño Hospital, where they held three workshops on crafts, making and decorating piggy bank, making an angel using macrame technique and making bracelets, guided by a teacher in charge of giving the instructions for each of the activities.
The workshops were aimed at patients from the Oncology and Radiology area of the Hospital, with whom they carried out recreational activities to share an unforgettable moment, embracing them with empathy so that they continue to find strength and encouragement at this stage of their life.
Amstar shows that our purpose is not only applied within the company, we also share it externally to continue creating a world of care in our community.
Together we achieve more!
On October 25th, colleagues from the Commercial & Business and ALGV Revenue Management departments came together to make several donations of school supplies, toys, and a laptop to the Arrecifes de Tulu School, founded by Miss Lucy. After the pandemic, she took it upon herself to gather the children in one of the community houses to teach them how to read and write. As of today, they have more than 150 children who, after their regular classes, go to this little school to do their homework, and those who don't have the opportunity to attend regular school learn the basics there.
We also engaged in in-person activities with the children, such as making piñatas, playing soccer, and doing "Tye-dye" (painting little backpacks). These actions allow us to make a positive impact on the lives of others through care, empathy, and wellbeing.
Thank you for taking care of others so they can reach their best!
What is mental health?
As defined by the World Health Organization, mental health is a state of mental wellbeing that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well, work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and wellbeing that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Mental health is a basic human right. And it is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic development. Learn more here.
In honor of World Mental Health Day, Hyatt conducted virtual sessions with Healthy Minds Innovations and Headspace to assist colleagues in learning about mental health, wellbeing, and practicing mindfulness.
Explore Additional Wellbeing Resources
As a reminder, colleagues have access to wellbeing tools and resources on such as:
· Gifts of Gratitude: Simple expressions of gratitude like this not only demonstrate care but can also have a tremendous impact for both those who give and those who receive.
· HealthyMinds Innovations Podcasts: Meditation podcast lessons to help build skills to support your own wellbeing.
In honor of World Mental Health Day, Mark Hoplamazian sits down with colleague Jeffrey Okyere-Agyei, Bellman at Park Hyatt New York and talented artist, for a powerful conversation around the importance of following one’s personal passions and expressing creativity to support mental wellbeing.
“Self awareness is the skill of knowing your state of mind.”
Raising Awareness about Wellbeing
Strengthening our shared commitment to wellbeing and prioritizing self-care as a daily practice, on October 23rd, the Meetings & Events department conducted an integration activity at the Cancun UNO facilities. We invited experts in the field of wellbeing who shared practical guidance on leading a healthier life.
Participants learned some simple exercise routines to help them establish better habits. They also reinforced the importance of good nutrition, engaging in physical activity, being mindful of their health, and getting adequate rest and sleep.
"Wellbeing and health are a duty; otherwise, we would not be able to keep our minds strong and clear."
Buddha
Kud s
FROM: ANNETTE SCHMID
TO: DANIELE MENEZ
For her passion for Amstar and her assertiveness to contract new tour operators.
For her growth mindset and her commitment in being kind.
For her curiosity and spirit of inquiry.
For her compromise to actively prioritize self-care. She lives our values of EMPATHY, INTEGRITY, INCLUSION, RESPECT, EXPERMIMENTAITON AND WELL BEING each day.
And she is a great asset to the commercial department, to Amstar and to the Hyatt group.
FROM: NORMA HERNANDEZ
TO: AIDEE MEDINA Y PEDRO ARIAS
They have stood out for their attitude and constant search for tools that help generate better materials for the brand. It's wonderful to work with them. I want to highlight the excellent teamwork they exhibit in the preparation for Ascend 2023.
Likewise, I want to thank Andres del Rosario for his support while everything is happening. He has been of great assistance in advancing the projects within the destination and beyond.
FROM: SILVANA LONDONO
TO: EDDY ROJAS
I wanted to express my sincere appreciation to Eddy Rojas for the excellent training provided to our Customer Services support agents. Eddy’s expertise in call centers and the outstanding Call Handling training session conducted were exceptional. His commitment to equipping our team with the necessary skills and knowledge is evident, and the training session was both interesting and immensely helpful. His insights and guidance have contributed to enhancing the capabilities of our Customer Services support agents, enabling them to provide an even higher level of service to our valued guests. We understand that such training sessions demand time and dedication, and we want to acknowledge your unwavering commitment to our team's development. We are genuinely grateful for your support.
FROM: FERNANDA MARTINEZ
TO: MARCO GARCIA AND AURORA CONSTANTE
Marco and Aurora, your exceptional empathy has been a beacon of light within our team. You have shown a deep understanding of others' needs, demonstrating a genuine connection with your peers and collaborators. This empathy has not only strengthened our bonds as a team but has also created a more positive and enriching work environment.
Furthermore, I want to highlight your courage and willingness to embrace change. In a world that demands agility and flexibility, you have enthusiastically embraced change and led by example. Your ability to adapt to new challenges and your proactive attitude have been inspiring examples. I greatly appreciate the dedication and heart you have put into onboarding new colleagues, generating fresh ideas, proposing improvements, and leaving your personal mark on every phase of the project.
FROM: ISRAEL ROJAS
TO: : RAFAEL LOPEZ, ALEJANDRO MARCIAL, JOSE RODRIGUEZ, ALVARO CORONA AND ALL THE PUERTO VALLARTA TEAM
Thanks to the entire Operations team, Airport staff, Hotel Reps, and Customer Service for their tremendous support and responsibility during Hurricane Lidia.
Special recognition goes to Rafael, Alejandro, Jose, and Alvaro, who stayed overnight at the hotels during the hurricane to represent Amstar and assist our passengers after ensuring the safety of their own homes and families.
Also, thanks to the entire team working behind the scenes, who provided support through calls and remote operations from their homes.
We are grateful to report that guests, Hyatt Inclusive Collection and Unlimited Vacation Club colleagues in Acapulco were safely evacuated following the aftermath of Hurricane Otis as their safety and wellbeing is always our highest priority.
Unfortunately, many of our colleagues in the Acapulco area, including those from Dreams Acapulco and UVC, have been directly impacted and experienced home damage because of the hurricane.
To help our colleagues who have been affected, we have set up a GoFundMe campaign and Hyatt will match every $1 USD dollar donated, up to $25,000 USD. We hope you will consider contributing in any way you can. In the interest of privacy for our colleagues, please do not share this campaign publicly.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/Hyatt-Colleagues-Acapulco
Funds raised will be distributed directly to local human resources team to be dispersed to impacted colleagues. Your contribution will help bring relief and hope to those colleagues affected by Hurricane Otis.
Our thoughts remain with our colleagues, guests and the communities affected by this disaster, and we are committed to supporting the resilience of Acapulco. We remain committed to caring for our guests, colleagues and the Acapulco community during this difficult time.
Thank you.
