InnFocus - BC Hotel Association

InnFocus
BC Hotel Association
THE AIRBNB
MIGRAINE p8
CHANGING THE
ACCOMMODATION LANDSCAPE
CHINA RISING p16
OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES
FOR HOTELIERS
THE TECHNOLOGY
TSUNAMI p24
PM40026059
OUTFITTING YOUR HOTEL
FOR TOMORROW
PLUS: APPEALING TO MILLENNIALS > CONNECTING AMERICA > HOTEL TRANSACTIONS
Fall 2015
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FortisBC uses the FortisBC name and logo under license from Fortis Inc. (15-065.2 03/2015)
200-948 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1N9
T 604-681-7164 1-800-663-3153
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www.bchotelassociation.com
@bchotelassoc
Vancouver Coast Mountains
Joann Pfeifer, Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown, Vancouver
John Sandor, Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver
Craig Norris-Jones, Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver
Ross Dyck, Sylvia Hotel, Vancouver
John Kearns, Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel, Surrey
Leonard Wiens, Royal Hotel, Chilliwack
Lloyd Daser, Pan Pacific Whistler, Whistler
David MacKenzie, Pemberton Valley Lodge, Pemberton
Vancouver Island
Earl Wilde, Victoria Regent Waterfront Hotel & Suites, Victoria
Stephen Roughley, Marriott Victoria Inner Harbour, Victoria
Rick Browning, BEST WESTERN The Westerly Hotel, Courtenay
Jonathan Cross, Hospitality Inn Hotel, Port Alberni
Thompson Okanagan
Ingrid Jarrett, Watermark Beach Resort, Osoyoos
Don Brogan, Walnut Beach Resort, Osoyoos
Bryan Pilbeam, Hotel 540, Kamloops
Shatha Al-Reihani, The Plaza Hotel Kamloops, Kamloops
John Douglas, Nancy Greene’s Cahilty Lodge, Sun Peaks
Kootenay Rockies
Amanda Robinson, Copper Point Resort, Invermere
Brady Beruschi, Regent Hotel, Revelstoke
Danny Rickaby, The Adventure Hotel, Nelson
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast
Pat Corbett, The Hills Health and Guest Ranch, 100 Mile House
Northern BC
Rebecca Monsen, Treasure Cove Hotel, Prince George
Al McCreary, Hudson Bay Lodge, Smithers
Colin Bateman, Aspen Inn & Suites, Smithers
Directors at Large
Taj Kassam, Sandman Hotel Group, Vancouver
Sarah Kirby-Yung, Coast Hotels, Vancouver
Ian Powell, Inn at Laurel Point, Victoria
Steve Smith, Crest Hotel, Prince Rupert
Heather Bodnarchuk, Prestige Hotels and Resorts, Salmon Arm
Past President
David Wetsch, Ramada Limited Downtown Vancouver, Vancouver
Featured Hotelier
Tom Matthews at Summerland Waterfront Resort & Spa, page 22
Executive Committee
President, Ingrid Jarrett, Watermark Beach Resort, Osoyoos
Past President, David Wetsch, Ramada Limited Downtown Vancouver
Treasurer, Al McCreary, Hudson Bay Lodge, Smithers
Vice President, Jonathan Cross, Hospitality Inn Hotel, Port Alberni
Vice President, John Kearns, Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel, Surrey
Vice President, David MacKenzie, Pemberton Valley Lodge, Pemberton
Vice President, Joann Pfeifer, Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown, Vancouver
Vice President, Earl Wilde, Victoria Regent Waterfront Hotel & Suites, Victoria
Fall 2015
Features
BCHA Staff
James Chase, Chief Executive Officer, Vancouver 604-443-4750
Colleen Lamothe, Director, Comm. and Gov’t Relations , Vancouver 604-443-4751
Altaf Ebrahim, Director of Affinity Programs 604-443-4758
Louise Thompson, Member Services Coordinator, Vancouver 604-443-4756
Website: www.bchotelassociation.com
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RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO
CIRCULATION DEPT EMC PUBLICATIONS
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email: info@emcmarketing.com
8
The AirBNB Migraine - Short-Term Rentals 4 President’s Message
are Changing the Accommodation Landscape 6 CEO’s Report
13 Hotel Transactions in BC
11 Destination BC Update
14 Connecting America Campaign
12 HR Report
16 China Rising - Opportunities and
Challenges for Hoteliers
22 Summerland Waterfront
Resort & Spa
InnFocus is published quarterly by EMC Publications - a division of
EMC Executive Marketing Consultants Inc.
19073 63 Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3S 8G7
t 604-574-4577 1-800-667-0955 f 604-574-2196
info@emcmarketing.com www.emcmarketing.com
Publisher: Joyce Hayne
Design & Layout: Krysta Furioso
Copy Editor: Debbie Minke
Columns
24 The Technology Tsunami - Outfitting Your
Hotel for Tomorrow
30 Lean and Mean - Improving Staff Productivity
32 Appealing to Millennials
29 Names in the News
36 BCHA Benefits
37 What’s New?
38 BC Hospitality Foundation
President’s Message
The 3rd Annual CONNECT Food + Drink +
Lodging Expo and Tradeshow returns to the
Vancouver Convention Centre West on October
18 & 19. CONNECT is the largest hospitality
tradeshow in Western Canada and, as a BCHA
member, you and your staff are invited to attend
for FREE!
This year CONNECT is offering education
sessions such as:
Beyond Temporary Foreign Workers:
Alternative Ways to Find Workers
Since the changes to the Temporary Foreign
Worker Program, finding staff through this
path has become more restrictive. As labour
shortages intensify, where do we find workers
for those hard-to-fill positions? What are your
options for hiring talent? Join go2HR - BC’s
tourism and hospitality human resource
association - and learn about hiring workers
from different labour pools. It’s time to think
beyond the Temporary Foreign Worker
Program.
All educational sessions at CONNECT are
complimentary for BCHA members and staff.
Visit www.connectshow.com/educationsessions for a list of the 2015 programming. Be
sure to take advantage of this member benefit.
In previous years, general managers have sent
staff to the educational seminars as a way to
recognize strong employees and encourage
career development.
4 InnFocus
by Ingrid Jarrett
The CONNECT Show is not just a benefit of
your membership with the BCHA; as the largest
hospitality tradeshow in Western Canada,
CONNECT is also a key opportunity to meet
with colleagues from across the province. Meet
face-to-face on the tradeshow floor with BCHA
Associate Members, or swing by booth #500
and say hello to the BCHA staff. Membership
Services Coordinator Louise Thompson will be
on the CONNECT tradeshow floor all day to talk
with members (and future members) about all
the different discounts and benefits available
through your membership.
Western Canadian Hotel & Resort
Investment Conference
In addition to the CONNECT Show, the BCHA
has partnered with the Western Canadian Hotel
& Resort Investment Conference, taking place
at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver on October
19 & 20. The conference provides a year-end
perspective on resort and urban lodging - with
a unique western focus. This event will bring
together individuals from a broad cross-section
of disciplines and professional associations. The
primary objective of the conference is to provide
a forum for those in the Canadian hotel and
resort industries to learn and network.
There are a number of plenary sessions
to participate in, such as “Staying Tuned
Up”, where guests will review the operating
performance and transaction highlights
of the Western Canadian hotel and resort
markets with a focus on the hottest and coldest
markets. Charlotte Bell, the new TIAC CEO,
will be on hand to discuss Canada’s demand for
international tourism, and business visionary
Richard Worzel will give a keynote address
titled “Checking in on Future Profits: The
Potential & Challenges for the Hotel & Resort
Business in Western Canada”. For the full
schedule please visit www.resortinvest.ca.
BCHA members save $100.00 on the cost of
early-bird registration. BCHA members in good
standing can use the code BCHA for discounted
registration. Early bird registration is open until
September 9.
I look forward to seeing you in Vancouver at
The CONNECT Food + Drink + Lodging Expo
and at the Western Canadian Hotel & Resort
Investment Conference in October.
Save the Dates:
CONNECT Food + Drink + Lodging
October 18 & 19
Vancouver Convention Centre West
www.connectshow.com
BCHA Annual General Meeting
October 19 at 2:45pm
Vancouver Convention Centre West,
Room 105/106, Vancouver, BC
www.bchotelassociation.com
Western Canadian Hotel & Resort
Investment Conference
October 19 & 20
Hyatt Regency Vancouver
www.resortinvest.ca
CEO’s Report
by James Chase
Membership with the BC Hotel Association
not only makes our voice in Victoria
stronger, it also offers you - the members
- a measureable ROI. Our collective
purchasing power means that BC Hotel
Association members are privy to an extensive selection of programs,
discounts, and benefits.
In the spring, we announced a new partnership with Foodbuy Canada.
We’ve had a number of members join the program and they are already
seeing the savings. The Foodbuy “run rate” goal looks to find your
operation an additional 3% - 4% in rebates. The Foodbuy Manufacturer
Rebate Program finds your operation added money over and above any
current programs, and provides you with a rebate cheque each month
through a collective mix of aligned manufacturers not currently under
contract. You’ll also have access to detailed, transparent, and customized
reporting. When you join Foodbuy, you don’t need to make any changes to
your existing partnership with Sysco or GFS. When existing manufacturer
rebate terms expire, you negotiate your best deal and compare it with
the offer from Foodbuy, and then implement whichever provides your
operation the most savings.
As your advocate and spokesperson for the hotel industry in BC, the BC
Hotel Association is constantly looking at new programs such as Foodbuy
aimed at saving you money. We are also always looking to improve and
build upon existing programs and discounts available to our members.
To assist with the acquisition of new programs and benefits, the BC
Hotel Association welcomed Altaf Ebrahim to the team as Director of
Affinity Programs in July. Altaf is working on your behalf to negotiate
6 InnFocus
new member benefit programs and use the collective purchasing power of
the over 600 BCHA members to secure lower rates on goods and services.
Most recently, Altaf was the CEO for two national group purchasing
organizations in the hotel and retirement/care home sectors. Working
with a board of directors, Altaf led the development of these organizations
into major industry purchasing institutions. He managed all aspects of
the procurement programs for 150 hotels and 90 care homes during
his tenure. The cost saving programs were developed for the respective
membership with vendors such as Compass Group - Foodbuy Canada,
Complete Purchase Services, Sysco Canada, Hub International Insurance
Brokers, Staples Advantage, Rogers Mobility, and many others. Altaf
now brings his extensive procurement and vendor relation skills to the
BC Hotel Association.
Altaf’s professional experience also includes working as a seasoned senior
manager in a variety of national and multi-national retailers, and as an
entrepreneur within the insurance industry. He has been engaged in
national and provincial politics, and worked as an Executive Director of a
NGO. Altaf has extensive sales, human resource, and project management
experience in these environments.
Altaf is an active volunteer in the community, including doing media
relations work for the World Partnership Walk (Edmonton & Vancouver)
and Edmonton Folk Music Festival. He also participates in an advisory
capacity with the Ismaili Council for BC on civil society initiatives.
I hope you will join me in welcoming Altaf to the Association. He can be
reached by e-mail at altaf@bchotelassociation.com.
4,500
Attendees
10,000
Products
300+
Exhibitors
Bringing together BC's Hospitality Professionals
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The Airbnb Migraine
Photo courtesy of Manteo Resort
Short-Term Rentals are Changing
the Accommodation Landscape
by Alex Van Tol
Imagine waking up one day to discover another company is undercutting your business, snatching your
clientele, and making money like crazy while evading the rules that you have to abide by. It gives you
shudders, right?
8 InnFocus
But wait a second. Something’s wrong. You can’t wake up from this
dream, because it’s actually happening: the short-term rental nightmare.
Whether it’s Airbnb, HomeAway, Roomorama or even Craigslist, cheap
rentals are popping up in cities everywhere by the thousands.
Founded in 2008, and with over 1.5 million listings worldwide as of
May 2015 -more than double what it had just a year earlier - Airbnb has
become the world’s largest accommodation provider - without owning a
single piece of property. The San Francisco startup was valued at $25.5
billion at the end of June – even more than Marriott’s $21 billion.
And it has hoteliers shaking in their boots.
Disruption with a Capital D
It’s no secret there’s been an explosion in non-traditional accommodations
in recent years. From a budget traveller’s perspective, this new kind of
competition is a welcome addition to the marketplace. Recent research
indicates public opinion is in favour of these types of accommodations.
However, hoteliers aren’t feeling the same love for these illegal rentals.
The hotel industry has been challenged since the slowdown of 2008,
and recovery has been undermined because of the recent explosion in
cheaper options for travellers. Home-sharing organizations like Airbnb
and HomeAway aren’t required to pay hotel taxes, nor to operate within
the same stringent health, safety, and fire standards as traditional hotels.
Municipalities are affected too, because they’re not getting the muchneeded hotel tax that then gets rolled back into tourism marketing in
the city and province. Alarming figures are cropping up across North
America: Sonoma County, for example, estimates it’s losing $500,000 $1 million annually in tax revenues; New York City estimates up to 72% of
rental listings in the city are illegal; Vancouver is swimming with people
who can’t afford housing while innumerable apartments sit vacant much
of the month. At the neighbourhood level, short-term rentals generate
complaints about noise, traffic, parking, garbage, and growing worries
about strangers wandering the halls in your condo tower.
To date, these kinds of non-traditional accommodations have been
difficult to track and regulate, and hotels have suffered as a result. “The
issue is being overlooked because enforcement is difficult,” explains
Photo courtesy of Destination BC
Victoria - which lists well over 1000 properties
on Airbnb - is engaged in talks with the
San Francisco-based company to form an
agreement for hosts to remit a 2% tax.
James Chase, CEO for the BC Hotel Association. Laws can only be
enforced if a property is being rented - and it’s difficult to monitor since
bylaw enforcement only knows there’s a rental if neighbours complain.
Victoria - which lists well over 1000 properties on Airbnb - is engaged
in talks with the San Francisco-based company to form an agreement
for hosts to remit a 2% tax in order to level the playing field with area
hotels. The thinking is that it’s more efficient to have Airbnb collect that
tax than to add a whole layer of work by requiring hosts to file everything
individually with the city. But even though Victoria is squarely in the
ring, a formalized agreement is still a number of months off. “There is
no easy solution,” notes Kerri Moore, Manager of Strategic Relations
and Business Development with the City of Victoria, who acknowledges
that the city will be examining other municipalities’ actions around the
issue while shaping its own regulations going forward.
InnFocus 9
While enforcement comes at a cost (Santa Monica recently set aside
over $400,000 just to patrol short-term rentals alone), between tighter
enforcement and fair taxation, the market can perhaps find that balance
point where hotels can keep providing a full-service experience to those
who actually value that style of travel. And everybody else can turn down
their own bed at night.
Photo courtesy of Destination BC
In 2014 Whistler Village took action
against 66 property uses.
How Cities are Dealing
With Short-Term Rentals
San Francisco Short-term rental hosts must be permanent residents
who register in person with the municipality.
There is a $50 registration fee (paid every two years).
Registrants must pay tax on their rentals (14%).
In Whistler, where zoning allows for nightly rental properties only in
Whistler Village itself, the growth of illegal accommodations in outlying
areas is putting a strain on an already tight rental market. However, bylaw
enforcement in this mountain town is responsive. In 2014 the town took
action against 66 property uses. The municipality’s best defense so far
is regular enforcement and public education, and it has made resources
available so people can make sure their property conforms to current
zoning.
Hoteliers, Raise Your Voices
For its part, the BC Hotel Association has been working with the provincial
government behind the scenes to better address the issue. “Airbnb is
not going away,” says Chase. On the ground, Chase says the best avenue
forward is for hoteliers to approach their municipal governments and ask
them to enforce the existing bylaws. “This gets the issue on the agenda of
municipal governments,” he says. The ideal resolution, Chase explains, is
for city councils to either enforce current laws or create regulations that
reflect our new reality.
Entire-unit rentals are limited to 90 days per year.
Vancouver Hosts can’t rent out their property for less than a month
unless they’re registered as a hotel or B&B.
The city is considering requiring hosts to pay a hotel tax.
Quebec Quebec’s provincial government wants hosts offering
properties for rent through Airbnb and other online home-sharing
services to pay taxes and be subject to the same regulations as hotels.
The province is also considering requiring users to pay a fee.
New York Current laws state it is illegal to rent out an apartment for
fewer than 30 days unless the resident is also there.
New York has boosted its investigation and enforcement budget and
made it a priority, with stiff fines for those who break the law.
Boston One condo association hit a resident with massive fines for
renting out his one-bedroom apartment.
Condo associations are quickly updating their rules as a result.
Boston is considering regulating short-term rentals but hasn’t so far.
10 InnFocus
Destination BC Update
EQ Case Study: Watermark Beach Resort
Destination BC recently signed an agreement
with Destination Canada (formerly the
Canadian Tourism Commission) that
gives all tourism stakeholders in BC free
access to Explorer Quotient (EQ), a market
segmentation tool based on social and travel
values, motivations, and behaviours. The
following is an example of how one BC resort
has been using EQ over the past few years with
great success.
Riding in the 1952 Mercury truck as part of “A Culinary Journey
through Canada’s Desert”. Photo courtesy of Watermark Beach Resort
The award-winning Watermark Beach Resort
in downtown Osoyoos has a wealth of attributes
to draw travellers. By using the EQ tool,
the management team at Watermark are
marketing to their best customers - with
outstanding results.
Watermark is located on over 300 metres of
sandy beach along the shores of Osoyoos Lake.
The four-storey, 153-suite property consists of
a main building and 30 beachfront townhomes.
Under the leadership of General Manager and
VP of Business Development Ingrid Jarrett,
the resort has been systematically using EQ
as a product and market development tool
since 2010.
Jarrett first learned about EQ at Rendezvous Canada. Jarrett then worked closely
with Destination Canada and the Thompson
Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) to
implement product and market development
activities using EQ.
As a first step, the team reviewed research from
Destination Canada and TOTA, looked at the
types of guest experiences that could be offered
in the Osoyoos area, and then decided which
EQ types to target. Using EQ, Watermark was
able to market to individuals most likely to
book a trip. As such, marketing activities across
channels were developed with an EQ lens, using
language and images that appeal to the specific
emotive drivers of their target EQ types.
Jarrett has become a passionate advocate of
this psychographic segmentation tool. The
Watermark team now works with many local
businesses and community organizations
to develop products and events to attract
visitors. The work has resulted in a number of
exciting developments such as the Canadian
Signature Experience “A Culinary Journey
through Canada’s Desert” in conjunction with
Covert Farms. These events and experiences
were crafted to appeal to target EQ types, are
promoted accordingly, and are helping to drive
bookings. For example, a recent “Pig Out” wine
and food event at Covert Farms was sold out.
Working with local partners has been critical
to the success in implementing EQ as part of a
product development and marketing strategy.
Watermark currently leads its competitive set
in revenue per available room (RevPar), and
with outstanding guest reviews, the results
speak for themselves. Jarrett says, “We
knew the strategy was hitting the mark when
guests were heard using the same language to
describe their experiences as recommended
in the EQ research.” Through EQ and an
engaged approach to business development,
Watermark has also earned a number of
prestigious awards, including being inducted
into the TripAdvisor 2015 Hall of Fame after
five consecutive years of receiving Certificates
of Excellence. Okanagan Life Readers’ Choice
Awards gave Watermark the distinction of
Best Chef; Best Place to Have a Meeting and
Best Wine Bar in the South Okanagan. This
year it was also named as one of Canada’s best
summer resorts for families by Today’s Parent
magazine.
Watermark and local partners like Covert
Farms offer truly inspiring experiences crafted
with insights from EQ, prompting guests to give
rave reviews to their family and friends about
their trips to Osoyoos.
Visit Destination BC’s EQ resources page for
more information about EQ and how your
business can leverage this powerful tool.
Follow Destination BC on Twitter
@DestinationBC and sign-up for their monthly
newsletter.
Next Issue Winter 2015
• PCI Compliance
• Encouraging Bleisure Travel
• The Death of Room Service and Mini Bars
• Liquor Policy Changes
Call 1-800-667-0955 to book your ad by October 23
InnFocus 11
HR Report
by go2HR
Making the Most of Your Joint Health and Safety Committee
A Joint Occupational Health and Safety
Committee (JOHSC) may be a legal
requirement for hoteliers, but it’s also a great
tool for building teamwork, boosting employee
engagement, and ultimately, increasing
employee retention. Here’s how to make it
work for you.
A JOHSC is required for every employer in BC
with 20 or more employees. The committee
must have a minimum of four members, at
least half of whom are hourly workers, and
two co-chairs - one elected by workers and one
chosen by the employer. Their job is critical: to
help ensure health and safety in the workplace.
Besides monthly meetings, committee
members participate in inspections and are a
point of contact for health and safety queries
throughout the hotel. A key task is accident
prevention - identifying and finding solutions
for safety issues before incidents occur.
Eleanor Purslow, Director of Human Resources
at the 200-employee Hotel Grand Pacific
in Victoria, co-chairs her hotel’s JOHSC.
“The Grand Pacific’s nine-person committee
includes more hourly workers than managers,”
she describes. “We try to have someone from
each department and also from each shift
because we are a 24-hour operation.” The
hotel’s JOHSC, she notes, has had very little
turnover: “We have a core group who are really
committed. I’ve been at the property for four
and a half years and only two people have left
during that time.”
basically analyzing incidents to prevent
them from happening again. We’ve also been
focusing on education and awareness. The
JOHSC members have been great ambassadors
for health and safety and have been really good
at spreading the word in their departments.
I think it helps for employees to hear it
from their co-workers, rather than just from
managers.” The information flows both ways
too. “Everyone at the hotel knows who their
representatives are and who to contact in each
area,” she adds.
What’s Involved?
“We meet once a month for 30 minutes and
we also carry out inspections. In addition, we
have eight hours a year per member allocated
for training,” explains Purslow. The monthly
meetings are a great opportunity for people
from different departments and shifts - who
may not see each other during the work day - to
share information, concerns, and ideas about
health and safety issues.
“The committee really helps promote teamwork
and collaboration; everyone feels they can say
something - and they do,” says Purslow. “We
approach things from a root-cause analysis:
12 InnFocus
Some Tips
“You have to keep it positive,” Purslow shares.
“Even though we are talking about health and
safety, we try to have fun with it as well. We
joke about being safety geeks and we have a
logo and a really colourful safety board: neon
green with caution tape.”
“As long as you’re committed to letting
everyone have a voice, it’s a great process,”
describes Purslow. “Working as a committee,
it may take a little longer to reach a solution,
but you’ll reach a better solution in the end.”
Certificate of Recognition
The Grand Pacific’s JOHSC has also been
instrumental in helping the hotel achieve the
Certificate of Recognition (COR), a nationally
recognized audit and certification program
rewarding employers who go beyond legal
requirements in implementing their health
and safety program.
“The committee did a lot of work towards
achieving COR, including helping to develop
and review the risk assessment, which was a
key part of the process,” says Purslow.
go2HR is BC’s tourism and hospitality human resource
association and, in partnership with WorkSafeBC, the
certifying partner for the Certificate of Recognition
Program for the BC tourism and hospitality industry.
As labour market specialists, go2HR coordinates the
BC Tourism Labour Market Strategy and provides
programs and resources in the areas of recruitment,
retention, and training. To learn more, visit go2HR.ca.
Hotel Transactions in BC
by Cindy Schoenauer
With recent declines in both Alberta and
Saskatchewan hotel markets, all eyes are
on BC’s hotel industry as it continues to
thrive, leading the West in growth. BC’s
hotel industry has performed exceptionally
well over the last two years, specifically in
downtown Vancouver, Vancouver’s suburban
submarkets, Victoria, Whistler, and Kelowna.
Other markets such as Vancouver Island and
Prince George are also seeing impressive
topline results, according to the May issue
of PKF Consulting’s Trends in the Hotel
Industry.
Demand for hotel accommodation has been
strong across all market segments - group,
leisure, and corporate. Many hotels in
downtown Vancouver are reporting record
occupancy levels. Vancouver has already
hosted several major events this year,
including the 2015 FIFA Women’s World
Cup and the World Congress of Dermatology.
The World Diabetes Congress is coming in
November. As reported by the Conference
Board of Canada, BC’s GDP growth is forecast
at 3.0% in 2015 compared to Alberta’s
anticipated decline of 1.5% and the nation’s
projected growth of 1.9%. Favourable US
exchange rates, coupled with BC’s strong
economic indicators, are contributing to the
success in topline performance in almost all
hotel markets across the province.
In the June issue of Destination BC’s
Provincial Tourism Indicators, it was
reported that US overnight visitation was
up by 9.0% for the year-to-date April 2015
period, over 2014 levels. Both Victoria
and Whistler attract an important level of
American visitors. Kelowna mainly attracts
domestic visitation from both BC and Alberta.
Despite the economic downturn in Alberta,
visitation levels to Kelowna remain positive,
suggesting that Albertans are vacationing and
travelling closer to home this year.
A stronger top line for hotels in BC has
resulted in greater investor interest. However,
this raised attention has not yet stimulated
increased transaction activity in 2015. There
have been half as many trades in 2015,
compared to the same period in 2014. The
Photo courtesy of Pacific Sands Beach Resort
most noteworthy transaction to-date in 2015
is the sale of The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver,
which followed the sale of the Hyatt Regency
Vancouver, across the street, in December
2014.
Vancouver Island is experiencing a rise not
only in hotel top line performance, but also
in transaction volume. Sales in 2014 and 2015
have included The Fairmont Empress Hotel,
Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa, Travelodge
Parksville, Quarterdeck Resort and Marina
in Port Hardy, Pacific Sands Resort & Spa in
Nanoose Bay, Ramada Victoria, and Abigail’s
Hotel in Victoria.
The Pacific Sands Beach Resort Hotel in
Tofino is the only property to have traded in
2015 to date; however, there have been some
notable transactions in BC’s resort markets
since 2013. These trades included the Lake
Okanagan Resort and the Hotel Eldorado in
Kelowna, Poets Cove Resort, Marina & Spa
on Pender Island, and Harrison Hot Springs
Resort & Spa.
Other BC hotel transaction facts and trends:
• The number of deals in BC in 2014 was
similar to levels in 2013.
• Over half the number of trades in 2015 to
date occurred on Vancouver Island.
• To date, hotel trades are more evenly
spread between primary, secondary, and
tertiary markets as opposed to this time
last year, when the majority of hotel trades
occurred in tertiary markets.
A full presentation will take place at the
Western Canadian Hotel & Resort Investment
Conference October 19-20 at the Hyatt
Regency Vancouver.
Register at www.hotel-resortinvest.ca.
Cindy Schoenauer, AACI, P. App. is Associate Director
at CBRE Hotels Group.
InnFocus 13
Connecting America Campaign
by Joyce Hayne
The Tourism Industry Association with the
support of the Hotel Association of Canada
organized a grassroots campaign to obtain
government funding for Connecting America
- a campaign to attract American travellers
to Canada utilizing existing air and ground
access. The BC Hotel Association (BCHA)
played a significant role for this new threeyear coordinated, targeted, and measurable
tourism marketing co-investment initiative.
BCHA directors and members reached out
to their local federal MPs by sending a letter
and then following up in person to lobby for
the Connecting America initiative.
The campaign was approved in May and
will be undertaken from 2015 to 2018, using
new technologies and innovative approaches
to reach out to travellers from the US. The
initiative will enable Destination Canada and
Destination BC to collaborate with partners in
the private sector, international travel trade
(e.g., travel agents, tour operators), and the
provinces and territories to promote Canada
as a premier tourism destination, creating
exciting new opportunities for the sector. It
will also help promote economic growth by
creating or maintaining an estimated 2,900
jobs across Canada.
by provincial and territorial, local and
private-sector tourism partners, with a view
of generating an additional $400 million
in incremental tourism revenue from an
additional 680,000 visitors over a three-year
period.
The Government of Canada will invest $30
million over three years. Federal funding
will be matched on a 1.25-to-one basis
This targeted tourism campaign is expected to
attract a larger number of American visitors
to destinations across Canada. The US is
14 InnFocus
Canada’s largest inbound tourism market,
representing approximately 70% of overnight
tourists who visit Canada. In 2014, 11.5
million overnight tourists from the US came to
Canada. With growth from American tourists
at 0.3% last year, marketing opportunities
such as Connecting America are needed to
help raise awareness of Canada’s exciting and
authentic tourism experiences.
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InnFocus 15
China Rising
Opportunities and Challenges for Hoteliers
by Joanne Sasvari
If you had a massive, untapped market of well-heeled travellers who were hungry to explore Canada,
wouldn’t you do your best to accommodate them? Of course you would. As it turns out, that market is
right at our doorstep.
16 InnFocus
We’re talking about China, of course. Since
June 2010, when Canada received Approved
Destination Status (ADS), the number of
Chinese visitors to our country has simply
exploded.
“Since ADS was approved, visitors from
China have grown at 24% annually year over
year,” says Anthony Pollard, President of the
Hotel Association of Canada and author of
the award-wining booklet Hospitality for
Chinese Guests (which can be downloaded at
www.hotelassociation.ca). “The ADS has
generated $3 billion of new revenue in
Canada. In 2014, visitation increased by 30%.
In 2012, they were the largest single market
in the world,” Pollard reports. “In 2014, 107
million Chinese travelled abroad and they
spent $129 billion.”
All that means a whole lot of heads in beds
– but only if hoteliers take advantage of the
opportunity China presents. As Pollard says,
“Fish where the fish are.”
Photo courtesy of
Four Seasons Hotel
The Four Seasons in Vancouver has installed a dedicated
Chinese kitchen for special events such as weddings.
Who Are They?
“One of every five people living and breathing
on planet earth lives in China. And the
economy in China continues to boom,”
describes Pollard, who has updated his
booklet every year since he first wrote it in
2007. “In fact,” he says, “the middle class
in China is now greater than the entire
population of the United States of America.”
For the first time, China has a middle class of
white-collar workers able and eager to explore
the world, including Canada, which they value
for its natural beauty and high quality of life.
“These are people who want to travel,” Pollard
explains. “They have high expectations.”
In 2012, 38 million Chinese people held
passports, with that number growing by 20%
per year, according to Destination BC. The
provincial destination marketing organization
also reports that while the US continues to
be the biggest source of international visitors
to BC, China is easily in second place. Those
visitors tend to come from Mainland China,
where the main language spoken is Mandarin.
They are equally split between men and
women, well-educated, employed full-time,
and younger than most international travellers
- with more than 30% of them under the age
of 30 and 40% between the ages of 35 and 54.
Top Trip Activities for Chinese Visitors
68%
Spending time with
friends and/or family
53%
National or
provincial parks
37%
Zoos, gardens,
or aquariums
32%
29%
Historic sites
Museums or art
galleries
Source: Destination BC, 2012 statistics
InnFocus 17
Unlike business travellers, however,
these leisure travellers are unwilling to
accommodate cultural differences. They
want to eat food they’re familiar with and do
familiar activities. And they definitely want
to be treated with the kind of respect they’re
used to at home.
Where Are They Going?
Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel
To attract Chinese guests, the most important thing for hoteliers to
do is work with a Receptive Tour Operator (RTO) that has access
to the Chinese market.
18 InnFocus
When it comes to attracting Chinese visitors,
Canada is competing with the US, United
Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia,
and New Zealand. The biggest challenge
for Canada is cost – Canada is not always
considered a good value destination,
according to Destination BC. When those
visitors do arrive, they tend to go to the large
gateway cities such as Vancouver, which is the
country’s most popular destination thanks to
its large Asian population and mix of urban
and natural attractions. They also like to visit
famous natural attractions such as the Rocky
Mountains.
China by the Numbers
But increasingly, Chinese visitors are venturing
off the beaten path, and that is an opportunity
for hoteliers everywhere. “Our Asian inbound
business has been on a steady increase
especially from China,” says Ian Thorley,
Director of Sales and Marketing for Bellstar
Hotels and Resorts. “Our resorts in the
Canadian Rockies are definitely seeing a
direct benefit. Canada’s most famous natural
resources have seen a huge demand. For
example, this summer we hosted a number
of Asian tour operators at Kicking Horse
Lodging (in Golden), and they are using our
accommodations as a base camp for sightseeing
trips into the various natural attractions within
the Canadian Rockies including the Icefields,
Banff, and Lake Louise.”
• China has a population of 1.35 billion people, eight official
languages, and 40 cities of over a million people.
(CIA, The World Factbook).
• In 2014, 107 million Chinese travelled abroad and spent $129 billion
USD .
(China National Tourism Association)
• Over 45 million outbound departures from China occurred in 2012,
roughly a 13% year-over-year growth. It is predicted that outbound
travel from China will continue to grow rapidly.
• China was BC’s second largest international market in terms of
direct customs entries in 2013; up two spots from 2012.
• In 2013, more than 350,000 Chinese travellers visited Canada, of
which 58% entered directly through BC. Between 2004 and 2013,
Chinese visitors to Canada increased 246% and Chinese visitors to BC
grew 155%; largely due to the granting of the Approved Destination
Status in June 2010, which allowed marketing agencies and the travel
trade to actively market Canada directly to Chinese consumers.
What Are They Looking For?
• BC accounted for nearly 60% of China’s direct custom entries to
Canada.
“For a Chinese person, travelling is a way of
learning and self-improvement. I don’t want to
say bragging rights, but they want to be able to
say, ‘I went to Canada’,” Pollard shares.
In addition to visiting parks, zoos, gardens,
historic sites, museums or art galleries, Chinese
travellers visit shopping malls. “They love to
shop,” says Pollard. “They don’t mind being
in larger cities because they’re accustomed
to that in China.” According to Pollard, food
is very big, along with casinos and gaming.
Social activities are even more important to
Chinese tourists.
Cultural Differences
One of the biggest challenges for hoteliers
is dealing with cultural differences. “There
are certain things that are really important,”
Pollard notes.
For instance, in China, the family name comes
first, so a man named Lin Chun would be
referred to as Mr. Lin. Protocol, procedure and
status should always be recognized. And if you
exchange business cards and you don’t study
the card you’re given carefully, that’s a big
insult to a Chinese person. Pollard describes,
“You need to take it with both hands and you
need to read it; you need to study it.”
Most important of all, Pollard says, “Never let
them lose face. Avoid negative subjects. Don’t
talk about politics, religion, or sexuality. If you
look at the concept of saving face, those are very
important from a cultural point of view for a
hotelier to understand.”
• In 2013, China was the largest Asia/Pacific market for both BC and
Canada.
Food and Drink
How Can You Attract Chinese Visitors?
According to Hotels.com, dining is the second
most important activity after sightseeing for
the Chinese traveller. Most Chinese leisure
travellers expect to eat food they’re somewhat
familiar with. Beef is rarely served in most
parts of China and potatoes are virtually
unknown. Visitors prefer seafood, chicken,
pork, vegetables and rice as well as Chinese
breakfast items such as congee (rice porridge)
and soup. They are also big tea drinkers, and
expect to find a kettle in their rooms.
According to Hotels.com, 29% of Chinese
travellers stay in three-star hotels, 28% in fourstar properties, and 17% in five-star. Very few
opt for motels, B&Bs, or hostels.
One hotel that has gone far beyond those basic
ingredients is the Four Seasons in Vancouver,
which has installed a dedicated Chinese kitchen
for special events such as weddings.
“I am Canadian-born Chinese. If I was getting
married, I wouldn’t want to have it in a Chinese
restaurant. You don’t really have the canvas to
bring a dream wedding together,” says Lisa Ng,
the hotel’s senior catering manager. Although
the Chinese kitchen was not designed for the
travel market, many visitors come to Canada
for special family occasions, and this kitchen
has opened up whole new opportunities for
the hotel. As Ng notes, “We’re doing quite
well with it.”
Already, some global brands such as Hilton,
Starwood, and Marriott have launched
programs tailored to the Chinese guest, Duncan
Chin describes in a report for HVS’s Vancouver
office. “These programs attend to every
aspect of a Chinese guest’s stay experience,
beginning with Mandarin-speaking staff and
finishing with tailored guestrooms and food
and beverage amenities,” he writes.
To attract Chinese guests, the most important
thing for hoteliers to do is work with a
Receptive Tour Operator (RTO) that has access
to the Chinese market. After that, it’s key to
pay attention to Chinese cultural references.
It helps to have Mandarin speakers on staff,
and to offer amenities Chinese guests expect,
such as kettles, tea, slippers, chopsticks, and
Chinese language newspapers. It is a good idea
to offer Chinese food, especially at breakfast.
And it is crucial to pay attention to protocol –
from understanding the proper way to address
your guests, to saving face.
In other words, it’s all about hospitality.
InnFocus 19
The Future Is Here With TELUS Fibre
by Chris McBeath
Superior Wi-Fi is becoming such an essential
amenity that its availability is fast becoming the
determining factor of whether a guest chooses
to stay at a hotel or not. This amenity is not just
important to business clients; it’s also demanded
by a wide range of leisure travellers.
In order to deal with the demand for mega
capacity broadband, TELUS has invested more
than $1 billion on fibre optic infrastructure in
communities throughout BC and Alberta. TELUS’s
ability to deliver HIGH speed data, HIGH capacity,
and HIGH definition services is unparalleled.
Inefficient Wi-Fi access is a top complaint in
guest satisfaction surveys, and with monitoring
sites such as Hotelwifitest.com upping the ante
and mirroring consumer demand, inadequate
technology will surely impact a hotel’s star
status too.
For hoteliers, this is significant news because
mega capacity is the next generation for guest
services in technology and Internet accessibility.
As guests’ entertainment needs continue to
evolve, all of TELUS’ services offer flexibility and
the ability to add services à la carte.
ADVERTISEMENT
Infrastructure for the Future
“TELUS is committed to making our home
provinces of British Columbia and Alberta
among the most connected places in the world,
and fibre is the future,” said Zainul Mawji, Vice
President of Marketing Strategy & Execution at
TELUS. “TELUS’ investment to connect homes,
businesses, healthcare facilities, schools, libraries
and other institutions directly to TELUS Fibre
throughout the province will unleash infinite
possibilities now and into the future, enabling
enhanced wireless coverage, supporting
next-generation entertainment, life-changing
health solutions, and the digital economy for
generations to come.”
This connectedness is now at the speed of light
and is available to the hotel industry with a
service that enables guests to connect anywhere
within the hotel. Flexible packages can include
high-definition TV service, land line phone and
phone systems, smartphones and connected
devices, and high-speed wireless Internet that
can accommodate all digital platforms well into
the future.
Physical components are also efficient, secure
and unobtrusive - Sparkling Hill Resort has the
hardware hidden within sleek cabinetry. With an
infrastructure that has an alarming, self-healing
system, one connection is able to compensate
for another if there’s an unexpected power
loss. In addition, TELUS is available 24-7 to both
guest and hotel personnel, so that recovery and
support are fast and efficient.
Customizing Options
“Our hotel offering is based on a typical family
of four that may easily use four or five devices
between them,” Mawji explains. “For example,
Mom may be working on a VPN (Virtual Private
Network), her partner might be watching Netflix,
and her daughter is Face-Timing while her son
is playing a ‘hog-the-bandwidth game’ such as
World of Warcraft. This type of simultaneous
use requires at least 25 Mbps of capacity to
each room, without which Mom’s work, the
movie, the game and the video call would all be
frustratingly slow.” TELUS Fibre can support the
needs of the full suite of guests.
With TELUS’s fibre optic technology, capacity
and speed are no longer issues. TELUS enables
hoteliers to stay ahead of the game.
“We took that 25 Mbps and simply doubled it,”
Mawji continues, referencing TELUS’s Standard
Tier bundle that provides one network per
room for up to 50 Mbps - 10 times faster than
any currently available technology. “Once
implemented, we have the capability to triple
that capacity again, up to 150 Mbps, in our
Enhanced Tier and to double and triple it into the
future as the need for incremental bandwidth
for guests arises.”
Packages include video-on-demand (VOD)
where rentals are charged directly to the guest’s
credit card. If for some reason the movie doesn’t
work, there are prompts for guests to contact
TELUS directly. For hoteliers, there are no
administrative demands, and with new releases
priced affordably, there is room for hotels to
generate incremental revenue for VOD rentals.
Bundles also include a splash page for branding
and offer various add-ons such as on-screen
check-out services, ability to order room service,
and a hotel guest services directory to promote
food, beverage and other outlets, all of which
can be updated by hotel staff rather than off-site
specialists. In communities like Big White, where
marketers have embraced the technology to
promote local tourism, there’s the opportunity
to tie-in with regional attractions and outfitters.
The TELUS Advantage
Graham Sullivan, Owner Relations Manager, Big
White Resort comments, “We engaged TELUS
for Optik TV and the Internet. The hotel rooms
had no Internet accessibility prior to TELUS
services, so this has literally taken us from the
Stone Age into the foreseeable future.” In most
instances, TELUS technicians were able to use
existing conduits and where there were none;
ADVERTISEMENT
they installed EZ-Bend InvisiLight lines, so called
because they are matched to décor to make
them virtually undetectable.
“TELUS has provided the infrastructure for
us to move forward in a very competitive
environment,” Sullivan continues. “We have
the capacity for video conferencing and other
digital services as they evolve, which if we were
a business destination, would be particularly
significant. As it is for now, we’ve customized our
system to enable resort guests to check on ski
conditions, book ski lessons, and explore other
activities around the mountain.”
Mawji summarizes, “The key is to recognize
that fibre optics is the technology of the future.
TELUS has the foundation to enable hoteliers,
businesses and entire communities to grow
exponentially as the connected world becomes
ever-more prevalent. In essence, it’s about peace
of mind because we’re offering a one-stop shop
for everything digital.”
www. telus.com/OptikHospitality
Summerland Waterfront Resort & Spa
A Place to Relax, Play, and Savour
by Chris McBeath
For many of us, the Okanagan is a place of family memories:
camping, boating, feasting on just-picked summertime
harvests, and hitting the powdery, snow-laden mountains
in winter. “The Okanagan is a terrific multi-generational
destination, and at the Summerland Waterfront Resort and
Spa, creating memories is what we are all about,” says Tom
Matthews, the resort’s General Manager.
Located 45 minutes south of Kelowna, on a secluded
shore along Lake Okanagan, the Summerland Waterfront
Resort and Spa is an all-inclusive destination offering 110
self-catering suites and activities galore. “This part of the
South Valley has the best of all worlds; it has a quieter
pace, yet we’re within easy reach of urban and mountain
22 InnFocus
adventure, winery tours and orchards. Our gentler vibe is
such a great point of differentiation, we’ve put it into our
brand statement.”
Experience Delivers Results
With almost 40 years’ experience in the hotel industry,
Tom knows a thing or two about marketing, branding, and
creating a quality guest experience. He has worked with
chains such as the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and
Delta Hotels and Resorts as well as several independent
properties, and is President of a well-established hospitality
management company (Tepic Management Group). Under
his guidance, not only has the Summerland Resort Hotel
risen in rank to the top 10 out of 155 Okanagan Hotels, it has earned Trip
Advisor’s 2015 Award of Excellence.
“If there was one thing to draw on for here from my years in hospitality, it is
to try and create as many points of difference as we possibly can,” Tom says,
citing a team that shares his almost frenzied attention to detail. For example,
front desk and other assigned personnel inspect rooms on a random, weekly
rotation, and every member of staff is expected to report and/or deal with
discrepancies they find around the resort. “A poor guest experience is not
about any single smudge on a window or a burned out light; however, together
they generate a complaint potential, so responding to situations with a fresh
pair of eyes keeps us all on our toes. I think that everyone has a real sense of
ownership of where and how they work, and that makes a huge difference in
how we communicate to each other and with our guests.”
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the
Summerland Waterfront Resort and Spa has some
enviable statistics; an almost full sale of weekend
weddings through 2017, and nearly 35% repeat clientele
that continues to grow from one year to the next.
“We are starting to see a lot of family stays where
parents want to create similar Okanagan memories
with their children that they had as a child, whether
Tom Matthews,
that’s a 7-year-old catching a first fish with their father,
General Manager
or sharing s’mores around a beachside campfire. The
South Okanagan isn’t a tour-group destination, so we rely quite heavily on
independent travellers.”
Packages and Promotions
With an active newsletter program to almost 20,000 past guests, there’s
considerable cross promotion including packages geared to romantic getaways
(with no children), yoga retreats, foodie-oriented wine tours and more. “The
hike and bike market is a growing sector, so the hotel has become very bicyclefriendly. We offer complimentary bikes, a washing and tune-up station, and
secured bike storage in the garage. We also recommend trail maps and guides
so guests can choose different types of pedaling experiences en route.”
Packages are crafted to fit the resort’s demographic, and while the hotel’s
marketing personnel tweet and blog regularly (the Internet generates about
22% of all bookings), it’s really the newsletter that maintains guest engagement
through the year and from one year to the next. Print advertising is negligible,
but TV spots - focused on the quick getaway market from Kelowna and
Kamloops - helps offset the shoulder seasons. “December to February, though,
is extremely quiet,” admits Tom. “Guests from Vancouver and Calgary have
concerns over accessibility, besides which, most winter visitors come to the
Okanagan to ski and therefore prefer to stay on the mountain.”
Keeping the Focus
Whatever the time of year, it’s clear that Tom is passionate about his current
location. “I once heard that the definition of a boutique hotel is one that ‘when
you wake up you know you’re somewhere different’, and that’s very true of this
particular property,” Tom explains. “When you wake up in luxury linens, pull
the drapes open, and walk out onto your private patio to waterfront views, you
know you’re somewhere different. And we intend to keep it that way because
that creates lasting memories.”
InnFocus 23
The Technology Tsunami
Outfitting Your Hotel for Tomorrow
by Chris McBeath
Whether it’s iris-scanning technology or in-room thermostats that adjust to a guest’s body temperature,
the world’s hotels are teching up for the future. A study from Hospitality Technology magazine notes
that hotel spending on technology in 2014 nearly doubled over the year before. And in 2015, it could well
double again to nearly 10% of total revenues. Advanced technology has become critical in attracting guests.
24 InnFocus
Get With the Cloud
Just as small to mid-size hotels are
discovering the speed and cost efficiencies
of cloud computing, so brand chains are
seeing how the cloud facilitates unified
management, performance consistency,
and 24-7 availability across properties.
Photo courtesy of The Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, Vancouver
Todd Davis, Chief Information Officer,
Choice Hotels International explains: “We
moved to a cloud-based SaaS solution
for three reasons: the infrastructure and
overhead cost savings to implement and
manage a distributed, on-premise solution
for 6,000 hotels; the provision of a reduced
scope of PCI at the hotel; and the need for
an intuitive, Internet solution that can be
accessed from anywhere. We have moved
accounts payable and invoicing, human
resource management, and time tracking to
cloud-based services. Technology is really
becoming core to what we do.”
Guests receive an array of digital content describing the view, its visible
Check Out e-CHECK
As the check-in/check-out process morphs
into a self-service affair, it prompted a
landmarks, and pointing out nearby restaurants and attractions.
InnFocus 25
senior industry executive to call the front desk “a dead duck”. The
comment may not be too far-fetched. Already, many front desk
personnel roam lobbies to check in guests in-situ using iPads, and
chains like Hyatt and Starwood’s Sheraton hotels have started to
install kiosks that allow guests to swipe their credit card and get a
room key in minutes, bypassing the front desk altogether. Starwood
also launched an Apple Watch app this year offering similar services.
Taken one step further, the uber high-tech Blow Up Hall 50/50
in Poznan, Poland, has the guest become a part of an artsy video
installation as soon as they enter the hotel. The hotel has no reception
and the rooms have no numbers. Instead, every guest is given an
iPhone which serves as their room key and a virtual concierge facility.
Mobility
According to comScore research, Canada has now over 20 million
smartphone owners and close to 10 million tablet owners. “With a
digital population of 30 million, these are big numbers,” says Steve
Ringuet, CEO of a leading distributor of hotel industry IT solutions.
“There are now more visits to online travel sites coming from mobile
devices than from PCs.” Data revealed that visitors use a mobile
device about 30% of the time during the travel research to completion
cycle and it is growing exponentially.
“These are significant changes for Canadian travel companies that
must lead by offering digital experiences adapted to these devices,”
Ringuet continues. “Websites designed for desktops are often difficult
to navigate and frustrating or impossible to use for mobile customers
with smaller screens.”
Whether adopting cloud-based, ready-to-deploy solutions or
integrating on-the-go mobility using an existing infrastructure,
catering to customer mobility is a technological imperative.
App Happy
Enhancing a guest’s stay with a customized app is a definite trend.
Among the leaders is the new Four Seasons App, which enables
guests to make and manage reservations (in multiple locations),
facilitate express check-in and check-out, order room service, and
make itinerary plans based on suggestions from built-in geo location
technology. The Fairmont Waterfront Hotel Vancouver is giving new
dimension to print materials via mobile devices. By downloading
Layar, a free, augmented reality application, and then scanning a
specially printed window decal, guests receive an array of digital
content describing the view, its visible landmarks, and pointing out
nearby restaurants and attractions.
Then there are off-the-shelf apps like LobbyFriend that create
temporary social networks within a specific space and only for the
duration of a guest’s stay. They provide hotels a way to communicate
with onsite guests regarding special offers and upsells, and enable
like-minded guests to connect with each other to have a drink, watch
a game, or share a cab ride. Like a standard telephone system, once
a guest checks out, their messaging footprint is erased.
For high volume hotels, virtual queues like QLess are proving big
hits. Guests receive a text once their room is ready, so they are free
26 InnFocus
to enjoy their stay without the necessity of
standing in line. Greeting customers with a
room-ready-and-waiting creates a good first
impression and is an indicator of the hotel’s
service for the duration of the stay.
IT Drives Design
Connection has become integral to room
design, and was the impetus behind Delta
Hotels & Resort’s (Marriott’s) three-year
redesign (completing this year) of its
guestrooms. ModeRooms are equipped with
a signature SmartDesk™ featuring multiple
electrical outlets as well as audio, video,
and Internet connections, all mounted in a
slanted console atop the desk. Because the
dock comes with standard interfaces, guests
don’t have to bring along any cables to link
their laptop or mobile device to preview
presentations or stream movies onto the
flat-screen, high-definition TV. Although
hoteliers might bark at losing pay-for-view
revenues, the new reality is that people are
no longer willing to pay for content they
can access online. And since this includes
Internet calling, in-room telephones are
quietly becoming obsolete.
If extreme-connectivity is a “now” trend,
then technological wellness is a developing
one. A number of hotels are now using
the PURE Room concept: a seven-step
Photo courtesy of The Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, Vancouver
Research tells us that a consumer will visit 20 websites across nine
different online sessions before booking a single hotel room.
cleaning process that includes an ozone
shock treatment to make it odour-free and
resistant to mold, dust mites, and other
irritants. Then there are StayWell® rooms
with amenities such as a vitamin C-infused
shower, air and water purification, and long
wave night lighting. And for aging baby
boomers, health-monitoring rooms are on
the drawing boards. Services here could
include sensors in the toilet that measure
blood sugar in your urine, and infrared
cameras that track your body temperature
InnFocus 27
and send a message to regulate the thermostat and humidity in your
room to ensure a restful night’s sleep.
i-Security
In the age of technology, and with an ever-increasing concern for
security, paper cards, cellphones, fingerprints, and iris scanners are
popping up as alternative unlocking devices.
When several Aloft and element Starwood Hotels properties
revamped their traditional key card systems a few years ago, they
had the foresight to install systems that could be converted to read
RFID (Radio frequency identification) when that technology became
more mainstream. We’re not just talking about guests scanning their
right eye when they check-in or enter their room. Staff also use iris
scans to unlock the staff entrance and log into the system at the
beginning of each shift.
Multi-purpose RFID wristbands are also coming onto the market.
Wearers can use them for room entry or as an alternative way to pay
for spa treatments, casino chips, and running a tab for cocktails.
e-Housekeeping
Designed to integrate with property management systems such as
Opera, Galaxy and OnQ, e-housekeeping works in conjunction with a
special mobile app to streamline the cleaning and inspection process
for guestroom and public areas. It provides automated assignments,
job dispatch and comprehensive reporting, priority adjustment based
on guest VIP-status, and built-in guidelines with photos to help
clearly explain hotel standards for tasks like bed corners or amenities
placement. From a management perspective, this becomes a practical
training system, especially where language issues are concerned, and
digitized data makes it easy to compile and pull reports in real time
for overall operations status.
The e-Housekeeping app has multiple features, including a QR code
system that requires room attendants to scan a QR code placed on the
back of the guestroom door prior to activating the countdown. Room
status updates can incorporate jobs like carpet cleaning or springcleaning with credit and time calculations. In addition, safety features
include a panic button as well as the ability to trigger alerts using
SMS, ad-hoc messaging, direct call job dispatch, and alarm sounds.
Riding the Wave
In terms of seamless, back-of-house communications and customer
service, it doesn’t get much better than the technology employed
at Trump Tower in Toronto, a system that could well be coming
to the Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver. Hotel staff
are equipped with a wearable, voice-controlled communications
badge that enables instant hands-free, two-way or one-to-many
conversations using intuitive and simple commands. When Trump’s
Vancouver property opens in 2016, it will be the city’s most
technologically advanced hotel.
Prepare now to ride the technology wave into the future.
28 InnFocus
Yobot is a 20 ft tall robotic arm used to store
luggage in lockers. Photo courtesy of YOTEL
Cutting Edge Technology
• Eccleston Square Hotel, London uses a system that turns the
washroom glass from crystal clear to frost at the touch of a button.
Choose transparency for a spacious, light-filled suite or switch it off for
privacy.
• YOTEL New York uses Yobot, a 20 ft tall robotic arm, to store luggage
in lockers. Housed behind a secure glass enclosure, Yobot issues a
receipt with bar code for guests to submit when they want to pick up
their bag.
• Eventi, New York, features a Business Bar that provides guests with a
selection of Apple products from the latest Macbook to a reading tablet,
and a smorgasbord of tech accessories, including a GoPro camera.
• The Muse Hotel, New York, provides guests with Nook e-readers
during their stays. The devices are preloaded with books and magazines
and guests can request personalized uploads.
• Scarp Ridge Lodge, Colorado has introduced a state-of-the-art
oxygen system to help guests acclimatize to the 12,000 ft altitude. It
delivers oxygen-rich air through in-room ports and individual headsets.
• At St. Martin’s Lane Hotel in London, guestroom walls are white, so
guests can dial a light display, altering the colour of their room anywhere
from deep violet to a jungle green.
• Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has rooms outfitted to remember
preferences of regular visitors. When a regular walks into a room, the
lights, room temperature and speed dial on the phone are set to their
specifications.
• At the Crowne Plaza Hotel Copenhagen Towers in Denmark, guests
who use an exercise bike for 15 minutes, thereby helping to generate
electricity for the hotel’s own system, are given a voucher for the
restaurant.
• Four Seasons Silicon Valley has consigned door peepholes to history.
Instead, LCD displays show the person on the other side of the door.
• MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, encourages guests to tweet
messages about the hotel or other topics; tweets are displayed behind
the hotel’s front desk on a huge video wall.
Names in the News
by Debbie Minke
New BCHA Director
The BCHA is pleased to welcome Altaf Ebrahim, Director of Affinity
Programs. Ebrahim will work on behalf of members to negotiate new
member benefit programs and will use the collective purchasing power of
the over 600 BCHA members to secure lower rates on goods and services.
Most recently, Ebrahim was the CEO for two national Group Purchasing
Organizations in the hotel and retirement/care home sectors.
New Members
The BCHA welcomes new members M Star Hotel, scheduled to open
in September in Kitimat, and 100 Mile Motel & RV Park, located in
100 Mile House.
GuestTel Ltd of Vancouver is a new BCHA associate member.
New General Managers
Terry Balfour, Port Hardy Inn
Rod Bateman, Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort
Claire Brownlee, Howard Johnson Enderby
Thomas Hart, Mountain Hound Inn, Nelson
Camille Keep, Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa
Curtis Redel, WOODS on Pender Island
Martin Sinclair, Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver
William Zhau, Cariboo Lodge, Clinton
Elpie Jackson is the new Managing Director at the Wedgewood Hotel
& Spa in Vancouver. Philip Meyer is the new Managing Director at the
Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver. Amrit Sandu is Hotel Manager
at the Delta Burnaby Hotel & Conference Centre.
New Names & Openings
Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown is now the Vancouver
Marriott Downtown. The Inn on Pender Island is now WOODS on
Pender Island.
Four Points by Sheraton Surrey is now open, featuring 77 spacious
guestrooms, full-service dining at Citrus Restaurant, an executive
boardroom, and a 24-hour fitness center. Guests can enjoy fast and free
Wi-Fi, complimentary bottled water, and a wide selection of local craft
and imported beer as part of the signature Best Brews™ program.
People
Olga Ilich, former BC minister of tourism, sport and the arts, has been
appointed Chair of Destination Canada, formerly the Canadian Tourism
Commission.
Philipp Posch has been named General Manager of Trump
International Hotel & Tower® Vancouver, a $360 million mixed-use
development scheduled to open in 2016.
Jim Irving is the BC Hospitality Foundation’s first Director of
Fundraising and Sponsorship. Irving comes to the position with nearly 30
successful years of experience in the Canadian alcohol beverage industry.
Joyce Lam has been named go2HR’s new Manager, Marketing and
Communications. Trina Pollard is now go2HR’s Manager, Industry
Health and Safety.
Awards
The South Thompson Inn & Conference Centre in Kamloops
and the Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos have been recognized
as a 2015 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame winner.
The ‘Hall of Fame’ was created to honour those businesses that have
earned a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for five consecutive years.
Congratulations!
SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts has received the Infrastructure &
Back-Office Technology Innovator Award at the 2015 Hotel Visionary
Awards for the successful implementation of infrastructure and system
upgrades across 16 hotel properties.
BC was voted the Best Destination for Adventure, Canada at the TravelAge
West WAVE Awards in California. Vancouver won the Best Destination
with the Highest Client Satisfaction, Canada award.
The Reputation Institute’s 2015 Country RepTrak® report has named
Canada as having the world’s best reputation, ahead of Norway in second
place, and Sweden in third spot. Canada came out as the No. 1 country to
visit, live, study and work, as well as placing second as a destination to
invest in and attend or organize events. Key drivers in the rankings were
Canada being a safe and beautiful country, with friendly and welcoming
people as well as an appealing lifestyle.
Acquisitions
CBRE Group, Inc. has acquired PKF Consulting Inc. (PKF
Canada), a leading advisory, consulting and research firm specializing
in the Canadian hospitality and tourism industries. Founded in 1970,
PKF Canada is led by David Larone and Brian Stanford, who will remain
in leadership roles with CBRE. The firm has offices in Toronto and
Vancouver. PKF Canada’s professionals will become part of CBRE’s
Valuation & Advisory Services business line and will collaborate closely
with CBRE Hotels’ professionals. The firm’s market research data and
analysis will be integrated into the larger PKF research platform at CBRE,
providing the most comprehensive source of hotel financial information
in North America.
Delta Hotels and Resorts has gone live on Marriott.com, enabling
travellers to book online for 37 additional Canadian hotels online or on
their mobile app.
InnFocus 29
Lean and Mean
Improving Staff Productivity
by David Swanston
Hotel managers are faced with the difficult
task of maintaining operational performance,
achieving financial targets and delivering
superior service in an increasingly competitive
marketplace. Compounding this challenge is
the reality that they must accomplish their
objectives with shrinking employee rosters.
Increasing occupancies, changes to the
temporary foreign worker program, labour
pool migration away from the hospitality
industry, and increased industry competition
are just some of the dynamics faced by
managers trying to attract and retain good
people. Some positions are more difficult to
fill than others, specifically housekeeping and
kitchen staff.
Operations have to find ways of doing more with
less. Lack of skilled domestic workers willing to
work in less prominent roles is making it hard
30 InnFocus
to fill vacancies. Budget restrictions reduce the
number of employees hired and scheduled as
individual compensation levels rise.
In light of this new reality, how can managers
improve the productivity of their teams to
maintain standards? There are a variety of
proven options that can be considered, but
each must be evaluated for its feasibility in
your business.
Streamline
Reducing operational complexity follows
the “keep it simple” management doctrine.
Simplified processes such as guest check-in
steps, standardization of services and facilities
like common supplies and room setup, smaller
menus, and other efforts to reduce the range
of tasks to be completed will help improve
productivity. Training will take less time,
responsibilities will be easier to learn, learning
curve efficiencies will be accelerated, and
consistency can be promoted.
Automate
Identify suitable technology that can be used to
complement existing staff, or in some instances,
even take their place. Examples such as online
reservations and check-ins, CRM software, selfmonitoring and adjusting cooking equipment,
and automated parking gates are becoming
more common management tools. While
technology can be a powerful way to reduce
labour, overreliance can result in loss of
management control as well as impersonal
guest service experiences.
Staff Training
With employees in smaller numbers, it is
critical that each person is prepared to carry
out their duties in the most efficient and
effective manner. Post-hire orientation and
job training as well as ongoing employee
development are more important now than
they have ever been. Training must go beyond
what employees do by focusing on how they do
it. Teaching staff best practices increases the
likelihood that they will be more productive,
make fewer mistakes, and provide better
service. It will also reinforce their perception
of the organization as a quality, professional
business that is committed to their employees.
Job Reclassification
With schedules being tightened, boundaries that
traditionally defined job responsibilities need to
be dismantled. Lean teams must work together,
share duties, and be cross-functionally trained.
There is no such thing as “It’s not my job”.
Instead of traditional titles, employees can share
new job names such as Service Ambassador or
Guest Satisfaction Specialist. These prioritize
employees’ broader roles as opposed to a narrow
classification of their duties.
Alternate Sources
Recruiting managers must get creative
and strive to identify new pools of potential
employees. These people may not be currently
seeking work, or may not be considering
a job in hospitality. Stay-at-home parents
who may want to work a limited number of
hours each week, so as to still be available
for their children, are one example. Prior
work experience, maturity, and life skills
make these parents very capable employees.
Accommodations may need to be made by
employers to allow for these candidates’
limited availability, need for last-minute
schedule changes, and other responsibilities.
Non-traditional recruitment activities can be
used such as participating in neighbourhood
events or posting notices in coffee shops and
grocery stores.
Participating in school coop programs can be
a valuable source of short-term help, and can
also help an employer evaluate and identify
strong individuals that may be retained as
an employee in the future. Coop also allows
the student participant to learn about the
organization and assess their fit as a potential
future employee. Coop students do require
extensive training and ongoing supervision, but
the investment by management is likely to yield
a long-term stream of qualified new applicants
who have already received substantial training.
Government retraining programs operate in a
similar manner and can also provide financial
incentives to offset the employers’ costs.
Contract Staff
Temporary employment services are available
for many job functions such as bookkeeping.
Not only do these services help managers
maintain desired staffing levels, workers
supplied often already have a significant
amount of training and are strong performers.
This allows managers an opportunity to
evaluate their capabilities and organizational
fit, and in many situations can lead to offers of
employment. Weak performers do not return as
the organization has limited its commitment.
Outsourcing
When productivity en-hancement initiatives
have been exhausted, and efforts to find new
employees have not generated the desired
results, hiring a third party may be necessary.
Options include outsourcing tasks such as room
cleaning to a contract cleaning service, entire
positions such as IT support, or even complete
services such as subleasing foodservice to a
contract caterer or restaurant chain. In these
instances, management must ensure that
clear performance standards are established
and that measures are put in place to monitor
the outsourced partner’s adherence to those
standards. Outsourcing is best suited for less
vital, non-core activities, so that operators can
focus on their key responsibilities.
Managers need to address the immediate
deficiencies or shortcomings of their staff teams.
This can often lead to reactionary decision
making that slows the bleeding, but never
really heals the wound. Regardless of which
initiatives are implemented, organizations need
to think of their human resource strategy as a
long-term commitment to taking alternative
approaches to attracting the right candidates,
creating mechanisms to effectively evaluate
their potential, performance-focused training
and ongoing team development. This vision
will guide program decisions and increase the
probability that the organization will be able
to deliver superior service, while leveraging a
leaner staff contingent.
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InnFocus 31
Photo courtesy of Hotel Squamish
Appealing to Millennials
by Louise Hudson
A click of a mouse, the scroll of a finger, the press of a button - this is how Millennials have grown up
and how they now conduct business, reservations, purchasing, communication, and social transactions.
Increasingly, marketers are turning their attention away from Baby Boomers and towards gratifying the
instantaneous needs of the “Now Generation”.
The Millennial Market
Attracting Millennials
There are currently around 79 million
Millennials in North America - that’s three
million more than Baby Boomers, who are
predicted to dwindle to just 58 million by
2030. Otherwise known as Generation
Y, they were born between 1980 and
1999 - children of the Digital Age. While
the younger Millennials are usually still
financially dependent on parents, older
Millennials are at peak purchasing power.
So what are the keys to attracting, satisfying,
and retaining this demanding demographic?
Social media, online reviewing, and apps
are mainstays of Millennial choice-making.
Around 40% of Millennials are likely to share
travel experiences during their trip and 34%
will disperse details via social media on their
return. Likewise, they use peer reviews,
checking on average 10.2 sources, before
booking. This is a vast resource of feedback
that hotels and destinations can harness for
their own marketing purposes.
32 InnFocus
Hotel Squamish has responded to this
trend via multiple social media channels
including TripAdvisor, Facebook, Twitter,
and LinkedIn. “The person who does our
Twitter and posting, Briana Ainsley, is
under 25 - a Millennial herself,” says Owner/
Manager Scott McQuade. “She works on
the front desk and she looks at all the social
media channels. Our policy is not to be
too pushy in sales, but to talk about things
that are interesting around Squamish.”
Research has shown that speed is vital to
digital-dependent Millennials and Ainsley
is empowered to interact on all their social
media outlets, responding to reviews in
real time.
Increasingly, websites need to be mobilefriendly. Around 49% of Millennials plan
as well as book trips on their smartphones,
according to Expedia’s The Future of Travel
report. “It was a major requirement for us that
our website be cross-platform compatible for
iPad and for different mobile phones,” Scott
explains.
Photo courtesy of Hotel Squamish
Research into Millennials
Despite their reliance on online communication, Millennials are actually more
sociable offline than previous generations.
With such constant access to images of
social activity, they are subject to the FOMO
(Fear of Missing Out) phenomenon. Around
58% prefer to travel with friends: that’s 20%
more than other demographic groups. So, it
is not just techno gizmos and contemporary
facilities that attract this demographic. Next
challenge: how to cater to all these needs
within the hotel environment.
49% of Millennials plan as well as book trips on their smartphones.
InnFocus 33
Photo courtesy of Hotel Squamish
extends to Scotties Liquor Store which also has its own Facebook page.
“We’re constantly doing promotion through our Facebook account for
Scotties - we do tastings often and also have arranged larger events
even so far as arranging a tour to Napa Valley,” describes McQuade.
Satisfying Millennials
However, Millennials don’t want to spend all their time holed up in
their high tech bedrooms with just their electronic devices for company.
They also need sociable, tech-friendly gathering spots. The term “third
place” was coined by Howard Schultz, Starbucks’ guru. It refers to the
most important places in people’s lives - first, home; second, work; and
third, a social place where people feel comfortable to visit, hang out,
socialize, read, and work. Since the 1980s, the third place has shifted
from pubs and bars to comfortable, coffee-oriented environments Starbucks and its competitors - where many Millennials were weaned.
For hotels, this third place is typically the lobby. Although the Hotel
Squamish lacks a spacious lobby, it does have a pub which acts as a
third place for Millennials to hang out with free high-speed Wi-Fi and
free chargers for Android and iPhone.
“Although we appeal to all age groups - for example we had a couple
in their 80s check out this week - we predominantly attract young
people looking for a bit of adventure who are trying to save a couple of
bucks, the under-40 crowd,” McQuade says. Naturally, easy access to
technology is at the forefront for these digital devotees. Hotel Squamish
has a strong social media presence and rooms are equipped with free
Wi-Fi, flat screen TVs, DVD players and iPod docks. “The main thing
now is really fast Wi-Fi,” says McQuade. “We just upgraded again
throughout the whole property. We thought we had done enough back
in 2012 but that wasn’t fast enough by today’s standards.” The Wi-Fi
The hotel’s emphasis, however, is on the plethora of outdoor activities it
accesses. “We get long-term, hard-core skiers in winter that get three or
even four weeks off work. I say hard-core because they have to travel 45
minutes to Whistler Blackcomb, but we are considerably cheaper than
the resort and they are not as interested in fancy dinners and après ski.
It’s all about the skiing for them,” explains McQuade. In the summer,
the hotel is a gateway to mountain biking, climbing, kite surfing, and
hiking - “a general outdoor adventure centre”. This satisfies another
Millennial requirement - cheaper, smaller, “Pod” accommodation in
order to save spending power for signature experiences.
Another Millennial requirement is cheaper,
smaller, “Pod” accommodation.
34 InnFocus
Easing the Millennial Eco-Conscience
Environmental sustainability is an important issue for Millennials, who
have grown up with recycling and the notion of reducing environmental
footprints. As part of a commitment to environmental responsibility,
cleaning products at the Hotel Squamish are all made with 100% natural
ingredients. “The under-40 crowd really does like our all-natural policy,
with no chemicals at all,” McQuade explains. “A local person, Kristen
French, makes all our bath soaps and she’s great. And for the past two
years or so we have been making our own laundry soap.” Housekeeping
staff is happy to share recipes for laundry soap, fabric softener, air
freshener, and cleaning solutions. Shampoo is made by Pharmacopia,
a natural, organic skincare line free of sulphates, chlorine, synthetic
colour, parabens or phthalates.
These days, it’s not enough to just have a strong eco-conscience; the
message needs to be disseminated. The Hotel Squamish does this via
a dedicated website page outlining its environmental policies as well
as TripAdvisor. “We went through an audit with TripAdvisor that
has very rigorous standards for their GreenLeaders program,” shares
McQuade. “We were accepted at the bronze level, which I was very
satisfied by, considering the size of our hotel. We do as much as we
can for a 23-room hotel.”
International Millennial Travel in Canada
Canada’s Millennial
Domestic Travellers
The millennial travel sector is catching the eyes of international tourism
marketers everywhere, with the number of youth trips expected to
double by 2020 to 300 million per year. It’s no longer a niche, but rather
a catalyst for true growth, making millennial travellers valuable to the
Canadian travel industry.
There are other benefits from the millennials sector for tourism, including:
• Millennials are often trailblazers who discover and publicize spots
undiscovered by traditional tourists.
• Millennials often spend more in destinations because they travel
longer.
• Millennials rack up the air miles by travelling further and more often
than other groups.
Source: Destination BC
Millennial Must-Haves
Source: Destination Canada
• Free Wi-Fi throughout the property
• Social lobby
Wowing Millennials
• High tech, mobile-friendly websites
Wow factors are important to Millennials. For those on a budget, it
could be something as simple as free laundry facilities. “We offer a free
laundry room instead of nickel and diming people when they need to
wash and dry clothes,” describes McQuade. “Once they are here we
like to offer them something extra. We are family-owned so we can
provide the human touch. Our glassware is real glass and there are real
corkscrews in the rooms, for example. We’re doing things that four or
five star hotels do, even though we’re only two and a half stars. We are
a budget hotel, but we try to do certain things really well.”
• Apps
Hoteliers who understand, cater to and target Millennials will find
them to be a lucrative market well worth pursuing.
• Real time reporting and responding
• Peer reviews
• Third space for socializing (on and off line) and for business
• Smart technology and numerous power outlets
• Cool factor - unique, emotional component, age-appropriate freebies
• Social responsibility
• Pod hotels - reducing hotel costs in order to have a larger budget for
vacation experiences
• Automated check-in/out and automated bill paying
InnFocus 35
BCHA Member Benefits
by Louise Thompson
Sleeping soundly in a comfortable, inviting room is very important to
each and every one of your guests. Whether it’s a busy delegate attending
a fast-paced conference, a family battling jetlag, or an adventurous world
traveller heading up snow-covered mountains, all guests want to wake
up rested and ready to explore your part of BC or the Yukon.
Marc Toso, of George Courey Inc. is a longtime BCHA Associate member,
(www.georgecourey.com), offers some ideas on how to make guests feel
welcome and comfortable while staying at your property:
“As today’s hotel industry faces multiple challenges - from the increase
in guest expectations to fierce competition from property sharing sites
- hotel operators need to be more creative than ever in finding ways to
continuously improve their guests’ stay,” describes Toso.
“Quality linen has always been one of the key elements in ensuring your
guests’ satisfaction,” suggests Toso. “With the cooler fall and winter
seasons rapidly approaching, there are some basic linen features that
you can leverage in order to extend your guests’ experience. Higher
thread count in your bed linens generally provides a heavier and cosier
feel, which will be appreciated by your guests during the cooler seasons.
At the same time, increased cotton content in your sheets, pillowcases
and duvets will create a warmer and comforting feel. For example, a
60% cotton, 40% polyester sheet with a 250 thread count would be
more suitable during colder seasons. A 50/50 cotton-polyester blend
36 InnFocus
with a 180 thread count that provides lighter and cooler feel is generally
appreciated more during the hotter months of the year.”
“Another efficient way to influence your guests’ stay is by using decorative
bedding options,” explains Toso. “Use darker or richer seasonal colours
to create a warmer and cozier feel to the room. Top sheets, bed runners
or duvet covers can be switched around to add ambiance.”
“Finally,” he says, “if your hotel does not currently use mattress toppers,
their addition could be a simple and economical way to increase the
softness of the beds and overall comfort level for your guests.”
For additional ideas on how to make guests welcome, please
contact the BCHA at (604) 443-4756 or 1-800-663-3153 ext. 756 or
louise@bchotelassociation.com.
The BCHA has a varied selection of associate members who offer
numerous products to help you change the look or update your
guestrooms, from draperies, window treatments, beds, towels, bathrobes,
furniture, televisions, phones, and key cards to locks and safes. Associates
also offer coffee, bottled water, cleaning products, and HVAC systems.
Contact the BCHA office for help tracking down what you’re looking for,
or simply login to access the BCHA Associate Directory where you can
search by category. In addition, the revised digital version of the BCHA
Buyers’ Guide can be found on our website, www.bchotelassociation.com.
What’s New?
by Debbie Minke
Green Key Global and Clean the
World Canada, two leaders in corporate
social responsibility (CSR), have finalized a
partnership that will encourage Green Key
Global members to collect and recycle hotel
soap and bottled amenities and help fight the
spread of preventable diseases. Green Key
Global is a leading environmental certification
body whose suite of industry standard programs
and resources has been designed specifically
for the lodging and meetings industries. Their
affordable programs help members leverage
organizational CSR activities to support
sustainable initiatives, and improve overall
fiscal performance and community relations.
Clean the World is a social enterprise that
collects and recycles discarded soap and bottled
amenities (shampoo, conditioner, lotion, gels)
from hotel partners in Canada, USA, Hong
Kong and Macau, China. The recycled soap
is placed in hygiene kits, which are donated
to homeless shelters, senior citizens, and
struggling families in Canada and the US. Soap
is also distributed around the world in areas
where there is a high risk of hygiene-related
illness.
More than 3,800 tons of soap, shampoo and
other amenities have been diverted from
traditional disposal methods since 2009.
www.greenkeyglobal.com
www.cleantheworld.org
Destination BC and Destination Canada
(formerly the Canadian Tourism Commission)
are pleased to announce that the Explorer
Quotient is now available, free of charge,
to every BC tourism organization! Explorer
Quotient, also known as EQ, was developed
by Destination Canada in partnership with
Environics Research Group. EQ is a proprietary
market segmentation system based on the
science of psychographics. Rather than
marketing to or developing products for
travellers based on traditional segments, such
as demographics (e.g. age, gender, income,
etc.) and/or geography, EQ emphasizes the
importance of traveller segmentation based
on their psychological characteristics, such as
their attitudes, beliefs, values, motivations,
and behaviours. When various psychological
characteristics are combined, different types
of travellers emerge. These are known as
Explorer Types.
www.destinationbc.ca/Resources/ExplorerQuotient.aspx
The Zen Diamond FibreFill in Northern
Feather’s Hotel Diamond Pillow is specially
designed for those properties looking for soft
comfort and an extra luxurious down-like feel.
This pillow will hold up to the elevated laundry
standards required at high-end properties.
www.northern-feather.com
InnFocus 37
BC Hospitality Foundation
by Renee Blackstone
As word of the BC Hospitality Foundation spreads across the province,
Tourism Victoria. Featuring on-course sampling stations, prizes, a
more applications for support are coming forward than ever before. At
silent auction plus a post-game reception and BBQ dinner, this year’s
press time, the BCHF has supported 14 beneficiaries from Vancouver,
tournament is sure to be another success.
Kelowna, Campbell River, Cobble Hill, Kamloops, and Kimberley with
Since its inception, the BC Hospitality Foundation has been about
nearly $50,000 in support towards health-related issues in 2015 alone.
“working together to help our own”. Every year, there are more and
One recent beneficiary is Shelley Page, from the Best Western in
more organizations and events that recognize the great work of the
Kamloops. She drained her savings account while caring for her ailing
Foundation and wish to give back. This fall, the BCHF will be the
husband, who was suffering from a terminal illness. Singularly focused
charitable beneficiary for several events, including Top Drop Vancouver
on his care, she wasn’t even able to find time to go to the dentist, leading
(September 10-11) - a two-day consumer and trade event featuring a
to the need for dental surgery, which Shelley wouldn’t have been able to
curated collection of passionate wineries, breweries and food purveyors;
afford without the BCHF’s help. The surgery was successful and Shelley
the Victoria Wine Festival (September 25-26); Brewery and the Beast
is back at work, smiling for the first time in years.
Victoria (September 27); and the trade-only tasting salons hosted in
Other 2015 beneficiaries from the hotel sector include Tim Zhai
Vancouver and Victoria by the Import Vintners and Spirits Association.
(Sheraton Wall Centre, Vancouver), Don Martyn (Manteo Resort,
Visit www.ivsa.ca for exact dates and locations.
Kelowna) and Bernice Podd (Sandman Hotel Vancouver City Centre).
The challenge now is to ensure that those that need help know how to apply.
“Part of what makes the BCHF so special is the way our team connects
Spread the word and learn more at www.bchospitalityfoundation.com.
empathetically with our beneficiaries,” says BCHF Board Chair Richard
Carras. “When we receive notes of thanks from those that we’ve helped,
it makes the hard work completely worthwhile.”
None of this is possible without support from the industry itself. Among
the biggest BCHF fundraising events are its two annual golf tournaments,
held in Vancouver and Victoria. The Vancouver golf tournament is
held in July at the Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club and
Advertisers
BC Hospitality Foundation
38
Restwell Sleep Products
BCHA36
RHB Enterprises
Big Picture Conferences
Sealy Canada
15
Buhler Hospitality
6
Coldstream Commercial Sales
Foodservices Association, Alliance of Beverage Licensees, BC Lodging,
CONNECT7
Sting Investigations
and Restaurants Canada. This year’s tournament raised $100,000 that
DDL Group
Telus Communications
will go directly to helping our beneficiaries and scholarship winners.
Meanwhile, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association held its golf
tournament at the Talking Rock Golf Resort at Quaaout Lodge and Spa
in Chase in August, with 50% of proceeds benefitting the BCHF.
Up next is the third annual Victoria Golf Tournament, being held
September 21 at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort in partnership with
38 InnFocus
Fortis BC
BC
37
IFC
26
Shaw Communications
generously supported by the BC Hotel Association, BC Restaurant &
6
33
IBC
SiriusXM34
14
20-21
Tex-Pro Western
9
Fusion Woodworks
25
Tricom Building Maintenance
GFS Canada
25
Western Financial Group
Levitt Safety
17
4
Insurance Solutions
5
MJB Law 10
Westport Manufacturing
27
Northern Feather
18
Zep Sales & Service
14, 38
“Shaw fixes WiFi
problems before
we even know
about them.”
Spencer Villam, General Manager
International Hotel Suites
Better WiFi means better reviews.
With dedicated in-room guest WiFi speeds up to 15 Mbps and
reliable connectivity in common areas, your guests can surf, stream,
and download to their heart’s content. Choose Shaw for reliable,
hassle-free WiFi solutions your guests will thank you for.
Call us at 1-855-890-2542 or visit business.shaw.ca/hospitality
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