Feb 2016 Newsletter
Transcription
Feb 2016 Newsletter
INNterviews MAINE INNKEEPERS ASSOCIATION Representing Maine’s Bed & Breakfasts, Camps, Cottages, Hotels, Inns, Motels & Resorts Volume 595 February 2016 HOSPITALITY FOR HABITAT 2016 The Maine Innkeepers Association is pleased and proud to announce that it will be sponsoring the 13th Annual Hospitality for Habitat promotion. The program, started in 2004, is designed to raise money for Habitat for Humanity by selling shoulder season rooms at a discount. Between April 18 and May 26, 2016, participating member properties will be asked to offer a designated number of their rooms at half the regular rate, in exchange for a $35 check payable to Habitat for Humanity. This check is for the length of stay. Member properties can participate for all 6 weeks or whenever they choose! Once again proceeds from this year’s program will be given to local chapters of Habitat for Humanity. All local chapters have agreed to participate so not only will funds go to local Habitat projects, the chapters themselves will help us to promote this great event. Last year’s check was presented to Habitat for Humanity of York County and they made sure that the funds were allocated appropriately among the chapters. This undertaking has received a tremendous amount of well-deserved press. Our hope is to inundate print media with public relations and press releases from the Association, individual properties and local chapters. We will be available to assist properties and chapters in creating media pieces at no charge to the property or the chapter. In both cases templates have been created to facilitate this effort. Habitat for Humanity International is a Christian ministry dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller, along with his wife Linda, Habitat for Humanity International and its affiliates in more than 3,000 communities in 92 nations continued on page 3 OPTIMIZING REVENUE STRATEGIES FOR THE BOTTOM LINE The Maine Innkeepers Association, in conjunction with the Education Committee of the Association, is pleased to announce the first of our annual series of educational seminars for 2016, “Optimizing Revenue Strategies for the Bottom Line.” This event will be held on Thursday, February 25, 2016 at the Fireside Inn & Suites in Portland. This is an all day seminar and currently is scheduled to run from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm and includes lunch. The cost for the seminar is $69 per person. The Fireside Inn & Suites has extended a fabulous room rate of $79 for the night of the 24th and 25th. Ask for the Maine Innkeepers rate. The seminar will provide an array of effective and applicable tips, tricks, and techniques on how to generate business during low demand periods as well as maximize revenue during continued on page 5 O u r s e r v i c e d o e s n ’t e n d w h e n o u r t r u c k l e a v e s y o u r d o o r. Hospitality For Habitat 2016.............. 1 Optimizing Revenue Strategies........... 1 Legislative Happenings...................... 4 Members In The News................. Insert 20 Dalton Road • Augusta, Maine www.NorthCenter.com 1-877-564-8081 INNterviews 1 Wednesday March 30 10 am - 4 pm Cross Insurance Arena PORTLAND, ME mainerestaurant.com Get your free passes! Members* of the Maine Innkeepers Association may register for two free passes to the Expo. Register at mainerestaurant.com/page/expo_attend and enter Promo Code: MEIA2016 at check-out. Or, if you prefer, call 207.623.2178 to tell us who’ll be attending the Expo from your property. Either way, we’ll mail your passes to you in advance of the event allowing you expedited admittance to the Expo. Additional tickets may be purchased in advance for $10 each. (*Only lodging members, not allied members are eligible for free passes. Allied members are encouraged to exhibit at the event and are only allowed admittance to the show if exhibiting.) Expo Sponsors! For more information about the Expo visit mainerestaurant.com or email [email protected]. Follow the Expo on Twitter @MaineExpo and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/maineexpo. Maine Innkeepers Association 2 (Continued from 1) have built or renovated more than 800,000 homes around the world. Their website is www.habitat.org. Reservations must be made in advance, and the contribution to Habitat for Humanity must be in the form of a check. In 2015 we collected over $23,000! We hope to annually increase the amount given to this worthy cause. In total, since 2004, we have raised over $157,000 for Habitat. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FOR ALL YOUR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS NEEDS Proud Sponsor of: CROSSAGENCY.COM OFFICIAL INSURANCE BROKER OFFICIAL SPONSOR GI VI NG PE ST S SO M ET HI NG t to think abou45 . SINC E 19 ® CALL TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE 800-323-7378 modernpest.com Wason Associates Hospitality Real Estate Brokerage Group W! Do you have an Exit Strategy? As a property owner, it’s important to have a well-planned exit strategy. Whether you’re looking to sell soon or in the next few years, Wason Associates will help you prepare to sell your property at the best price possible, in a reasonable amount of time. Earle Wason, CCIM [email protected] 603-498-1899 INNterviews Wason Associates One New Hampshire Ave, Suite 125 Portsmouth, NH 03801 603-766-4982 Wason’s Hotel Evaluation Program offers: • Financial & physical property analysis • Performance comparison to the marketplace • Equity analysis for net sales proceeds • Assessment of alternative means of disposition • The selling and negotiation process • And more Visit us today www.hospitalityrealestate.com 3 LEGISLATIVE HAPPENINGS- LOCAL, STATEWIDE AND NATIONAL The Portland Green Party’s $15 referendum question was sent to the voters in the November election. We are pleased to report that through unbelievable efforts by the Maine Innkeepers Association, the Maine Restaurant Association, Retail Association of Maine and their Portland members, along with incredible support and leadership by the Portland Regional Chamber, that the question was defeated. Financial and moral support from the National Restaurant Association, American Hotel & Lodging Association and the International Franchise Association was also provided. As a team, this group was not only able to defeat this referendum question, but it was without question, punctuated with a 16 point margin of victory. We applaud the voters of the City of Portland for seeing what damage a $15 minimum wage and $11.25 tipped wage would do to the tourism industry and greater economy of the state’s largest city. Portland’s new minimum wage ordinance, which raises the wage to $10.10 went into effect on January 1, 2016. This coalition, with a few additions, will now jump into action on the statewide minimum wage referendum initiative scheduled to be on the November 8, 2016 ballot. The Maine Peoples’ Alliance has collected approximately 90,000 signatures exceeding the requirement of just over 60,000 to qualify. These signatures are currently being verified by local polling officials. This statewide question, if passed, would raise the minimum wage to $9.00 in 2017, $10.00 in 2018, $11.00 in 2019 and $12.00 in 2020. It would also eliminate the tip credit and create a tipped wage at $5.00 per hour in 2017 and that wage would increase by $1.00 per year until the regular minimum wage and the tipped wage would be the same. In both cases the wage would be adjusted by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) thereafter. The association will be working with other business leaders to find a way to defeat this onerous referendum, up to and including lobbying for a competing measure that would raise the wage less quickly and dangerously and keep the tip credit intact in Maine statute. In Bangor, Councilor Joseph Baldacci, brother of the former Maine Governor, had With Sprague, now you can! introduced a proposed ordinance to create a minimum wage in the City of Bangor, which would be $8.25 on January 1, 2016, $9.00 on January 1 of the following year and ending with Sprague offers natural gas and power an increase to $9.75 in 2018. This ordinance supply solutions to MEIA members would also be tied to CPI, thereafter. A vote •Choose from exclusive pricing programs by the Council on this ordinance was held on •Lock in long-term rates December 14. There were several amended •Get tailored advice from market experts versions on the table, but ultimately the ordinance proposed by Baldacci was selected. Changes from his original ordinance included Let’s Work Together to Manage Yourmoving the implementation date from Energy Costs January 1, 2016 to January 1, 2017. Baldacci had also exempted tipped workers and those workers under 18 and those two exemptions Call today for your FREE, no-obligation quote! were removed. Tipped workers under this PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE 1.855.GO.NATGAS | [email protected] new ordinance will receive 50% of the local 855.466.2842 | [email protected] | spragueenergy.com minimum wage or $4.13 the first year. Locking In Today’s Low Energy Rates is a Bright Idea At the State Legislature, LD 1254 was carried over from last year’s long session. This SAVE MONEY ON WATER HEATING continued on page 5 Introducing the Energy Efficient Geyser Heat Pump Water Heater. Provides enough hot water for even the largest Hotels/Motels NO FOSSIL FUELS NEEDED “smart investment and a purchase that protects the environment” - Energystar.gov Made in Maine (800)777-6953 Maine Innkeepers Association The most efficient way to heat water Cools and dehumidifies surrounding air, offsetting air conditioning costs [email protected] www.nyle.com Inn Consultants and Brokers Since 1993 Rick & Janet Wolf and Dana Moos Lafayette Center, 2 Storer St., Suite 404 Kennebunk, ME 04043 207.967.1995 www.bbteam.com 4 (Continued from 1) high occupancy periods. In addition, we will take a deep dive into online travel agencies (i.e. Expedia, Priceline, Google, etc.) to assess their inner workings and how hotel operators can fully utilize these industry giants to their advantage. Attendees will be left with the latest and greatest knowhow in revenue management that can be easily implemented into daily operations. Raveen Shah is President of Cascade Revenue Management (CRM,) a hospitality consulting firm located in Chicago, IL. Shah is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago and Cornell University, where he received an MBA and CHRM, respectively. On-Premise Drying Tumblers Wascomat L AU N D R Y E Q U I P M E N T While pursuing his MBA, Raveen worked in the financial industry providing marketing and sales support for various brokerage companies. That eventually led him to a position working as the head of marketing for a derivatives startup. It was in this capacity that the opportunity to assume ownership of Cascade Revenue Management [CRM] presented itself. With a passion for analytics and a good vision for the company, Shah became owner of CRM. In the last three years, CRM has grown to a portfolio of over 50 properties within the USA and Canada. In addition, CRM has expanded its service line towards providing front desk training, group sales support, inventory and pricing management, SEO, social media management, and several other back office support services. Born and raised in southeastern Wisconsin, Shah enjoys kayaking, skiing, and cheering on the Packers in his free time. With his experience in hospitality, CRM has become a deep passion for Shah as it has allowed him to support owners/operators on a large scale while still maintaining a close one-on-one relationship. A registration form has been mailed to you, so mark your calendars, save the date and if you have any questions please call Jennifer or Greg at the Maine Innkeepers Office at (207) 213-2060 or send us an e-mail at [email protected]. You can register for this program by going to www.maineinns.com Web-Based Payroll - Anytime, Anywhere Pay As You Go Workers Compensation Time & Attendance Solutions Income Verification & Employee Background Checks Human Resources Management Tools Making payday the easiest day of your work week. www.payrollmgt.com 1-800-734-6880 Serve your guests good Maine coffee. We’ve been roasting great coffees for Maine inns since 1997, providing equipment and excellent service to properties with 2 to 200 rooms. Call or email Tom Hildreth to set up and serve our great Maine coffee. WELCOME INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Whether you’re hiring one student or 100, CIEE Work & Travel USA can help you screen, recruit, and hire international seasonal staff. 1-888-292-2326 www.carrabassettcoffee.com CARRABASSETT C FFEE C MPANY Mountain View Road • Kingfield, Maine ciee.org/summerhire INNterviews 5 Be a part of the Maine draw. Advertise with The Boston Globe and Boston Globe Media. Connect with New Englanders looking to enjoy all that Maine has to offer when you become a part of one of Boston Globe Media’s travel specials and events: •Weekly SundayTravel section •Themed travel issues of Globe Magazine •New England travel articles on boston.com or globe.com •2016 Boston Globe Travel Show View our 2015 Special Sections calendar at bostonglobemedia.com/travel or contact Dan Waxman at 617-314-0016 or [email protected] for details. (Continued from 4) bill would have assessed a $1 per room night fee on hotel, inn and bed and breakfast rooms sold between May and October. The fund created would have been used for beach nourishment. Even though we all know how much of an asset our beaches are, the association opposed the method of payment for this cause. There are many good causes and we saw this as the first of many assessments, especially since the lodging tax was just raised to 9% on January 1, 2016. The sponsor of the bill is now seeking a new funding source, most probably a general obligation bond. At the Federal level, The Federal Omnibus Appropriations (Budget) bill that was passed included H2B Visa Reforms. The Omnibus included important relief for H-2B employers, including exempting returning workers from the 66,000 annual cap as well as allowing the use of private wage surveys. Along with other key provisions, this will allow the program to run more efficiently for both employers and the regulating agencies. The “Protecting Americans against Tax Hikes” bill also represents key victories for our industry. Among the tax provisions that benefit restaurants, hotels and small businesses in the PATH Act are: Permanent extension of the 15-year tax depreciation schedule for new restaurant construction and improvements, qualified leasehold improvements, and qualified retail improvements. Previously, this provision was renewed on a year-to-basis. The permanency of this provision is the result of years of successful lobbying for this provision. Permanent extension of expanded Section 179 expensing. This would allow businesses to deduct $500,000 of the cost of financed purchases up to $2 million. These amounts would be indexed to keep pace with inflation. Permanent extension of the enhanced charitable deduction for food donation. This change ensures that non-corporate entities such as S corps and LLCs can take advantage of an enhanced tax deduction when they donate food inventory to charity. Five-year extension of bonus depreciation. The extension would allow businesses to take a 50 percent bonus depreciation for qualified property placed in service during 2015, 2016 and 2017, phased down to 40 percent in 2018 and 30 percent in 2019. Five-year extension of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Included among WOTC-eligible groups are certain veterans, food-stamp recipients and people referred from vocationalrehabilitation programs. The tax package proposes extending the WOTC back to Jan. 1, 2015, through 2019, and expanding it to apply to certain long-term unemployed individuals. Maine Innkeepers Association 6 Royalexclusive River T rading, wholesaler of handmade LLC Premium down & synthetic comfort in USA by Cuddledown Pillows • Comforters • Featherbeds Plus Luxury Bed Linens • Bed Covers Blankets • Bedding Protectors • Mattress Pads Royal River Trading, LLC • 1.855.272.1742 14 Yarmouth Junction, Suite 2, Yarmouth, ME 04096 Maine’s Leading Hospitality & Commercial Interiors Supplier 207-282-5176 www.designcentermaine.com 959 Portland Road, US Route 1 Saco, Maine Today’s travelers use TripAdvisor. What’s your score? We can help. Now is the time to get started! Drapery Carpet Bedding Upholstered Furniture Artwork & Mirrors Lighting Wall Covering Case Goods Maine Innkeepers Association 7 Member Benefits Past Chair Jeanne Carpentier Emerald Hospitality, Freeport Chair - Jean Ginn Marvin Nonantum Resort, Kennebunkport First Vice Chair - Jamey Kitchen Hampton Inn & Suites, Thomaston Second Vice Chair - Scott Cowger Maple Hill Farm B&B Inn, Hallowell Treasurer- Bob Smith Sebasco Harbor Resort, Sebasco Estates At-Large Member – Chip Gray Harraseeket Inn, Freeport At-Large Member – Matthew Levin Lord Camden Inn, Camden Senior Advisor – Ron Churchill Bear Spring Camps, Rome Legislative Chair – Scott Cowger Maple Hill Farm B&B Inn, Hallowell And Jamey Kitchen Hampton Inn & Suites, Thomaston Jeanne Carpentier, Emerald Hospitality Associates, Freeport Ron Churchill, Bear Spring Camps, Rome Scott Cowger, Maple Hill Farm B&B Inn, Hallowell Joshua Cushing, Hilton Garden Inn, Freeport Kim Dennis, Homewood Suites By Hilton, Scarborough Sarah Diment, Beachmere Inn, Ogunquit Sue Ferrell, Down East Village, Yarmouth Jean Ginn Marvin, Nonantum Resort, Kennebunkport Chip Gray, Harraseeket Inn, Freeport Mark Heisler, Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel, Portland Alvion Kimball, Orland House B&B, Orland Jamey Kitchen, Hampton Inn & Suites, Thomaston Phil Kronenthal, Migis Hotel Group, Portland Jane Lebrun, Cross Employee Benefits, Portland Brian Leclair, Best Western Plus - Waterville, Waterville Matthew Levin, Lord Camden And Grand Harbor Inns, Camden Matt Mattingly, Pine Crest B&B Inn, Gorham Jim Ostrowski, Inns At Blackberry Common, Camden Ed Palmer, Marriott At Sable Oaks, South Portland Connie Russell, Samoset Resort, Rockport Bob Smith, Sebasco Harbor Resort, Sebasco Estates Christina Bustard, Giri Hotels, Bangor Peter Twachtman, Migis Hotel Group, Portland Woody Woodward, Highland Lake Resort, Bridgton Maine Innkeepers Association The Maine Innkeepers Association is always striving to bring you relevant, bottomline benefits. Have you taken advantage of all of them? Money-Saving Visa/MasterCard Processing Real-time, Internet-based Maine Lodging Reservation Service in conjunction with the Maine Office of Tourism Money-Saving INNpower Energy Aggregation Program Free Listing on Maine Innkeepers Association Web Site and Free Link to Your Web Site Discounted Natural Gas Program Listing in the Official Maine Lodging Guide Members-only Web Site Section With Online Laws and Regulations, a Cyberlobby feature, Events Calendar and More Annual Meeting & Conference With Exhibitors, Top Speakers & Seminars ADA Suitcases Available For Members’ Use Answers to Your Questions From Our Office or AH&LA’s Info Center Free Maximum Rate Cards and Innkeeper Law Cards Scholarship Program That has Provided $100,000+ in Scholarships over the Last 20 Years Outstanding Networking Opportunity and Referral Network Health, Dental, Life Insurance plus Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Care Coverage as well as Employment Practices Liability Insurance Maine Innkeepers Education Foundation, training future employees and elevating our industry through a two-year high school curriculum in lodging management ~MISSION~ We are committed to improving, promoting and protecting the welfare of the lodging industry in Maine. Through communication, education, promotion and government affairs, we help our members achieve prosperity and deliver a quality product to the consumer. INNterviews is published regularly by the Maine Innkeepers Association 45 Melville Street, Augusta, ME 04330 Phone: (207) 213-2060 / Fax: (207) 213-2062 Email: [email protected] / Web: www.maineinns.com President and CEO, Greg Dugal • Chief Operating Officer, Chris Jones Director of Projects & Events, Jennifer Sevon Administrative Assistant, Vicky Savoie 8
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