From leading heritage tours to greeting hotel guests, hundreds of Emiratis will soon represent the UAEÕs hospitality industry. A new campaign aims to recruit 500 Emiratis for the tourism sector by 2020. Some students have already graduated from hospitality training courses.
Augmented reality start-up aims for cleaner rooms
No hotel owner wants their name bad-mouthed on social media for bed begs, unchanged sheets, dirty toilets, or worse.ÊAugmented reality start-up, AR-Check, hopes to alleviate the nightmares associated withÊdirty rooms.
Marriott International announces new collaboration with career advancement startup Amavitae
Global hospitality leader Marriott International announced it has embarked on a new initiative with career advancement startup, Amavitae. Launched in 2016, Amavitae’s mobile-first career advancement platform addresses the skills and opportunity gaps of a new generation of jobseekers and empowers them to find a career they love.
New sources of Asian investment buying European hotels
The lionÕs share of Chinese and Asian hotel industry capitalÊentering Europe of late has derived from publicly listed conglomerates, notably HNA Tourism Group and Jin Jiang International, but midsize players are trying to make a play in the region, as well.
An electric dinosaur mans the front desk at a JapaneseÊhotel
The latest robot-staffed Henn-na Hotel opened in Japan last week, with an electronic dinosaur manning the front desk and offering concierge services to guests in multiple languages. Operators are confident that park visitors will be OK with this odd new way of lodging.
Dual-brand hotels finding footing internationally
Hotel brand companies are seeing the success of dual-branded properties in the US and looking at international markets for potential new development opportunities. Brands might initially consider the same international markets for dual-branded properties as they would for single-branded hotels.
Gaylord Hotels partners with MeetingPlay for indoor wayfinding app
Gaylord Hotels has become the first hospitality brand to introduce MeetingPlayÕs AppAtlas, an indoor venue wayfinding app, across its resorts. Using iBeacon technology and advanced indoor 3-D mapping, AppAtlas and Gaylord Hotels have created Navigate Gaylord Hotels, a game-changing app experience with turn-by-turn navigation.
FlexBook offers industry-first flexible check-in and check-out
FlexBook.com, a new hotel booking site, offers travelers the first real opportunity to customize their hotel stays by offering early check-in/late check-out as part of their booking.ÊFlexBook was created by the team behind HotelsByDay that helped pioneer flexible hotel stays by offering convenient day stays at top hotels around the world.
AHLEI adds breakfast attendant training and certification to START program
The American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) has added training and certification for Breakfast Attendant to its START for Individual Positions series, which provides flexible training and certification modules in multiple formats to meet the needs of schools, workforce agencies, and properties.
Barcelona clamps down on hotel development
Authorities in Barcelona have announced a banÊon new hotels or visitor apartments opening anywhere in that city’s center,Êcalling into questionÊthe future of its tourism and travel growth.ÊThe ban even extends to not replacing any hotels or apartments that close, with the local government calling for a better balance between tourism and the local community.
