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AUGUST 2022

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Reprinted from LodgingMagazine.com Article by David Hickey

2022

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Transformation in the Digital Age of Hospitality COVID-19 has accelerated digital transformation for businesses of all sizes, and the hospitality sector is no exception. Applications such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and high-speed internet are helping hoteliers place an emphasis on expanding their digital footprint, which will continue to shape how the industry caters to guests now and in the future. Hotel guests can now walk into a property and have a truly contactless check-in and check-out experience. Beyond the lobby, mobile applications are now the norm across the industry, and with faster internet connectivity, guests can navigate their needs at the click of a button. Technologies like AI and machine learning, with a 5G boost, can even enable the delivery of real-time personalized recommendations for dining, excursions, and vacation packages based on the guest’s personal profile and travel history with the hotel.

marketing and operations conference

october 10-11 at wild dunes resort

Event Spotlight JOIN US AT WILD DUNES IN OCTOBER FOR OUR THIRD ANNUAL MARKETING & OPERATIONS CONFERENCE! Make plans to join us October 10-11 at the Sweetgrass Inn at Wild Dunes. join South Carolina’s most influential hospitality power players and top-level executives in pursuit of best practices and business trends to increase overall sales and customer satisfaction. Justin Patton will kick off our 2022 Marketing and Operations Conference presented by Sysco on Monday, October 10. Visit SCRLA.org/moc to view the agenda and learn more about our third annual conference at Wild Dunes! We have a great line up of keynote speakers and education sessions in the works for this year. We can’t wait to share all of the details, but first... let’s meet our keynote speakers! Super Early Bird registration is now open until August 26. Lock in the best conference rate at $274 per member ($324 for non-members).

Faster Speeds With download speeds up to one gigabit per second, 5G technology can allow hotel owners to quickly interact with employees and customers while providing them the support they need to run multiple devices simultaneously. While connectivity has become one of the benefits when upgrading to a 5G network, the entire industry can benefit from additional use cases including the ability to process and download large documents quickly, stream videos in HD, and conduct video conferencing calls with consumers with fewer frozen faces. Additionally, enhanced smart room technology means that room temperature, lights, shades, TV, and other in-room amenities can be totally unified and controllable through guests’ mobile apps. An example is using voice assistant technology to order room service

and book other hotel activities and services through voice recognition. Using 5G connectivity can revolutionize these practices while making them more efficient for the industry to implement at large and small properties alike. The Hybrid Age As the pandemic forced companies to rethink their workplace strategy, more employees are either working in a remote or hybrid environment than ever before. The challenges of collaboration for workers on the go and who may no longer come into the physical office space can be overcome by remote tools powered by faster 5G technology. And as business travel continues to pick up, the need for comfortable workspaces on the go will be a selling point to customers when they seek out business travel accommodations. Hoteliers who begin to adopt 5G technology will be able to provide a faster yet reliable network for their customers. The new technology can allow customers to gain access to various hotspots where they will be met with both faster network speeds and strong, reliable internet connections to help make their experience more enjoyable. The New Wave of Technology Overall, the impact that 5G is expected to have on the hospitality sector are crucial when it comes to transforming the customer experience and bringing the next level of technological advancements forward. As hotels continue to adopt 5G connectivity solutions and enabled devices, business owners and consumers can expect to see great impacts when it comes to performance, reliability, and the overall digital experience.

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it’s almost festival season in south carolina... information for vendors & event hosts Planninig your next event or festival? We appreciate the hard work that goes into planning for events and festivals. To help you get ready for your next event, we’ve compiled the guidelines from South Carolina Department of Revenue for vendors, promoters and hosts.

Retail License A Retail License is required of every person who sells tangible personal property at retail in South Carolina. If your business has multiple locations, you will need a Retail License for each location of your business.

Special Event vs. Retail Event South Carolina law divides festivals and events into these two categories. To know if you will need a Retail License, you must first determine if you are making sales at a Special Event or a Retail Event.

You will need a Retail License if:

Special Events A Special Event is a promotional show, trade show, fair, festival, or carnival where an admissions fee is required for the public to enter the event. A Retail License is required if the event lasts for more than 11 consecutive days. Please note, this is separate from an ABL Special Events License. Vendors making sales in South Carolina MORE THAN ONCE in a 24-month period (in the 12 months prior to the event or in the 12 months following the event) must have a valid South Carolina Retail License. Vendors making sales at a Special Event in South Carolina ONLY ONCE in a 24-month period do not need a Retail License, but do need to complete and submit the Special Event Return (FC-1) AND Special Event Affidavit (FS-152). Retail Events A Retail Event is a promotional show, trade show, fair, festival, or carnival where an admissions fee is not required for the public to enter the event. If you are operating at a retail event, you must have a valid South Carolina Retail License.

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• • • •

you are making sales in South Carolina MORE THAN ONCE in a 24-month period (not in the 12 months prior to the event or in the 12 months following the event) at a special event. you are making sales at a retail event. you have an online business with no physical storefront. you make retail sales at only one festival per year. You may indicate that you will be a seasonal filer for a specific month of the year. you sell taxable services.

You do not need a Retail License if you are only handing out promotional items and will NOT be making retail sales. Admissions Tax License Admissions Tax must be collected by all places of amusement when an admission fee has been charged. • • • •

The tax is 5% of the paid admissions. If you operate a place of amusement, you must obtain an Admissions Tax License. There is no charge for the Admissions Tax license. You may also be required to obtain a Retail License.

Every person subject to the tax is required to complete and file an Admissions Tax Return. The quickest, preferred way to apply for both of these licenses is through myDORWAY.dor.sc.gov.

WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK. AND FRONT OF HOUSE.

Hurricane Season is Here: How Prepared is Your Business? From flood waters, property damage, power loss and spoiled food, coping with the aftermath of a powerful storm could be very troublesome for restaurant owners. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates that about 40% of small businesses will unfortunately never reopen after a disaster. Therefore, during the Atlantic Hurricane season, which officially runs from June through November, hospitality owners and managers must take a multi-pronged approach to safety. First, crisis communications, management and business continuity planning and then back up efforts with the proper insurance coverage. While restaurants, hotels and other businesses in the hospitality industry have no control over the weather, taking the proper steps before a hurricane can lessen the impact. Generally speaking, the three main goals of any disaster management plan are to manage the business during the crisis, resume normal operations as quickly as possible, and recover losses when it is over. By taking these goals into account when surveying the most critical areas of the business, companies can determine what steps they need to take to be fully prepared for hurricane season and beyond. Having a crisis communications, management and business continuity plan in place will help ensure employee stability in the workplace. Pre-determined employee notification channels will be critical to disseminating information should the need arise. Business owners and managers should have employee contact information at their fingertips, while also establishing a toll-free hotline number or social media site that can facilitate communication during a storm.

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Similarly, understanding individual risk is key to necessary business continuity planning. Try isolating the business risk first. Is it wind, power outage or hurricane damage? Will your business be down for a week, a day or a month? Review your business assets and make sure the operations that are most critical have built-in redundancy or are covered by insurance. heartland.us/restaurant

August 2022 • SCRLA.org