NEWS | Bihar Tourism cancels all April events amid spike in Covid cases

Bihar Tourism Department has cancelled all events planned for April and is considering revising events planned for May amid the spike in Covid-19 cases, reports Roopa Sopam for Hindustan Times.

As per this year’s calendar released by the department, Patna Sahib Festival, to be held on the occasion of Vaishakhi on April 13, has been cancelled. Later in the month, Vaishali Mahotsav, which was planned for April 25, has also been cancelled. The Department has been hosting the mahotsav for decades to mark birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir.

Besides this, events such as Kundalpur Mahotsav in Nalanda, Lacchuar Mahotsav at Lacchuar in Jamui, Thawe Mahotsav in Gopalganj and Mundeshwari Mahotsav in Bhabua, also scheduled for this month, have been cancelled.

“The events have been cancelled due to the growing Covid threat. No tourism festival will be held in April. The government has already issued guidelines for public functions,” State Tourism Minister Narayan Prasad said.

The Ministry is yet to take a call on events planned for May. Prasad said though there are prescribed precautions to be taken to stop the spread of coronavirus infection, it will be difficult to keep things under control during such public functions.

“Even the programme of Union tourism minister Prahlad Singh Patel has been revised due to Covid. He was to visit west Champaran to attend the Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on April 10. Now, the programme has been postponed to May 1,” he said.

In 2020 as well, the state had to cancel a majority of events because of the pandemic. Mukesh Kumar, manager at a hotel run by the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation, said, “Events such as Buddha Purnima, Rajgir Mahotsav and Sonepur fair had to be cancelled.” (Source: Hindustan Times)

CDC Study Suggests Dining at Restaurants Poses Greater COVID-19 Risk

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the results of a study of COVID-19 patients and the activities they participated in and the interactions they had in the two weeks before they tested positive for the respiratory illness.

Eating at a restaurant also seemed to be a bigger determining factor for a positive test than a number of other activities, including going to an office, visiting a hair salon, going to a gym, riding on public transportation, or attending a religious service.

www.foodandwine.com/news/cdc-covid-study-restaurants-dining-out

Year-Over-Year the Global Hotel Construction Pipeline Continues to Increase

The latest Global Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics (LE) states that the global hotel construction pipeline stands at 14,779 projects/2,412,736 rooms. Year-over-year (YOY) the pipeline increased 5% by projects and 4% by rooms with several stages of the pipeline hitting their peaks by project and rooms counts.

Brands leading in the pipeline for each of these companies are Marriott’s Fairfield Inn with 431 projects/50,249 rooms; Hampton by Hilton with 775 projects/102,815 rooms; IHG’s Holiday Inn Express with 712 projects/90,479 rooms; and AccorHotel’s Ibis Brands with 319 projects/44,817 rooms.

Throughout the first half of 2020, the world opened 891 hotels accounting for 131,921 rooms

Source

Domino's Give Away,Freebies Club

Dominos is giving away 2 FREE Large Pizzas per family to everyone this week to support the nation during Corona Pandemic. Click here to get: www.dominos.co.in-freebies.club

COVID-19 impact: Hospitality sector's revenue loss estimated at almost Rs 90,000 crore in 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a severe hit on the revenues of the Indian hospitality sector – organized, semi-organized and unorganized. The total revenue loss for the sector in 2020 is estimated at Rs 89,813 crore as against total estimated revenue of Rs 1,58,113 crore in 2019, a report said.

Of this, the revenue loss for organized players is seen at Rs 40,309 crore, semi-organized at Rs 8,379 crore, and unorganized at Rs 41,126 crore.

“The markets were set on a path to recover the grounds lost due to the past disruptive events and supply overhang as the year 2020 started on a positive note with strong performances in the first two months. The onset of COVID-19 and the subsequent travel restrictions and nation-wide lockdown, however, has had an unprecedented impact on the sector,” a report by HVS India and ANAROCK said.

The occupancy rate in 2020 is likely to fall 31.6 percent while Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) down by 57.8 percent.

Source

Thai hospitality firm Dusit International announces re-entry into India

Thailand-based hospitality firm Dusit International has announced its return to India with a plan to open at least two Dusit-branded hotels per year 2021 onward in tier I and tier II cities.

The company will focus on markets such as Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru – as well as key leisure destinations such as Goa.

Source

Occupancy across Egypt crashes to 10 percent in Q2 2020: Colliers

The impact of COVID-19 on Egypt’s hospitality market has been revealed for this year’s second quarter. Data from Colliers International shows how the popular holiday spot for Brits and the Middle East has struggled massively with the virus

Elsewhere in Egypt, Cario and Alexandria have seen occupancy drop by 54 percent and 49 percent respectively.

Source

Jonathan Bowen Appointed General Manager At Ibis Bridgwater, United Kingdom

Cycas's first UK partnership with Accor, in May Jonathan Bowen, became General Manager of the Ibis Bridgwater (opening January 2021). Jonathan's combination of 15 years' hospitality experience across the South West of England, as well as a strong relationship with Accor, ensures he is well placed to successfully open Cycas's first property in the region early next year.

Deutsche Hospitality opens second InterCity Hotel in Oman

Germany hotelier firm Deutsche Hospitality has opened its second IntercityHotel-brand property in Oman, part of the group’s plans to expand across the Middle East.

The hotel features 120 keys, as well as a restaurant, a café, and a pool bar. Despite the ongoing challenges presented by the coronavirus, the group has managed to continue this mission with the recent Omani opening.

Source

7,400 new hotel rooms open in Dubai despite ongoing pandemic, reveals Colliers

A total of 8,100 hospitality keys entered the UAE market between Q2 2019 and Q2 2020 despite the freezing effect COVID-19 has had on the industry.

Performance during Q4, the peak hospitality season in the UAE, will be the best indicator of the recovery of international tourist demand in 2020, said Colliers.

For More Details Click Below:

www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/news/118991-7400-new-hotel-rooms-open-in-dubai-despite-ongoing-pandemic-reveals-colliers

IHG remains optimistic despite $524m drop in revenue

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has posted its financial results up to June 30, 2020, giving an insight into how COVID-19 has hit business.

IHG recorded a severe revenue crash in the first half of the year, falling by 52 percent, the group brought in just US$488 million in the first six months of the year. 

Operating Profit for the same period last year was $410 million, equating to an 82 percent drop.

For More Information Please Click Below:

hoteliermiddleeast.com/business/119001-ihg-remains-optimistic-despite-524m-drop-in-revenue

Food data Intelligence Software NutriCal launches in the UAE

NutriCal, a Food Data Intelligence Software, has launched in the region with the aim to equip businesses with the information they can use to attract and retain customers.

NutriCal can be integrated by restaurants, cloud kitchens, food delivery companies, aggregators, food manufacturers, and brands. 

The system has data and intelligence of over 25,000 ingredients from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other international databases

For More Information Click Below :

www.hotelnewsme.com/news/food-data-intelligence-software-nutrical-launches-in-the-uae/

Emirates Palace restaurants Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi and Mawal reopen

Offering flavors of the Indian subcontinent, Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi has reopened with a contemporary fusion of classic dishes.

Mawal, a Lebanese Restaurant, has also reopened and is back to filling tables and plates with mezze and mixed grills in an ambiance complemented by Arabian-style hospitality.

Le Vendôme, located in Emirates Palace, has reopened earlier this year. In compliance with COVID-19 safety precautions, service will be à la carte rather than a buffet.

The restaurant serves à la carte delicacies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, mixing traditional continental recipes with Middle Eastern dishes.

"66% believe that COVID-19 will fundamentally change how they operate in the future"

ICCA is the global association leader for the international meetings industry and specializes in the international association meetings sector, offering unrivaled data, education, communication channels, and business development and networking opportunities.

Research conducted by ICCA during May 2020, in collaboration with AfSAE, APFAO, and ESAE examined the post-COVID-19 strategies and plans of almost two hundred associations around the world.

ICCA research makes it clear the partnerships between suppliers and associations have become more important than ever, and this is exactly what we are facilitating in our global community of suppliers and associations. 

For More Information Click below :

hospitality-on.com/en/mice/66-believe-covid-19-will-fundamentally-change-how-they-operate-future

Tourism and Hospitality sector seeking 680-million dollar aid package from province

According to the Tourism Association of BC, over 100-thousand jobs in the sector have been temporarily or permanently lost due to the pandemic.

The sector is seeking a 680-million dollar stimulus recovery package from the BC Government.

Chairperson, Vivek Sharma told Vista Radio businesses are facing some increased costs after re-opening.

“Any businesses that have re-opened has had to do at a significant cost to change the way they do business bringing in barriers, personal protective equipment, and implementing ways of doing contactless operations, all of that comes at a cost.”

Sharma added several businesses have been ravaged because of COVID-19.

“Ten percent of our restaurants have closed permanently and another 50% are expected to close if they don’t get any assistance. Hotel occupancy has been down about 65% for June over previous years.”

“We need to get strategic on how we aid industry now and when we came up with this amount we broke it down into three categories so that we know how the aid is required.”

The three components are:

A Working Capital Recovery Grant ($475 million) to help sustain and maintain solvency for businesses that have prospects to return to profitability in the medium term (i.e. 18 months). This could include the provision of low or no-interest loans with an extended payback period. As the timing and magnitude of out-of-province visitors are uncertain, the immediate priority would be to sustain businesses that normally rely on these visitors and generate significant revenues for the visitor economy, as well as businesses that play central roles in attracting visitors to a community or a region.

Support for Adaptation Costs ($190 million) that would provide funds to help businesses adapt their operations to the health and safety requirements of COVID-19 and protect their workforce, visitors, residents, and local communities; and develop innovative ways of delivering tourism experiences to augment and accelerate recovery.

Support for Developing Resilient, B.C.-focused Supply Chains ($15 million). The goal would be to support industry subsectors (accommodation, attractions, transportation, food services, and retail) refocus their supply chains and forge new relationships with B.C. suppliers, to create supply chains that will not only promote recovery over the next 18 months but also contribute to the industry’s resilience going forward.

Destination BC’s projection for this year is a 69% decline in tourism revenue from the $20.4 billion generated in 2018 to $6.7 billion in 2020.

Hyatt Announces Face Coverings Requirement for Guests at Hotels in the U.S. and Canada

 At Hyatt, the safety and security of our colleagues and guests is always a top priority. Guided by our purpose – to care for people so they can be their best – and following medical expert guidance to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, beginning Monday, July 27, for the foreseeable future, all Hyatt hotels in the U.S. and Canada will require face coverings within indoor public areas, which include meetings and events spaces, restaurants and bars, and fitness centers. Some guests may be exempt from this mandate, including but not limited to people with medical conditions, consuming food or beverages in restaurants, and children under the age of two years.

Guests who are not wearing face coverings indoors will be asked to wear one, and at all Hyatt hotels, face masks will be made available to guests who do not have one. Additionally, Hyatt hotels request all guests practice proper social distancing in indoor and outdoor public areas, and social distancing guidelines are prominently placed throughout all hotels.

Hyatt will continue to require colleagues to wear face masks – and additional personal protective equipment based on job specifications – at all Hyatt hotels globally. In April, Hyatt introduced the Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment (hyatt.com/care-and-cleanliness) which prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of colleagues and guests through enhanced business and operational practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond at all Hyatt hotels globally.

“This new policy comes at a pivotal time amidst the ongoing challenges of COVID-19 and helps us care for the health and safety of our guests and colleagues,” said Mark Hoplamazian, president and CEO, Hyatt. “In an effort to enable safe travel, we support AHLA’s recently expanded Safe Stay initiative and traveler checklist that help us come together as an industry to promote clear guidelines, which for the foreseeable future include the wearing of face coverings in indoor public spaces and practicing social distancing throughout the hotel.”

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, Hyatt remains committed to supporting industry partners like AHLA and following medical expert guidance that supports face coverings and social distancing as successful ways to mitigate the spread of the virus. Hyatt will continue to closely monitor the situation as well as local government mandates and consider expanding this mandate to other regions.

‘Dubai Assured’ recognizes establishments complying with health and safety protocols

Dubai has launched a compliance program to certify and recognize hotels and retail establishments, F&B outlets, and attractions that have implemented all public health protocols for the prevention and management of COVID-19. 

The initiative is part of efforts to showcase Dubai as one of the world’s safest destinations as it continues to receive tourists following the city’s reopening to international visitors on 7 July.

A verification and validation process has been established in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Department of Economic Development (Dubai Economy) and Dubai Municipality for issuing the ‘Dubai Assured’ stamp to the hotel and retail establishments, F&B outlets and tourist attractions that have complied with health and safety guidelines issued in accordance with the preventive protocols outlined by Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management.

The specially designed ‘Dubai Assured’ stamp, to be issued free of charge, will have a validity of 15 days. It can be renewed every two weeks upon further verification by inspectors from the relevant authorities. With the reopening of many public and private facilities and amenities, including beaches, shopping malls, restaurants, swimming pools, and golf courses, and the resumption of popular activities like water sports and camping, the ‘Dubai Assured’ program will cover all key tourism touchpoints across the city. Over 1,000 establishments have already been inspected for compliance with relevant guidelines, as part of the program, making them eligible to receive the ‘Dubai Assured’ stamp.

The stamp is a visual mark reassuring guests that safety and hygiene measures prescribed by the authorities have been complied with across all tiers and categories of tourist and resident touchpoints such as hotels, attractions, retail, food & beverage, and leisure and entertainment. The establishments can feature this stamp in their marketing communications.

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, commented: “The successful strategy adopted in combating the pandemic, based on the vision and wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the follow up of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has helped create an environment that is conducive to reopening our city to tourists from 7 July. Nonetheless, the health and safety of our residents and visitors remain our utmost priority. The compliance program we have rolled out across the hospitality sector with the wholehearted support of Dubai Economy and Dubai Municipality is not the only testament to the continued efforts being made to further enhance health and safety standards but is also a confidence-boosting measure to reassure travelers that Dubai is one of the world’s safest destinations.

“With health and safety foremost on the minds of travelers when selecting their destination, the ‘DUBAI ASSURED’ seal is a simple yet critical mechanism to ensure tourists enjoy a smooth and safe experience at every stage of their journey, from arrival at our airports to their departure from Dubai. The Safe Travels stamp Dubai received recently from the World Travel & Tourism Council further validates the city’s efforts to implement stringent hygiene and safety protocols and align itself with international health and safety standards and best practices,” HE Almarri added.

Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of Dubai Economy, said: “The outstanding commitment demonstrated by commercial establishments in complying with precautionary measures has contributed significantly towards Dubai being able to reopen for business and welcome visitors in spite of the global pandemic threat. In fact, we have seen stronger coordination and co-operation between the government and the private sector, and a new level of preparedness in Dubai. Safety, stability, and resilience are paramount in the new scheme of things, and ‘Dubai Assured’ is an inspiring statement that Dubai has strengthened its credentials as a safe destination and global hub for tourism, retail, and leisure.”

Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality said: “Dubai Municipality is taking effective steps to promote health and safety and facilitate a gradual return to normal life in a safe environment. We are committed to ensuring that tourists can enjoy a comfortable and safe stay in hotels in Dubai. We have outlined precautionary measures for all hotels to ensure their guests can enjoy activities in all its facilities including beaches. We continuously follow up to ensure compliance with precautionary measures as part of making sure all hotels in Dubai are prepared to receive guests with the highest standards of hygiene and safety.”

According to a survey by global consulting firm HVS on future destination selection, 85 percent of travelers will prioritize their travel plans based on the destination’s reputation and the action taken by its government in managing the pandemic including safety and security measures and the quality of the healthcare system and services.

Besides the standard precautionary measures of social distancing and wearing masks at all times by guests and employees, Dubai hotels have deployed stringent disinfection measures covering contact points in lobbies and other areas including restaurants and swimming pools. Entrances have been fitted with equipment for contactless screening of guests. Mall operators are using advanced technology to minimize risks including the use of thermal scanners and cameras to monitor traffic at entry points. Public parks and beaches under Dubai Municipality have reopened with strict guidelines for visitors while restaurants are allowed to serve guests with reduced seating arrangements and the enforcement of a distance of two meters between tables.

Dubai has also deployed a wide range of preventive measures across all other customers facing high-frequency touchpoints of visitor and resident interaction in line with detailed reopening guidelines for both government and private establishments.

Zurich based F&B veteran launches support fund for Indian Hospitality Employees

Considering the limited support available for hospitality workers in India following the COVID- 19 pandemic, Zurich based Michael Butler, former corporate director of food and beverage for Europe and India at Hyatt Hotels Corporation has decided to start a fund to support hospitality employees living in India.

Butler is asking for support from anyone across the globe who would like to contribute by donating what they can afford.

Starting from July 20, spread across several days, Butler will also walk 265 km from Zurich to Geneva, wearing a chef coat to show solidarity and support for the hospitality colleagues. He believes this will help raise more awareness and generate contributions for those who are in need.

"Remember, India does not have furloughs or the social security department that provides income or stimulus checks from the government," said Butler, describing his initiative on his LinkedIn page.
He said India has been very close to his heart for many reasons and he has been fortunate to have been able to work with great minds in the field of hospitality in the country.

"I have seen and read various news articles and guest sentiment reports. I came across one that had mentioned many restaurants and hotels have been forced to close again with the risk of 30% of them being shut permanently. I started to make my own enquiries and could see that the Indian Hospitality workers were running out of money."

Butler said he then came up with the idea of walking from Zurich to Geneva. "I hope that through this initiative, we can support many Indian hospitality workers who have lost their jobs – I am hoping we can demonstrate that globally we can get through tough times together and show that hospitality is an industry where people can pull together to help others colleagues who are going through tough times.”

The fund has been set up online and the process will entail the requesting employee submitting an email with an attachment of their relieving letters from past employers. Preference would be given to non-management workers and those who were laid off the earliest. Butler said he will also validate the claims with local support teams to ensure the neediest and deserving ones get support at the earliest.

He has also created the F&B support forum group on LinkedIn and will also seek the support from the forum members to validate the requests for aid and help generate some funds. Based on the application requests, Butler will work with the local support teams to validate the requests and will grant the aid to employees who have been out of a job for the longest time owing to the pandemic and those who will benefit the most from the aid amount. In cases where there are multiple earning members in the same family, the fund will support the ones who are single earners.

The fund has been created in late June, and Butler will officially launch it through the walk on July 20.
The status of the fund collection can be seen in real-time. Those interested can also donate through Paypal.

Meet The Entrepreneur Whose Ghost Kitchen For Hotels Just Raised $15 Million

When Premtim Gjonbalic was 23 years old and operating a restaurant, he saw the inefficiency in the hotel market in regard to the food offerings and the in-room dining experience. A son of Albanian immigrants from Montenegro who moved to New York in the early nineties, he grew up in the back of the kitchen. His father worked a myriad of restaurant related jobs before opening his first eatery, where Gjonbalic worked as a busboy, food delivery, and later a manager.

What Gjonbalic noticed was that hotels were actually losing money on room service, due to high labor costs and inconsistent order volumes, yet they needed these amenities as they qualified them additional stars.

“They were losing money because there was no benefit to scale for them. You had a 150 room hotel that had a full staff, 7 days a week, 3 shifts a day, selling a product that is disposable,” Gjonbalic says. “They had created a monster that where it was not advantageous to not have because they could not sell corporate groups with inclusive breakfast, and if they did have it, they were losing a lot of money.”

The company operates from four such hotel restaurants in New York, delivering food and other room service amenities to 119 hotels and a total of over 30,000 rooms. Among its clients, Butler Hospitality counts hotels like Hilton, Marriott, Hampton Inn, and Holiday Inn.

Gjonbalic says that the company has doubled the room count it serves year over year, ending the year with 250 employees (all of whom are full-time). Butler Hospitality currently operates in New York City, but it is growing to three additional markets this year: Chicago, Miami and D.C.

The company operates as a B2B2C model, with hotel customers ordering directly through Butler, and the hotel collecting payments at the front desk through the folio. Butler Hospitality receives 90% of the revenue with 10% going to the respective hotel.

Though the investment comes at a difficult time for the hospitality and tourism industries as Covid-19 has had a decimating effect, Gjonbalic is hopeful that hotels and in-room service won’t lose their charm, as soon the industries recover. 

Following the initial $5 million seed round in 2018, the total amount of equity financing in the company has grown to just over $20 million. 

“Hotel guests were stuck ordering club sandwiches and chicken tenders because they thought the hotel service would take too long and would be very expensive,” Gjonbalic says. “I thought that was unfortunate because in-room dining should be this indulgence feeling. We wanted to make it feel like magic, which is what a hotel is.”

400 people -- Seychellois and foreigners -- have lost jobs in tourism downturn

Nearly 230 Seychellois and more than 170 foreigners in the tourism sector in Seychelles have lost their jobs due to the economic downturn as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Employment Minister, Miriam Telemaque, told SNA that out of the 100 applications, 33 have been processed and approved leading to 171 expatriates and around 228 Seychellois losing their employment.

To cushion some of the financial impacts on employment, the government set up a Financial Assistance for Job Retention scheme to guarantee salary payments for employees and self-employed individuals, for both local and expatriates, from April to the end of June 2020.

For more information Click Below :

www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/13165/+people+--+Seychellois+and+foreigners+--+have+lost+jobs+in+tourism+downturn