hotels-bring-theater-to-hiring-processTwo leading hotel companies are augmenting the traditional hiring process by having job applicants perform comedy sketches, a cappella performances and role-playing scenarios, among other things.

Skift.com reports that Hyatt Hotels Corporation and AccorHotels have been testing the new hiring methods, which are quite a switch from the standard resume, cover letter and interview screening process. They’re designed to allow applicants to display some unique qualities that could be major assets for a particular position.

In most cases, an interview eventually is included in the hiring process, but this “casting call” approach enables employers to quickly identify some of the top candidates—and weed out others.

After Accor posted a novel video about employment opportunities at its Ink Hotel Amsterdam, the company received 400 applications in two weeks, many of them in the form of poems, videos and even newspaper articles. On its casting day, 125 people participated in interviews, group tasks, stand-up comedy and developing mood boards.

Also, Hyatt’s first Andaz hotel in Tokyo, Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills, has been requiring applicants to go through role-playing auditions in which they complete tasks that are essential to the position.

Hyatt has also altered its three-minute staff orientation videos to teach employees holistic responsibilities regarding the guest experience, rather than how to fulfill specific tasks.

The early results? AccorHotels and Hyatt have found that the new hiring process has helped them to better identify prospective employees who are closely aligned with their brands.

Smart Meetings TV interviewed the Director of Meetings and Events for the Dominican Republic Tourism Board, Shasha Cruz, at IMEX America 2015, that said the Dominican Republic is an extremely diverse destination with beautiful beaches, mountains and a rich history. She says the destination’s incorporation of history into their guests’ stays is what differentiates them from other Caribbean destinations. Cruz notes that the Dominican Republic is home to one of the world’s top ten beaches, Punta Cana, and the country is enjoying new developments, hotels and maintains easy access from the United States. Strategically located in the Caribbean, Dominican Republic allows for three-hour, non-stop flights from the United States, and eight-hour flights from Europe.

Cruz adds that the Dominican Republic has enjoyed recent growth, increasing 18% from 2014 and favors the United States as their primary market. She says one of the most prominent and popular assets is their flavorful food, steeped in African and Spanish influence and spices. Many guests of the country enjoy eating the local cuisine offered by all Dominican Republic hotels, and participate in the country’s various opportunities to increase one’s wellness, including beach yoga and spas. Cruz adds that the Dominican Republic can accommodate all sizes of meetings and incentive groups and works with all budget levels.

 

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SLS-Las-Vegas-Hotel-ExteriorPhoto Courtesy of Starwood Hotels and Resorts

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has signed SLS Las Vegas and plans to transform the 1,613-guest room property located on the iconic Las Vegas Strip into a dual branded hotel. The move will significantly expand Starwood’s footprint in Las Vegas. The property offers planners 80,000 sq. ft. of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space.

Two towers of the SLS complex (1,324 guest rooms) will be rebranded as SLS Las Vegas, a Tribute Portfolio Resort by the end of this year. The Lux tower (289 guest rooms) will be converted to W Las Vegas after a renovation in 2016.

The Tribute Portfolio brand, introduced just six months ago, enables SPG members to “Stay Independent” at distinctive hotels while enjoying the benefits of the industry’s most powerful loyalty program. The premiere of W Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip marks a milestone opening for Starwood’s W brand as the first opening in North America since 2009. The W Las Vegas conversion will include the addition of a W Living Room (the W brand’s take on the traditional hotel lobby), a dedicated entrance for W guests, nearly 14,500 sq. ft. of new W-branded meeting and event space, signature Away® Spa, FIT® state-of-the-art fitness center, and an exclusive outdoor WET® pool deck and bar.

“SLS Las Vegas, with some 1,600 rooms, is a milestone addition to Starwood, growing our total footprint worldwide by nearly half a percent with a single signing,” said Adam Aron, chief executive officer of Starwood Hotels & Resorts on an interim basis. “This is a perfect example of what Tribute Portfolio was designed to do—bring the power of Starwood to great independent hotels, while giving our Starwood Preferred Guest members and global guests more access to sought after destinations around the world. It also allows us to debut our iconic W brand on the world famous Las Vegas Strip, an incomparable stage for the dynamic energy and vibrant scene of W Hotels.”

W Las Vegas will be managed by Starwood, while the remainder of the property, including the additional hotel towers, casino, food and beverage outlets, and nightlife venues, will continue to be managed under the direction of Scott Kreeger, the hotel’s president and chief operating officer.

“We have long wanted to increase our Starwood presence in Las Vegas, a much desired destination for our SPG members, who occupy 50% of our guest rooms on any given night,” said Allison Reid, SVP, North America Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “This deal not only allows us to expand our footprint and give our members more options on the Strip but also speaks volumes to the power of Starwood’s brands and our industry-leading distribution, loyalty and sales platforms that will contribute to the success of this landmark property.”

SLS Las Vegas will join Starwood’s four existing hotels in the market, which include The Westin Las Vegas Hotel, Casino & Spa, The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa, Four Points by Sheraton Las Vegas East Flamingo and Element Las Vegas Summerlin.

Las Vegas Building Boom

Las Vegas in general is currently experiencing tremendous growth, thanks in part to a $9 billion investment in developments, including a $2.5 billion expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center, located near SLS Las Vegas. Last year, Las Vegas welcomed a record 40+ million visitors. Its occupancy rate is projected to be 30 percent higher than the national average in 2015.

Tribute Portfolio is comprised of exceptional independent hotels around the globe. From boutique resorts to urban destination properties, guests can enjoy access to outstanding four star, upper upscale hotels with an indie spirit while benefitting from the award-winning Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) program. Launched in April 2015 as Starwood’s 10th brand and second collection of independent hotels, Starwood plans to grow the Tribute Portfolio brand to 100 hotels by 2020.  For more information, visit tributeportfolio.com.

W Hotels is a contemporary, design-led luxury lifestyle brand and the industry innovator with 47 hotels and retreats, including 17 W-branded residences, in the most vibrant cities and exotic destinations around the world. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, W Hotels provides the ultimate in insider access, offering a unique mix of cutting-edge design and passions around fashion, music and entertainment. With 15 years of proven success, W Hotels is on track to reach more than 60 hotels by 2018. For more information, visit whotels.com.

Claudia Davila, tourism director for the Colombia Tourism Board, interviewed with Smart Meetings TV at 2015’s IMEX America, and said Colombia has enjoyed growth in recent years but is still aiming to attract more visitors. She also mentioned that Colombia can host meetings of any size, with attendees ranging in capacity from 20-500.

Davila says that Colombia “has no seasons,” so the weather is warm year-round. She considers the United States to be Colombia’s primary market and says the Colombia Tourism Board assists attendees in securing hotels, venues, and introducing planners to appropriate resources.

 

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Jose Luiz Da Cunha, chief executive of the Lima Convention and Visitors Bureau, spoke with Smart Meetings TV at IMEX America 2015, and said Peru is an exceptional destination for meeting planners because the country has such a wide array of hotels, venues and event space that includes Lima’s brand new convention center.

Da Cunha shares that Lima is the capital of gastronomy for Latin America, and is influenced greatly by entertainment, nightlife and shopping. He says Lima has experienced growth in the past two years and is in the fourth position for events in the Americas. Da Cunha adds that meeting planners can enjoy convenient access into Peru, noting that Lima’s region has exceptional connectivity, including direct flights to 39 cities and 18 daily flights to Lima from the United States.

Da Cunha says many of Peru’s guests enjoy visiting Machu Pichu, the Amazon jungle and surfing on Peru’s coastline.

 

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non-stop flights from New Orleans

Travelers from mid-southern cities that want to visit New Orleans typically hop on a connecting flight, despite the short distance to their destination. But come November, Glo Airlines, a new startup air service will provide non-stop flights from New Orleans to Memphis, Little Rock and Shreveport, Louisiana.

The New Orleans-based public charter operator will offer round-trip service out of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) to Shreveport Regional Airport (SHV), Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) and Memphis International Airport (MEM). Glo’s website states that flights to Little Rock will begin Nov. 15, while flights to Memphis and Shreveport will start Dec. 14.

Each route will have two daily round-trip flights on weekdays and one on weekends.  Currently on offer is promotional fare from $189. Passengers who want to connect to other destinations will have to purchase tickets from another carrier.

Founder and CEO Trey Fayard says the new routes will fulfill business and leisure travel needs in the underserved region. “GLO was born out of the recognition that travel options in the South are incredibly limited by existing air carriers. Too often, both business and leisure travelers are forced into multi-stop flights or overreliance on road travel, often resulting in wasted time and productivity.” he said.

The new routes are expected to bring additional tourism dollars and more opportunities in the mid-south region. Mitch Landrieu, mayor of New Orleans said in a statement, “Glo’s announcement is evident of the opportunities that abound within our great city. This New Orleans-based operation is creating more job opportunities and better connectivity within our region that will further benefit our community.”

Glo Airlines will operate on a fleet of three 30-passenger Saab 340B aircrafts. The small aircrafts will allow passengers to check-in up to three bags at no additional cost.

Smart Meetings TV spoke with Program Director for Cirque du Soleil, Jay Guilford, about their newest addition, Spark. The new and innovative program allows corporate and association groups to perform their own customized mini Cirque show. Guilford says Spark is tailored training, team-building and professional development, heightened by the excitement of Cirque. He explains that the Cirque team tries to immerse groups and offers a program which allows for full participation.

The Cirque program offers two options: an educational offering where guests can come and learn from the pros, and the “Ferrari” of Cirque sessions, where groups of 40 have a full Cirque experience. This experience is complete with make-up, costumes, casting, choreography, and a final performance. Gilford says Cirque has a team of professional photographers and videographers on set who create a “spockumentary” for their guests, which will last a lifetime.

The program representative adds that the Cirque team wants to immerse guests in the core Cirque tenants: creativity, immersiveness and dynamic shows.

 

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f&b-trendsOne constant at every successful event is stellar F&B. Attendees may forget the LED lighting and sometimes even the live music, but if F&B somehow falls short, then events can quickly strike a sour note.

Fortunately, there are hospitality and consulting firms that can provide insights and suggestions on F&B trends that are sure to wow guests. For the ninth consecutive year Andrew Freeman & Co. has released its F&B trends report.

The Year of Multiple Personalities previews the hottest trends and predictions that will be shaping the restaurant and hotel industries in 2016. This comprehensive annual report identifies key influences in hospitality marketing, hotel, food and beverage for the coming year.

F&B Trends Experts

Now in its ninth year, Andrew Freeman & Co. annual F&B trends report was developed from a combination of industry observations, bi-coastal and international travel, discussions with industry leaders, meetings with hotel and restaurant clients, industry conferences and media interactions. Industry experts who were consulted on the project included Luigi Di Ruocco (vice president of sales and director of marketing, Mr. Espresso), Carolyn Wente (CEO and fourth-generation winegrower, Wente Vineyards), Jenny Schwartz (co-owner, Hopscotch), Tony Mantuano (chef/partner, Spiaggia), and Kate Sumption (operating partner, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants).

The report suggests that chefs, restaurateurs and hoteliers will be forced to be more creative than ever in 2016 to satisfy many audiences, hence, taking on “multiple personalities” to please multiple types of people at multiple times.

Andrew Freeman, president of AF&Co., says that from top to bottom, everyone in the hospitality world will need to get inventive and identify coping mechanisms to keep the sanity, while still being profitable, in the coming year.

Prior to opening Andrew Freeman & Co. 10 years ago, Freeman worked at renowned New York venues including Windows on the World, the Russian Tea Room and the Rainbow Room. He then served as vice president of public relations and strategic partnerships for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, based in San Francisco, launching the global brand and more than 40 hotels and restaurants.

 

top-10-conference-citiesSan Antonio is the best U.S. city for conferences and two other Texas cities are among the top 13, according to a new survey by a financial technology company.

SmartAsset conducted the survey by reviewing data from Hotels.com’s Hotel Price Index and other sources on the costs and convenience of attending a conference in major U.S. cities. The analysis incorporated nine metrics, including number of major hotels, average cost of a hotel room, distance from the airport to the city center and violent crime rate.

San Antonio was easily the top conference city, with an index of 100, and was followed by Las Vegas at 86.62 and San Diego at 81.54. The other high-scoring Texas cities were No. 6 Austin (72.82) and No. 13 Houston (59.84).

Most of the top 10 cities are located in the southern portion of the United States, as shown below.

San Antonio: Though not hyped nearly as much as New York, Los Angeles and other major U.S. cities, the Alamo City offers plenty of unique attractions—including the River Walk, The Alamo and arguably the best Tex-Mex cuisine in the country. The city also boasts Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, which provides more than 200,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. And the city is amazingly affordable: For example, the average cost of a three-course meal is $17.50, less than half the cost in New York City.

Las Vegas: It’s noted for its lavish, expensive hotels, but actually the average price of a room here is just $119 per night, the third-lowest among the top 10 cities. Las Vegas has 462 hotels, the most of any city in the top 10. McCarran International Airport (LAS) is only four miles from the city center and a monorail runs from the airport to Las Vegas Convention Center.

San Diego: Offering 17 large hotels (the sixth most in the country), San Diego offers great year-round weather and fabulous beaches. And the downtown area is just 3.6 miles from San Diego International Airport (SAN).

Tucson, Arizona: This desert city has the lowest average hotel room rate ($103) of any in the top 18, and the savings don’t stop there. The average cost of a meal is $19, bested only by San Antonio among the top 10 cities.

Columbus, Ohio: Home to the state capital and Ohio State University, Columbus is a top choice for academic conferences and gatherings related to government and public policy. The average hotel room rate ($123) is the fourth-lowest among the top 10 cities and the average cost of a meal ($19) is the second-lowest.

Austin, Texas: Music flows everywhere here, and coupled with the warm weather, makes a very enticing conference destination. Austin has plenty of hotels (314) to host large conferences and the lowest crime rate among the top 14 cities.

Orlando: The city’s 266 hotels rank ninth among the top 10 cities, but it has 44 large hotels, second only to New York City in the United States. The average hotel room rate is $112, the second-lowest among the top 18 cities.

New York City: Boasting 918 hotels, 356 more than any other top 10 city, New York remains one of the leading convention cities in the country. The average hotel room rate ($245) and average meal cost (37.50) are the highest of any major U.S. city, however.

Los Angeles: It has the highest concentration of entertainment and dining establishments of any major U.S. city and the fifth-most hotels (360). The distance from the nearest airport, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is 18 .8 miles, the most of any city in the top 25, however, and the average meal cost ($27.50) is the fourth-highest among the top 10 cities.

Portland, Oregon: While perhaps best known for its beauty and peacefulness, 6.9 percent of Portland’s businesses are restaurants, bars and entertainment venues—the eighth highest concentration of any major U.S. city. Surprisingly, Portland also has the third most hotels among the top 10 cities.

airbnb and american express

Just a few days after the Hotel Association of New York City broke out a report indicating Airbnb’s negative impact on the city’s hotel industry—and by extension, the hotel industry at large—the online-based home-sharing company announced a new program with a heavy-hitting partner.

Airbnb and American Express are teaming up to expand benefits for customers who use each company’s services. The two have partnered in the past, but the ties run deeper this time around, diving deep into their technology services.

The first-of-its-kind tech integration between the companies enables Amex card holders in the United States to quickly and seamlessly sign up for Airbnb with their existing americanexpress.com user ID and password. Card holders can also use their Amex login to identify themselves on their Airbnb profile, as an additional verification.

Eligible card holders can use membership rewards points to book directly on the Airbnb site or check out with Amex Express Checkout in just a few clicks.

“Through our technology, we’re bringing to life our unique assets on Airbnb, delivering the world-class service, experience and benefits Card Members expect from their Amex Membership,” says Leslie Berland, executive vice president of global advertising, marketing and digital partnerships at American Express.

“We welcome millions of Amex Card Members to belong anywhere with Airbnb,” says Lex Bayer, head of global payments and business development for Airbnb. “Whether staying at a bungalow in Bali with Membership Rewards points or a business trip to London with your Amex Card, this partnership makes booking an Airbnb in over 190 countries seamless, and allows Card Members to be verified within the trusted communities of Airbnb and American Express.”

To entice customers, Airbnb and American Express are offering $50 back to those who spend $100 or more when booking through Airbnb through the rest of 2015.