GUESTSOURCING - Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association

Transcription

alberta
hospitality
The Official Magazine of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association
GUESTSOURCING
IN-ROOM
ENTERTAINMENT
Technology
Potential & Pride of
LGBT TRAVELLERS
OWNERMANAGER
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alberta
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this issue
8
BECOME A
GUESTSOURCING MAESTRO
Turn your guests into content producers
for your social media pages and reward
them for their contributions.
7
Stimulate Traffic with 5 Proven
Strategies
The Potential and Pride of the
LGBT Traveller
12
in every issue
4
6
18
19
24
25
29
30
Chairman’s Report
President & CEO’s Message
Travel Alberta
Alberta’s Treasures
HR Matters
Names in the News
What’s New?
AHLA’s Programs
16
20
26
Profile: Crimson Hotel Jasper
Owner-Manager Relationships
The In-Room Entertainment
Technology Revolution
Cover photo courtesy of Travel Alberta
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
alberta
hospitality
Official magazine of
INSPIRING SERVICE, GROWING VALUE
AHLA
2707 Ellwood Drive,
Edmonton AB, T6X 0P7
Toll Free: 1.888.436.6112
www.ahla.ca
CHAIR OF THE BOARD
Steven Watters
FIRST VICE CHAIR
Perry Batke
VICE CHAIRS
Leanne Shaw-Brotherston
Tina Tobin
PAST CHAIR
Perry Wilford
PRESIDENT & CEO
Dave Kaiser
DIRECTORS NORTH
Amir Awad
George Marine
Peter Parmar
DIRECTORS CENTRAL
Perry Batke
Shazma Charania
Robin Cumine
Karen Naylor
DIRECTORS SOUTH
Chris Barr
Cory Haggar
Dwayne Stratton
Alberta Hospitality is published quarterly by:
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New Considerations: Business License Fees
Over the last few months, a couple of
municipalities in Alberta have entertained
increasing the business license fees on
accommodations - one seeking to fund town
infrastructure and the other for local tourism.
On the surface, these are two very distinct
reasons for funding. However, if successful,
the greater implications could have the same
impact on our industry.
In Fox Creek, the town council is suggesting
an increase to the hotel business license fees
from $75 per year to 4% of the property’s
total annual room revenue, which could be
over $100,000. These fees would fund town
infrastructure.
There is a plan to increase business license
fees in the Town of Drumheller to $496 per
guestroom and $63 per campsite. While
the Town has agreed to use these funds to
support tourism and has the support of some
local hotels, it sets a precedent that other
municipalities may try to emulate. While cities
and towns may agree to use these monies to
fund tourism, when financial pressures arise,
there is no guarantee they wouldn’t use these
funds for other priorities, such as roads and
sewers.
In either case, it would be a significant
hit to the property’s bottom line and
represents additional overhead that was
not contemplated in the business model
when the decision was made to invest in the
community. It could also mean a separate line
item on the guest room folio, which could
reflect negatively on the town and make it
less competitive to other jurisdictions.
There are some misunderstandings among
the municipalities, as the Banff Tourism
Improvement Fee (TIF) model was noted as
comparable to this potential implementation.
Destination Marketing Fees (DMFs) have
also been referenced. There are differences
between Banff’s TIF and what is being
proposed. Banff’s TIF is also very different
from voluntary DMFs. Some key differences
with Banff’s TIF are:
• Banff is a tourist destination; and
• All of Banff’s businesses participate in the
TIF, not just hotels.
Businesses in Banff and the town worked
together to develop this framework, including
having a strategic plan, marketing plan, and
by Steven Watters
governance model around the TIF before it
was put in place.
Voluntary DMFs are successful where they
have foundations in place, including a
voluntary agreement by hotels to participate
in a destination marketing program.
The latter is usually presented through a
Destination Marketing Organization, such as
Tourism Calgary or Edmonton Tourism, which
includes:
• A marketing plan;
• An entity to collect and manage the funds;
• A strategic plan; and
•A governance model to ensure that the
funds are used to support destination
marketing.
The AHLA’s position is that hotels should be
free to participate in destination marketing
programs if they so choose. Under Alberta’s
Municipal Government Act, cities and towns
do not have the authority to levy taxes.
Councils and their administrators are seeking
ways to fund their infrastructure needs. This
is understandable. However, applying a
business license fee on any one segment of
the business community is nothing less than
a sales tax, which local governments do not
have the right or authority to levy. Business
license fees charged should reflect the cost of
the service provided for that fee and should
not be used by municipal governments as
an alternative means of taxing hotels or any
other businesses.
You probably don’t give it much thought
when you receive an invoice for your annual
business license fee. Would you think again if
that invoice increased from $100 to $100,000?
We strongly encourage all members to
monitor their city or town council’s agendas
to ensure they don’t try to implement the
same fee increase in your community. This
issue will continue to arise as municipalities
seek ways to fund their infrastructure and
operating needs. Thanks to the efforts of
local hoteliers, and with the assistance of the
AHLA, the process in the above communities
is currently being stalled.
alberta hospitality | 5
PRESIDENT & CEO’S MESSAGE
Olds College Flagship Hospitality Program
“What is your industry doing to develop its
future workforce?” This question invariably
arises whenever we meet with government
officials to discuss our industry’s labour
challenge. To date, we have struggled to
provide a strategic answer to this question.
However, an exciting new partnership with
Olds College promises to address this.
With an emphasis on hands-on training,
applied research, and innovative learning,
Olds College has a stellar reputation for
graduating students who are in demand
and have the skills to be successful. In 2013,
Olds College assumed the responsibility for
the Hospitality and Tourism programming
mandate from Red Deer College. Following
this, the Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association
(AHLA) met with senior leadership from Olds
College and we were encouraged by their
interest to work with industry to build a
“flagship” hospitality program.
The concept for the program includes three
key areas:
6 | alberta hospitality
1.Engaging front-line workers who require
additional training to enhance their skills and
productivity in our industry.
2.Engaging students across the province
through a high school dual-credit program
to allow for awareness and entry into the
industry.
3.Investing in middle managers to provide
knowledge and training to make them
successful.
Rather than attending school to learn, our
program proposes to leverage technology
to bring the training to the employees and
students through their mobile devices. This
allows us to reach potential learners across
the province, including aboriginals and other
under-represented groups. The curriculum
will be delivered in modules through a video
format with subsequent assessments. This
approach will appeal to young people who
are fans of YouTube, and industry employees
who can learn during slow periods at work
and at home.
by Dave Kaiser
The benefits for employers include the
opportunity to fill front line job vacancies
with students who have become aware of
our industry through dual-credit in high
school and need hands-on experience to
earn a credential. Improvements in quality
and productivity will be realized through
cost-effective training delivered to employees
right at the work place. Investment in training
generally leads to greater job satisfaction,
which typically results in higher staff retention
rates.
The AHLA will make a significant financial
contribution to support the development and
delivery of this program through Olds College.
We are seeking grant funding from the
Government of Alberta and federal funding
through Western Economic Development
to support the program. We will keep you
informed on our progress.
We look forward to serving you!
Stimulate Traffic with 5 Proven Strategies
by Lydia Miller
The loonie is losing its purchasing power, so how can you stimulate local
travel? Here are 5 proven methods to drive awareness and occupancy:
1. Website Impact - Hire a professional, refresh your look, and stay the
course for a year or more. If you are willing to spend $2,000 to $5,000
per month, you will see results after the first quarter: a) Pay Per Click - Set
aside money in your budget and stay committed for alternating quarters;
b) Google Ad Words - Find out which words your customers are actually
entering when they do an Internet search, as they will surprise you.
Be careful to not overspend here; be strategic each month and target
seasonal themes; c) Re-targeting Websites - These automatically display
your ad message on a competitor’s webpage when the online surfer
enters that name or a specific phrase in their browser.
2. Social Media Marketing - This is a very powerful medium to put your
business in front of the right consumers: a) Ensure you have a presence or
accounts set up with Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, MeetUp, Pinterest, Tumblr,
Twitter, Vine and YouTube; b) Monitor each account on a daily basis or at
least weekly with fresh posts, blogs and/or updates; c) Include a link to
another website or attach a recent photo to get noticed more; d) Keep it
brief - popular sites like Twitter limit your characters; e) Reward those that
follow you and help spread your news.
3. Identify and Target your Top Drive Markets within a Day’s Travel or
One Tank of Gas - a) Create a short 3- to 4-day getaway package that
speaks to your value proposition; b) Highlight your single best feature and
promote it everywhere for 3-6 months. Consistency reigns - don’t start
something without giving it time to take hold; c) Put your special package
offerings on your website and draw attention with a stand-alone button
to link with the full details; d) Tweet it; tell a story; get an app for booking
to make it easy for your customer to find you and work with you; e) Book a
series of colour ads that are at least ¼ to ½ page in community newspapers
that distribute within your feeder markets; f ) Include top value with extras
such as gas gift cards with each staycation booked before a specific date,
complimentary parking, or free passes to local attractions.
4. Strategic Partnerships - Foster partnerships that help promote your
property with no hard cash output: a) Contact a radio station in your top
feeder markets whose listeners align with your customer demographics and
brainstorm promotional ideas including offering a free staycation getaway
for their (weekly) radio contest winners; b) Contact your own local radio
stations (FM & AM) who loosely align with your customer demographics to
promote your dining outlets and offer them free stuff for their contests, like
Brunch for Two, Spa for Two, Lovers’ Weekend Package, etc.
5. Pay-to-Play Partnerships - Both you and your marketing partner
should use various social media opportunities to promote the partnership
and inform the public of the new alliance and any upcoming festivities:
a) Radio Station Remote Broadcasts - Bring a live broadcast onsite to
celebrate an event with giveaways; b) Performing Arts Sponsorships - Go
big and purchase in the top three categories in order to get the right
exposure at the right price; c) Charitable Organizations - Find something
close to your heart and bring it to your property by hosting their board,
donor, and volunteer appreciation events; d) Sports Clubs - Reach out to
the local sports teams to purchase a block of seats at a negotiated group
discount and package them with your hotel rooms.
Offer a great deal with high value, spread the news through every channel
possible, and make it easy to book and you’ll increase sales.
Lydia Miller is a Certified Hospitality Sales Professional, Accredited Instructor
and Personal Coach. The Miller Touch provides sales, marketing and event
planning services. Contact us at [email protected] or 604.808.7845.
COVER
STORY
BECOME A
GUESTSOURCING MAESTRO
Turning Your Guests into Content Producers
by Kathy Eccles
At his site, hotelmarketingstrategies.com, blogger Josiah Mackenzie defines
guestsourcing as “the art of turning your guests into content producers.” From big
hospitality brands to small boutique properties, hotels are increasingly soliciting
contributions from former guests - usually through sharing photos and other social
media content - to appeal to and influence current and potential guests.
Photo courtesy of Travel Alberta
BECOME A GUESTSOURCING MAESTRO
As a prime example of guestsourcing in action, on its social networking
site called Marriott Rewards Insiders, the company invites brand-loyal
guests to “follow, share, and participate” in an online community. Likeminded members share photos, travel experiences, and firsthand tips
on the company’s properties and their locations. On the site, Marriott
encourages members to access travel advice from peers, document their
trips with photos and a blog, provide feedback to company executives,
join conversations, write hotel reviews, and even upload an avatar.
While guests are rewarded with their own interactive platform and
“Insider” profiles, Marriott wins too, turning valued guests into vital
content-producers, whose in-the-know insights serve as an authentic
and persuasive marketing tool.
Turning Guests into Brand Advocates
Terminology morphs rapidly in the digital marketing realm. Guestsourcing
is closely synonymous with crowdsourcing and user-generated content.
Ultimately, what makes guestsourcing industry-specific - according
to Melissa Edwards-Clayton, Regional Director, Internet Marketing for
Canada’s Western Mountain Region, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts - is the
goal to engage with people “who either have been guests or are going
to be.”
In 2013, The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel launched a major 125th
anniversary contest that ran for a full year on Facebook. Edwards-Clayton
calls it a “pay it forward contest”. The Fairmont gave away 125 nights
bundled in 36 packages. People could go online and nominate someone
they knew to win a prize package. The company built a special Facebook
app and the nominations went viral in some cases. When the winners
arrived at the hotel, they received a social media kit - a GoPro camera
or Ipad - and were asked to tweet and post about their experiences. At
check-out, they received a flashdrive of the content they created, which
The Fairmont Banff Springs was able to use as memorable postings on
its own platforms.
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge ran a 48-hour photo contest around
Valentine’s Day this year. Guests could enter to win trips to the lodge
and spa by posting photos with their special loved ones. If the photo
was taken at the lodge or in Jasper, guests earned additional chances
Guestsourced content is displayed at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge’s Christmas in
November. Photo courtesy of The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
{
Collect and display content from multiple
social networks to feature phenomenal
user-generated content.
to enter. Edwards-Clayton was pleased with the results, “We’ll be able
to leverage the photos across other social media channels in the future.”
Coming up next at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Sixteen Candles
actress Molly Ringwald is the special guest at a ’80s-themed PJ Party.
Guests at the weekend getaway will be invited to light up social media
with their experiences. Edwards-Clayton is looking forward to using
Postano, a social media aggregator, which advertises its ability to
“collect and display content from multiple social networks to feature
phenomenal user-generated content.” Postano can identify the PJ Party
hashtag and pull feeds from Twitter, Instagram, and Vine. EdwardsClayton says the result is a “nice, visual template. It’s extremely dynamic
and fun. People love to see themselves.”
Photos courtesy of the Matrix Hotel
{
Survey guests to stay in tune with what kind
of contests, packages, and other services
are important to them.
Overall, when soliciting guestsourced material through contests, EdwardsClayton recommends keeping the bar low for entry requirements. Keep it
as simple as clicking on ‘like, comment or share,” she suggests.
Use the 80/20 Rule for Guestsourced Content
Social media rules of best practice apply to guestsourced content. Jordan
McKay, Accommodation Programs Coordinator for the Alberta Hotel
& Lodging Association advocates sticking to the general 80/20 social
media rule, ensuring that content is less about a property and more
about the “bigger picture of the destination”.
Rather than asking for guest content directly, McKay scans the online
world in search of it. She suggests, “Look at the influencers in your
community. Find who the biggest players are, the Instagrammers, the
bloggers, those with a lot of followers and impact. Pull user-generated
content from them, build relationships with them, and be in the know beyond hotel content.”
Since guests vary widely in their interests, look to find unexpected
content. “For best results, let go of preconceived expectations. Keep your
eyes open and have an almost latent readiness to see things outside
what you’re looking for specifically. What are other people responding
to? There could be a hidden little gem.”
The benefits can be tangible. McKay says, “Guestsourcing can allow you
to grow your audience without seeming like you’re self-promoting. It
helps provide meaningful content and is a great resource to find out
what people are thinking.”
Keep Your Finger on the Pulse
Jane Jess is Director of Demand and Reputation Management for
Westcorp’s boutique hotel properties, including the Matrix Hotel in
Edmonton. In 2014, the Matrix Hotel held a Summer Selfie Contest. “We
thought it would be fun to get on board and capitalize on the whole selfie
craze,” Jess explains.
The advertisement invited guests to: “Post your selfie enjoying summer
in Edmonton to our Facebook or Twitter pages, using the hashtag
#summerselfie and tag Matrix Hotel in your post to win.” Prizes included
gift certificates, VISA gift cards or a two-night stay at the hotel. “It was
the first time we had experimented with it. We had good uptake and got
people engaged,” Jess reports. “We’ll definitely do it again.”
The hotel has engaged guests in other ways too. “We have also asked for
assistance in hitting major benchmarks, such as ‘Help us get to 1,000 Likes,’
which is fun and usually gets people on board helping do what they can
in their social circles.”
In the future, Jess is interested in surveying guests to stay in tune with
what kind of contests, packages, and other services are important to
them. “We need to get a feel for psychographics and different interests.
What kind of contests inspire them?”
In the meantime, guests are providing windows into their preferences
through their online activities. “Instagram is the big one that is all about
them posting their experiences. They’re naturally motivated and they’re
creating a channel for us.”
For those new to sourcing guest content, encouraging engagement on a
Facebook page is an easy start. Jess advises, “Make it visually appealing.
Have fun with the content. Put yourself in the place of the guest you’re
targeting. What would be important to you? What do they want to know
about coming to your city? What will keep them ‘liking’ you?”
The pay-off in her view: “Next time they’re booking in your city, they’ll
think of you.”
Tips for Guestsourcing
Content:
1. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Borrow top guestsourcing ideas from
competitors.
2. Follow guests and influencers on Twitter and retweet their content.
3. Hold online contests with easy engagement - just click and load.
4. Apply the 80/20 rule. Provide great content beyond your hotel.
5. Set Google alerts for local properties, partners, tourism organizations,
and events.
6. Access a wide variety of content from the neighbouring community.
7. Share great pictures posted by guests and your sphere of influencers.
8. Ensure that content and images are legally shared.
9. Aim to be seen as a premier source of destination information.
10. Be present when guests are conversing online.
FEATURE
THE POTENTIAL AND PRIDE
OF THE LGBT TRAVELLER
Lucrative Opportunities Await
by Chris McBeath | Photos courtesy of Edmonton Tourism
Estimated to be an $8.5 billion industry, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
travel is coming into its own as a niche, accessible market sector with significant
revenue potential. In the past four years not only has LGBT travel spending grown 23%,
returning to more than pre-recession levels, it is now nearly double the expenditures
of their straight counterparts.
THE POTENTIAL AND PRIDE OF THE LGBT TRAVELLER
As more and more destinations outside of Canada begin to actively
target this market, Canadian businesses and destinations would do well
to follow their lead if they want to capture and maintain marketshare.
Leading the Way
“Canada is the top international destination for American LGBT travellers
with Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto as the top three cities” says Darrell
Schurman, co-founder and Executive Director of Travel Gay Canada
(TGC). “On average, Canadian LGBT travellers took 3.8 trips last year, and
spent an average of 16.9 nights in paid accommodation. It’s a lucrative
opportunity for those who wish to pursue it.”
With the largest gay population in Western Canada, Vancouver’s
easygoing vibe and high-appeal landscapes are combined with a wide
variety of restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, and boutiques catering to
gays and lesbians. According to Community Marketing, Inc. (CMI), the
San Francisco-based LGBT market research and communications firm,
Vancouver is Canada’s top destination, and the second most-visited
international destination for gay and lesbian leisure travel.
That noted, cities like Calgary and Edmonton are making strides to
lure this market east of the mountains. Several hotels, including The
Westin Edmonton, Hyatt Regency Calgary, Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau
Claire, and Executive Royal Hotel Calgary, have all earned TAG approved
designations (see sidebar). Other properties, such as Edmonton’s Union
Bank Inn and Comfort Inn & Suites, are highly ranked on sites like
www.gaycities.com.
{
We have found that the LGBT community
is very influential, affluent, and represents
enormous untapped potential in many
areas.
Winning Alliances
In addition to participating in gay-friendly listings, the Matrix Hotel
in Edmonton and the Hyatt Regency Calgary each sponsor the Pride
Festivals in their respective cities. In Jasper, The Fairmont Jasper Park
Lodge is that town’s host hotel with several others offering special Pride
rates and packages. The Best Western Strathmore Inn, and the Days Inn
& Suites Strathmore are involved in one of Alberta’s most significant
draws: the annual Canadian Rockies International Rodeo and Music
Festival, organized by Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association (ARGRA see sidebar). While participants don’t have to be LGBT to participate, this
non-traditional rodeo encourages both women and men to compete
in all 13 competitions. Staged alongside three “camp” events, the entire
affair has a fun and unique flare found nowhere else in Canada.
Trending Partnerships
Building alliances and specifically partnering with the LGBT community
are proving to be on trend. As reported in The Associated Press earlier
this year, being gay is a growing asset for many business owners as
organizations and more than one-third of Fortune 500 companies, are
Getting a TAG Logo
A TAG Approved® designation recognizes that a hotel’s services and
amenities are a match with the growing travel trends of LGBT travellers.
TAG Approved® Accommodations can participate in TAG training
programs and educational webinars including LGBT Diversity Training for
Hotels, Twelve First Steps to Success in the LGBT Markets, and Attracting
LGBT Group Business.
What Qualifies a Property to be TAG Approved®?
•
Enforces non-discriminatory policies including sexual orientation
• Treats heterosexual and domestic partners equally in personnel
policies
•
Provides LGBT diversity and sensitivity training for employees
• Empower customers and employees to be “watchdogs” of its gay
and lesbian business practices
•
Gives back to its community
•
Employs staff who reflect the diversity of their community
The Travel Alternatives Group (TAG) is an initiative of
Community Marketing, Inc. in San Francisco.
expanding their vendor pools by explicitly
encouraging bids from gay, lesbian, and
transgender contractors. California has even
legislated that effective January 1, 2015,
public agencies must now target gay-owned
companies in their procurement efforts.
Meanwhile, companies including IBM, PepsiCo,
Marriott International, and American Airlines
have recently started tracking how much they
spend with LGBT contractors. Denise Naguib,
Marriott’s Vice-President of Sustainability
and Supplier Diversity, said about 1% of the
chain’s $450 million “diverse spend” last year
was with gay-owned businesses that supplied
everything from technology and furniture
to translation services and flowers. Even
the National Football League has just made
history by inviting gay-owned companies to
get involved in Super Bowl 2016. These are
changing and profitable times to be aligned
with this market.
In addition to Best Western International and
Days Inns, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and
Hilton Worldwide are iconic brands that actively
engage with the LGBT traveller. For example,
Hilton has aligned itself with the International
Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) that
offers valuable resources for those wanting to
learn how gay travel impacts tourism. Written
by gay travellers for gay travellers, its blog,
www.insiderouttravel.com, is particularly
relevant. And through its partnership with
Travel Gay Canada, Days Inn has held diversitytraining workshops at regional marketing
meetings throughout Western Canada, and
currently has over 50 individual properties
across the country holding TGC memberships.
Becoming Market Ready
Schuurman continues: “Before a hotel can
target the LGBT market, it really must be
market ready, which, first and foremost, is to
understand and appreciate the uniqueness
of people - specifically gay, bisexual, lesbian,
and trans-gendered individuals - who may
be different from you,” he advises. “Having
staff being more aware of sexual orientation
and gender awareness as part of an overall
diversity training program helps to build better
workplace teams and improve service to all
customers and guests.”
“Although there are many misconceptions
about the LGBT community, research shows
that the LGBT traveller, in general, is looking
for the same experiences as everyone,” notes
Schuurman. “BC has some amazing assets that
are definitely of interest to the LGBT market,
especially for those travellers that are health
conscious, those that love great food and wine,
and those that seek out restful unique luxury
and adventure destinations. Resorts, especially
those in some of BC’s unique landscapes and/
or offering four-season activities such as the
Okanagan, are ideally placed to take advantage
of this very viable market sector.”
“It’s worth remembering that there are many
segments within the LGBT market, even those
that like to hunt and fish, so you have to identify
the best segment for your business and know
how to reach them,” Schuurman describes.
“Reaching out to the LGBT community can be
as simple as showing an image of a same-sex
couple on your website. But first you need
to build that relationship and show them
that you’re really invested in, and committed
to, them. It takes time to build that trust I recommend making a three- to five-year
investment commitment. Again, it’s all about
getting your house in order; making sure your
staff is familiar with who this market is, and
how to actually serve them in a welcoming
and acceptable way. When there are two men
or two ladies checking into a hotel these days,
it’s no longer appropriate to say, “Oh, you’ll
definitely need two beds.”
PROFILE
CRIMSON JASPER HOTEL
Celebrating All Things Canadian
by Terri Perrin | photos by Fran Wylie
After a year of construction
and a $14 million investment, a
landmark hotel in the town of
Jasper has undergone a complete
metamorphosis. The Crimson
Jasper Hotel, owned by the
Mountain Park Lodges (MPL)
group, re-opened about a third
of its 99 rooms in August 2014.
It fully re-opened in November,
just in time for the ski season. It
is the first “new” hotel to open in
Jasper National Park in more than
32 years.
Originally known as the Andrew
Motor Lodge, the first phase of
the hotel was opened in 1959.
Additional wings were added in 1965, and in 1969 a new centre
core and partial third floor was added. The original centre core
building was moved to another location. It became a dance
hall, and in 1985 it was chosen to become the new home of the
Jasper Museum.
The Andrew Motor Lodge was purchased by MPL in 1988 and
renamed Amethyst Lodge. By 2014, after more than 50 years of
business and countless renovations, changing times and time
itself had left the establishment in dire need of restoration and
a new brand. While the hotel has always benefited from being
in a prime location, just steps away from the town centre, the
owners recognized that it lacked many of the modern amenities
that today’s guests demand.
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alberta hospitality
hospitality
“One choice was to completely demolish and rebuild,” explains
Bernhard Schneider, MPL General Manager. “That was simply
not an option due to the fact that we are located in a national
park with historical restoration restrictions and a moratorium
on commercial development. Instead, we completely gutted
the building. We left the shell of the structure intact, and started
rebuilding the inside from scratch.”
One of the most remarkable changes at the property was the
addition of recreational facilities. Builders cut out a portion of
the foundation to allow a bobcat to access the area and dig
out the basement, which now houses a swimming pool, a
12-person hot tub, and a fitness centre.
“The previous banquet facilities were only utilized about 30%
of the time,” explains The Crimson Hotel Manager Jennifer Prat,
“whereas these new recreation facilities are now being used
daily. We still have banquet facilities for 30 to 90 people, which
give us a clear marketing focus for the type of events we want
to go after.”
Now completely renovated and pet-friendly, The Crimson Jasper
Hotel offers 99 well-appointed rooms; including wheelchair
accessible accommodations, 56 studio kitchen units, and nine
full kitchen suites. Many of the rooms have walk-in showers,
and all have in-room fridges and custom desks to cater to both
leisure and corporate travellers. The new C200 restaurant and
lounge welcomes up to 98 guests for breakfast and dinner
and also features a private dining room and banquet facilities.
In case having nice mountains and lots of wildlife to look at
isn’t enough, the rooms have HD TVs and wireless high-speed
Internet as well.
“The Crimson name was inspired from the colour in sunsets
and fall foliage in Jasper National Park as well as the fact that
it epitomizes the Canadian colours represented in our national
flag and the uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police,”
adds Bernhard. “The really interesting thing is that this choice
of name then gave us the direction for the interior décor. We
have a complete Canadiana theme throughout the hotel, with
bold red accents, and art that we specially commissioned from
Toronto graphic artist Wendy Tancock. It is rewarding to see
guests from around the world as they pause in front of various
works of art to enjoy the whimsical and fun messages.”
Bernhard adds that the November re-opening has turned out to
be perfect timing, allowing management and staff to “work out
the kinks” before the super busy summer season.
“Jasper is a true tourist town where competition is tough,”
explains Bernhard. “The permanent population is just slightly
over 4,600 people, but during the high season, that swells to
about 22,000 in the town site and campgrounds. In total, there
are 2,322 hotel rooms, of which 584 belong to the Mountain
Park Lodges group. MPL has about 300 full- and part-time staff
in our six properties, and we hire another 125+ during the peak
season. The Crimson has 30 employees, and this will increase to
over 55 in the summer. The great thing about being part of this
hotel group is that it gives our employees greater opportunities
for career advancement, allowing them to be promoted and
change jobs without having to change employers.”
Swiss-born Bernhard is a good example of someone who has
worked his way up the corporate ladder in both the hospitality
industry and at MPL. “I apprenticed as a chef in Switzerland,
starting at the age of 16, and then expanded my career through
several roles beyond the kitchen to the front of the house,
and eventually to management. My career path took me from
Europe to New Orleans, to the Caribbean, and then to Winnipeg,
Vancouver, and in 1998, to Jasper and MPL. I started here as a
Food and Beverage Director, then was promoted to Executive
Assistant Manager, and in 2004, General Manager. I am happy
here. It truly is a dream come true and feels like home.”
alberta
alberta hospitality
hospitality || 17
17
TRAVEL ALBERTA
Experience Development
Today’s travellers are highly discerning. They expect more than just a
nice vacation or business trip. They demand engaging and memorable
experiences. That’s why Travel Alberta’s strategy is to focus on goosebump
moments travellers experience as they explore our province. This approach
is key to success in an increasingly competitive market.
Alberta is known for its stunning scenery and range of outdoor adventures,
but consumers are constantly looking for something new and improved.
Travel Alberta’s industry development team is working with tourism
operators to enhance existing products and develop new experiences that
will draw more visitors to the province and entice them to stay longer.
There are a number of new Travel Alberta resources available to support
tourism operators in developing experiential travel expertise. These programs
support the hotel and lodging industry by facilitating collaboration and
partnerships to build new, exciting, and comprehensive travel packages.
Experience Development Team - Travel Alberta has established a new,
fully-dedicated team to support and coach tourism operators in enhancing
existing experiences, developing brand-new goosebump moments and
getting products export-ready - for both regional and international markets.
They bring insight into what consumers and tour operators want - ideas on
how to package your product, and the inside track with tour operators in all
eight core international markets. About 95% of international travellers book
through third-party channels, so having a pipeline to this vast market is a
real benefit.
The team can help with brainstorming value-added attractions and
experiences you may want to offer guests. They can also connect hoteliers
with tourist operators looking for hotel partners to include in their packages.
The Experience Development Team has developed a range of tools to deliver
information effectively to media, websites and social media as well as to
receptive tour operators and travel trade partners. This support and coaching
will grow the number of authentic experiences in Alberta and connect
destinations in the province through new itineraries and transportation
options. This will directly contribute to Travel Alberta’s strategy to grow
tourism revenues to $10.3 billion by 2020.
The Experience Development team encourages Alberta hoteliers to ask
yourselves: “How have we set the stage to enable our travellers to experience
our destination, and who can we partner with to encourage our guests to
stay longer in our hotels?”
SHIFT Programs - As part of its commitment to experiential travel training,
by Shelley Grollmuss
Travel Alberta piloted a new experience development workshop to
recognize that there’s a shift in how people want to experience travel
destinations. It is the only such program of its kind in Western Canada. The
3.5-day, hands-on clinic, held in Jasper this February, provided inspiration,
ideas and tips on how to craft experiences to create devoted fans and
generate more business.
“SHIFT: Transforming products to experiences” is the first of several courses
Travel Alberta will lead over the next couple of years in different communities
tailored to building more (remember to breathe) experiences.
Canada’s West Marketplace Scholarship Program - Global markets are key
to Alberta’s tourism future and Travel Alberta’s strategy is to target high
potential international markets with export-ready experiences.
The annual Canada West Marketplace (CWM) attracts more than 120 tour
operators and wholesalers from Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas.
It’s one of the most effective ways for Alberta tourism suppliers to present
their products, experiences, and services to buyers from around the world.
The CWM Scholarship Program provides financial support and coaching to
Alberta tourism businesses to attend this event.
Travel Alberta helps operators build exciting, experience-based packages
to pitch. You get support in completing applications, developing materials,
preparing presentations, and making connections with the receptive tour
operators that will sell your packages to international tour operators.
Travel Alberta worked extensively with Mountain Madness Tours from
Edmonton to prepare owner Ben Johnson to make a winning pitch at last
November’s CWM. Mountain Madness Tours offers multi-day bike tours
between Jasper, Banff and Waterton National Park, partnering with various
hotels in the province.
Johnson says the support he received leading up to and during the event
was amazing. It helped him get the exposure he needs to grow his business
and tap into new markets.
All these initiatives are designed to help you and other tourism operators
develop the kind of breathtaking experiences that will keep travellers
coming to our province, build our reputation as a premiere destination
and, by extension, build our revenue. To find out more, visit Travel Alberta’s
industry website at industry.travelalberta.com.
Shelley Grollmuss is Travel Alberta’s Vice President of Industry Development. She
can be reached at [email protected]
ALBERTA’S TREASURES
Mountain Madness Tours
by Debbie Minke
Helping People Live the Dream
Visitors from around the world come to experience Alberta’s breathtaking
scenery. Some are content to drink in the sights from the comfort of a
luxury tour bus, rented camper, or private vehicle, while others want to
take it to another level altogether. For these adventurous, active travellers
from Canada or abroad, Mountain Madness Tours offers unforgettable
experiences in some of the province’s most scenic landscapes.
Based in Edmonton, Mountain Madness Tours was founded by Ben
Johnson, an Australian whose love for “all things mountain” took him on
adventures that included climbing the Matterhorn, Mt. Blanc, Mt. Elbrus
in Russia, and Aconcagua in Argentina. He has done skiing, ice climbing,
mountain bike riding, and rock climbing in such places as the French Alps
and Northern Italy, Iceland, and Norway. Johnson’s desire to “continue
living the dream” eventually led him to the Albertan Rockies, where he
started up Mountain Madness Tours in 2009.
When Johnson started the business, he asked himself, “How do you get
yourself and a group of friends to these spectacular locations, with a
minimum of fuss, maximum flexibility, and still be in control of your own
adventure? I figured there should be a service that was able to help small
groups organize and supply transport for their custom adventures. This
was the inspiration behind Mountain Madness Tours.”
The opportunities for adventure in Alberta are only limited by your
imagination. Mountain Madness Tours offers road bike tours where
everything is provided - from transporting you and your bike from Calgary
or Edmonton to snacks, meals, lodging, and on-course support. Bike
rentals are also available. The main tour is between Jasper and Banff (4- or
6-day), although custom cycle tours can be arranged to almost anywhere.
A new 12-day tour has been planned for 2015 - from Jasper to the US
border via Lake Louise, Banff, Canmore, Highwood Pass, Longview, Pincher
Creek and Waterton National Park. Wine, bike, and yoga tours are amongst
other custom tours to choose from.
New in 2015, adventurers can experience a world-class professional bike
race with the Tour of Alberta VIP Experience. You can either check out
some of the most scenic parts of the province from the seat of a bike or
in the comfortable support van while witnessing most stages of the race
from the VIP areas. Participants can mix with the pro cyclists and team
officials before and after the race and attend exclusive events such as the
Tour of Alberta Opening Celebration Gala. You can even ride the team trial
course a few hours before the pros ride it.
For more information, visit the Mountain Madness Tours website at www.
mountainmadnesstours.com.
FEATURE
OWNER-MANAGER
RELATIONSHIPS
Cultivating a Rapport
by Chris McBeath
Many general managers feel that they are servants of two masters: their
guests and the owner. Usually, the owner-manager relationship is a happy
marriage, but like all unions it takes work, due diligence, and a genuine
passion to keep the relationship on track through its various incarnations.
OWNER-MANAGER RELATIONSHIPS
In the last decade, some hotel owneroperators - such as Four Seasons Hotels and
Resorts and The Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
- have been selling their brand to third-party
investors while retaining management of
the hotel property. Alternatively, they have
taken to offsetting costs by incorporating
residential units, retail outlets, or a casino into
the overall real estate development project.
{
Owners need to realize that their strengths may not
complement those required to operate a multi-team,
people-oriented enterprise.
to earn more guest loyalty, higher rates and
greater marketshare.”
Investor-Owner-Operator
Brand Priority
A full and select-service hotel developer and
asset management company - SilverBirch
Hotels & Resorts - not only owns and operates
properties across Canada, it is involved in each
hotel’s initial underwriting analysis, brand
recommendation, design, development,
traffic flow, staffing, and marketing. The
company’s Alberta portfolio alone includes
the Quality Hotel Fort McMurray, Radisson
Hotel Edmonton, Double Tree by Hilton™
Hotel West Edmonton, Home2 Suites by
Hilton® West Edmonton, Lethbridge Lodge
Hotel and Conference Centre, and the new
390-room Residence Inn by Marriott Calgary
Airport, still under development.
Most hotel development groups consider
brand affiliation a must-have for cash flow
and referral programs, principally when
entering a new market. Although there’s
always a premium for aligning with a brand, a
quality loyalty program translates into a lot of
hotel room nights and probably a further 10%
value to the overall asset.
Having worked in the US and Canada, and
across the full range of hotel products, Robb
Walker, Senior Vice President, Operations, has
a seasoned understanding of both sides of
the owner-manager hospitality relationship.
“A key advantage is that we are well funded
and have an ownership group that has a
long-term vision of creating exceptional
hotel assets in key markets. Consequently,
we don’t have the distractions of leveraging
assets, offsetting costs with multi-purpose
ventures like condo-hotel units, or servicing
debt,” Walker explains. “Additionally, our
shareholder has great confidence in our
team’s ability to deliver results. This allows us
latitude to create a top-of-brand strategy with
Hilton and Marriott, for example, where we
set higher standards and expectations that
then push our product quality and services
“We lean on our brands as they have a global
perspective, and a broader understanding of
new and emerging opportunities,” describes
Walker. “We also attend several brand and
industry conferences each year like the
America’s Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS).
It is invaluable for strengthening existing
and forging new relationships.” ALIS attracts
approximately 2,600 top industry leaders
from around the globe who come to learn
about the latest trends, and take part in stellar
networking and deal-making opportunities.
Let Managers Manage
Greg Moon, a former general manager with
over 30 years’ experience, has managed a
variety of properties including receiverships,
boutique hotels owned by multiple
shareholders, First Nations co-operatives, and
independents.
“Managing the ownership can be a major
challenge,” Moon admits, remembering
being told in hotel school that 85% of people
wanting to own a hotel were motivated
entirely by ego. “It was sage advice,” he
explains. “Owner priorities and their vested
(often divergent) interests are not necessarily
good for the business. In some instances,
they’re not even good business practices,
which can test your skills, knowledge, and
patience.” He also cites familial relationships,
prima-donna shareholders, and board
members who dictate which suppliers to use
or staff to hire, as additional management
hazards.
“Owners need to realize that their strengths
may not complement those required to
operate a multi-team, people-oriented
enterprise. It’s also important that they
understand where their property fits within
the market. If an investment requires a return
of a higher average room rate than the
product or market will bear, there’s going to
be friction. A two-star reality can often deliver
better results than a four-star dream.”
Another frustration Moon has observed
through the years is an owner who interferes
by constantly wandering around and
undermining the reporting structure. “It’s a
hard truth, but a general manager has to
be adept at manipulation, so as to keep an
operation on an even keel because ego cuts
across everything, and a collision of egos is
disastrous.”
Persevering Through Tough Times
While there might be comfort in sharing the
storms of a widespread recession, the duress
of regional volatility can create tension-filled
owner-manager relationships, especially
in the high-end, resort segment where the
appetite for higher-end rates might dwindle.
Some asset managers may prefer to cut losses
{
The duress of regional volatility can
create tension-filled owner-manager
relationships…
and simply exit with less consideration of the brand, the community, or
the livelihoods of staff members. Others, however, will look to the agility
of hotel management in terms of survival strategies and alternative exit
options. Invariably, owners will respond to sound recovery tactics.
“Downturns are cyclical and it’s essential to set aside reserve funding
so the product can be kept current during the 24-36 month correction
period,” advises Walker. “It takes that kind of time to modify and redirect
marketshare. The hotel may not be a $300-a-night stay during this
adjustment, but it will be again. The key is to stay true to who you are;
if you are a 4-star property, it’s vital to remain as customer-centric as
possible while driving marketshare and mitigating expenses. Yes, that
may mean furloughing some people, culling food and beverage services,
and shelling ancillary amenities, but these actions will serve an owner
looking for responsive management, and a guest looking for exceptional
value.”
Finding the Right Fit
Successful owner-manager relationships are fostered by different skill
sets for different properties. For example, selecting a manager to run a
400-room, $30 million dollar operation needs a pedigree: experience in
a similar-level property coupled with solid leadership and proven people
skills. The person must also have the ability to communicate effectively
with an onsite asset manager or a hands-on owner who receives nightaudit reports on a daily basis. Strong financial acumen can be a huge
bonus.
On this score, Charan Rai, President of PHI Hotel Group, works closely
with his managers to achieve targets as quickly as possible. Responsible
for constructing, owning, and operating properties in BC and Alberta,
including Four Points by Sheraton Edmonton Gateway, Hampton Inn
by Hilton Edmonton South, and Holiday Inn Express and Suites Spruce
Grove, Rai prefers to hire local managers who are already familiar with the
surrounding market. “Every property has different needs depending on
the brand, location, and style,” he explains. “We tend to hire the general
manager two months before opening and immediately start handing
over material such as the brand standards manual for operations, the full
marketing study done at the onset of the build, and information relating
to the physical building. Virtually all our constructs are from the ground
up, and since we always build to exceed the
franchise standard, properties are problemfree to enable the manager to concentrate on
developing business.”
Top 10 Questions for Hotel Owners
Essential Attributes
1. Is your hotel’s current cash flow meeting your expectations? Are you making a profit or
making a payment?
In an industry that involves such a complex
coalition of interested parties: owners, brand
management, guests, and staff, general
managers have never before had to possess
quite as many attributes. In addition to those
mentioned above, essential qualities include
being a critical thinker, having an in-depth
understanding of sales and marketing, and
being an outstanding communicator on
numerous levels.
“We need our general managers to be
skilled at managing all aspects of the hotel
operation with a focus on revenue production,
profitability, asset preservation, and increasing
enterprise value at all times,” notes Walker.
“Creating warmth in hospitality through one’s
people and services, and contributing back to
the community garners good will for the hotel
and brand, which by extension, makes for
excellent owner-manager relations.
2. Are your STAR Report figures where you think they should be? Are you getting your fair
share of the market?
3. Is your brand working for you? Are you working for them?
4. Are your front desk representatives trained to sell rooms? How often are you 100% occupied?
5. Is your labour expense at or below industry standards? Is your labour cost stealing your
bottom line?
6. Do you have a plan in place to manage, monitor, and motivate your sales staff? Are they
order-takers or order-makers?
7. Is your property proactive toward issues related to legislated human resource, work safety,
and other critical legal concerns? Is there a lawsuit lurking in your near future?
8. Is someone reviewing your energy consumption and billing consistently? Who is responding
to skyrocketing utility costs?
9. When your P&L statement arrives, are you the only one looking at the numbers? Is anyone
acting on your numbers quickly and efficiently?
10.Do you have a plan to move your property forward? Is your asset being managed for today
and tomorrow?
Source: Strand Hospitality Services
HR MATTERS
TourismWorks Starts With You
When students enter university, they are
often asked, “What will you do once you’re
done school?” The students offer a number of
responses in return - a teacher, lawyer, doctor,
engineer, psychologist, or businessman. They
rarely respond with, “I want to become an
hotelier.” Why is that? Is it because employees
working in the tourism and hospitality industry
dislike their work, cannot find other work,
are undervalued, or underpaid? It’s unlikely.
However, why is the industry largely discounted
as a career choice?
The majority of the public does not understand
what it means to work in a hotel. They see the
front desk agent or maybe even a housekeeper
or manager, but the perception is that these
are not careers but, rather, temporary positions.
Often hotels are not even viewed as business
ventures.
According to the Alberta Hotel & Lodging
Association’s 2014 Labour Market Survey, 71%
of people in hospitality work full-time, and 20%
are foreign workers. The majority of workers
(52%) are between the ages of 25 and 44, and
those who work in the hospitality industry are
typically well paid. Generally, housekeepers
earn $14.37 per hour, whereas front desk
agents and cooks are paid over $15.00 per
hour. Depending on the size and location of
the property, the average salary for a General
Manager is $98,765.
If people are fairly compensated, have full-time
careers, and are offered rewarding experiences
and opportunities in hospitality and tourism,
why aren’t more students shouting, “I want to
be a hotelier!”?
Maybe they haven’t come across www.
TourismWorks.com yet. Encouraging students
to seek careers in our industry begins with us.
Following are four initiatives to engage future
workers.
by Celia Koehler
1.Talk With Students
3.Use the Right Language
To better educate students, we have a
responsibility to speak with them about what
it is like to work in our industry. These are
conversations we haven’t had in the past, and
ones we still don’t have. If every manager in
Alberta gave one presentation to students
yearly, there would be approximately 14
presentations in schools across the province
for every school day of the year. Imagine the
impact this would have on our industry not only in recruitment, but also in funding,
prestige, and viability.
Talking about hospitality and tourism should
be part of your everyday language. People who
work in hospitality tend to live and breathe it.
When you hear students and/or their parents
talk about taking “business” in school, maybe
ask them which hotel they are hoping to work
for. It is crucial that we present hotels as a
profitable business - because that is what they
are.
When talking with students, it is important
to tell them your story and why you chose
a career in hospitality. Discuss the journey
you took to land the current position you
are in. Tell them about the flexibility and
compensation, but also about the rewards of
your efforts. Set students up for success in their
careers in hospitality. Show them where to
find jobs in tourism, specifically the industry’s
dedicated job search site, www.tourismworks.
ca. Demonstrate how they can build an
unconventional, yet rewarding, career.
Supporting the hospitality and tourism
industry can mean showing dedication to your
work. Though a large number of individuals are
involved in the industry, many remain unsure
as to how to get started, what happens next,
and what kind of work-life balance they can
achieve in hospitality. You can contribute in
various ways, including:
4. Support Your Industry
• Sitting on a local hotel and lodging board;
• Responding to industry wage surveys;
• Supporting current initiatives; and
• Helping to pilot new initiatives.
2.Go To Job Fairs and Get People Interested
Not every member can attend job fairs and not
every manager is the right person to send to
a job fair. Send someone who is personable,
who can engage the audience attending the
career fair, and who can make hiring decisions.
This typically results in a team of two or three
individuals. You will find great benefit from
having friendly, approachable, and honest
people represent your property. One caution,
however, is to ensure that the job fairs you
choose are going to be attended by people
looking for positions in tourism and hospitality.
Let’s lead by example. This is achievable by
searching for new opportunities within the
community.
Get Involved!
Reach out to your association to discover
how you can participate in new initiatives.
Learn what is up-and-coming in the industry,
and what contributions you can make. Please
contact the AHLA at [email protected] or at 780436-6112 for more information on the industry,
your role, and how to get started.
NAMES IN THE NEWS
Spring 2015
by Debbie Minke
People
The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) announced the re-election of
Philippe Gadbois, Senior Vice President, Operations at Atlific Hotels, as
Chairman of the HAC Board of Directors. Nine corporate board members
have also been elected to serve as corporate representatives of the HAC
along with ten provincial hotel association representatives.
Vantage Hospitality has appointed Gene Conklin as Regional
VP of Development. He will oversee development of Vantage’s
midscale to upscale brands in Western US and Canada
including Lexington® by Vantage, Jameson Inn®, Jameson
Suites® and 3 Palms Hotels & Resorts®.
The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) presented Michael
Beckley, Senior VP, Lodging Development, Marriott Hotels &
Resorts Canada, with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his
50+ years in the lodging industry.
Executive Chef Ryan O’Flynn of The Westin Edmonton captured gold at the
Canadian Culinary Championship in Kelowna, BC. He took top honours in
the competition, which had winning chefs from 11 Canadian cities, coast-tocoast, competing to be crowned Canada’s top Chef.
Skäl International Edmonton’s new board of directors includes President
Carla Lemaire, Vice President Judy Bunkall, Membership Chair Karen
Chalmers, Treasurer Karen Naylor, Social Chair Thomas Barknowitz,
Secretary Ike Janacek, Executive Treasurer Jim Engel, Director at Large Jim
Wirun, and Young Skal Lindsay Henderson. Beth Mossop is Past President,
and Paul Durand is SICAN Representative.
Properties & Acquisitions
Continuing its rapid global expansion, Marriott International, Inc. has
signed definitive agreements to acquire the Delta Hotels and Resorts®
brand and management and franchise business from Delta Hotels Limited
Partnership, a subsidiary of British Columbia Investment Management
Corporation (bcIMC) for C$168 million. Marriott International expects to
become the largest full-service hotelier in Canada.
The Edmonton Hotel and Convention Centre is now the Radisson Hotel &
Convention Centre. In Medicine Hat, The Executive on the Ridge Hotel is
now the Clarion Hotel & Conference Centre. R&R Inn & Suites in Innisfail is
now Motel 6 Innisfail. Elinor Lake Resort has changed its name to The Haven
at ELR. The Sportsman’s Inn Motel in Olds is now Canadas Best Value Inn.
GMs on the Move
Royden Anderson, Youngstown Hotel
Hany Assal, Radisson Hotel and Convention Centre, Edmonton
Jack Au, Jockey Motel, Edmonton
Omkar Beadasha, Canadas Best Value Inn, Olds
Robert Blackwell, Best Western Cedar Park Inn, Edmonton
Simran Brar, Holiday Inn Express Red Deer
Curtis Burton, The Coast Lethbridge Hotel & Conference Centre
Bosilka Cerovecki, Ramada Hotel Downtown Calgary
John Dearing, Bumper’s Inn, Inns of Banff
Lynn Deis, Clarion Hotel & Conference Centre, Medicine Hat
Dan Desantis, Delta Calgary Airport
Peter DuBeau, Tunnel Mountain Resort, Banff
Naomi Ducklow, Holloway Inn & Suites, Grande Prairie
Darlene Dyck, EconoLodge and Suites, Lethbridge
Jake Froese, La Crete Inn & Suites
Super 8 Camrose is now Canalta Camrose. In Grande Prairie, Pomeroy Inn &
Suites is now Holloway Inn & Suites. In Red Deer, iHotel 67 Street is now The
Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre.
The 96-room Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Airdrie just opened its doors.
It offers many amenities including a business centre, complimentary On the
House hot breakfast and, for guests heading out, Hampton’s On the Run™
Breakfast Bags available Monday through Friday.
The Radisson Hotel Red Deer is now open, offering 142 guestrooms, a
fitness centre and spa, indoor pool, whirlpool, steam room, business centre,
three ballrooms, and three boardrooms.
Awards & Anniversary
The Best Western PLUS Denham Inn & Suites team received the Leduc
Regional Chamber of Commerce 2014 Business of the Year Award.
The Canadas Best Value Inn Calgary won a “Best of the Best” award for
Best Social Media for hotels with less than 60 rooms at Vantage Hospitality’s
International Conference. The hotel’s activity on Facebook and Twitter was
recognized for its content, engagement, utility and creativity.
Canmore’s Falcon Crest Lodge has won a TripAdvisor Award for being
amongst the Top 25 Hotels in Canada for the third consecutive year. This elite
honour is awarded to the top 1% of all hotels on TripAdvisor.
Edmonton Tourism, in partnership with DDB Canada and Tribal Worldwide,
took home bronze for their website ExploreEdmonton.com in the category
of digital, consumer services. Edmonton Tourism’s website was a finalist
alongside major national brands WestJet Airlines and Yellow Pages. The
awards were presented at the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA)
Awards Gala.
Edmonton’s The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald is celebrating its 100th
anniversary this year. A special centennial accommodations package is being
offered all year, and a weekend of special events including the Centennial
Gala is planned for July 3-5.
Making a Difference
SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts raised a total of $41,200 for their 15th annual
Friends in Need holiday campaign helping local charities across Canada.
During the holiday season, 13 participating SilverBirch hotels offered guests
special holiday rates, with $10 from each room booked during the week of
December 21 to 27 going towards each hotel’s local charities of choice.
André Giannandrea, Banff International Hotel
Michelle Jung, Black Gold Inn, Edson
Zaheed Kassam, Nisku Inn & Conference Centre Edmonton Airport
Joon Kim, Ramada Inn Lloydminster
Joseph Kim, Rest-Easy Motel, Three Hills
Dave Knox, Western Budget Motel (3), Leduc
Brody Lambe, Nova Inn, Inuvik
Christa Lamboo, Motel 6 Innisfail
Jennifer Lang, Ramada Westlock
Sang Hyuck Lee, Badlands Motel, Drumheller
Young Lee, Grizzly Motor Hotel, Fox Creek
Ron Lupa, Comfort Inn & Suites, Medicine Hat
Raj Mistry, EconoLodge Inn & Suites, Drumheller
Shahir Momin, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Edmonton South
Dennis Moon, West-View Motel, Vegreville
Kathy Lee Munro, Super 8 Whitecourt
Sreejith Nair, Super 8 High Level
Sean Palmer, Delta Edmonton Centre Suite Hotel
Chongkun Park, Horizon Motel, St. Albert
Chris Parry, Chateau Nova Hotel and Suites, Edmonton
Rhonda Perepelkin, Super 8 Fox Creek
Ravi Prakash, Holiday Inn Sherwood Park Conference Centre
Mounir Ramzy, Super 8 Grande Prairie
Tanya Ross, The Ramada Olds
Martine Rousseau, Best Western PLUS Pocaterra Inn, Canmore
Jason Segboer, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Airdrie
Sumit Sharma, Palace Hotel, Taber
Sneh Singh, EconoLodge Inn & Suites Hinton
Kent Sjolin, Super 8 Wetaskiwin
Vicki Smith, Banff Rocky Mountain Resort
Earl Stanley, Super 8 Vermilion
Tina Tobin, Chateau Nova Hotel and Suites, Edmonton
Andrea Wilson, Banff Boundary Lodge
Heather Yu, The King’s Motel, St. Paul alberta hospitality | 25
FEATURE
IN-ROOM ENTERTAINMENT
Guest-Owned Electronics and Technological Advances
Drive Industry Change
by Terri Perrin
There was a time when one of the best things
about staying at a hotel was that you could
rent in-room movies. In fact, the hospitality
industry is credited with being a pioneer in
“on demand” television viewing. My, how
things have changed!
Today, about 80% of travellers use a cell phone
or laptop and almost 50% use tablets. Hotel
guests no longer rely solely on their host for
in-room entertainment technology. People’s
ever-increasing reliance on portable devices,
combined with the sophistication of the
telecommunications industry, has forced an
in-room entertainment technology revolution
on the hospitality industry. This has resulted
in a reduction of revenues from previously
value-added, in-room entertainment services
as well as additional costs to upgrade systems
in an effort to keep pace with changing times.
Jean-Marc Guillamot is the Area Director for the
Fort McMurray Hotel Group and the General
Manager of the Clearwater Suite Hotel and
Spa. He states that finding a balance between
controlling costs and meeting customer
expectations is an ongoing challenge. “Our
hotel group entered the Fort McMurray market
Photo courtesy of the Calgary Marriott Downtown
in 2007, with the purchase of three properties,”
reports Guillamot. “Today, we have seven
hotels with a total of 832 rooms. Without fail,
with every new hotel acquisition, the movie
system was not adequate. We also had poor
support from various movie service providers.
We ended those contracts and entered into an
agreement with Shaw, which offers different
movie and sports channel options. Now we
can customize TV channel selections for each
of our properties.”
Feeling at Home, Away from Home
Guillamot explains that hotels in Fort
McMurray cater to the needs of long-term
stay business guests. Guests want the same
TV and movie channels that they enjoy at
home, at no extra cost. They also want to
access their personal Netflix account or
other subscription service, with their laptops,
tablets, or smartphones connected to the
hotels’ TVs. (The hotels have connecting
cables available for rent.)
“Guests have solved the issue of in-room
entertainment on their own,” adds Guillamont.
“They do not ask for more or better movies
- they want a fast and reliable Internet
connection. While most are happy with the
regular service we provide, some are willing
to pay for a premium Wi-Fi service.”
The Fort McMurray Hotel Group has also
recognized that using the television/cable
systems makes it easy - and affordable to broadcast allliances with other local
businesses as well as promote hotel services.
For example, they no longer print room
service menus. They now broadcast menu
choices on a hotel amenities TV channel.
This not only saves resources and money, it
facilitates rapid changes and enhancements
to service options. As a bonus, revenue is
generated from advertising for neighbouring
restaurants and pubs. “It is fast, flexible,
inexpensive, and interactive,” concludes
Guillamont.
Internet Connectivity
In-room entertainment technology is top-ofmind as the Calgary Marriott Downtown Hotel
undergoes a property-wide renovation of its 388
rooms. The makeover is being done in rolling
phases from November 2014 to May 2015.
“Negative
guest comments
regarding Internet
have vanished.”
Paul Drummond, General Manager
Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort & Conference Centre
Better WiFi means better reviews.
With dedicated in-room guest WiFi speeds up to 15 Mbps and reliable
connectivity in common areas, your guests can surf, stream, and
download to their heart’s content. Choose Shaw Business for a newly
enhanced, fully managed WiFi solution. Your guests will thank you for it.
Let us create a custom solution for your hotel. Call us today at
1-855-545-1153 for a WiFi site evaluation.
IN-ROOM ENTERTAINMENT
“We are approaching this project with two objectives: Internet capacity
and connectivity, and recognizing that our guests want a personalized
experience similar to what they have at home,” notes General Manager
Joseph Clohessy. “We are installing 48-inch TVs in regular guestrooms and
high definition TVs in suites. However, before making any final decisions
on service providers, we are waiting for the results of the preliminary
testing of Netflix and Hulu that our head office is conducting with eight
properties in the USA. With these systems, guests can tie into their
personal accounts. The days of a hotel offering a selection of only a few
pay-per-view movies each month are gone.”
“We are also integrating unique work spaces in our new rooms,” explains
Clohessy. “We have eliminated traditional desks and introduced a heightadjustable and portable table. Guests can easily move the table anywhere
in the room to suit their needs. They can sit on the couch to work (or play)
on their electronic devices or position it across the bed, like in a hospital
room, so they can stretch out and relax. We are also installing extra plugins around the entire room, to make recharging electronics easier.”
One of the in-room entertainment options that Clohessy and his
colleagues have reviewed allows smartphone or tablet users to connect
to a hotel’s Wi-Fi to watch programs in their rooms. Then, they will stay
continuously connected if they move to another part of the hotel - the
fitness centre or a lounge, for example. Once logged in, the guest would
also be able to access an IP-enabled TV, similar to Apple TV, to watch their
favourite shows. Clohessy sees this ability to “carry content with you” as
something that may be popular in the future.
{
We have eliminated traditional desks
and introduced a height-adjustable and
portable table.
Technology Outpacing Infrastructure
The Banff Lodging Company (BLC) currently owns and operates eight
hotels with about 1,200 rooms. They have a ninth property with another
200 rooms under construction. According to Chris Thorburn, Director of
Operations, BLC has never invested heavily into in-room entertainment
systems, beyond high-quality televisions. With some of their properties
being constructed as far back as the 1970s, adding technologicallyadvanced movie delivery systems can be challenging because existing
coaxial cable systems simply won’t support them. To add to the challenge,
the group’s televisions may not be capable of incorporating new
technology, even though most are only six years old.
“After considerable investigation, we elected to install a system that
offers an in-room movie rental system, allowing for both a great guest
experience and modest revenue potential for our hotels,” explains
Thorburn. “The cross-marketing feature on the dedicated channel was
particularity attractive because, in addition to the hotels, BLC owns and
operates eight restaurants, a spa, a ski rental shop, and the Banff movie
theatre. Although we see great potential in the system,” he shares, “we
continue to struggle with the technological challenges of integrating new
technology with aged infrastructure. In the near future, allowing guests to
connect their devices wirelessly to our televisions will be our main focus.”
“Game Over” for Gaming Systems and DVD Players
For many hotels, gaming systems and DVD players are still available, but
for the most part, this equipment is simply gathering dust. When people
can be entertained on their personal devices, they can’t be bothered to
pick up an outdated piece of equipment from the front desk.
“We believe the opportunity to gain any significant revenue from in-room
entertainment systems is pretty much over,” concludes Thorburn. “This
change is not necessarily a good thing or a bad thing. It is simply change.
While the technology revolution continues, BLC is focusing on enhancing
guest amenities - such as spas, unique hot pools, fitness centres, and
restaurants - and providing superior customer service. We feel that this is
equally as important as anything we can put into our guestrooms.”
ADVERTISERS
Alberta Blue Cross
5
Alberta Hospitality Safety Association 13
Alberta Laundry Systems
BC
Avis Budget Group 30
Buhler Hospitality
11
Colliers International Realty
14
Coronet Equipment
IFC
DDL Group
12
DeFehr Furniture
15
EcoStay11
Fusion Woodworks
23
Image Distributors
6
Intello Technologies
28
Jani-King of Southern Alberta
14
Kaba9
MAC Sales & Marketing
23
McCallum Printing Group
Northern Feather Oaktree Carpets
Patio Frontiers
Restwell Sleep Products
RONA Inc
Sealy Canada
Serta Mattress
Shaw Communications
Superior Quilting
TAG Umbrella
Total Communications
Tourism Works
Western Financial Group
Insurance Solutions Zep Sales & Service
24
19
10
21
15
7
22
7
27
10, 24
19
14
29
IBC
21
WHAT’S NEW?
by Debbie Minke
Shaw Business has launched its enhanced
managed WiFi solution, including valueadded features like branded splash pages,
enhanced customer support tools, and
upgraded operations from start to finish.
Offering properties complimentary RF design,
Shaw technicians will analyze the site and
requirements, providing the best Wi-Fi
solutions to meet a hotel’s needs and budget.
business.shaw.ca/hospitality
Retro Floating Headboard, featured in the
newly renovated Crimson Jasper Hotel. The
clean, sleek look is reminiscent of the ‘70s,
the stunning headboard includes floating
nightstands. The matching fridge-microwavesafe unit includes dresser drawers and a desk
with a beautiful slow curve on the end to
create more room for an accent chair. www.
fusionwoodworks.com
The EcoStay Program introduces EcoFriend,
a new entry-level environmental stewardship
program that makes it even easier to position
your brand for sustainability. Just like the
original program - now named EcoCertified
- EcoFriend generates funds for your energysaving upgrades and long-term bottom line
savings. In addition, hotels can now choose
to support local eco-initiatives such as tree
planting or land and wildlife conservation.
Monthly administration requirements are
significantly less, and the program offers
no-cost marketing materials and PR support to
AHLA members. www.ecostay.ca
Zep Sales & Service introduces a Solid
Warewash Detergent and Rinse Aid. The
highly-concentrated detergent provides
higher rack yields, while using less product. It
works effectively in both soft and hard water
and is environmentally responsible at 99.5%
phosphate-free. The rinse aid is designed for
both hot and cold temperature dish washing.
It works in a wide range of water conditions
and is completely phosphate-free. With its dual
wetting agents, it allows water to sheet off
dishes, reducing drying time and preventing
water spots. Both products mount onto a
ProSimplicity dispenser, eliminating chemical
contact to the user. www.zep.com
Fusion Woodworks has introduced their new
Guestfolio,
an
award-winning
guest
engagement platform, has just unveiled its
newest feature, Guest Social Profiles. Through
a partnership with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter
and Klout, Guestfolio is able to capture
additional information that is publicly available
in your guests’ social media profiles, including
their Twitter followers, Facebook friends, Klout
score, social interests, picture, age, gender,
and more. This information is synchronized
with other details the platform has already
been tracking - email open rates, language,
historical reservation data, guest satisfaction
data, TripAdvisor reviews, etc. Hoteliers can
learn even more about their guests through
real-time data and through their daily Arrival
Reports. www.guestfolio.com
Birchwood Furniture’s newest piece blends
comfort and practicality. The 121 Queen Sofa
Bed, with sleek, sloping arms, an uncluttered
back, and cozy seats, includes a plush 6”
sofa bed mattress and durable square-tube
mechanism. Finishing at 74” long, this sofa bed
fits many tight spaces without compromising
style. A matching accent chair is also available.
www.birchwood.com
AHLA’S PROGRAMS
Your Preferred Source to Lock In Long-Term Electricity Prices
The AHLA Electricity Aggregation Program
The AHLA electricity aggregation program was first introduced in 2001.
Since then, members participating in the program have benefited from
being able to purchase long-term power contracts at wholesale prices,
typically only available to large users.
In 2010, ENMAX became the AHLA’s exclusive electricity energy provider.
The ENMAX Energy/AHLA Power Program included a number of new
features to give members maximum flexibility for green energy and to
increase their power requirements.
Larry Charach, Strategic Results Consulting Inc.’s Principal Consultant, is
the AHLA’s expert advisor on electricity and natural gas programs. Larry
provides professional advice for the power buys and audits the results
to confirm that the contract commitments for wholesale power are met.
In a recent interview, Larry offers answers to questions our AHLA
members have asked.
Q: In your view, how did the first five years of the agreement with ENMAX
work out?
Working with the AHLA, my initial task was to help select a new retailer for
their program, achieving three objectives:
•Providing maximum benefits to members and access to the
competitively priced wholesale power and problem-free customer service
and billing;
• Moving the AHLA to a marketing and oversight role without having to
deal directly with billing and incurring financial risk, as they did under the
program at the time; and
• Providing a partner that would work with the AHLA to grow and
improve the program over time.
In my view, these goals have been met or exceeded. ENMAX and the AHLA
have an excellent relationship, working together in the best interests of
AHLA members.
Q: For smaller members, the program offers access to wholesale prices
they couldn’t get otherwise. Why should the larger hotel chains that could
hire their own consultants join the program?
For most members, their volume is not sufficient on their own to obtain
the wholesale pricing they receive by aggregating their requirements with
other members. Some of the larger chains, though, would have sufficient
volume to hire their own consultants and purchase wholesale electricity
directly.
The program addresses this through a sliding fee scale. The fees paid
decline significantly as the volume increases. This is equitable and results
in lower fees for most, and likely all, members, than if they hired their own
consultants.
Under the AHLA and ENMAX’s exclusivity agreement, ENMAX only
provides electricity to hotels that are members of the AHLA, unless they
were ENMAX customers prior to the AHLA-ENMAX program. ENMAX is
the largest retailer in Alberta and very well-regarded. ENMAX monitors
Alberta’s electricity market on an ongoing basis.
Q: Do you have any other advice?
The electricity market is complex. It is imperative to remain well-informed
before making decisions on long-term agreements. It is also important to
distinguish subject matter experts from marketers. Electricity marketers
may not be experts or provide independent information. This, of course,
is not always the case. Do your due diligence to ensure the advice you are
provided is sound.
By participating in the AHLA Electricity Aggregation program, the energy
portion of your power bills are fixed for the contract term. You will
no longer have to worry about Alberta’s volatile electricity prices that
have at times seen monthly pool prices exceeding over $130/MWh (the
unweighted pool price from 2011 to 2014 is around $67/MWh). AHLA
members who choose a load profile typically incur a 10% premium on
pool price to meet their peak demand.
Visit www.ahla.ca for more information, or contact Pravesh Thathiah (PT),
AHLA/ENMAX Account Manager at 780.822.6210 or Libby Van Rossum,
Member Value Programs Coordinator, at 780.423.9232.
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GUESTSOURCING - Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association

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