IHI HNN March Issue

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MARCH 2021

HOSPITALITY NETWORK NEWS

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8 EXCERPT: We are continually trying to highlight that Institutes of Technology (IOT’s)are graduating more students in this discipline than anyone else.

10 EXCERPT: Today our industry witnessed the talent and potential of the next generation of Young Hospitality Managers”

3 PRESIDENT'S NOTE 4 EVENTS IHI & Patron 5 IHI Patrons & Business Partners Directory 10 EDUCATION & TRAINING 13 NETAFFINITY Google announces eliminating fees for hotel booking links, 15 CELTIC LINEN Adapting to change at one of Ireland’s largest commercial laundries

7 On the Record With Cáit Noone FIHI

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18 EXCEL RECRUITMENT & Futureproof Training launch new & improved online training portal

NTENTS

16 EXCERPT: Covid has not changed my goals or plans for growth. We have plans in place for Q2 and Q3, it’s necessary to be prepared. We intend to look at what we can add in terms of service and standards for our healthcare business and grow our hospitality work with new hotel groups..”

17 IRISH FERRIES Announces new service on Dover A new way of thinking, living and working 22 IDEAS Present a Hospitality Technology Hub 22 BOOKASSIST Google's free Hotel Booking Links 22 CLASSIC DRINKS Weingut Peter Schweiger 23 Guestline GuestStay Digital Registration solution

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PRESIDENT'S NOTE Dear Member, As you plan to re-open, I know that all of you are keeping the health and safety of your teams and your customer front and centre of all that you do.

The month of March saw the Institute host a very successful Business Management Game.

Congratulations to our winner's Galway--Mayo Institute of Technology. Well done also to all the other teams that took part – it was wonderful to see all the fabulous and energetic young talent within our colleges and we look forward to them joining our industry soon!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team at the Institute Tina and Cynthia who were dogged in their determination to enable this Business Game now in its 36th year to go online. Our thanks as well to our Events Committee who played a huge part in the success of this event. Finally, we thank Peter Russell of the Russell Partnership who proved once again to be wonderful business partners to the event.

We have some great webinars lined up in the coming weeks, please visit our website www.ihi.ie to view and register for these events.

I am under deadline pressure this afternoon so for the moment let me wish you and yours a very Happy Easter and we look forward to seeing you in the month of April at some of our online events.

Meanwhile keep safe and best wishes.

Oonagh President Irish Hospitality Institute

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How to Find Peace in the Chaos of the Modern World With guest speaker Niall Breslin 15th April 2021 11.00 am *Please note this is a Member only event.

Email: info@ihi.ie for registration details

FDI in Ireland, IDA’s New Strategy & Economic Outlook with guest speaker Martin Shanahan FIHI CEO IDA Ireland Thursday, May 6th 2021 Click here to register

Hospitality Recovery from an International Perspective Thursday, 27th May Details to follow

Mark our upcoming Level Up sessions in your calendar! ➞ Thursday 8th April: Room types - best practises ➞ Thursday 15th April: Updating your hotel information

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U P C O M I N G E V E N T S

IHI PATRONS& BUSINESS

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+44 20 3474 0512

(01) 675 8000

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(01) 293 9903

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PARTNERS DIRECTORY 01 678 8438 (01) 534 4821

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(046) 943 8616

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086 3841015

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On the Record

O N T H E R E C O R D

Cáit Noone FIHI This month, I had the pleasure of interviewing IHI Fellow, Cáit Noone.

Cáit is the Vice President for International Engagement and Head of the College of Tourism and Arts at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. - Cynthia O'Neill

You were elected a Fellow of the IHI in 2017, how important was it to you to receive your Fellowship?

Honestly, it was more important to me to join the Irish Hospitality Institute when I joined GMIT and give back rather than expect anything from the Institute.

In my early days at GMIT the former Head of School Liam Hanratty shared some invaluable insights with me into the Irish Hospitality Institute and they remain firmly embedded in my consciousness to this day. Receiving the fellowship was a special recognition and I am so grateful to the Institute I was considered worthy of it.

When discussing my submission with more experienced Fellows it was a timely reminder of the work I had done and a nudge to continue embracing the workload ahead of me.

What made you decide to go into a career in education?

I always enjoyed learning and that thirst for knowledge has never left me, I am quintessentially a lifelong learner. I almost fell into education as I initially started in a training role and progressed from there.

I really enjoy sharing knowledge and consider it a great privilege to work in Higher Education. To have a platform where you can share knowledge, encourage others and attempt to inspire the next generation of Tourism and Hospitality leaders is something I value daily and never take for granted. At this stage in my career I have worked in the UK, Switzerland, and China and this clearly demonstrates how diverse and applicable a qualification from our industry can serve you in terms of career options.

Considering the current environment, what advice do you give to students currently enrolled in hospitality & tourism programs across Ireland?

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The same advice I was given as a student many years ago – the world is your oyster, there are no barriers to achieving whatever it is you want in this industry. You will have to work hard to stand out from the crowd, you will have to be prepared to go the extra mile however the rewards are endless.

No other qualification will take you around the globe, allowing you to work across sectors, with different people and cultures, engaging and making such a difference to many people lives. Whether you work in a hotel in Connemara or food truck in Bangkok you can make such a positive difference to people’s experiences and that is such a privilege, every day of your working life. People leave a café, restaurant, hotel, adventure park, wherever having had a wonderful time and you are part of the reason their experience was everything they needed it to be.

I am very luck to be part of a dynamic team at the Galway International Hotel School in GMIT. Many of us are closely connected to the industry and have worked in different sectors of the tourism industry. Bringing that knowledge and network to the students helps us inform their future career direction.

During your career you have been fortunate to work overseas, can you tell us where you enjoyed living most and why?

Very difficult question. I loved Switzerland because our industry was treated and valued the same as every other industry. A waiter in a small mountain café is treated the same as the local doctor. Many view Swiss hospitality as a little old fashion but some of their traditions are to be admired.

However, I loved my time in China. I went there alone, no family, no partner and it was challenging for many reasons. However, I made friends quickly, my work colleagues were like a family and the Irish community, although very small, was incredibly helpful and kind.

The Irish Consulate in Shanghai was an amazing resource and while I was not working for an Irish company, I was completely integrated into the Irish business community and supported by the same. I worked as part of a joint venture with an American Nasdaq listed company and a Chinese government agency, the learning was phenomenal and incredibly valuable.

I visited places in China not accessible to foreigners, I witnessed and experienced life through different lenses because of our joint venture. I immersed myself in the heritage and culture as best I could and even tried to learn a little of the language.

People I made friends with then remain my friends to this day and it was an exhilarating and life changing experience.

Throughout you career, what would you say has been your most challenging role and why?

Some of my time in China was extremely challenging as quality assurance across academia varies in Asia from Ireland.

However, if I am honest, I would say my most challenging role is my current job. I work in a great school in GMIT however nationally Tourism Education is not a priority for government and that is not a criticism but a fact. The Irish government has a STEM Education policy statement and various other supports in place to embed STEM education from early years right through to postgraduate studies however we don’t have this in Tourism. Tourism education is much smaller than STEM in the higher education landscape, however it is our largest indigenous industry.

in infrastructure and technological developments and too often our voices are not heard. That said I don’t intend to give up or back down and I work with two outstanding Heads of Department in Jacinta Dalton and Diarmuid O’Conghaile so inspiration and ambition are never far from our agenda.

Lastly, as we inch our way back to normalcy with the vaccine rollout and get closer to traveling beyond our 5k, where will your staycation take you?

I take a small break during the summer months and always spend that time in Ireland. I live in a small village outside of Galway city, Barna and am living on the coast so don’t need to travel too far for sand, sea and my car boot is usually season ready for whatever the Irish weather presents.

That said I very much hope to take my parents to Lahinch for a night or two this summer, Vaughan Lodge is a personal favourite. Also hoping to get to Cork and Dublin as the capital city needs our support this summer more than ever before.

Cáit Noone with Michael Mallon FIHI receiving her fellowship.

We are continually trying to highlight that Institutes of Technology (IOT’s)are graduating more students in this discipline than anyone else. Many IOT’s are now Technological Universities or on a journey to become one and educating the next generation of Tourism leaders with very limited resources. Many higher education institutes need significant financial investment HNN |

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Galway – Mayo Institute of Technology International Hotel School Wins the 36th Irish Hospitality Institute National Hospitality Business Management Game 2021 Left to right: Abbey Daly, Peter Russell, The Russell Partnership, Geraldine Ruddy, Team Captain Roisin Corrigan, Max Reid. John Carty, Tutor GMIT and Elaine Greene.

A team of 5 students representing Galway – Mayo Institute of Technology, International Hotel School were selected as the outright winners of the 36th Irish Hospitality Institute (IHI) National Hospitality Business Management Game 2021. Due to Covid-19, the Game was held virtually.

The winning team scored top marks in the competition that attracted five teams representing, Shannon College of Hotel Management, Galway - Mayo Institute of Technology, TU Dublin City Campus, Dundalk Institute of Technology and participating for the first time TU Dublin Tallaght Campus.

1st 2nd 3rd

Galway - Mayo Institute of Technology Shannon College of Hotel Management Dundalk Institute of Technology

The Game supported by FáilteIreland, The Russell Partnership, Irish Hotels Federation and The Doyle Collection saw the teams complete three challenges that tested the students’ business acumen and management skills in the areas of Business Development Strategy, Digital Marketing and Revenue Management. Challenge 1 saw the students produce a digital marketing campaign for their hotel to target the Staycation market. Challenge 2 the students produced a go-to-market strategy to re-image the way their hotel delivers meeting and events, optimising product and technical needs. In the final Challenge, students completed a hotel simulation based on re-opening their hotel post-Covid-19.

Tina Maree, National Executive Officer said, “Today our industry witnessed the talent and potential of the next generation of Young Hospitality Managers”. The Hospitality & Tourism Industry provides young graduates with real career opportunities to explore and develop in so many aspects of business: Sales & Marketing, Revenue Management, Finance, Human Resources, Training & Development and Operations”.

Prior to the announcement of the winners of the game, 260 students from across the country joined the participating teams to attend the "The Pillars of Hospitality & Tourism Management Career webinar. Guest speakers included Catherine Toolan, Managing Director, Diageo Irish Brand Homes, Aaron Mansworth, Managing Director, Trigon Hotels, Helena Rowe Bradley. eCommerce Team Lead, Netaffinity and Jennifer O'Neill, Assistant Sales Director, The Marker Hotel.

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E D U C A T I O N

Reignite Your Career with a short course from TU Dublin and UCD (Free / 90% subsidised for eligible candidates*) Due to high demand, TU Dublin and UCD are offering further 'live-online' immersive short courses designed primarily for individuals and businesses that have been impacted by Covid-19 such as the tourism, hospitality, arts and entertainment sectors. Courses are funded by the Government of Ireland under the July 2020 Stimulus Provision.

&

Each course is designed to upskill participants with the knowledge, skills and tools that are in high demand to reignite their career and/or business.

T R A I N I N G

Each course, worth 10 ECTS, is run as a collaboration between TU Dublin and UCD. The courses are: Creativity and Innovation + Digital Entrepreneurship (19th-30th April 2021) Design Thinking + Digital Marketing (10th-21st May 2021) Applications are processed and places offered on a rolling basis until the courses are full. As we anticipate high demand please apply as soon as possible.

Applicants are required to complete an online form and upload the following information: 1. Your CV 2. Academic transcripts of your results or a copy of your academic parchment* 3. Your status verification. This will vary depending on whether you are employed, unemployed, a returner or previously self-employed.

4. A copy of the photo page of your passport 5. English language certification (if required) *Note: If you do not have a level 8 qualification (i.e. honours degree) or higher, you may still apply for a place on the course if you can demonstrate that you have a minimum of five years’ experience managing projects, teams, organisations AND can provide two references to verify your experience.

For further information and to apply for a place please select the links above or email innovation.academy@ucd.ie or HTSLEcommunications.city@TUDublin.ie *This course is offered free or 90% subsidised rate of €100 for eligible applicants through the Government of Ireland July 2020 Stimulus Provision. Visit links above for further information.

Please note as this course is jointly offered by TU Dublin and UCD, you will be registered to both institutions.

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In partnership with

Executive Leadership Programme - Launching Mid April Designed for Owners, General & Deputy Managers Module 1 – Leadership with Guest Speaker Professor Jeff Cunningham (Arizona State University) former publisher of Forbes magazine.

Self-analysis of delegates on their own leadership style; identification of opportunities for growth and future successes Module 2 – Coaching The impact of Coaching as a style of Leadership and its successful implementation throughout all strands of the organisation Module 3 – Time Management This module allows delegates to really hold a mirror to themselves and how they use their own time both inside and outside of work Module 4 – Adapting and Creating Effective Change Detailed analysis of leader and team reactions to change, how to get everyone working together in times of great uncertainty Module 5 – Communication with wrap up from Jeff Cunningham What works, the challenges within hospitality and how to overcome and get creative with practical tips *Please note each course will be limited to 12 spaces. Email cynthia.oneill@ihi.ie for registration details.

Supervisory Skills Programme Due to demand, we are delighted to share the next set of programme dates.

10am – 1pm each day Week 1 – 6th April – Leadership Week 2 – 13th April - Communication Week 3 – 20th April – Time Management Week 4 – 27th April – Change & Managing Conflict Week 5 – 4th May - Coaching *Please email cynthia.oneill@ihi.ie for registration details.

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ZEN AIR ACTIVEPURE TECHNOLOGY, HOW DOES IT DIFFER? ActivePure Technology is an advanced air purification solution that enables businesses to go on the offence, attacking airborne contaminants such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with over 99.9% success rate in as little as 3 minutes.

The ZEN AIR range of air purifiers with ActivePure Technology is an ideal solution to accompany the slow rollout of vaccinations and to speed up your business recovery process with the return of your workforce and the peace of mind of your customers.

Watch Video

EXPECT MORE FROM THE AIR YOU BREATHE

PORTABLE SOLUTIONS Portable ActivePure products are available as a customised solution for individual rooms or businesses Read more >

INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS Integrated ActivePure products are available to be installed as part of your existing HVAC duct system. Suitable for businesses where larger areas need protection Read more >

From as little as €1.00 per day* for a hotel room. *based on the installation of a fixed Zenair device into an existing air conditioner.

This device will cover up to 40 square meters.

PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS TODAY

Last week, Google announced that they will be eliminating fees for hotel booking links, in order to make the booking process easier and more comprehensive for consumers ahead of the expected return of travel post-pandemic.

Naturally, it will also demonstrate Google as a highly reliable place to search for bookings, and could help Google compete with a number of travel booking apps and services (many of which may see a huge surge in the coming months).

They have added an organic list to hotel search results that enables properties, online travel agencies and other booking sites to get visibility for free. “With full access to a wider range of hotel prices, users will have a more comprehensive set of options as they research their trip and ultimately decide where to book“.

Before this, hotel booking links in Google.com/travel were paid ads ranked by the traditional advertiser bidding model.

The free booking links will extend the reach of your existing Hotel Ads campaigns. If you are already use Hotel Ads, you don’t need to take any additional action to appear in free booking links.

Here is an example of what a user sees when they initially search for your hotel. All of these links are paid for:

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When the user clicks ‘view more rates’, they are brought to a page with both the ‘paid’ and ‘free’ links. Below are the paid links:

And here is where the free link section sits, right underneath the paid links section:

What else do you need to know?

This is currently available on Google Travel and in Google My Business, but not on Google Maps It’s not a replacement for the paid version on Google Hotel Ads, as the knowledge panel on the search results only surfaces paid links If you’re currently live on Google Hotel Ads, the free links are also live Google are not currently providing performance reporting on free links The organic listings are sorted by an algorithm based on user behaviour. Google does not share what goes into that, however, they generally see strong engagement with official sites, so those do tend to show up towards the top of the list Make sure your Google My Business profile is up to date and well maintained! (eg: images, description, amenities, COVID-19 safety information) If you are a Net Affinity client, we have a direct connection with Google through our metasearch platform!

Need more advice or interested in learning more about how metasearch can help increase your hotel’s direct bookings? Reach out to us at hello@netaffinity.com HNN |

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Adapting to change at one of Ireland’s largest commercial laundries. Joanne Somers of Celtic Linen talks about her new role, the recent challenges and what the future holds.

CEO Joanne Somers

It’s been a momentous year for Joanne Somers, Chief Executive of Wexford based Celtic Linen. Despite 24 years with the company, nothing could have prepared her for the impact that the Coronavirus pandemic has had on the business.

Celtic Linen was set up over 90 years ago as a domestic laundry and today serves the whole of Ireland. Bought by Causeway Capital in December 2016, Joanne took over as CEO in June last year. Celtic is one of the largest suppliers of linen and commercial laundry services to the healthcare and hospitality industries and under normal circumstances delivers over one million freshly laundered items per week.

Operating from three sites, two in Wexford and one in Naas, County Kildare, the company employs around 270 staff and runs a fleet of over 40 vehicles based in four locations. It serves two distinct markets – hospitality and healthcare, supplying over 40% of hospitals in Ireland and a large number of hotels from independents to groups.

At the very onset of Joanne’s new role, the hospitality sector in Ireland was closed down due to Covid-19 and Celtic saw its business reduce by 60% overnight.Two of the three plants were shut down and around 170 employees temporarily laid off and availing of the States’ wage subsidy scheme. On the healthcare side of the business however, it was a different story.

Fortunately, when Covid came along dealing with healthcare was already second nature from a chemical and risk analysis standpoint. Joanne explains: “The laundry was already fully set up to manage this type of product, operating to RABC EN14065 standard. It was more the change in the mix of product that was the challenge. We experienced a 70-80% increase in scrubs in the first lockdown and a 120% increase in early 2021.

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“There was also a need to source additional product to ensure a continuous supply to our healthcare customers, and with the added complication of Brexit we had to be several steps ahead all the time. There is no scope for error, if hospitals need supply you can’t say no, it’s a life or death situation.”

Pre-Christmas, due to an increase in hospital admissions, the laundry needed to operate seven days a week for the whole of December, including Christmas Eve. But it’s not just linen supply that needs managing, it’s the staffing.

Under normal working practices there is more flexibility, but interactions and staff movement have to be limited with Covid working protocols in place.

We deal with Covid infected linen every day”, states Joanne. “The value of the service industry is often overlooked but this pandemic has shown just how much it is the backbone of the economy, and effective laundry provision is critical in fighting the current pandemic.

Dealing with foul and infected linen is high risk, people forget that.”

Prior to the pandemic around 13% of linen handled required special processing,in this third lockdown it’s now up to 42%, all of which needs to be washed twice.Managing plant machinery and productivity is all unpredictable and dependant on what is happening day to day in the hospitals. Joanne and her team keep in touch daily with their hospital clients.

Every aspect has to be managed and with restricted access in hospitals it’s hard to ensure product is being returned and that the right linen mix is available when needed. Celtic rent and process all their own product, which is a substantial investment and product must turnaround to be viable.

Currently the hospitality business is only ticking over for essential workers. The laundry is processing 40/50k pieces per week from the normal 800/900k pieces of linen in high season, with an overall capacity of 1.3million pieces per week at Wexford and 350k pieces per week at Naas.Percentage wise the business has dropped by 55%.

However, the move in and out of lockdown has created massive challenges in supplying linen on a stop start basis for hospitality clients. At the end of June last year when Ireland came out of lockdown, requirement rose from 50k pieces to 400k pieces in a week then shut back down a short time later. Trying to get linen back to prevent soiled items from being destroyed, is an additional concern.

To manage these rapid changes, Joanne relies heavily on partnerships and has built a strong network with suppliers and customers. Celtic work with hospitality sector groups to plan as much as possible and flexibility is the key. The relationship Celtic has with its logistics provider, Solve Logistics, is crucial in these current times where supply is being turned on and off and normal operating regimes become unviable.

Another critical relationship is with the laundry’s chemical and equipment provider. Celtic has worked with hygiene specialist Christeyns Technologies Ireland since 1999, initially for the supply of chemicals for its healthcare plant and then three years later for hospitality. Christeyns has invested heavily in the business, providing not only chemicals but water treatment equipment and costeffective energy solutions as well as training.

Christeyns regional account managers are part of Celtic’s Quality Team, with technology rapidly moving forward Joanne relies on their wealth of expertise for best practise and in meeting the company’s sustainability goals.

Celtic has a history of trying to push forward, it was one of first five companies to bring natural gas to Wexford in 2016. It holds an ISO 14001 environmental policy standard and has done lots of work in last 2-3 years on sustainability, from the sourcing of linen to trying to reduce carbon footprint. Thanks to its work with Christeyns, who installed dosing, monitoring and energy equipment, water consumption has reduced from 16 litres per 1kg of linen to 2.5 litres per kilo, kilowatts per hour have reduced and the laundry uses 100% renewable electricity.

Christeyns has installed Laundry Expert (LXP), its advanced monitoring system.

Laundry dosing management systems are hugely important for healthcare, monitoring loads through the tunnel, measuring thermal disinfection and accuracy must be

spot on. Christeyns’ LXP system can be accessed remotely from a mobile phone or a laptop and pinpoint every detail at any given time.

Joanne and her team are using the time during Covid to introduce a Lean Programme, of which Christeyns are a part as consultant, looking at energy management and improved efficiency.

“Besides being the right thing to do, sustainable solutions are also good for the company and brings many benefits,” says Joanne. “Our goal is to get to no plastic but for now we are working on reducing plastic. Government policy will force green issues which have to be an integral part of the business, everyone should be aware of the environmental impact.”

“Covid has not changed my goals or plans for growth. We have plans in place for Q2 and Q3, it’s necessary to be prepared. We intend to look at what we can add in terms of service and standards for our healthcare business and grow our hospitality work with new hotel groups.”

From a personal standpoint Joanne’s goal is to keep the 300 or so families employed, to provide sustainable employment in a rural area for now and for future generations.

It’s been a tough year, but Joanne has taken it all in her stride, buoyed on by strong partnerships, a clear vision and a workforce that has gone the extra mile.“The business has seen the most rapid changes from one day to the next and we have had to meet these head on. I could not have done this without my outstanding workforce and the support of our suppliers.”

Whatever the year brings there is no doubt that Joanne and Celtic will meet the next challenge head on.

Claire Byrne Celtic Linen Operations Manager & Jim Browne Christeyns Technical Engineer HNN |

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Excel Recruitment & Futureproof Training launch new & improved online training portal Our Futureproof Training website has had an upgrade! It is now even easier to complete any of our online courses to ensure you or your team are up-to-date and certified in line with industry requirements.

We are also delighted to announce our classroom training courses, based in our HQ in Dublin city centre, are set to recommence on April 12th.

The newest updates to our Futureproof all have one goal: to make it quicker and easier to access and complete our huge library of courses, from industry essential training such as HACCP and Manual Handling. Futureproof also offers learner-led courses, such as Accommodation Assistant training, Upselling or Covid Safety: Return to Work training, all specifically designed to expand your team’ knowledge of the industry and take their skillset in individual disciplines to the next level.

Future Proof Training has always been an intrinsic part of the Excel Recruitment offering, allowing us to ensure our temporary staff and events teams are fully compliant and equipped with the knowledge they need to seamlessly fit in with our clients' teams. It also ensures our clients have access to a large pool of fully compliant, well-trained temporary workforce as well as providing access to train their own internal teams to the highest standard at reasonable rates.

All of our training courses are designed to be industry-focused and learner-led. Our fully accredited trainers are passionate about providing accessible and engaging training to learners of all backgrounds and abilities.

To view our full catalogue of courses and to book a place on any of our online or classroom courses (recommencing April 12th), please visit www.futureprooftraining.ie. For further information or to discuss groups rates, call us on 01-8717 676

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Irish Ferries announces new service on Dover – Calais route. Irish Ferries, a subsidiary of Irish Continental Group plc (ICG), is pleased to announce a new service on the Dover – Calais route. This service is planned to start in June 2021, with the transfer of the Isle of Inishmore to the route. Additional capacity will be added in the coming months.

Irish Ferries is the market leader for freight and passengers between Britain and the Republic of Ireland, a leadership position that has been built on the twin pillars of customer focus and investment in purpose built ships for each route.

We are very excited about launching our services on the best short sea ferry market in the world and we believe we can bring more choice for customers in the years ahead.

As part of our commitment to the movement of freight on and off the Island of Ireland to both the UK and Europe, this additional capacity on the Dover – Calais route will significantly strengthen the capacity and reliability of the landbridge for exporters and importers. Hauliers will now have one operator providing an inclusive service on the Dublin - Holyhead, Rosslare - Pembroke and Dover - Calais routes. This will allow exporters and importers easier, cheaper, and quicker access to our European markets via the Common Transit Convention.

It is intended to offer passenger services on the route. The initial level of passenger services offered will be dependent on the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Doug Bannister, Chief Executive, Port of Dover, said: “We are delighted to welcome Irish Ferries to Dover. This announcement gives the millions of customers across the UK and the Republic of Ireland who value the intrinsic benefits of the shortest sea crossing to Europe, the prospect of even more choice. We believe the inclusive landbridge product will be popular with Irish exporters and will strengthen the just in time supply chain into the European Union. This is a clear signal of market confidence in the Dover route and will complement the resilient services currently provided. We wish Irish Ferries every success and look forward to having them on the route in the summer and working together as part of the Dover team building the future success of the Short Straits.” JeanMarc Puissesseau, Chairman, Port of Calais, said: “the commencement of the service operated by Irish Ferries emphasises the strategic position of the port of Calais in the trade between Ireland, the United Kingdom and the continent. It is a clear sign of confidence just a few weeks before the opening of the new port of Calais”.

Irish Ferries also introduces a newer and faster ship onto the Rosslare - Pembroke Route Irish Ferries is pleased to announce the addition of the RoRo passenger ferry Blue Star 1 to its Rosslare to Pembroke Dock route.

The ship is being chartered from the Attica Group and delivery is expected in early April 2021.

Blue Star 1 was built in 2000 by the Van der Giessen de Noord shipyard in the Netherlands, the same shipyard that in 1997 built Irish Ferries Isle of Inishmore, currently servicing the Rosslare to Pembroke Dock route. The Blue Star 1 has the capacity to carry up to 1,500 passengers, 100 freight vehicles and up to 700 cars depending on freight volume. The ship offers a host of quality facilities including 192 cabins for freight drivers/passengers, self-service restaurant, café/bar, Club Class lounge, onboard duty-free shop, children’s play area and spacious outdoor decks.

The tripling of cabin numbers will facilitate more single occupancy cabins for freight drivers, a welcome development for our freight customers.

Andrew Sheen, Irish Ferries Managing Director, said: “We are very pleased to add a quality ship of the calibre of the versatile Blue Star 1 to the Irish Ferries fleet. This ship will be the fastest RoRo Passenger ship operating between Britain and Ireland and this will help ensure schedule integrity. The introduction of this ship underlines our commitment to the Rosslare to Pembroke route, the primary shipping corridor between Ireland and South Wales. It also underlines our commitment to the significant contribution that this route makes in facilitating trade for both exporters and importers as well as facilitating essential passenger movements and future tourists as the country reopens post COVID-19".

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Presenting the Hospitality Technology Hub, a Virtual Destination for Hoteliers IDeaS is proud to bring together the greater hotel tech community for a unique new forum in support of the industry we love. This online event is going on right now—and it’s totally free!

The Hospitality Technology Hub, powered by IDeaS, is a one-stop-shop platform for hoteliers like you to connect with leading tech providers, experts, and your peers and find relevant information on products, innovations, and trends specific to revenue, profit, and commercial optimization.

Exhibitors will spotlight their solutions addressing the evolving needs of the industry as we move through recovery and onward to future growth.

Special Day of Live Sessions is now on-demand to view at your convenience These collaborative panel discussions feature a world-class line-up of over 30 industry experts covering a range of topics over two sessions on Achieving Commercial Success and the Convergence of Data.

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1. Don’t miss the opportunity for free visibility on Google.

Google is now in full swing with the roll out of Free Hotel Booking Links into Google Hotel Ads results.

This new Google feature offers hoteliers free visibility for their official hotel website via a free Hotel Booking Link (technically an organic link) featuring the best Bookassist's Metasearch team can set up any hotel with Google's free Hotel Booking Links.

We connect with hundreds of booking engines and channel managers so don’t miss this opportunity for free visibility on Google.

Find out more here https://bookassist.org/blog/google-launches-free-hotel-booking-links/ available rate on their direct channel. Previously hotels could only participate in this area through an active Google Hotel Ads advertising campaign.

2. Launch of Bookassist Intelligence a game changer for hotels Bookassist is changing the game for hoteliers with the launch of Bookassist Intelligence, its new and powerful business intelligence platform.

Bookassist Intelligence is empowering hoteliers with a whole new level of data agility to improve business performance. Dynamic data drives business by providing vital and timely insights essential to quick decision making.

It is transforming hoteliers’ ability to ask the key questions, to get the up-to-the-minute answers, to understand the underlying challenges, and to act decisively on new insights.

Bookassist Intelligence does the vital heavy lifting needed for forward thinking so you don't have to!

Bookassist Intelligence will soon be available to all Bookassist Booking Engine Clients Find out more here https://bookassist.org/intelligence/

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Weingut Peter Schweiger The winery Peter Schweiger is the quintessential Austrian wine farm and is perfectly located in the beautiful region of Kamptal. Winery Peter Schweiger is the baby and brainchild of Peter Schwaiger and his son Peter Junior. Peter Junior is now the fourthgeneration wine maker of the Schweiger family who have always had a strong focus on the production of sustainable wines and eco-friendly wine making processes.

The philosophy of the wine makers at Weingut Peter Schweiger is that three aspects are essential to the production of excellent wines: the work in the vineyard, the vinification process and the maturation in the cellar. This is all reflected in the compass pictured on the wine label. The compass also represents the Weingut Peter Schweiger commitment and bond to the Kamptal region and the extended time given to the wine to age perfectly.

Following this principle, the wines are never bottled before the month of April and are only released once they have reached the ideal maturity The vineyards of winery Peter Schweiger are all managed in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way that reflects the wine maker’s respect for nature and their appreciation of the soil ecology. Pruning is all quality oriented and crop thinning is made a high priority. The grapes are all harvested by hand and only the healthiest and highest quality grapes are taken to the nearby cellar. In the cellar, the wines are left to age to perfection both in stainless steel tanks and large oak barrels at a constant cool temperature.

The 3 major grapes grown are: Gruner Veltliner -Which has become very fashionable in Ireland over the last number of years. A real lemon, grapefruit refreshing crisp wine with a hit of green herbaceous flavours.

Riesling – Still considered the price among white grapes. A rich aromatic gape with floral and almost perfumed aromas. The wines always have great acidity which give the wine life.

Zweight – A interesting red grape, the wines offer notes of blackcurrant, raspberry and cherry. Also flavours of cinnamon, pepper, and floral notes. Truly a delicious wine.

For more information on any of the wines mentioned please contact Classic Drinks sales@classicdrinks.ie HNN | 23

Enhance your guest's check-in experience with Guestline’s GuestStay Digital Registration solution Guestline’s contact-free solution - GuestStay, Digital Registration – enables hotels to streamline the check-in process, enhance communication and improve safety measures.

Streamlined check-in GuestStay enables guests to fill out their digital registration card in advance so they can provide accurate data and sail through check-in on arrival. As part of a contact-free hotel experience, hotels can reduce physical contact with the guest whilst still providing a great first impression. The hotel’s PMS is automatically updated with the guest’s reservation and profile information (such as ETA, additional guests and notes) which helps to eliminate unnecessary paperwork, pressure, and queues upon arrival. It also allows the housekeeping and front desk teams to plan ahead.

Paul Downing, Managing Director at the Dart Marina Group explains, ‘With GuestStay, most of the admin associated with checking in a guest is eliminated, which has enabled us to personally greet our guests on arrival and provide a more hospitable and engaging welcome. It helps us tailor our service to their needs and ensure they have everything they need for their stay instead of going through paperwork and asking them 20 questions!’

Improved communication Hotels can still deliver a warm welcome without the distractions!

Clio O’Gara, Country Manager at Guestline added, ‘With GuestStay, hotels give guests the option to avoid lengthy reception queues at check-in by filling in all their details at their own leisure and in return the hotels can improve their planning, reallocate resources on reception and reduce admin.

The automated emails can relay useful information on new operational and safety measures in place to help drive guest confidence. Plus, all the data is accurately stored and accessible against the reservation in the PMS to ensure compliance and a clean database.’

Accurate data Patrick Jones, General Manager at Tewkesbury Park Hotel explains ‘The guests are now filling in their full details (including their email addresses) meaning the data is accurate, up-to-date and can be used for marketing purposes as most agree to receiving further comms from us - a significant added benefit for us. Correct data is also key for the tracking and tracing of guests.

It also helps us plan better. The more information we know about our guest’s planned behaviour in advance (i.e. their ETA and any special requests), the easier it is for us to plan on getting it right and enhancing their experience!’

Invoice paid and easy check-out In the next release of GuestStay, guests will also be able to view their bill, pay it and check themselves out. Again, streamlining the process for hotels and enabling the guest to seamlessly settle their account.

For more details, please visit www.guestline.com.

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