This week’s Hotel Wrap is full to the brim! Similarly, that’s how Travel Weekly’s staff plan on pouring their post-work wines this afternoon.

Tourism Accommodation Australia welcomes plan to reinvigorate Trans-Tasman and domestic travel + steps up online training

Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA), has welcomed news that some restrictions on travel, including flights to and from New Zealand, could be eased earlier than expected.

TAA national CEO Michael Johnson said the possibility of re-opening domestic borders and creating an international ‘travel bubble’ between Australia and New Zealand are the first positive signs for the industry since the COVID-19 crisis began earlier this year. “We have to take this one step at a time – and we have to do it right,” Johnson said.

Johnson said any earlier than expected return to domestic travel was also welcome news, along with an announcement that airlines, including QANTAS, plan to slash the price of airfares.

TAA has also stepped up its support for online industry and development courses to help employees get through the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson said with more than 300 accommodation hotels closing nationwide last month alone, the continued health and wellbeing of staff who have been stood down through no fault of their own remain a top priority of the Association.

Johnson said TAA was working closely with organisations including TAFE NSW, The Hotel School and William Angliss College on a range of initiatives.

Courses include the graduate certificate in global hotel leadership run by The Hotel School – a good way for hotel employees to further their knowledge and skills on a global level.

The Fullerton Hotel Sydney: Mother’s Day recipe

When it comes to staying in, few things beat having a delicious meal in the comfort of your own home. With most of our favourite hotel restaurants closed for the foreseeable future, this Mother’s Day, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney is bringing the #FullertonExperience to you.

Kenny Kong, Chef De Cuisine has shared his recipe for the perfect Mother’s Day breakfast: Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon on a Toasted Croissant. This classic dish is simple to create and assemble, with step-by-step instructions listed below.

Feel free to get creative with the ingredients, and wash it down with a Mimosa of Mum’s choice!

Ingredients:

• Croissant (1 halved)
• Whole egg (2)
• Smoked Salmon (4 slices)
• Vinegar (1 tablespoon)

For hollandaise sauce:

• Egg yolk (2)
• Melted butter (125 grams)
• White wine vinegar (½ teaspoon)
• Lemon juice (½ teaspoon)
• Salt (1 pinch)
• Cayenne pepper (1 pinch)

Method:

1. Half-fill one saucepan (saucepan 1) with water and add vinegar for poaching the eggs and set aside.
2. Half-fill another saucepan (saucepan 2) with water, boil the water and reduce to a gentle simmer to prepare the hollandaise sauce.
3. Place the egg yolks and white wine vinegar into a mixing bowl and sit on top of the simmering water in saucepan 2, gently whisking the egg mixture until it begins to emulsify.
4. Add the melted butter to the mixture and continue whisking until the mixture’s texture is a ribbon-like consistency.
5. Remove the mixing bowl from heat, and add lemon juice, cayenne pepper and salt to the mixture. Gently mix the ingredients together, before covering the mixture and setting the mixing bowl aside.

To assemble:

1. In saucepan 1, bring the water and vinegar to a boil and stir the water with a spatula in a circular motion.
2. Carefully place the two eggs into the water, one at a time. Cook eggs until the white is firm but the yolk is still runny, approximately 3½-4 minutes.
3. Toast each side of the croissant in a toaster for 4-5 minutes or in an oven preheated to 180°C for 5 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Once toasted, place both pieces of croissant face-up in the middle of a plate and layer the smoked salmon slices on top of each piece of croissant.
5. Remove the poached eggs from saucepan 1, and place on a separate plate layered with kitchen paper towels to remove the excess water from the poached eggs.
6. Place one poached egg on each piece of croissant and spoon the hollandaise sauce directly on top of the poached eggs.
7. Serve immediately with freshly cracked pepper sprinkled on top.

Atlantis Resort pledges 20,000 meals to ’10 Million Meals’ campaign

Atlantis Resorts has pledged 20,000 meals as part of ’10 Million Meals’, the nation’s biggest community campaign to provide meals or food parcels to support vulnerable individuals and families in the UAE. 

This has illuminated 20,000 lights on Burj Khalifa which is supporting the campaign as the ‘World’s Tallest Donation Box’, which launched on Saturday.

The “World’s Tallest Donation Box” enables companies, entities and the public to purchase lights on Burj Khalifa, for as little as AED 10 each, to collectively donate 1.2 million meals or food parcels. For every light purchased through the website www.tallestdonationbox.com, one meal is provided to someone in need, with the ultimate goal to illuminate the 1.2 million lights on the façade of the world’s tallest building.

Representing donations as lights beaming on Burj Khalifa reflects the hope that small acts of kindness will bring to less fortunate communities as the country continues its battle against the pandemic. 

Accessible Accommodation helps out people with disabilities during COVID-19 travel restrictions