Alberta Hospitality-Spring 2014

albertahospitality

The Official Magazine of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association

PM

4002

6059

Spring 2014

FORTMcMURRAY

Enhancing ROI With OTAs

Cost-Saving Initiatives

ImprovingAccessibility

Tourism Around

http://www.coronetequipment.com

Big Trucks, BrighT sTars, PrisTine Wilderness There is a lot about Fort McMurray that isn’t what you might expect.

4 chairman’s report 5 President & ceO’s Message 10 Travel alberta24 alberta’s Treasures 25 hr Matters30 names in the news 36 industry Training 37 What’s new?38 ahla’s Programs

in every issue

albertahospitality

this issue6

12 enhancing your rOi with OTas16 canadian Business & leisure Travel Trends 17 a new Twist on room service 18 icelandair adds Flights to edmonton22 Profile: DoubleTree by hilton West edmonton26 improving accessibility32 sharpen Your Pencils35 rFid Technology improves security 37 WcB Premiums announced for 2014

If the timing is right, you have picked up this copy of Alberta Hospitality at the 2014 AHLA Convention! Welcome!

This year marks the 94th Annual Convention and Trade Show for our association. What an exceptional achievement for our industry in Alberta. It’s hard to imagine that in just six years we will be celebrating our centennial year – plans are already underway to mark this significant achievement.

Our convention, taking place April 24-26 at the Banff Centre, continues to be an exceptional showcase for new products and services through our trade show. Additionally, the event provides a great environment to learn and be energized through a number of excellent seminars and professional development opportunities. Year over however, the most valuable part of our convention continues to be the fostering of relationships amongst colleagues and industry professionals.

One of my favorite aspects of convention will always be the awards and achievements that are recognized throughout the three-day event. The Gold Key awards are an excellent way to nominate and reward key staff members in our industry, while the Employer of Choice designation continues to grow by rewarding properties that have demonstrated the best HR practices throughout the past year. Each award looks to celebrate the best of the best in our industry, however, a personal highlight of the convention for me has always been the Housekeeping Awards.

For me, there is nothing quite like the Housekeeping Awards evening. The incredible success of this program, that

highlights the best in property cleanliness and maintenance, has led to inevitable growing pains for event organizers. Each year, an increasing number of properties take on the challenge to provide the highest quality of housekeeping standards, in turn creating a lengthy awards ceremony. Look for a new and streamlined awards event this year that celebrates each recipient’s success, only in a more timely way.

More than anything, this event is truly about the staff. Being present during the ceremony and basking in the energy of the night continues to be a personal highlight that helps to reaffirm the true importance of our front line team members. These hard working individuals deserve this night and we should all be very proud of the attention to detail, commitment, and strong work ethic they demonstrate each day at properties throughout Alberta.

This marks the final column I will be writing for Alberta Hospitality as my term as AHLA Board Chair comes to an end. I have been honoured to have served you in this capacity and look forward to the energy and commitment my successor brings. I thank my fellow Board members and the exceptional AHLA staff, all of whom have supported me and provided solid guidance and support as we have strived to serve all of you, our very important members.

Cheers!

chairMan’s rePOrT

AHLA2707 ellwood drive,

edmonton aB, T6X 0P7 Toll Free: 1.888.436.6112

www.ahla.ca

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PUBLICATIONS

CHAIR OF THE BOARDPerry Wilford

FIRST VICE CHAIRMichael sieger

VICE CHAIRPerry Batke

VICE CHAIRTina Tobin

PAST CHAIRMike shymka

PRESIDENT & CEOdave kaiser

DIRECTORS NORTHMark hope

Peter ParmarTony Verbisky

steven Watters

DIRECTORS CENTRALPerry Batke

Michael siegerrobin cumine

Tina Tobin

DIRECTORS SOUTHchris Barr

leanne shaw-Brotherston

Alberta Hospitality is published quarterly by:

T 604-574-4577 1-800-667-0955F 604-574-2196

[email protected]

Publisher & editor - Joyce haynecopy editor - debbie Minke

design & layout - krysta Furioso

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INSPIRING SERVICE, GROWING VALUE

by Perry Wilford2014 AHLA Convention

summer 2014

Book space by May 23rd1-800-667-0955 [email protected]

• ImprovingHealth&SafetyPractices• Alberta’sTravelOutlook• AttractingFamilies• GreenInitiatives

upcoming issue

alberta hospitality | 5

The launch of the Alberta pilot for www.checkincanada.com is attracting attention from across the country. This Hotel Association of Canada (HAC)-endorsed initiative provides a superior online experience for consumers to search and book their accommodations. For industry, it provides a low-cost, direct-booking channel that can greatly improve profitability by shifting consumer demand away from Online Travel Agencies (OTAs).

The amount of commission paid by hotels in Canada to OTAs is large and continues to rise. $250 million is a conservative estimate for 2012. For Alberta, the numbers break down as follows: $39.9 million in lost room revenue, and almost $1.9 million less Tourism Levy dollars collected to grow our tourism industry. In addition, consumers who book through OTAs end up being customers of the OTAs and are targeted with marketing incentives to travel to other destinations.

At the recent Canadian Tourism Marketing Summit held in Toronto, it was reported that the combined funding for major tourism and destination marketing organizations in Canada exceeds $540 million. The opportunity to leverage the marketing clout of provincial and destination marketing organizations

PresidenT & ceO’s Message

(PMOs & DMOs) with Check In Canada can deliver value to consumers, hotels, destination marketers, and government.

For consumers, the benefits include:

• Canada’s most comprehensive hotel directory with searchable listings by date and rate• Quality-assuredreservationsbookeddirect with hotels • Bestrateguarantees• Hotelbrandrewardsandloyaltypoints• Access to credible and trusted consumer reviews and comments • Crediblethirdpartyratings

For industry:

• Effective online marketing provided by destination marketing organizations• Low cost distribution channel with commission free-direct bookings• Noinventorymanagement• Opportunitytoupdatelistinginformation, rates, and availability in real time • Industry-driven distribution channel that competes with OTAs• Participation opportunities for all properties

Check In Canada by Dave Kaiser

For PMOs, DMOs, and governments:

• More resources for tourism/destination marketing through the reallocation of existing resources used to manage existing third party booking platforms and passive directories · Industry driven quality assurance program to ensure the quality of tourism products· Industry-supported process for resolving consumer complaints· Increased tax revenues (take marketshare from OTAs with discounted net rates)

Clearly, the potential value proposition for Check In Canada is huge and can be realized. We just need to embrace the themes of collaboration and alignment we all hold up as keys to success for Canada’s tourism industry.

We look forward to serving you!

http://www.kabalodging.com

6 | alberta hospitality

cOVer sTOrY BIg TruCks, BrIgHT sTArs,

PrIsTIne WILdernessTourism around Fort McMurray Offers some Big surprises


by Joanne Sasvari

Talk to someone - anyone - from Fort McMurray, and you’re bound to hear the word “biggest” a lot: Biggest national park. Biggest average annual income. Biggest trucks. Biggest community leisure centre. Biggest dark-sky preserve.

Perhaps we need to add to that list: Biggest potential for a tourism boom.

Photo courtesy of Fort McMurray Tourism


Big Trucks, BrighT sTars, PrisTine Wilderness

When we think about Fort Mac, what most usually comes to mind first is the oil sands. The Athabasca oil sands are a massive deposit of bitumen or heavy crude oil that lies under 141,000 square kilometres of northern Alberta’s boreal forest and muskeg. The oil has fuelled Fort McMurray’s boom, along with protests over the industry’s potential impact onFirstNationspeopleandtheenvironment.The legendary singer-songwriterNeilYoung,for instance, famously described the oil sands as “Hiroshima” and a “wasteland”.

However, that’s not at all how Kristin Catto sees it. The mother of a young child, she moved to Fort Mac a year ago from Salt Spring Island in BC, and is now the experience manager for Fort McMurray Tourism. “It’s a complete change,” she says with a laugh. “I love it up here. It’s a great community, [with] so many young families and young people, and so many opportunities.”

Building a Tourism Strategy

“Community” is another word you hear a lot from Fort McMurray residents. So is “beautiful” and“pristine.” Notwhat you expected?Well,there is a lot about this place that isn’t what you might expect.

For one thing, Fort McMurray isn’t actually a city. It is an “urban service area” in the widespread Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. It is remote and isolated - perched in the middle of a vast wilderness 435 kilometres north of Edmonton - and one of the last stops along the notoriously


challenging Highway 63. Little wonder locals are so excited about the new international airport terminal opening this summer. YYM is the fastest growing airport in Canada, and with the expansion will go from being able to handle 250,000 passengers a year to 1.5 million. And that is just one of the many new pieces of infrastructure in the works.

“It’s happening right now, and it’s going to keep on happening,” describes Jean-Marc Guillamot, the area director for Atlific Hotels and head of the Fort McMurray Hotel Group. He moved here seven years ago from the West Coast, and in that time has seen enormous change. When he arrived, growth was out of control. The population was booming, the money was gushing, prices were skyrocketing, development was exploding, and social issues were grabbing the headlines. Then the financial crisis came along. “That gave people a chance to slow down and focus and build some long-term strategies,” Guillamot explains. “It’s rewarding to see a good strategy and a good pace to it.”

Those strategies include building a tourism industry and the infrastructure to support it because Fort McMurray, it turns out, offers plenty to attract the leisure traveller.

Pristine Parks and Dancing Lights

There is, for one thing, the truly great outdoors. The wild, empty expanse of northern Alberta, with its lakes, forests and grasslands, is a mecca for fishermen and hunters. It also offers exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities for those who’d rather shoot with a camera than a rifle, especially in nearby Wood Buffalo National Park, the biggest national park inCanada.

The park was established in 1922 to protect the dwindling herds of wild bison and it offers endless opportunities for camping, hiking, boating and, in winter, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. However, the most exciting attraction in the park these days is the night sky above it.

Wood Buffalo is situated in an area of intense Aurora Borealis activity, and in 2013, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada designated it as the world’s largest dark-sky preserve. In fact, there has been talk of creating an Alberta Star Trail that would see star-struck visitors travelling to each of the province’s several dark-skypreserves.Northernlightstourismisalready a growing initiative in Fort McMurray, but that would bring even more visitors to see the dancing lights.

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http://www.isc.tv


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In Fort McMurray itself, sport tourism is a draw for weekend visitors. The community boasts the Casman Centre, home ice for the Fort McMurray Oil Barons as well as MacDonald Island Park, North America’s largestcommunity leisure centre, which is undergoing a major $127-million expansion. It features a fitness centre, golf course, aquatic centre, skating rinks, and climbing walls as well as facilities for big sporting and entertainment events, including the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games.

Fort McMurray is also a magnet for snowmobilers, who have more than 275 kilometres of groomed trails to explore. Located as it is at the confluence of four rivers - the Horse, Hangingstone, Athabasca, and Clearwater - it is ideal for canoeing, kayaking, and boating. With 400 hectares of parks and 130 kilometres of hiking trails, it’s also a good place to lace up your boots and go for a walk in the woods.



http://www.ahsa.ca


NorthernlightstourismisalreadyagrowinginitiativeinFortMcMurray.{

Oil Sands as a Tourist Attraction

And then there are the oil sands, which have become a tourist attraction in themselves.

Tourism Fort McMurray, working with Suncor Energy, offers more than 100 oil sands tours a year. Each tour is four hours long and includes a visit to the Oil Sands Discovery Centre, where visitors can experience the history, science, and technology of the industry. The tours attract everyone from government officials, scientists, and investors to students, seniors, and relatives of people who work in the oil sands.

Nottoosurprisingly,themostpopularpartofthetouristhebigtrucks,including the enormous Euclid truck that can haul 300 tonnes. “All the big equipment is very cool,” Catto exclaims. A bit more surprisingly, the other big attraction is the reclamation sites. “Everything that’s mined has to be reclaimed - it has to be turned back to nature,” Catto describes. “People say, ‘I can’t believe that went from that to that.’ ”

Of course, hosting all these visitors places a heavy demand on accommodation. Fort McMurray has the most active hotel occupancy rate inNorthAmericaoutsideManhattan,andmostof it isrelatedtooilsands business. “That is the danger of our town,” Guillamot notes. “It’s a one-employer town - the oil.” Most oil sands employees require long-term stays, which means rooms with kitchenettes and laundry facilities, and there never seem to be quite enough rooms available. Fort McMurray has seen several new properties open recently, and others are in the works, including the four-star Marriott Courtyard scheduled to open in early 2016.

One thing is certain: Every day, there are more reasons for people to come to Fort McMurray, whether it’s for work, to watch the big game, for a memorable fishing trip, or to watch the Aurora Borealis dance across the northern sky.

“We have to bring the people here to see there are a lot of things to do,” Guillamot shares. “When people come here they always say, ‘Wow, I have to come back.’ ”



http://www.adriachairs.com

http://www.shawhospitalitygroup.com


When tourism operators descended on The Fairmont Banff Springs last October for the 2013 Travel Alberta Industry Conference, they were the first to discover unique Alberta experiences while sitting in the comfort of their hotel rooms.

Travel Alberta partnered with the hotel to broadcast our Alberta Stories videos on their in-house dedicated guestroom TV channel for the four days of the conference. It was an opportunity to showcase these engaging, documentary-style videos about authentic experiences as diverse as ice fishing in Athabasca, snowshoeing in Lake Louise, mountain biking in Hinton, and fine dining in Calgary.

At the end of the conference, The Fairmont Banff Springs decided to continue to show the videos as part of their destination awareness strategy. Alberta Stories are piquing their guests’ curiosity about unique activities in the area.

Working closely with The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and The Fairmont Banff Springs, we are pursuing opportunities to offer Alberta Stories in the hotel rooms of other Alberta Fairmont properties, on seat-back monitors in their VIP cars, and as DVD gifts for guests to plan their next visit to Alberta.

Alberta storiesTraVel alBerTa

by Shelley Grollmuss

We couldn’t have asked for a better result. Travel Alberta’s video assets are meant to be shared and are designed to increase visitor engagement. Partners are embedding our videos in websites and e-newsletters, linking to our YouTube channel and more. Here is a great opportunity to show how these stories can be used by our province’s hotels and motels as well.

As hoteliers, you do everything you can to ensure a guest’s experience is so enjoyable that they stay a few days longer or book a return trip. One of the tactics to encourage repeat business is to let your customers know about all the exciting things they can do nearby. That strategy is at the heart of Alberta Stories.

Alberta Stories add depth to our (remember to breathe) brand invitation by exploring in more detail the “authentic experiences in breathtaking landscapes” that we highlight in our marketing of the province at home and around the world.

For the past 2½ years, Travel Alberta has been shooting three-minute videos shared from the perspective of the passionate enthusiast that answered the question: “What other experiencescanIhaveinAlberta?”

We started the initiative with several call-outs to industry partners for ideas on distinctive

encounters in their regions that a traveller might share or brag about. They could paint a vivid image of a region, show off a one-of-a-kind natural wonder, highlight an experience or event, a thrilling tradition or even a fresh twist on a local delicacy.

We received hundreds of responses and chose ideas based on local and global appeal, uniqueness and novelty, depth of the story, and the potential for sharing online.

Professional film crews travelled across the province telling Alberta Stories through the eyes and voices of local characters, insiders and visitors. A total of 27 videos have been completed that highlight fun and unique outings for families, outdoor thrill seekers, and those with a thirst for life.

At the Bodo Archaeology Site in central Alberta, dramatic prairie footage provides the backdrop for storytelling by local historians, archaeologists, and visitors. Adventure seekers in northern Alberta experience the thrill, history, and serenity of the Athabasca River. Hobbyists and kids take pottery classes and learn about the traditions of ceramic artwork in the historic Clay District near Medicine Hat.

All of these videos can be viewed on Travel Alberta’s YouTube page, by clicking on the Alberta Stories link on the green tab at the top.

However, we invite you to do more than watch - Alberta Stories are available to you to use in your in-room marketing and more. You can use our videos and incorporate our b-roll footage or still photography into your own digital products - all accessed through Travel Alberta’s multimedia library. We’ll have DVDs of Alberta Stories for you at the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association’s Convention and Trade Show, April 24-26, 2014 at the Banff Centre.

The topics for Alberta Stories came from our industry partners, so the experiences presented are those proven to resonate with travellers. The exceptional quality of the filmmaking brings them to life and captures the imagination. As your guests lie back on their pillows, relax and flip channels, use the opportunity to entice them to stay longer or plan a return visit through the inspiring words, pictures, and music of Alberta Stories.

Shelley Grollmuss is Travel Alberta’s Vice President of Industry Development. She can be reached at [email protected].

CLIENT: ShawJOB NAME: Business Print P2 - Hospitality R1DOCKET #: P14-0110AD #: SCS10002PUB: Alberta HospitalityAD SPACE: None

OUTPUT SCALE: NoneFONTS: Shaw

TRIM: 8.5” x 11”SAFETY: 8” x 10.5”BLEED: 8.75” x 11.25”INSERTION DATE: NonePPI: 300

PROOF #: 1DATE: 2-19-2014 3:05 PM

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

Studio WHIP:Volumes:Studio WHIP:SHAW:P-Dockets:P14-0110_Business_Print_P2:SCS10002:SCS10002_Alberta_Hospitality_8.5x11_R1.indd

Up to 15 Mbps dedicated in-room WiFi*

* Translation: “Business travelers won’t feel like they’re ‘Out Of Office’.”

Shaw Business can keep you and your guests connected with:

• In-room guest WiFi• Ultra-fast Internet• Tons of HD channels

Learn more about how WiFi impacts your business at business.shaw.ca/hospitality

• Crystal-clear phones• Corporate connectivity

solutions

SCS10002_Alberta_Hospitality_8.5x11_R1.indd 1 2/19/14 3:06 PM

http://www.shaw-business.ca/hospitality


FeaTure enHAnCe YOur rOI WITH OTA BesT PrACTICes

The secret to enhancing your ROI is really no secret at all. Every business owner knows that the very simple and non-changeable equation for enhancingyourROI is to increaserevenuesand/ordecreaseexpenses,hopefully achieving both at the same time. There is no easier, more effective way to increase revenue than by developing, executing, and monitoring a sound revenue management strategy. As part of this strategy, a very viable - though much debated - opportunity to do this effectively is through the partnership with Online Travel Agencies (OTAs).


by Kenneth Svejkovsky


enhance YOur rOi WiTh OTa BesT PracTices

As the importance of this distribution channel has grown, so has the mounting frustrations for hoteliers working with OTAs. There are lyrics from a famous song that go “You can’t live with ‘em, you can’t live without ‘em. There’s something irresistible-ish about ‘em.” And, though the original reference to this song is the relationship between men and women, these words might easily apply to the relationship between hoteliers and the fastest growing distribution channel for hotel rooms - OTAs.

Regardless of the frustrations felt within the industry, the reality is that whether you are a branded hotel with substantial marketing resources or an independent hotel with very limited marketing resources, it is highly unlikely that either will ever have the financial means to compete in the marketing arena where the top four OTAs alone have combined sales that exceed $26 billion and combined marketing budgets that exceed $3 billion per year. It is projected that OTAs will control over 30% of the entire world travel revenue by 2014. Rather than feeling frustrated and trying to compete directly, it might be a far better strategy to recognize the importance and potential of the OTA partners, enthusiastically embracing the “irresistible-ish-ness about ‘em”.

With that in mind, here are 8 proven best practice strategies, which when utilized consistently, can help managers, operators, and owners, enhance their ROI:

Commit

The first requirement for successful results with OTA partners is to develop the relationship as a long-term strategy and commitment. Though there are specific promotions and opaque selling opportunities on certain OTA sites that can help fill distressed space, in order to achieve sustainable results, total commitment is required. You have to want to work with the OTAs and need to see the long-term benefits in developing these relationships. It is not necessary to work with every OTA in the marketplace. Review each business model - including payment policies, associated costs, potential net return to the hotel, and propensity to attract guests - that best matches your hotel’s target market(s), and then decide which might be the best fit for your property.

Unless you are running at 100% occupancy, there are likely opportunities available to you with all or most OTAs. One recommended best strategy is to participate wherever you can with whomever you can, often

ItisprojectedthatOTAswillcontrolover30%oftheentireworldtravelrevenueby2014.{

Photo courtesy of Hotel Arts Group

referred to as the Billboard Effect, where the more exposure you have through the Internet, the greater the propensity for increasing unique visitors to your own website - thereby increasing top-line revenue.

However, there may be valid reasons to pick and choose which OTAs you prefer to work with. For example, a luxury brand may not wish to expose its product on a discount site in fear of eroding reputation and potentially average daily rate (ADR). Or, a small independent boutique hotel may not have the human resources to properly manage multiple OTA relationships, and therefore choose to work with a select few. Each property, each chosen revenue strategy, and each OTA value proposition is unique, so do some research and determine which OTAs best meet the needs of your property.

Once determined, jump in with both feet and commit for the long term as a strong OTA partner. You can demonstrate your commitment and ensure opportunity optimization by doing a few key things that can be accomplished with a minimum investment of time and human resources.

Ensure inventory is always loaded for 18 months or more. Set restrictions and/or close inventory only when absolutely necessary to optimizerevenue. Maintain price parity across all channels, no matter how tempting it may be not to.

Though the intricacies of improving ranking, and therefore sales, are unique to each OTA, constant availability, rate parity, and content are important with every OTA.

Engage

OTA Account Managers are experts in their field. Use their market intelligence to help make the best decisions for your property. Engage them in conversations on a continuous basis. They will tell you exactly what you need to do to get better results and can be a tremendous resource in regards to what is happening in the marketplace at any given time.

Many OTAs include statistical information on demand in the marketplace

http://www.chemistryrecruitment.ca


directly on their consumer websites. These percentages are based only on the overall inventory loaded on their website for a given marketplace, but are a good indication of what dates indicate heavy demand and which dates show lighter demand. Although it’s not the only way to determine demand for your individual property, it is a great generic indicator that can be used to help determine dates where rates and restrictions may need to be adjusted for revenue optimization.

Another part of being engaged is to participate in promotions and marketing opportunities presented by each OTA. You may not wish to participate in every promotion, but it will help your rankings on that website over time. When determining if a promotion is a good fit for your property, don’t be afraid to ask your Account Manager for modifications to the promotion if one small detail doesn’t work for you. For example, in a recent 24-hour 50% off promotion opportunity, the original booking dates ran from January 30 to March 31. As this is a time frame where inventory is historically abundant for most Vancouver properties, this might be a good fit. However, when the OTA adjusted the booking dates, requiring dates be included through the end of April over a traditionally sold out holiday week, the promotion no longer makes sense. A simple call to your Account Manager requesting participation with restricted dates is usually attainable.


Revise Content Regularly

One challenge for OTAs that many Account Managers convey is that a hotel loads content and photos when they sign up and then never reviews this information again. The algorithms used by the OTAs in ranking are dynamic, so content that may have been very effective one day is no longer effective the next. Schedule regular reviews and update content as needed. Check your competitors’ content to ensure that you are clearly conveying your unique value proposition. Review reports on the amenities and services most important to guests and ensure that information is clearly conveyed in your introductory paragraph on each OTA listing.

Update Photos Often

The world of social media has made consumers visually reliant. Your best marketing investment is in high quality, diverse photography. Show different room types and make sure you include photos of the television(s), bed(s), and bathroom(s) for each room type. Add any photos that might enhance the guest experience, including public areas and local attractions that are within walking distance. Recreate as much of the guest experience as you possibly can within the guidelines allowed by each OTA, and update them as often as required. At a minimum, you should change your lead photo each season.

For example, in a recent case with one OTA, after a property worked diligently to achieve a 100% content score for optimal ranking, suddenly changes were made to the content requirements. The content score dropped significantly with these changes, but when revisions were made, the score returned to 100%.

Regular monitoring and updating is required to ensure that your property ranking is retained. It is recommended that you monitor your listing at least on a monthly basis, or you risk missing out on selling opportunities.

Know Your Competitors Intimately

Often the competitive set perceived by the team at the property level may not be the same those perceived by a guest when making a buying decision. Each OTA site may represent a different competitor set for your property, and those properties can change based on a number of different factors including time of year and the primary market segment purchasing at any given time. Many OTAs will list the most recent competitors for your property on their Extranet. Review these frequently as possible so you can highlight your property’s unique features.

Stick to Your Strategy

At times, particularly when rooms are sitting empty, it can become very challenging to stick to whatever revenue strategy your property has established. However, prior to making any major changes to your strategy, research the marketplace and determine if the challenge is price, demand, or positioning related. Then, compare the historic booking patterns for your property for any given point in time, making adjustments that support - rather than erode - your overall revenue strategy.

Personal experience and market research conveys that demand is not generated by simply dropping prices. The best practice is to drop prices only when doing so will actually create demand. Social media sites such as Groupon, Living Social, and Travelzoo have proven their ability to create demand and can provide a substantial boost to occupancy during need periods. However, merely dropping the price a few dollars, or even a substantial amount, when it will not create new demand only results in a sale that most likely would have been made at the higher selling price.

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Execute Without Fear

The three areas that tend to hurt OTA rankings most are closing inventory, placing too many restrictions, and not pricing appropriately within the competitive set of each individual OTA. It is sometimes a challenge to avoid these past practices. However, if your OTA goal is to help enhance ROI, you must execute that strategy without fear.

Do not be fearful when you leave inventory open with your OTA, even when you are sold out and risk overbooking. Be prepared by having alternative options available to walk a guest in the event of overbooking, but keep inventory open. Increase the rate, add minimum stay restrictions, create a Run-of-House category that provides room assignment flexibility, make the rate advance-pay, no-refund, but maintain at least one available room each and every night for a minimum of 18 months out.

Pricing Strategies

Review pricing of the hotels in your competitive set and the pricing of hotels ranked one star below and one star above your direct competitive set. Don’t be afraid to push the pricing envelope. If you have a unique selling feature that has demand for a specific market segment, stick to your revenue strategy and hold out for top dollar. For example, if you have rooms or suites that can accommodate 6-8 guests, while other properties don’t, there is a large market for family and multi-generational travel. You may wish to charge a premium on these accommodations in the summer, even if the market demand and marketplace pricing in general is soft.

This strategy may hurt your OTA rankings in the short term, but guests seeking these unique accommodations will find you through sorting options, and you will have a competitive edge allowing you to buck whatever current pricing trend there may be for standard types of accommodations.

Price according to the demand for your individual property, regardless of meeting the requirements of the OTA. Your goal is optimizing revenue. The goal of most OTAs is transactional. Again, stick to your strategy.

Find the Passion

Optimizing incremental revenue through OTAs is not for the faint of heart. It can be a tedious job of daily research and replication. The key to success is finding that one or two perfect personalities and skill sets within your organization that will help, plan, execute, and continuously monitor sites with endless passion and drive. This individual may not be the typical person who handles revenue management, as the skill sets needed are unique and can have a huge positive impact on hotel revenue. Select carefully and make sure that you see them foaming at the mouth every time they talk about OTA strategy. Your OTA success requires commitment and passion unlike any other strategy.

Over the past five years, having religiously practiced these strategies, I have personally witnessed properties of varying shapes and sizes double their OTA bookings each year, improve their RevPAR by up to 68%, increasetheirNetOperating IncomeorGrossOperatingProfitby52%,and enhance their overall Return on Investment (ROI) by over 500%. Here’s hoping you find your personal “irresistible-ish” OTA strategy and achieve similar results for your property.

Kenneth R. Svejkovsky, CHA, CTC, MCC, MBA, is General Manager/Ambassador of Fun and Prosperity at the Rosellen Suites at Stanley Park.

Quick Tips• SetyourrevenuestrategyandchangeitSLOWLYifneeded.

• SchedulemonthlymeetingswitheachOTAAccountManager.

• Postphotosoftv(s),bed(s),andbathroom(s)foreachroomtype.

• Updatephotosseasonally.

• Revisecontentquarterly.

• Highlightcontentthatmattersmosttoguests.

• EnsureyourUniqueSellingProposition(USP)isappropriately

positionedincontent.

• PositiondifferentUSPsagainsteachuniquecompetitiveset.

• Controlthecontrollables.

• Determineifemptyroomsarearesultofprice,demand,or

positioning.

• DiscountONLYwhenitcancreatedemand.

• Participateinpromotionsifitsupportsyourrevenuestrategy.

• NEVERcloseinventory.

• Overbookwithoutfear.

• Limitrestrictionsexceptwhereessentialforrevenueoptimization.

• Createarun-of-housecategory.

• Implementaproperty-wideupsellprogram.

• Useautorespondersforpost-stayfollowupwithexclusiverepeat

guestoffers.

• TrainOTA specialistswhowill plan, execute, andmonitorwith passion.


canadian Business and leisure TraVel Trends

by the Hotel Association of Canada

Latest results from the 2014 HAC Canadian Travel Intentions Survey show that business and leisure travel is projected to remain the same as last year. 81% of business travellers will be travelling more or the same for business in 2014. The exception is Ontario, where business travel is projected to be down 4% over last year’s numbers. The highest increase for business travel in 2014 is in the Prairies and BC at 27%, 3% more than the national average.

83% of leisure travellers will travel more or the same as last year and 11% will travel less. Overall, leisure travel intentions are the same as 2013 and 2012 results. While leisure travel is static nationally, 36% of BCers said they would be travelling more for leisure, 14% more than the national average and up 2% over 2013. Respondents from the Prairies expressed the most uncertainty regarding leisure travel with 17% indicating they will travel less than 2013 and 8% undecided.

Business travellers who said they would be travelling less this year explained they would be doing so for two main reasons, the price of gas/energy (20%) and the costof airfare (20%). The economy, not as much of a concern in 2013, has jumped back into the top three reasons for travelling less for business in 2014 (17%). The Canadian dollar, for the first time in four years, is again a concern with 16% of business respondents. Worries about the economy, the Canadian dollar, and the price of gas are highest with Ontario business travellers.

Canadians Travelling to the US

29% of Canadian travellers said they would be doing more travel to the US in 2014 than 2013, up 3% over last year’s numbers.

17% of 2014 respondents said they travelled to the US for cheaper airline tickets in 2013, with the highest number of cross-border ticket buyers from BC and Ontario. A further

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a neW TWisT On rOOM serVice

Seattle’s Hotel Max has launched a revolutionized room service program in partnership with the city’s most buzzed about new restaurant, Miller’s Guild. Instead of a linen draped tray and silver domed plate covers, Miller’s Guild’s culinary craft is delivered in custom-stamped brown paper bags with butcher’s twine, compostable containers, and personalized labels and tags, complete with the name of the cook who prepared your meal.

“Guests are not interested in getting wilted carnations and plastic salt and pepper shakers with a setup that’s otherwise a little formal,” said Bashar Wali, President of Provenance Hotels. “We are rethinking the entire approach to in-room dining. We don’t want the setup to compete with the food.”

“We wanted this room service experience to reflect the craftsmanship that Miller’s Guild is rooted in,” explains Wilson. “A simple, no-frills presentation with labels handwritten by our cooks, really reflects our handcrafted, made-to-order approach.”

At Hotel Max room service menu items from Miller’s Guild include an open-faced Piedmontese steak tartare sandwich, or the house-ground beef burger with white cheddar, house pickled veggies, thick-cut bacon smoked on the Miller’s Guild Grill, and a crispy bun. Guests can enjoy anything from a parfait of house granola, berries, and yogurt for breakfast to Miller’s Guild’s acclaimed sausage-topped kale and hazelnut salad, or an open-faced short rib sandwich sprinkled with horseradish, parsley, and yuzu.

23% said they plan on cross-border shopping for cheaper air fares in 2014. An alarming 60% of respondents also said they knew people who travelled to the US in 2013 to purchase cheaper airline tickets.

“Canada’s aviation cost structure is one of the highest in the world - according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Canada ranks 136th out of 139 countries,” says Tony Pollard, HAC President. “Aviation and airport fees and charges make Canada’s aviation costs almost 30% higher than other jurisdictions. It is no wonder Canadians continue to flock to the US to purchase less expensive airline tickets.”

Influence of Technology

More Canadian travellers are looking to the web and social media for travel information. Social media, while not influential for business travellers four years ago, now has almost a quarter of business travellers saying they use information from this medium to help make their hotel selections with online testimonials having the most impact on accommodation selection (58%). 72% of leisure travellers said ratings on Internet booking services and other sites have a great

deal of influence on where they choose to stay. 51% of leisure travellers in the 18-24 year-old category and 34% of those in the 25-34 year-old category are most influenced by social media, while leisure travellers in the 55+ category are the least influenced.

“More and more Canadians are using social media to post pictures, load videos, and make comments about places they have stayed, and it’s having quite the influence on other travellers’ decisions,” notes Pollard. “Hotels know they are being scrutinized like never before and are rising up to the challenge.”

Smart Phones - Travellers Are Connected

70% of travellers (up 11% over 2013) use smart phones when they travel. The majority usetheirphonestogetintouchwithfamily/friends (52%), particularly those from the Prairies (59%). As always, Canadian travellers are weather-obsessed, with 48% (up 7% over 2013) saying they use their smart phones to check the weather. 40% said they use GPS and/orgetdirectionsontheirsmartphones,an increase of 8% since 2011. Facebook is becoming more popular with all age groups with 29% of travellers (up 5% from 2013) using their smart phones to check Facebook.

For the first time, HAC asked about hailing a cab with a smart phone, and 13% of travellers said they have. 14% book hotels (almost same as 2013) and 7% buy air, train, or bus tickets on their smart phones. 10% use their smart and mobile phones to Tweet, up 3% from 2013.

“Almost 60% of 18-34 year-old travellers are using their smart phones for GPS or directions, 20% more than the rest of the Canadian population. The days of reading a map are long gone for this young adult crowd,” explains Pollard.

Green Key Program - Important to Both Business and Leisure Travellers

The importance of hotel environmental certification such as the HAC Green Key program took a dramatic leap this year with 44% of Canadian business travellers, up 18% over 2013 numbers. Those from the Atlantic (53%) found it the most important, followed by BC (48%). 3% more leisure travellers over last year said environmental certification programs are important to them. This is up 7% over the past five years.

72%ofleisuretravellerssaidratingsonInternetbookingservicesandothersiteshaveagreatdealofinfluenceonwheretheychoosetostay.{


icelandair adds FlighTs TO edMOnTOn

by Debbie Minke

Iceland has always been known for its breathtaking landscapes, pristine nature, and the midnight sun. It’s the place where Europe meets America, situated midway between the two continents. The burgeoning airline Icelandair has based its business strategy on this unique geographical position,connecting24citiesinEuropewith12citiesinNorthAmerica,through Iceland as a hub.

On March 5th, Icelandair began regular scheduled service between Reykjavik and Edmonton, giving Europeans from more than 15 countries a new way to discover Alberta’s treasures. Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, Prime Minister of Iceland, flew to Edmonton to celebrate the launch of the new service and attend related community celebrations of the new Edmonton-Reykjavik connection. The Prime Minister was joined by a host of dignitaries, including: The Honourable Dave Hancock, Deputy Premier of Alberta; James Rajotte, Member of Parliament, Edmonton-Leduc; His Worship Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton; Birkir Hólm Guðnason, CEO, Icelandair; Tom Ruth, President and CEO, Edmonton International Airport; Brad Ferguson, President and CEO, Edmonton Economic Development Corporation; James Cumming, President and CEO, Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.

“Iceland is a great new addition to Edmonton International Airport’s (EIA) non-stop network. Icelandic immigrants have contributed greatly to Alberta’s rich cultural fabric. We look forward to welcoming more Icelanders to Alberta so they can explore our natural beauty, enjoy our arts and culture, and re-connect with family and friends who now call Alberta home,” says Alberta Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation, Dr. Richard Starke.

Service between Reykjavik and Edmonton operates on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays on an Icelandair Boeing 757 seating 183 passengers with three cabins of service. The eastbound flight departs EIA at 6:25 pm and arrives in Reykjavik at 6:40 am the next morning. The westbound flight leaves Reykjavik at 4:45 pm and arrives at EIA at 5:25 pm the same day. Only Icelandair allows passengers to stop over in Iceland for up to seven nights at no additional airfare.

“Our service from Edmonton International Airport [is] Icelandair’s first link into western Canada. We see this as an amazing opportunity to open the skies between Edmonton and Reykjavik and further build on our respective networks. We have seen the incredible potential of this

market and have already increased our service to meet demands and expectations. Icelandair provides a refreshing alternative for passengers travelling both to and from Europe,” said Birkir Hólm Guðnason, Icelandair CEO.

“A non-stop connection with Reykjavik further opens up Edmonton to continental Europe and will allow for new tourism and business opportunities to be pursued,” notes EEDC President and CEO Brad Ferguson. “Icelandair’s investment underlines its confidence in the EdmontonregionasaneconomichubforNorthAmerica.”Responsehasbeen so enthusiastic, in fact, that the airline already added an additional flight.

Icelandair, the flag carrier of Iceland since 1937, has added three Boeing 757s to its fleet of 21 aircraft. Its schedule for 2014 is the biggest in the company’s history, up 18% from 2013. The airline’s operations have doubled over a five-year period, and they estimate carrying a record 2.6 million passengers this year. Wi-Fi service is being installed in all aircraft by fall 2014, making Icelandair the first transatlantic carrier to offer fleet-wide Wi-Fi.

(Left to right): M.P. James Rajotte, Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, Prime Minister of Iceland Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, the Prime Minister’s wife Anna Sigurlaug Pálsdóttir, Deputy Premier Dave Hancock, Icelandair CEO Birkir Holm Guðnason, and Thordur Aegir Oskarsson, Ambassador of Iceland to Canada. Photo courtesy of Edmonton International Airport.

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Hot Issue: Maintaining Fire-Rated DoorsAnnual Inspections Can Streamline Safety-Code Complianceby carol schram

a d V e r T i s i n g F e a T u r e

The operation of any hotel involves hundreds of moving parts that managers must keep humming smoothly every day. in your busy world, it’s easy to overlook the more mundane elements - some of which can be critical.“a door is not something that people get excited about until it’s not working,” says don lopatka of edmonton’s ddl group. “The way i look at it, hotels offer all sorts of amenities to encourage people to stay at their property, but safety and security are not always top-of-mind. however, guests appreciate the extra peace of mind from knowing that they have a safe exit route and their doors are designed to protect them in case of fire.”With an eye towards increasing safety and helping properties remain compliant with current codes and safety standards, ddl group offers the Fire door assembly inspection program.

Fire Code and Safety Standard RequirementsOver the years, a number of tragic events in public spaces have led to the introduction of new fire and life safety standards. Under the latest version of the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 80: Standards for Fire doors and Other Opening Protectives, buildings are now required to carry out annual inspections of fire-rated doors. These inspections have been incorporated into the national Building code of canada and the alberta Building code.Managers of properties that are more than 10 years old often feel overwhelmed with the cost and the scope of work involved in conducting a thorough inspection, and then doing the necessary upgrades to become compliant. Strictly speaking, door safety is already part of your fire evacuation plan that’s inspected annually by the authority having Jurisdiction. simple issues can include the need for smoke gasketing, non-combustible transition thresholds from corridor to suite, doors not fitting into frames, or hardware not latching properly or failing to close correctly.

DDL Group Fire Door Assembly Inspection ProgramFour years ago, an industry-wide initiative emerged, offering property inspections of fire-rated doors and step-by-step recommendations to help make properties compliant with fire and life safety codes.ddl group offers expert inspection services that can identify your property’s issues - and if you haven’t been proactive in maintaining and servicing your fire doors, you will certainly have issues. “I stayed at a five-star hotel in Chicago with a group of colleagues, and we did a walk-through of 15 doors,” shares lopatka. “not one was compliant. There’s a real need for hotels to address this issue.”A DDL inspector (who is a certified Fire Door Assembly Inspector, and an architectural hardware consultant) will provide an on-site analysis of your property, reviewing all doors. They’ll offer recommendations for improvements, product suggestions,

and options for purchase. The inspection process is completely independent: you’ll make your own purchase decisions. After repairs are completed, the inspector will return for a re-certification inspection.as part of the inspection process, every door on your property is placed in a red, yellow or green category, which helps to direct your budget towards the most urgent issues. red-light doors are serious problems that need to be addressed immediately; green-light doors might pass or need a minor upgrade at a future date.Once a property receives a high rating for its performance criteria, it’s much less onerous to maintain compliance. Training programs can gradually be introduced to empower hotel staff to do most of the legwork, meaning future inspections would be limited to a quick walk-through instead of a detailed analysis of every door.

Common Fire Door Deficiencies• Painted or missing fire door labels• Hardware interfering with the door function• Fire door assembly blocked by objects• Doors not labeled for use as fire exits• Bottom flush bolts do not project into strike• Fire doors blocked to stay open• Kick down door holders• Broken, defective or missing hardware• Missing or incorrect fasteners• Poor clearance dimensions

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For more information on industry codes and the Fire Door Inspection Assembly program, visit the DDL Group website at www.ddlgroup.net.To find out more or arrange an inspection for your property:• Call: 780-469-8303 or toll-free 888-774-7779• Email: [email protected].

a d V e r T i s i n g F e a T u r e

Improving Operations“in many cases, our analysis will not only point to something that’s not compliant, but also items functioning incorrectly. it can offer ideas for improvements that will make the building function even better than present,” continues lopatka.“Prefinished fire-rated doors and frames provide a quick assembly upgrade. They’re easy to install, with less trades involved. state-of-the-art security, access and egress control, along with fire-release products, can change the function of your building to cater to new conditions.By using newer product options, you provide your guests with a higher-standard experience, with greater safety and security. ultimately, the goal is to make the building safer and compliant with today’s codes and trends.

Standard Requirements and the Importance of Keeping Compliantinsurance and liability are critical issues for hoteliers when dealing with safety codes. “If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation where people are injured or at risk in your building due to fire, the costs of dealing with that incident will far outweigh the costs of any maintenance program you could have started,” points out 30-year industry veteran lopatka.“if you get into a regular inspection and annual maintenance schedule, it’s almost like having an alarm in your house or your business. The insurance people are happier because your property has earned a higher safety rating, and the Authority Having Jurisdiction and first responders know what’s going on in your building. There’s peace of mind for the owner, staff, and most importantly, your guests, knowing they’re protected in a compliant, safe, and secure building.”

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dOuBLeTree BY HILTOn WesT edMOnTOnThe Mayfield Inn Is Reborn

PrOFile

by Chris McBeath


Following a $42-million dollar transformation, the Mayfield Inn and Suites reopened in January as Edmonton’s first DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton. And construction is now well underway to open another Hilton product right next to it in July - Canada’s first Home2 Suites.

Owned and managed by SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts, the investment has launched both properties into a full-service and extended-stay global brand that not only appeals to a broad guest demographic, but also receives worldwide exposure through Hilton’s online reservation system.

“Edmonton is attracting more international visitors, and the Mayfield needed changes to cater to that market,” explains SilverBirch President & CEO, Steve Giblin. “As iconic as the Mayfield was to the people of Edmonton, the property needed international recognition. We are excited to bring a globally-recognized service culture here, starting with the famous warm chocolate chip cookie welcome upon arrival.” SilverBirch opened its first DoubleTree Hotel in Regina last year, and the Edmonton opportunity is enabling Hilton Worldwide to build its Canadian presence.

Managing Through the Transition

Managing the hotel through such a transition was not without challenges, but General Manager Grant McCurdy would have it no other way. With nearly 30 years of industry experience with chains such as Delta Hotels, Sheraton, and Westin, Grant thrives on anything that morphs the status quo into something better.

“The biggest challenge was juggling the different phases of the project and keeping things working in unison, including having the Mayfield Dinner Theatre remain open throughout the process,” describes Grant. “The theatre was revamped a couple of years ago, so it didn’t need any physical work. However, with 7,500 season ticket holders, many of whom enjoy theatre-stay packages, we needed to keep as much of the hotel open for as long as possible to support those patrons.”


Operationally that meant closing two-thirds of the hotel in December 2012 and terminating 200 of the 250 employees. “The remaining 50 staff helped sustain limited operations - one restaurant and one of the two hotel towers,” Grant explains. “While one tower was being retrofitted with major infrastructure such as HVAC and new windows, the other was running a 92% occupancy. In August 2013, we closed our doors completely to finish what we had started.”

For the next few months, the two restaurants became the innovative Stages Kitchen & Bar, meeting areas were reconfigured and upgraded to a signature SilverBirch Conference Centre®, and construction commenced on the 127-unit Home2 Suites by Hilton where the Mayfield’s Trade Centre once stood.

Sharing the Vision

“Not everyone is a visionary, soweusedsocial media to stay in touch with our previous staff and reach out to potential new staff members and guests. We updated our status regularly on Facebook, tweeted constantly, and celebrated every single construction milestone.”

“Keeping an executive management team on throughout the process was equally crucial,” Grant emphasizes. “They became ambassadors in the community, which was vital for maintaining our profile,

generating excitement as to what was happening, and for recruiting. A fun example is the ‘calling card’ we created. It was shaped like a DoubleTree by Hilton’s well-known cookie and distributed to anyone we felt would be a great fit. On the back we listed five reasons to work for us with a 1-800 number.” Upon re-opening, the hotel also held a Job Fair and a celebratory gathering to which all previous staff were invited.

“The lure of the oil fields and high-paying work in Fort McMurray’s hospitality sector makes recruitment very competitive,” noted Grant, “so we were pleased when 35% of our original staff came back to work for us.”

Longer-Stay Opportunities

With the DoubleTree West Edmonton now open, Grant’s attention has turned more fully to the Home2 Suites by Hilton West Edmonton, which he admits is an intriguing project. “This is a completely new build. Everything is pre-fab and it’s remarkable how quickly it is being put together. But then the entire Home2 Suites by Hilton model is efficiency-based from construction through to operation.”

Aimed at 5-plus-night extended stays, fixtures and furnishings are geared to money-saving options including labour. “Suite inventories support a 12-minutedailyfreshenupforfourdaysandafullclean/dishwashercycleon the 5th day. Kitchen suites are stocked with six of everything so units are mostly a sustainable operation.” Having Home2 Suites and a DoubleTree by Hilton on the same site also extends opportunities for cross promotions and packages.

“My biggest reward is always to see change through to fulfillment,” reflects Grant. “When Home2 Suites West Edmonton opens this summer, I’ll be doubly satisfied.”


Grant McCurdy, GM

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The Calgary Zoo has been a must-see attraction for the city’s visitors and residents for decades. After setting an all-time attendance record in 2012, the Calgary Zoo continued on pace as Canada’s most visited zoo with a record-breaking Easter weekend in 2013. Tragedy struck in June, however, with the raging floodwaters that devastated the city and the zoo, submerging much of the property. It suffered $50 million in water damage to over 40 buildings - affecting electrical, plumbing, and some life support systems - not to mention $11 million in lost revenue. About 300 employees were laid off and some animals were relocated as the South America exhibit building was permanently closed. On July 31, the northern 60 acres of the zoo reopened, and after months of hard work, thezoofullyreopenedonNovember28,tothedelightofthousandswhosupported fundraising campaigns that raised $3 million, highlighting the dedication and spirit of Calgarians motivated to preserve this jewel in the city.

Located on the 32-acre St. Patrick’s Island as well as the north shore of the Bow River, in the heart of the city, the beloved Calgary Zoo is now on the road to becoming better than ever. Buildings have new drywall, flooring, and electrical, plumbing and systems have been replaced or repaired as needed. Many animal enclosures were also damaged and have been repaired and cleaned. A 20-year master plan, named Inspiring Change, is creating a new standard for exhibit design as the zoo continues to renovate. The plan also builds on its proud history of saving species and sets out to confirm its place as one of Canada’s conservation leaders.

Visitors to the Calgary Zoo can now enjoy the Penguin Plunge, Canadian Wilds, Prehistoric Park, Destination Africa, and Eurasia exhibits as well as the ENMAXConservatory andDorothyHarvieGardens.Daily visitorprograms are free with admission, and are hosted by zookeepers and zoo interpreters, creating a unique experience with each visit.

This spring the Calgary Zoo is welcoming several new animals to its lineup, with komodo dragons, greater one-horned rhinos and mandrills joining the white black bear, Eurasian wild boars and Himalayan monals (pheasants) that recently arrived. The zoo is home to 118 species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, invertebrates, and fish. One-third of them are part of a survival plan for endangered and at-risk species.

Hundreds of thousands of adults and children enjoy the many educational offerings of the zoo’s formal and informal programming

Calgary Zoo - More Than Meets the eye

alBerTa’s Treasures

by Debbie Minke

Photos courtesy of

Calgary Zoo

that include “Behind the Scenes” experiences, zookeeper for a day, gardening, photography, and drawing workshops. Birthday parties and preschool programs educate and entertain children, while Scouts and Guides programs help participants earn badges. Sleepovers are offered year-round, while spring and summer camps for preschoolers to high schoolers help kids discover some of the planet’s most incredible things.

The Calgary Zoo’s annual special events range from glamorous fundraisers to holiday events such as Easter Eggstravaganza, Mother’s Day Brunch, Focused (a photography event), ZOOGALA, and Zoo Year’s Eve. Thousands visit during the spectacular Zoolights event that decks the attraction with more than 1.5 lights for the Christmas season.

A wide choice of unique venues and creative cuisine attract business meetings, conferences, weddings and special events. Since the zoo is a registered charity, it doesn’t charge GST, and proceeds from events support animal care.

More than just a place to see animals, the Calgary Zoo is dedicated to conservation and animal care research. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, in North America zoos receive more visitsthan professional sporting events combined, providing an excellent opportunity to present conservation and environmental messages to visitors of all ages. The Calgary Zoo partners with other conservation organizations to help reintroduce and recover endangered species, including Vancouver Island marmots, whooping cranes, swift foxes, black-footed ferrets, burrowing owls, and more. The professionals at the zoo share their expertise and also have programs that release captive-bred animals. The April 2013 issue of the prestigious science journal Nature rated the Calgary Zoo as one of the top five zoos in the world for conservation research.

As a not-for-profit charity, the Calgary Zoo depends on everyday visitation and the generosity of Calgarians, foundations, corporations, and all levels of government.


Motivation is about creating an environment in which employees are enabled and inspired to be fully engaged in their work. Highly motivated employees are more productive, more creative, and focused on achieving quality results for themselves and their organization.

In a team-oriented environment, you contribute to the overall success of the organization. You work with fellow staff to produce these results. Even though you may have a specific job function and you belong to a specific department, you are unified with other employees to accomplish your company’s overall objectives. This bigger picture should drive your actions.

Developing an overall sense of teamwork is different from building an effective work team. 81% of Fortune 500 companies are building project team-based organizations. It is clear from the media and research that a growing number of companies are organizing theirworkaroundteams.Butwhy?

An increasing number of companies are using business teams to respond quickly to changing conditions in an environment of intense global competition and increasing complexity. Changing an organization to compete in a highly volatile business environment usually requires multiple and continuous innovation. Achieving flexibility and innovation requires reorganizing the work units to improve information flow, optimize synergy, and streamline work.

How Prepared Are You as A Team Member?

Do you have the interpersonal skills to work productivelyona team?Haveyoumastered

Team Building

hr MaTTers

by Karen Harrison

the organizational skills to keep the team on track?Areyouconfidentthatyoucanmanageasuccessfulproject?

Working in teams gives people the opportunity to acquire and practice the collaborative skills that are essential to future success. Positive team experiences can come from using your individual abilities to enhance the team’s effectiveness, and taking responsibility for the quality of relationships and team outcomes.

Building Strong Teams

Having a basic understanding of how teams work can give members a common way of thinking about teams. It also helps set shared performance expectations and promotes understanding and trust among team members. Every team member has a natural team-player style. Styles are important ingredients of successful teams.

Contributor - This member gets the team to focus on the immediate task.

Collaborator - This team player emphasizes the overall purpose of the team.

Communicator - This member encourages positive interpersonal relations and group processes.

Challenger - This member asks the tough questions and pushes the team to take reasonable risks.

Be cautious though, as too much of a good thing can also create teams of members with similar styles who may sometimes have trouble reaching their goals. If a team only has contributors, it may be data-bound, shortsighted, and perfectionistic, and it may

have trouble completing the whole task. With too many collaborators, the team tends to become overcommitted, too global, and overly ambitious, and it does not know when to stop. A team of communicators will focus on the team processes and may set these as an end in itself, with the project goals taking second place. Finally, challengers may spend a great deal of time in non-constructive conflict, constantly questioning the goals and mission, and teams might find it difficult to complete the project tasks.

It is important for a team to understand the team player styles of its members. This helps to highlight both strengths and weaknesses. And if a style is missing, then the team can talk about how to fill this gap. Be sure to talk about the teams’ strengths and limitations. Spend time and pay attention to ensure your teams contribute most effectively to your business success. Your team members will love you, your business will soar, and empowered people will own and be responsible for their work processes. Can your work life get any betterthanthis?

As a leader in training and competency-based development, the Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association is committed to providing service excellence training and workshops that demonstrate creativity, innovation, and expertise. We offer business-training solutions that raise the standards in the Alberta tourism and hospitality industry and improve the level of professionalism and quality of your teams. The AHLA offers all our seminars as either stand-alone programs, or as part of a strategic and ongoing training plan for your organization. Please contact Karen Harrison, Training Advisor, Human Resource Development to discuss your individual requirements 780-436-6112 x 225 or [email protected].

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FeaTure IMPrOvIng ACCessIBILITY reaching and serving The growing sector of guests with disabilities

If you remember back to the time before Rick Hansen completed his “Man in Motion World Tour” in 1987, you’ll also remember why Hansen felt the need to raise awareness about the needs of people with disabilities and inspire the desire to make the world more inclusive and accessible for all.


by Carol Schram


IMPrOvIng ACCessIBILITY reaching and serving The growing sector of guests with disabilities

iMPrOVing accessiBiliTY

Back then, you didn’t see the simplest things we take for granted today: curb cuts on sidewalks, priority parking for the disabled, not even specially-equipped public washrooms.

Improving accessibility is an ongoing process. Hotels that move ahead of the curve will see benefits to both their reputation in the community and their bottom line.

Demand is Growing

“From our perspective, accessibility affects everyone,” says Dan DeBeyer, director of the planat program at the Rick Hansen Foundation. “If you’re a young parent with a stroller, it affects you. If you’re injured and have crutches, it affects you. If your grandmother uses a walker and you want to take her out to dinner - she won’t describe herself as disabled, but she does have accessibility needs.”

In Canada, 14.3% of the population lives with some form of disability. That number grows to 43% for those over 65 - a demographic that is poised to grow dramatically as baby boomers age over the next 20 years. Smart hoteliers are taking steps to ensure that these guests - as well as the friends and family who travel with them - are made comfortable and treated with dignity.

“In Camrose, we have a large senior population,” says Owner/Manager SeanWillms of that city’s Norsemen Inn. “We’reused to customers using wheelchairs and walkers. We’re already well set up in our public washrooms and in our restaurant, dining room, and lounge. About four years ago, we picked four hotel rooms - one on each floor, closest to the elevator - and made them handicap-accessible.”

Room renovations focused on providing more space for the disabled to maneuver. “There were two queen beds in each room, so we took out one bed to increase space in the suite,” explains Willms. “That gave us room to make the bathroom bigger - with a wider door, handicap toilet, fixtures like a grab bar and a hand-held shower head in the tub, proper handles on the sinks, lower towel racks, and so on.”

Has there beenmuch demand?“We do use

those rooms often,” Willms says. “Prior to the renovations we had some larger rooms and some portable items we could offer for assistance, but we’re definitely able to accommodate [people] now. It’s about peace of mind, knowing that when we receive calls for those types of reservations that we can handle them.”

Getting the Word Out

Properties like the Norsemen Inn have anopportunity to promote their accessibility features through the planat program from the Rick Hansen Foundation.

“It’s about technology catching up to the needs of individuals,” explains DeBeyer. “Wouldn’t it be great if you could have all the accessibility information that you need at your fingertips, whether you’re going to the cornerstoreoronatriparoundtheworld?”

InCanada,14.3%ofthepopulationliveswithsomeformofdisability.{

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The training is part of the mandate of Starwood Hotels’ multi-year accessibility plan. It covers the period up to 2021 and also includes components dedicated to accessible information and communications, employment, and the design of public spaces. The plan conforms to the standards set by the Ontarians With Disabilities Act that was passed in Ontario in 2005. “Alberta’s not there yet, but since we follow the national policies, I think that’s why we’re a little bit ahead of the curve,” notes Reeves.

Where to Begin?

For managers that feel overwhelmed with the prospect of dealing with accessibility issues, filling out the planat surveys can prove to be an effective first step. “We’ve had some testimonials where just completing the survey has triggered hoteliers with a better understanding of what type of accessibility information and features they should have, and simple ways that they can improve,” DeBeyer explains.

planat’s other major benefit for businesses is the feedback that it provides to venue operators. “We’re trying to facilitate change by, first of all, encouraging businesses to share their existing accessibility features, then helping them to identify areas for improvement, and resources they can call upon to make those changes,” describes DeBeyer.

Expert input is also available. The Canadian Paraplegic Association Alberta conducts detailed accessibility assessments and can build your planat profile on your behalf.

Details are available at planat.com. Click “Register Your Business” to learn more about the program.

iMPrOVing accessiBiliTY

Users who are interested in accessibility information register at planat.com. They can then surf a detailed database of more than 25,000 venues and submit their own reviews of the accessibility features of the establishments they visit anywhere in the world.

Businesses that join planat’s Venue Accessibility Program have the opportunity to provide detailed information about their accessibility features. They fill out a series of short surveys that collect detailed, quantitative information, which is then stored on planat’s website and becomes instantly available to interested potential visitors.

“Historically, hotels have very little specific information on their websites, or they suggest that guests call the general manager or front desk. You can imagine how difficult it is for

both sides to get a shared understanding of what they have,” DeBeyer continues. “Since everybody has different needs, you really need to be able to see pictures and text showing what’s actually there. A lot of people simply want a picture of the washroom. Even if the washroom is accessible, for example, if you’ve had a stroke and only have function on one side of your body, but the grab bar in the washroom is on the other side, it won’t work.”

Accessibility Strategies

A presence on planat is just one aspect of the wide-ranging multi-year accessibility strategy that’s in place at the Westin Calgary.

Director of Human Resources Susan Reeves has been actively engaged in improving accessibility at the property for the last 25 years. Parent company Starwood Hotels’ new initiative has spurred an additional dimension.

“I’ve been working for many years with a gentleman with cerebral palsy. He’s a quadriplegic and he’s helped us come up with our accessibility plan,” explains Reeves. “We have five accessible rooms in our hotel: three in the main building that were renovated to accommodate, and two in the tower with double beds that are truly accessible rooms. We also have a lift from our lobby to our restaurant and one from our lobby to the banquet rooms.”

Reeves is especially enthusiastic about the training program she leads. “Customer service awareness training is part of our orientation onboarding. It involves putting our associates in wheelchairs and actually going around the hotel to see where they can go and where they can’t go. They also use blindfolds with a cane to get around. There’s a hearing test, and some other aspects as well, designed to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with disabilities. It’s a great program - I really enjoy doing it!”

Photo of the Norsemen Inn Courtesy of D. Lyseng

http://www.birchwood.com

The Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association would like to congratulate the following properties for achieving the prestigious employer of Choice (eoC) 2014 designation. Hotels and motels that have achieved the eoC designation have demonstrated the highest levels of Hr practices in Alberta. These award winning organizations earn a reputation for being a great place to both work and to stay! Congratulations to all of this year’s winners.

Join us at the 94th Annual Convention & Trade Show, April 24th to 26th, at the Banff Centre, as we celebrate all 2014 Employer of Choice recipients.

· Alberta Place Suite Hotel, Edmonton· Alpine Village Resort, Jasper· Amethyst Lodge, Jasper· Athabasca Hotel, Jasper· Banff Aspen Lodge· Banff Park Lodge Resort Hotel & Conference Centre · Becker’s Chalets· Best Western Grande Prairie Hotel & Suites· Best Western Plus Denham Inn & Suites, Leduc· Blackstone Mountain Lodge, Canmore · Bonnyville Neighbourhood Inn· Bow View Lodge, Banff· Calgary Marriott Downtown Hotel· Campus Tower Suite Hotel, Edmonton· Canmore Crossing· Canterra Suites Hotel, Edmonton· Chateau Jasper· Chateau Louis Hotel & Conference Centre, Edmonton· Chateau Nova Yellowhead, Edmonton· Clarion Hotel & Conference Centre, Calgary· Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel· Copperstone Resort Hotel, Canmore· Courtyard by Marriott Calgary Airport· Courtyard by Marriott Edmonton West· Days Inn Calgary Airport· Days Inn Edmonton South· Days Inn Medicine Hat· Days Inn Red Deer· Delta Calgary South· Edmonton Marriott at River Cree Resort· Executive Royal Hotel Edmonton Airport· Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise· Fairmont Hotel MacDonald, Edmonton· Fairmont Palliser, Calgary · Falcon Crest Lodge, Canmore· Fantasyland Hotel at West Edmonton Mall· Fire Mountain Lodge, Canmore· Four Points by Sheraton Edmonton South· Glenmore Inn & Convention Centre, Calgary· Grande Rockies Resort, Canmore· Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Edmonton West· Homestead Inn, Banff · Hotel Blackfoot, Calgary· Hyatt Regency Calgary

· Lethbridge Lodge Hotel & Conference Centre· Lobstick Lodge, Jasper· Marmot Lodge, Jasper· Matrix Hotel, Edmonton· Metterra Hotel on Whyte, Edmonton· Motel 6 Medicine Hat· Motel 6 Red Deer· Mystic Springs Chalets & Hot Pools, Canmore· Pocahontas Cabins, Jasper· Prairie Breeze Inn, RV & Camping, Wetaskiwin· Pyramid Lake Resort, Jasper· Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, Canmore· Radisson Hotel Edmonton South· Ramada Hotel & Conference Centre, Edmonton· Residence Inn by Marriott Calgary Airport· Rosslyn Inn & Suites, Edmonton· Sandman Hotel & Suites Calgary South· Sandman Hotel & Suites Calgary West· Sandman Hotel Calgary Airport· Sandman Hotel Calgary City Centre· Sandman Hotel Grande Prairie· Sandman Hotel Lethbridge· Sandman Hotel Red Deer· Sandman Hotel West Edmonton· Sandman Signature Hotel & Suites Edmonton South· Sawridge Inn Edmonton South· Sawridge Inn & Conference Centre Fort McMurray· Sawridge Inn & Conference Centre, Jasper· Sawridge Inn & Conference Centre Peace River· Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire· Silver Creek Lodge, Canmore· Solara Resort & Spa, Canmore· St. Albert Inn & Suites· Stoneridge Mountain Resort, Canmore· Tekarra Lodge, Jasper· The Banff Centre· The Kanata Fort Saskatchewan· The Lodges at Canmore· The Rimrock Resort Hotel, Banff· The Sutton Place Hotel, Edmonton· The Westin Calgary· Varscona Hotel on Whyte, Edmonton· West Edmonton Mall Inn

http://www.ahla.ca


Congratulations to the following new General Managers: Warren Berg, Days Inn & Suites Lloydminster; Linda Chung, Western Valley Inn, Valleyview; Mylene Diongzon, Super 8 Stettler; Nuwan Edwin Eparatchy, Vantage Inn & Suites, Fort McMurray; Lana Goldie, Best Western PLUS Red Deer Inn & Suites, Red Deer; Dale Isley,BESTWESTERNPLUSSherwoodPark; Linda Laporte, Best Western Bonnyville Inn & Suites, Bonnyville; Min Lee, Elkwater Lake Lodge & Resort, Elkwater; Raj Lokhande, Slave Lake Inn & Conference Centre, Slave Lake; Janice Macdonald, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sherwood Park; Ian Marceau, Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire, Calgary; Kathleen Muir, Sandman Hotel & Suites Calgary West, Calgary; Judy Nelson, Ramada Olds; Tony Park, West View Motel, Hanna; Dean Prentice, Grande Rockies Resort, Canmore; Patti Smith, Shakers Acres, Edmonton; Kelli Steer, Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel, Edmonton; Shaundra Syme, Days Inn Red Deer; Spencer Villam, International Hotel Suites Calgary; Punita Vyas, Tel Star Motor Inn, Brooks; and Heather Wormington, Microtel Inn & Suites, Blackfalds.

NorthwestInn,SlaveLakeisnowTravelodge Slave Lake. Super 8 Rocky Mountain House is now Canalta Rocky Mountain House, and the Super 8 Hanna is now the Canalta Hanna. The Mayfield Inn & Suites is now the DoubleTree by Hilton West Edmonton. The Roadrunner Motel is now Knights Inn Edmonton South Side, and the Central Suite Hotel in Llloydminster is now Knights Inn Lloydminster.

Dr. J.R. Brent Ritchie retired from the University of Alberta’s Haskayne School of Business Tourism Faculty on January 31. Dr. Ritchie was instrumental in the designation of the University of Calgary as a World Tourism Education and Research Centre in 1989, and in 1995, he became the inaugural holder of the University of Calgary’s Professorship in Tourism Management. Dr. Ritchie has authored numerous journal articles

and books, and will continue as Professor Emeritus and mentor research and studies on tourism and hospitality.

The newly elected 2014 Executive of Skål International Edmonton are: Beth Mossop - President, Carla Lemaire - Vice President, Violet Anderson - Treasurer, Lindsey Henderson - Young Skål, Judy Bunkall - Social Chair, Jim Engel - Executive Treasurer, Karen Naylor - Membership, Thomas Barknowitz - Past President/Communications, Paul Durand, Robin Cumine - Member at Large, and Perry Batke - Member at Large.

Tina Tobin, General Manager of the Alberta Place Hotel in Edmonton was awarded the Skål International Edmonton Tourism Award at the December 2013 general meeting by Club President Beth Mossop. Tobin received the award for her unique contribution to the tourism industry in Edmonton. She was born, raised and has served the tourism community in Edmonton in various capacities her entire working career,

promoting tourism and marketing the city of Edmonton. Tobin has served as a hotel General Manager, represented the Direct Marketing Fund for

spring 2014naMes in The neWs

Edmonton, and has served as a director on both the Edmonton Hotel Association and the Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association boards.

The Hotel Association of Canada has announced that its new chair of the Board of Directors is Philippe Gadbois, SVP, Operations for Atlific Hotels. The association also elected six new corporate board members: Vito Curalli, Executive Director, Canada, Latin America & International Sales, Hilton Worldwide; Satinder Dhillon, SVP, Operations, Westmont Hospitality Group; Nora Duke, President and CEO, Fortis Properties; Robert Pratt, President, Coast Hotels & Resorts; Irwin Prince, President and COO, Realstar Hospitality; and Marc Staniloff, President & CEO, Superior Lodging Corp.

The Board of the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) has appointed Greg Klassen, CTC Senior Vice-President, Marketing Strategy and Communications, as its Interim President and CEO. The appointment follows the successful 10-year tenure of Michele McKenzie, who announced her departure in fall 2013.

Jane Mackie has been named VP for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Fairmont Brand. She brings more than 20 years of hospitality experience having held executive positions with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Loews Hotels, Viceroy Hotels and Resorts, and Cape Advisors/CapeResorts.

Geoff Ballotti has been named President and CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group. He has served as President and CEO of Wyndham Exchange & Rentals since 2008.

The AHLA, which represents over 96% of hotel rooms in Alberta, has announced the recipients of the 2014 Employer of Choice (EoC) designation. This year 87 properties have achieved the standards to receive this coveted award, an increase from 73 in 2013. This demonstrates the growing efforts of hotels and motels to appeal to staff and guests alike. Congratulations to all the winners, listed on page 29. For information on this program, visit www.ahla.ca.

Ramada Edmonton Hotel and Conference Centre’s Executive Chef Harjeet Mehdwan and the hotel team have been awarded the Best Dinner 2013 Award by La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Edmonton after serving an impressive dinner for members of this international gastronomic society.

Lougheed Hotel’s Restaurant “Haus Falkenstein” has set a new Guinness World Record by offering 347 different Schnitzels on its menu, far exceeding the previous German record holder’s 180 varieties. The record has also been certified by the World Record Academy. Congratulations to Micha Hentschel and his team.

The Standard Hotel, in the heart of the village of Standard, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Based in this small farming community with Danish origins, the hotel has welcomed guests to its restaurant, bar and guestrooms since 1914.

Innvue, one of Canada’s pioneers in HD entertainment and digital marketing solutions for the hospitality industry, signed its biggest-ever contract with Canalta Hotels for equipment sales and client application

by Debbie Minke


development. Canalta Hotels, which owns and operates 38 hotels in Alberta and Saskatchewan, chose Innvue’s patented technology for additional entertainment and in-room information revenue through its patented platform, Odyssey.

The new Microtel Inn & Suites in Blackfalds opened in the midst of one of Alberta’s biggest blizzards. The third Microtel Inn & Suites to open under the new prototypical design for Canada, the hotel offers 63 non-smoking rooms and suites, a large wellness centre, complimentary continental breakfast, 24-hour coffee service, and other amenities.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts and SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts have been named as two of the 50 Most Engaged Workplaces™ in Canada by Achievers. This annual award recognizes top employers that display leadership and innovation in engaging their workplaces.

SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts raised more than $44,000 in their 2013 FriendsinNeedcampaign.TenSilverBirch-managedhotelsparticipated,raising money for local charities including Ronald McDonald House, CanadianRedCross,FoodBank,andtheMissingChildrenNetwork.

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise presented Parks Canada with a $10,000 donation to support the Alberta Westslope Cutthroat Trout Restoration Project. The aim of the project is to ensure that this threatened native trout species does not disappear from Alberta’s watersheds. In addition to the funds already committed, The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise will conduct a fundraising event called the “Ice-Off” for a second consecutive year. In the spring of 2014, community members and guests can enter by selecting the day when Lake Louise will be completely ice-free. Prizes will be awarded to the winner and all proceeds will go to the Westslope Cutthroat Trout Restoration Project.

If you have any noteworthy community contributions, please send the details to [email protected].

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http://www.macsaleskitchen.com


FeaTure

by Terri Perrin

sHArPen YOur PenCILs!Cost-saving Initiatives that Offer a return on Investment

To the average person, comparing a balance sheet to an income statement and coming up with a

cost ratio may be just a number on a page, but to hotel managers and owners it is the Holy Grail

of fiscal measurement. Ever-increasing labour and energy costs, combined with seasonal highs

and lows - and the resulting feast or famine cash flows - make managing cost ratios an ongoing

challenge for the hospitality industry. There is no doubt that in order to keep close tabs on both

fixed and variable costs and to determine employee-to-room ratios and profitability, you need to

be creative.



sharPen YOur Pencils!

Count Your Pennies

With three properties to manage (including Buffalo Mountain Lodge, Deer Lodge, and Emerald Lake Lodge), Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts’ Controller, Trevor White, knows that even if the government no longer counts pennies, they do! White says that to better manage their profits they pay careful attention to costing, especially related to food and beverage services.

“In terms of implementing across-the-board cost-saving practices, we are where I want to be right now,” explains White. “We are fully staffed and gearing up for the busy summer season. By mid-summer I hope to implement a more efficient computerized costing system linked to our Point-of-Sale terminals. This will allow us to more efficiently and accurately cost items based on pre-specified profit margins, instead of targeting costs using a more labour-intensive Excel spreadsheet system. We also plan to continue to put more recycling and green initiatives into place.”

Support Your Staff

Anisha Patel, Director of Finance at the Edmonton Marriott at River Cree Resort and Casino, stresses that hotel managers need to understand the fixed and variable components of their labour costs, and then match labour to their needs and the seasons.

“You know that you have fixed costs with supervisors and full-time employees, and you pay them a certain amount every week, regardless of the hotel’s occupancy level,” explains Patel. “So, you have to be creative in adjusting the variable, part-time employee costs. This plays a big part in your ability to schedule staffing to come in line with the occupied rooms costs. Sharing of labour and cross-training within departments can make a big difference. If, for example, rooms are busy at one time and food and beverage is slow, staff can be re-assigned. However, this must be done in conjunction with your Human Resources department. We have developed a Staffing Guide to help manage this. Marriott Hotels prides itself on

taking care of its associates. We truly believe that if you treat people well and offer a fair wage, you will have less staff turnover. This, in itself, saves money.”

Strength in Numbers

Angelo Mangatal, Director Asset Management, and Phil Krahn, Director Finance/Operations,attheExecutiveontheRidgeHotelandConventionCentre in Medicine Hat know that the old adage “there is strength in numbers” certainly rings true when it comes to managing cost ratios.

“Our management company has several properties in our portfolio - including the Executive on the Ridge Hotel and Convention Centre - and our group and partners provide assessments, purchase properties, increase profitability, and streamline operations while increasing our asset base for long-term return on investment,” explains Mangatal. “With the strength of our team behind us, we strive to grow revenue by making the necessary room rate increases while keeping this closely tied to value that matches guest expectations, to ensure there is always a positive guest experience. This is, of course, subject to whatever market you are situated in. It is easier to increase costs in a larger centre, like Calgary or Edmonton, than in a smaller community.”

“From an energy efficiency point-of-view we are investigating the implementation costs and benefits of installing automated temperature and lighting control features in our properties,” adds Krahn. “We are also

Sharingoflabourandcross-trainingwithindepartmentscanmakeabigdifference.{

http://www.westeco.ca


sharPen YOur Pencils!

Lookbeyondeasyfixes,likereducinghotwaterconsumptionandchanginglightbulbs.{

strong supporters of having energy assessments. We have our utility companies conduct energy audits and we follow their advice. It is also imperative that you don’t become complacent and that you pay close attention to rate plans and billing…. It is not enough to just look at your utility bill. Extreme temperature variations like we have had this winter can be a real challenge. This is where we feel that the automation system is going to be key.”

Mangatal explains that they develop cost management templates and programs that are applicable to all of their hotel holdings, bearing in mind that each locale has its own individual considerations that must be factored in to maximize profit at the property, while staying in touch with thenationalbrand.Newcostmanagementprogramsarecontinuouslybeing developed and fine-tuned.

“But remember, before costs can be managed, they have to be measured. If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” Mangatal warns. “And don’t forget that when you are looking at financial statements, the revenue and expenses may be easy to measure, but don’t lose sight of the importance of your reputation scorecard. Pay attention to how the world sees you through mediums such as Facebook and TripAdvisor, and how your employees see you. It is not all just about money.”

Go Green to Be In the Black

Notall cost reductionshave thespin-offbenefitofbeingseenaseco-friendly. Those that do make you look good in the eyes of your guests as well as your accountant.

The Hotel Association of Canada’s Green Key eco-rating and Green Tourism Canada’s audit and certification programs are both designed to help the hospitality industry meet a growing consumer demand for environmentally-responsible business practices. The spin-off benefit is considerable operational savings. Being green can also help keep you in the black.

“Look beyond easy fixes, like reducing hot water consumption and changing light bulbs,” suggests Green Tourism Canada’s CEO, Angela Nagy. “In many cases, significant savings can be realized with verysimple initiatives. For one hotel group in BC, with 10 locations and a total of 1,000 rooms, we determined that operating their mini-bar fridges24/7wascostingover$25,000ayear,”sheexplains.“Fridgesarenow unplugged when rooms are vacant. A little sticker on each fridge explains the cost-saving initiative to guests, inviting them to ‘plug it in’ if they want to use it. The estimated operational savings will be $10,000 a year - and all for the cost of a thousand stickers.”

Analyze Your HVAC System

Arno Ricci, Chief Operating Officer of Gordon R. Williams Corp., believes that hotel operators should also be knowledgeable about advances in the energy efficiency of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and how they can be coupled with computerized wireless (or hard-wired) thermostatic controls and other devices.

“Packaged Terminal Air Conditioning (PTAC) units represent the highest energy expenditure for any property,” says Ricci. “There may be a need to do some reshaping in order to install new, more energy-efficient units, but thankfully, it is usually an easy retrofit. It is a case of having to spend money to save money. Some utility providers offer incentives for upgrades, and your immediate return on investment through rebates can be as high as 25%.”

Ricci adds that some individual computerized thermostat gauges are so sophisticated that a connection to the front counter POS system tells it when a room is rented and whether or not the guest is actually in the room and can adjust the temperature accordingly. The system can also be connected to lighting control, turning on the lights when someone enters the room and shutting them off if the room is vacant. The amount of money a property can save through this type of automation is immense.

“There are other efficiencies that the property gains with network technology,” adds Ricci. “This includes electronic door locks, doorbells, chimes, and many other things that, from a guest’s perspective, make them feel like they are in a high-end hotel. These enhancements offer small savings, but savings nevertheless.”

Advanced network technology also enables a property to participate in and financially benefit from electrical load shedding programs, which automatically reduce energy consumption by a degree or two during peak times, so the utility company can export power to other locations.

Whatever expense-reduction measures you put in place, in order to recognize a return on investment of your time and effort, staff training and motivation is key to ensure the cost-saving initiatives are fully understood and implemented as planned.

http://www.ecostay.ca


rFid TechnOlOgY iMPrOVes securiTY

by David Wilson

How can hotels be inviting and at the same time give their customers a feeling of security? Often a foyer has to be a multi-functionalenvironment that acts as a funnel for different services, yet it needs to have subtle demarcations to give guests a sense of being exclusivity.

Opening your doors at all hours to everyone creates an element of risk for guests and staff alike. So how do you warmly welcome your guests andkeepoutunregisteredpeople?

For many years, hotels have typically used the magnetic strip card for guestroom door locks. They are easily programmed from the front desk for door security, but only offer a compromise between convenience and cost. With this system’s high maintenance demands, many hotels managers really want a better deal for their guests.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has been the mainstay of the credit card market for many years. With its convenient, contactless swipe, itallowspurchasers to foregopunching in theirPINnumberatthe point of sale. Hotel room cards with a RFID chip provide easy access to gated parkades, leisure facilities, and exclusive eating venues as well as paying for meals on account.

So imagine no more red door lights and endless swipes when trying to access your room at 3:00 am! The contactless option allows cards to activate gates and doors from up to 6 metres away (if programmed) and does not rely on encoding a fragile magnetic strip.

One of the best features of RFID technology is the way it can be adapted to special events within your hotel complex. Using special software, the cards can be activated and deactivated at will or programmed for a defined period of time. Lost or stolen cards can be removed from the system at the click of a button. From plastic credit card-sized versions to paper throw-away strips, the issue with lost cards is eliminated. If you have an existing HID door access system, then many manufacturers offer a combination card. This gives the convenience of RFID for parking access from within the vehicle combined with a contact option for door access.

As with any technology, there is an abundance of systems out there to choose from. The bottom line is you get what you pay for. Many cheaper systems won’t offer the support and latest technology to make the system 100% reliable and easy to update in the future. Do your research and choose a system that has been proven in a different industry, such as transport or the military. Remember, you are not just investing in your future; you are also investing in the safety of your patrons.

http://www.sealyhospitality.com

http://www.fusionwoodworks.ca


Date Location Program Information & Registration

April 23 Red Deer Partnering, Packaging & Programming Workshop www.travelalberta.com

April 24 St. Albert Marketing Experiences to your Best Customer Workshop www.travelalberta.com

April 29 Calgary Marketing Experiences to your Best Customer Workshop www.travelalberta.com

May 5 Calgary Peer Auditor Refresher Seminar www.ahsa.ca

May 5-6 Jasper Front Desk Agents: Making a Difference Workshop www.ahla.ca

May 5-6 Jasper Housekeeping Edge Workshop www.ahla.ca

May 6-8 Calgary Peer Auditor Training Seminar www.ahsa.ca

May 7 Jasper Training & Coaching Skills for Supervisors Workshop www.ahla.ca

May 14 Edmonton Hazard Identification & Controls Seminar www.ahsa.ca

May 14 Edmonton Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Legislation Awareness Seminar www.ahsa.ca

May 15 Edmonton Incident Investigation: A Minute in Time Seminar www.ahsa.ca

May 15 Edmonton Contractor Safety Management Seminar www.ahsa.ca

May 22 Edmonton Peer Auditor Refresher Seminar www.ahsa.ca

June 3-5 Edmonton Peer Auditor Training Seminar www.ahsa.ca

June 16 Canmore Incident Investigation: A Minute in Time Seminar www.ahsa.ca

June 16 Canmore Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Legislation Awareness Seminar www.ahsa.ca

June 17 Calgary Hazard Identification & Controls Seminar www.ahsa.ca

June 17 Calgary Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Legislation Awareness Seminar www.ahsa.ca

June 18 Calgary Incident Investigation: A Minute in Time Seminar www.ahsa.ca

June 18 Calgary Contractor Safety Management Seminar www.ahsa.ca

June 19 Brooks Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Legislation Awareness Seminar www.ahsa.ca

June 19 Brooks Hazard Identification & Controls Seminar www.ahsa.ca

July 22 Jasper Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Legislation Awareness Seminar www.ahsa.ca

July 22 Jasper Hazard Identification & Controls Seminar www.ahsa.ca

July 23 Jasper Incident Investigation: A Minute in Time Seminar www.ahsa.ca

July 23 Jasper Contractor Safety Management Seminar www.ahsa.ca

July 24 Edson Alberta Occupational Health & Safety Legislation Awareness Seminar www.ahsa.ca

indusTrY Training

Please check the appropriate websites for program details, additional workshops, dates, changes, and registration.

ahla - employer of choice 29adria international 9alberta hotel safety association 8alberta laundry systems BcBest Buy canada 19Birchwood Furniture co. 28

Fusion Woodworks 35image distributors 27independent supply 7kaba ilco 5livclean corporation 34Mac sales & Marketing 31Mccallum Printing group 18Overseas immigration 18Patio Frontiers 25

adVerTisers spring 2014chemistry recruitment 13christopher carpets 9coronet equipment iFcddl group 20display Products international 31encore draperies 16

Prairie distributors 24sealy canada 35shaw 11superior Quilting 38Trafco canada 38Westeco inc 33Western Financial group insurance solutions iBcWhiteshell chairs 16


WcB PreMiuMs annOunced FOr 2014

by Barbara Malacko

In 2014 the WCB premium rate (industry code 87503) for hotels and convention centres will decrease from $0.89 to $0.83 per $100 of insurable earnings. This represents a 6.74% decrease, despite an increase in claims.

The number of claims (i.e. injuries) and the costs of those claims will be the primary drivers to determine future premiums. If the number of injuries and cost of claims continue to increase, then premiums will rise. The claims history over a five-year period is used to determine the base rate. The hotel premium rate for 2014 was based on the historical information over the years 2008 - 2012. When reviewing the hotel industry’s historical information from 2008 - 2012, there has been an upswing in the number of claims and the costs of those claims. If this trend continues, the hotels are at risk of an increase in premium rates.

“But wait a minute,” you may be thinking, the industry is getting busier. There are more workers and this equals a greater risk of injury. However,

comparing 2011 against 2012, the number of workers in hotels increased by less than 1%, yet the number of claims increased by over 16%.

Even an individual employer that has had zero injury claims can still experience a premium rate increase. This is due to the concept of collective liability. All employers will be affected by the claims experience and trends within their respective groups.

So what can you do? The Alberta Hotel Safety Association can helpyou to implement a return-to-work program and to register for the free Occupational Injury Service (OIS) provided by the WCB. OIS is a program specifically designed for people who are hurt at work. It helps employers by providing injured workers with expedited access to medical services at special OIS clinics throughout the province. The focus is on helping injured workers return to work as quickly and safely as possible. Ultimately, this program will help reduce the industry’s premiums.

Timely Industries is a manufacturer of prefinished steel door frames - the key component of a door system that outperforms traditional steel frames while substantially reducing the total opening cost. Timely has over 40 years’ experience manufacturing Fire-Rated Door Frames, Sidelights, Borrowed Lights, Communicating Door Frames, Pocket Door Frames and Adjustable Door Frames. With Timely’s Total Opening Concept an installer can install the pre-finished frame, door and hardware at one time. This results in substantial savings over other products that require return visits for hanging of doors and hardware. www.timelyframes.com

InnVue’s innovative Odyssey HD² Solution generates new revenue streams for hotels and helps maximize guest satisfaction and loyalty with its uniquely interactive experience. By integrating television entertainment and connectivity, Odyssey drives interest to key property amenities and timely promotions from the moment a guest enters the room.New to themarket is theplatform’sdirectmessagingcapability,which is time flexible, forced or passive, and totally controlled. For example, if a corporate group is in the hotel, messages can appear on the TVs of those guests only. A special screen advertising happy hour at the bar can appear on all TVs from 3:00 - 6:00 pm. This unique feature is one of dozens provided by Odyssey. www.invue.com

Inova manufactures innovative, space-saving and multifunctional furniture. Now available in Canada, the hospitality industry productline features patented and freestanding TableBeds, Sofa-WallBeds, WallBeds, Sofa-TwinBeds and coordinating cabinetry systems. [email protected]

UniMac® has expanded its product offering with the introduction of the UT200, a 200-pound tumble dryer. The UT200 not only has an extra-large

capacity, it provides superior efficiency with a high-performance heater box. Sealed cylinder rims and a concentrated airflow pattern ensure no heat escapes, helping to keep utility costs down and to maximize productivity. Its control system enables operators to monitor data and performance indicators, and pinpoint areas where there can be increased efficiency or decreased operating costs that are associated with labour, linen replacement, utilities and maintenance. www.unimac.com

Novothermic’s NVX 2060 Dishwasher Heat Exchanger has won the NationalRestaurantAssociation’sKitchenInnovationAward2014,whichrecognizes cutting-edge advancements in kitchen equipment for the foodservice industry. Robust, compact and easy to install, this self-contained, money-saving technology can retrofit any kind or brand of dishwasher. It recovers the high-temperature used water going down the drain at rinse cycle and uses it to preheat the incoming fresh water, in preparation for the next dishwashing cycle. The heart of the system features a patented double-wall heat exchanger that lets foodservice operators generate their own energy from the dishwasher’s operations, achieving up to 50% reduction on the dishwasher’s water-heating costs. www.novothermic.com

SIMONSWERK, a world-renowned manufacturer of adjustable door hinges, announces that its TECTUS concealed hinge passed a stringent third party cycle test. TECTUS enables the optimal integration of flush doors in straight line and flush surfaces for contemporary clean designs. The completely concealed hinge system accepts load capacities up to 300 kg, enables an opening angle of 180 degrees, and can be used on wood, steel and aluminum doors and frames. Many special application versions are also available. www.simonswerk.us

WhaT’s neW?

by Debbie Minke


New Hotel Association of Canada’s Website Looks to Combat Online Travel Agencies

Once upon a time, Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) were allies of the hotel industry, bringing in bookings from markets that hotels would have struggled to access, or helping to sell unbooked rooms.

Fast forward to 2014, and the relationship is no longer so friendly. OTAs like Expedia and Hotels.com compete directly against a hotel’s own promotional efforts, creating a substantial shift in how travellers book rooms. This shift in booking behaviour saw hoteliers across Canada to pay over $250 million in commissions to OTAs in 2012 alone.

The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) is fighting back with Check In Canada. The launch of Check In Canada begins in 2014 with the Alberta pilot, and plans are to expand the program nationally in the near future.

Check In Canada is our industry’s answer to the OTAs. What makes it unique is that guests can choose from a number of hotels and book directly with the property of their choice without the use of a third party. Check In Canada is the perfect solution for customers who want the best rate, with the added security, assurance, and benefits that only direct bookingoffers.No longerwill guests have to dealwith aninaccessible and unresponsive third-party provider - with Check In

Canada the reservation is between the customer and the hotel itself, not between the guest and the OTA. Additionally, Check In Canada provides comprehensive consumer-generated reviews and content to help guests select a hotel. Check In Canada has partnered with TrustYou, the global leader in hotel online reputation management. TrustYou captures consumer sentiments from over 250 review sites across the web (including Trip Advisor, Expedia, and Hotels.com) to form an all-encompassing “TrustScore” for each property in the directory - ultimately ensuring that each guest “checks in” at a property that meets his needs.

Check In Canada offers equally impressive benefits to hoteliers. Through use of an industry-first technology built by JackRabbit Systems, www.CheckInCanada.com communicates directly with each hotel’s individual reservation system, removing the stress and hassle of managing room inventory. More importantly, Check In Canada is commission-free, putting money back in your top and bottom line.

Through Check In Canada, hotels can take back some of the $39.8 million in commissions and room revenue that was lost to OTAs in 2012. With the support of hotels in

Alberta and across the country, Check In Canada can be a game changer for our industry. To learn more please visit www.checkincanada.com.

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Alberta Hospitality-Spring 2014

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