HM December 2021

THE BUSINESS OF ACCOMMODATION IN ASIA-PACIFIC Vol.25 No.6 Bi-monthly December 2021

IN THIS ISSUE

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL’S

GRAND SLAM Marriott International has hit a winning serve with the Australian Open Grand Slam, partnering with tennis ace Ash Barty and putting the Bonvoy brand on centre court.

2021 HM AWARDS WINNERS REVEALED MANAGING TRAVEL AND HEALTH IN THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ SKILLING UP THROUGH E-LEARNING

HOT THIS MONTH: Employment and skills, recycling, victory over targeted rates, signings and more

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15 YEARS PLATINUM PERFORMANCE

THAT’S A PLUS Not only has Hostplus delivered its best ever single-year return of 21.3%^ in 2021 for its Balanced (MySuper) Option, we’ve also been recognised for top performance over the long term.# Good numbers however you read it and a real WIN WIN for our members’ retirement savings.

^Hostplus’ Balanced (MySuper) Option net annual return 2021. #SuperRatings has awarded the Hostplus Superannuation Fund, Hostplus Personal Super Plan and Hostplus Executive a 15 year Platinum Performance rating. SuperRatings has awarded the Hostplus Superannuation Fund, Hostplus MySuper, Hostplus Personal Super Plan and Hostplus Executive a Platinum 2021 MyChoice Super rating. The rating is issued by SuperRatings Pty Ltd ABN 95 100 192 283 AFSL 311880 (SuperRatings). Ratings are general advice only and have been prepared without taking account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider your personal circumstances, read the product disclosure statement and seek independent financial advice before investing. The rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold any product. Past performance information is not indicative of future performance. Ratings are subject to change without notice and SuperRatings assumes no obligation to update. SuperRatings uses objective criteria and receives a fee for publishing awards. Visit superratings.com.au for ratings information and to access the full report (©) 2021 SuperRatings. All rights reserved. Awards and ratings are only one factor to be taken into account when choosing a super fund. 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. Please read the relevant Hostplus Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD), available at hostplus.com.au before making a decision about Hostplus. HP1549.

2021

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ts.com.au

As local as you like it.

Have a late night or an early one at Quest.

CONTENTS

December 2021

Vol. 25 No.6

28 THE HILLS ARE ALIVE Check in to Sequoia Lodge, one of Adelaide’s most decadent new luxury accommodation set in the shadows of Mount Lofty Estate.

OF GROWTH 32 SEEDS

Three former Pro-invest Group

executives have joined to engineer their own investment opportunities.

FULL OF STARS 34 ARecap NIGHT the glitz and glamour from another grand night for the accommodation industry at the 2021 HM Awards.

59 HM AWARDS PARTNERS HM Awards Presentation Partners share their experiences from the evening.

THE CHAIN 64 LINKING

Suppliers of hotel appliances and

ancillaries have pivoted toward local manufacturers during the pandemic.

COMPLIANCE 68 COVID

The complexities of various and fluid health

requirements in the new travel environment have been made easier with a new data link.

TO GROW 72 LEARN

As hotels bring on new staff, e-learning

is going to play a major role in upskilling and career development for new staff.

NUANCES 74 NEWBUILD

Interior designers share their visions for

34

28

The 2021 HM Awards were held at Sydney Town Hall Sequoia lodge is one of the hottest openings of 2021

74

how they see newbuild hotels fitting in to the 'new normal' travel environment.

76 FLY HIGH WITH FRANCHISING Leading hotel operators discuss the challenges

associated with attracting and retaining new franchisees eager to operate their own business.

HM Q&A BARR 16 KEITH

HM exclusively sits down with IHG Hotels Resorts CEO, Keith Barr, to get his global outlook, top trends and much more.

Regulars DITOR’S LETTER 08 EJames Wilkinson on a dazzling 2021 HM Awards night.

TO KNOW 09 NEED

The 20 essential stories you need to

know this month - spanning operations, development and tourism industry news.

22

On the cover

Marriott International Area Vice President, Sean Hunt at the JW Marriott Gold Coast

Holiday Inn Werribee

COVER STORY

Presented this month by Marriott International.

82 ON THE MOVE A look at who is moving where this month. hotelmanagement.com.au 7

EDITOR’S LETTER

Recognising Australasia’s finest industry talent

Managing Director

I

Simon Grover

t was an absolute thrill to be on stage at Sydney Town Hall to open the 2021 HM Awards for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence, presented by Sealy Posturepedic, on December 3 as one the only nation-wide industry events to be held in the last six months.

We gave out 100 awards this year and I was extremely proud we could reward many amazing industry stars after one of the most challenging years in history for the Australasian accommodation industry.

We received over 1,250 entries for the 2021 HM Awards, back on par with our record levels in 2019, and amongst them are were so many talented individuals and teams.

The entries this year – from chefs to housekeepers, five-star resorts and apartment hotels – were incredible and was a significant challenge to decide the winners and in some categories, I wish we could have given awards to all of the finalists.

What was also fantastic was the support of our major partners who have once again made this event happen, including our presentation partner Sealy, our entertainment and AV partner Foxtel Business and co-hosts AHS, the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School and for the first time, Hostplus, which are now a major sponsor following their merger with our longstanding partner Intrust Super.

Without these major sponsors – many of whom have been aligned with the event during the last 19 years – and our Award Presenters and Supporting Companies this event would not be able to happen. On behalf of the HM Magazine team, thank you again for your support.

We have a special feature dedicated to the HM Awards (p34) and again I’d like to congratulate all of the winners and highly commended recipients.

Also in this issue, we get the global outlook from IHG Hotels and Resorts CEO Keith Barr, check-in to the stunning new Sequoia lodge in the Adelaide Hills and much more.

Enjoy the issue, have a wonderful and safe festive season and I look forward to your feedback as always.

James Wells

Editor–In–Chief

James Wilkinson jwilkinson@intermedia.com.au

Deputy Editor

Matt Lennon mlennon@intermedia.com.au

Group Commercial Manager

Tara Ducrou tducrou@intermedia.com.au

Contributing Writers

Michael Johnson, Richard Munro and James Doolan

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

James Wilkinson, Patrick Griffin OAM and Richard Munro

Yours in hospitality,

Publisher

41 Bridge Road, Glebe NSW 2037, Australia. (PO Box 55, Glebe NSW 2037, Australia) Tel: +61 (0) 2 9660 2113 Fax: +61 (0) 2 9660 4419 ABN 940 025 836 82

James Wilkinson Editor–In–Chief

In association with

Sydney Town Hall

MEET THE HM TEAM…

James Wells Publisher

Matt Lennon Deputy Editor

8 HM The Business of Accommodation

Tara Ducrou Group Commercial Manager

Adrian Tipper Creative Director

DISCLAIMER This publication is published by Travel Business Media Pty Ltd (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. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.

Copyright © 2021 – Travel Business Media Pty Ltd.

21

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

Simon McGrath to join Crown Resorts The Accor impresario is embarking on a new challenge.

Praise from Bazin

Accor President and CEO, Sébastien Bazin, pays tribute to the departing Simon McGrath “We would like to thank Simon for his exceptional contribution and leadership over the past 15 years. Simon has led the Pacific team with outstanding drive, flair and passion, with a total focus on delivering the best customer service. During this time the business has grown to where it currently sits today, with almost 400 hotels throughout Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia and Fiji. We would like to wish Simon all the very best in his new endeavours. Moving forward, a selection process for Simon’s successor has started and we expect to make an announcement shortly.”

CROWN RESORTS HAS recruited Accor Pacific CEO, Simon McGrath, to the role of Chief Executive Officer at Crown Sydney and Group Head of Hospitality.

McGrath is one of Australia’s most accomplished hoteliers over the past 30 years, having played a major role in growing Accor to almost 400 hotels across the region and leading a team of over 18,000 employees.

He has been a multi-winner of the Australasian Hotelier of the Year at the HM Awards, has championed industry with local, state and federal governments and also recently served as Vice President of the Accommodation Association of Australia.

He has over three decades of experience in the hotel sector and has served for the past 15 years as the head of Accor in the Pacific region following senior leadership roles with Southern Pacific Hotels and Rydges Hotels and Resorts.

McGrath is also a recipient of the Member of the Order of Australia for his services to the promotion of Australian tourism internationally, an accolade bestowed in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List of 2019.

In his new role, McGrath will work to further establish Crown Sydney as he takes charge of all operations, marketing, branding and business development for the resort, which is nearing its first birthday.

He will report directly to Crown Resorts CEO and Managing Director, Steve McCann.

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Auckland’s hotel owners celebrated the news 02

Industry to develop global sustainability framework WTTC joint initiative will set targets for the sector worldwide.

AN INITIATIVE TO create a single common and globally recognised definition for hotel sustainability has been launched to establish the industry’s position on the issue and promote sustainable travel and tourism.

The effort, spearheaded by the World Travel and Tourism Council and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance will also include input from more than 25,000 individual properties around the world, leading hotel groups and key stakeholders and aims to see the industry align with targets set during the COP21 Paris Accord in 2015.

In line with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance’s ‘Pathway to Net Positive’, a Basic Sustainability Framework will be devised to enable every hotel worldwide to improve their environmental impact, regardless of their starting point. The Framework will consist of four clear stages, each featuring a variety of useful tools and best practice benchmarks to gradually guide the industry towards having a regenerative impact on the planet.

The framework will aim to appeal to hotels of all sizes, regardless of whether they operate independently or are aligned with a management network and provide a common understanding and list of actions that will drive real change.

Hotel groups already signed up include Accor, Barceló Hotel Group, Indian Hotels Company, Deutsche Hospitality, Melia Hotels International, Minor Hotels and Jin Jiang International Holdings, owners of the Radisson Hotel Group. These and many other groups have already introduced a variety of sustainability efforts in dayto-day operations which continue to be implemented across their global networks.

More global groups are expected to sign on during the initial development stages.

10 HM The Business of Accommodation

03

Auckland’s controversial ‘bed tax’ finally squashed The hugely unpopular levy has been laid to rest, hopefully for good.

NEW ZEALAND’S COURT of Appeal has sided with the accommodation industry and ruled that Auckland Council’s controversial ‘bed tax’ is invalid and cannot be implemented.

The much-maligned APTR, or Accommodation Provider Targeted Rate, was a financial impost established in 2017 by Auckland Council and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), of which hotels would have paid 100% despite only receiving around 10% of the overall visitor spend in New Zealand. The tax has been widely condemned by the hotel sector and members of the New Zealand Government, including then-Tourism Minister, Paula Bennett.

The APTR was suspended, initially for 12 months, in April 2020 in an effort to help hotel owners navigate what were then the early months of a largely unknown pandemic.

Led by Commercial Accommodation Rate Payers Steering Committee Chairman and CPG Hotels Director of Hotel Operations, Terry Ngan, and backed by hotel industry leaders across the city, the primary argument by the hotel sector against the tax was the lack of direct benefit hotels would receive in return for paying it. After reviewing the process by which the APTR was set, this view was supported by the Court of Appeal.

04

One of the hotel’s 189 guest rooms

Marriott sets up in Melbourne’s Docklands First new-build Marriott in Australia in 20 years.

The first newly built Marriott hotel to open its doors in Australia in two decades is now welcoming guests following the debut of Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands.

Australia’s newest Marriott hotel features 189 rooms offering views over the city skyline, Port Phillip Bay and the Bolte Bridge along with guest facilities headlined by a striking infinity-edge rooftop swimming pool and bar.

The new presence also marks the Australian debut of Marriott International’s M Club lounge concept, which is open 24 hours per day to Platinum, Titanium and Ambassadortiered members of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty club and to guests staying on executive floors.

Inside, guests can enjoy daily breakfast, all-day refreshments and cocktails in the evening across a variety of seating arrangements.

Dining at the new hotel is led by the refined Australian cuisine at Archer’s. Guests can also access the mixed-use hotel lobby café and bar, Ada’s, which offers a space to work, socialise or enjoy some light snacks and drinks.

Melbourne’s coffee culture is also firmly represented with Corsia serving premium and locally roasted coffee blends and a European inspired menu of light bites, while evening entertainment can be enjoyed at Sunset House, which will overlook daily Melbourne sunsets and is located next to the rooftop pool.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 05

IHG flips the work and life balance to push recruitment

Traditional HR rules have been turned on their head.

The new structure has been designed to appeal to employees

PROSPECTIVE AND EXISTING employees at IHG Hotels and Resorts will soon have the freedom to relocate to any suitable vacancy at any of the network’s hotels under a revolutionary flexible work arrangement to be introduced.

In an effort to stimulate the jobs market and meet its recruitment and operation targets, the company has launched the new ‘myFlex’ HR system, whereby employees active under the system can self-schedule their own hours at any IHG managed hotel in Australia, while being paid under the full terms and benefits of the Hospitality Industry General Award (HIGA) or above.

The new highly flexible arrangements are an effort by IHG to appeal to both new and experienced workers and address a critical skills shortage plaguing the sector as a whole. The company is aiming to fill 600 urgent vacancies and another 3,000 by the end of 2022.

Once inducted, workers can log-in to the company’s new UKG-powered platform and amend their available hours at any time, provided they work a prescribed minimum over a predetermined period. Workers can then bid for shifts as listed by the hotel they wish to work at.

Any employee moving hotels will need to undertake a short onboarding hotel and brand process before starting their first shift.

Flexible workers will have access to the full suite of employee benefits available under the company’s recently launched ‘IHG myBenefits’ program, including paid parental leave and days off for wellness endeavours, personal projects and even their birthday.

06

Mövenpick continues its journey north to Brisbane The decadent Swiss brand has signed its third Australian location.

SWISS HERITAGE HOTEL brand, Mövenpick, is continuing its march north along Australia’s east coast, with Accor confirming the marque will conquer Brisbane as the next destination to be added to its portfolio.

In partnership with development group Keylin, Mövenpick will star in a newbuild dualtower project in the Brisbane suburb of Spring Hill, in an area continuing its evolution as an emerging cultural enclave on the border of the city’s Victoria Parklands.

Featuring 96 rooms over 15 storeys, Mövenpick Hotel Brisbane Spring Hill will amaze guests with a two-storey lobby with eight-metre ceilings, marble columns and terrazzo flooring. The exterior will offer an elevated garden façade, with each room offering views of the city. The development’s adjacent second tower will feature private residences exclusively.

The hotel will deliver on its famous brand hallmarks, including its daily ‘Chocolate

Hour’, where guests can sample and purchase a range of delicacies bearing the Mövenpick name. Guest facilities at the hotel will include a 25-metre swimming pool, a restaurant and bar, fitness centre and conference facilities.

The announcement caps off a massive year for the Mövenpick brand, which in one year has made its mark on Australia, debuting in Hobart in January before opening in Melbourne last month.

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Hasta la vista to 2021

By Richard Munro CEO, Accommodation Association FINALLY, 2021 IS nearly over and I think you will all join me in saying ‘Hasta la vista, baby!’ The Accommodation Association recently hosted some live events, attracting hundreds of members which was just fantastic to see everyone together and sharing their perspective on what was a harrowing year by any measure for our industry.

What I learned from the events was that we can stage live events finally in Victoria and New South Wales, and everyone is craving them, which is a great sign. And that Associations are the best place to get together to talk through the industry’s issues in a collegiate way for our members.

And those discussions held solidified that our advocacy is working and that the staff crisis is now upon us. Our focus has been advocating for sensible health orders measures and together with TAA, we have been lobbying various state governments for policy to allow our members’ businesses to trade and clarity on who can enter our buildings with mixed success.

As of writing this column, we are still having awkward conversations with both staff and our customers on vaccination policies that have not been handed down from state governments. Our attention in 2022 will be turning to solving the staffing crisis and ensure support from government is available to drive demand for our product.

Congratulations to every person and property nominated in the recent HM Awards. And from the entire team at the Accommodation Association, we wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

hotelmanagement.com.au 11

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 07

Oaks Hotels spreads its wings into Egypt Home-grown brand heading into new territory.

An illustration of Oaks Egypt New Capital Apartments Suites embassies and many international corporate headquarters.

Oaks Egypt New Capital Apartments and Suites will feature 400 guest rooms, suites and apartments across two wings which will be connected both at the rooftop and along a vast ground floor retail complex. Guests will find 197 suites, studio and multi-bedroom apartments in one wing, with 203 guest rooms allocated to the other.

Facilities will include a lobby lounge, fitness centre, day spa, meeting and coworking spaces, several restaurants and a rooftop pool deck. The hotel is owned by private real estate firm, Margins Development which is highly active in Cairo.

Hyatt Centric Melbourne features 244 rooms

08

Hyatt Centric brand debuts in Melbourne The full-service brand aims to deliver authentic local experiences.

DESTINATION IMMERSION BRAND Hyatt Centric has made its long-awaited debut in Australia, opening its contemporary doors in Melbourne.

Located on Downie Street, the 25-storey Hyatt Centric Melbourne features 244 rooms along with guest facilities such as fitness centre and indoor 25-metre pool.

The ground floor Allie Lane café becomes the latest addition to the city’s famed coffee laneway culture, while dining offerings also include the Mediterranean inspired Toma Restaurant and Bar, headed by Melbourne chef Jordan Monkhouse.

Hyatt says the hotel’s interiors reflect the character of Melbourne’s urban fabric with tessellated tiles and custom-designed rugs adorning guest rooms and internal brickwork harking back to the Victorian era. Custom brass and gold sculptures by Suzie Stanford reflect the Gold Rush era of the mid-1800s.

12 HM The Business of Accommodation

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The Oaks Hotels, Resorts and Suites brand will make its debut in Egypt after Minor Hotels signed a management agreement to bring the label to a mixed-use development in a sprawling new metropolis under development east of Cairo.

Construction will begin next year on Oaks Egypt New Capital Apartments and Suites, which will be located within what is currently known as the Egyptian New Administrative Capital – a futuristic city rising from the sands 45 kilometres east of the current capital. The new urban centre is the centrepiece in Egypt’s 2015 Master Plan and when complete in 2025, will house the entire Egyptian Government, ministries, foreign

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by Marriott prescribed for Perth The upscale brand will open in a new health precinct.

THE FORTHCOMING MURDOCH Health and Knowledge Precinct under development outside of Perth’s CBD will include a Courtyard by Marriott hotel, following the signing of a new management agreement with Marriott International.

In partnership with Western Australia property developer, Hesperia, the newbuild Courtyard by Marriott Perth, Murdoch, will comprise 150 rooms and a variety of dining facilities including an all-day restaurant with semi-open kitchen, a café and bar.

In time, facilities will expand to include a fitness centre and a meeting room.

The newly signed property marks the debut of the Courtyard brand in Western Australia and will become the brand’s fifth site in Australia.

The Murdoch Health and Knowledge urban centre will be situated around 10 minutes from the Perth CBD and 25 minutes from Perth Airport. It will also be near to Murdoch University including a large tertiary hospital and South Metro TAFE. Facilities at the health hub are expected to include a 40-room mental health hospital, 60-room medi-hotel and a 175-bed aged care facility along with recreational offerings, cafes, bars and a supermarket, NDIS approved residential apartments and a commercial office building.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

11

Hilton Garden Inn heads west with Sydney signing The value brand has set its sights on its third Australian state.

Dorsett Gold Coast sits within The Star complex at Broadbeach

10

Dorsett Gold Coast sets Boxing Day for its debut

A date has been set for the brand’s long-awaited debut.

HONG KONG HOTEL brand Dorsett Hospitality International will make its grand debut in Australia on December 26 with the opening date revealed for Dorsett Gold Coast.

The 313-room property sits within the multi-tower labyrinth that is The Star Gold Coast’s expanding profile on Broadbeach Island. It will occupy part of the first new tower that has been underway at the site since 2019, with an estate of 423 residential apartments managed by The Star Residences sitting directly above.

Dorsett Gold Coast will be fronted by a six-storey podium which will house the guest reception and a variety of dining and retail offerings.

A boardwalk will link the hotel to The Star Grand property in the complex’s flagship building next door. Guest facilities will include a variety of bars and restaurants, a theatre and flexible conference and meeting rooms.

Construction at Dorsett Gold Coast reached its crescendo in September, with the property’s General Manager announced just beforehand. The brand has declared its intentions for Australia in a big way, revealing further additions to the network in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Melbourne are in the pipeline for the years to come.

THE AUSTRALASIAN PIPELINE for the Hilton Garden Inn brand has grown to five after Hilton revealed plans to introduce the brand to Kingswood, in Sydney’s western suburbs, as part of a redeveloped Nepean Health Club precinct.

On track to open in 2023, the new-build Hilton Garden Inn Sydney Kingswood will feature 140 rooms and has been signed in partnership with property developer, Boston Global.

Nepean Health Club has earmarked an extensive AUD$1 billion redevelopment plan which will see it increase its capacity to meet the growing region’s health care and social assistance needs.

The new hotel will feature within this redevelopment and will also be a short walk to Western Sydney University’s Penrith campus as well as many local cultural and recreational attractions. It will also be located 64 kilometres from Sydney’s existing Kingsford Smith Airport and 16 kilometres from the new Badgerys Creek Airport, which is due to begin passenger service in 2026.

Facilities for guests and visitors will include a full-service restaurant and bar, meeting facilities, fitness centre, rooftop bar and 24-hour ‘Grab and Go’ self-serve retail store offering beverages, treats and other essentials.

Hilton Garden Inn Sydney Kingswood is tipped for a 2023 opening

12

Kimpton Sydney adopts Margot and reveals opening GM An experienced hotelier will lead Kimpton’s local debut.

m

i K

THE FORTHCOMING DEBUT of the Kimpton brand in Sydney will see the hotel adopt ‘Margot’ as its local operating name in line with its brand standards which sees each hotel take on a unique identity and visual representation.

Further, experienced luxury hotelier Bruce Ryde has been unveiled as the hotel’s opening General Manager and has joined the property ahead of its January opening.

Ryde is no stranger to IHG, having previously served with the company overseeing the InterContinental, Hotel Indigo and Kimpton brands in various roles across the Asia-Pacific. His new role will coincide with duties acting as a brand guardian for the luxury and lifestyle property portfolio operated by Pro-invest Group – owners of Kimpton Margot Sydney.

Situated in the former Sydney Water Board building on Pitt Street in the Sydney CBD, Kimpton Margot Sydney will be committed to fostering “genuine human connections through encouraging authenticity” and heartfelt service. The hotel is owned by Pro-invest Group, which acquired the property earlier this year from Greenland Australia.

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PARTNERSHIP

ENGINEERING

HEALTHY STAYS

The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer can be found in-room at Pier One Sydney Harbour 14 HM The Business of Accommodation

When you’re staying this close to the glamorous nightlife around Sydney Harbour, you’ll want to be looking and feeling your best. Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection, has invested in Dyson's pioneering technologies to create healthier guest experiences. HM caught up with General Manager, Kim Mahaffy, to find out more.

DYSON NEWS

Dyson is all about problem solving technologies that create healthier spaces and hair styles. What is the philosophy of Pier One Sydney Harbour hotel? And what kind of experience are you aiming to offer to your guests through in-room amenities?

What feedback do you get from your guests about the Dyson products that can be found in Pier One Sydney Harbour?

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I think the overarching response is ‘wow’. Having Dyson products adds another layer of luxury to the hotel and I think it really adds some great value for the guest, which leaves them very impressed. Our guests love the Dyson Supersonic hair dryers and appreciate being able to create quality styles in their guest room.

What Dyson products does Pier One Sydney Harbour offer to its guests and use within the hotel, and what benefits to guest hygiene does Dyson bring to the hotel?

I think the design of the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer speaks for itself.

People instantly know it’s a Dyson and it adds a level of quality and luxury to the guest experience, so they know what they’re getting is a really high performance product to dry their hair. I get that feedback from both men and women.

e want to offer guests a premium experience with top quality products, such as Australian made Hunter Lab skin care, and Dyson supersonic hair dryers. Our guests appreciate thoughtful quality, and we want them to feel at home when they stay with us.

We have equipped our washrooms with Dyson Airblade V hand dryers.

We have Dyson Supersonic hair dryers, Dyson Corrale straighteners on request and we have Dyson Hot+Cool air purifiers in the suites and on request in the rooms.

What is your favourite Dyson product and why?

I have a Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and I also love the Dyson Corrale hair straightener. That would also be the most exciting Christmas present I could get this year. Other straighteners I feel dry your hair out, but the Dyson Corrale hair straightener actually is really healthy for my hair.

How do you feel the presence of the Dyson Supersonic hair dryers enhances the appeal of the hotel?

Would you recommend Dyson products to other hoteliers and why?

We love the quality of the Dyson products and are pleased with our choice to invest in them for our guest experience. They add an extra layer of luxury to our hotel and they’ve given our associates extra pride, while guests see added value. n

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We want to offer our guests the best bathroom experience, to ensure that their day out or night in begins in the best possible way! An amazing hair experience will support this. We think a lot about how our guest experience looks and feels from start to finish. We feel the match between Dyson and Pier One is ideal.

The world’s best hotels scrutinise every detail to enhance the guest experience. Built on the historic Pier One beneath Sydney Harbour Bridge, the hotel underwent a major transformation, finishing in 2019, to offer a more enriching, contemporary lifestyle experience – while still celebrating its industrial heritage.

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Why did you choose Dyson products for Pier One Sydney Harbour? What was it about Dyson and the science and engineering behind its technologies that caught Pier One Sydney Harbour’s attention?

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How important is maintaining high levels of hygiene for guests in the post-lockdown and recovery phase? What specific measures have you taken to ensure guest health and safety?

The health and safety of our guests and associates is our number one priority, we have implemented a Commitment to Cleanliness with enhanced cleaning protocols and technology. I think in particular now, more than ever, a Dyson Hot+Cool air purifier is a really important aspect for people to feel really comfortable in the space that they’re staying in the hotel, sso it gives them the personal comfort and assurance that the air they’re breathing has been purified by Dyson engineered technologies, offering consistent high performance backed by science.

“We chose Dyson products because they add an extra layer of luxury to our hotel.”

Pier One Sydney Harbour General Manager, Kim Mahaffy

Kim Mahaffy, Pier One Sydney Harbour hotelmanagement.com.au 15

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

The new HotelMotel concept in Adelaide 13

A summer of great possibility

By Michael Johnson CEO, Tourism Accommodation Australia

IT HAS BEEN a while since I have been able to write a truly positive column about our industry. But after a dark and lonely winter, it seems we are finally emerging into a summer of great possibility. Things are opening up domestically in our largest markets, NSW and Victoria, with intrastate travel allowed and quarantine requirements eased for interstate travellers. With the Queensland border set to open on 17 December, we may see some positive Christmas numbers for our struggling members.

CBD hotels across the country will be slower to bounce back to profitability, particularly with corporate travel not really mooted till early 2022. Staff shortages will continue to be a major issue especially as we see room numbers increasing, but we are seeing some positive signs there too.

Some international students are already returning. In NSW, a pilot program is seeing 500 students a fortnight arriving, having commenced in late November.

Similar programs are also underway in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and the ACT, along with an anticipated slow return of Working Holiday Makers in 2022.

It is good to see some movement on these programs, but we will need continued Federal and State government support to get anywhere near the requirements of the current staffing shortfall. Hotels now are in as good a position as they have been in 18 months and once we see all restrictions removed, state and international travel open up, we can finally return to some form of profitable trade.

16 HM The Business of Accommodation

Event Hospitality to redefine motel experience New concept is the second of three new Independent Collection properties.

EVENT HOSPITALITY HAS introduced the second of three new properties joining the company’s Independent Collection in Adelaide as part of its management agreement with 208 South Terrace Pty Ltd. Event Hospitality has unveiled ‘HotelMotel, under which it says it is aiming to redefine motel accommodation in Australia. Located opposite Adelaide Park, the new HotelMotel features 61 rooms which have received an entirely new look, with bright orange doors and matted navy and black finishes.

Inside, guests will have access to a Smart TV, minibar, free WiFi, espresso machine

with coffee pods, bathroom amenities and a hairdryer. Check-in can be completed using the HotelMotel smartphone app, which also allows guests to order share plates and dishes for room service. The new property will be led

by Sam Farrington as General Manager, who was appointed earlier this year to oversee the three properties in a cluster role.

The arrival of HotelMotel follows the introduction earlier this year of The Terrace Hotel Adelaide – the first of the three new additions to the Independent Collection under the new management deal which saw a total of 208 rooms added to the burgeoning stable.

14

Quest signs new locations across Australia Blacktown and Truganina joining the portfolio.

QUEST APARTMENT HOTELS will set up new locations in the western suburbs of both Sydney and Melbourne thanks to new signings inked with burgeoning developments in both cities.

In Sydney, the serviced apartment operator will occupy the top 11 floors in a new 23-storey mixed-use development underway by Gitane Living in the city of Blacktown. Expected to open in the first half of 2023, the brand will sit alongside ground floor retail and private residences within the AUD$30 million building.

Quest Blacktown will feature 82 keys across a variety of studio and multi-bedroom apartments, each featuring selfcontained internal facilities including kitchen and laundry equipment.

Down south in Victoria, the brand has also signed to grow its presence in the outer western suburbs of Melbourne, with a new 75-room property to open in the suburb of Truganina.

Quest Truganina will sit within four of the building’s six levels, offering a mix of studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments along with ground-floor reception, conference room, business lounge and fitness centre. Construction will begin in the second half of 2022 with completion currently scheduled for late 2023.

Quest Blacktown will feature 82 apartments

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

minutes with...

DR JERRY SCHWARTZ

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Hotel owners like Dr Jerry Schwartz don’t aim to be ahead of the curve – they aim to BE the curve. As 2021 winds down and the industry looks to what it hopes will be a much brighter 2022 loaded with positivity and recovery, HM finds out what plans the good doctor has on his drawing board for the next 12 months.

How ready are your properties to welcome back travellers once borders start to reopen?

Physically, we have used the past two years, when the hotels have been closed, to upgrade areas like lobbies, bars and kitchens, which are hard to work on when the hotels are operating. We were able to totally renovate the Paradise Resort Gold Coast as well as upgrade the Hilton Surfers Paradise, and these are now really well-positioned to make the most of the Christmas / January holiday season.

Hotels such as the Sofitel Darling Harbour have used the time during lockdown to develop a ‘Welcome Back’ plan for their team as well as redefine how they intend to deliver luxury service in the future. Every employee was put through a welcome back induction program to ensure they were fully ready and motivated for the restart.

Do you believe business travellers and those fluent with contactless technology will best suit the immediate travel environment while new staff are found and trained?

Even before COVID struck, I was championing contactless check-in and greater mobile guest functionality. Health and safety will be critical aspects of travel if we are to see corporate travellers return, and while many travellers will want the traditional interface with staff, others won’t, and we are gearing up to meet the demands of all travellers.

I have introduced contactless F&B ordering in many of my restaurants, as well as room service, using QR codes, and providing menus on guests’ own devices. We are looking at new ways of handling conferences and events with much greater emphasis on contactless interaction for delegates.

While vaccination rates are high, do you feel you may lose some staff members who, for whatever their own reasons may be, remain hesitant to get the jab?

My Paradise Resort Gold Coast was the first hotel in Australia to mandate staff vaccination because we have such a high percentage of under-12 guests, so it was our duty of care to have all the team double vaccinated. All the staff embraced the move without exception because they understood their responsibilities. Across my whole portfolio of hotels, there’s barely been any staff who have not agreed to vaccination.

A similar situation applies with resorts such as Fairmont Resort in the Blue Mountains and Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley where guests, staff and suppliers are not even allowed through the entrance gates unless they can prove double vaccination.

What are some of the coolest ways you’re seeing hotels embrace sustainability in their everyday operations?

I am all for programs such as towel re-use, but in reality if we are being serious about sustainability we need far greater commitments, which is why I have invested millions into renewable energy resources on my properties in the Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley. Even in the city, I partnered with renewable energy group Earthconnect to install a micro inverter system, which comprises 357 panels covering 88% of the rooftop of the Mercure Sydney. It not only powers a lot of the hotel’s energy requirements, but guests can see it translate directly into their electric cars throughout battery charge stations. I think sustainability has to be about substance, not gimmickry.

Do you see 2022 as a fresh start for the accommodation sector? What are some of your New Year’s Resolutions for your portfolio?

Next year will see a cautious return of leisure tourism, especially as there will be many people who will be sceptical about venturing overseas.

Hence, they will travel regionally and come to city hotels to attend events, see shows and connect with family and friends.

My new year plans (or resolutions) are to introduce more leisure facilities, especially for kids. This includes an ice-skating rink, roller coasters, and even a body parts anatomy museum. We While closed during lockdown, Dr Schwartz carried out are going to have to fight even improvements to many of harder to win back corporate his hotels, including Hilton and conference travellers, the Surfers Paradise. lifeblood of our city hotels.

It will mean some fresh new initiatives, especially from a technology point of view, but it will also mean being flexible and agile to be able to anticipate and address market swings. We need to be ahead of the curve, because competition is going to be intense. But hospitality is not just about facilities and technology, it is about hospitality – how you look after your guests. n hotelmanagement.com.au 17

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THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

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Sofitel Adelaide offers 251 spacious guest rooms 16

South Australian Premier cuts ribbon to open Sofitel Adelaide A taste of French flair has arrived in Adelaide’s newest five-star hotel.

A HOST OF dignitaries, investors and industry executives were on hand as South Australian Premier, Steven Marshall, officially cut the ribbon recently to open the new Sofitel Adelaide.

Joined by Daniel Palumbo from Palumbo Group, owner and developer of the AUD$150 million property, a grand opening event was held on-site to mark the hotel’s first night in business.

Sofitel Adelaide occupies the lower 24 storeys of Palumbo Group’s new 32-storey mixed-use tower in central Adelaide and features a striking glass exterior sure to make the building one of the most recognisable in the city. The hotel has 251 guest rooms and suites across six categories, helmed by the palatial Presidential Suite, which features an open living room, separate dining room, walk-in closet, private study and a spacious master bedroom with separate ensuite.

Guests staying in Luxury Club rooms will have access to the Club Millésime private lounge, located on Level 10 and serving a la carte breakfast, afternoon tea, evening canapes and personalised check-in and out.

17

Wyndham Garden sprouts up in Christchurch Apartment-style brand has doubled the company’s presence in the city.

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café-style restaurant serving breakfast and lunch utilising free-range local produce.

The property is also located close to a variety of the city’s restaurants and attractions including the new Christchurch Convention Centre, the Avon River and the city’s famed Cardboard Cathedral.

18 HM The Business of Accommodation

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WYNDHAM HOTELS AND RESORTS has opened the doors to its second hotel in Christchurch and second in the country under its Wyndham Garden brand in New Zealand.

Wyndham Garden Christchurch Kilmore Street joins Ramada Suites by Wyndham in New Zealand’s Garden City, with the newest opening taking Wyndham’s overall portfolio in the country to 16.

Opened under a franchise agreement with the Marsden Group, the new hotel features 96 rooms, of which 60 are configured in apartment-style and include a kitchenette, washing machine and clothes dryer for self-contained living.

Guest facilities on-site include a fitness centre, conference room and

18

The Star Gold Coast opens bookings for Residences The company’s maiden foray into apartments is open for sale.

TRAVELLERS SEEKING SELFCONTAINED apartment style accommodation in Southeast Queensland will now have The Star Gold Coast as a viable option after the property officially opened its Residences branded offering to visitors for stays from June 2022.

The Star Residences is a new venture for the hospitality giant and debuts as part of its new 53-storey tower readying for its grand opening on Boxing Day 2021. The company’s initial complement will feature 422 one and two-bedroom apartments on the upper levels of the tower, which will also include the opening of The Dorsett Gold Coast.

Guests staying in The Star Residences will also have access to the newly launched Isoletto Pool Club, an exclusive leisure destination only open to guests staying in-house, including neighbouring hotels The Star Grand, The Darling and The Dorsett. The space will be located on level six and will offer sweeping views of the region’s hinterland and city.

The new facility includes a swimming pool, day beds and private cabanas available to rent along with a restaurant and bar serving a wide variety of drinks and light snacks. A 12-metre viewing deck overlooking Broadbeach will offer great views to guests.

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THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Finding solutions to benefit all

By James Doolan Strategic Director, Hotel Council Aotearoa

The grand lobby at Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne 19

Rendezvous Melbourne unveils grand refurb Classic luxury now in vogue at the historic restored hotel.

THE COMMON SENSE ruling invalidating

the Accommodation Provider Targeted Rate (APTR), perhaps better known as the ‘bed tax’, from the New Zealand Court of Appeal was an early Christmas present for New Zealand’s hotel owners and investors. Hotel Council Aotearoa was not party to the litigation however the subject matter deeply affected our members and all of New Zealand overnight accommodation providers. The Court’s ruling is consistent with HCA’s own submission to Auckland Council calling for the APTR to be permanently removed.

The decision has implications for other business sectors as well, since it addresses what should be taken into account when local authorities seek to impose new targeted rates on industry subsectors. The issue of tourism infrastructure funding is complex and nuanced. HCA has sympathy for Auckland Council’s funding constraints, however the APTR was a poor response.

Central Government’s tax take from tourism is not fully reinvested in the sector, nor is it adequately shared with local authorities to support investment in essential infrastructure.

As a result, New Zealanders get frustrated with overcrowding and local authorities turn to novel fundraising techniques, such as the APTR, to fill the funding gap.

Until the fundamental tourism funding problem is solved, it would be wrong for local authorities or central government to impose any new or increased taxes or charges on the stricken tourism and hospitality sector or its most valuable customers.

Tourism industry organisations – including HCA – remain ready and willing to engage with government on real and lasting solutions to the national tourism funding problem.

20 HM The Business of Accommodation

VICTORIA’S RENDEZVOUS HOTEL MELBOURNE has unveiled the results of a grand property-wide renovation and refurbishment which positions the hotel as one of the city’s finest examples of classic luxury reflecting a bygone palatial era.

The 340-room property managed by TFE Hotels and refreshed by Penny del Castillo from Studio del Castillo has seen historic elements of grandeur and elegance put together with modern standards of technology and creativity. Highlights of the renovated property include 3D printed trompe l’oeil wallpaper and digitally printed carved carpets.

Brass and marble touches have been applied to the Yarra View Perkins Rooms, while the spacious Tompkins Master Suite features a separate living room and Master bedroom.

Rooms now also feature quilted headboards and custom-designed workstations along with elegant mirrors and soft furnishings, while images of quintessential Melbourne adorn the hotel’s walls and natural light plays a major role in the hotel’s new-look spaces.

20

Fable goes big as Christchurch location opens Boutique brand has taken over a 171-room property.

GUESTS ARE NOW being welcomed to Fable Christchurch after the boutique hotel brand opened the doors to its new 171-room presence in the South Island city.

Announced last month, the opening of the new Fable Hotels and Resorts location doubles the growing brand’s presence on New Zealand’s South Island, adding to its debut presence in Dunedin.

A soft refurbishment as part of the property’s rebranding has been completed, with work now underway on a more significant transformation, due for completion in May, to apply the brand’s hallmarks and a new look to guest facilities including an all-day restaurant.

Staff outside the new Fable Christchurch

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 21

Accor secures naming rights at Stadium Australia Sydney’s home of major events now known as Accor Stadium.

STADIUM AUSTRALIA AT Sydney Olympic Park is now known as Accor Stadium, with the global hotel and lifestyle giant securing the naming rights to Sydney’s flagship venue.

Holding up to 100,000 in concert layout, Accor Stadium, as it is now known, has hosted major entertainment and sporting events each year ranging from international music acts such as AC/DC, U2 and Ed Sheeran as well as the Olympic Games back in 2000.

The stadium is Sydney’s go-to venue for major sporting contests and has seen the NRL Grand Final and State of Origin, Bledisloe Cup and FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, including the iconic moment in 2005 for Australia’s Socceroos when John Aloisi’s successful penalty propelled the country into a state of national euphoria and qualification for its first

FIFA World Cup in more than three decades.

Under its new name, Accor Stadium will also provide a range of new perks for members of the company’s ALL – Accor Live Limitless loyalty program, with points able to be redeemed for a variety of money-can’t-buy experiences. The stadium will soon see a new 1,200 square metre LED screen which will be one of many new fan-friendly highlights of the venue.

Accor Pacific CEO, Simon McGrath, said securing the naming rights for the ground was a natural partnership and a way to provide its guests and customers with more memorable experiences beyond their hotel stay.

“Accor is dedicated to creating incredible customer experiences, and Accor Stadium firmly aligns with this vision,” McGrath said.

JVD - Add a French touch to your guest rooms Leading the way in quality and sustainability Developed by hoteliers for hoteliers Globally leading for over 35 years Environmental and energy efficient Innovative technology and design Globally respected, locally focused

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Accor Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park

PROMOTION

Marriott International's Sean Hunt and Australian tennis ace Ash Barty

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL’S

GRAND SLAM

Marriott International has hit a winning serve with the Australian Open Grand Slam, partnering with tennis ace Ash Barty and putting the Bonvoy brand on centre court.

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arriott International is set for a strong year ahead as the company continues to grow its portfolio of extraordinary

brands and award-winning travel program with unrivalled guest experiences in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.

The year kicks off with an exclusive multi-year hotel partnership with Tennis Australia, fronted by world number one and Australian tennis legend, Ash Barty.

Marriott Bonvoy is at the centre of Marriott’s commitment to

providing unrivalled experiential travel possibilities for guests and this exclusive partnership will give Marriott Bonvoy members access to Australia’s most sought after sporting property.

As the official hotel partner for the 2022 Australian Open, members will have access to more than 100 unique Marriott Bonvoy Moments including high profile matches, tennis clinics and Marriott Bonvoy’s private hospitality suite offering exclusive culinary experiences. There will 22 HM The Business of Accommodation

also be the opportunity to get up close with the stars of tennis including Ash Barty, Marriott’s ambassador for Australia’s Summer of Tennis.

“Marriott Bonvoy is proud to join with Tennis Australia to host the world’s top sporting talent, their support teams and extensive fan base over Australia’s Summer of Tennis,” said Sean Hunt, Marriott International Area Vice President Australia, New Zealand and Pacific.

“As borders start to reopen, The Australian Open, which kicks off on 17 January, is an outstanding opportunity to put Australia back in the spotlight as a world class destination offering first class accommodations, lifestyle and sporting experiences.”

The Summer of Tennis adds to Marriott Bonvoy’s suite of cultural and sporting events offering ‘money can’t buy’ experiences for members.

Rounding out 2021 and to celebrate the arrival of the first Luxury Collection Hotel, The Tasman in Australia, Marriott International will be the Principal Partner of the Sydney Hobart Classic Yacht Regatta and End of Race Partner of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Maxi-yacht, and race favourite ‘Alive’ will display the Luxury Collection insignia on their main sail as they compete both in Australia and throughout Southeast Asia and host Marriot Bonvoy Members for prerace onboard experiences.

Other highlight partnerships Marriott Bonvoy members can look forward to in 2022 include the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras,

COVER STORY

Diner en Blanc, and TedX bringing members behind-the-scenes, frontrow access, VIP engagement and exclusive culinary experiences.

“Our partnership strategy has been developed from key insights around what is important to the future of travel – we aim to create emotional connections for our guests through personalised experiences, coupled with luxury stays and exceptional service,” says Florencia Aimo, Marriott International Area Director of Marketing – Australia, New Zealand and Pacific.

Unique guest experiences and exclusive sporting and cultural partnerships will be underpinned by a solid pipeline of hotel openings in the region.

By the end of 2022, Marriott International will open 12 new properties including a number of new brand launches in the ANZP region. This expansion will continue with a further 11 properties both signed and in the pipeline to open in the next few years.

“Marriott is optimistic about the future as we continue to expand our brand portfolio. Our commitment to the ANZP region is strong, with a record number of signings over the next few years,” said Hunt.

“Navigating our way around the pandemic, Marriott started the year with the opening of W Melbourne in February, followed by Courtyard

by Marriott in Brisbane South Bank. We’ve recently opened Melbourne Marriott Docklands Hotel, and The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Hobart opens this month – a first for the brand in Australia.”

“In 2022 we look forward to welcoming Courtyard by Marriott Melbourne Flagstaff Gardens, AC Hotel Melbourne Southbank, The RitzCarlton Melbourne and W Sydney Darling Harbour to the portfolio.”

“Marriott is optimistic about the future as we continue to expand our brand portfolio.”

Sean Hunt, Marriott International To support expansion in the region, Marriott is currently recruiting over 200 jobs across Australia, giving hospitality professionals the opportunity to work on world famous brands across all sectors of the business.

Career growth is supported by the Marriott Development Academy (MDA), a platform designed for a diverse global audience and offering a revolutionary approach to learning and development. With MDA, associates have the freedom to build leadership skills or strengthen discipline knowledge in their areas of interest across functions such as Human Resources, Consumer Operations, Food and Beverage, Rooms and Finance.

Marriott has a strong track record and platform for career growth, including internal training and promotion, placing a number of highperforming associates into general manager positions, including first time general managers. Over the past 12 months, Marriott has promoted three such associates, with a further 13 in their Executive Assistant Manager program.

With an exciting year ahead, Marriott International looks forward to welcoming Marriott Bonvoy members, new guests and talented hospitality professionals back to the exciting world of travel. n Barty is Marriott’s ambassador for Australia’s Summer of Tennis

hotelmanagement.com.au 23

HM Q&A

IHG CEO’S POSITIVE GLOBAL OUTLOOK IHG HOTELS AND RESORTS’ CEO, KEITH BARR, SAYS HE’S EXPECTING A “BRIGHT TIME FOR THE HOTEL INDUSTRY GOING FORWARD” ACROSS THE GLOBE AS COUNTRIES OPEN-UP AND DEMAND FOR TRAVEL CONTINUES TO RISE. THAT WAS HIS SENTIMENT AT THE RECENT 44TH ANNUAL NYU INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY INVESTMENT CONFERENCE IN NEW YORK, WHERE HE CAUGHT UP WITH HM’S JAMES WILKINSON TO TALK OUTLOOKS AND MUCH MORE. IHG Hotels and Resorts CEO, Keith Barr

Keith, we’re here at the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference in New York, one of my favourite events of the year and we were talking outlooks before. What’s your general outlook at present for IHG?

I

t’s great to be back in New York and to be in a room with over 1,000 people talking about the recovery of the industry and talking about developing hotels. And I think the recovery has really exceeded everyone’s expectations. And where we’ve been talking about it, like the GFC, was a demand destruction event, whereas COVID has been a demand suppression event.

So as we’ve seen vaccination rates rise and government restrictions lift, you’ve got many markets in many segments that are above 2019 levels. Top end of luxury, resorts, leisure and suburban. So, the areas that are really still challenged are kind of urban - the New Yorks, the Chicagos, the Paris’ and the Londons of the world. But as international travel reopens and groups, meetings and events come back, it’s going to be a bright time for this industry going forward.

We are missing about 20% of the sector, aren’t we, in terms of being without the MICE market and without business travel really firing, it’s hitting about 20% off of what it should be?

Yeah, definitely. If you look here in the United States, we have about 3,000 hotels that are suburban and those hotels are basically at or above 2019 levels. And so, while the industry is still down, that really is the big urban city centres. But what is encouraging right now is that if you want to try to book a convention in Las Vegas, you’re probably talking late 2023 or 2024 as 2022 is booked.

We are seeing a significant increase in MICE demand and corporate travel is coming back. You know, I was at [London] Heathrow the other day and there are a lot of people who look like me carrying a roll aboard in a briefcase, getting on flights, and you can’t get a business class flight right now between Europe and the U.S. since travel opened up again [on Nov 9).

One of your favourite things was re-working the Crowne Plaza brand a number of years ago and you’ve created the Crowne Plaza workspace. That’s been phenomenal and if you look at it going forward, people are going to want that because they’re not used to actually working in the office.

Yeah, you almost think we were a bit prescient in this – we’ve redesigned the open lobby for Holiday Inn, the 24 HM The Business of Accommodation

HM Q&A

Crowne Plaza workspace [and] the way we’ve done Atwell Suites. Most of the new brands have been very focused on building social spaces where people can work, interact and connect. It’s really been a huge uplift to the brands [and] clearly there is going to be significant demand for that going forward as people don’t want to go back to the office five days a week, but also don’t want to be sitting at the dining room table five days a week. They want to find those spaces where they can connect with people and so I think that’s going to be a new source of demand for hotels going forward.

In many countries, people couldn’t really go out, couldn’t do much, but they could go for a walk. So how important is wellness going to be, even in mid-market hotels, where you have to have decent gyms. IHG was at the forefront of that before, but it’s going to take a bit more prevalence going forward.

You’re definitely seeing wellness become more and more

important for people. So, companies are talking about mental health, wellbeing, [and for us] how do our brands need to react and evolve to that trend? So, we already have some brands with that, [like] Even Hotels, [which] is all about wellness. Six Senses Resorts, [which is] clearly about sustainability and wellness. But how does that flow through all of our brands going forward internally? How do we think about sleep, how do we think about food and beverage, how do we think about the environment and how do we think about sustainability overall too? So [it is] definitely a trend that’s here to stay and continuing to grow.

Another one is WiFi. You need to have good WiFi connections in rooms because so many of us are still doing Zoom meetings on the go.

We were one of the leaders in the industry with IHG Connect. When we designed that platform, it truly was industry leading. To be able to walk into a hotel, whether you’re in the social space or in a guest room and if you are an IHG Rewards Club member and you previously registered, it gets recognised. So, I checked into the InterContinental Times Square yesterday, walked in the hotel and it was ‘Welcome Back’ and one click on superfast WiFi, which is critical too. That’s why if I’m having to do a board meeting or an investor presentation or a client pitch, I want to make sure my WiFi is great and I want to go to a hotel where I can depend upon that and we know that’s the case with IHG.

A number of leaders have spoken about what has helped them get through the pandemic.

Any key learnings from you from a leadership standpoint over the past 18 months?

Someone talked to me about this in the elevator today.

He said ‘thank you for how you led through this crisis’.

And I said, well, what do you mean? He goes: ‘You were one of us and it was about authenticity. It was showing care.’ It was me talking to thousands of colleagues from my dining room and saying: ‘it’s okay, we’re going to

The Plaza Workspace at Crowne Plaza Adelaide get through this together.’

Here’s what I know. Here’s what I don’t know. I think it made, hopefully, all of us better, more authentic, caring, compassionate leaders and how we think about running our companies and I think that’s how you’re going to attract and retain the best staff, that’s how you are going to be more competitive going Keith Barr, IHG Hotels and Resorts forward and I think that’s how you’re going to get the best out of your people, too.

So that was my biggest learning. Just being that human with people. And I think that helped us all collectively get through it and be well positioned and IHG is in a great position today moving forward.

“Most of the new brands have been very focused on building social spaces where people can work, interact and connect.”

Which segment do you think is going to carry IHG through in the next 18 months?

I think leisure is here to stay. The consumer globally has somewhere between two trillion and three trillion dollars in their bank accounts they didn’t have before this crisis. They have paid down debt and they are spending it on goods during COVID. But now that they can travel, they’re spending it on shows, restaurants, hotels, plane tickets and experiences too, so I think you’re going to see leisure very, very strong and at the top-end of luxury and lifestyle resorts. There will be almost no pricing sensitivity whatsoever. People want to get out and travel, they want to live life, they want to connect and see things, which is great for our business around the world. n For a video version of the interview, visit hotelmanagement.com.au hotelmanagement.com.au 25

PROMOTION

Sydney will welcome the 25hours Hotels brand in 2023

ACCOR CHANGING THE GAME A

Accor is raising the bar in the realm of lifestyle hotels, recently introducing its game-changing joint venture with Ennismore.

ccor has entered into a new partnership with Ennismore to form the world’s leading lifestyle entity. Owner of The Hoxton and Gleneagles, Ennismore’s merger with Accor signals a lifestyle revolution which will bring the Ennismore know-how in building brands with purpose through creative storytelling, design and authentic experiences together with Accor’s wealth of knowledge in delivering scale, network growth and distribution.

The Ennismore team is made up of some of the brightest doers, thinkers and makers from inside and outside the industry – including an in-house creative studio, fully-integrated restaurant and bars concept platform and a digital product and tech innovation lab, which together creates brands and inspires discovery. The Ennismore portfolio of brands is impressive and includes 21c, 25hours, Delano, Gleneagles, Hyde, Jo&Joe, Mama Shelter, Mondrian, Morgans Originals, SLS, SO/, The Hoxton, Tribe and Working From_.

Sharan Pasricha, Founder and Co-CEO and Gaurav Bhushan, CoCEO, will lead the asset light entity which will run autonomously, 26 HM The Business of Accommodation

comprising 14 hotel and co-working brands and a collection of over 150 culturally relevant and diverse restaurants and nightlife destinations.

Speaking about the joint venture, Sharan Pasricha said: “It’s the start of a new chapter for Ennismore as we become the largest and fastest growing lifestyle hospitality company. I couldn’t be more excited to bring together our unrivalled portfolio of brands in this new entity and share the reins with my long-time friend and now co-CEO, Gaurav.”

Bhushan added: “Our teams are ready and eager to build on each of our unique lifestyle brands, with a dynamic global pipeline, creating an ecosystem of memorable and curated experiences across all our properties.”

Accor Pacific CEO, Simon McGrath, commented: “The opportunities that this relationship brings to Accor, our partners and our guests are immense. Our customers are telling us that they want world-class lifestyle experiences with elevated service and food and beverage offerings. I believe that the choice, quality and creativity borne of this venture will surpass all expectations.”

Accor Pacific SVP Development, Lindsay Leeser, said: “There is great demand from developers to bring the highly desirable Ennismore brands to Australia. Mondrian Gold Coast, 25hours Melbourne and 25hours Sydney will be opening over the next few years and we anticipate more will follow.” n

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“I believe that the choice, quality and creativity borne of this venture will surpass all expectations.”

Simon McGrath, Accor Pacific

Ennismore is a creative hospitality company rooted in culture and community, with a global portfolio of entrepreneurial and founder-built brands with purpose at their heart.

Ennismore curates and manages unique properties and experiences in some of the most exciting destinations around the world. Founded in 2011 by entrepreneur Sharan Pasricha, Ennismore and Accor entered a joint venture in 2021, creating the world’s fastest growing lifestyle hospitality company and bringing together an unrivalled portfolio of global brands. Under the leadership of Founder and Co-CEO, Sharan Pasricha and Co-CEO Gaurav Bhushan, Ennismore comprises 14 hotel and co-working brands and a collection of over 150 culturally relevant and diverse restaurants and nightlife destinations. The portfolio includes 87 operating properties with a further 141 hotels in the pipeline, backed by strong growth from The Hoxton, Mondrian, SLS, SO/ and Tribe and complemented by flagship restaurant brands Bibo, Carna, F’ilia and Seabird.

Ennismore is committed to making a positive impact on the world, with a key focus on creating inclusive communities among its own teams. With an expertise in providing shelter, Ennismore is passionate about providing solutions for homelessness and addressing the many barriers facing the most marginalised people in society.

Hyde Paradiso was the brand’s maiden presence in Australia and can be found on the Gold Coast

hotelmanagement.com.au 27

PROPERTY PROFILE

M ARE ALIVE SEQUOIA LODGE AT MOUNT LOFTY HOUSE HAS MADE ITS DEBUT IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S ADELAIDE HILLS AND THE STUNNING PRODUCT HAS BEEN FIRMLY WORTH THE WAIT, AS JAMES WILKINSON EXPLORED. 28 HM The Business of Accommodation

ount Lofty Estate in the Adelaide Hills threw open its doors in August to Australia’s most luxurious new accommodation offering, Sequoia lodge.

The AUD$18 million addition has been several years in the making and the product is firmly one of the best luxury offerings the nation has ever seen. Overlooking the Piccadilly Valley, Sequoia features 14 luxurious, sustainably designed suites built with the latest in technology and comfort, such as fireplaces and room control panels, alongside natural artesian spring-fed stone hot pools, an infinity pool, new day spa and a campfire amphitheatre.

Sequoia is named after the three giant Californian Redwood trees planted by the original owner, Arthur Hardy, which remain on the property. The property is a passion project for Mount Lofty Estate’s popular owners David Horbelt and Malcolm Bean, who have turned an incredible dream into a stunning reality. Horbelt said the lodge offers guests an “unparalleled journey of discovery based around the region’s iconic food and wine, wellness, history and vast nature experiences allowing guests to delight in the sheer beauty of being”.

“Malcolm and I are delighted to be able to build upon our world-famous luxury offering at neighbouring Mount Lofty House,” Horbelt said.

“At Sequoia, we have created an entirely new level of opulence, every detail has been carefully planned to take guests on a journey that will touch the senses, connect

PROPERTY PROFILE

with the soul and create a pure sense of delight.

He said Sequoia connects guests with the unique stories of the region’s place and they will experience a transcendental journey that revolves around the human senses and the desire to connect and socialise.

“The lodge and its offering were born out of our passion and deep connection with the beauty for this region, we wanted to share our desire to celebrate life and create a sense of place and connection with nature, combined with exemplary personalised service.

“Sequoia truly is unique. We’ve integrated the highest principles of luxury amenity and service with the natural beauty of one of Australia’s most applauded landscapes in the Adelaide Hills,” he said.

Sequoia is led by Mount Lofty Estate’s awardwinning General Manager, Jesse Kornoff, and a team of ‘Experience Hosts’, who guide guests thought a range of unique local bespoke activities themed around the pillars of food and wine, wellness, nature and history.

Kornoff said the experiences take guests on a “journey of learning and self-discovery” that celebrate South Australian stories and many of which are not available to the general public.

“From tasting the abundant local produce and fine-dining cuisine, wellness and rejuvenation to guided nature walks through the bush home of the world’s largest surviving koala population, star gazing, private helicopter tours and intimate tastings with some of Australia’s leading vintners,

Se qu

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lodge

ing has made a stunn

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guests will feature centre stage in the region’s iconic attractions,” he said.

The 75sqm open-plan suites boast 180-degree views of the patchwork Piccadilly Valley below from every part of the suite. Rooms feature sunken lounges complete with stone fireplaces, opulent king-size beds with moon windows, expansive balconies with outdoor daybeds, a hidden television, elevated free-standing bathtubs, switch-glass privacy windows and heated floors.

Horbelt worked with local suppliers, craftsmen and artisans to bring the suites to life, which he said has created “a tranquil oasis with a calming colour palette punctuated by warm accents of wood and stone”.

Each suite features an original oil painting by resident artist Stephen Trebilcock, “renowned for capturing unique local native florals in incredible detail, colour and depth” according to Horbelt.

The carefully curated décor by Horbelt at Sequoia includes an exquisite collection of artisanal pieces and amenities including Nick Mount glass, JamFactory ceramics, Jurlique products, Hahndorf Soap and OrganiQ bath salts.

Dining for guests at Sequoia is at the three-hatted and HM Award-winning Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant, which offers a la carte and degustation menus, alongside one of the most exciting beverages lists in Australia, curated masterfully by Mount Lofty Estate’s Wine Director, Liinaa Berry.

Kornoff said dining options for lodge guests also include private dining on their balconies, elevated regional dining in the Sequoia lounge and access to regular private events. n

t

hotelmanagement.com.au 29

SUPPLIER PROFILE

Hotels can organise their stock and browse catalogues to easily place orders

KEEPING THE FULL Running an efficient food and beverage system can require numerous spreadsheets, stock management, invoicing and accounting programs and extensive and expensive admin. Or it can require just one intuitive program doing it all for you. We stop in with FutureLog’s VP Operations, Benjamin Krieg, to learn more about the one-stop procurement shop.

What are some of the most useful features of the FutureLog program?

F

utureLog’s complete procure-to-pay system offers many unique advantages compared to other systems, specifically our enhanced catalogue management system, interfaced recipe and inventory management and stocktake modules. Our system is further complimented by our advanced mobile app functionality (iOS & Android).

[We are] proudly one of the only major procure-topay solutions offering such a comprehensive suite of functions with desktop and mobile app functionality.

We help customers streamline their stock ordering, inventory management, menu engineering, invoicing (including OCR) and accounts payable, making FutureLog the most comprehensive system of its kind in the Australian market.

Purchasing is supported with real-time price comparisons, automated order sending, tracking of partial deliveries received, invoice matching (matching receiving dockets / invoices to the initial order) and export/interfacing with finance systems.

Our Inventory Management module has automated stock increment/decrements interfaced for items/ recipes on POS for real-time stock management, saving venues hours of manual administration and unnecessary manual data entry.

What are some of the common problems FutureLog is helping hotels solve?

Many venues juggle multiple systems to manage their purchasing, inventory, invoicing and recipes, needing to access them multiple times a day as a result, often paying subscriptions or annual fees for each. FutureLog overcomes this by incorporating all functions and purchases, irrespective of supplier or category, into a single system.

Combined with FutureLog’s low subscription-based model and no upfront capital costs, venues usually save a significant amount of money through system consolidation alone, not to mention the productivity and efficiency gains, and the benefit of being able to convert these processes to a paperless system. We also support 30 HM The Business of Accommodation

comprehensive data backups for audit and reporting requirements.

Our centralised end-toend approach has helped individual venues and national / international groups overcome challenges associated with the combinations of disconnected, non-interfaced and or manual systems.

How long does it take for a hotel to setup FutureLog?

FutureLog Oceania Vice President Operations, Benjamin Krieg

Being cloud-based means we are fast to setup. Restaurants and small hotels are live within weeks; larger venues within a month, including training and supplier connectivity. Available across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, FutureLog’s solutions can also be easily implemented remotely.

How does FutureLog help a business manage the stock it has in-house and alert when more is needed?

“One of our current development projects is a function that automatically creates orders after stock items fall below par level.”

Benjamin Krieg, FutureLog

One of our current development projects is a function that automatically creates orders after stock items fall below par level; allowing the option for a one-click order. [This is] a great example of our customer-centric technology pipeline, and due to be released by year end 2021.

Can you share an example of a hotel that has turned its procurement processes around with the help of Futurelog?

We recently onboarded a hotel that was using another solution. By choosing FutureLog, they not only saved around AUD$10k upfront and AUD$5k annually in subsequent years on the system alone, they now have access to a feature-rich solution that empowers their team and simplifies daily tasks, especially with the use of our mobile app for inventory/stocktake, nearly halving their usual monthly stocktaking hours, and also reduced food costs through our interfaced recipe module, which they previously did manually. n

CONCIERGE CORNER

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A Gold Coast star Stop at the desk of The Star Gold Coast Concierge Supervisor, Wisky Lai. What was your career path to your current position as Concierge Supervisor at the Star Gold Coast?

I

joined The Star Gold Coast in 2016 as a Food and Beverage Attendant while studying for a Bachelor Degree in International Hotel and Tourism Management. After graduating, I had an interview with then Chief Concierge, Mr Christian Espino, before initially beginning as a Porter/Valet for three months and then gradually moving up into my current position in 2019.

With the international travel restrictions and the two most populous southern states having been through prolonged lockdowns, are you finding most of your guests are currently from within Queensland, visiting for a domestic staycation?

Indeed. Most of our guests are from Queensland and usually will stay for three to four nights on average.

Are you finding your domestic guests are as willing to explore the attractions of the Gold Coast to the same degree as interstate and overseas visitors or do they prefer to relax within your property and the more immediate area?

I would say it is a different degree with interstate and overseas visitors. Domestic guests usually have some knowledge within the local areas, and they are more likely to prefer to relax within our property and chill near the beach. On the other hand, interstate and international travellers tend to visit Gold Coast attractions such as theme parks and national parks. The Gold Coast is a fascinating place, as we have several locations and areas that can fit different travel groups.

Of course, wherever they are coming from, we are delighted to accommodate their needs and wants.

Despite the challenges presented by the various COVID restrictions, our Queensland Les Clefs d’Or members have already run a Concierge workshop to develop promising prospective members. As we look to eventually being able to open up again, were you encouraged by the enthusiasm and ability on display in those attending the workshop, and are further workshops being planned?

I absolutely agree, as I believe we have to focus on the future, not only the present.

Les Clefs d’Or workshops allow us to promote Les Clefs d’Or and the professional concierge industry to other industries’ partners and the younger generations, not to mention the practical advantage of the networking involved.

After having already arranged a function with some of the members’ tourism industry associates and also instigated discussions with tourism education contacts, it sounds as though our Queensland members are intending to be proactive and be well and truly ready when the COVID travel restrictions are finally lifted?

Yes, we are 120% ready for the travel restrictions to be lifted. I am sure once international travellers return, we are able to provide our best service to them. We have been maintaining and creating positive relationships with industry partners, business partners and other hotel concierges in keeping with the motto of Les Clefs d’Or in service through friendship. n

Movements behind the desk

By Peter McBrearty, Les Clefs d’Or

DESPITE THE PROLONGED lockdowns in Victoria and NSW and ongoing travel restrictions which continued to challenge the hospitality and tourism industry, rather than

wait for signs of improvement, our members made productive use of the last few months to prepare for the better times we hope lie ahead.

Our Queensland State Director, Christian Espino, has been in discussion with Griffith University about speaking to students on the role of the professional Concierge, while arranging industry placements for hospitality students in members’ hotel properties.

Western Australia State Director, Stuart Spicer, and our members in Perth have been working hard to arrange their second Annual Tourism Expo, and despite the ever-present wildcard effects of the COVID situation, thus far the Expo is looking to be on track to return to Pan Pacific Perth in late November.

Perhaps unsurprisingly during such volatile times, we have experienced several months of movement amongst our members, with Sam Hallett of The Langham Melbourne and Pericles Yiannakis of The Novotel Southbank Brisbane departing for the Corporate Concierge world. Graham Hodgson departed the Hyatt Regency Brisbane to pursue other career options. Meanwhile, James Nobleza has left The Langham, Sydney to take up the position of Chief Concierge at The Tasman, A Luxury Collection Hotel in Hobart. In turn, The Langham Sydney was very happy to welcome Jonathan Fambart to its Concierge team. Finally, we were delighted to welcome a new member in Darren Cousins (formerly of The Corinthia

London), who has accepted the role of Head Concierge at Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley in NSW. We wish Darren and all of our members the best in their various new roles as we look forward to the very welcome return of our domestic and international guests.

hotelmanagement.com.au 31

INVESTMENT Paul Constantinou built Quest Apartment Luke Sullivan, Phil Kasselis Hotels into an industry leader and Ed Faraguna

SEEDS OF T GROWTH THE THREE FORMER PRO-INVEST GROUP EXECUTIVES HAVE JOINED FORCES TO START A NEW FIRM TARGETING ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE REGION. 32 HM The Business of Accommodation

hree former Pro-invest Group executives, Phil Kasselis, Luke Sullivan and Ed Faraguna, have teamed-up to launch Hospitality Private Equity Partners (H-PEP), a new firm targeting acquisition opportunities across the region.

The trio were most recently in leading roles at Proinvest Group – Kasselis was a co-founder and Managing Director of Pro-invest Hotels, Sullivan the Managing Director of Pro-invest Hospitality Asset Management and Faraguna the Group Chief Financial Officer – and will use their extensive time working in senior roles in leading Asia-Pacific hotel investment platforms to uncover opportunities across the region.

Kasselis said the trio bring to the sector substantial expertise in funds management, hotel deal origination, active asset management, development, operations, debt and structuring and the firm would provide its investors access to hotel investment opportunities through a fund structure, separately managed accounts, or direct investment.

INVESTMENT

He said H-PEP is in discussions with investors regarding raising USD$500 million for Asia-Pacific hospitality opportunities and the company has been established to take advantage of the current market cycle in AsiaPacific, targeting hotel investment opportunities “with the potential for adding value through refurbishments, rebranding and revitalisation to optimise performance in the most competitive market environment in decades”.

Kasselis said the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated consumer trends in the tourism sector with astute investors expected to benefit from select hotel assets increasing their market share post pandemic.

“We see the time as being ripe to establish a dynamic and agile company such as H-PEP to enable investors to take advantage of once-in-a-generation circumstances and build value in the hotel sector,” he said.

“There is no doubt that COVID-19 has adversely impacted the performance of many hotels and resorts located across Asia-Pacific.

“The current market cycle presents enormous opportunities to acquire underperforming assets, implement value enhancing asset management strategies, and take advantage of a post-COVID travel recovery in one of the world’s most dynamic regions.

“We are already seeing strong investor appetite in the hotel sector with prominent investment groups such as GIC, Blackstone, Partners Group and KSL Capital Partners active in Asia-Pacific.

“Preqin’s June 2021 report on alternative assets highlighted that from the end of December 2018 to the end of September 2020, dry powder for Asia-Pacific real estate grew by 39%.

“This points towards continued capital inflows to the Asia-Pacific real estate sector and pressure on pricing. As travel recovers, we anticipate capital values in the hotel real estate subsector will benefit from increased capital flows to the region.

“Cushman Wakefield identified in April 2021 that there was $5.4 trillion in excess savings globally (6% of 2019 global GDP).

“An increasing consumer Phil Kasselis, H-PEP preference to spend their disposable income on experiences rather than ‘things’ is expected to lead to strong pent-up demand for travel and hotel accommodation, with Asia-Pacific destinations slated to be a significant beneficiary.

“Launching a private equity real estate platform solely dedicated to investing in hospitality assets is a natural evolution for the three of us.

“Our experience with leading fund managers including Pro-invest Group, Ascendas (now CapitaLand), Colonial First State and Mirvac Group has given us a proven track record in hospitality operations, investment management and asset management.

Kasselis said the company, which has already established a presence in Singapore, will focus on hotels in the upscale, upper-upscale and luxury segments, in gateway cities and resort locations in markets throughout the region. n

“There is no doubt that COVID-19 has adversely impacted the performance of many hotels and resorts located across Asia-Pacific.”

The three private equity experts are targeting Asia-Pacific hospitality opportunities

hotelmanagement.com.au 33

A NIGHT FULL OF

AFTER ANOTHER YEAR PERHAPS BEST CONSIGNED TO HISTORY, THE ACCOMMODATION AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY ACROSS AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND SOUTH PACIFIC TURNED THE PAGE AND BEGAN WRITING ITS NEW CHAPTER OF PROSPERITY AND POSITIVITY AT THE 2021 HM AWARDS.

P

resented once again by Sealy Posturepedic, the 19th edition of the HM Awards for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence saw the industry stand tall and proud of its superstar teams as the best were recognised for a year of rock-solid service and determination in the face of global market turmoil and steely resilience shown above all else.

Donning their finest evening wear, the fully vaccinated contingent deservedly let their hair down, enjoying fine food and beverages, world class entertainment and the company of their peers in a long-sought social environment. It was an elegant setting befitting the hard work and determination of so many to see the dark days of the pandemic through and ushering in brighter times to come.

With more than 430 fully vaccinated attendees in attendance at Sydney Town Hall and several thousand more watching on a LinkedIn live stream, 48 awards were again presented in categories recognising true standouts in fields of property and personnel. Entertainment included standout performances from Blue Train Band and SMA Productions.

34 HM The Business of Accommodation

HM Awards Chief Judge and Founder, HM Magazine’s Editor-InChief, James Wilkinson, said this year was more important than ever to recognise the hard work and dedication of so many individuals and teams.

“HM was proud to produce and present the 2021 HM Awards, particularly one that has again been the most challenging in history for the Australasian accommodation industry,” Wilkinson said.

“We received over 1,250 entries for the 2021 HM Awards, on par with our record number in 2019, and amongst them were so many stars from this amazing industry.

“I’m proud to say the entries this year – from chefs to housekeepers, five-star resorts and apartment hotels – were incredible and it was terrific to see so many staff and properties highlight so many achievements in challenging times.

“The quality of the winners and highly commended recipients represents some of the industry’s finest and well done to everyone in 2021 across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.”

Co-hosted by

In a year when keeping people apart only motivated us all do more for each other, some of the highlights of the evening included recognition of three outstanding hotel groups – Accor New Zealand, Quest Apartment Hotels and Sofitel Sydney Wentworth for their Service to the Community, the latter praised in part for turning the hotel’s rooftop into an outdoor amphitheatre and putting on two spectacular concerts for quarantined guests watching on from their French balconies.

The prestigious Ashley Spencer Award, presented each year to a gallant individual who shows true leadership, courage and grit in both troubled and calm waters, went to Tourism Accommodation Australia’s talismanic National CEO, Michael Johnson, who ensured the industry’s concerns were front of mind for political figures across the country, particularly issues such as the safety of hotel quarantine staff and now, the ongoing push for action to address the industry’s skills shortage.

HM’s Hall of Fame inductee, Patrick Griffin OAM, was recognised for a six-decade commitment to exemplary customer service and an unwavering passion for hospitality. Griffin has now detailed his

extraordinary career in print, releasing a tri-volume memoir detailing, among much else, encounters with sixteen members of royalty, four U.S. Presidents and more than 100 celebrities across stage, screen, studio, track, field and parliamentary chamber. Having worked across hotels in his native UK as well as in Europe and Australia, Griffin’s storied career concluded with his final send-off from his General Manager post at The Observatory Hotel in Sydney, now operating as The Langham, Sydney.

The 2021 HM Awards proceeded thanks to the support of the event’s major partners, including presentation partner Sealy Posturepedic and co-hosted by ahs hospitality, Blue Mountains

International Hotel Management School (BMIHMS) at Torrens University Australia and Hostplus.

Sponsors also included Foxtel Business, Dyson, Sanpellegrino, Ecolab, FutureLog, HoneyBadger Technologies, Assa Abloy and TimeFlyz, with support from the Accommodation Association (AA), AHICE, Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA), TravMedia, Watson Farley and Williams and Wayfarer. n hotelmanagement.com.au 35

1. Serviced Apartment Property

Award presented by Gina Lawrance, Sealy and received by Emma Hynes, TFE Hotels and David Burt, Quest Apartment Hotels

Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Adina Apartment Hotel Bondi Beach Sydney, NSW Quest Orange, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, NSW Wyndham Surfers Paradise, QLD

2. Economy Hotel Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Adabco Boutique Hotel, Adelaide, SA Brassey Hotel, Barton, ACT HIGHLY COMMENDED: ibis Adelaide, SA ibis Sydney World Square, NSW Award presented by Justin Jones, ahs hospitality and received by Georgina Williams, Elanor Investors, Adabco Boutique Hotel and Dustin Mifflin, Doma Hotels

3. Midscale Hotel Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Atura Adelaide Airport, SA Novotel Sydney Olympic Park, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Holiday Inn Sydney Airport, NSW Rydges Mount Panorama Bathurst, NSW Award presented by Jerome Casteigt, Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School and received by Troy Cuthbertson and Shannon Craig, Atura Adelaide Airport and Nathan Cox, Novotel Sydney Olympic Park

36 HM The Business of Accommodation

Co-hosted by

Award presented by Justin Jones, ahs hospitality and received by Sandra Bellamy, Doma Hotels and Wayne Taranto, Ovolo Group

4. Upscale Hotel Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Little National Hotel Sydney, NSW Ovolo The Valley, Brisbane, QLD HIGHLY COMMENDED: Coral Sea Resort, Airlie Beach, QLD Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach, NSW

5. Upper-Upscale Hotel Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Crystalbrook Riley, Cairns, QLD Spicers Guesthouse, Pokolbin, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Hilton Sydney, NSW Sails in the Desert, Voyages Ayers Rock Resort, Yulara, NT

Award presented by Lee Kirk, Assa Abloy Hospitality and received by Geoff York, Crystalbrook Collection and Sam Giles, Spicers Retreats hotelmanagement.com.au 37

Co-hosted by

6. Luxury Hotel

Award presented by Tara Ducrou, HM Magazine on behalf of Dyson and received by Chris Kemlo, Crown Resorts and Scott Boyes, Accor

Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Crown Towers Sydney, NSW Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: EOS by SkyCity, Adelaide, SA Shangri-La Sydney, NSW

7. Australian Lodge Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Cradle Mountain Lodge, TAS Sequoia, Adelaide Hills, SA HIGHLY COMMENDED: Spicers Peak Lodge, Maryvale QLD Sweven Estate, Cattai, NSW Award presented by Gina Lawrance, Sealy and received

by Georgina Williams, Elanor Investors and by Jesse and Fenella Kornoff, Mount Lofty Estate

8. Business Hotel Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Crowne Plaza Adelaide, SA Hilton Sydney, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Pan Pacific Perth, WA The Inchcolm by Ovolo, Brisbane, QLD Award presented by Tara Ducrou, HM Magazine on behalf of TimeFlyz and received by Sam Swaffield, IHG Hotels and Resorts and Hayden Hughes, Hilton Sydney

38 HM The Business of Accommodation

commercialsales@sealy.c

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www.sealy.com.au/comme

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9. Resort Sponsored by

WINNERS:

InterContinental Hayman Island Resort, QLD JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort and Spa, QLD HIGHLY COMMENDED: Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains, MGallery by Sofitel, Leura, NSW Voyages Ayers Rock Resort, Yulara, NT

Award presented by Associate Professor Simon Pawson, Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School and received by Jennifer Brown, InterContinental Sydney and James Walkden, Marriott International

10. Hotel Interior Design Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Little National Hotel Sydney, NSW W Melbourne, VIC

Award presented by Steven Higgins, American Standard Lixil and received by Sandra Bellamy, Doma Hotels and Florencia Aimo, Marriott International

11. Boutique Hotel Sponsored by

WINNERS:

QT Melbourne, VIC The Langham, Sydney, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Ovolo South Yarra, VIC The Reef House Boutique Hotel and Spa, Palm Cove, QLD Award presented by Associate Professor Simon Pawson, Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School and received by David Sude, QT Sydney and Shane Jolly, The Langham, Sydney

40 HM The Business of Accommodation

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Next Hotel Melbourne, VIC Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets, SA

Co-hosted by

Award presented by Scott Wiedemann, Foxtel and received

by Preston Forsyth, Crown Resorts and Jodi Brown, EOS by SkyCity Adelaide

12. New Hotel Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Crown Towers Sydney, NSW EOS by SkyCity, Adelaide, SA HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mövenpick Hotel Hobart, TAS W Melbourne, VIC

13. Meetings and Conferencing Property Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Hotel Realm, Barton, ACT Novotel Wollongong Northbeach, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Hyatt Regency Sydney, NSW W Brisbane, QLD Award presented by Chela Evans, Cvent and received by Justin Higgins, Doma Hotels and Gavin Loveday, Novotel Wollongong Northbeach

hotelmanagement.com.au 41

14. Regional Property Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill, VIC Peppers Silo Launceston, TAS HIGHLY COMMENDED: Crowne Plaza Hawkesbury Valley, NSW Sequoia, Adelaide Hills, SA Award presented by Justin Jones, ahs hospitality and received by Julian Clark, Lancemore Group and Doug Flavell, Accor

15. Day Spa Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Alamanda Spa, Alamanda Palm Cove

by Lancemore, QLD Waldheim Alpine Spa, Cradle Mountain Lodge, TAS HIGHLY COMMENDED: Chi, The Spa, Shangri-La Sydney, NSW Ubika Day Spa, Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains, MGallery by Sofitel, Leura, NSW

Award presented

by Peter Aldini, Hostplus and received by Julian Clark, Lancemore Group and Georgina Williams, Cradle Mountain Lodge 42 HM The Business of Accommodation

Co-hosted by

16. Hotel Bar Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Dean & Nancy on 22 at A by Adina Sydney, NSW Zephyr Bar, Hyatt Regency Sydney, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Alibi Bar, Ovolo Woolloomooloo, NSW Merrymaker Rooftop Bar, Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets, SA Award presented by James Wilkinson, HM Magazine on behalf of Bombay Sapphire & Patron Tequila and received by Amanda Cottome, A by Adina Sydney and Mohit Kumar, Hyatt Regency Sydney

Smart Skills Digital Badges The future of credentials Build your smart skills with Digital Badges. Start today.

Digital badges are a virtual acknowledgement of an earned credential, demonstrated skill or professional achievement and an innovative way to up-skill. https:/ /w

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Learn more: s.edu.au/stud yingwithtorrens.edu.au/studying-with-us/studyus/stu dy-op options/short-courses/digital-badges tions/

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Torrens University Australia Ltd, ABN 99 154 937 005, RTO 41343, CRICOS 03389E T/A Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School at Torrens University Australia (Sydney and, Blue Mountains, Melbourne, Adelaide). Information provided in this document is current at the time of publishing (Nov 2021). TUA 2793

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Award presented by Ryan Smith, Bidfood and received

by Jesse Kornoff, Mount Lofty Estate and Sam Apps, The Star Entertainment Group Limited

17. Hotel Restaurant Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Hardy’s Verandah, Mount Lofty Estate, Adelaide Hills, SA Nineteen at The Star, The Star Gold Coast, QLD HIGHLY COMMENDED: Five Regions Restaurant, Oval Hotel, Adelaide, SA Glass Brasserie, Hilton Sydney, NSW

18. Tech Hotel Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Little National Hotel Sydney, NSW Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Crown Towers Sydney, NSW Hotel X, Fortitude Valley, QLD Award presented by Heinrich Saayman, HoneyBadger Technologies and received by Sandra Bellamy, Doma Hotels and Sam Panetta, Sofitel Sydney Wentworth

44 HM The Business of Accommodation

Co-hosted by

19. New Zealand Hotel Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Park Hyatt Auckland Sofitel Queenstown HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Hotel Britomart, Auckland QT Auckland

Award presented by Tara Ducrou, HM Magazine on behalf of Dyson and received by Robert Dawson, Hyatt and Stephen Lake, Accor

20. New Zealand Regional Property Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Pullman Rotorua Fable Dunedin HIGHLY COMMENDED: Novotel Tainui Hamilton Swiss-Belboutique Napier Award presented by Will de Beaurepaire, DeBeaurepaire Wines and received by Lindsay Leeser, Accor and James Wilkinson, HM Magazine on behalf of Fable Dunedin

21. New Zealand Lodge Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Fiordland Lodge, Te Anau The Landing, Bay of Islands HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, Hawke’s Bay Wharekauhau Country Estate, Featherston Award presented by Robert Williams, Watson Farley and Williams and received by Georgia Rickard, PHHNIX on behalf of The Landing, Bay of Islands and Fiordland Lodge

hotelmanagement.com.au 45

22. Fijian Property Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Castaway Island Resort Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay HIGHLY COMMENDED: Club Wyndham Denarau Island Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa Award presented by Will de Beaurepaire, DeBeaurepaire Wines and received by Lauren Jasprizza, Outrigger Hospitality Group and James Walkden, Marriott International

23. South Pacific Property Sponsored by

WINNERS:

The Stanley Hotel and Suites, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Pacific Resort Aitutaki, Cook Islands

Award presented by Peter Whelan, Sealy and received by Peter Whelan, Sealy on behalf of The Stanley Hotel and Suites, Port Moresby and Michael Rodriguez, Investment NSW on behalf of Pacific Resort Aitutaki, Cook Islands

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, French Polynesia Pacific Resort Rarotonga, Cook Islands

24. Marketing Campaign Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Accor Pacific (Take Two) Ovolo Hotels (Year of the Veg) HIGHLY COMMENDED: Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street (Hotel Launch) The Langham, Sydney (Pampered Pets)

46 HM The Business of Accommodation

Award presented by Luke Seager, White Bay Beer Co and received by Anne Gill, Accor and Georgia Bounds, Ovolo Group

Co-hosted by

Award presented by Dee Duncan, Ecolab and received by Lauren Jasprizza and Ben Johnson, Castaway Island and Outrigger Hospitality Group and Sara Wilkie, Wildlife Retreat at Taronga Sydney

25. Environmental Program Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Castaway Island Resort, Fiji Wildlife Retreat at Taronga, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Pro-invest Group, Australia Wyndham Destinations Asia-Pacific

26. Concierge Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Milton Da Graca Lima, The Ritz-Carlton Perth, WA Siddhartha Kaul, EOS by SkyCity, Adelaide, SA HIGHLY COMMENDED: James Ridenour, Next Hotel Melbourne, VIC Jimmy (Nattapong) Meepol, The Rees Hotel, Queenstown, New Zealand Award presented by Peter Aldini, Hostplus and received by James Walkden, Marriott International and Jodi Brown, EOS by SkyCity Adelaide

27. Hotel Chef Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Corey Hume, True South Dining Room, The Rees Hotel, Queenstown, New Zealand John Churchill, Core Restaurant, Crowne Plaza Hobart, TAS HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jin Choi, Hardy’s Verandah, Mount Lofty Estate, Adelaide Hills, SA Leron Ben Avraham, Tayim Restaurant, Harbour Rocks Hotel, Sydney, NSW

Award presented by Adrian Papandrea, S.Pellegrino and received by Virginia Hadden on behalf of The Rees Hotel, Queenstown and Zak Muycken, IHG Hotels and Resorts

28. Food and Beverage Associate Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Caitlin Bombell, QT Melbourne, VIC Liinaa Berry, Mount Lofty House and Sequoia Lodge, Adelaide Hills, SA

Award presented by Benjamin Krieg, FutureLog Oceania and received by David Sude, QT Sydney and Jesse Kornoff, Mount Lofty Estate

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jozef Uhlarik, Mövenpick Hotel Hobart, TAS Valerie Teape, Peppers Noosa Resort & Villas, QLD

29. Human Resources Associate Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Mereoni Gusuivalu, Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, Fiji Simon Tufrey, Wyndham Destinations Asia-Pacific HIGHLY COMMENDED: Lisa Galway, Hilton Surfers Paradise, QLD Stephanie Lopesi, Novotel & ibis Sydney Darling Harbour, NSW

48 HM The Business of Accommodation

Award presented by Justin Jones, ahs hospitality and received by Sarah Derry, Accor and Oliver Hanson, Wyndham Destinations Asia-Pacific

Co-hosted by

30. Sales and Marketing Associate Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Ben Johnson, Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort and Castaway Island, Fiji Katie Finlay, TFE Hotels HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bronwen Hemmings, JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa, QLD Nadia Dambrosi, Novotel Sydney Darling Square, NSW Award presented by Peter Aldini, Hostplus and received by Ben Johnson, Outrigger Hospitality Group and Katie Finlay, TFE Hotels

Hybrid Housekeeping Solutions

Tel: 1800 026 036 www.ahshospitality.com.au

31. Communications Associate Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Angela Cowley, IHG Hotels and Resorts Chris Waite, IHG Hotels and Resorts Claire Haigh, Accor Naomi Hammond, Accor HIGHLY COMMENDED: Chris Logan, Wyndham Destinations Asia-Pacific Karena Noble, Event Hospitality & Entertainment

Award presented by Julie Ott, TravMedia and received by Sam Swaffield, IHG Hotels and Resorts and Claire Haigh, Accor

32. Front Office Associate Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Antonella Comuzio, QT Queenstown, New Zealand Jean Barba, The Darling Sydney, NSW

Award presented by Min Paing, Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School and received by David Sude, QT Sydney and Jean Barba, The Star Sydney

33. Finance Associate Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Ben Gammans, TFE Hotels Vineel Anand, Accor Fiji HIGHLY COMMENDED: Curtis Harris, Wyndham Destinations Asia-Pacific, QLD Sachida Nair, The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa, Fiji Award presented by Peter Aldini, Hostplus and received

by Marit Connell, TFE Hotels and Sarah Derry, Accor

50 HM The Business of Accommodation

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Sukhjeev Kochar, Rydges Sydney Airport, NSW Tania Sarti, Next Hotel Melbourne, VIC

Co-hosted by

34. Revenue Management Associate Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Clare Coyle, Doma Hotels, Barton, ACT Yvon van Kesteren, Accor Sydney Olympic Park NSW and Novotel Canberra, ACT HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mare Treneski, Novotel Sydney International Airport, NSW Renee Brealey, Elanor Investors Group Australia Award presented by Jerome Casteigt, Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School and received by Justin Higgins, Doma Hotels and Yvon Van Kersteren, Accor Sydney Olympic Park

Award presented by Justin Jones, ahs hospitality and received by Scott Eger, Elanor Investors and Pratima Nand, Parkroyal Darling Harbour

35. Housekeeper Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Pratima Nand, Parkroyal Darling Harbour, NSW Monica Kozuszko-Pahl, Mayfair Hotel, Adelaide, SA HIGHLY COMMENDED: Beverley Ferguson, JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa, QLD Cheryl Tilley, Rydges Mount Panorama Bathurst, NSW

hotelmanagement.com.au 51

36. Hotel Engineer Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Mark Blain, Voyages Ayers Rock Resort, Yulara, NT Ted Kettle, The Wildlife Retreat at Taronga, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Andy Bedi, Pier One Sydney Harbour Autograph Collection, NSW Rajneel Sivan, The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa, Fiji Award presented by Scott Wiedemann, Foxtel and received by Matthew Cameron-Smith, Voyagers Ayers Rock Resort and Ted Kettle, Wildlife Retreat at Taronga Sydney

Award presented by Peter Aldini, Hostplus and received by Claudia Ferrazzano, Rydges Sydney Central, Jodie Goodwin, Accor Sydney Olympic Park and Sarah Derry, Accor on behalf of Atareta Moses

37. Rising Star Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Claudia Ferrazzano, Rydges Sydney Central, NSW Atareta Moses, Novotel Auckland Airport, Ibis Budget Auckland Airport and The Sebel Manukau, New Zealand Jodie Goodwin, Accor Sydney Olympic Park, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Anmole Gulati, Park Hyatt Auckland, New Zealand Gaurav Gupta, Marriott International Fiji & Samoa

52 HM The Business of Accommodation

Co-hosted by

38. Ashley Spencer Service to the Industry Award Sponsored by

RECIPIENT:

Patrick Griffin OAM Award presented by James Wilkinson, HM Magazine and Richard Munro, Accommodation Association and received by Patrick Griffin OAM

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39. South Pacific General Manager Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Darren Shaw, Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort, Fiji Vincent Macquet, Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, Fiji HIGHLY COMMENDED: Kaydee George, Club Wyndham Denarau Island, Fiji Steven Andrews, Castaway Island Resort, Fiji Award presented by Paul McDonough, Sealy and received by Ben Johnson, Outrigger Hospitality Group and Lindsay Leeser, Accor

40. New Zealand General Manager Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Doron Whaite, QT Auckland Edward Judd, Novotel and ibis Rotorua

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Clinton Farley, The Hotel Britomart, Auckland Mark Rose, The Rees Hotel, Queenstown

Award presented by Justin Jones, ahs hospitality and received by Darren Sude, QT Sydney and by Doug Flavell and Shannon Craig, Accor

54 HM The Business of Accommodation

Co-hosted by

41. Australian General Manager Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Jesse Kornoff, Mount Lofty House, Adelaide Hills, SA Silvia Kypriotis, Harbour Rocks Hotel MGallery by Sofitel, Sydney, NSW HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jodi Brown, EOS by SkyCity, Adelaide, SA Ralf Bruegger, InterContinental Sydney Double Bay, NSW

Award presented by Daniel Amos, Sealy and received by Jesse Kornoff, Mount Lofty Estate and Silvia Kypriotis, Harbour Rocks Hotel MGallery by Sofitel, Sydney

42. Service to the Community Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Accor New Zealand (Thanks from Iso) Quest Apartment Hotels Sofitel Sydney Wentworth HIGHLY COMMENDED: Marriott International Fiji Wyndham Destinations Asia-Pacific (Wishes by Wyndham) Award presented by Julie Doherty, Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School and received by Scott Boyes, Accor, Sam Panetta, Sofitel Sydney Wentworth and David Mansfield, Quest Apartment Hotels

hotelmanagement.com.au 55

43. Hotel Brand of the Year Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Hilton Hotels & Resorts QT Hotels & Resorts HIGHLY COMMENDED: Novotel W Hotels Award presented by Daniel Amos, Sealy and received by received by the teams from Hilton and QT Hotels and Resorts

44. Accommodation Chain of the Year Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Accor IHG Hotels & Resorts HIGHLY COMMENDED: Hilton TFE Hotels Award presented by Peter Aldini, Hostplus and received

by Lindsay Leeser, Accor and Leanne Harwood, IHG Hotels and Resorts

56 HM The Business of Accommodation

Co-hosted by

Award presented by Daniel Amos, Sealy and received by Mark Holmes, Crown Towers Sydney and Robert Dawson, Hyatt

45. Australasian Hotel of the Year Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Crown Towers Sydney, NSW Park Hyatt Auckland, New Zealand HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mount Lofty Estate, Adelaide Hills, SA Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, NSW

46. Australasian Hotelier of the Year Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Julian Clark, Lancemore Group Leanne Harwood, IHG Hotels & Resorts HIGHLY COMMENDED: David Mansfield, Quest Apartment Hotels Matt Cameron-Smith, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia Award presented by Tara Ducrou, HM Magazine and received by Julian Clark, Lancemore Group and Leanne Harwood, IHG Hotels and Resorts

hotelmanagement.com.au 57

Award presented by James Wilkinson and Tara Ducrou, HM Magazine and received by Ben Johnson, Outrigger Hospitality Group and Florencia Aimo, Marriott International

47. Asia-Pacific Hotelier of the Year Sponsored by

WINNERS:

Jeff Wagoner, Outrigger Hospitality Group Rajeev Menon, Marriott International HIGHLY COMMENDED: Alan Watts, Hilton David Udell, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts

48. Hall of Fame Sponsored by

RECIPIENT:

Michael Johnson, Tourism Accommodation Australia Award presented by James Wilkinson, HM Magazine and Michael Rodriguez, Investment NSW and received by Michael Johnson, Tourism Accommodation Australia

58 HM The Business of Accommodation

Co-hosted by

Presentation partner message AS PROUD SPONSORS of the HM Awards for the 13th year, Sealy would like to congratulate all of the 2021 winners and those highly commended.

Once again, Sealy Posturepedic returned to the HM Awards as presenting partner for this great awards night that recognises the biggest and brightest stars in the accommodation industry. It has been a challenging and difficult year for many of us but even more so for the Australian accommodation industry, so it was great that we could come together at Sydney Town Hall and catch up with familiar faces. We would like to say congratulations and a big thank you to the HM team for putting together such an incredible event. Thank you also for everyone who kindly donated towards the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation through the silent auction. This is a great foundation, and we are proud that we can help to support sick kids. And finally, on behalf of Sealy we would like to thank everyone who attended on the night and in particular all the people and properties nominated for awards and those who won. We look forward to coming back in 2022.

hotelmanagement.com.au 59

Co-host partner message CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL the winners and finalists at the 2021 HM Awards! We loved spending a night celebrating the accommodation industry and its achievements. Hostplus was proud to sponsor the HM Awards, which coincided with our successful merger with Intrust Super in November.

We know it has been a really challenging two years for the industry. The HM Awards are an important opportunity to acknowledge your incredible resilience, determination and innovation in the face of the COVID-19 impacts. Both Hostplus and Intrust Super have been longstanding supporters of Australia’s accommodation industry. We’re excited to continue this now as one fund. Thanks to Australia’s ever-increasing vaccination rates, we hope the accommodation, tourism and hospitality sectors will continue to rebound in 2022.

Congratulations once again to all those recognised at this year’s HM Awards. We hope you enjoyed a well-deserved night of celebration.

60 HM The Business of Accommodation

Co-hosted by

Co-host partner message WHAT AN INSPIRING NIGHT! It was a joy to celebrate the tremendous talent and steadfast resilience within our industry at the 2021 HM Awards after yet another disruptive year. We proudly celebrate you, our friends and colleagues, and the industry we love as our sector begins to reopen.

It was a thrill to see 19 of our very own Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (BMIHMS) alumni nominated for awards. What a momentous achievement! Big congratulations, we are so proud to see you flourish as global leaders in the industry.

As we celebrate 30 years of rich legacy at BMIHMS, we reflect on this year and the immense industry support for our students, and more importantly turn our focus to the next decade.

We know that education in partnership with the industry will play a key role, and by working with you, BMIHMS is growing our hotel leaders of tomorrow. This is why we’re so passionate about leading the charge in new, innovative ways of delivering applied learning – like our virtual reality experience – that will meet the needs of the dynamic hospitality industry.

Again, we warmly congratulate all of the 2021 HM Award winners and wish you all every success for the future.

hotelmanagement.com.au 61

Co-hosted by

Co-host partner message WE’RE EXCITED TO be launching into 2022 with a bang! Congratulations to all the winners and nominees for the HM Awards 2021. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to celebrate our industry’s standout performers. Many of our own hard working team members who were nominated for awards have been counting down the days, along with the rest of us, to celebrate the fantastic achievements of our industry in 2021. Our people are what makes our industry what it is, from those front and centre to those operating behind the scenes. We are fortunate to have the HM Awards as it enables us to recognise our talent and reassures them of their significance to our businesses and our commitment to our industry’s longevity. We look forward to working together collectively to revitalise our industry and transform it into the shining star it once was and will be again.

62 HM The Business of Accommodation

ROOMS DIVISION

THE CHAIN W SUPPLIERS OF HOTEL ANCILLARIES HAVE SEEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH OVERSEAS MANUFACTURERS PUT TO THE TEST THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, WITH BORDER CLOSURES SEEING SHIPMENTS SITTING AT DOCKS FOR WEEKS ON END. HOWEVER, THE LOCKS NOW APPEAR TO BE COMING OFF THE CONTAINER DOORS. 64 HM The Business of Accommodation

e’ve all heard the stories about the astronomic rise in online shopping that has been noted over the pandemic and its associated lockdowns. People were saving money and many of those able to spend it have been doing so through online shopping. In something of an accordion effect, this volume coupled with various national, state and regional lockdowns and staff isolations throughout the shipping chain has created monstrous backlogs and delays for all businesses involved in distribution and shipping.

Pile on top of that all of the extra precautions with customs and quarantine as items were forced to sit at docks for weeks in an effort to prevent any traces of COVID-19 from slipping into the country on surfaces and

ROOMS DIVISION

materials. You would have experienced part or all of this if you’d ordered a parcel and waited much longer for it to arrive than it once might have.

The same can be said for hotels and the various supply chains that provide the various goods they need to operate, from food and beverage to bathroom amenities and all kinds of items many travellers wouldn’t give much thought but would certainly notice if they weren’t in their rooms when needed. Things like rubbish bins, alarm clocks, hair dryers, ironing boards and dozens of many other little essentials.

For suppliers of these products, the pandemic has caused significant stress as regular and long-held supply chains were significantly disrupted or even at times temporarily severed – but, it must be said, all in the important name of public health. True too that for many hotels which closed at various stages of the pandemic, no guests meant no need for these items, so order volumes dried up entirely. But now, high vaccination rates in many parts of Australia and New Zealand has seen the industry turn the corner. The world is opening back up, along with the industry and these supply chains are slowly coming back together, piece by disjointed piece.

Weatherdon General Manager Sales and Marketing, Wim Eshuys, said there has been significant disruption to supply chains from overseas manufacturers in the past year, with factory prices and booking lead times increasing substantially.

“The lead times on manufacture are the longest we have seen in our 46 years in business,” Eshuys said.

“This has been compounded by the quadrupling in shipping rates to the highest in living memory. If you are prepared to pay the high container rates, securing a spot on a ship is extremely difficult.

Wim Eshuys, Weatherdon The whole chain is affected.

Factories are having long lead times due to shortages of materials and labour. Once the goods are finished, they can often wait weeks in China just to get on a ship. Our key appliances – kettles, irons and hairdryers – are not made in Australia so we have no choice but to put up with the delays. We anticipated this many months ago and started placing much larger orders on suppliers. We are fortunate that today we have good stockholdings of most of our key hotel products, but we do have shortages in a few. No one can escape this.

For Hotel Products Direct, the company says it has been supported through the leaner periods by its strong relationships with its Chinese factories and manufacturers.

“This has been of great benefit to us throughout the pandemic, as we have received excellent service and high priority from our factories. Therefore, we have always been able to supply our Australian clients,” said Director Andrew Kloester.

“When times were exceedingly tough, we had stock flown over direct to keep the supply chain moving smoothly.”

While fewer ships were bound for Australia during the pandemic, it was also a case of more urgent stock taking priority over other less vital shipments on the vessels that were travelling. According to BNB Supplies Director, Kellie Skinner, the company experienced major delays due to its containers being bumped at the last minute.

“Our manufacturers have all been looking at what can possibly be manufactured locally, and a few have

“The lead times on manufacture are the longest we have seen in our 46 years in business.”

A Nero 800 Iron from Weatherdon

Remaining hotel staff were filling multiple roles including ordering stock such as kettles, Weatherdon said.

hotelmanagement.com.au 65

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ROOMS DIVISION

ls m

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ic e travel lers don’t not

Trays, cutlery, glassware and many other items were sourced locally when overseas supply chains were disrupted

“Hotels have definitely been ordering less.”

started manufacturing pillows and quilts here in Australia,” Skinner said.

“Sea freight costs have Wim Eshuys, Weatherdon risen so much that the economic argument for manufacturing bulky items here at home makes sense.

However, for most of our products, it’s just not possible to manufacture in Australia as it is too costly.”

However, the tide is turning and order volumes are on the way back up. Skinner added that the time spent in between showed her that Australia was operating under something of a two-speed economy depending on whether all states and territories were open or when NSW and Victoria were the only two closed. This stopstart economy made it difficult to predict demand levels on stock.

“Over the next twelve months, we are expecting business travel to resume to around 85% of prepandemic levels. We don’t expect it to ever return to pre-pandemic levels as companies have learnt how to run their businesses via zoom meetings, hence, generally less business travel,” Skinner said.

“Conversely, we are expecting an increase in leisure travel due to pent up demand. A leisure traveller produces more wear and tear, and breakages than a business traveller. This poses another challenge to forecasting stock. For example, we may sell less

66 HM The Business of Accommodation

shampoo and conditioner than previously, but a lot more wine glasses.

“Our strategy in keeping adequate stock levels has been to overorder on key items, to make sure we have multiple substitute items on key items and to really think through how the changed traveller profile will change the needs of hotels, and in turn, what we need to have readily available.”

Wim Eshuys from Weatherdon said the company has indeed seen smaller ordering volumes from hotels, naturally coming only from those which were open for all or part of the past 20 months.

“Hotels have definitely been ordering less,” he said.

With many closed for extended periods of time or on reduced staffing, when the orders do come it has frequently been from staff filling in multiple roles. As an example, we have had sales and marketing staff ordering kettles for rooms. Some hotels have also viewed this quiet time as an opportunity to refurbish.

While daily replenishment sales have dropped dramatically, project orders have held up due to refurbishments and new builds.”

By all accounts, the worst appears to now be over and thankfully so. It has been a dark time and nobody in the industry would argue they would like to see it happen again. Supply chains will settle down and return to normal and hotel ancillaries will be in rooms, with travellers none the wiser as to the journey they have taken to get there. n

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VISIT WEATHERDON.COM.AU TO SEE OUR FULL RANGE

www.weatherdon.com.au sales@weatherdon.com.au

02 9906 2202

TECHNOLOGY

COMPLIANCE

W

e’ve all experienced flight delays, but imagine your flight home gets cancelled and the next one is a day or more away? You will need a new hotel booking or extension, perhaps another COVID test, probably an extension to your travel insurance. You’re overseas already. Are you going to phone a call centre, pay expensive overseas roaming rates and wait in long queues to make all these changes individually? Chances are your travel agent, if you had one, is already on the case and has you covered.

“I’ve always considered travel agents indispensable but despite all the technology available today, this has never been truer now.”

68 HM The Business of Accommodation

FINALLY, THE WORLD IS OPENING UP AGAIN. BUT AS PEOPLE BEGIN TO EXPLORE ONCE AGAIN IN A POSTCOVID REALITY, QUESTIONS ABOUT VACCINATIONS, QUARANTINE, MASKS, RESTRICTIONS, WHERE THEY CAN GO AND WHAT THEY CAN DO NEED TO BE ANSWERED BY TRAVEL AGENTS AND BOOKING PLATFORMS.

As much fun as travel is, when something goes wrong, it can be immensely stressful and the furthest thing from fun. And these words from Julie James, a travel agent with 40-plus years of experience in the industry, should resonate with travellers around Australia itching to get going around the world now borders to many places have reopened. They reflect advice from the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA), which for many years has echoed phrasings such as ‘Without a travel agent, you’re on your own’ to encourage the public to draw on expert support available to ensure travel plans run smoothly.

True, resources such as the Australian Government’s ‘Smartraveller’ platform may be able to advise of

TECHNOLOGY COVID-19 has changed the way global travel happens

Kudos Travel has engineered the Travel Check tool to provide comprehensive detail on COVID restrictions and health orders around the world

diplomatic and safety concerns in almost any country

“There are myriad complications that can change week by week globally.”

Roy Merricks, MTA Travel

Many travel agents will be armed with the Travel Check feature

around the world, updated minutes after becoming public knowledge. But specific and detailed data on the potentially chasmic variation that may exist between countries in terms of vaccinations, quarantine rules, mask mandates, social restrictions and mandatory travel insurance is going to prove critical to all travellers venturing back out into the world. Travel agents and advisors, fearing diminishing relevance for years pre-COVID in the wake of growing public aptitude and confidence with online booking systems, have never been more needed than they will be now.

A major new weapon, known as ‘Travel Check’, launched in late October from travel technology firm, Kudos Travel and is available to agents connected to Kudos’ SaaS (software as a service) platform in Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States.

Utilising live Timatic data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), travel agents can advise their clients on the latest health information not just for their destination and stops in between, but also the health rules for people holding passports from certain nationalities as it relates to their movement within the country. Timatic is updated from over 2,000 official sources, making it an indispensable resource for airlines, industry bodies and the army of travel agents at the retail end to check things like health documents along with passport and visa validity.

Appropriate considering its application, the system is cloud-based, and requires agencies to subscribe to gain access. However, agents connected to the Amadeus global distribution system can also utilise Travel Check, which has been integrated into the system.

Kudos Travel Technology Managing Director, Phil Rasmussen, said an innovation such as Travel Check is bound to drive Australian travellers to utilise travel agents as trusted advisors.

“I think more than ever, coming out of COVID, people are far less likely to want to try and manage international travel plans themselves,” Rasmussen said.

hotelmanagement.com.au 69

TECHNOLOGY

For consumers, DFAT’s Smartraveller could be the most useful resource available

“The focus has gone away from online booking tools in the short term, because it’s safer to go to an agent. And the agent is now empowered with this data because they are often going to different websites. They’re trawling the internet trying to piece this all together and go ‘well, how do I answer the customer?’. So, this tool wraps it up in a nice, neat bow, and makes it more efficient for the agent.

For corporate agents, Travel Check can also be white labelled so corporations and businesses booking large volumes of travellers can find out the latest information without necessarily needing to call their travel manager ahead of booking.

Rasmussen says Travel Check is not designed to replace or supersede DFAT’s Smartraveller as it doesn’t look at geopolitical circumstances and the overall safety of a destination. “[Travel Check] looks at it purely from a ‘Can you, with your nationality, or your passport, and the origin of where you embarked on your trip from, get into this country and these transit points’? And what are all the things you need, such as COVID test, quarantine and what vaccinations will be beneficial. These are the questions it answers.”

The power of Timatic is quite immense. The system is also equipped with data on which vaccination brands are recognised by individual countries, which ones require an exemption and which are flat out not acknowledged as valid. Traveller profiles can be updated to list the vaccinations received and will inform the traveller whether they will be able to enter a country based on their chosen shots.

The expertise and experience of travel agents have always been invaluable weapons in booking most

70 HM The Business of Accommodation

holdays, especially more detailed adventures, and for MTA Travel Co-Founder, Roy Merricks, the postpandemic period as people begin exploring once again will make travel agents a hot commodity.

“There are myriad complications that can change week by week globally and are difficult to keep track of,” Merricks said. “’MTA Companion’ is an application that travellers have with them before and during travel, and now contains a widget providing country specific COVID protocols and restriction information in the form of real-time updates to both the traveller’s itineraries and their MTA advisor. If travel changes become necessary or preferred, the advisor knows immediately and can action them for clients.

MTA Companion provides real-time information based on nationality, outbound and return sectors including stopovers, COVID-19 testing requirements, and quarantine measures,” Merricks added.

“Travel itineraries sometimes change during a trip, and more than ever clients need to fully understand the consequences of any proposed changes to be able to make informed decisions. It’s not always clear from various government websites what the rules and requirements are [especially] once understood properly then to have them change again.

“Specialist real time solutions are the only way to go.”

Significant innovation has also taken place with online travel agents (OTAs), with the international border shutdown and state lockdowns giving rise to a muchaltered and improved booking process for platforms such as Expedia.

Expedia Group Senior Director, Market Management APAC, Drew Bowering, said the company was committed to ensuring travellers were up-to-date with restrictions and requirements through on-site messaging whenever possible.

“With the rise of COVID-19 vaccine and testing requirements in mind, we launched a capability that allows our hotel partners to note and share these requirements on their property details page when applicable,” Bowering said.

“This information is available to travellers on several of our brand sites now, including Expedia.com.au.

“We have a feature allowing lodging partners to highlight the health and hygiene measures they are taking at their properties. The amenities include contactless check-in and check-out, hand sanitiser provided to guests, enhanced cleaning, and enforcing social distancing measures, among others.”

Expedia has also invested in integrating an interactive tool known as the COVID-19 Travel Advisor, which is powered by Canadian think tank, Sherpa. Using this feature, customers can find information about travel requirements in their chosen destination including quarantine, face masks and testing rules.

Bowering added that the company remained supportive of standardised processes that allow travellers to provide digital proof of required

TECHNOLOGY

Travel agents are going to be critical to help travellers navigate the new environment documentation as needed. He said health certification functionality was an area being closely monitored for new developments.

“Our latest Travel Value Index also confirms that travellers are largely in favour of sharing vaccination status in order to travel,” Bowering said.

“In fact, more than three quarters (77%) of Australian travellers are comfortable showing a vaccine passport to travel internationally, this is slightly higher than the global average (71%).

Similar sentiments are being observed at SiteMinder, which has invested heavily in the past 18 months developing ways for hotels using its booking engine technology to convey messages about its health and safety protocols to guests during the reservation process.

SiteMinder Regional Vice President - Asia Pacific, Bradley Haines, said that while it is not currently a requirement for it to collect information on a traveller’s vaccination status on behalf of hotel customers, the platform was ready to capture this information via a new field in its booking form if government rules changed.

“There’s never been a more important time for hotels to be building a relationship based around trust with their guests, and so we’ve invested heavily over the last 18 months in sharing data and hotel stories with our customers to both inform their decision-making and prepare them for a changed world,” Haines said.

“In our recent ‘Changing Traveller Report’ series, for example, we learnt that a hotel’s health and safety practices remain a key priority for travellers, and that the number of guests planning to book directly with the venue online has increased by around 15% year-on-year globally.

“Combined, this data signals to providers the ongoing value of clearly promoting their health and safety protocols via their marketing and sales channels, as a heightened level of reassurance continues to be sought out by travellers prior to booking.”

A spokesperson from Booking.com said the company’s utmost concern was for the safety and security of its customers, partners and colleagues.

“As the pandemic situation evolves, we continue to update the support we provide, including providing enhanced transparency to consumers around COVID-19 travel compliance, along with health and safety information when booking on our platform.

“Booking.com has also enabled our partners to highlight the various health and safety measures they have undertaken in areas such as hygiene, distancing and food safety easily, on their property pages, so travellers can make well-informed decisions when booking their stays. Our cleanliness advisory toolkit also helps partners navigate health and safety regulations and traveller preferences. More than 17 million of our listings have implemented health and safety hygiene practices qualifying for this new feature,” the company said.

For many countries, it is going to be a timid and gentle emergence from global isolation as short-term visitors are again welcomed back, first in trickling numbers before the gates are opened all the way. Travellers will need to make sure they take every precaution possible making their bookings and draw on all of the support they need to avoid potential disruptions, delays or worse, an enforced fortnight in quarantine at their own expense.

Check, check and check again. n

“We have a feature allowing lodging partners to highlight the health and hygiene measures they are taking at their properties.”

Drew Bowering, Expedia Group

hotelmanagement.com.au 71

HUMAN RESOURCES E-Learning is a successful way to upskill and retain staff while reaping gains in productivity

ACCORDING TO A LEADING E-LEARNING VENDOR, THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WAS ONE OF THE SLOWEST TO ADOPT ONLINE LEARNING, HOWEVER IN RECENT YEARS, THE SECTOR HAS MADE UP FOR LOST TIME AND IS NOW A LEADING FORCE UTILISING THE GROWING TRAINING TOOL.

T

TO GROW

raining comes in many forms and serves many different purposes, as does education.

For those looking to establish a new career path or grow their skill base for the benefit of their career, there are the longer certificate accredited tertiary study options that can result in degrees and postgraduate bestowment.

Another form is more often applied for workers as part of their career development within an organisation comes in the form of e-learning – a much more broad and flexible approach to learning. According to research commissioned by technology company IBM, every dollar invested by a business in e-learning for their staff can result in $30 in improved productivity as staff are able to complete online courses and apply their new skills faster.

Generally, these can be, but are not always, short and sharp mini courses consisting perhaps of a short text or other stimuli such as a video or audio, followed by a quiz on what has just been absorbed. This coursework can result in gradual progress Matthew Stephens, e-Hotelier towards a more recognised

“Hotel groups are looking to the development of their people as a strategic investment.”

72 HM The Business of Accommodation

qualification as knowledge and aptitude increases and often works well to skill up an employee in a new area of a business, a secondment or to assess a worker for higher responsibility and future promotion.

E-learning is also highly flexible, with thousands of short courses available for businesses to obtain and run for the development of their staff. Courses can focus on one particular skill or leave options open for staff to tailor their own career path. Depending on the length of time required to complete coursework, staff can undertake learnings during work hours, at home or on the go in between if they wish. Management can set deadlines for courses to be completed and even incentives for not just high achievement, but prompt completion of modules.

Matthew Stephens, Managing Director at e-Hotelier, said motivating and empowering staff to develop their careers was an example of great leadership. “eHotelier’s ‘CareerTrack’ framework of certifications inspires team members to lift their eyes above the horizon, to see their career within the company in the long-term and recognise their professional development as a continuous program of education that supports their career growth,” Stephens said.

“As the success of a hotel relies on the ability of its people, hotel groups are looking to the development of their people as a strategic investment.

HUMAN RESOURCES

“Watching a prescribed video shows a learner ‘how’ to complete a task but we’re not here to entertain.

CareerTrack moves far beyond, through an interactive, engaging learning experience ensuring a greater depth of understanding and that learner retention is increased exponentially. This provides immediate benefits in the workplace, as well as being retained throughout the individual’s career which is particularly beneficial through promotion to management roles.”

Hospitality e-learning platform, Typsy, features over 1,000 lessons across hundreds of courses. Some are available free and other, more advanced and accredited options can be accessed via a premium subscriptionbased model. Head of Marketing AU, Felicity Thomlinson, said the hospitality sector was one of the slower industries to adopt online learning however this has rapidly changed in recent years.

Typsy offers courses “Businesses are seeing the benefits in being able to train across multiple teams consistently in a covid safe way,” Thomlinson said. platforms with “Having access to a growing library of expert-led certificates of content takes the pressure off managers needing to have completion all the answers. Staff can up-skill and cross-skill with ease and the online learning can easily be blended with existing programs or launched as the primary training method or even as a staff perk for self-development. Businesses are more cost-conscious than ever before, so using online training tools like Typsy fits with that strategy and focus and staff can train easily, consistently and at scale.”

Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School Associate Dean, Dr Simon Pawson, said the school has innovated and adapted to ensure students both on and off-campus received a high-quality learning environment through leveraged technology.

“The school has significantly invested in extended reality that will offer students a truly immersive and real experience that will further support the development of their practical and soft skills,” Dr Pawson said.

“Over the past 30 years, BMIHMS has grown a global reputation for excellence in hotel management and leadership education. This is chiefly due to programs that balance academic achievement, practical skills development and professional growth. Hoteliers know that when they employee a BMIHMS graduate, they are gaining an asset who will make a valuable contribution to the hotel.”

Courses are available Some hotel groups have even developed their in dozens of disciplines including own internal online platforms for developing F&B skills. staff and ensuring skills remain up to date across the network.

Radisson Hotel Group Vice President, Human Resources, Asia Pacific, Bram Borrenbergs, said Radisson Academy Online is a user-friendly Learning Management System which aims to facilitate career growth at all levels across the organisation.

“The Radisson Academy Online avails more than 2,000 e-learning modules, providing dedicated training on topics ranging from leadership and people management skills to hotel operational skills, as well

as functional capacity building in areas such as M&E and sales,” Borrenbergs said.

“It also allows the integration of third-party learning videos, hosts leadership talks, courses and programs, which enables Radisson Hotel Group to support the diverse learning needs of team members as the workforce evolves in this agile working environment.

“At Radisson Hotel Group, the Asia-Pacific region registered 84% engagement rate on Radisson Academy Online, which is one of the highest across our global business areas. This translates to the completion of over 10,000 e-learning modules by APAC team members.

Over 70% of these completions were accomplished in the months of July to October 2021.

The e-learning trade is on a rapid growth trajectory, with the global market estimated to be valued at US$250 billion in 2020 and projected to reach US$457 billion by 2026. For businesses and employees, the benefits are evident and with the right courses and development outcomes, a much happier, productive and motivated workforce awaits. n

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INTERIOR DESIGN IHG’s ‘Open Lobby’ in action at Holiday Inn Werribee

NUANCES

WITH AUSTRALIA GRADUALLY OPENING UP ONCE AGAIN, THE CHALLENGE ON INTERIOR DESIGNERS IS ENSURE HOTELS STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME AS HOTELS CRAVE AN APPEAL NOT JUST WITH TRAVELLERS, BUT LOCALS TOO. PAUL KELLY DESIGN Paul Kelly - Director

Something happened last year to the clients of ours looking at new-build developments. They started really thinking about the customer and were happy to not follow trends and actually wanted to be different! I think the first round of lockdowns gave operators the opportunity to look at their businesses from a distance and for the first time for many, really experience the concept of entertainment and food and beverage from the viewpoint of the customer. The business of hospitality and the profession of the design community has for a long time been a very busy one, pushing design packages and concepts to meet deadlines, but for a lot of projects this has not necessarily been to the customer’s benefit. The domination of a program or a return by the 74 HM The Business of Accommodation

operation has created management teams focused solely on operation and not the client’s experiences, these instead coming down the line on the road to reaching budget. But the new dawn of management has not only a new pair of sunglasses, but a rested attitude with a drive for excellence and creativity. We look forward to this new age of development, as the projects are getting really interesting, and the customer will be the overall winner!

SCOTT CARVER

Angela Biddle – Director

Post-pandemic, we have become even more aware of the wellbeing of our guests. Our focus is to provide a memorable guest experience that is true to the hotel brand, while ensuring guests feel cared for and considered, safe and well, through each touchpoint of their stay.

Large social lobby areas are being revisited with the dual lenses of social distancing, and the ability to be broken up into smaller zones. This flexibility will be important to maintain function throughout future changes, for example, creating more intimate experiences in the event of lockdowns or low occupancy.

The Sydney Airport Hotel precinct was developed by Scott Carver with a vast ground floor programmed with lobby and lounge areas, a bar and dining experience, meeting spaces and a co-working environment. As we move through the design process, we are able to revisit the interior design with post-pandemic eyes. As such, we are considering design

INTERIOR DESIGN

elements such as screening and furniture solutions to allow guests to feel a sense of protection and security within the larger space – where they can feel part of the action without feeling exposed. This hotel precinct has the potential to benefit from the move to a hybrid working model and there are many signals that it must do so in order to flourish. Hotel lobbies have been blurring the lines between hospitality, working and residential spaces for years, but we are now seeing an acceleration of the hotel lobby as a true hybrid space with benefits that go beyond hotel guests. By designing diverse and appealing workplace environments, hotels can become viable ‘third spaces’ for locals as well - a welcome alternative from the home office and perhaps more convenient than the office commute - increasing the options and wellbeing of the community at large.

SUEDE INTERIOR DESIGN Clifford Rip – Principal

COVID is now a word that will get your mouth washed out with hand sanitiser if verbalised and is finally a thing we just live with. It’s something that will become a significant chapter in our history books, but something that will also progressively have less and less significance in our future day to day hotel conversations as we move forward and continue developing our management of it. This isn’t to say we are now moving on and ignoring it, it’s just that we aren’t being requested to redesign the entire hotel to work around it and its social measures.

However, as many people aren’t going to be returning to the office anytime soon, some never for that matter, we interior designers are being requested in our newbuild hotel projects and especially those in mixeduse developments to design and incorporate more private work booths and two-seat co-working spaces in a more semi-private dining room style within public areas for guests to use at their leisure. These types of adjustments to the ‘what was the norm’ are good as they improve the user experience, however, the point at which sanitiser dispensing devices currently scattered at every corner are requested to be incorporated into a newbuild’s permanent structure - and having to try make an item that is

literally and visually sanitised objet d’art - is when we are all completely doomed and destined to a scene out of Mad Max.

WOODS BAGOT

Tracey Wiles – Principal and Global Interior Design Leader

The pandemic impact is seeing ideas fast-forwarded into actions. We’ve been talking for years about self check-in but few hotels were doing it. In the past 18 months, everyone has become much more comfortable with using media on their mobile devices. Digital self check-in and out gives guests a choice.

Instead of queuing at the front desk, you could potentially go to the bar and have a glass of champagne while you check in. Hotel receptions won’t need as much capacity hold which will liberate some space.

Operationally, it’s more flexible and manages peak times, and it’s positive for the user who is given a choice. All the brands we work with want their hotels to tap into local culture and populate their venues by enticing local people in. But traditionally, unlike Europeans, Australians prefer bars and restaurants as social spaces, and much less so hotels. This is changing with more people working from home and employers reconsidering their space requirements. To meet the desire for collaborative working areas, hotels are adapting their offers conferencing facilities are being fitted out as private dining rooms with integrated break out spaces, responding to a multitude of uses, and some hotels are pioneering club memberships for locals.

Collaboration meetings over food and beverage are becoming more popular, enticing locals and feeding the hotels with business outside the social peaks. An authentically derived local sense of place attracts interstate and international guests alike. Post-COVID, there is a heightened awareness of cleanliness and hygiene practices. We have often discussed advances in the offer of room service - on-floor dishwashers and facilities to seal utensils and glasses, as seen on airlines and in medical practices will become more prevalent. My prediction - and we’ll be championing it - is these simple initiatives will need to be instituted both as good practice and for the peace of mind of hotel guests. n

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“Traditionally, unlike Europeans, Australians prefer bars and restaurants as social spaces, and much less so hotels.”

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DEVELOPMENT Wyndham recently finished a major renovation at Ramada Phillip Island

ACCOR

Lindsay Leeser – Senior Vice President Development and Franchise

WITH

FRANCHISING MANY HOTEL FRANCHISEES ARE MUM-AND-DAD INVESTORS EAGER TO OWN AND RUN THEIR OWN BUSINESS, AND FOR THEM, THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN A BODYBLOW TO CONFIDENCE. BUT WITH THE BACKING OF A MAJOR HOTEL GROUP, MANY HAVE WEATHERED THE STORM AND ARE NOW READY TO EMBRACE THE SUNSHINE ON THE OTHER SIDE. 76 HM The Business of Accommodation

Throughout 2021, Accor has continued to remain active in securing new franchisees. We have a very strong development pipeline with some 30 hotels expected to be added to the network over the next three years. Key regional leisure destinations are experiencing strong demand as our guests look to venture beyond the city centres. We have seen interest from many independent groups looking to join our network, with hotels recently added in Bathurst, Lake Macquarie and Queanbeyan in New South Wales, Wirrina Cove in South Australia and Marysville, Yarrawonga, Traralgon and Ringwood in Victoria. Our Australian brands are being actively sought out as we see a greater growth in domestic tourism going forward. Brands such as BreakFree, Mantra, The Sebel and Peppers are expanding rapidly to keep up with demand.

Accor’s brands have well-established reach and global strength, and this translates to strong brand awareness and market penetration in regional destinations across Australia and New Zealand, which is also a driver of demand. Franchisees and independent hoteliers are acknowledging that the industry has changed dramatically over the past two years and adapting to this change is critical to their survival and viability. Now, more than ever before, these investors are seeking out the comfort and security that comes from partnering with Australia and New Zealand’s largest hotel operator - one which is backed by a powerful

DEVELOPMENT

global loyalty programme with ALL – Accor Live Limitless, and the most visited hotel operator websites in the Pacific region. As we move into 2022, the travel sector rebound will be significant, and our guests are telling us they cannot wait to get travelling again.

BWH HOTEL GROUP Graham Perry – Managing Director Australasia

It comes as no surprise that the pandemic has had a significant impact on the franchising market and the short-term viability of the individual businesses (franchisees). BWH Hotel Group (BWH) identified these challenges very early and adapted quickly, offering financial support and a helping hand to its hotels. We worked on the business whilst supporting our hoteliers to work in theirs. At last, vaccination levels can allow us to live with the virus and we predict a boom time for hotel franchisees and developers for at least five years, starting just as soon as borders are opened.

However, some irreversible changes have taken place over the last two years, prompting BWH to adapt to its guests’ health, safety and cleanliness demands, including launching its ‘We Care Clean’ program.

These changes are causing travellers to book direct - but guests and hoteliers are waking up to the fact that only trusted brands like Best Western and WorldHotels (75 years and 50 years old respectively in 2021) can reliably deliver the level of customer service and brand consistency to ensure guests’ new expectations are met – every time.

As momentum builds, hoteliers are understanding the imperative to align with reputable trusted brands like BWH. From a hotelier perspective, we deliver greater revenue performance, sales and marketing support and linkage to world-renowned loyalty programs - like our very own Best Western Rewards program, with 45 million members. But this is just the beginning as we broaden our impact, reach and footprint right across Australasia. Aiden Darling Harbour, which opened its doors on December 1st, is the perfect example of our entry into the Lifestyle brand arena. Sitting alongside Glo, Sadie and WorldHotels Crafted, these BWH lifestyle brands provide developers unparalleled creative freedoms and provide guests and hoteliers an opportunity to experience the very best of what franchising has to offer.

“The pandemic heightened the desire for owners to align with a reputable and trusted operator.”

Scott Armstrong, Choice Hotels Asia-Pac

CHOICE HOTELS ASIA-PAC

Scott Armstrong - Development Director

Our industry has faced a difficult 20 months. Still, as Australia gets back to business, we expect our franchise partners in the most impacted states to take a cautious but optimistic approach to recovery.

Many of our franchise partners have faced significant challenges, but we’re prepared and are working together with them to launch our recovery strategy with our expanded team as restrictions lift and demand increases.

We’ve seen more challenges with the traditional leasing and management model during the pandemic and as a result, have experienced a significant uplift in owners enquiring about franchising with a brand along with a white label HMA solution. More than ever, owners are embracing franchising as a flexible, cost-effective strategy to maximise their rebound into the future. We are optimistic of a sharp recovery once we are through the uncertainty of state lockdowns, as we know there is pent-up demand for Australians to travel. Owners will again enjoy a domestic tourism boost as a result.

The pandemic heightened the desire for owners to align with a reputable and trusted operator. We have seen a surge of new franchise enquiries to Choice Hotels Asia-Pac, along with a very receptive audience to our targeted approach efforts. We have bolstered our development team with additional resources, recently recruiting new development managers in South Australia and Queensland. Along with our existing strong geographical resource

Accor recently opened BreakFree Wirrina Cove as one of its newest franchise deals Franchisees are big fans of the Quality brand for its strong reputation

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DEVELOPMENT

spread, this means we are well positioned to tailor a partnership solution that best suits the needs of our prospective franchise partners as we drive forward out of this pandemic and into the future.

HILTON

Guy Phillips - Senior Vice President, Asia and Australasia

At Hilton, we see franchise opportunities growing as owners become increasingly skilled with their own systems and operating capabilities and want to work with internationally renowned brands. The power of the Hilton name resonates around the world, enabling investors and owners to be ahead of the pack. Guests are more likely to want to stay at their hotel because it has our name on it, and they are willing to pay a premium for this assurance.

Hilton provides a powerful and multi-faceted commercial engine for franchisees, delivering an optimal mix of market segments through our strong distribution platform. Franchisees can participate in programs from distribution to marketing, sales, revenue management and loyalty. Hilton Honors, the award-winning loyalty program for Hilton’s portfolio of 18 brands, has nearly 123 million members worldwide. Each

member is worth three times that of our non-member guests, driving more business into hotels.

We see an opportunity to expand our franchised partnerships at a larger scale in Asia-Pacific and have recently launched our franchised model for the Hilton Garden Inn brand at scale across Greater China. As hotel owners become savvier in hotel management and local industry talent emerges, we plan to expand that model across other markets throughout Asia-Pacific in the coming years. Hilton also sees immense opportunity to franchise in the Australian market in the near future.

We currently operate 27 hotels in premium locations around the region and have a robust pipeline of 13 hotels. Our ambition is to double our IHG introduced the Vignette Collection as a conversion brand for luxury franchisees

78 HM The Business of Accommodation

footprint in the next five years, and franchising is key to helping us achieve that goal. As owner operators and white label management companies continue to emerge throughout Australasia, we are actively looking at franchise opportunities for our Hilton Garden Inn brand.

IHG HOTELS AND RESORTS

Jael Fischer – Director Development Australasia and Pacific

The past two years have been tough for business across so many industries, and it has highlighted the value of global brands in navigating through times of such momentous challenge. This rings very true in the hotel industry, and there has certainly been a trend for independent operators to partner and rebrand with the bigger players as they put a high value on the power of a strong commercial enterprise and world-class brands.

For IHG, this has resulted in a significant growth in conversions in the past 12 months, with more than 80% of all Australian conversions moving to an IHG brand. Whether it’s a hotel managed by IHG or by one of our outstanding franchise partners, we’d view them equally from a commercial perspective, with the powerful IHG system and

loyalty platform delivering business across the network and our brand standards and IHG support model delivering exceptional guest experiences and confidence, including access to things like cleanliness SOPs, which have never been more important.

In fact, one of the great things about franchised hotels is that they tend to be brands that are a lower cost to run, so they are more resilient to downturns. For example, a Holiday Inn brand family hotel not only has the benefit of being flagged under the world’s largest hotel brand, but they are also relatively low cost to operate. Then we’ve launched new brands like voco, which is exceptionally flexible around brand standards, and Vignette Collection, which gives owners of independent luxury and

DEVELOPMENT

Quest North Sydney

Hilton Garden Inn has been signing new franchisees across Australia

lifestyle hotels the opportunity to retain their distinctive identity while benefiting from our global scale.

While we’ve been through it all in the past couple of years, the strength shown by our owners has been incredible and together, our resilience is stronger than ever. With the restrictions now easing and some borders open, the engines are roaring back to life, and our hotels – both franchised and managed – will benefit from the resurgence of domestic travel and the return of international visitors.

QUEST APARTMENT HOTELS

David Mansfield – Managing Director

With over 80 per cent of Quest’s portfolio located in Victoria and New South Wales, the impact of extended state-wide lockdowns in both states simultaneously has been immense for the Quest network this year. In particular, Victoria has suffered greatly when coming from such a low base following an equally challenging year in 2020. I’m incredibly proud of the Quest team for fighting so long and gallantly.

A full recovery for our sector will take many years. However, as franchisor, we remain steadfast in our vision to be recognised as the preferred franchising provider due to our proven track record in franchisee success and increased value of their business. In pursuit of that vison, we have thrown our energy into doing everything in our power to support the network and bolster our foundations, so we come back stronger. Our new brand platform, ‘As Local As You Like It’, is the expression of that strategic focus.

Naturally, there is trepidation for both business operators and consumers. Borders have closed and opened again more times than any of us would care to recount. Though each time we have become a little more astute. Operationally, we are stronger than ever before, and take solace in our collective acumen. It has served us well for some 20 months and will see us through this final leg. I could not be more resolute in Quest’s business format franchise model as I am today. Its

“I could not be more resolute in Quest’s business format franchise model as I am today.”

David Mansfield, Quest Apartment Hotels

value and efficacy have not just been proven over more than thirty years, but within the most arduous period in our sector’s history.

Trust in our model is reflected by the significant appetite we have for franchise ownership on properties forthcoming – of which there are many in prime metropolitan, regional and suburban locations globally.

As always, we look forward to extending existing franchisees the opportunity for multi-site ownership, and likewise welcoming people who share our devotion for this brilliant industry into the network for the first time.

WYNDHAM HOTELS AND RESORTS ASIA-PACIFIC

Matt Holmes, Head of Development South East Asia and Pacific Rim

The franchise model has always been resilient and continues to be popular with hotel owners across the region. The highly effective business structure enhances profitability and flexibility for owners while enabling them to enjoy the reliability and support of a well-known brand backed by significant distribution, marketing and cost efficiencies on certain operational and capital expenses.

With Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, this includes proprietary and highly connected systems, global and regional marketing resources, training opportunities, procurement program, an award-winning loyalty program and enhanced customer experience through our signature ‘Count on Me’ service culture.

In addition to the above, since the pandemic there is even more reason now for independent hotels to align themselves with large hotel brands, in this new era where guests are seeking trusted branded accommodation to provide them with the assurance of a clean, safe stay. We’ve rolled out our global health and safety protocols as part of our ‘Count On Us’ initiative which places hygiene and safety measures front and centre, ensuring teams are equipped to welcome back our guests safely.

We will certainly see a sharp recovery in the hotel industry once vaccination rates increase. People are eager to travel and visit family and friends who they haven’t been able to see in a long time, which provides a positive short and long-term future for the hotel industry. We’re looking forward to supporting our owners through the global scale and power of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brands as interstate and international travel across the region resumes. n

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REAL ESTATE

Sam Baird - Associate Director, Valuation and Advisory Services

Like all regional ‘drive-to’ markets across Australia, the regional markets within Western Australia have performed remarkably strong since the lifting of intrastate borders in June 2020, with almost every hotel provider throughout regional Western Australia performing at levels well above historical benchmarks.

The North-West, which includes the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, and the Coral Coast of Geraldton, Exmouth and Coral Bay sub-markets have seen the greatest increase in occupancy rates. Recent STR data, which makes a comparison from 2020 to 2021 for these markets, details that the North-West sub-market reported a 24% increase in occupancy rates to around 62%, while the Coal Coast saw a 38% jump in occupancy to around 68%. Despite such increases, we consider these statistics understate current demand levels, noting the seasonality of each of these sub-markets where the ‘peak seasons’ are the months of May to September.

“The question that remains is - will quarantine hotels impact room supply once they re-enter the market?”

Chloe Mason, JLL

JLL HOTELS AND HOSPITALITY GROUP Chloe Mason - Marketing Specialist, Hotels and Hospitality Group

Despite Western Australia’s hard border, hotel investors are still eyeing Perth as an attractive market. However, it’s the availability of stock that has resulted in limited transactional activity. A common theme we are seeing is a particular focus on centrally located, vacant possession assets prime for repositioning. As we enter 2022, this interest is expected to excel as industry sources predict Perth will be the first market to recover to pre-COVID occupancy by 2023.

Perth’s Average Daily Rate (ADR) has already exceeded

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AUSTRALIA’S TWO WESTERNMOST STATES AND NORTHERN TERRITORY HAVE MANAGED THE PANDEMIC IN STARKLY DIFFERENT WAYS AND SET THEMSELVES UP FOR DIFFERENT ROADS BACK ONTO THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL STAGE AS IT RELATES TO INVESTMENT AND MARKET GROWTH.

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2019 ($179 in Sept 2021), representing a 4.6% increase on 2019 and a 13.2% increase up on September 2020.

Across the Nullarbor in South Australia, the current wave of new hotel development in Adelaide has been driven by groups either based there or with substantial existing investments in the city. These parties have witnessed first-hand the ongoing transformation of South Australia’s economy and the positive impacts this was having on the growth of hotel room night demand drivers pre-COVID. Not only had mid-week corporate demand strengthened, but Adelaide became a much more highly sought leisure tourism destination as the city itself offers so much and also acts as a launchpad to the state’s regional attractions.

Whilst hotel trading conditions have been challenged this year, the general expectation is that once the situation normalises nationally and state borders reopen, the market will get back to 2019 levels within two years or so. This recovery will be driven by solid growth in ADR due to the substantially increased quality of the city’s hotel product.

SAVILLS AUSTRALIA Rob Williamson - Director of Hotels

There has been unprecedented demand by hotel brands to position themselves in the Adelaide and South Australian marketplace, evidenced by a level of confidence in tourism in this state which has not been seen before. Savills Hotels negotiated the most recent new additions to the Adelaide CBD marketplace, the Crowne Plaza Adelaide and the new Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets and I can see these trends continuing.

In recent years, I also negotiated the new Tryp by Wyndham Adelaide and TFE Hotels’ Vibe Hotel Adelaide, both now in construction and I am firmly of the belief that the clever boutique hotel market is one of the key segments to watch in this city.

The interest in South Australia also extends to key regions where we negotiated management contracts in McLaren Vale, Victor Harbor and the Barossa Valley. We have been highly active in many of the state’s tourism hotspots, where we have been involved in the sale of five key hospitality assets in the last 12 months, including the Sea Dragon Lodge in Willoughby, the Acacia Apartments in Kingscote along with The Island Motel and the Seaside Motel. n

LEGAL MATTERS

to a franchise arrangement. These benefits include the opportunity for the owner to self-manage the hotel and potentially move to a lower threshold franchise fee environment. At the same time, the owner would still continue to be entitled to prestigious branding rights, access to sophisticated reservation systems and technical support.

While the man-chise model has particular attraction for new-build hotels, it potentially has application to all hotels. Something to think about as the industry continues to open up and adjust to living with the pandemic and its impact on operations.

TO THE DOOR HOTEL OWNERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A SAVVY LOT AND IN THE WAKE OF AUSTRALIA’S ISOLATION WHILE COVID WAS DEALT WITH, THE STANDARD HOTEL MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT MAY BE IN FOR A SHAKE-UP. BAKER MCKENZIE

Graeme Dickson – Partner

Australia’s opening up to interstate and international business and tourist visitors creates an opportunity to consider whether there are better ways to structure the relationship between hotel managers and owners. Traditionally, hotel management agreements and franchise agreements have been the most popular.

There is another alternative which potentially has some very attractive attributes - particularly for newbuild hotels. It combines the best aspects of both these relationships and is commonly referred to as a ‘manchise’. In essence, this relationship is initially structured with the traditional attributes of a management agreement with the ability to convert, generally at the owner’s option, to a franchise arrangement.

Looking specifically at new-build hotels, the most challenging period to operate is during the start-up from opening until operating performance stabilises.

During such period, access to expert management resources is most keenly needled and owners are generally content to pay the significant management fees that this entails. After stabilisation, there may be benefits to convert the management relationship

When borders fully reopen, will hotel managers and owners work together in different ways?

HFW AUSTRALIA Mark Sant – Partner

Recent developments in labour law requires a rethink about how franchisers and franchisees have traditionally managed labour law compliance. Traditionally, franchisors have adopted a ‘hands off’ approach to franchisees. Following recent changes to the Fair Work Act, there is a need for a ‘step change’ to this approach.

The changes were prompted by high profile cases involving convenience stores and fast-food outlets where vulnerable employees were underpaid their minimum entitlements by rogue franchisees, in circumstances where the franchisors faced limited consequence.

The Act now makes certain franchisors - those that exercise a significant degree of influence over franchisees - potentially liable for franchisees’ breaches of provisions of the Act, like the underpayment of minimum entitlements or adverse action claims (for example, dismissing an employee because they have made a complaint relating to their employment).

Franchisors have a defence if they have taken reasonable steps to prevent the breaches of the Act. The changes to the Act have ushered in a new era of cooperation between franchisors and franchisees. No longer can a franchisor sit back and leave compliance to its franchisees. Today, franchisors should provide appropriate training and support to franchisees about labour law compliance, have a system to audit compliance, insist that any breaches are promptly rectified and take strong action against rogue franchisees. Further, franchisors should have a system in place for franchisees’ employees to report any concerns about non-compliance with labour laws to franchisors.

As the popularity of franchising in the hotel industry continues to grow, we anticipate greater levels of cooperation between franchisors and franchisees in this area, which in the current tight labour market is a win for all parties concerned, including employees. n hotelmanagement.com.au 81

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PEOPLE

People on the Move The latest key HR appointments across the hotel industry.

Beginning in 2022, Marriott International will have a stronger Asia-Pacific development team, bolstered by the recruitment of two new region-specific Chief Development Officers. Shawn Hill will take on Asia-Pacific (excluding China) while Gavin Yu will focus on Greater China. The new appointments follow the retirement of Paul Foskey, who will leave the company in May 2022.

With nearly a decade in the travel industry, Booking.com has appointed Melissa Ellison as its new Area Manager for Australia. Ellison has been with the OTA since 2017 and in her new role, will spearhead the company’s strategic plan for travel recovery in Australia.

Getting To Know...

Craig Hooley

HM recently sat down to shoot the breeze with Minor Hotels Chief Operating Officer Australia and New Zealand, Craig Hooley, during which he had us in stitches about one of those red wine and white clothing stories that undoubtedly has happened to us all at some point.

What was your first job in the accommodation industry?

My first job was just after I left school and was working in the scullery of a large kitchen of a hotel in Sydney. I spent my whole shift over a large sink washing saucepans and dodging flying utensils from angry chefs. A highlight was sneaking into the freezer at the end of my shift and eating ice cream. A very fond memory which lasted just six months before greener pastures came my way.

Can you tell us a funny, embarrassing or memorable story from the early part of your career?

I was tasked to serve on a table of VIPs which included a Navy Captain and his wife who were both dressed in white. As I approached the wife of the captain to offer a glass of wine, I thought I had a finger on the napkin, which was going to catch any potential drips, but as I poured, it slipped forward, and the wine ran back up the napkin along the bottle and into the lap of the white dress.

I just froze looking at the dress, now covered in red wine. I could not speak and luckily my supervisor came over and helped with an apology. I have never wrapped a bottle of wine since.

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?

Success in the hospitality industry starts with the right personality, you must have a passion for being around people and a natural mindset to want to enrich the lives of others. But by doing so, the industry has great rewards that start with it being the fastest industry to reach management and can involve amazing opportunities to travel and experience the best the world has to offer. If you feel it is for you, dive in deep, wash dishes, make beds and before you know you could be running your own hotel or operation. n 82 HM The Business of Accommodation

Ovolo Hotels has welcomed Nathan Dean onboard as its new Brisbane Area General Manager, joined by Diana Montenegro as F&B General Manager. The group has also unveiled its new Acquisition and Development team, led by Marc Hediger and Kyu Baek Kim. Fiji’s Kokomo Private Island has a new weapon in its promotional arsenal with the appointment of Sharon Byrne as Director of Sales and Marketing. Byrne brings over a decade with both IHG Hotels and Langham Hospitality Group to her new role, along with experience running her own tourism representation company.

Skye Suites Parramatta has welcomed Quercy Jouannes as its new General Manager.

Fluent in five languages and bringing 20 years of hotel industry experience to his new role, Jouannes is passionate about guest service, operational excellence and building strong guest relationships.

Popular beachside surf motel, Halcyon House, has promoted Laura Proctor to the role of General Manager. Proctor has climbed the ranks within the property over the past four years and brings international industry experience to her new role.

Quest Apartment Hotels General Manager, Gerry Bourke, and JW Marriott Gold Coast Director of Operations, Jai Leighton, have been named new appointees to the Gay and Lesbian Tourism Australia Board of Directors for a two-year term promoting Australian holiday experiences to LGBTQI+ travellers worldwide.

Andras Biro has made his next career move, named as the new General Manager at The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore. The Hungarian native takes up his new post having moved within the company, previously serving as General Manager of Kempinski Grand Hotel Gelendzhik in Russia.

AHICE 2022: The Time is Now! The hotel event where deals get done

Save the Dates Design Inn Tuesday 3 May 2022

SkyCity, Adelaide AHICE 2022 Wednesday 4 – Thursday 5 May 2022

Adelaide Oval, South Australia Hosted by

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