HM April 2021

IN THIS ISSUE

FULL ROOMS REVIEW: TWELVE ESSENTIAL ITEMS IN MODERN ROOMS ENERGY RATINGS IN THE SPOTLIGHT THE VITAL ROLE OF MENTORS IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING THE BUSINESS OF ACCOMMODATION IN ASIA-PACIFIC Vol.25 No.2 Bi-monthly April 2021

AHICE 2021

Your complete guide to 2021 Australasian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition

HILTON Filling the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality remains the vision that keeps Hilton’s team members motivated during the best – and worst – of times.

LOOKS TO THE

FUTURE

HOT THIS MONTH Hotels hitting the road, government support packages, acquisitions and more

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Digital compendium Add in your own content Digital signage Guest messaging Australia-wide support

*Requires Ultra High Definition compatible TVs. ^Selected languages available. Only available with the Movie Vault add-on. The Photograph: © 2020 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. Judy: © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film. All Rights Reserved. Downhill: © 2020 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved. Dark Waters: © 2019 Focus Features LLC. All Rights Reserved. The Third Day, Raised by Wolves: 2020 © Home Box Office, Inc. All rights reserved. HBO and all related service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. Joker: TM & © DC. © 2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., Village Roadshow Films (BVI) Limited and BRON Creative USA, Corp. All Rights Reserved. 1917: © 2019 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. The Gentlemen: © 2020 Coach Films UK Limited. All Rights Reserved. BUS0496

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Your guests can simply cast content from their favourite streaming apps using compatible devices.

While international guests will be able to navigate the interface in their own language^.

Foxtel also gives you the flexibility to add content that delivers a superior experience for your guests. Plus, easily promote bars, restaurants and other services within your hotel.

At just $1.50 per week the Hostplus admin fee is the lowest of the top 20 industry super funds.1 Combine that with top 5 returns for our default Balanced investment option over 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20 years to 30 September 20202 and it adds up to more super for you. Find out more at hostplus.com.au/low-fees

Hostplus. We go with you.

1 Source: APRA Annual fund-level Superannuation Statistics June 2019, issued 10 December 2019. Top 20 industry super funds (not for profit) based on total assets under management. APRA Annual MySuper Statistics June 2019, issued 18 December 2019. Administration fees comparison using SuperRatings SMART fee calculator as at 30 June 2020 based on super account balance of $50,000. 2 Source: SuperRatings Fund Crediting Rate Survey SR50 Balanced (60- 76) Index as at 30 September 2020. Host-Plus Pty Limited ABN 79 008 634 704, AFSL 244392 as trustee for the Hostplus Superannuation Fund (the Fund) ABN 68 657 495 890, MySuper No 68 657 495 890 198. This information is general advice only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider if this information is appropriate for you in light of your circumstances before acting on it. Please read the relevant Hostplus Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), available at www.hostplus.com.au before making a decision about Hostplus. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. INH1221

PUSH, TURN, SHOWER GROHE SMARTCONTROL

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CONTENTS

April 2021

Vol. 25 No.2

26 AHICE PREVIEW

AHICE and Design Inn get ready to hit Adelaide.

50 STYLE FOR LIFE

Hoteliers share their outlook on lifestyle hotels.

56 REAL ESTATE

Expertise from market leading real estate minds.

58 SUSTAINABILITY

How a NABERS rating can cut hotel energy bills.

62 ROOMS DIVISION: THE ESSENTIALS Twelve items modern hotel rooms must have.

68 T ECHNOLOGY

Instant messaging robots are smartening up.

70 F&B: CHANGING TASTES

Guests are craving more exotic coffee varieties.

74 HYGIENE: IN THE AIR TONIGHT

New technology is keeping our in-room air clean.

76 PASSION FOR DESIGN

Leading designers put out their window displays.

78 LEGAL MATTERS

Clear those legal hurdles with our experts' views.

80 HUMAN RESOURCES: MENTORSHIP

Mentors engaging to shape leaders of tomorrow.

HM Q&A

58 Energy cost savings are there for the taking

50

Hotel operators see huge growth in lifestyle and boutique

26 INVESTMENT - JURE DOMAZET

Doma Group's CEO on the rise of Little National.

40 GM - THE FULLERTON SYDNEY

Step back in time with The Fullerton Sydney.

42 SUPPLIER - HANSEN YUNCKEN

Meet an exciting developer of iconic buildings.

Regulars

08 E DITOR’S LETTER

James Wilkinson on innovation by hoteliers.

10 NEED TO KNOW

The 14 essential accommodation and tourism industry news stories you need to know.

On the cover

Hilton’s Melbourne team are ready for action at Little Queen Street.

16 14

Primus Hotel Sydney sold

C OVER STORY

Presented this month by Hilton.

82 ON THE MOVE

A look at who is moving where this month. hotelmanagement.com.au 7

EDITOR’S LETTER

Resilience against an uncertain future

Managing Director

A

Simon Grover

s we move past the one year mark when the pandemic began, many didn’t think we would still be in the position we are now with international borders closed, even to our closest neighbours.

The talk of travel bubbles stretches back to May 2020 and yet almost 12 months later, free-flow travel between Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the South Pacific continues to be off the table. As we all know, that means the hotel industry continues to face a bleak outlook given the continued uncertainty for when some of the largest tourism markets will return, with many properties continuing to run well below 50 per cent occupancy.

We are in a resilient industry and many hotels and owners have found creative and ingenious ways to generate business, be it through rooms, food and beverage and the return of weddings and meetings. It has been amazing to see what properties and chains have done over the past 12 months to generate revenue, like Ovolo’s ‘Restaurant in Room’ concept and Mount Lofty House’s brilliant Staycation packages.

These are some of the topics that will be discussed next month at the 2021 Australasian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE) in Adelaide on May 4-6, alongside the 2021 Design Inn Symposium and STR Insiders. While many other industry events remain cancelled or held solely virtually, we are aiming to have the second in-person event in 12 months (the only major hotel conference in Asia-Pacific to do so) with over 400 in attendance. I personally believe in helping re-boot the industry as much as we can and booking conferences in venues to boost hotels and the industry. AHICE is shaping up to be one of the best events in the conference’s history and I look forward to catching up with many readers of HM there.

The year has been a sombre one for the hotel industry with not just the effects of the pandemic, but the recent passing of Marriott International’s inspirational leader, Arne Sorenson. He was a visionary and a person who was admired by colleagues and peers alike across the globe. On HM, we express our deepest sympathies to his family and colleagues in Australia and abroad. He was a legend and will be sorely missed.

As always, enjoy our latest issue and I look forward to your feedback as always.

Hospitality lost a Yours in hospitality, great leader in Arne Sorenson James Wilkinson Editor–In–Chief

Publisher

James Wells

Editor–In–Chief

James Wilkinson jwilkinson@intermedia.com.au

Deputy Editor

Matt Lennon mlennon@intermedia.com.au

National Sales Manager Tara Ducrou tducrou@intermedia.com.au

Contributing Writers

Michael Johnson and Dean Long

Production Manager Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au

Subscription enquiries

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

Published by

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In association with

Design Inn 2021 at SkyCity Adelaide will kick off the AHICE 2021 festivities

MEET THE HM TEAM…

James Wells Publisher

Matt Lennon Deputy Editor

8 HM The Business of Accommodation

Tara Ducrou National Sales Manager

Adrian Tipper Creative Director

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

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Copyright © 2021 – Travel Business Media Pty Ltd.

15

Things You Need To Know The essential hotel and travel industry news and trends from across the globe. Read more at HotelManagement.com.au.

01

Hilton makes its grand return to Melbourne

New opening on Little Queen Street heralds major growth spurt.

THE COMPANY’S NEWEST site in the Melbourne CBD marks the start of a significant boom period both for the brand and the wider company as a whole in the coming years, with several new sites currently in development for a variety of its brands.

The coming years will see a variety of Hilton brands emerge in the Victorian capital and its surrounding suburbs, with Hilton Garden Inn Bundoora expected in 2022, while DoubleTree by Hilton Box Hill and Hilton Melbourne Square are both on track to open in 2024.

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THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW El Questro is located outside of Kununurra, WA

02

G’day Group buys two Aussie tourism assets El Questro and Kings Canyon Resort back in Aussie hands.

04

AUSTRALIAN-OWNED TOURISM asset management firm, G’Day Group Holdings, has agreed terms to acquire two of Australia’s most prized rural tourism icons – El Questro and Kings Canyon Resort.

As part of an AUD$60 million acquisition strategy which also includes the purchase of Lane Cove Holiday Park in Sydney, the deal will see the two properties in Western Australia and the Northern Territory become part of Australia’s largest privately owned tourism asset portfolio.

G’day Group owns and operates a variety of holiday parks under the Discovery Parks brand, while representing hundreds of other privately owned parks under the G’Day Parks label. It also operates the G’Day Rewards membership program for frequent travellers. Other recent moves by the company have been the opening of a high-end glamping resort on WA’s Rottnest Island.

The acquisition of El Questro and Kings Canyon Resort for the G’Day Group comes as the group aims to capitalise on the boom in domestic road trips during the COVID-19 international border closure. voco Brisbane City Centre will feature 194 guest rooms

03

IHG bringing Hotel Indigo and voco to Brisbane Two new brands coming to River City in the next two years.

IHG HOTELS AND Resorts will introduce two of its most colourful and communitydriven brands into the Brisbane CBD, with voco continuing on its march through Australia and Hotel Indigo set to debut in the Queensland capital.

Voco Brisbane City Centre and Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre will come following a rebrand of the current Mercure Brisbane and Ibis Brisbane, both owned by Pro-invest Group, with completion due in late 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Voco Brisbane City Centre will offer 194 guest rooms, with its distinctive yellow to play a major part in a top-to-toe refurbishment which will follow immediately upon the hotel’s conversion.

The arrival of Hotel Indigo Brisbane will see the brand delve deep into the innerBrisbane neighbourhood, with the area’s surrounding highlights being incorporated into the hotel’s design and decoration. The 212-room property will also be refurbished, with a new design and décor applied to the hotel’s restaurant, bar and café.

10 HM The Business of Accommodation

Wollongong joins Sydney in the NH Hotels stable NH Hotels to make Australian debut in burgeoning regional NSW centre.

NH HOTELS HAS been revealed as the soon-to-be operators of a new lifestyle hotel currently under construction in Wollongong, with the management deal bringing the brand to Australia for the first time.

The hotel, developed by Held Property and Next Group, is to be located in Burelli Street in the Wollongong CBD and was first revealed by HM online late last year. At the time, final negotiations were underway with an international lifestyle brand with a “strong corporate appeal”. The upscale NH Hotels global portfolio currently consists of 243 properties across Europe and Latin America.

NH Hotel Wollongong will feature 240 guest rooms, fitness centre and an all-day restaurant and bar featuring international cuisine and an alfresco dining area. Multiple conference and event facilities will be available to meeting and event planners, each fitted with the latest technology, along with co-working spaces.

Facilities within walking distance of the new hotel will be WIN Stadium, public transport links and stretches of local beaches.

The signing of NH Hotel Wollongong sees the brand double its Australian pipeline, adding to a newbuild development announced last year for the Sydney CBD, which will be flagged under the upper-upscale NH Hotels Collection brand.

The 134-room Courtyard by Marriott Brisbane South Bank

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

05

Courtyard by Marriott makes Brisbane debut

New franchise agreement sees brand open for the first time in Queensland.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL HAS opened doors to its maiden Brisbane presence under the upscale and high value brand, Courtyard by Marriott.

The 134-room Courtyard by Marriott Brisbane South Bank is a franchise agreement between the hotel giant and The Horan Group, which has opted to rebrand the property following a conversion project which commenced late last year.

To be managed by Mark Snell, Courtyard by Marriott Brisbane South Bank is located just south of the Brisbane River. The hotel’s facilities include the Cafe63 all-day restaurant, fitness centre and an indoor heated swimming pool. Meeting planners can also access a variety of flexible spaces featuring high ceilings, natural light and an outdoor area overlooking the Brisbane parklands.

06

HCA calls for Auckland targeted rate axing Submission to Auckland Council says rate has no positive effect.

HOTEL COUNCIL AOTEAROA (HCA) has renewed calls for the controversial Auckland Provider Targeted Rate (APTR) to be axed completely to help the sector’s pandemic recovery.

The calls come in a submission to Auckland Council’s 10-year Budget (2021-2031), which say the rate proposal has no positive effect for the sector or the city.

According to HCA, the city’s so-called ‘bed tax’ has been beset with problems since its inception, including a limited ability to apply to all online accommodation providers, including short-term rental operators. Further, due to its inflexible nature, the rate has not been able to be adjusted downwards fairly whenever profits and revenues of accommodation operators fall, such as during a global pandemic.

Originally introduced in 2017 as a means to help fund Auckland Council’s spending on major events and destination marketing, the targeted rate has come under regular fire from the accommodation sector and high-ranking officials. When the pandemic took hold and saw the country’s borders closed, Auckland Council made the move to suspend the APTR until the end of March 2021.

Key criticisms of the rate included the accommodation sector saying it receives only 9% of the NZD$7.5 billion spent by visitors to the city each year (prior to COVID) but that it was being asked to pay 100% of the rate, effectively discouraging investors to inject capital into hotel development in the city.

Hotel Council Aotearoa said a fairer, fit-for-purpose funding mechanism that benefits all parties must be developed, as simply imposing the burden on hotels is all that the APTR does.

Auckland's controversial 'bed tax' could be returning

Govt support falls short

By Dean Long CEO, Accommodation Association

THE GOVERNMENT’S ANNOUNCEMENT in mid-March of a tourism support package does not achieve the sector-wide support the entire industry has been desperately calling for.

In the combined efforts of your Board and the team here at the Association, we called for a continuation of the industry-wide wage subsidy program for those sections of our industry that have had at least a 50% decrease in revenues when compared to 2019. It was therefore extremely disappointing to see the government support only aviation workers with a direct subsidy and it is something we have taken up directly with them.

What is clear is that the government has heard us loud and clear – the recent package is not sufficient and must be expanded. In speaking with all major TV networks, print and radio stations and in-depth interviews on Sky News and The Project, I spoke directly to the need to expand the package to ensure our highly skilled workers were treated the same as aviation employees.

On a positive note, in February and March, we kicked off our in-person event series with over 600 industry leaders attending member meetings with the NSW Tourism Minister in the NSW Market Update at the Intercontinental in Sydney, networking drinks on the Gold Coast, Victorian Market Update at Sofitel on Collins and the Destination NSW briefing.

We have many more planned throughout the year. You can view our forward event calendar on our website.

hotelmanagement.com.au 11

PROMOTION

SUCCESS STARTS THE NIGHT BEFORE Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally; it comes from what you do consistently.

S

ealy has spent the last 50 years creating innovative sleep technology to help you awaken your best. So what does it take to make a perfect mattress even better?

For Sealy, it is the highest commitment to research and innovation in the industry, with each mattress prototype relentlessly tested for over 8,000 hours. This commitment has led to patented technology that lies at the heart of Sealy’s

current product range.

This year, Sealy introduced the most advanced mattress coil technology ever made. The all-new RestSupport System was invented, designed and patented in Brisbane, Australia. The RestSupport System can be found in the new Sealy Posturepedic Exquisite range that recently launched into Australia’s retail market. The Sealy Posturepedic Exquisite is a mattress that offers a deep, restorative sleep to help you wake feeling rejuvenated and inspired for the day ahead.

Backed by scientific research, this intuitive three-stage mattress coil system not only enhances your sleep through a precise balance of comfort, support and quality, but also provides responsive support and pressure relief for your body, giving you the balance you need for a deeper, more luxurious rest.

The Sealy Posturepedic Exquisite isn’t just about the mattress coil – it’s about the entire bed system from the edge support that provides an increased sleep surface and edge-to-edge comfort to a unique centre third layer called ComfortCore Plus, that relieves pressure on your lower back. The Sealy Posturepedic Exquisite mattress also contains SmarTex Fabrics and HealthShield – fabrics that cool and regulate your sleep climate while maintaining a clean and hygienic surface.

Sealy of Australia National Commercial Account Manager, Antony Raiteri says the advanced mattress coil technology you find in Sealy mattresses sold at retail level comes from the same local Sealy factories that produce the advanced spring units and mattresses found in the Sealy Commercial range.

“Australia’s most sophisticated bedding research and development facility in Brisbane ensures innovation and quality are superior to everything else in the market,” Raiteri said.

“This ensures Sealy bed design and builds give the highest standard of quality with long 12 HM The Business of Accommodation

Sealy of Australia Design Innovation Manager, Britta Gehrmann and Design Development Specialist, Jess Conradi

Sealy of Australia Bedding Plant team member, Fred Pine.

Sealy of Australia Product Innovation Engineer, Morrison Just, with one of the new RestSupport coils

lasting durability and comfort, ensuring hotel guests experience a greater quality sleep.”

As a family owned and operated business, Sealy has become a household name that has been dedicated to delivering quality products made by hand right here in Australia using locally sourced products.

Sealy has the industry’s – and quite possibly the world’s – best production lead times as a result of the commitment and investment they have made in local manufacturing, with five bedding manufacturing facilities across the country.

With over 50 years of NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities) accredited Research and Development, Sealy has achieved the highest reputation for leading the category. With the number one selling premium bedding brand in Australia, Sealy continues to go from strength to strength by providing genuine product innovation and continually launching new products and technology to the market. n

SEALY NEWS

Innovation through research The journey from concept to creation has been a long one for Sealy Posturepedic's RestSupport System.

Sealy of Australia Research and Development Manager, Dan Green

SEALY RESEARCH AND Development Manager, Dan Green, leads innovations like the ReST Coil development, along with Product Innovation Engineer, Morrison Just.

“Exquisite has been a long journey,” Green said.

“It was two and a half years before we launched the spring technology, then applying and testing that technology was a further 18 months before we were happy to put these mattresses on the market.

“The biggest technological leap forward with the ReST Coil is the Synflex surface, resulting in a bed that outperforms any other spring mattress when it comes to stability.”

The perfect luxury mattress must not only behave like a luxury mattress but look and feel a cut above the rest,” says Design Innovation Manager, Britta Gehrmann.

“We take inspiration from opulent furniture. The Sealy Posturepedic Exquisite mattress features panel designs inspired by abstract modern art, with shapes and line designs to challenge your interpretation of what a mattress looks like.”

ReST Coil is yet another innovation that has been brought to life with the development of this mattress.

Designed and developed for hospitality and interior designers.

Our extensive range ensures an exceptional sleep experience. Every Sealy mattress is the optimal balance of comfort, support and durability for years of guest comfort and sleep satisfaction.

Sealy is proudly Australian owned and made with components sourced locally and handcrafted in one of five manufacturing centres within Australia

National Sales Centre T| (07) 3718 2126 E| commercialsales@sealy.com.au sealy.com.au

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW Primus Hotel Sydney is located on Pitt Street in the CBD

07

Pro-invest acquires Primus Hotel Sydney Company considering rebrand to more upscale offering.

Assistance for our cities

By Michael Johnson CEO, Tourism Accommodation Australia

AT THE TIME of writing, a lot is being said about the Federal Government’s AUD$1.2 billion tourism/aviation package.

While Tourism Accommodation Australia welcomed some aspects of the targeted regional tourism plan, we were quick to push for a fairer deal for other regional areas and hard-hit capitals like Sydney and Melbourne – and will continue to do so. Any assistance to get struggling areas back on their feet is a good first step and I look forward to working with government on further stimulus packages. We need to ensure all businesses still affected by the pandemic are looked after.

Hotels were the first to close a year ago.

We are proud of the role we have played in keeping the community safe, but most of our businesses are still heavily impacted by a wide range of restrictions such as international border closures. With JobKeeper now over, we are still very concerned at redundancies in businesses left out of this new plan.

For example, Australia’s main gateway cities – Sydney and Melbourne – are struggling with less than 35% hotel capacity but are largely ignored. More redundancies are coming.

While some regional tourism areas are actually flourishing, occupancy rates in Sydney and Melbourne CBDs are languishing. That figure will not improve for some time given the lack of corporate travel, conferences, events and international tourism. Not to mention the fear of snap border closures whenever just one or two cases of COVID are discovered.

To state the obvious, we need large numbers of visitors to come to Sydney and Melbourne to make up the continuing shortfall – otherwise we will lose even more of our skilled staff.

14 HM The Business of Accommodation

HOSPITALITY INVESTMENT AND management firm, Pro-invest Group, has hinted at a repositioning of Sydney’s historic art-deco design Primus Hotel after the group acquired the property from Greenland Australia.

The CBD hotel features grand eight-metre high scagliola columns in the lobby along with panelled sky light which floods the area with natural light during the day. The hotel offers 172 guest rooms, a lobby bar, fitness centre, restaurant, a rooftop bar and swimming pool. Meetings and events are also well covered with 480sqm of flexible conference space.

“The Pro-invest team identified the Primus, with its inventory of large guest rooms and suites and expansive lobby, as an exceptional opportunity to rebrand and reposition the hotel towards an upscale

lifestyle hospitality offering,” said Pro-invest Co-CEO, Jan Smits.

The transfer of title and final transaction formalities are expected to be complete by August this year.

08

Adelaide welcomes Hotel Indigo to the neighbourhood The IHG brand has made its long-awaited arrival in Australia.

HOTEL INDIGO ADELAIDE Markets has opened its doors to guests, marking the longawaited debut of both the hotel and the IHG Hotels and Resorts brand in Australia. The 145room property is the first of four currently confirmed to open in Australasia. Coming years will see the brand open doors in Melbourne, Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney.

As the name suggests, the hotel is located close to the Adelaide Central Market which showcases local producers and growers. Produce from local suppliers is on hand for guests at the hotel via its two restaurants – the ground floor Market & Meander Eatery and raw food bar, Merrymaker. ide offers 145 Adela Guest rooms feature decorations inspired by gue igo st r d n I oo local neighbourhood cues. These include el t m o s H copper fixtures in line with South Australia’s copper mining heritage, light wood furnishings and rugs depicting the tessellated tile patterns often used in Adelaide homes.

Guests can also access a fitness centre and outdoor infinity pool, with meeting facilities including two boardrooms and rooftop space.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

09

Hotel brands rev up with new luxury cars Guests at Ovolo and JW Marriott can enjoy a luxury ride.

JW Marriott’s Jaguar I-PACE electric vehicle

Ovolo’s Genesis G70 sports sedan

GUESTS AT OVOLO Hotels in Australia and JW Marriott Gold Coast can take their stay up a gear with the hotel brands each offering access to luxury vehicles in new, but separate partnerships.

Those booking direct with Ovolo Hotels will have access to a Genesis G70 sports sedan to take for a four-hour drive as an extra perk of their stay as part of a new incentive launched by the operator.

The ‘Suite Ride’ promotion offers access to the vehicle from 8:30am to 12:30pm or 1pm to 5pm each day. The vehicle must be reserved in advance and is subject to availability, with one vehicle to be positioned at each Ovolo hotel in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne.

On the Gold Coast, the recently-opened JW Marriott Gold Coast is offering guests the opportunity to enjoy a chauffeured adventure around the city as part of their stay in one of two Jaguar I-PACE electric vehicles.

The vehicles will be available to take guests on escorted shopping trips, airport transfers or visits to local attractions or suppliers. Guests can utilise the vehicles on a first-come-first-served basis, with preference given to Marriott Bonvoy VIP and Elite members, who can pre-book the service.

Exclusive AHICE Giveaway:

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Creative & Critical Thinking short course bundle for free Includes: 5 short courses, covering Design Thinking, Developing your Critical Thinking Skills and more Use code at checkout: AHICE2021 Learn more: ahice.torrensonline.com Torrens University Australia Limited ABN 99 154 937 005, CRICOS Provider Code: 03389E. RTO No. 41343. TUA-1862

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hotelmanagement.com.au 15

PROMOTION

The newly opened Next Hotel Melbourne offers a reimagined hotel experience, backed by patented technologies from Dyson.

G

uests at the newly opened Next Hotel Melbourne can expect a refined aesthetic, thoughtful design and the ultimate inroom luxuries, including pioneering technology from Dyson in every room and suite. HM met up with General Manager, David Ness, to discuss why Dyson was the natural choice for the ultimate offering in guest comfort and hygiene.

Which Dyson products have Next Hotel Melbourne installed?

Each of our 255 guest rooms has a Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, and we have invested in 10 Dyson Corrale straighteners for our five suites and for guest requests. We also have three Dyson V11 Absolute Extra cordless vacuum cleaners, which are ideal for creating healthier spaces.

As a company that invents problem solving technologies that deliver consistent high performance and create healthier spaces, how do Dyson’s products help shape Next’s emerging narrative in Melbourne?

We are so excited to partner with a pioneering technology company that really complements our direction in style, ease of use and quality while helping to maintain healthy spaces which is more important than 16 HM The Business of Accommodation

The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and Dyson Corrale straightener ever. Dyson cordless vacuums offer fully-sealed filtration that traps microscopic particles such as pollen, dust and bacteria, allowing us to prioritise the health of our guests and staff.

What was it about Dyson and the engineering behind its technologies that caught Next Hotel Melbourne’s attention?

Next Hotel is about what’s next. We believe Dyson is very much engineering the future with next level technologies, which aligns perfectly with our brand’s direction.

How do guests react when they discover Dyson products around the hotel?

Guests tell us that it is super convenient that they have Dyson Supersonic hair dryers in their rooms, so they don’t need to pack their own. Others who haven’t experienced Dyson are excited by the opportunity to enjoy the premium experience.

What does your housekeeping team think about using the Dyson V11 Absolute Extra cordless vacuum cleaners?

Dyson V11 Absolute Extra cordless vacuum cleaners are practical, easy to use and have the most powerful suction in the industry. They are

DYSON NEWS Dyson V11 Absolute Extra

D

lightweight and versatile, perfect to get into tight spaces. Being cordless is a huge help with productivity as well as no trailing cables and having up to 60 minutes of fade free power.

pe r Su n o ys

c hair dryer s o ni

How important is hotel hygiene in 2021?

Since the pandemic began, hygiene is the most important priority for guests. It’s important for them to feel like they are the first guest to stay in the room.

How will the Dyson Corrale straightener improve the appeal of the hotel’s suites and the guest experience?

Having three daughters myself, I’ve seen first-hand how the Dyson Corrale straightener can delight, whilst being cordless and maintaining hair health by reducing extreme heat damage.

Would you recommend Dyson products to other hoteliers and if so, why?

Absolutely, we are in a competitive market and customers are becoming more discerning. The feedback from the guests has been wonderful. It really enhances their experience.

What benefits to air quality would a Dyson Pure Hot+Cool purifying fan heater bring to the hotel’s public areas?

We have recently installed the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool purifying fan heater in reception. Many guests have commented on the distinctive design and love how it automatically reports on air quality in real time via the LCD screen.

Do you plan on adding further Dyson products to the hotel in the future?

Our guests are increasingly concerned with air quality and the importance of breathing clean air so we are looking at adding more Dyson purifiers to our hotel in the future. n

Next Hotel Melbourne General Manager, David Ness

“We believe Dyson is very much engineering the future with next level technologies.”

David Ness, Next Hotel Melbourne

Dyson Airblade V hand dryer

hotelmanagement.com.au 17

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Dr Schwartz opening the new water park with his wife, Debbie and children Dane, Amber and Lara

10

New water park for Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley Resort opens newest family attraction.

Nothing virtual about hotels

By James Doolan Strategic Director, Hotel Council Aotearoa AS NEW ZEALAND’S worst ever high season ends, there are a number of misconceptions that Hotel Council Aotearoa (HCA) is determined to set right. Many non-hoteliers believe that closed borders provide a bottleneck of ‘pent-up demand’.

Unfortunately, hotel room nights are perishable and lost revenues are gone forever.

There is no such thing as pent-up demand for yesterday’s unsold room night. A hotel stay can’t be home delivered by Uber or experienced virtually by Zoom. Losses have accumulated for such a long time now that overall recovery will be long and hard from here. Others believe that managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) work is a form of central government industry support. Only one in every 10 hotels is providing MIQ stays. That’s just 32 hotels out of New Zealand’s 330+ hotels and motels with 30 guest rooms or more, or around 6,000 guest rooms out of a total supply of 32,000 rooms.

Any rhetoric suggesting MIQ has ‘saved’ the hotel sector is alarming and wrong. RevPAR stats are abysmal, including the MIQ earnings.

They are catastrophic without.

Hoteliers in New Zealand wonder whether policymakers truly understand the business model and ‘product’ that hotels sell. Our leaders appear not to recognise how hotels are key infrastructure in any healthy tourism economy, sitting alongside a country’s airlines, airports and domestic transport network as the ‘tourism backbone’ that delivers high-value international guests into the country.

New policy should help, not hinder the accommodation sector. Now is the time for visionary leadership and fresh thinking in support of all of the stakeholders in our tourism backbone, including hotels.

18 HM The Business of Accommodation

CROWNE PLAZA HUNTER Valley has expanded its family-friendly resort facilities, opening a new on-site heated water park to bolster its activity range.

The new Water Splash Park was designed and built by White Water Australia and features a variety of slides, flutes and water cannons, including the ‘Happy Berry Bucket’ which releases 1,200 litres of water every eight minutes.

The two-storey water park features a striking pink and purple colour scheme and joins the resort’s existing range of family activities, including a mini-train, carousel, tug boat, pony rides and the Water Dragons Kids Club – part of the new Hunter Valley Kids Cottage.

True to the green credentials of resort owner, Dr Jerry Schwartz, the water pumped through the water park is heated by the environmentally-friendly Cogen plant which also heats the resort’s main pool. Dr Schwartz said the new water park capped off a range of activities which would set up the Hunter Valley as an ideal family destination for years to come.

Sprawling new complex will feature over 100 luxury boutiques

11

Retail heaven signed for Queen’s Wharf Brisbane Huge new shopping district coming from global retailer, DFS Group.

MORE THAN 100 high-end and luxury boutique retailers will open at the sprawling Queen’s Wharf Brisbane development after a deal was struck between Destination Brisbane Consortium and DFS Group.

The deal will result in the opening of the largest T Galleria in Oceania, which will offer over 6,000 square metres of retail floorspace including a three-level T Galleria emporium in the Printery Building on George Street.

The collection of luxury brands available will include Louis Vuitton, Ray Ban, Alexander McQueen, Tag Heuer, Estee Lauder and many more – some making their debut in Australia.

The AUD$3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf Brisbane, due to begin a staged opening from late 2022, has been under construction for several years alongside the Brisbane River and once complete, will feature the new DFS Group retail precinct, four hotels, a convention centre, more than 50 bars, cafes and restaurants, a casino, up to 2,000 residential apartments, the Sky Deck, a moonlight cinema, numerous recreational Video and cultural activities and attractions and the Neville Bonner Bridge.

IHG NEWS

PROMOTION

The bar at the future Holiday Inn Werribee

THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF TRAVEL

H

ere in Australasia, there are 25 Holiday Inn brand family hotels currently welcoming guests every day, and it’s about to take off in an even bigger way with 16 new-build properties opening in the next few years.

These next-generation Holiday Inns, along with our refurbished existing estate, will wow guests with their fresh new look including Open Lobbies, amazing F&B and new models such as ‘suites’ offerings.

As the world’s biggest brand family, Holiday Inn is a household name around the world, but it’s so much more than you imagined.

Loved by guests and efficient to run, it’s clear why owners and investors are flocking to this great brand, with new Holiday Inn properties coming in destinations like Melbourne Bourke Street Mall, Werribee, Ringwood, Geelong, Wagga Wagga and Queenstown Remarkables Park. n If you’d like to find out how to join the brighter side of travel and add Holiday Inn to your portfolio, contact Jael Fischer, Senior Manager, Development Australasia and South Pacific on 0411 798 913 or Jael.Fischer@ihg.com. hotelmanagement.com.au 19

A by Adina Canberra offers 130 apartments

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 12

Insta standouts Four global hotels you need to follow on Instagram

01 JW Marriott Gold Coast

@jwmarriottgoldcoastresort

13

Ribbon cut at A by Adina Canberra TFE Hotels’ new ‘hotel living’ concept ready to experience.

PREMIUM APARTMENT BRAND A by Adina has taken its first steps, with the opening location in Canberra recently cutting the ceremonial ribbon and welcoming its first guests.

Coupled to the new hotel is the concept of ‘hotel living’ which TFE Hotels says will elevate the Adina brand into “a class of its own”. The guest experience aims to blend that of a luxury hotel with the space associated

with a residential apartment. Designed by Bates Smart, A by Adina Canberra features 130 apartments in studio, one and two-bedroom configurations, operating over four floors as part of the AUD$300 million Constitution Place mixed-use precinct in the city’s CBD. Other guest facilities include a fitness centre and 24/7 concierge along with a Melbourne-style laneway which connects to Canberra Theatre Centre.

14

Construction underway at Holiday Inn Express Sunshine Coast Ceremonial sod turning conducted onsite as work begins.

02 Huka Lodge

@hukalodge

03 Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge

@clayoquotwildernesslodge

04 QT Sydney

@qt_hotels

20 HM The Business of Accommodation

CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN on what will become Holiday Inn Express and Suites Sunshine Coast, with an official sod-turn ceremony taking place at the hotel’s central Maroochydore site.

Holiday Inn Express and Suites Sunshine Coast, located on First Avenue, will feature 181 rooms, a rooftop swimming pool, bar and dining venue along with parking, retail options and conference facilities.

The addition of the Holiday Inn Express brand to the region comes as part of a calculated push to grow its appeal to business travellers, whilst retaining its traditional space as a leader among leisure tourists and family holidaymakers.

Pro-invest co-CEO, Jan Smits, said he was excited to see work now underway.

“We believe Holiday Inn Express and Suites Sunshine Coast is a great addition to Maroochydore,” he said.

L-R John Knaggs, SunCentral; Jan Smits, Pro-invest Group; Cr Mark Jamieson, Sunshine Coast Mayor; Tim Sherlock, Pro-invest Developments and Rodger Powell, Visit Sunshine Coast

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 15

minutes with...

JULIAN CLARK

Congratulations on the recent purchase of Cleveland Winery. What are some of the key features about this property that made it such a great opportunity?

There were quite a few things that were attractive to be honest. The first is that it was a business that we saw large financial upside with postrepositioning. It is a property with good bones architecturally and it used to make good money but that has subsided in recent years. We plan on refurbishing the hotel and installing Lancemore management knowhow, which together will drive the value in the asset.

The second is that it is a large parcel of land – 40 hectares in a location like this was attractive for a generational purchase. Thirdly, Lancemore Macedon Ranges is 10km down the road and we saw an opportunity for both hotels to complement each other while concurrently stopping any competition entering at an inexpensive entry point. Fourthly, the winery is in a great location with good quality vines and will make a fantastic addition to our wine portfolio. Last but not least, the price point was attractive. So it was compelling on a number of fronts.

What can you tell us about refurbishment works planned for this site? Will there be a name change?

Right now all we really have is the vision for the hotel. It’s at the embryonic stage so I won’t go into details of the design vision as the detail will no doubt change. What I can tell you is that this will be designed in-house and will be a departure from the current hotel aesthetic internally but will retain a rustic sensibility which is attuned to both its architecture and location. At this stage we think it will sit into Lancemore’s white label range and remain as Cleveland Winery.

k

L

Lancemore Group, has doubled its presence in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges with the acquisition of Cleveland Winery. The an estate features a 12-bed homestead, along ar ce Cl mo n a with an additional 50 hotel rooms. Groups and i re G roup CEO, Jul conferences can also access seven event spaces, a restaurant and cellar door. HM caught up with Lancemore Group CEO, JULIAN CLARK, following the purchase.

and strategic reasons are a prerequisite but not the only reason we get into deals.

What will be the key markets and demographics that you plan to target with the new Cleveland Winery?

It will be a real mix of MICE, Weddings & Events, FIT and Restaurant/ Cellar Door. Like many of our regional hotels, there will be multiple market segments and lines of business that we will aim to attract. We also will focus on the wellness sector at either Lancemore Macedon Ranges or Cleveland Winery. Both are perfect for it – we just need to work out which one is better!

What other growth opportunities does Lancemore see in the regional winery sector?

There is no doubt we are a market leader in this space and know it better than most. This will be our fourth boutique hotel with a vineyard and land surrounding it.

To be honest, most capital cities in the southern part of Australia have wine regions with strong tourism visitation. Some are well represented with quality hotels in the region and many have untapped potential.

We are actually speaking to a few owners about potential opportunities in this space as we speak. It’s a shallow market but one that still has opportunity in many parts of Australia.

Lancemore Group recently acquired Cleveland Winery in Victoria

Lancemore has quite an affinity with regional Victoria. What is it about this part of Australia that you love so much?

Regional Victoria is where the company’s roots are. The first three hotels we built were in Regional Victoria so part of the reason we have a strong presence there is due to legacy to be honest (we have not sold an asset yet).

We love our hotels and we love Australia’s regions, so from a very personal point of view, it gives us a great deal of joy being able to visit our hotels more regularly and spend time with the teams and have an intimacy with the property.

A glass of wine at sunset over the distant horizon is hard to beat.

Doing it with your family and friends on regular or special occasions is what makes memories and in turn what makes the properties even more special. It’s a multi-generational family business after all and financials hotelmanagement.com.au 21

HM Q&A | INVESTMENT

DOMA GROUP’S NATIONAL GROWTH JAMES WILKINSON SAT DOWN WITH DOMA GROUP CEO, JURE DOMAZET TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE COMPANY'S GROWTH AMBITIONS.

Doma Group CEO, Jure Domazet

HM Q&A | INVESTMENT

Jure, it’s an exciting time for Doma Group at present isn’t it, with Little National Sydney now open and Newcastle coming next?

Last year posed some serious challenges in the hotel industry, but a great highlight for us was the opening of Little National Hotel in Sydney. A lot of time, consideration and capital went into this project and we are super happy with the outcome. Often from the time of purchase through to the completion of construction a lot of changes occur and sometimes an opportunity may have been missed.

I remember walking through it three weeks before it was finished and was actually blown away by how well it presented. Bates Smart and Hutchies did a fantastic job in delivering our vision and there really is not a thing we would change, which is pleasing. The hotel has been well received by the staff and our guests and we look forward to a bright future in this prime Sydney CBD location as business returns. We have made our way into the top five hotels in Sydney on TripAdvisor, which is testament to the customer-centric focus of this hotel brand.

Doma has a had a presence in Newcastle for over eight years with developments across a number of residential, commercial and soon to be hotel projects. We had originally started work on the hotel, which was to feature 60 serviced apartments, but felt that we had the design wrong and the DNA of the hotel was not represented in the plan. We now have a mix of office and hotel and are really pleased with the way that they will interact. We plan to commence construction in 2021 with the office in Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and the hotel as a modular build. It makes it pretty complex, but we are using this opportunity to gain intelligence for easier deployment of the hotel brand in other locations. The wait will be worth it as the new hotel will be an excellent addition to the Newcastle hotel scene.

After the Newcastle project opens, what’s next in the development pipeline for you?

Leaving office and residential development aside, we continue to assess opportunities for other cities. The Little National Hotel brand is very focused on location and with the work we have done over the years, we know exactly where we need our new hotels to be – in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. We expect to convert some site acquisitions this year.

We are continuing our work on keeping sustainability and technology at the forefront of our developments and refurbishments as these are so important now for our customers. We have also been upgrading and repositioning our restaurants and bars in Canberra and this will be complete by the end of the year. We think that the success of this has led the strong recovery that we have experienced in Canberra.

You’re bullish on coastal towns in New South Wales for good reason, given the lack of supply and significant demand for decent properties. Tell us about that.

It has taken me quite extensive overseas travel to actually accept that we have a pretty great coastline that is extremely accessible, particularly NSW. However, we don’t have the iconic ‘must-do’ drive that domestic and international tourists want to do, with only isolated properties attracting any kind of attention. However, each town has at least one or two great dining or drinking experiences, hikes, surf breaks, rides or climbs that can fill a short trip.

I would love to think that we, with others, can stitch together a great road trip from Eden to Byron and have people really experience this coastline, and the hinterland along the way. With two hours of driving and charging stations at each destination, with the right promotion it can become a must-do for all travellers. COVID-19 has forced Australians to experience some of these and, while Australia is traditionally expensive, I still think we can put together a compelling drive holiday for all budgets by bringing these things together.

We have a foothold in Jervis Bay with the Huskisson Hotel, but construction will start in the next 12 months on a beautiful boutique hotel just up the road from there with an amazing F&B offering that also has function space. We are currently working on two more sites north of Sydney to continue this vision and hope we can announce these in the coming months.

“We expect to convert some site acquisitions across Australia this year.”

Jure Domazet, Doma Group

Where do you see the business in 10 years?

How many properties could you see being owned and/or operated by Doma Group?

Although we are excited by the regional opportunities, the Little National Hotel roll out remains our main focus with respect to hotels. Over the next decade, we will have hotels in each major city (with multiple sites in some cities). There is also an appetite to take this brand internationally and we consider the Sydney hotel to be the launching point for this. It is a large vision and we have been already approached by potential investors and at some point, we may take these along with us on our journey. n eption ey rec ydn S l a on a ti N le itt

L

F

rom humble beginnings in the nation’s capital to developing new properties in Newcastle, Sydney and soon, across the country, JURE DOMAZET’s Doma Group has been a rising star in the Australian hotel industry.

The foyer at Hotel Realm, Canberra

PROMOTION

Filling the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality has been Hilton’s vision since the Company was founded 102 years ago, and it remains the mantra that keeps Hilton’s team members motivated during the best – and worst – of times.

HILTON

Hilton Melbourne's Adrian Teh, Marjorie Vieira and Sam Moore in Luci restaurant with VP Operations Australasia, Heidi Kunkel

FUTURE

LOOKS TO THE

24 HM The Business of Accommodation

COVER STORY

I

have witnessed such determination, resilience and kindness in our Contrasting the heritage building are a number of large-scale works team members this past year as they’ve continued to make positive by award-winning Melbourne street art collaborative, Juddy Roller, a impacts in the lives of guests and local communities, says Heidi reference to the city’s thriving and internationally renowned graffitiKunkel, Hilton’s Vice President of Operations for Australasia. art scene.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Hilton acted with start-up Heidi says: “We’re absolutely delighted to see the hotel team style speed to respond. First it was with enhanced travel flexibility welcoming guests as they arrive to check in, enjoy a drink in the policies for guests, followed soon after with increased benefits for Hilton atmospheric Douglas Club, or order dinner in stunning Luci restaurant.”

Honors loyalty program members. By June 2020, Hilton had launched Looking forward to how Hilton will achieve its ambitious plan to a program introducing an industry-defining standard of cleanliness double its footprint in the region in the next five years, we ask Tushar and disinfection, called Hilton CleanStay. Soon after, it expanded Raniga, Hilton’s Director of Development for Australasia. He says that program with ‘Hilton EventReady with CleanStay’, to help event Hilton has plans to add depth and breadth by introducing new luxury, planners safely organise events. lifestyle and focused service brands in Australia and New Zealand, and Hilton’s owners displayed courage and confidence in continuing by entering new markets, especially in capital cities where gaps have to invest in a number of major renovations undertaken in 2020. been identified.

DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs revamped all 235 guest rooms, while “We’re always looking to add the right brand, in the right location, at both Hilton Darwin and Hilton Surfers Paradise also undertook major the right time,” says Tushar. refurbs to their lobbies, lounges and restaurants.

“Whilst Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton remain the heart of our Then early in 2021, Hilton Sydney and Parmelia Hilton Perth – both growth plans for Australasia, I’d love to see us add a luxury property in iconic hotels in their respective cities – unveiled multi-million dollar a key gateway city and to expand our pipeline of focused service Hilton renovations. Hilton Sydney underwent an AUD$25 million upgrade Garden Inn hotels.” to all 587 guest rooms and suites, adding brand new soft furnishings Later this year, Hilton will add the first Hilton Garden Inn to the including carpets and curtains, European tapware, recliners, striking Australasian portfolio when it opens the newly built Hilton Garden artworks, bedside lights and 55” Smart TV’s – and added two new room Inn Albany in Western Australia. The company says it is also looking types: Family rooms and Corner rooms. at franchise opportunities and strategic development partnerships Parmelia Hilton Perth, meanwhile, undertook an AUD$45 million as well. makeover of the hotel from top to bottom, adding 32 new rooms, “Hilton is resilient and, while we can’t predict long-term outcomes from touchless technology, a new executive lounge, a transformed restaurant the COVID-19 pandemic, I remain confident that our industry will recover and lobby and a new thoroughfare connecting the hotel directly to and prosper as people will always want to travel,” Heidi concluded. n Brookfield Place in the heart of Perth’s CBD. “Our owners are our valued Parmelia Hilton Perth reopened in February after business partners and it’s an AUD$45 million refurb been impressive to see their investments in these hotels come to fruition, and raise the bar in their respective locations,” says Heidi.

“But this past year has been tough. We quickly activated Heidi Kunkel, Hilton enhanced hygiene and cleanliness protocols, adjusting marketing spend and relaxing certain m ent bish r u f brand standards and capital expenditure requirements. We have re jor been a vocal advocate in industry lobbying efforts focused on ma a on supporting their liquidity,” she added. on i l il Importantly, there is a keen sense of hope and optimism as Hilton welcomes back its flagship brand to Melbourne. Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street, following pandemic-related delays, finally opened its doors in March. The hotel is a spectacular transformation of the heritage-listed Equity Chambers building, off Bourke Street, which makes it accessible by foot or tram to virtually every part of the city.

Designed by Bates Smart, the renowned building and its original Romanesque and Gothic detailing has been painstakingly restored and then connected to a modern sixlevel extension and new 16-level tower – home to most of the 244 guest rooms and suites.

Hilton Sydn ey re

cen tly s

pe nt AU D$

25

m

“Our owners are our valued business partners and it’s been impressive to see their investments in these hotels come to fruition.”

hotelmanagement.com.au 25

CONFERENCES

GLOBAL SPEAKERS SET FOR AHICE Virgin Australia CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka will address the AHICE delegation

OVER 100 LOCAL AND GLOBAL LEADERS ARE SET TO SPEAK AT AHICE 2021 IN ADELAIDE.

V

“The AHICE week in Adelaide will be the ultimate opportunity for the industry to share ideas.”

James Wilkinson, AHICE

irgin Australia CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka, will address an audience of over 500 at the threeday Australasian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE), taking place in Adelaide from May 4-6, 2021, which is shaping to be the best and most significant yet with over 100 speakers.

AHICE 2021 is being held at two of the city’s hottest new properties – EOS by SkyCity and The Oval Hotel – alongside the sixth Design Inn Symposium and second STR Insiders Summit. It will again be the largest inperson accommodation and tourism industry event to be held in Asia-Pacific over the past 12 months.

Headlining a star-studded speaker program are several of the world’s leading industry executives – including Marriott International’s Craig Smith (live from Washington DC), IHG Hotels and Resorts’ Kenneth Macpherson (live from London), Ovolo Group’s Girish Jhunjhnuwala (live from Hong Kong), Accor’s Simon McGrath, Hilton’s Alan Watts (live from Singapore), Proinvest Group’s Dr Sabine Schaffer (live from Dubai), The Ascott Limited’s David Mansfield, IHG’s Leanne Harwood, Hilton’s Heidi Kunkel, Outrigger’s Jeff Wagoner (live from Honolulu), Next Story Group’s Darren Edmonstone (live from Singapore), Doma Group’s Jure Domazet and more – alongside keynote speakers at the top of their industry, including Westpac’s Chief Economist, Bill Evans and Experience Co’s CEO, John O’Sullivan.

Australasia’s leading owners will also be attending and speaking at AHICE, including executives from CapitaLand (Grant Alchin), Elanor Investors (Marianne Ossovani), Hines Property (James Hines), Melbourne Airport (Stuart Verrier), Mirvac (Deborah Keller), Mulpha Australia (Lucia Grambalova), Pro-invest Group (Tim Sherlock), Ovolo

26 HM The Business of Accommodation

Group (Dave Baswal), Salter Brothers (Kate Harper), the Schwartz Family Co (Dr Jerry Schwartz) and more.

The CEOs of Australia’s leading hospitality super funds, Hostplus and Intrust Super, David Elia and Brendan O’Farrell respectively, will also take to the stage in Adelaide, while some of the key panel sessions will include development, human resources, food and beverage trends, technology and sustainability.

Other key speakers include Sarah Derry (Accor), Trent Fraser (Choice Asia-Pac), Michael Johnson (TAA), Andrew Jolliffe (HTL Property), Dean Long (AA), Andrew Pickering (Shape), Peter Salveson (Hansen Yuncken), Caspar Schmidt (QCC Collection), Robert Williams (WFW), Lynda Ugarte (IHG) and more.

The Design Inn Symposium is also shaping up to be another stellar event, with top architects and designers from across the region speaking, including CHADA’s Juliet Ashworth, Scott Carver’s Angela Biddle, Woods Bagot’s Tracey Wiles, Suede Interiors’ Clifford Rip and Buchan’s Paul Harrison.

At the 2021 STR Insiders Summit, delegates will be able to take a deep dive into local and global performance, by the numbers, through exclusive insights not available anywhere else.

Over May 4-6 in Adelaide, the three events will offer the best networking that any hotel conference in Asia-Pacific has ever seen, with 14 events and breaks, including a new, official late-night networking lounge, ‘Club AHICE’.

AHICE, Design Inn and STR Insiders are being held in person in 2021 thanks to a record number of sponsors and supporters, headlined by the Principal Partners across the three events: Hostplus, Intrust Super, Hansen Yuncken, Shape and STR. “The AHICE week in Adelaide will be the ultimate opportunity for the industry to share ideas, get inspired and find ways to bounce out of the pandemic to success,” said AHICE Conference Chair and HM magazine EditorIn-Chief, James Wilkinson. n

The Next Decade: Planning for the Future of the Australasian Hotel Industry

Tue 4 May 2021

Design Inn and STR Insiders SkyCity, Adelaide

Wed 5 and Thu 6 May 2021 AHICE Adelaide Oval

Principal Partner

Hosted By

Principal Partner

Co-located With

Design Inn Principal Partners

Organised By

www.ahice.com.au | 1300 789 845

Welcome to AHICE, Design Inn and STR Insiders It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the 11th annual 2021 Australasian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE), the 6th Design Inn Symposium and 2nd STR Insiders summit in Adelaide, South Australia.

It is an exciting year for the AHICE family as we host our events in the great city of Adelaide for the first time.

Over the three days, you’ll hear from over 100 global and local speakers, both within the hotel industry and other fields where they are at the top of their industry, including Virgin Australia’s CEO Jayne Hrdlicka, Westpac’s Chief Economist Bill Evans and Experience Co’s CEO, John O’Sullivan.

We have created three programs which offer everything from deep design dives into Australia’s leading hotels, global data analysis, hot food and beverage trends, owners’ expectations of operators and outlooks from some of the world’s leading CEOs, like Marriott International’s Craig Smith (live from Washington DC) and IHG Hotels and Resorts’ Kenneth Macpherson (live from London).

We’ll look at what the industry can expect over the coming 12 months in plenary sessions and exclusive Q&As, and we’ll also offer the best networking that any hotel conference in Asia-Pacific has ever seen, with 14 evening events, lunches, breaks and masterclass sessions on offer.

Thanks to a record number of sponsors and supporters – particualrly our Principal Partners across the three events being Hostplus, Intrust Super, Hansen Yuncken, Shape and STR – we are able to be in South Australia, at in-person events at two of Australia’s hottest new properties, EOS by SkyCity and the Oval Hotel at the Adelaide Oval.

I hope you find the three days educational, informative and enjoyable, and I look forward to catching-up with you this week.

Yours in hospitality, James Wilkinson Editor-In-Chief, HM magazine Conference Convenor & Chair – AHICE & Design Inn Program Advisory Boards

| Program TUESDAY 4 MAY 8:30am

2:45pm-6:00pm

NEW HOTEL SITE TOURS

9:30am WELCOME TO DESIGN INN from

Angela Biddle (Director, Scott Carver) and

James Wilkinson (Editor-In-Chief, HM magazine)

6:00pm-8:00pm

DESIGN INN NETWORKING RECEPTION presented by HANSEN YUNCKEN

9:35am-11:00am

PLENARY SESSIONS

9:30pm-onwards CLUB AHICE is presented by ELANOR INVESTORS and sponsored by GROHE

11:00am-11:35am

MORNING TEA presented by GROHE

11:35am-1:45pm

PLENARY SESSIONS

REGISTRATION

1:45pm-2:45pm NETWORKING LUNCH presented by SHAPE

and the Paul Davies Design Award presentations

Insiders | Program 2:45pm

REGISTRATION

3:00pm WELCOME TO STR INSIDERS

Matthew Burke - Regional Manager Pacific - STR

Design Inn Program VIEW ONLINE

Page 28 |

3:10pm-6:00pm

PLENARY SESSIONS

6:00pm-8:00pm

STR INSIDERS NETWORKING RECEPTION

AHICE | Program WEDNESDAY 5 MAY - DAY 1

THURSDAY 6 MAY - DAY 2

8:00am

REGISTRATION

8:30am-9:10am LEGAL MASTERCLASS BREAKFAST SEMINAR presented by BAKER MCKENZIE

8:30am-9:10am

REAL ESTATE BREAKFAST MASTERCLASS SEMINAR presented by CBRE

9:10am

9:15am-10:55am

Welcome to AHICE 2021 from James Wilkinson & emcee, Adelaide media personality, Jess Adamson

9:10am

Welcome to AHICE 2021 day two from emcee, Adelaide media personality, Jess Adamson.

9:15am-10:55am

PLENARY SESSIONS

10:55am-11:25am

MORNING TEA presented by BOOK ME BOB

11:25am-1:35pm

PLENARY SESSIONS

1:35pm-2:30pm

NETWORKING LUNCH presented by PRO-INVEST GROUP

2:30pm-3:40pm

PLENARY SESSIONS

PLENARY SESSIONS

10:55am-11:25am

MORNING TEA presented by HANSEN YUNCKEN

11:25am-1:35pm

PLENARY SESSIONS

1:35pm-2:30pm NETWORKING LUNCH presented by AXSIA

2:30pm-3:30pm

PLENARY SESSIONS

3:30pm-3:55pm

KEYNOTE SESSION presented by THSA

3:40pm-4:10pm AFTERNOON TEA presented by HOSTPLUS 3:55pm-4:25pm

AFTERNOON TEA presented by INTRUST SUPER

4:10pm-4:35pm 4:25pm-6:00pm

KEYNOTE SESSION presented by SHAPE

PLENARY SESSIONS

6:00pm-8:00pm WELCOME NETWORKING EVENT

presented by BLUE MOUNTAINS

INTERNATIONAL HOTEL MANAGEMENT

SCHOOL AT TORRENS UNIVERSITY AUSTRALIA at the Adelaide Oval

4:35pm-5:45pm

PLENARY SESSIONS

5:45pm

AHICE 2021 CONCLUDES AHICE Day 1 Program VIEW ONLINE

9:30pm-onwards

AHICE Day 2 Program VIEW ONLINE

CLUB AHICE at Mayfair Hotel presented by ELANOR INVESTORS and sponsored by GROHE

| Page 29

WWW.HANSENYUNCKEN.COM.AU

EOS BY SKYCITY DRIVEN BY CHALLENGE, BUILT WITH PRIDE

AHICE | Sponsors A.H. BEARD Stand 14 Since 1899, A.H. Beard has been manufacturing mattresses here in Australia.

In that time, four generations of the Beard family has been at the helm of a business that is now the leader in the bedding industry across both Australia and New Zealand.

The choice of many of our industry’s most awarded and aspirational properties and brands and a partner to many of the world’s leading hotel brands, A.H. Beard’s reputation for excellence in design, quality and comfort means you can sleep well knowing that your guests are too.

Visit us at AHICE and see the latest in hotel bedding. www.ahbeardcommercial.com

AUB HOSPITALITY AUB Hospitality (AUBH) is a fully owned subsidiary of the ASX listed, AUB Group.

AUBH is a specialist insurance and risk management provider to the tourism sector including to in excess of 300 hotels, casinos, convention centres and cruise vessel owners, operators and managers throughout the Asia Pacific region. The AUBH team have experience spanning in excess of 30 years and understand the specialist nature of risk & insurance needs for this sector. The result is long term relationships with many of the largest property owners and managers in the tourism and leisure industry.

AUBH has dedicated in house resources for advice and services around risk identification, loss analysis, general insurance products, claims management along with OH&S, workers compensation and injury management. www.aubgroup.com.au

AXSIA Axsia engages with hotel owners and investors to drive optimal hotel asset performance.

Axsia’s unique approach to asset management is driven from an in-depth understanding of operator brand companies; their value proposition and their challenges to provide bespoke outcomes. Through industry knowledge and experience, we work collaboratively with hotel management and the brand to align the goals and objectives of the customer, brand, employee and owner to drive experience, reputation, RevPAR and value.

We provide a bespoke service based on the owner’s needs and objectives – no one size fits all! Our Asset Management services range from Owner Representation to in depth asset management including investment strategy, financing and buy versus hold analysis and decision making. www.axsiaorg.com

BAKER MCKENZIE Industry experience matters. With one of the largest Hotels, Resorts & Tourism practices in Australia, Baker McKenzie has for more than 25 years been advising on leading hotel transactions for many of the biggest names in the hotel industry. We assist and work with our clients to enable them to operate confidently in home markets and abroad by offering a comprehensive cross-practice approach to navigate all aspects of the most complex industry specific matters including structuring, buying, selling, developing, financing and negotiating management agreements for both standalone and mixed use developments.

BOOK ME BOB Book Me Bob (BMB) is an AI chatbot, giving muscle and margin to global hotels after COVID reduced many to their knees. The only chatbot with a booking engine and integration into Facebook Messenger, the conversational experience feels near human. With low commissions threatening to disrupt steep online travel agency charges. AI innovation is assisting and serving hospitality with speed efficiency and precision. Reducing costs, enhancing online guest experiences and engagement, improving productivity and employee wellbeing.

Revolutionising the hospitality industry with Artificial Intelligence technology. www.bookmebob.com

BLUE MOUNTAINS INTERNATIONAL HOTEL MANAGEMENT SCHOOL AT TORRENS UNIVERSITY AUSTRALIA Over the course of three decades, Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (BMIHMS) has launched thousands of successful hotel management careers. We are proud of our global network of industry-leading graduates and alumni, as well as our strong partnerships with some of the biggest hotel brands in the world.

As the No. 1 hotel management school in Australia and Asia-Pacific (Kantar 2020), BMIHMS provides world-class undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications, as well as a range of short courses, that are designed to help accelerate your career. www.torrens.edu.au/blue-mountains-hotel-management-school

CBRE CBRE Hotels is the world’s leading hotel experts.

At CBRE Hotels, we transform real estate into real advantage for our clients through our connections, specialisation and innovation.

CBRE Hotels’ dedicated Investment Properties network combines global and local real estate expertise and insight to keep clients one step ahead in this fast-moving market.

With a deep knowledge both of real estate and hotel operations, CBRE Hotels’ Valuation and Advisory experts are renowned for the accuracy of their judgement and insights which benefit investors and lenders alike.

Whilst also understanding the dynamics and complexities of the hotel investment market. www.cbrehotels.com

DEZIGN Stand 12 Dezign is a well-established business, with over 40 years of experience in creating and maintaining outstanding work and living spaces. Over this time we have developed a strong reputation for reliability and service by providing dynamic solutions to meet the individual needs of our clients. We are a third-generation company with a vibrant and motivated team committed to providing high quality, sustainable and innovative solutions.

Dezign have completed a broad spectrum of projects and engaged in all aspects of the furniture, fit-out and construction industry, providing unique solutions to work and living spaces across Australia. www.dezign.net.au

www.bakermckenzie.com

| Page 31

AHICE | Sponsors ELANOR INVESTORS GROUP Established in 2009, Elanor Investors Group is an ASX listed Australian real estate investment and funds management business. The key strategic objective of the Group is to identify and originate real estate backed investments that deliver strong returns for both Elanor’s funds management capital partners and Elanor security holders. Elanor’s investment focus is on acquiring and unlocking value in assets that provide strong income and high quality capital growth potential. Elanor’s highly active approach to asset management is underpinned with urgency and an acute focus on delivering investment performance. Elanor Investors Group’s key investment sector focuses are the commercial real estate, retail real estate and the hotels, tourism and leisure sectors. www.elanorinvestors.com

EXTERITY Stand 5 Exterity is a market-leading provider of IP Video, Digital Signage and Guest Experience technology. Our hospitality and leisure solutions are used worldwide to provide tech-savvy guests with a ‘better than home’ experience. Supply an extensive selection of international TV channels, up to 4K, to any number of guest rooms, alongside relevant, engaging information in reception areas, restaurants and meeting rooms. Customers include Inglis Riverside Stables, Okada Manila Casino & Resort, The Bend, Accor, Anantara, Centara Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Golden Tulip, JA Resorts & Hotels, Jumeirah Group, Saxon Hotel Johannesburg, Shangri-La Group and Six Senses. www.exterity.com

FOXTEL Stand 20 Foxtel is a leading Australian subscription television company offering the world’s best content and entertainment technology for businesses.

We can provide the accommodation industry with great entertainment and live sport to keep guests entertained. Our innovative product, the Business iQ, will give your guests an ‘at-home’ experience in their hotel room with free-to-view access to our huge library of content available both live and on demand, in-built casting and on-screen digital compendium. Your business will get an easy-to-manage, future-proofed system with all the support you’ll ever need.

Foxtel means business.

To find out more visit www.foxtel.com.au/biq or call 1300 306 460.

GROHE Pure Freude An Wasser Life-giving, universal, joyful – water itself is the source of inspiration for the whole of our distinctive product portfolio.

Each of these products is always based on our four core values: Quality, Technology, Design and Sustainability. Balancing these in everything we do allows us to deliver unrivalled water enjoyment in our bathrooms and kitchens for all our consumers. www.grohe.com.au/en_au/

HANSEN YUNCKEN Hansen Yuncken is an independent building company, crafted with over 100 years of construction expertise.

We have built an acclaimed reputation for building the nation’s significant buildings. The types of projects we undertake are top tier in scale and complexity, often iconic and with considerable delivery challenges. Our company culture reflects the fact we deliver the most difficult projects and there is pride and accomplishment in rising to these challenges Our tenacity is built on values of determination, fortitude and efficiency.

Combining our rich heritage with acumen, skill and a drive to take on calculated risks – we create future iconic buildings www.hansenyuncken.com.au Page 32 |

HANSGROHE Stand 7 With over 120 years of German manufacturing experience, Hansgrohe’s premium showers, tapware and accessories are known internationally for intelligent functionality, outstanding design, and enduring quality. Through its many award-winning products for kitchens and bathrooms, Hansgrohe brings form and function to water with two equally strong brands – the design brand AXOR and the premium brand Hansgrohe ensuring that the unique requirements of any iconic project could be addressed. Equipped in countless hotels and developments worldwide, Hansgrohe focus on sustainable technologies without sacrificing on water pleasure and sophisticated timeless aesthetics combine to delight customers and turn the bathroom into an oasis of luxury and wellness. www.hansgrohe.com.au

HOSTPLUS Stand 1 & 2 Hostplus was established in 1988 as the national industry superannuation fund for the hospitality, tourism, recreation and sport industries. Hostplus is proud of its industry fund heritage and is run only to benefit our members. Our ‘members first’ philosophy and ethos drives us and is reflected in our ongoing commitment to low fees and the best possible returns for our members, so they can look forward to a more comfortable and dignified retirement lifestyle. Today, Hostplus is one of Australia’s largest and increasingly diversified funds with 1.3 million members, 216,000 contributing employers and nearly $49 billion in funds under management (as at 30 June 2020). And our default Balanced (MySuper) option is one of the best-performing investment options over the long-term. www.hostplus.com.au

HTL PROPERTY HTL Property is an independent, national operation delivering specialised integrated services for the hotel industry and its investors throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific.

HTL Property offers an unrivalled level of service driven by an extensive resource base allowing for widespread and specialised marketing approaches and development of major campaigns. The team has collectively 100 plus years of experience in all sectors of the hotel industry.

Headed by Andrew Jackson, HTL Property specialises in investment sales, marketing and advice across the accommodation industry, including hotel and resort accommodation, motels, backpackers, caravan parks and management rights as well as other hospitality and leisure assets. www.htlproperty.com.au

HUB OS Stand 13 HUB OS is the new revolution in hotel operations technology. It’s the solution that connects every department, drives labour productivity, delivers guest service and satisfaction improvements and allows you to replace multiple systems, with one.

A simple app or a browser log-in, HUB OS can be implemented and adopted rapidly. It integrates housekeeping, engineering, front-of-house, F&B, guest-services, new openings and energy management. HUB excels in sharing real-time, instant data between staff, management, guests and your properties’ PMS. Already a dominant player across Europe, HUB OS has now arrived in Australasia to bring your hotel comprehensive savings and benefits as a single solution. www.hubos.com

JW MARRIOTT GOLD COAST RESORT & SPA

OFFICES

HOTELS

HEALTHCARE

RETAIL

EDUCATION

& MORE

For over 30 years, SHAPE has delivered building, construction and refurbishment projects across the hotel and hospitality industry. Our specialised teams lead a holistic approach to transforming spaces.

Understanding the needs of our clients is where it all begins. It’s a collaborative dialogue where we bring our considerable experience, expertise, energy and enthusiasm to align with client requirements.

shape.com.au

We offer a true partnership approach to every project, creating a better experience for all involved.

AHICE | Sponsors INTRUST SUPER Stand 16 & 17 Intrust Super is proud to once again be a Diamond Sponsor of the Australasian Hotel Industry Conference & Exhibition in 2021. Events such as AHICE are vital to the industry’s continued recovery from COVID-19.

Intrust Super has worked side by side with the hotel industry for over 30 years and has seen the industry grow and evolve – never more so than in this past year.

Much like the industry we support, we continue to innovate and advance our products and services to ensure our clients and members receive the very best from their super fund. After an extremely challenging year for the industry, we’d like to do everything we can to support our business clients and their staff throughout their recovery.

With historically strong returns, multi-award-winning insurance options and personalised service, Intrust Super is the super for hotels.

Please visit the Intrust Super stand to find out how we can assist you.

132 467 | www.intrust.com.au

KATALYST GROUP Katalyst Group is a provider of luxury FF&E and Joinery to the hotel and gaming sector. Katalyst is one of the fastest-growing suppliers in the industry and has recently completed many prestigious projects in a short tenure including Crown Resorts Barangaroo, The Star Sydney and JW Marriott Gold Coast. www.katalystgroupaustralia.net

LAVAZZA Stand 15 Lavazza is proud to bring over 125 years of coffee knowledge, excellence and experience to the hotel sector.

With a comprehensive coffee and equipment portfolio, Lavazza has a total coffee solution for every hotel need.

• Consistent quality coffee to provide a premium experience for your guests • Commercial machines for front of house, bean to cup solutions for breakfast bars and capsule options for in room, back of house and conference.

• Premium iconic global brand with tailor made point of sale to meet your unique needs • Sustainably sourced coffee that is aligned with your goals • A range of locally roasted and iconic Italian Blends www.lavazzabusinesssolutions.com.au

MYBOS Stand 6 MYBOS offers a cloud-based solution aimed to simplify everyday hotel management tasks for overall improved company performance.

With a user-friendly interface and application in managing work orders and housekeeping, tracking room inspections, capture asset and key registers and taking control of hotel preventative maintenance, MYBOS has a solution for many of the rising issues within the hotel management industry. At MYBOS, we understand communication is key and have created a customised housekeeping app to allow customers and engineers seamless communication and workflow of all hotel maintenance processes.

For more information, visit www.mybos.com.au

NUVHO Stand 11 Nuvho is an innovative services and management company focussed primarily on the delivery I N C R E A S E B O O K I N G S of outsourced sales, marketing and revenue management services to the independent and franchisee hotel sectors. Clients benefit from an integrated and centralised approach to the delivery of these outsourced management functions resulting in a reduced cost structure and significantly higher than fair-share performance. Nuvho is also one of the largest Australian independent hotel networks and offers the benefits that comes with the scale of hotel groups including collective representation, procurement, consortia programs and agency commission negotiation. A one-stop-shop for sales, marketing, revenue management services as well as associated software and systems, Nuvho delivers effective and measured return on investment. www.nuvho.com

PRO-INVEST GROUP Pro-invest Group, a global asset management and investment firm specialising in real estate.

A unique integrated platform across hospitality, commercial office, retail, retirement land lease communities and residential sectors, ensures full control of the entire value chain.

Your trusted partner, with a commitment to sustainability, transparency, responsibility and optimising value for all stakeholders. www.proinvestgroup.com

SHAPE SHAPE is an Australian multi-disciplinary building contractor with over 30 years of experience in fit-out, refurbishment, and construction services. SHAPE’s national portfolio expands over multiple sectors in both the private and public spaces, including Health, Hospitality, Commercial, Education and Retail. With over 400 staff nationally, an annual turnover exceeding $700m p.a and an impressive Net Promoter Score of 84+, SHAPE has become one of the most trusted building partners Nation-wide.

We deliver exceptional projects of the highest quality to Australia’s most well-known brands such as Commonwealth Bank, MYOB, Fairfax Media, Austrade, Toyota and Mastercard, to name a few. www.shape.com.au

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TOURISM COMMISSION The South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) is the key State Government agency responsible for growing the visitor economy.

Through marketing, destination development and events and festivals, the SATC works in collaboration with a number of stakeholders to support the tourism industry.

South Australia offers stunning landscapes, world-class food and beverages, immersive experiences and experiential accommodation.

Adelaide offers the sophistication of a global city, while maintaining an ease of access that is the envy of more congested cities. Our regions offer a wealth of memorable experiences from swimming with sea-lions to world-class dining to innovative events and festivals.

The SATC invites the delegates of 2021 AHICE to explore and discover the best of Adelaide and South Australia.For more information, www.southaustralia.com and www.tourism.sa.gov.au

SPL Stand 9 SPL (Specialised Linen Services) provides laundry, linen hire and supply, dry cleaning and valet services to customers in the accommodation, healthcare and hospitality sectors.

SPL has grown rapidly over the past three years with over 1,500 employees in 15 locations, boasting the two largest laundries in the Southern Hemisphere and a vision to become a world class provider. www.splservices.com.au Page 34 |

AHICE | Sponsors SUCKITUP STRAWS Stand 3 SUCKITUP Straws is an innovative company whose mission is to reduce the use of Single-Use-Plastic (SUP) in our society by developing solutions that provide the same affordable & convenient that SUP alternatives do. Selling logo branded reusable straws to business, placing stands in establishments where SUP straws were used. SUCKITUP Straws also have recently won a Gold Design Award for their patented product that is the world’s FIRST & ONLY way to clean reusable straws in a commercial kitchen saving businesses. Saving businesses $400+ a month on single use straws. With SUP bans being established throughout Australia this company is providing a solution to help businesses, consumers and the environment. www.suckitupstraws.com.au

THSA Stand 18 Founded in 2005, Tourism and Hospitality Services Australasia (THSA) is an independent advisory, consulting and asset management firm, led by Managing Director Rodger Powell. Rodger has an uncommon breadth and depth of experience as an owner, operator and executive level manager across multiple hospitality and tourism businesses, with all THSA team members contributing specialist expertise to the practice.

THSA team members have completed more than 400 assignments worldwide. THSA’s practical advice is informed by 50-plus years of handson experience combined with expertise honed from 25 years of projects in Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe and the USA. Clients include multi-nationals, private companies, high net-worths and all tiers of government. www.thsa.com.au

TIMEFLYZ Stand 4 TimeFlyz is an exciting new hotel booking platform where guests can book microstays and pay only for the time they stay. Bookings can be made in 3, 6 or 12 hour blocks at any time and is perfectly suited for transient, business or leisure guests.

Whether it’s somewhere to freshen up after a flight, a place to hold a business meeting or to enjoy a relaxing afternoon with your partner, TimeFlyz is the perfect booking platform.

For hoteliers, TimeFlyz brings a sophisticated extranet allowing for implementation of dynamic pricing and availability (by auto-syncing rates) thus creating incremental revenue, increasing occupancy and optimising underutilised inventory. www.timeflyz.co

THE UNIQUE STUDENT IDENTIFIER (USI) AND VET TRANSCRIPT SERVICE Stand 10 Guarantee that your staff have the right qualifications by viewing their authenticated VET transcript. The VET transcript collates the outcomes of training undertaken since 1 January 2015 into a single record.

With a VET transcript, they can prove qualifications to employers and licensing bodies and demonstrate pre-requisites for further training. Anyone who has undertaken nationally recognised training since 2015 can access their VET transcript via a Unique Student Identifier (USI) account. It’s a quick and secure way to verify the training records of your future employees. Find out more about the USI and VET transcript service at www.usi.gov.au

VINTECH Stand 19 Vintech Systems is a specialists in the supply, installation and service of accommodation specific products. Our range includes electronic locking systems, energy saving devices, in-room digital safes, energy efficient mini bars and guest room management systems. Being part of the ZigBee alliance, we can offer full system integration and in-room automation. We are an innovative company covering the entire Southern Pacific region and have strong affiliations throughout the industry. We are preferred suppliers to a number of Hotel groups, Resorts, Backpackers, Serviced Apartments and University Student Accommodation campuses. Vintech Systems has been involved in the hospitality industry for over 25 years and have the capability of providing turnkey projects incorporating complete conceptual design, installations, project management, commissioning and training. As part of our total commitment to after sales customer care, we offer a full 24hrs, 365 day service with factory and workshop support. We pride ourselves on our professional customer service, giving you the benefit of dealing with one capable company, resulting in a more cost effective investment. www.vintech.com.au

WAGELOCH Stand 8 You can rely on Wageloch to make managing your team a breeze. Our simple, single platform automates all your rostering, staffing, time and attendance tasks. So it’s easy to take care of business anywhere, any time, on any device – desktop, web or our mobile app.

Wageloch integrates seamlessly with powerful payroll, POS and book keeping platforms including MYOB, Xero and Reckon. We can even connect it with your existing systems and apply your award rules and pay rates. So you spend less time on admin tasks and more on what matters most.

It’s all backed by an Australian team, guided by family values of integrity, teamwork and respect. Proudly local and family owned since 2006, we work as one to help you get the job done – and done well.

Book a free demo today at wageloch.com.au

WATSON FARLEY & WILLIAMS We are an international law firm advising on complex transactions and disputes through local knowledge and an integrated international network. We have a strong sector focus, combining our technical excellence with deep industry knowledge across energy, transport and real estate.

Our business exists to help our clients achieve their goals, partnering with them to meet the challenges they face today and will face tomorrow.

Our values rest on developing deep and long-lasting relationships externally and internally through respect, sharing, communication and integrity.

We strive for excellence in all that we do and view investment in our people as key to achieving our business goals and values.

Our teams are integrated across legal disciplines and offices delivering consistently high levels of service locally and in combination across borders. www.wfw.com

www.usi.gov.au

| Page 35

AHICE | Sponsors & Supporters

HOSTED BY

PRINCIPAL PARTNERS - AHICE

PRINCIPAL PARTNERS - DESIGN INN

AV SPONSOR

ON STAGE FURNITURE SPONSOR

WELCOME EVENT SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

I N C R E A S E

Page 36 |

B O O K I N G S

AHICE | Sponsors & Supporters

DIAMOND SUPPORTER

PLATINUM SUPPORTERS

GOLD SUPPORTERS

SILVER SUPPORTERS

hospitality

WINE SPONSOR

CO-LOCATED WITH

HOST VENUES

ORGANISED BY

| Page 37

PROMOTION

Chris and Letitia Vitale from Vitale Property Group

NEW HORIZONS FOR

VITALE PROPERTY GROUP Vitale Property Group is bringing Australia’s first Mondrian hotel and branded residences, Mondrian Gold Coast, to an iconic Burleigh Heads beachfront location on the Gold Coast. In this exclusive interview, HM sits down with Vitale Property Group Directors, Chris and Letitia Vitale, to discuss their latest project with Accor.

I

n partnership with world-leading hospitality group and global leader in the lifestyle sector, Accor, Vitale Property Group is on track to open Mondrian Gold Coast in 2023. The luxurious newbuild dualtower property will feature 83 sumptuous residential apartments and, within the hotel, 208 guestrooms. The buildings will be united by a three-level podium that acts as the building’s common space and activity hub, including a state-of-the-art fitness centre, spa, restaurants and swimming pools, all overlooking the world-famous beach and Burleigh Headland National Park.

Vitale Property Group has made a considerable investment in the Gold Coast’s tourism and property sector. What interested you in investing in the Gold Coast?

Even on a global level, the Gold Coast is a very unique place. We have this modern city, which is built on an area between 40km of world famous beaches and the Great Dividing Range. Within this area, we have more canals, rivers and lakes than any other city in the world. Adding to this, the sun shines 300 days a year and the average temperature is almost always in the low 20s. These attributes draw people to both want to live and holiday on the Gold Coast, which is the ideal recipe for developing residential apartments and a five-star hotel.

38 HM The Business of Accommodation

Mondrian Gold Coast will be the first Mondrian branded property to open in Australia. How did you decide on the Mondrian brand for this development?

We have always thought the Mondrian in West Hollywood was one of the best lifestyle hotels in the world. Hotel operators have always struggled to deliver iconic, curated food and beverage experiences within their assets however Ian Schrager (Morgan Hotel Group) and Sam Nazarian (sbe) mastered the concept of delivering amazing F&B within their hotels and the Mondrian was at the forefront of this. As F&B plays a significant part of the Mondrian Gold Coast experience, we wanted to select a hotel operator that could provide us with world-class offerings within both the hotel room experiences and F&B and that was without a doubt Accor. This is very rare commodity in the hotel world.

Do you have plans to expand your hotel and branded residences footprint outside of Queensland?

Yes, when the time is right and the right location can be sourced, we would look to undertake another hotel and residence project like the Mondrian Gold Coast. However, we are a patient group, and our number one prerequisite for another project is site location. We intend on holding the Burleigh Heads hotel in the family long term and the strategy within the group is to build a portfolio of iconic, profitable hotel assets.

What are residential developments managed by renowned hotel brands delivering that traditional managed residences aren’t?

Branded residences deliver an amenity and service offering that traditional apartment complexes will never be able to compete with.

Quite simply, it’s not commercial for a residential complex to try and emulate services that a five-star hotel provides. For example, our

ACCOR NEWS

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en i old C oast is on track to op

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3 2 02

Introducing Mondrian Mondrian forms part of the Accor portfolio of brands, which includes Fairmont, SO/, Sofitel, MGallery, Art Series, Pullman, Swissôtel, 25hours, Hyde, Mövenpick, Grand Mercure, Peppers, The Sebel, Mantra, Novotel, Mercure, Tribe, BreakFree, ibis, ibis Styles and ibis budget.

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branded residences at the Mondrian will have a team of dedicated staff, including a Residence Manager, concierges and a driver, who are employed only to service the eC residence tower. In addition to this, the d l o oc her hotel team will also provide services to nG e en ria d n trance to Mo the residence tower. This can’t be replicated within a residential tower that is not attached to a hotel operation.

How important is it to give permanent residents separate access, facilities and a seemingly different experience than short-term hotel guests? How is the divide between the two managed and balanced?

We believe it is very important to provide absolute privacy and separation for our owners. We have designed our project to ensure our owners have full privacy and separation from the hotel guests. This includes separate entries, lifting, staffing, and amenity areas that cannot be accessed or utilised by our hotel guests. However, our owners also have the ability to easily access and utilise the world-class amenities the hotel has on offer.

Accor is renowned in the industry for bringing unrivalled expertise and experience in the management of luxury hotel and branded residences. With the Mondrian brand at the heart of the most exciting cultural scenes in the world, we know Accor will seamlessly deliver an immersive Mondrian experience for hotel guests and residents alike at Mondrian Gold Coast. n

“We believe it is very important to provide absolute privacy and separation for our owners.”

Chris and Letitia Vitale, Vitale Property Group

Mondrian Gold Coast will provide hotel services for short-term guests and permanent residents

hotelmanagement.com.au 39

HM Q&A | GENERAL MANAGER

HERO OF The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts GM, Cavaliere Giovanni Viterale

L

ike its Singapore flagship, The Fullerton Sydney also occupies space once held by a city postal service. The stories behind this relic of communication are today shared with guests in the form of popular heritage tours, which are hosted by passionate volunteers eager to share their knowledge with guests and members of the public on weekends.

IT HAS ONLY BEEN OPEN 18 MONTHS, BUT THE FULLERTON SYDNEY SHARES MORE THAN 200 YEARS OF STORIES, AS GENERAL MANAGER, CAVALIERE GIOVANNI VITERALE, TOLD HM RECENTLY

Why does the history of the Sydney GPO fit so well with The Fullerton’s own narrative?

The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts is committed to creating a destination for guests and the local community to immerse themselves in new experiences that showcase each location’s unique culture and history. Heritage, culture, lifestyle and culinary concepts are the key elements we look to when crafting varied and inspiring experiences for our guests.

Each of our properties delivers an authentic and rich cultural experience, true to its iconic location and rich heritage. Our commitment to experience-based travel connects our guests with the distinctive characteristics of the cities in which we operate, through local arts, cultural and culinary adventures.

In the mid-20th Century, Sydneysiders dressed to the nines and came into town to ‘meet under the GPO clock’.

The building was long known as an iconic rendezvous point. The Fullerton Hotel Sydney seeks to recreate this with destination experiences for both our guests and the broader community.

Since its debut, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney has become synonymous with warm hospitality from the heart and one-of-a-kind heritage flair. The storied history of the GPO enables The Fullerton Hotel Sydney to shine a spotlight on Sydney’s history, and the unique stories and personalities from the GPO through complimentary heritage tours for both hotel guests and members of the public.

What are some of your favourite lesser-known facts about the GPO in which the Fullerton Sydney is housed?

The GPO Building was an important communication centre for Sydney. In 1942, the iconic clock tower was dismantled to reduce its visibility for fear of it being a target in an air attack on Sydney during WWII. The clock tower bells were placed around different parts of 40 HM The Business of Accommodation

“Our classic Fullerton Afternoon Tea links to the heritage of the GPO and our Singapore heritage as a brand.”

Cavaliere Giovanni Viterale, The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts

Sydney for safe keeping. It is widely believed that during this time, local Sydney man, Arthur Stace, inscribed the word ‘Eternity’ in one of the clock tower bells. The word Eternity has found iconic status of its own in Sydney with the famous script regularly used as a symbol of hope for a number of key Sydney events. Stace was known for writing the word using chalk or crayon every day for 35 years on footpaths, buildings and railway stations throughout the streets of Sydney and the inscription on the Clock Tower bell is one of the few original writings remaining.

The clock tower stands today as an architectural landmark and represents a remarkable engineering feat. It was the tallest building in Sydney for many years, and was regarded as Sydney’s most important clock, used to report the weather transmitted from telegraph messaging. Flags were raised to alert Sydneysiders of weather changes, and messages came from areas south of Sydney.

The design of the GPO evolved with later sections adorned with more modern carvings and details. Upon completion in 1883, the carvings above the Pitt Street GPO archways generated much attention. The carvings depicted contemporary people at work in realistic form, rather than the more traditional gods or goddesses, and were at one point deemed inappropriate for the adornment of such a classically designed and important building. One such carving depicted a postman delivering a letter to a young barmaid in modern dress with whom he appears to be flirting. So strong was the opposition to the carvings there was a parliamentary inquiry debating their removal.

On the front of each arch along Martin Place, 24 face carvings represent different states, countries and continents, depicting key trading partners. These range from Russia, clad in bear skin, and a sage, fatherly Europe, to a square-jawed America with stars across her brow. Australia is represented by a bearded indigenous man, while Queen Victoria overlooks Martin Place from her perch above the main entrance.

HM Q&A | GENERAL MANAGER

Afternoon tea delight

The Fullerton Sydney has creatively compiled a rotating calendar of devilish afternoon tea spreads which can be enjoyed in line with major events and occasions.

SIGNATURE AFTERNOON TEA

Available year-round outside themed periods

LUNAR NEW YEAR AFTERNOON TEA

Available 1-28 February (unless festival dates change)

How is progress tracking on the completion of the hotel’s exterior remediation?

The Fullerton Sydney commenced remediation work on the façade of the historic landmark in April 2019 with extensive maintenance work carried out during the first phase of remediation work on the building’s Martin Place and George Street façade.

The final phase of the remediation works, which focuses on the Pitt Street façade and clock tower, was completed in March 2021. During the final phase of the remediation programme, special attention has been paid to the clock tower’s external stone and metal work, the clock tower’s clock face and mechanism, intricate windows and doors, as well as lead weathering and waterproofing.

More than 30,000 working hours have been carried out by highly trained specialists, with a combined total of 334 years of stonemasonry experience, who use only steam and water and scrubbing brushes to restore the sandstone’s natural beauty, preserving the building’s integrity and showcasing its beauty. We are excited to unveil the restored and preserved Grand Dame to Sydneysiders and visitors from around the world.

Can you tell us a bit about the development of the ‘Sydney Sling’ and how it fits with The Fullerton’s guest experience?

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AFTERNOON TEA

Sydneysiders enjoy their cocktails, so it’s only fitting that we created one that’s perfect for a mid-afternoon treat – the Sydney Sling. This delicious concoction is The Fullerton Hotel Sydney’s twist on the famed Singapore Sling – a gin-based cocktail that has long become Singapore’s hallmark drink and is a nod to The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts’ Singaporean heritage. Sweet with a touch of spice, the Sydney Sling features unique flavours from Australia, including ginger and Australian gin. It is a delightful cocktail for guests to enjoy in the Hotel’s light-filled atrium.

EASTER AFTERNOON TEA

What inspirations does the F&B team draw from in rotating and changing The Fullerton’s afternoon tea experience based on major events?

Available 1-31 March each year

Available 1-30 April each year

PLANT-BASED EARTH HOUR AFTERNOON TEA Available 1 March – 30 April each year

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS AFTERNOON TEA Available 1-30 November each year

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH AFTERNOON TEA

Available 1-31 October each year

FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA

Available 1-31 December each year

The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts’ culinary team draw on the unique characteristics of festive holidays and important occasions which celebrate meaningful causes to bring to life unique and captivating treats and savoury indulgences.

Our classic Fullerton Afternoon Tea links to the heritage of the GPO and our Singapore heritage as a brand. It features savoury delights such as Lobster Cornet a l’Oriental, duck rillettes in sesame bun and smoked salmon mille-feuille with caviar.

The sweet selection features chocolate moelleux, pecan maple tart or a pandan lamington – a classic Australian cake paired with the pandan, a traditional Southeast Asian ingredient. A selection of scones and an extensive TWG tea menu accompany each Afternoon Tea experience.

In keeping with the brand’s ethos to engage actively with the communities where it operates, the hotel contributes to charitable causes through a percentage of proceeds from Afternoon Teas sold at different times of the year. The Pink Afternoon Tea for breast cancer awareness in October and the Purple Afternoon Tea to celebrate International Women’s Day both feature Shiraz and Madagascan Chocolate Truffle, Yuzu Viola Flower Pots and Lavender Manuka Pomponnetes.

We are committed to creating a better future through our sustainability practices.

Through the products and services that we deliver, we seek to encourage our guests to join us in making a conscious effort to eat well, stay well and do well in a sustainable way. Sustainability is and always will be a key tenet of The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts’ philosophy. In support of the brand’s ethos, the hotel will be offering a completely plant-based savoury afternoon tea selection from 13 March to 30 April in commemoration of Earth Hour and Earth Day. To date, we have introduced many different afternoon tea experiences and our guests look forward to the creativity from our culinary team as they indulge in seasonal treats.

How much are you looking forward to returning for a visit as soon as borders allow?

I am very much looking forward to return for a visit and reconnect with our guests and the Fullerton team in Sydney. It would be wonderful to admire the newly restored GPO building up close. n hotelmanagement.com.au 41

HM Q&A | SUPPLIER PROFILE

BUILDING BETTER Hansen Yuncken is one of Australia’s most exciting developers and construction companies, with a litany of impressive projects in its history, including the recently opened EOS by SkyCity Adelaide.

W

ith over 100 years of construction expertise, Hansen Yuncken has built its

reputation through generating some of the nation’s most talked about projects.

Its work is top-tier in scale and complexity and carries with it a strong pride in its ability to rise to and exceed the associated challenges.

Ahead of Design Inn 2021, HM joined Hansen Yuncken CEO, Peter Salveson, to learn more about a developer really making its mark on the sector - particularly at host venue, EOS by SkyCity Adelaide.

What are some of the innovative construction methods which form part of the Hansen Yuncken process?

Innovation comes from insights gained on site, intensive project research and development. On one project, introduction of modular components can accelerate the construction process or guarantee a particular offsite production quality. On another

project, digital engineering can incorporate BIM and VDC to simulate buildings and spaces fit for purpose in a virtual environment, to interrogate design solutions and optimise outcomes. For our hotel partners, this translates into building luxurious experiences that are budget driven, without compromising quality. From material selection EOS by SkyCity Adelaide through to process development, technology adoption and tools, we collaborate with our clients, consultants and subcontractors to find the best approach with safety and efficiency front of mind.

How often do you surprise your clients with just what is possible with their project?

42 HM The Business of Accommodation

Hansen Yuncken CEO, Peter Salveson

We consider each tender as an opportunity to explore how we can do things differently and smarter. Our

approach to the Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) model transforms smart ideas and innovations into real value by taking our client on the journey with us, while aiming to enhance their vision and design in the earliest stages. Throughout the project, our inbuilt digital engineering platform targets risk mitigation and improved time and cost savings. This enables genuine efficiency and lower running costs for the life of the building well beyond handover – continuing to add significant value to the long-term asset holder.

What sets Hansen Yuncken apart from the competition?

Driven by challenge and built with pride, Hansen Yuncken delivers what we promise with integrity, tenacity and skill. Our open and honest culture means that we look to work with like minded organisations that value long term relationships and a spirit of collaboration.

As an industry leader built on a rich heritage over 100 years, we’ve seen it all and have proven to be adaptable.

In today’s market, that is essential. And being a proud, Australian privately owned business with a substantial balance sheet and ability to be nimble, has kept us relevant and thriving.

What are some of the upcoming hotel projects you’re working on?

Around the country, we are responding to a strong pipeline of enquiries for new hotels in both city and regional areas. With the benefit of not just being a large city builder in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Hobart, we are also heavily active in the regions,

with bases in Shepparton, Albury, Newcastle and Cairns, servicing many other locations with ease. We are incredibly proud to be the builder of EOS by SkyCity Adelaide and are excited for future standout hotel prospects. Successfully handed over, it showcases our attention to excellence as we leave a legacy of luxury in delivering this world class project. n

CONCIERGE CORNER

Nervous optimism abounds

Crown Towers Melbourne

Keyholder to the city

By Peter McBrearty, Les Clefs d’Or

Getting to know Crown Towers Melbourne Chief Concierge, Liam Harris How was life behind the Concierge desk for you in 2020?

T

Liam Harris

here’s no question last year presented incredible challenges for the travel and hospitality industry, not only in Australia but right across the world, and we were a direct witness to that. As Chief Concierge, it is my responsibility to lead my team and ensure the COVID-19 protocols we implemented were vigilantly put into action to keep our employees and our guests safe.

How did your role change last year in relation to lower traveller volumes?

A lot of time in the last 6-12 months has been focused on introducing new hygiene and cleaning measures to keep our guests and staff safe during COVID-19. Some of these included entry screening and temperature checking of employees and guests, physical distancing, enhanced cleaning protocols, strengthened hand sanitisation protocols, provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), onsite 24/7 first aid medic, employee and guest awareness campaigns, case notification, contact tracing processes and COVID specific training for staff.

Are you finding guests are staying in touch in readiness for their next stay, whenever that may be?

Our valued guests are regularly reaching out to check in. We love hearing from our guests and learning what they cannot wait to return to. We want to ensure that when we can welcome them back; their long-awaited stay exceeds their expectations.

Do you have any great or amazing stories from your guests on how they are preparing for their next visit?

I think a lot of our regular guests are looking forward to a time they can have an incredible staycation again. We love that our guests keep in contact with us, sharing their excitement to return to Crown Melbourne. This is a testament to the relationships we build and services we provide to our guests.

How do you see the role of the Concierge changing in the immediate future once borders reopen and tourism resumes?

I don’t believe the role of the hotel Concierge will change. A good Concierge has the ‘keys to the city’ so to speak. It’s our job to help guests uncover all that a destination has to offer. If

anything, this will likely become more important with the rise in domestic tourism, as local guests seek out to experience their own city in a new way. There will be more opportunities for our Concierge team to uncover the hidden gems in our city.

As one of the first and more prominent services that our guests interact with, the Concierge Team will continue to offer exceptional customer service as we share our passion and knowledge about the city and state in which we reside with our guests – and this will continue to set us apart I think. n

AS SUMMER BEGAN to give way to autumn, for the time being at least, the sporadic COVID outbreaks seemed to have abated in Australia,

leading many of us in the hotel and tourism industry to hope that the gradual signs of recovery we have begun to see may be given the opportunity to continue.

With AFL games resuming in front of restricted crowds in Melbourne, theatres beginning to reopen, restaurants and bars beginning to fill again and our compatriots across the ditch in New Zealand having recently hosted, and retained, the much anticipated America’s Cup – a spirit of cautious optimism is definitely detectable. With a little luck and ideally also an absence of further lockdowns, hopefully this may translate into steadily increasing hotel occupancies.

Perhaps a further positive sign may be that we have continued to see a number of our members on the move to new properties. Quintin McLeod has traded the warmth of Brisbane for the cooler environment of New Zealand’s South Island and taken up the role of Chief Concierge at the new Fable Dunedin, while with his recent move to the role of Concierge at the Park Hyatt Sydney, former Les Clefs d’Or President, David Luff, has traded views of Sydney’s Martin Place for panoramic views of Sydney Harbour.

Up north, the Hyatt Regency Brisbane – the city’s first Hyatt property – has secured former Queensland State Director, Graham Hodgson, as its Chief Concierge. Also, the uber-cool Next Hotel Melbourne has managed to snap up James Ridenour, currently 2nd Vice President of UICH Les Clefs d’Or – our international organisation – who is destined in just a few short years to be International President. It’s true that after the past 12 months our cautious optimism understandably remains cautious, – but all the same, that optimism is still there.

hotelmanagement.com.au 43

PRESENTS

CEO Dean Long conducts a panel discussion with leading Melbourne tourism executives

Victorian Hotel Market Update

Leading members of the wider Victorian tourism sector provided critical updates to hoteliers at a recent event in Melbourne.

OVER 200 OPERATORS attended the recent Victorian Hotel Market Update at the Sofitel on Collins in Melbourne in mid-March.

Attendees viewed presentations from Matthew Burke from STR and Damien Little from AHS Advisory. Bringing these insights to life, the Association's CEO, Dean Long, conducted a panel discussion together with the leaders of Melbourne's prominent tourism attractions,

Gold Coast hotel operators get together Hoteliers from across the Glitter Strip came together for a fun and social evening focused on steeling resilience and reminders of why we all love what we do.

Mark Hodge, Michael Coe, Carole Smith and Bruce Copland

44 HM The Business of Accommodation

who detailed how the mosaic of Melbourne can be recast in a COVID normal economy.

The panel included Kath Mainland, CEO Rising Melbourne; Katrina Sedgwick, CEO Australian Centre for the Moving Image; Jane Zantuck, Assistant Director Marketing and Corporate Partnerships at National Gallery of Victoria and Robynne Berg, Director at thinkplayact.

OVER 100 HOTEL operators across the Gold Coast came together for our networking event at the newly renovated Novotel Surfers Paradise and to talk about some of the issues that have and continue to face the industry.

Queensland and Northern Territory State Advisory Board Chairman, Mark Hodge, noted the impact from the global pandemic throughout 2020, which proved to be an incredibly challenging year.

Hodge said that for most, it will rank among the toughest ever in our careers which has, in many destinations, ravaged our industry. However, as an industry and as individuals, we are resilient, positive and passionate by nature and certainly proud professionals who love what we do. Whilst the recovery has signs of gathering momentum, it will likely take an extended period of time and continue to challenge each of us.

In saying this, Hodge added that he holds a great deal of optimism for our future and has no doubt that we will recover and again take our rightful position as one of the key economic pillars within the overall state economy.

Also at the event, the opportunity was taken to talk about the role of the State and Territory Advisory Board for QLD/NT in providing visibility of the Association through engagement with key regional and metropolitan industry leaders as well as local and state governments. The key message was that the Advisory Board maintains a pivotal role in developing the understanding of the importance of the visitor economy to the overall state economy. Using its extensive network and knowledge provides a platform for the Board as one of the most influential state leadership accommodation forums, which facilitates informed recommendations to the National Board of Directors to help address state specific issues that require service by the Association through advocacy efforts.

KEY NEWS

Lunch with Minister Ayres took place at The Star Sydney

State Advisory Update An update from Victoria’s State Advisory Board Chair, Adrian Williams.

THE LEADERS OF the NSW Accommodation Sector recently met with NSW Tourism Minister, Stuart Ayres, at The Star Sydney’s restaurant, Flying Fish. Discussions focused on the importance of ongoing support for Sydney until the international borders are open and ensuring the NSW Government works closely with industry on retaining and recruiting talent in our sector.

W ill i

The Accommodation Association recently enjoyed lunch with NSW Tourism Minister, Stuart Ayres, where discussions focused on ongoing support for Sydney.

Adri an

Meeting with Stuart Ayres

OVER THE LAST 12 months, we have seen a strong level of engagement from members and industry groups with a deeper understanding from government on the value of our sector in job creation and economic output. Regardless of the issues that we tackle, our key focus will be on building on this strong platform for the benefit of the industry.

The market is currently in slow recovery mode due to uncertainty for the cities, while regional areas continue to outperform. With targeted support, there is an opportunity for market demand to come back stronger earlier than expected, particularly for properties willing to invest in creating great experiences for s renewed domestic demand. am Recovery relies on confidence – from consumers to travel, from operators to open all facilities and services, from Visit Victoria to kick off strong campaigns and above all else, from governments across the country to keep borders open.

NSW Hotel Market Update The timeline for recovery was a key point discussed at length in the latest Accommodation Association 2021 Economic and Hotel Market Update .

ONE OF THE key themes that emerged at the update was the economic divide – both in terms of overall economic performance and the contrasting fortunes of Regional NSW versus Sydney. Both the National Accounts and NSW half yearly budget review point to signs that economic recovery and regional recovery is certainly underway in NSW, but the Sydney market has now seen over 12 months of revenue downturn in the order of 60-70%.

Our speakers pointed to snap closures of state borders, closure of international borders and the slow return of corporate meetings and conferences as key factors muting recovery.

Thank you to our presenters Ivan Colhoun, Global Head of Research in the Markets division of National Australia Bank; Matthew Burke, Regional Manager STR and Damien Little, Director, AHS Advisory for their indepth analysis and insights.

L-R Ivan Colhoun, National Australia Bank; Matthew Burke, STR; Carol Giuseppi, Accommodation Association and Damien Little, AHS Advisory

hotelmanagement.com.au 45

PROMOTION

EVENT DIVERSIFIES AND EXPANDS Event Hospitality & Entertainment plays to its strengths, preparing the business for growth amid the toughest conditions the industry has faced, increasing market share and innovating for expansion.

Oval Hotel in Adelaide

E

vent is a full service management company along with being a major hotel acquirer and owner in its own right. Uniquely owned and operated in Australia and New Zealand, this model was originally supported by the Rydges brand.

More recently, the group has undertaken a robust expansion strategy, growing its network under the Rydges brand and multiplying its popular award-winning brands QT and Atura, opening QT Auckland, securing future management developments including QT Newcastle, QT Adelaide and QT Parramatta and expanding the Atura brand into New Zealand, with the announcement in February of the opening of Atura Wellington.

Event also diversified its offering, acquiring micro-accommodation provider Jucy Snooze to its portfolio in 2020, slating plans to expand the brand into Australia and beyond in the future.

A NEW BRAND TO DELIVER GREATER SOLUTIONS FOR HOTEL OWNERS

Event has launched an innovative new brand and management solution for independent hotel owners that leverages strong locally based capabilities – the Independent Collection by Event.

Recognising the gap in the market and in response to independent hotel owners, this new brand benefits from the strength and expertise of the Event group, retaining the flexibility for owners to operate under an independent brand while achieving above market results.

Event Hospitality Director of Hotels and Resorts, Norman Arundel, said: “Hotel management and ownership continues to be a key component of our growth engine. We recognised this gap in the market as an opportunity to accelerate growth, strategically expanding our resources to offer a wider range of flexible options and services to the hotel investment community.”

46 HM The Business of Accommodation

“We now offer management and affiliate solutions for independently branded hotels as part of the Independent Collection, with iconic hotels such as the Oval Hotel in Adelaide and the Victoria Hotel in Melbourne already operating under this newly introduced portfolio. In addition, we now offer brand licence and affiliate agreements under our Rydges and Atura brands, alongside management agreements.”

“We wanted to partner with a company that understood our vision to position the Oval Hotel as a truly iconic Australian property. Working with Event not only ensured strong domestic and international market reach through extensive and established networks, but also a shared commitment to the local Australian tourism industry.”

Adam Vonthethoff, Oval Hotel Adelaide

Hotel Management: Branded Hotels

Brand Licence Agreements

Event Hotel Operating Models Affiliate Hotel Agreements

Hotel Management: Independent Hotels Hotel Ownership & Investment

EVENT HOSPITALITY NEWS

MARKET LEADING SOLUTIONS BACKED BY LOCAL OPERATIONS

The Event growth and innovation strategy is underpinned by the group being a truly local owner and operator, headquartered in Sydney with all infrastructure, decision making and strategic direction driven locally.

“Whilst we always hold our own with international business, being locally owned and operated gives us an advantage, from the power of our customer database to the strength of our distribution and technology solutions,” says Arundel.

“Being local, we have the agility to make changes quickly to ensure our operations continue to meet the needs of our guests, our staff and our hotel owners. Our success rides on knowing the market, being flexible, delivering above market returns and most importantly always enabling and facilitating direct relationships with senior decision makers. n “The decision to partner with Event after spending three decades with a global hotel chain has been significant in terms of their holistic view of our business. They focus on all of our core business segments, not just Gross Rooms Revenue. They have delivered a local corporate sector focus, strong digital marketing and distribution and innovation in MICE business. The team is proactive, accessible and collaborative – I value being able to speak directly to decision makers who can significantly impact my business 24/7.”

Greg Maguire, Powerhouse Hotel Group

w er Po

Independent hoteliers can now capitalise on emerging market trends by aligning with Event Hospitality’s new white label brand.

The Independent Collection by Event provides independent and private hotels with access to the Event Group’s distribution, marketing and sales power, delivering awareness, visibility and strong performance, while maintaining the property’s unique brand, existing offering and guest experience.

While every hotel in the collection celebrates its own individual brand, The Independent Collection by Event reflects a group of properties with a shared passion for hospitality, service and quality. Properties are categorised under four pillars – Luxe, Style, Classic and Comfort – with each hotel reflecting exacting standards to offer travellers the best of the best in its category.

The Atura brand recently expanded to New Zealand

e Hotel Tamworth by hous Ryd ges

A QT King room at QT Auckland

Micro-hotel brand Jucy Snooze joined the Event family in 2020

hotelmanagement.com.au 47

PRESENTS

The TAA National Board met recently at its Castlereagh Street headquarters

Skills crisis in focus for TAA National Board The high level meeting covered many hot topics.

THE ACCOMMODATION SECTOR’S ongoing skills crisis and the looming end of JobKeeper dominated discussions at the first Tourism Accommodation Australia national board meeting for 2021.

More than a dozen industry leaders gathered at the new TAA headquarters in Castlereagh St Sydney in person and via zoom for the high level meeting.

TAA National CEO, Michael Johnson, said a range of issues were discussed including the continuing merger talks with the Accommodation Association, the impacts of COVID on the sector and the skills shortage.

“To put it simply, everyone has lost employees who have returned to their home countries due to COVID – there is a real need for front-line staff and chefs in particular,” Mr Johnson said.

“We already had a skills shortage in regional areas before the pandemic hit – COVID has only made a bad situation worse.

“There are currently only about 35,000 Working Holiday Makers in Australia – well down from the usual average of 140,000.

“Combined with the lack of international students, it is really having a major impact on our required labour force and TAA will continue to work with government on these fronts.”

Mr Johnson said the finishing of JobKeeper at the end of March was another major topic discussed.

“TAA has been briefing Treasury regularly on the crisis impacting our sector – and have been making the case for targeted assistance packages aimed at struggling CBD hotels in particular,” he said.

“While some regional tourism areas are flourishing, occupancy rates in Sydney’s CBD are not even at the 35% mark – and that figure will not improve for some time given the lack of international tourism.”

TAA NATIONAL CEO, Michael Johnson, spoke with Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, recently about the ongoing crisis facing large parts of the tourism and accommodation sector.

“We are constantly briefing Treasury with the latest accommodation numbers and the need for a targeted response after JobKeeper ends,” Mr Johnson said.

48 HM The Business of Accommodation

nd yde nbe rg a

TAA recently enjoyed a meeting with Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg.

Josh F r

Meeting the Treasurer

M i

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n oh lJ

so n

WORLD OF TAA

TAA Victoria launches careers website

New platform aimed at addressing industry labour and skills shortages TAA VICTORIA HAS launched a hotel careers website to help address industry labour and skills shortages. The new site – available at HotelCareer.com.au – acts as a central reference point for those seeking further information about careers in the hotel industry and for individuals looking to secure their next role. The site specifically targets school leavers, individuals

transitioning from other industries and those looking to return to the workforce.

TAA Vic General Manager, Dougal Hollis, said the site, which launched on April 1, provides a wealth of information relevant to ‘career influencers,’ including parents and careers advisors.

“The site encourages interested individuals to ‘find their future’ in hotels,” he said. “We are an industry with a wealth of employment options and something to suit everyone’s skills, interests and experience.”

Mr Hollis said visitors to the site can hear the experiences of those already working in the industry and access a series of employee profiles and career diaries.

“These stories provide ‘try before you buy’ insights into what working in the industry is really like,” Hollis added.

The site outlines required skillsets and experience for particular roles as well as links to relevant training courses and providers. Users can pose questions to industry experts, and their responses will form the basis for an FAQ page. To help job applicants ‘put their best foot forward’, a career quiz will assess what role they are likely best suited for. Career transition advice will aid applicants entering the industry from another sector, while assistance to complete job applications, including resume and cover letter creation and interview preparation is accessible. Hoteliers are also able to manage their own online company profile and post job advertisements and receive related job applications.

TAA Chairman’s Drinks 2021 Hoteliers from across the NSW landscape recently joined for the 2021 TAA NSW Chairman’s Drinks – a social staple on the Association’s annual calendar.

TAA Chief, Michael Johnson with NSW Jobs, Investment and Tourism Minister, Stuart Ayres and TAA NSW Chairman, Richard Doyle at the recent TAA NSW Chairman’s Drinks

Sydney occupancy languishing at 35% The first TAA NSW General Managers meeting of 2021 took place last month

Michael Johnson with Carnival Cruise Line Australasia VP, Jennifer Vandekreeke

Sydney’s General Managers meet with TAA at QT Sydney

SYDNEY’S TOP ACCOMMODATION hotel general managers were told occupancy rates across the CBD are still hovering around the 35% at a special gathering at the QT Sydney early in March.

A number of Sydney GMs and Director of Sales Managers attended the Tourism Accommodation Australia NSW function, hosted by TAA CEO, Michael Johnson, and featuring keynote speakers’, City of Sydney CEO, Monica Barone, and Carnival Cruise Line Australia VP, Jennifer Vandekreeke.

Mr Johnson said no one in the industry would be impressed with occupancy rates in the CBD hotels remaining open struggling to break the 35% mark.

“I don’t need to remind you many NSW hotels, particularly Sydney hotels, had a terrible 2020 and if the first few months of this

Michael Johnson with City of Sydney CEO, Monica Barrone

year are any indication, things are not going to get better in a hurry,” he said.

“Rest assured we have been working closely with government, sending weekly stats, reiterating the need for ongoing support as recovery is slow – particularly with ongoing CBD shutdowns and domestic border closures, and of course, no international tourists.”

Ms Barone said the industry was resilient and broadly outlined the City of Sydney's vision for the CBD as the heart of Australia's international city.

Ms Vandekreeke said the cruise industry would come back strongly from the challenges of COVID, adding that a third cruise terminal in Sydney would result in a big increase in the number of passenger days, saying "we are definitely pushing for that". hotelmanagement.com.au 49

DEVELOPMENT IHG will introduce its voco brand to Brisbane later this year

HM HEARS FROM AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY LEADERS ON JUST HOW FAR THE LIFESTYLE AND BOUTIQUE SECTOR CAN GO

FOR LIFE

L

ifestyle is where hospitality is heading at the moment, with many of the world’s biggest brands and independent hoteliers clamouring to offer guests a touch of home while they’re away. Couple that with premium amenities, quirky design, innovative services and lots of colour and your imagination can easily run away with what is on the table. HM checked in with leading development experts to get their take on the trends in play.

ACCOR

Lindsay Leeser – Senior Vice President Development and Franchise

Accor is a leader in the lifestyle sector and we’re rapidly expanding our lifestyle presence in the Pacific. In recent months, we’ve announced the Australian debuts of two new international lifestyle brands – Mondrian and 25hours Hotels.

Our Australian-born Tribe and Art Series brands continue to attract 50 HM The Business of Accommodation

strong domestic and global interest and our three Hyde venues in Australia – Hyde Paradiso at Peppers Soul Surfers Paradise, Hyde Perth Kitchen + Cocktails at The Adnate Perth, and Hyde Hacienda Sydney Bar + Lounge at Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour – have cult-like followings. We consider lifestyle to be our most promising segment and the engine of our future growth.

Globally, Accor recently joined forces with Ennismore to launch a lifestyle platform featuring the largest and fastest-growing ecosystem of world-class lifestyle brands, including The Hoxton, Gleneagles, Mondrian, SO/, Mama Shelter, 25hours, Hyde, Tribe, and Faena.

The lifestyle sector is fuelled by passionate and daring entrepreneurs who are constantly pushing the boundaries to create unique experiences by mixing a vibrant atmosphere, great food and beverage, and incredible entertainment with our hospitality expertise. It’s such a privilege that we’ve been able to join forces with many of the most creative and talented innovators in our industry.

DEVELOPMENT

“The lifestyle sector is fuelled by passionate and daring entrepreneurs who are constantly pushing the boundaries.”

Lindsay Leeser, Accor

BWH HOTEL GROUP

Graham Perry – Managing Director Australasia

In 2021, securing guests to become loyal customers direct has never been more important. Loyalty provides the ability to attract guests to stay with your brand, time and time again, by guaranteeing the same and consistent welcome, the customer service, the value and the products and services that they demand.

The award-winning Best Western Rewards loyalty program has 44 million members globally. We know who they are, what they expect and how their needs are forever changing. Post the pandemic, these needs now include a healthy, safe and clean experience made possible by our ‘We Care Clean’ program along with a new passion for delivering a touchless experience brought about through embracing technology and innovation.

These imperatives are all embodied in our new Aiden by Best Western @ Darling Harbour, due to open mid-2021, enabling our guests to immerse themselves into luxurious, yet affordable hospitality all tucked away in one of Sydney’s most interesting inner city villages.

Our interior designers play a critical path in our ever evolving development journey. This is why our designers are brand accredited so they know what elements of the hotel design are mandated whilst

ensuring our lifestyle and boutique brands employ an innovative edge and flair to keep them ahead of the pack whilst aligning with member expectations. The remaining skill is to ensure our properties remain brand compliant. We achieve this by applying best of breed quality assurance, incorporating the ‘Voice of the Customer’ and ultimately property improvement plans.

CRYSTALBROOK COLLECTION Geoff York – Chief Executive Officer

Two of the most overused terms in our industry are lifestyle and boutique. In recent years, we’ve seen an explosion of brands classed as such, mainly from larger international hotel groups. Consumer interest in these will eventually wane as travellers seek authentic experiences and a true sense of place. Installing brightly coloured furniture and graffiti in the lobby simply won’t cut it – nor get you market share.

Since Crystalbrook commenced developing hotels in 2017, the message from me to our architects and interior design partners has been to ‘fight conformity’ – listen to our brand story, capture the soul of the hotel’s destination, and surprise our guests. Surprise shouldn’t mean confrontation or impractical quirkiness – loos located essentially in the bedroom have had their day! Pure eccentricity can also date quickly and is easily copied. I see design as a collaborative process that requires passion, consumer understanding and a foresight to create for the future.

Crystalbrook has two openings in 2021, both of which are led by their location and avoid the cookie-cutter approach from the other side of the globe. The first, Crystalbrook Kingsley in Newcastle, is housed in an iconic and architecturally dominant Brutalist building in the city’s former council headquarters. The second is from this past July’s acquisition of The Fantauzzo, in Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves.

Each property met our criteria for sustainability, responsible luxury and capital value. Both hotels are marvellous additions to our collection, and we are confident their respective cities will be proud of them. >>

Aiden Darling Harbour is preparing to open by mid-2021

hotelmanagement.com.au 51

DEVELOPMENT Vibe Subiaco opened in late 2020 and marked the brand’s entry into WA

“Our lifestyle brands continue to be a real driving force in our region.”

Abhijay Sandilya, IHG Hotels and Resorts

EVENT HOSPITALITY

Callum Kennedy – QT Hotels Group General Manager

Following the opening of QT Auckland in late 2020, we have a strong growth agenda with new properties including QT Newcastle, QT Parramatta and QT Adelaide in development.

As we expand, delivering our signature QT style – an experience our guests have come to love as uniquely QT – while offering something new, bold and reflective of the local community of each QT hotel, is paramount. We achieve this by looking beyond just design. Rather, we look to tell a story and welcome our guests into the personality of each QT and its locale. This allows us to balance a consistently luxe offering across the group and achieve a distinct experience that is far from ordinary in every property.

In QT Auckland, we brought this to life through the connection to our sparkling harbour location, drawing on dramatic style notes of the oyster and celebrating the beauty inside, while in Newcastle, we are working in a spectacular heritage building and will take cues from this to inform the design.

We then push the boundaries further, delivering experiential rather than price-led campaigns – like ‘Check into Extraordinary’ – which tap into the experiences our lifestyle-driven guests are looking for. This is more important than ever right now as we know we are in a unique position to fill a gap in the market, giving our guests access to cultural moments, be they fashion, art, music food or wine at a time when travellers are rediscovering the amazing domestic experiences on offer.

HILTON

Tushar Raniga – Director Development, Australasia

Hilton has an ambition to double our footprint in the Australasian region in the next five years, and despite the challenges of 2020, we remain on track to achieve that goal. We continue to focus on putting the right brands in the right locations, at the right time, and have a healthy development 52 HM The Business of Accommodation

pipeline of 13 hotels and resorts. We expect to open four hotels this year, and one in particular I am excited about is the launch of our fantastic, focused service brand, Hilton Garden Inn, with an opening in Albany, Western Australia in mid-2021.

We have numerous other projects under review across the region, especially Australia. One brand we are very keen to introduce to the market is our lifestyle brand, the fresh and innovative Canopy by Hilton.

This brand fits into the lifestyle segment and is already driving positive local experiences across the US, Europe and Asia. With a strong food and drink platform and a focus on collaborations with local partners, Canopy

by Hilton allows guests to discover the fabric of a neighbourhood, as well as for locals to enjoy the hotel spaces.

Hilton has also launched Motto by Hilton in the US, our new lifestyle, urban micro-hotel brand. For this brand, we look for coveted prime locations and have deconstructed the traditional hospitality experience to give guests a central location, efficient and flexible micro-hotel rooms with a small environmental footprint, and design-led gathering spaces where guests will want to stay to work, or invite friends to hang out, drink, eat and chat. All our brands are supported by the Hilton enterprise and Hilton’s guest-centric loyalty program, Hilton Honors.

IHG HOTELS AND RESORTS

Abhijay Sandilya – IHG Vice President Development – Australasia, Pacific, Japan

Our lifestyle brands continue to be a real driving force in our region with almost half of our pipeline in this segment. Hotel Indigo and voco in particular are seeing great traction in Australia. Our very first Hotel Indigo has just opened in Adelaide and we recently announced the signing of voco and Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre and the iconic Hotel Indigo Sydney Centre as part of the redevelopment of the City Tattersalls Club.

Hotel Indigo was actually the world’s first globally branded boutique brand in 2004 and ever since, it has been evolving to keep ahead of the times and trends, and Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets is a real testament to this – the neighbourhood story of its location has really driven the design and guest touchpoints.

DEVELOPMENT

When it comes to longevity, the growth of the lifestyle and boutique market not only relies on new brands but is dependent on the modernisation of existing brands and product. Our voco brand, which is designed to stand out from the crowd and brings loads of colour and playfulness to the guest experience, is a great example of how an existing product can be transformed and have a very strong point of difference. Similarly, Kimpton Hotels & Resorts was founded on a conversion strategy, where founder Bill Kimpton would buy small, old buildings in downtown neighbourhoods and convert them into hotels.

We are so close to bringing this incredibly vibrant and exciting brand to Australia and when we do, it is really going to shake things up. Watch this space!

LANCEMORE HOTELS

As the old adage says, you have to keep improving or else you will go backwards. So we clearly look at doing new and innovative things that the guest loves. For us, a lot of that happens in the design and experiential spaces. However, we always focus the lion’s share of our time and effort on the fundamentals of the guest experience, which tend to be much slower to change. We spend a long time up front briefing and discussing the vision for the project together. Then it’s about a partnership to work through ideas and revisions to get to where we want. Then we need to work collaboratively with the builders to ensure the reality matches the drawings. As a shout out, our recent project at Lancemore Crossley St with Carr (Designer) and Chroma (builder) navigated this process beautifully. It’s not always easy but when done right you become friends as it’s a pretty intimate process.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL

Julian Clark – Chief Executive Officer

We have plenty in the pipeline at various stages. In the last few months, three have been signed and announced, two have MOUs signed and we are working through the HMA. Beyond that, there are a lot of other opportunities that we are working on at various stages of the pipeline. It looks surprisingly normal to be honest. The Lancemore brand is our ‘established’ brand in the boutique marketplace but we are also introducing L by Lancemore, a new brand which we will speak of when the time is right, into the market with one signed and many more being discussed.

Richard Crawford – Senior Director of Hotel Development, Australia, NZ, Pacific

As the world’s largest hotelier, Marriott International recognises that ‘memory making’ and personal enrichment are new imperatives for a growing cohort of customers. Boutique and lifestyle hotels are our industry’s response to these contemporary nuances of guest demand.

At Marriott, our lifestyle brands span luxury resorts to select service hotels, reflecting our understanding that desire for bespoke experiences exists at all price points. Most notably, our brands including >>

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DEVELOPMENT Crystalbrook will open Kingsley in Newcastle later this year

W Hotels, Edition, Westin, The Luxury Collection, Bvlgari, Autograph Collection, and Moxy enjoy dominant market profiles and growing footprints in the lifestyle segment.

Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, Marriott continues to experience a rich period of growth in Australia, with a record year of signings in 2020 and five hotels scheduled to open here in 2021.

Encouragingly, Asia Pacific was the engine room of Marriott’s global hotel signings in 2020, representing a remarkable 40% of all deals. This is a strong sign of hotel investment confidence in our region.

A feature of our expansion in Australia is undeniably the prevalence of our lifestyle brands, with landmark signings for our W, Luxury Collection, Westin, Autograph Collection, AC by Marriott, Le Meridien and Moxy brands. Interestingly, during our industry’s most challenging times, Marriott’s lifestyle hotels have been our most resilient performers, highlighting how our guest profile is likely to change in a post-crisis operating environment.

Lifestyle brands have the cachet to attract local and domestic interest, but they also offer peace of mind, with guests associating prestigious global brands with the highest standards of hygiene and guest care – considerations set to be forefront in our customers’ minds for the foreseeable future.

NEXT STORY GROUP

Chris Ely – Vice President, Business Development and Asset Management

Australia, with its strong fundamentals, underpinned by a strong domestic market, continues to provide safer investment options. We anticipate continued and compounded growth in the ‘urban resort’ segment and a demand for new and differentiated guest experiences. We kickstarted 2021 with the opening of our flagship property, Next Hotel Melbourne, which redefines and repositions the Next brand. The boutique newbuild hotel was designed with the new era travellers in mind and it promises to transform the traditional five-star hospitality experience.

A discreet Little Collins Street entrance, sophisticated spaces to drink and dine along with an exclusive Club offering set the scene for a stylish city retreat. Its 255 elegantly understated rooms and suites provide a residential feel, while an Australian first in-hotel barrel ageing programme for spirits and cocktails brings a new dimension to the mini bar offering.

54 HM The Business of Accommodation

We are seeing a strong interest in our adaptable and nimble brands which set us apart from the traditional ones. We are thrilled that Ink Melbourne Southbank resonates well with our guests as it continues to curate an awesome calendar of community-led events and showcases of local art, music and cultural treasures.

We are excited about continued growth in our pipeline in 2021 and beyond, with Ink leading the charge. It offers developers and owners an attractive newbuild and rebranding option with its highly scalable approach in optimising floorspace, multifunctional teams and a focus on quality amenities that matter. It is made more compelling with its lowcost conversion and highly profitable returns.

OVOLO GROUP

Dave Baswal – Chief Operating Officer / Chief Financial Officer, Australia

Lifestyle hotels are proving to be the leaders in recovery as curated staycations and experience driven travel continue to be the key focus for all travellers. Unique and innovative experiences are front of mind with domestic travellers as they seek to further explore and rediscover their own cities and backyards.

As independent owners, we have found opportunities for distribution followed by expertise. In addition to our flagship Ovolo Hotels brand, the introduction of the By Ovolo Collective has given us room to grow and diversify our portfolio of hotels. By Ovolo Collective is a collection of independent lifestyle brands where the Ovolo Group has evolved the properties, outside of the Ovolo Hotels brand and its limitations, based on their unique personalities.

The Inchcolm by Ovolo Collection in Brisbane is a strong example of this. Maintaining the building’s architectural heritage from its original construction in the 1920’s, the hotel forges into the next phase, with design and dining fusing together modern artistic elements. This all-suite hotel is classically boutique with neo-Georgian design, paying homage to the building’s time of prestige and resident physicians, and the sophistication from the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s with a complimentary Martini Hour for guests who book direct.

The growth of the lifestyle market is about providing authentic experiences, which we do by evolving our brands, staying innovative and nimble with the build of new and expansions of existing brands.

DEVELOPMENT

This is where bigger brands lack the flexibility, and our independent group thrives. Ovolo Group runs on principal of F.U.N (Fabulous, Unconventional and Never Boring), clear design direction according to brand architecture and unique selling points.

We are confident we are growing in the lifestyle space in a positive light, as our loyal guests have provided stability and proof of concept, therefore on the road to success. However, we are consistently having conversations with new guests and as the needs of the modern traveller evolve, we need to adapt, as we have done with our ‘Year of the Veg’ and Quarantine Concierge initiatives. We value both equally to have a sustainable and innovative lifestyle offering.

RADISSON HOTEL GROUP Mark Bullock – Managing Director, Australasia Business Unit

The lifestyle and select service sector remains the most exciting area of development, and we continue to experience strong demand for these concepts in Australasia. As this sector constantly evolves, we are progressively updating our offerings in line with the changing market dynamics. For example, Radisson RED – our upscale to upper-upscale lifestyle brand with hotels in vibrant, urban locations – has become a more refined contemporary concept. Meanwhile, the launch of Radisson Individuals – our upscale soft brand – provides a flexible solution for owners who want to become part of the Radisson Hotel Group family.

“A feature of our expansion in Australia is undeniably the prevalence of our lifestyle brands.”

Richard Crawford, Marriott International Serviced apartments will provide us with greater opportunities over the coming years, catering to the midscale to luxury segments either as a stand-alone or a mixed-use development in combination with a traditional hotel operation. We see a demand in self-contained apartments offering additional space as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 has shone a brighter spotlight on health and safety. This will be a key focus for travellers in the medium term, and Radisson Hotel Group has partnered with SGS to ensure that our hotels are adopting the highest standards of hygiene and cleanliness. The Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol, which encompasses a 20-step protocol for hotels and 10-step protocol for meetings, will give guests the confidence and assurance as we rebuild trust in international travel.

Amid this constant change, our experienced Design & Technical Services Team is developing fresh interior concepts that adapt to the latest industry trends and guest needs, enabling Radisson Hotel Group to remain at the forefront of hospitality. >>

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DEVELOPMENT

A newly renovated Water View Room at Pier One Sydney Harbour

TFE HOTELS

John Sutcliffe – Development Manager

The growth of lifestyle hotels in Australia will rely on known brands continuing to deliver top quality hotels in sympatico with their location. TFE Hotels’ Vibe brand is one such example, where the underlying brand experience is evident, but each hotel’s personality shines through. Vibe Hobart, for example, has convict brickwork featured in the lobby whilst Vibe Hotel Subiaco takes full advantage of being the sunniest capital on the planet with a rooftop restaurant and amenities.

Right now, our Vibe Hotel brand has never been more attractive to investors thanks to a strong refurbishment program, and collaborations with new owners/investors on thoughtful design, architecture, and location. A cookie cutter approach just doesn’t work.

With the launch of The Calile and The Hotel Britomart, and refurbishments of The Hotel Kurrajong and The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins, we have also cemented our Collection by TFE brand as a force to be reckoned with.

These bespoke hotels hero their destinations and provide tailored experiences and environments for guests. We could conceivably have 12-15 properties in this portfolio by now, but we are extremely selective to ensure each property is truly boutique and unique. For Collection hotels, style is paramount, and guests leave not thinking of just one or two things they liked about their stay, but knowing they loved the whole experience. We are excited about what the future holds in these categories with some incredible properties in development and more on the way.

WYNDHAM HOTELS AND RESORTS

Matt Holmes – Head of Development SEAPR

The development pipeline for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts continues to gain momentum. In 2020, we exceeded our execution targets, launching innovative new brands like La Quinta by Wyndham in Australasia, alongside approximately 170 signings in the wider Asia Pacific region.

We’ve seen many developers holding a bullish outlook around recovery. Factoring in an 18-24 month construction window, we 56 HM The Business of Accommodation

“We are thrilled that Ink Melbourne Southbank resonates well with our guests.”

Chris Ely, Next Story Group anticipate our new hotels will be primed to meet the significant pent up demand for travel. I’d encourage developers and financiers not to sit on their hands too much as demand will, without question, return.

We continue to maintain our razor-sharp focus on driving value to our owners through a high level of support and resources through these crucial times, as well as innovative conversion offerings that leverage the strength of our global network and brands.

Despite the array of brands out there, there will always be innovation and growth for new brands to try to plug a perceived gap in the market.

We’ve also seen a number of ‘legacy brands’ repositioning themselves to adapt to an evolving market, which all brands need to do and adapt with the times or risk being left behind as the market dynamics evolve.

We are very conscious of that at Wyndham. We pride ourselves on working collaboratively with owners, architects and interior designers on developing the right product for the changing market across our network of brands, instead of simply throwing the brand guidelines at them.

A strong hotel loyalty program is an important mechanism that entices new guests with exciting new products while retaining established loyal guests. Through Wyndham Rewards, we can understand guest preferences and empower our hotel teams to deliver exceptional tailored experiences when they stay at a hotel by Wyndham.

There is little doubt that innovation with poor functionality will have a detrimental effect on guest experience, so it is up to us as experienced hoteliers to work with interior designers to guide them through the design process. If done right, the collaboration between our technical services and operations teams, along with a third party interior designer and architect can result in some real magic for hotels and create a real point of difference to the market. n

2021

The HM Awards are firmly recognised as the leading awards night on the accommodation and hospitality industry calendar.

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The 19th edition of the HM Awards will once again recognise personal and company excellence across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.

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REAL ESTATE OUTLOOK

IN A NEW FEATURE FROM HM, WE CANVASS MARKET INSIGHTS FROM LEADING HOTEL REAL ESTATE FIRMS INTO DIFFERENT PARTS OF AUSTRALIA. THIS ISSUE, THE SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON QUEENSLAND, NSW AND THE ACT.

EAST COAST Brisbane is firming as a favourite to host the 2032 Olympic Games

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL

Karen Wales - National Director, Hotel Transaction Services

Containment of the most recent COVID-19 outbreaks, reopening of state borders and the arrival of the vaccine on Australian shores have all had a positive impact on hotel forward bookings, according to data from Colliers, sourced from SiteMinder’s World Hotel Index. Overall, forward booking data highlights a moderation across Australia, bucking the global trend and reflecting the culmination of the peak summer holiday period. Pleasingly, strong gains were evident in Sydney, Canberra and to a lesser extent Brisbane over the past month, which signals a return to normalcy for the key corporate centres.

Corporate travel is expected to build throughout the year and will likely dictate city hotel performance for the year. Operators will need to critically examine the likely sources of demand and build strategies to target these most active segments and buyer groups. Understanding local office market dynamics will be critical to achieving superior revenue performance in 2021.

Broadly, it is anticipated that the leisure segment will be the key driver of the recovery and hotels will need to pivot their offerings to compete with disruptors and meet the needs of this leading segment. Whilst the unfettered expansion of Australia’s accommodation market looked set to continue for some years to come, COVID-19 has brought an abrupt halt to the expansionary phase of the hotel market cycle.

The coming year 2021 now presents as the peak of the supply cycle with a quantum of new rooms expected in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Gold Coast. Beyond 2021, that supply pipeline contracts quickly.

58 HM The Business of Accommodation

With room night demand expected to come back in layers, operators will need to dig deep into their tool kit to build occupancy whilst revenue managers ensure rate integrity holds across the various hotel chain scales.

HTL PROPERTY

Andrew Jolliffe – Managing Director

With a large proportion of the AUD$60 billion in offshore spend by Australian tourists annually now forcibly staying within domestic confines, the patent pivot in terms of a typical investment house thesis is now more geographically introspective than has ever before been the case. And for good reason.

Consumer connectivity with world class domestic experiences across Australia has provided a platform for investment vehicles to confidently take financial positions in marketplaces not previously contemplated. The AUD$175 million sale of the AccorInvest Portfolio to Sam Arnaout’s Iris Capital serving as a clear illustration of an astute investor seeking a domestic footprint into local markets, and deliberately intersecting with an audience within a growing sector of the homegrown travel and leisure market.

We see this type of transaction as both increasingly sought after and replicable, even following the opening of international borders. With domestic paths well-trodden by Australian travellers of myriad financial persuasion over the past 18 months indicative of an imprint that will shape not only future travel and tourism pursuits, in commensurate fashion, so too will investment and aggregation strategies be deployed by those who care to apply a more proximate lens.

REAL ESTATE OUTLOOK

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Much has been written in recent weeks regarding the difficulties for hotel owners and the wider tourism industry in tropical north Queensland. Whilst the reasons for today’s environment are well documented, few offer a ‘glass half full’ perspective looking to bright light at the end of the tunnel.

Drive-to destinations have been one of the winners of the global pandemic, as many choose to holiday close to home. We do see significant build-up of pent-up demand for international leisure travel and are firmly of the view that this will return and return with significant demand. Take the Maldives for example - a market which almost more than any other is dependent on foreign arrivals. After a challenging mid-2020, the market sprang back to life in high season, which coincides with the northern hemisphere winter, Christmas and New Year. A basket of monitored properties recorded 57% occupancy for December 2020 – which was only nine percentage points down on the same period 12 months earlier.

More interestingly, whilst there was rate compression at midscale properties, the upper-upscale properties held their rate in line with the previous year and luxury properties materially outperformed, seeing rate increase almost 30% year-on-year!

The lights may be dim in tropical north Queensland, but they are far from out. The Maldives was particularly reliant on European and Middle Eastern guests, which had looser border policies than many Asian markets which provide a large proportion of demand for northern Queensland. As the vaccine rollout continues and border policies in Asia again loosen, there is massive demand waiting to flock into Queensland and other areas badly affected by COVID-19. It may provide only limited solace for many owners today, but where we are able to work with our clients to help them through the next 12 - 18 months, we see an exciting and in demand future ahead.

Trudy Crooks – Managing Director

The hotel sector in Queensland, New South Wales and ACT has, across the board, been heavily impacted by the pandemic and is also facing further challenges in the short term because of an active supply pipeline of new builds. It’s a totally different story in some regional areas though, where domestic drive tourism has resulted in 100% occupancy on weekends and school holidays which has put the hotel sector in a ‘two speed economy’.

Despite the challenges, sophisticated investors are still in the market for good product, especially in this low interest rate environment. There is still a lot of capital in the market for well positioned assets. On the back of this, there are many major development projects underway, notably the AUD$3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf in Brisbane. This will house six international hotels which will be a real game changer for Brisbane as it moves closer to possibly becoming the host of the 2032 Olympic Games, which will ensure it becomes a true international city.

Along with similar major developments, r North Q there is huge potential for some uee Asia fo nsl d in n an a fantastic new hotels in key tourism m d e d t areas where the product is out n of date but the location is incredible. Destinations such as the Sunshine Coast and northern NSW have enjoyed some strong trading months and have attracted a new clientele which could benefit from the development of high quality accommodation assets. n

sig nif i

Adam Bury – Executive Vice President

RESORTBROKERS

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hotelmanagement.com.au 59

SUSTAINABILITY

Double glazed windows will pay for themselves over the longer term

60 HM The Business of Accommodation

SUSTAINABILITY

E

PASTURES SIGNIFICANT ANNUAL ENERGY COST SAVINGS ARE BEING ENJOYED BY HOTEL OWNERS WHO HAVE INVESTED IN RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES. AS HM FOUND, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT PATHS A HOTEL CAN TAKE TO LOWER POWER BILLS.

conomically, it makes perfect sense for a hotel owner or manager to be actively investigating ways to lower their monthly or quarterly energy bill, regardless of the building’s age. In the current tough economic times, financial belts are tightening and the medium to long-term savings are there with prudent investments in sustainability.

Socially and politically, modern attitudes to businesses lowering their carbon footprint grow ever more positive and a hotel seen to be doing the right thing for the environment and their surrounding communities stands primed to enjoy greater support from guests who shape their accommodation decisions around such factors.

Perspectives aside, the landscape of targeted and more broad financial incentives and subsidies now available, all designed to help hotels recoup costs associated with taking the next step, are key to business growth. These investments are likely to result in new and sustained revenue streams, lower operating costs and greater returns. Most, if not all of the larger hotel chains already operate and enforce robust environmental guidelines as part of their brand standards and Corporate Social Responsibility requirements. For the smaller and more independent owners and investors, these available incentives help level the playing field.

For the past 20 years, the NABERS (or National Australian Built Environment Rating System) has played a key role within state and territory governments to maintain the environmental credentials among office buildings. In recent times, it has expanded its ambitions to the hotel sector. While some detail as to its proper application to hotels remains a work in progress, growing numbers of hotel owners see obtaining a NABERS rating as a major step forward or a critical requirement in lowering their energy costs and improving their public image, with ratings forming part of their marketing strategies.

For hotels, NABERS helps a hotel achieve its optimal operational energy efficiency and overall grading by inputting around a year’s worth of energy and water readings into its algorithm along with supplementary information including the hotel’s star rating and details on its laundry, meeting rooms, spas and pools, carparks, restaurants, fitness centres and other facilities. To ensure a fair rating, NABERS then assesses it against a range of factors including the hotel’s location, size and climate, with adjustments made for differences in hotel quality or fluctuating occupancy levels such as regular peak and off-peak periods.

According to a submission to the NSW Department of Environment and Energy, Accommodation Association CEO, Dean Long, said there was some uncertainty about how a government-mandated NABERS system would improve the energy efficiency and costs for hotels.

“Clear objectives need to be articulated to ensure that the hotel industry understands the purpose of the program and what is to be measured. It is not enough just to have another reporting program,” Long said.

“The question that needs to be answered is whether using an Australia-wide mandated benchmarking tool >> hotelmanagement.com.au 61

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is going to achieve further improvements in energy efficiency across the sector,” he added.

Major concerns from hotel owners for this system include duplication in reporting costs, lack of global recognition, unsuitability for the different operational requirements of hotels over offices, with facilities such as laundries and restaurants loosely considered and the high cost of capital replacement for older buildings to revamp HVAC systems versus expected gains.

“If NABERS was to be made mandatory, the volume of assessments would increase exponentially and there would be an expectation that the price would drop considerably,” the Accommodation Association’s submission reads.

“In developing the revised NABERS system we would also support a tiered pricing scheme that recognises the number of rooms, unless the price is lowered to the point where any differentiation is immaterial.”

NABERS Sector Technical Lead, Sara Rathborne, told HM the NABERS rating tool is a comprehensive system with highly skilled and accredited assessors who pass exams and grade hotels based on rigorous criteria involving site visits and viewing energy meters and past bills.

“Our main goal is to make sure that whoever the building owner is, or the hotel operator, especially in mixed-use buildings, if they can really make sure all their metering is sub-metered correctly and can actually be segregated from the rest of the facility, then they can get a hotel rating,” she said.

Rathborne said educating hotel owners about the benefits of the NABERS algorithm was vital to achieving critical mass and getting the majority of properties in Australia to obtain a rating. She said in some cases, annual energy savings of up to AUD$490,000 had been realised.

“What we’ve tried to do in the hotel sector is promote awareness. A lot of companies are locked in their own silos, so to speak, and have international head offices, so there’s a bit of a gap in that they might not have their main decision-makers in Sydney or nationally in Australia. We’ve been spending some time trying to show what our product does and how useful it is in Australia.

“To see the cost upfront [versus] saving a lot in the future is a bit of a hard sell. People just see it as a new 62 HM The Business of Accommodation

Trained assessors conduct rigorous inspections to ensure a fair rating budget line. We’re really trying to embed the message that it can deliver cost savings. Op-ex (operational expenditure) in hotels is huge. They do keep things on 24 hours but there are a lot of things that can be made more efficient and sometimes it hasn’t been the prerogative because it’s always customer-focused. Energy efficiency has so much potential in this space,” Rathborne added.

While talks and education campaigns continue regarding NABERS, more immediate relief on power prices has been made available for Tourism Accommodation Association members through its 2019 Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

The agreement is essentially a bulk purchase of power from a specific generator – in this case, solar – with TAA committing to an agreed price for an agreed length of The new Holiday Inn Express Sydney Airport features energy efficient lighting throughout

SUSTAINABILITY

time for its members to subscribe to if they so desired.

TAA National Chief Executive, Michael Johnson, confirmed to HM that this arrangement was working well, saving its members significant sums in their power bills and an extension to the deal was very much in play.

In addition, the Association was advocating to its members, especially smaller hotels with 99 rooms or less, to seriously consider a new energy efficiency initiative by the Federal Government known as the Hotel Energy Uplift Program. Issued by Federal Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Angus Taylor, the AUD$10.2 million program will run over two financial years and offers grants of between AUD$10,000 and AUD$25,000 towards a wide range of eligible activities which reduce the energy consumption of a hotel. Between 400 and 600 grants overall are expected to be issued.

To qualify for the program, a hotel must initially put forward a minimum of AUD$10k in expenditure improving electricity supply, HVAC, hot water and pool heating, appliances and catering equipment, lighting, building fabric or other approved works, including conducting an energy audit and obtaining a NABERS rating.

For Dr Jerry Schwartz, who owns or has interests in 13 hotels around Australia and is a proponent of the NABERS rating tool, it was clear that the travelling public are highly interested in whether hotels were being genuine as it relates to their sustainability commitment.

“Everyone is used to reusing towels, turning off lights and so on, but hotel guests have every right to have ‘proof’ that the hotel is really walking the talk,” he said.

“That’s why we went down the NABERS rating path because it is independent, it’s scientific and it’s ongoing. Unlike some environmental certifications, NABERS accompanies hotels in an ongoing journey towards greater energy and water efficiency.”

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Known as a champion of environmental concerns among his hotels and an advocate for wide adoption of “We’re really renewable energy, Dr Schwartz said Mercure Sydney – one of his properties – was highly vocal in promoting its trying to NABERS rating and environmental credentials because it embed the is proud of the achievement. message that it Maintaining a NABERS rating was paying direct can deliver cost benefits, with Schwartz saying many conference organisers are seeking verifiable sustainability savings.” certifications when deciding on venues for their events Sara Rathborne, and favouring many that do.

NABERS “NABERS is a stamp of approval which is recognised by many organisations in Australia and is an easy way to communicate the hotel’s sustainability efforts.

“We have invested significantly in solar power generation at properties in Sydney, the Hunter Valley and Blue Mountains and will continue to look at ways to reduce power and water usage, as well as enhance our waste policies,” Schwartz added.

Another major hospitality real estate investor, owner and operator, Pro-invest Group, actively works to ensure its hotels receive, maintain and improve NABERS ratings as much as possible.

“More and more guests are looking at sustainability features when they are making their hotel choices and therefore it is important to promote the NABERS rating to our guests,” said Pro-invest Group Managing Partner, Dr Sabine Shaffer.

Mercure Sydney “Not only are our ESG (Environmental, Social and is part of Dr Jerry Governance) initiatives good for the health of our Schwartz's portfolio planet, we know that increasing numbers of guests are making decisions based on environmentally responsible principles and therefore there is a real benefit to promoting to these markets.

“Guests are increasingly looking at each hotel’s environmental standards. They have been accustomed to having the option to carbon-offset their flights for many years and there is real focus on reducing their carbon footprint when they travel. Many large corporate accounts increasingly insist that a hotel has a high NABERS rating to enable it to qualify for Solar pan corporate travel,” she added. els on top “We’re trying to make sure everyone of is aware of NABERS and that it’s M er not just a comparative tool or energy-tracking system, it’s a proprietary algorithm,” added Sara Rathborne.

“It also helps governments to form specific energy commitments such as net-zero emissions in NSW and hopefully we have a national target soon. So there is a way it helps industry but it also helps government,” she said. n

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ROOMS DIVISION

Motorised curtains are in all guest rooms at the new Crown Sydney

ESSENTIALS MOTORISED CURTAINS

AS GUEST DEMANDS CHANGE, SO TOO DO THE VARIOUS ITEMS HOTELS PLACE IN GUEST ROOMS. HM CHECKS OUT 12 ESSENTIALS YOUR ROOMS NEED NOW.

There are so many buttons in hotel rooms nowadays, working everything from the housekeeping lights to soap dispensers and the curtains and drapes.

At the recently opened Crown Sydney, you’ll find ZH75E model motorised curtain tracks and roller blinds from Domvina operating throughout the property, in some cases up to nine metres in length. Tracks run at a variable speed, are whisper quiet and can be operated either via a wall switch, via an automatic pull start or integrated with the hotel’s smart system. At its optimum, the track motor moves at a speed of 100rpm, gradually easing to a stop at the end of its run. Tracks are heavy duty and can manage bulkier drapes if needed, to a certain point.

DIGITAL COMPENDIUMS

The integration of a telephone service by in-room tablet compendium provider, Tapendium, has led to many General Managers removing old-style landline handsets from rooms completely. The company recently launched its new Tapendium Go solution, which allows guests to connect to hotel services using their own device, without downloading an app. The online solution allows guests to order room service, new pillows, tickets for a show or even to connect and control their room.

Digital compendiums are a great connection tool between the guest and hotel departments

Automatic curtains can help a hotel save energy

64 HM The Business of Accommodation

ROOMS DIVISION

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Incorporating the latest technology in orthopedic mattress design, Sealy Posturepedic’s Embassy Range features a spring system which supports body contours and prevents any morning backache. The mattress’ construction locks into the inner-spring casing to ensure support reaches all corners of the bed. High carbon spring steel ensures the product will withstand the varied demands of commercial use and many different body types that will sleep on it. High density foam layers mould to the lower parts of the back where greater levels of support are needed.

SMART DOOR LOCKS

While recodable door locks have been around for decades, only recently has the bulky card reader been integrated with the door itself. The VingCard Essence door lock from Assa Abloy Global Solutions improves the design of room doors significantly, reducing the amount of hardware that sits on the door – a feature proving highly popular with interior designers. These smartly designed readers come mobile compatible for guests who wish to access their key on their device.

The Hansgrohe RainDance shower head infuses air into water droplets

Sealy Posturepedic’s Commercial Knightsbridge range

RAINDANCE SHOWER HEAD

What must it feel like to be pampered by a shower?

Leading German shower manufacturer, Hansgrohe, would know through its RainAir spray shower head, which emits air-enriched droplets from its 300 x 300 head at nine litres per minute. This air infusion creates an environment with more voluminous, lighter and softer droplets. The RainDance E Overhead Shower 300 EcoSmart is available in six colours and also uses water more efficiently, which conserves this previous resource while allowing your guests to indulge in a long shower.

CLOUD FEATHER MATTRESS TOPPER

When clients come calling for the same item 12 years running, something must be right. That’s what happens with the Cloud Feather and Down Mattress Topper from HotelHome, which provides a soft, flexible extra level of support between you and your mattress.

Now an iconic product, the topper provides a 12cm lift and is made from a Down-proof Japara cover to prevent feathers moving about inside. HotelHome says the product gives guests the feeling they are laying on a cloud.

The ‘CloudGen II’ mattress topper is a popular model used by many luxury hotels hotelmanagement.com.au 65

ROOMS DIVISION QT Auckland opted for the edgy and trendy look of exposed steel

EXPOSED STEEL CABINETRY

A.H. Beard’s Platinum Supreme range

Whether for longevity or for a purposeful industrial, edgy look, exposed steel is very much on trend in the field of in-room cabinetry. Add in a coloured finish and your room refurbishment can result in an ultra-modern product sure to resonate with guests.

According to furniture giants, Ramler International, many hotels are loving exposed steel frame furnishings, particularly as open-style.

“What was once a fully laminated wardrobe is now moving towards open-style steel framed wardrobes that expose all of the clothes hanging internally,” said Ramler International Oceania Sales Director, Rob Gilshenan.

Meanwhile, stone finishes to wardrobes, minibars and writing desks is also on trend at the moment, however the cyclical nature of the industry means different materials can come in and out of style around every 5-7 years. “A bit like fashion,” Gilshenan added.

PERSONAL SAFEKEEPING

A safe for guests to store their small valuables is as essential as the bed in a modern hotel room. Catering to modern-day guests, secure in-room safes are available in a variety of sizes to fit laptops, headphones or bulkier valuables.

One leading brand in this field is the Safemark range, available through Vintech Systems. Models such as the DN5.4 drawer safe is available both with pull drawers or hydraulic arms and come with an internal light. The model also comes with a fail-safe override key system in the event the wrong code is entered too many times.

66 HM The Business of Accommodation

A.H. BEARD PLATINUM SUPREME

In-room safes are an essential item in hotels

A.H. Beard’s patented Reflex support system was locally designed and provides responsive support, with primary coils that conform to the body and secondary coils that provide extra support where it’s needed. This technology was recently upgraded to include adaptive fabric, which helps to regulate the heat and humidity in the sleeping environment.

“It works by using the body’s own heat to accelerate the wicking away of body heat and moisture to create a healthier micro climate in the bed that promotes better sleep,” says A.H. Beard Group Commercial Manager, Peter Deveny.

Stock levels can be more easily managed with automated technology

IN-ROOM ARTWORK

AUTOMATED MINIBARS

The manual and labour intensive process of managing minibar stock can be a thing of the past with automated technology, not to mention stock and revenue losses through theft.

Automated minibars, such as Bartech's C32 model, can connect to PMS systems and provide hoteliers with realtime information on guest purchases and stock levels, as well as back-end reporting. Information on best-before dates can also be detailed, ensuring hotels replace unsold product and items passed their best-before deadlines.

Models are available from Vintech Systems both as refrigerated options and e-trays for non-perishables.

As lifestyle hotels take hold in the marketplace, hotels are taking more time to source complementary artworks that fit in and help the hotel’s story come to life.

According to Art Pharmacy, which specialises in helping spaces refine an art strategy, the trend very much in play at the moment is hyper-localism.

“Hotels are looking to be more playful now. If you’re staying in Sydney, you don’t want an image of the Harbour Bridge. Hotels are also looking to highlight artists from the local area,” said Art Pharmacy Founder, Emilya Colliver.

“We’re finding also that while there are a lot of interior design strategies, hotels are asking for art strategies.

ROOMS DIVISION

Artwork isn’t being picked out of a catalogue anymore – they’re investing, sourcing meetings with artists and working directly with artists.”

“We’re seeing demand for a lot of sculptural pieces that give a great first impression of the hotel,” Colliver added.

As interior design straddles the line between modern, quirky and eccentric, hotels are actively on the hunt for pieces which complement their overall brand image.

“I still feel hotels have a long way to go with art. They’re not fast enough for me. I love to suggest artists who are very different. It comes down to the interior design and how modern these investors are,” she said.

ERGONOMIC SEATING

Along with the bed and a desk, most hotel rooms provide a few different seating options to suit the space. In order to avoid cluttering, rooms will generally opt for a single seat rather than a sofa, although higher categories often provide room for larger options.

Jamie Glaister from Turn Key Furniture Solutions says the majority of hotels opt for the freestanding easy armchair as it adds a lot of flexibility to the room with easy placement.

“We’re seeing a mixture of metal or upholstery timber, depending on the overall look and feel of the brand,” he said.

“Beach resorts will go for timber frame as it’s a bit more relaxed. Corporate hotels go for a metal frame that is more functional.

“Serviced apartments like one arm chair and one sofa. Hotel settings are more likely to be individual seats. It all boils down to how big the room is and the purpose of the hotel.”

On-brand hotel art is becoming increasingly challenging

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TECHNOLOGY

Research shows 90% of consumers prefer to communicate via instant chat

PERSONALISE MACHINE LEARNING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IS REVOLUTIONISING THE NATURE OF GUEST COMMUNICATIONS. HOWEVER, NAVIGATING THE GAP BETWEEN PERSONALISATION AND EFFICIENCY IS PUSHING INNOVATORS TO THINK DIFFERENTLY.

T

o a hospitality business, customer service is the backbone of its entire operation. In an increasingly impatient society where instant messaging demands instant responses, the era of AI Chatbots is helping hotels deliver personalised customer service and provide undecided guests with the immediate responses they need.

According to Statista data from January 2021, two billion users worldwide interact with the WhatsApp platform each month, with the service being particularly popular

68 HM The Business of Accommodation

outside of the United States. Users like the conversational nature of the app, with the ability to easily organise group chats. Communicating with retailers and service providers is a key feature of the platform. The data also shows 90% of consumers prefer to communicate with businesses via messaging instead of making a phone call.

Some call it conversational marketing. While these ‘bots’ are only interested in conversing about whatever they’re programmed and installed to do, they are evolving at a significant rate and are now capable of amazingly real levels of interaction. Dedicated chat-bot developers can teach these systems all about your product or service, allowing them to converse at length and with great speed and proficiency – keeping your potential customer on the line with your property front of mind.

Matters are complicated by research showing many travellers are desensitised to generic promotions and are much more responsive to tailored promotions which speak to their interests and budget. According to Netimperative, one in four Gen Z travellers say they would show more loyalty to a travel service which sent them relevant marketing emails catering to their needs.

According to David Thompson, CEO of AI Chatbot vendor, Book Me Bob, their automated assistance bot can already answer more than 47,000 questions in 12 languages and uses NLP Artificial Intelligence to learn answers to more every day. Bob also has more than 67,000 ‘Chit Chat’ dialogues which give it a touch of personality. Thompson says every hotel is unique and has a specific way they prefer to field questions.

“We use cloud technology Microsoft Azure for its high level security to store and save all the questions and we are continuously adding to the number of answers,” he said.

“For groups that have multiple hotels we have our own onboarding team that works directly with the hotel to build their chat bot and to answer each question.

TECHNOLOGY

“We are at a stage now that we are looking to evolve our AI so that it can do Sentiment Analysis.”

David Thompson, Book Me Bob

Chatbots are evolving to the point of speaking to you via voice chat

Communicating with guests directly at various stages of their customer journey can be a perilous journey, with some appreciating the extra service and others potentially bothered by what they deem to be annoying upselling. The majority of hotel Property Management Systems (PMS) offer guest communication tools which can be personalised to ensure the guest or customer is being addressed by their direct title and surname rather than as the highly informal and impersonal ‘Customer’.

XN Protel Systems Group Australia Managing Director, Craig Chait, said communication tools can be highly personalised to suit all kinds of demographics.

“We can personalise the guest experience significantly, by language or purpose of stay such as travelling with kids or on business etc) and provide upsell suggestions such as room upgrades, early check in, late check out and also auto communications by email and SMS based on trigger points including confirmation, pre-arrival, or welcome after check in.

Hotels using the RMS Cloud PMS system have access to inbuilt SMS marketing functionality, with either oneway or two-way communication possible. If selecting the latter, guest replies are sent to an inbox and can be responded to or actioned further by a team member.

RMS Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Peter Ferris, says people are looking for curated experiences and currently they have time to investigate where they want to go. They know what they’re looking for and they want hotel providers to assist them in achieving that.

“What it boils down to is having really rich PMS data on your clients and what they’re looking for. So you need a PMS that can handle that and then can make that data available to you to create hyper personalised marketing.

“If you’ve got a support system like an AI Chatbot that is working 24/7 around the clock to give people the right answers and show them what they’re looking for, then you’re putting yourself in the best

Chatting to clients has never been so important

place to convert those enquiries,” Ferris added.

While Chatbots are evolving and continuing to learn fast, there are fallback measures a hotel can put in place to ensure a guest isn’t left high and dry to any queries that are more specific or detailed.

“If the Chat Bot can’t understand or answer a question it will tell the guest that it is having trouble understanding. A work order is sent to our support team and we will then train the Chat Bot how to answer.

“We are at a stage now that we are looking to evolve our AI so that it can do Sentiment Analysis,” he added.

Oracle Hospitality JAPAC Regional Vice President for Hotels, Patrick Andres, said many guests today were looking for low-to-no-contact interactions yet crave personalised experiences.

“To best meet those expectations, hoteliers need access to comprehensive guest profiles,” he said.

“Creating one, however, is a challenge if guest information is stored across multiple, disparate systems such as a property management system or central reservation system. Hotel staff are left with a disjointed and an incomplete view of the guest.

Andres said systems such as Oracle’s Opera Cloud can help hotels scale personalised services and give staff access to the info they need about guests at the right time.

“Personalised service enhances engagement and upsell pre-arrival, increases satisfaction on-property, and generates repeat business post-stay," Andres said.

“Cloud-based solutions also can efficiently integrate mobile technology, providing yet another way to consistently improve and personalise service for guests in a low-touch environment.”

“And by safely keeping details of guests’ stay in secure, cloud-based profiles, staff can ensure privacy for guests before, during, and after their stay. Embracing cloud tech is the best way to consistently delight guests – and avoid disappointing them. Just don't let your bot stop talking. n

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Aussies are keen to widen their coffee landscape

CHANGING AUSTRALIANS HAVE A HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED COFFEE PALATE. EVER THE EXPERIMENTERS, CONSUMERS ARE DEMANDING MORE FROM THEIR HOTELS IN TERMS OF MORE EXOTIC FLAVOURS AND SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES. 70 HM The Business of Accommodation

C

offee is one of those crops that requires consistent conditions in which to grow and flourish. Ideal temperatures for a strong harvest range between 15-25 degrees Celsius with no extreme variations between day and night.

Despite Australia being a mostly arid climate, there are pockets along the coast suitably tropical to cultivate a thriving coffee industry, one which has only really been around for the last few decades.

Sure, Australia has been growing coffee for over a century, but the industry largely faltered in the 1920s due to high labour costs and economic limitations. Mechanised harvesting was a key catalyst in the Australian coffee renaissance and since then, the country has grown into a highly robust source, primarily of the Arabica bean, of which around 75% of our population and the average Aussie consumer drinks around 730 cups each year.

According to a Harris and Galaxy survey, Aussies have changing coffee tastes as the day progresses. Mornings see a rush on lattes, flat whites, cappuccinos, with another spike for the wall-hitters after 1pm. Chai sales peak at around 11am, while Matcha is a popular blend in the mid-afternoon.

Hotels are a microcosm of society and are seeing significant changes in the way their guests are consuming coffee within their walls, either as an in-house guest or a café customer. According to research from Studylogic, hotels are seeing an uptick in consumption, with demand climbing 8% over the 2018/19 financial year – a significant

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

In-room mini bars are offering wider coffee varieties

back of house, in-room, conference and self-serve. The need for us to have a wide portfolio of solutions and remain at the forefront of the coffee industry’s changing landscape has been critical.”

Zaccareo added that technology plays an ever-more important part in how coffee drinkers get their fix, particularly in the era of COVID-19, with hotels adopting more contactless and touchless solutions for their guests.

For Karen De Leeuw, Business Director at FreshFood Services – keepers of a variety of coffee brands including the ‘House of Robert Timms’, Bushells, Picco and Fagg’s – coffee is one area where hotels can differentiate, stand out from the crowd and provide guests with a unique experience.

“Coffee is one of the key areas where this differentiation is taking place, and a tiered approach for an in-room offer is being followed. Single serve instant coffee still is very relevant, however, similarly as in the retail space, premiumisation of the offer is coming through stronger through single serve offerings such as capsules, coffee bags, plunger and coffee mixes.

“The offer needs to be a full end-to-end experience for the traveller, from in-room, breakfast, lunch and dinner service and to general coffee service in various spaces within the hotel.

As HM has previously reported, a trend in sharper focus from consumers relates to where and how their coffee beans are sourced, with great preference going to sustainable initiatives. Nestle Professional Campaign Manager, Aravind Balasubramaniam, said it is noticing and adapting as part of its Nescafé Plan sustainability initiatives.

“Key emerging trends across all formats include an increase in preference for sustainably sourced coffee, plant-based milk options and accompaniments. In-room coffee sachets, blend varieties along with coffee pods have shown consistent growth from 2018 to date,” he said.

Karen De Leeuw agreed, adding “Out of room trends include the serving of options around plant-based nut milks, cold brew and nitro-coffee in addition to the standard espresso coffee.”

Experimentation breeds innovation, however you brew. n

albeit isolated spike on the 0.9% climb recorded across the rest of the population. The gulf is similar in consumer spend on coffee, with all channels recording a 1.4% overall rise while the spend in hotels went up 2.3%.

For most of us, the daily coffee ritual rarely changes.

You might drink from the same cup or order the same product – maybe even from the same shop or the same person each day. In most people, that routine helps to lower stress as they know what to expect each day.

Contrary to this, many of Australia’s major coffee growers, roasters and distributors are seeing an widening in local tastes, with greater levels of experimentation and demand for more exotic blends.

Lavazza APAC Managing Director, Silvio Zaccareo, says Australians have one of the world’s most sophisticated relationships with coffee – a Silvio Zaccareo, Lavazza trait that is starting to be reflected in hotels.

Coffee makers are serving up new flavours to suit evolving tastes “While traditional flavours and varieties remain popular, customers are absolutely seeking a wider variety of coffee blends,” Zaccareo said.

“We are seeing a steep rise in domestic tourism. For hotels, this means meeting local customers’ wants for an indulgent escape. Coffee has a very natural role in indulgence, from different preparations to its use in food and as a transporter of flavour in other beverages. Our training team are now regularly providing solutions and recipes for how to use coffee in fun and interesting ways.

This also provides another revenue stream for the hotel.

“More and more we are being asked for holistic solutions across multiple coffee occasions. Our team is partnering more than ever to supply the appropriate coffee, machine and training solutions across front and

“More and more we are being asked for holistic solutions across multiple coffee occasions.”

72 HM The Business of Accommodation

Insider guides, executive style.

Catch all 25 TV episodes of Wayfarer Series 2 now on our website and YouTube channel.

HEALTH AND HYGIENE

IN THE

Y

ou may not realise it in your day-to-day life but there is much more in the air we all breathe and not all of it is oxygen. In fact, according to some scientific papers, only 21% of what we take in is actual oxygen. Beyond that, the majority comprises gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon and methane. Some experts have calculated that people typically inhale more than two tablespoons in volume of particulates each day.

While for most people, little thought is given to this as it amounts to little more than the odd casual annoyance, the focus on cleanliness among travellers has been heightened, particularly with the airborne capabilities of COVID-19 being an ever-present concern that is likely here to stay even after vaccines are widely distributed.

Innovation is the mother of invention and the past year has moved the spotlight onto air purifying products and technology for no other reason than to clean up our immediate environments and improve the quality of the air we breathe. Existing products have been thrust into the spotlight, new products have entered the cleanliness and hygiene lexicon and others have been refined with new formulations and techniques to achieve more pertinent and desired outcomes.

While the process was certainly robust before, hotels have invested heavily in new technologies to ensure no surface or space is spared from hygiene and disinfection along with ongoing preservation of air quality. Indoor ventilation has been a particular focus as hotels aim to eliminate as much as possible traces of any contaminants left behind, particularly as new strains of COVID-19 are brought under control.

Recently expanded to Australia, American technology firm, Delos, is now distributing air purification units capable of removing particles as small as 0.007 microns, 74 HM The Business of Accommodation

TONIGHT Dyso n’s Ho t+ C o

THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, SIGNIFICANT EFFORT HAS GONE INTO NOT JUST HOW OFTEN SPACES ARE CLEANED AND THE EQUIPMENT USED, BUT ALSO HOW THEY STAY CLEAN AND THE EQUIPMENT USED FOR THAT.

including COVID-19, at 99.99% efficacy. To put that into perspective, the average human hair strand is 70 microns wide. According to Delos Australia President, Bill Giannikos, buildings need to be equipped with the best air quality monitoring systems to eliminate aerosol viral load.

“Sick building syndrome is amplified by poor air quality and ventilation systems and it is a genuine threat to the health of our community,” he said.

“Building owners and managers across all industries have a duty of care to protect the people who stay, work, live and play in their spaces – the same way they protect people from the elements that occur outside.”

Another technique increasingly being deployed is ozone disinfection, which is a method of sterilising surfaces and crevices to eliminate bacteria, dust mites, mould, fungal spores and other nasties including microparticles floating in the air.

Ozone Disinfection Australia General Manager, Steve Lowe, said the technology available for a full spatial clean, including down the back of beds, desks and inside nooks and crannies was now available in Australia.

“It’s extremely important for hoteliers to ensure their rooms and public areas are kept at a clean standard,” said Lowe.

“Programmed to produce only the specific amount of Ozone gas required to totally disinfect the space your

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fan heater ing ify r u

HEALTH AND HYGIENE

The Delos air purification unit can be positioned as a permanent unit in all guest rooms

cleaning staff are disinfecting; our Ozone generators then switch to a unique forced depletion cycle that quickly eliminates any residual Ozone from the room.

Unlike traditional manual deep cleaning processes like spraying and wiping, fogging or misting, our high tech process is faster, more efficient, and unlike traditional cleaning, it disinfects any airborne particles floating in the air and the air ducts in the room.”

According to Dyson Global Category Director – Environmental Care, Charlie Park, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly raised the profile of air purification and quality.

“Traditional air circulation and air conditioning systems usually contain a filter element. But in today’s climate of being cleaner and more hygienic than ever before, it’s worth interrogating what impact those filters are having,” Park said.

“In the examples that our engineers have looked at, those filters can tend to focus on capturing larger particles like dust or airborne debris with the ultimate goal of protecting the airflow systems within, rather than providing efficient particle removal.

“HVAC or not, this is where our technology comes in to either support existing ventilation systems with our highly efficient filtration, or to offer an alternative method of air exchange,” he continued.

“Dyson purifiers have sealed filtration systems, and Charlie Park, Dyson

“Dyson purifiers have sealed filtration systems, and HEPA-13 certified filters.”

HEPA-13 certified filters. It means they can capture not only the larger particles but those as small as 0.1 microns, including gases, bacteria and some viruses to ensure the indoor air meets guests’ expectations.”

One of Sydney’s upcoming hotels, Aiden by Best Western at Darling Harbour, has installed a Hydroxyl Generation Unit into its air conditioning systems, technology originally pioneered by NASA for use in the Space Shuttle which constantly generates hydroxyl particles into the air supply.

“Essentially, we install UV bulbs into our main outside air supply vents to produce ‘hydroxyls’ [which are] basically H20 molecules stripped of one hydrogen atom – hence the ‘OH’,” said Aiden owner Nicolas Chen of IHHL Pty Ltd. “I understand that hydroxyls occur naturally in the atmosphere but we generate enough to disperse throughout the hotel guestrooms and common areas.

Hydroxyls are claimed to neutralise COVID particles, volatile organic compounds and odours,” he added.

Known colloquially as the ‘detergent’ of the atmosphere, hydroxyl molecules are highly dynamic and work to destroy bacteria and virus particles by penetrating and neutralising their cell walls, eliminating biological and chemical contaminants.

It’s well known that harmful contaminants in the air can have a negative impact on health, however the role of air purifiers and more holistic atmospheric disinfectant cleaning technologies can play a major role in ensuring hotel rooms in the ‘new normal’ are sanctuaries of cleanliness when international tourism volumes gradually ramp back up to capacity. n

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Hydroxyl Generation technology has been installed as standard at the new Aiden by Best Western Darling Harbour

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INTERIOR DESIGN The lobby at Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai was a unique challenge for Suede Interior Design

Passion FOR DESIGN

AHEAD OF THE 2021 EDITION OF DESIGN INN AT SKYCITY ADELAIDE, WE CHECK IN WITH SOME LEADING HOTEL INTERIOR DESIGNERS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR DESIGN MUSE.

to be rolled out across the country. We love this work as we get to plant the seed, water it, and see it grow from conception to birth. So those rains have sowed new opportunities for us, particularly working with developers who are less experienced as hotel owner-operators and need a trusted hand on their team.

So if anyone has a great building to sell with hotel potential, let us know and we’ll pass it on. There’s an appetite for good sites and Australia stands to benefit from a rush of exciting new hospitality experiences.

Good news for a change!

PAUL KELLY DESIGN Paul Kelly – Director

CHADA

Juliet Ashworth – Creative Director / Owner

This time a year ago, storm clouds gathered over the hospitality sector to dump a downpour of lockdown misery. In the design sector, we braced for the fallout. But a year on, there’s hardly a cloud in the sky and we’re geared up for a productive year with fresh hospitality concepts popping up everywhere.

Yes, we’re pinching ourselves, having just signed a new-build hotel, a conference centre and a handful of refurbishments. This is super encouraging because when developers are planning hotels, the economy is generally OK. It’s a litmus test that has proven true over the four decades Chada has been designing.

Money is coming from Europe and the US as entrepreneurs consider Australia a safe place right now. We’re creating two new boutique brands 76 HM The Business of Accommodation

Paul Kelly Design has been designing hospitality spaces for 24 years and in that time have opened over 500 venues. Our success is based on a unique business angle – we approach each project with the financial success of the operation the driving factor for Paul Kelly Design.

Our work is predominantly in Food and Beverage, with a high percentage in Gaming and Casino work as well as recently touching in accommodation with the Rydges Tamworth. The interesting thing about the work that we do is that the projects are getting more intricate and intelligent as the market keeps evolving, but our completed projects are still vibrant and successful.

The level of knowledge we have at Paul Kelly Design across our senior dedicated team really pushes us far past any design firm, as not only are our projects more durable, functionally efficient and cheaper to build, they are also world leading in design direction. Our most recent project that showcases our diversity of ability is the Parramatta Square development for Walker Corporation. In this project, we are the retail

INTERIOR DESIGN

designers of the precinct, including all the master planning, interior and exterior design. We are also the Retail Design Managers and the Tenant Designers for four of our brands.

Some brands and interiors we recently completed are Ruse Bar and Brasserie (another successful project District Brasserie in Sydney which is undoubtedly the most successful restaurant in the CBD right now); Bettys Burgers, a brand we developed and have completed 30 stores; as well as a new brand, Harvey’s Hot Sandwiches, and a bakery concept called 3 Fold. We live and breathe hospitality.

SCOTT CARVER

Angela Biddle – Director

As a Director and Owner at Scott Carver, a Design Collective comprised of Architects, Landscape Architects and Interior Designers, I’ve often witnessed the magic that is created when these three disciplines come together on a project in an integrated way. As collaborators by nature, we are enthusiastic in bringing our clients into the design process – a quality that ensures we deliver design outcomes that not only look great but also satisfy owner and operator business drivers.

Currently, our Hotels Team is working on a range of complex projects where this collaboration with our clients and the broader stakeholder group is key. One such project – a multi-brand precinct – required blending the overarching precinct offer, designed to capture a broad audience, with the distinct positioning of each brand. It was an exercise not only in balance but in collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Similarly, on a project where a hotel is being introduced into a mixed-use scheme, careful and strategic positioning as an urban resort will be key to its success. And so with this, we bring site programming into this collaborative fold as the amenity provided by the hotel must negotiate with the elements within the overall development – mutually complementary offers.

It’s collaboration not solely between designer and client, but collaboration with each element that serves to bring the entire vision into existence.

“Projects are getting more intricate and intelligent.”

Paul Kelly, Paul Kelly Design

SUEDE INTERIOR DESIGN Clifford Rip – Principal

Being a young and relatively new design firm doesn’t necessarily mean that we are inexperienced, it just means we can be more personal and extraordinarily focused on making a difference to the developing

local hotel market.

Being thrown in the deep end at the start of my career over two decades ago with projects such as South Africa’s Blue Train – the third most luxurious train in the world – and The Palace of the Lost City – the first fully themed immersive luxury hotel in the world – and Dubai’s Atlantis, The Palm and the contemporary and sophisticated Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa, highlights a short but compelling list of some of the distinct, extreme and luxurious hotels that have provided us with an international luxury experience infrequent in much of our industry.

While these brought relatively limitless budgets, or budgets so large that their opening parties cost more than most hotels in Australia today, our understanding of design, theme and style on this scale puts us into a very unique bracket.

However, despite this experience, we are still faced with challenges. The very design of a hotel is a challenge. The more creative we want it to be, the harder the challenge to solve, the harder the sell to our clients and the harder the effort to comfort them when told that the creativity warrants the cost against its returns. This is an ever increasing challenge, however our current clients, including Crystalbrook Collection, One&Only and Macallan Whisky value our experience and constantly invite the challenge to seek the best possible outcome, despite the cost. n

Ruse Bar and Brasserie in Parramatta was a project of Paul Kelly Design

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LEGAL MATTERS Working from home functionality is expected to continue long-term

OUTLOOK BAKER MCKENZIE

Graeme Dickson – Partner

In the past year, we have lived through COVID lockdowns and the need for workforces located in Australia’s major cities to spend significant time working from home. It is reasonably clear that working from home will become an institutionalised part of a normal long term working environment. This will have a profound impact on existing and proposed commercial tenancies. It also presents an opportunity for the hotel industry to play a major part in this transformation.

We are already seeing significant signs that major commercial landlords are embracing this concept. Some CBD owners are already setting up satellite facilities in the suburbs to cater for those workers who may need to access such facilities while based at home. Other property owners are looking to fundamentally redesign commercial space to cater for the prospect that tenants may seek to significantly reduce dedicated space but still wish to have access to communal facilities, which potentially raises the possibility that on any given day, the volume of employees seeking to access the tenant’s premises may exceed its capacity limits.

This shift in working practices is a great opportunity for the hotel industry. We have already been approached to identify persons with relevant hotel expertise to take a fresh look at the traditional commercial office layout and supporting amenities and suggest ways that the working 78 HM The Business of Accommodation

HM HAS ROUNDED UP SOME OF AUSTRALIA'S BEST LEGAL MINDS IN HOSPITALITY TO SHARE SOME OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AND VIEWS ON A VARIETY OF MATTERS OF INDUSTRY CONCERN

experience could be enhanced in an effort to remove, to some extent, the lure of working from home but also to give a particular tenant an edge over competing offerings. For hotel industry experts that have traditionally dealt with similar issues of competitive tension relating to hotels and branded residences, this represents an exciting opportunity to adapt this expertise to a potentially new and substantial market segment by applying the hotel industry service model to co-working spaces and having hotel management type agreements operate in that space.

Luxury hotels have nailed it when it comes to providing the ultimate guest experience. This is another opportunity to capitalise on this expertise for traditional lease structures and co-working spaces. It’s those who are at the forefront and able to think outside the square who will be able to best capitalise on this opportunity.

HFW

Stephanie Lambert – Partner, Real Estate

The economic effects of 2020 have been a positive story for rural growth, with a flurry of regional hospitality acquisitions and developments across Australia. We’re seeing hospitality assets trade with hot demand and at record prices, most recently evidenced by the sale of the Lennox Hotel near Byron Bay, and renewed interest in regional boutique hotels such as recent additions, The Sunseeker in Byron Bay and Dairy Flat Farm in Daylesford.

Whilst the current climate shows no signs of slowing, investors are advised to take caution in evaluating the market to understand the

LEGAL MATTERS

“Developers are looking to truly distinguish their property.”

Robert Williams, Watson Farley & Williams metrics of financial performance, considering all of the factors for supply and demand in the given trade area from which the hotel draws, particularly as these assets do not come with long-term cash flow represented by leases.

This evaluation operates twofold: Firstly, providing financial and risk modelling for key stakeholders, such as the land owner, hotel operator and financier and secondly, how each stakeholder’s unique interest feeds into the contractual arrangements to reach a negotiated position on how the parties treat critical matters, such as revenue, expenses and payments, incentives, operating authority and standards, budget approvals, risk allocation, early termination rights and damages.

Traditional models of market evaluation have looked at historic performance of a competitive set of hotels measured by their average daily rate, occupancy and RevPAR however, with the countercyclical move into regional areas, these are unlikely to be the key indicators of

Hotel developers are looking to make their property stand out

performance and a broader assessment of changing market conditions required. Whatever the assessment may be, deal flow and development of boutique hotels in regional areas is expected to increase as many look out for opportunities in these areas with renewed interest.

MINTER ELLISON

Alice Langham – Partner

As the hotel industry looks to rebuild following the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, one avenue available to hotel owners seeking to generate better returns is to rebrand their assets and align themselves with a new hotel operator. However, managing the transition between hotel brands is a complicated process and can raise a number of legal issues.

An owner will be assisted if its contractual arrangements with an outgoing operator or tenant includes robust provisions regarding what can be left at the premises or acquired by the owner from the outgoing operator. This includes offering hotel employees’ employment, and the responsibility for employee entitlements, transfer of liquor licences and food licences, FF&E items, stock, the assignment of services contracts, responsibility for future bookings and adjustments for prepaid bookings.

If these are not contemplated in their arrangements, it is important the parties clearly document these to avoid potential future disputes. It is also helpful to agree a transfer plan to assist in the smooth transition.

An incoming operator will usually require the owner to commit to a property improvement plan to bring the asset up to the required new brand standard. An owner will need to carefully consider the scope of such plan and the timeframes under which it agrees to undertake the works, before agreeing to commit to the new hotel operator.

WATSON FARLEY & WILLIAMS Regional hotels experienced a boom from COVID border closures

Robert Williams – Head of Hotels & Leisure Asia Pacific

The stream of hotel development work we are seeing at the moment reflects the underlying confidence among investors in the short-term accommodation sector and its recovery right across APAC. In particular, lifestyle product is powering ahead, brand conversions are ramping up and white-label operators are finally getting the traction many say they deserve.

Developers are looking to truly distinguish their property. Some are banking on the big operator platforms and their distribution, while others are looking for greater flexibility with their hotel manager and niche placement. All are focusing very clearly on design, including sustainability / ESG as a core component and meeting tomorrow’s guest market.

Current hot topics on these deals are handovers from one operator to another on conversions, brand standards for collection brands, property improvement plans, whether to integrate or decouple F&B and branded residential.

Of perhaps greater surprise is the level of interest from operators, both well-known and emerging, in lease deals. The drive to achieve and build scale, boosting rooms under management, is still very much evident from small, medium and large operators, and properly calibrated hotel operating leases are on the table for the right opportunity.

Aggressive base rent, ratcheting with CPI, are out, but deals featuring fixed rent per room or revenue shares, with operators taking on soft CapEX risk, are certainly in play. n hotelmanagement.com.au 79

HUMAN RESOURCES

THE WAY

A

cclaimed and beloved American poet, Maya Angelou, once wrote: “You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been”.

It’s a tried and true formula. The natural progression in society, as in life, is to nurture and assist in the development of the next generation coming through. And the sense of fulfilment derived from such mentorship can provide a holistic sense of accomplishment and closure for one day when decisions are made to step away or move on to other challenges.

Professionally speaking, drawing on the experience of those who have come before is a critical element of many different hospitality and tourism courses, qualifications and accreditations. For those asked to provide this inspiration to students making their way through their studies, it can be a badge of honour that your career history is one to be emulated. And for students, it can be a motivating experience to hear the real-world tales of those doing what you one day hope to be doing.

Longstanding professional sports teams do this well. Often ahead of marquee games, legends of the past will hand out jerseys or meet with current players to provide a level of inspiration ahead of what needs to be a big performance. For the hospitality industry, the opportunity for a student to meet and hear from somebody who has advanced from the same or a similar course to what they are studying can provide that same level of encouragement.

For the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, its intrinsic ties with the sector into which it is providing the leaders of tomorrow mean the sector’s leaders are heavily involved with the successful development of students. Associate Dean, Dr Simon Pawson, says that as the sector is constantly evolving, the 80 HM The Business of Accommodation

Felicity Arthur, GM Skye Suites Green Square and BMIHMS Lecturer, with students Ariel Wang and Kristina Krasulina

FOR MANY LEADERS, EXPERIENCE AND SUCCESS BREEDS A STRONG DESIRE TO GIVE BACK AND MENTOR THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WILL WALK THE PATH YOU PAVED best people to ensure students remain on the front foot are these very same leaders.

“Involving our industry partners as value co-creators of our curriculum and teaching gives our students a solid head start to their careers and the ability to make a positive contribution to a hotel from day one.”

Pawson’s sentiments are reinforced by his colleague, Director of Innovation, Industry and Employability, Dr Justin Pierce, who adds that students can be more confident in making the leap from student to graduate as they move into critical parts of the sector.

“In our courses, we combine leading edge hotel management and hospitality theory with simulations, placements and bringing experts into the classroom,” Dr Pierce said.

“Most importantly, our industry experts form part of our Industry Advisory Board, which provides expert insight into hospitality industry practice, challenges and trends, and they help us to anticipate forthcoming industry changes. Industry experts also contribute to our Course Advisory Committees, which is a body of academic and industry experts who collaborate to design a course that is both academically rigorous and industry aligned. Finally, we also bring industry experts

Students from ICHM learn from industry mentors via Zoom

HUMAN RESOURCES

into the classroom to deliver a guest lecture or to provide a live brief so that students can work on a real-world problem.”

Adelaide’s International College of Hotel Management (ICHM) reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing the involvement of industry leaders to ensure that students were kept apace with the latest developments. According to Principal, Dr George Brown, the institute engages with industry at many different touch points, including its highly successful Graduates in Industry Advisory Committee (GIIAC) which is reviewed and updated with some new contributors each year.

“We saw it of vital importance that students understood the impacts on regions, properties and individual hotel brands,” he said.

“To this end, during the first semester of 2020, the Guest Speaker program was adjusted to include a further six sessions entitled ‘Spotlight on Industry Experts’. Over 17 industry experts presented on a range of topics at these forums, with each presentation being facilitated via an interactive Q&A session.

For the latter part of 2020, ICHM hosted a ‘Spotlight on Industry Partners Week’ [and a] a virtual career fair which engaged 12 separate national and international properties, with over 24 industry representatives engaging with the student body.”

Student feedback to the Guest Speaker program is overwhelmingly high, with 90% of students saying their programs contain an appropriate level of access to industry leaders, and a massive 98% saying it provided “valuable industry knowledge which assisted with their academic studies”.

For students at The Hotel School, students have an extra element of being able to draw on expertise from hotel owner and hospitality real estate investment firm, Mulpha Group, through its position as co-owner. The organisation is deeply entrenched in the education of future industry leaders and regularly invites current executives and department heads to speak to students.

“Speakers can give advice on career opportunities after graduation and how the courses provide skills that are flexible and adaptable for a variety of roles in the industry, and also unrelated industries,” said Mulpha Education Group GM, Sue Bakir.

“This demonstrates the breadth of career options available for students that they may not have considered prior to these talks.” n

“Involving our industry partners as value cocreators of our curriculum and teaching gives our students a solid head start to their careers.”

Dr Simon Pawson, BMIHMS

Experts speak up WHAT DOES IT mean to experienced members of the hotel sector to share their career highlights and be a beacon of motivation to students coming through?

Jennifer Davey BMIHMS Graduate and now Director, AHS Advisory

“Generally to work so long in this industry you have to be passionate and it’s easy to share that passion and encourage students to persevere, challenge themselves in an industry you love.”

Sonia Vickers ICHM Graduate and now Portfolio Revenue Manager, IHG Hotels and Resorts

“I take great pleasure and pride in being able share my learned insights to help tailor academic content in a context that is time relevant and to ensure we equip our future fellow hotel leaders with the latest tools and knowledge they will require to navigate the industry in their professional journeys.”

Charles Young BMIHMS Graduate and now Senior VP Growth Australia and USA, Book Me Bob

Students can participate in onsite work experience with mentors

It is my opinion that students are inspired by the Alumni. There are now many graduates in key and senior leadership roles that have become mentors themselves.

Michael Neal

ICHM Graduate and now Food and Beverage Manager, SkyCity Adelaide

“It’s a privilege to be in a position to influence the next generation of hospitality leaders. Industry experience

can’t be replaced, however I’m passionate about mentoring and empowering passionate hospitality professionals with the goal of fast tracking their careers, in the same way my mentors were invaluable in my own development.”

hotelmanagement.com.au 81

PEOPLE Norman Arundel

People on the Move The latest key HR movements across the hotel industry

Marriott International has named Anthony Capuano and Stephanie Linnartz as its new Chief Executive Officer and President respectively. The two experienced executives joined Marriott in the mid-1990s and have played key roles in the growth of the company’s property and brand portfolio globally, along with guest loyalty and various environmental initiatives.

Sofitel Adelaide has welcomed Rachael Harman as its General Manager ahead of the hotel’s grand opening later this year. Harman, who returns to her South Australian homeland for her role, brings two decades experience working in Asia across Marriott brands in Malaysia and Singapore.

Crystalbrook Collection has opted to continue the services of Geoff York as its permanent Chief Executive Officer. York brings over 35 years in hospitality and has been tasked with continuing the brand’s strategic growth, integrating new properties and further implementing sustainability initiatives.

Getting To Know

Experienced commercial property expert, Andrew Jackson, has joined the team at HTL Property as its new National Accommodation Director.

After a decade with CBRE Hotels, Jackson takes up his new post as the company continues the expansion of its HTL Capital debt and advisory service.

HM CAUGHT UP for a casual chat recently with Event Hospitality’s Norman Arundel, who shared an amusing story from his early career which has left him with an ongoing fear of beer kegs.

Artificial Intelligence Chatbot service, Book Me Bob, has expanded its Executive team with the appointment of Heath McOrist as its new Vice President of Golf Sales and Hotels. Based on the Sunshine Coast, the recruitment of McOrist comes in line with the service’s move into the Golf and Resort markets.

HM catches up with Norman Arundel, Director of Hotels and Resorts at Event Hospitality

What was your first job in the accommodation industry?

I started as a Trainee Hotel Manager and in many ways am still very much in the same job today.

Can you tell us a funny, embarrassing or memorable story from the early part of your career?

I have many such stories from my first clumsy years in the industry, I was very lucky to have had managers generous and patient enough not to fire me. One early memory, on a very busy night, keen to show I knew how to change a keg of beer (which I actually had no idea how to do – this was in the days when you had to spike a keg) – I managed to explode beer all over 500 plated desserts at the exact time they were due to be served. This gave me my first taste of how loud a chef can yell!

My own experience has given me great tolerance for misguided youthful enthusiasm.

What’s the best piece of advice you can give to young people assessing whether hospitality or tourism is right for them as a career?

Do it – I know of no more exciting career. n 82 HM The Business of Accommodation

Accor has hired Toby Yates to a newly created role as Director of Sales and Marketing for Victoria. Bringing more than 25 years in hospitality to his new role, Yates joins Accor after an extensive career in sales and marketing roles with Marriott and Hyatt.

Luxury European travel brand, Belmond, has entrusted the expansion of its portfolio to Karl Bieberach as its new Senior Vice President of Global Development. In his new role, Bieberach will explore further growth opportunities for the brand.

Destination NSW has appointed Christine McLoughlin as its new Chairperson as the organisation continues to implement its Visitor Economy Strategy 2030. McLoughlin brings extensive business experience to her role as a former Director of Venues NSW and Chancellor at the University of Wollongong.

RN MODE HE GS IN T RATINPOTLIGHT Y G R E S EN E OF AL ROL N T I THE VIN EDUCATIO G N I S N I R A O R MENT AND T

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