This week’s Hotel Wrap might be disappointing to some, considering it’s without any cocktail recipes from hotel mixologists. However, we still encourage you to get drunk on all these positive and proactive industry updates.

World Resorts of Distinction shares 2021 travel offers

Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa – Samoa (supplied)

In a world where not many resorts feel like they’re winning at the moment, World Resorts of Distinction is pleased to share six offers for travel in 2021 from its forward-thinking clients.

While they might not be able to welcome guests right now, they are excitedly preparing for the moment they can.

• Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa – Samoa: Stay five nights for US$1,040 per villa and save 33 per cent
• Toberua Island Resort – Fiji Islands: Take a full island charter for NZ$13,500 per night, including the rental of an entire island for up to 36 adults
• Muri Beach Club Hotel – Cook Islands: Stay for NZ$495 per night and save 25 per cent, plus receive NZ$100 of food and beverage credit
• Soneva Fushi – Maldives: Take 35 per cent off a 14-night stay at US$15,015 per couple
• Ani Private Resorts – Sri Lanka, Thailand: Stay six nights and pay for five at US$1,239 per night, per room on a group vacation
• Resplendent Ceylon – Sri Lanka: Receive a resplendent journey, plus complimentary transfers and experiences from US$5,337 per couple for seven nights.

Accommodation in safe hands on national taskforce: TAA

Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) chair Martin Ferguson AM will take a seat at the table of the newly formed national ‘Tourism Restart Taskforce’, representing accommodation hotels as tourism industry leaders chart a course to rebuild Australia’s decimated tourism sector.

Mr Ferguson said TAA will be able to provide strong, experienced representation for Australia’s accommodation industry during what will inevitably be a long road to recovery.

Crown Group buys land for first residential and hotel project in the United States

Crown Group’s proposed condominium and hotel tower in Downtown LA (Crown Group)

Crown Group Holdings has taken the next steps in its first move into the US market, where it plans to develop a US$500 million mixed-use high-rise condominium and hotel tower in Los Angeles’ Downtown district.

Crown Group is progressing entitlements with Los Angeles City Hall for the proposed tower, which is earmarked for the southeast corner of South Hill and 11th streets at the convergence of Downtown’s financial, fashion and South Park districts.

Vail Resorts announces 19/20 pass holder credits and ‘epic coverage’ for 20/21 season

To honour the loyalty of its pass holders, Vail Resorts has announced a comprehensive plan to address pass holders’ concerns about last season’s closures – and provide them with peace of mind for the future.

To address last season, Vail Resorts will provide credits from 20 per cent to 80 per cent for season pass holders.

Looking ahead to the 2020-21 season, Vail Resorts is launching ‘epic coverage’, which is free for all pass holders and completely replaces the need to purchase pass insurance, which can cost up to $60 for other passes.

Epic Coverage provides for a refund if travellers have an eligible injury, job loss, or experience other personal events that prevent you from using your pass.

It also provides a refund for certain resort closures, including for events like COVID-19, giving travellers a refund for any portion of the season that is lost.

For more information, click here.

Elysia Wellness Retreat launches digital wellness offering

Elysia Wellness Retreat’s movement coach, Adrienne Simpson (supplied)

The Hunter Valley’s Elysia Wellness Retreat has launched a free series of wellness content available through Facebook, Instagram and its website. The first piece of content launched on Monday, and new content will be available every second day.

In-house experts include movement coach Adrienne Simpson, yogi Alli Summers, naturopath Gina Burns, chef James Knight, qualified counsellor Cath Adams, physiotherapist Melissa Ingram, and fitness coach Matt Rendall.

Further details on the topics that will be covered in coming weeks include healthy recipes for boosting immunity, tai chi, meditation, yoga, pilates and functional training, and handy tips including creating your own kitchen herb garden and making at-home cleaners from natural products.

Turtle Island team celebrate Earth Day by planting 50 native yaro plants

While the team at Turtle Island may not have guests to look after, they’re keeping busy by looking after their environment.

To celebrate Earth Day, last week, the island’s staff planted 50 native yaro plants (Premna protusa), a Fijian plant used to help relieve fever or headaches.

Arise Hotels & Apartments donates 5000 PPE masks

Arise CEO Michael Song with David Sawers and PA Hospital staff (supplied)

Arise Hotels & Apartments has delivered 5000 protective face masks to two of South East Queensland’s busiest hospitals.

The donation comes on the back of COVID-19 and the intense demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) required by frontline heath care workers, which saw 2,500 high quality N95 masks delivered to both Gold Coast University Hospital and Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital.

New COVID-19 hygiene training for hospitality and tourism a pathway to re-opening: AHA

The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) WA has partnered with the WA Government to deliver the AHA Hospitality & Tourism COVID-19 Hygiene Course, which will be mandatory for all hospitality staff to successfully complete before their hospitality employer is able to re-open, when restrictions ease.

AHA WA chief executive Bradley Woods said the new and innovative online course will equip hospitality staff and management with a comprehensive understanding of COVID-19 hygiene requirements, helping prepare businesses to re-open safely and responsibly.

The AHA Hospitality & Tourism COVID-19 Hygiene Course will cover the following modules:

• Understanding COVID-19 and venue restrictions
• Reporting personal health issues
• Maintaining personal and work environment hygiene practices, specific to COVID-19
• Reducing cross contamination through procedures, specific to COVID-19
• Effective cleaning and sanitising practices, specific to COVID-19.

Hilton, Marriott raise cleanliness and hygiene standards to address COVID-19 concerns

Hilton has announced a new program to deliver an industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection in Hilton properties around the world.

In a first for the hospitality business, Hilton will collaborate with RB, maker of Lysol and Dettol, and consult with Mayo Clinic to develop elevated processes and team member training to help Hilton guests enjoy an even cleaner and safer stay from check-in to check-out.

Hilton CleanStay with Lysol protection, as the program will be called in North America, will be a rigorous system that incorporates RB’s trusted know-how and scientific approach to cleaning practices and product offerings. Experts from Mayo Clinic’s Infection Prevention and Control team will advise and assist in enhancing Hilton’s cleaning and disinfection protocols.

Hilton CleanStay was developed to meet evolving consumer expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic and their heightened concerns regarding hygiene.

Trust in cleanliness standards, Hilton said, will be critical to restarting travel.

It comes as Marriott International announced that it will be rolling out a multi-pronged platform to elevate its cleanliness standards and hospitality norms and behaviours to meet the new health and safety challenges presented by the current pandemic environment.

Marriott has created the Marriott Global Cleanliness Council to tackle the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic at the hotel level and further advance the company’s efforts in this area.

Among the measures being introduced is the use of enhanced technologies, like electrostatic sprayers (pictured above), to counter the virus’ spread, among others.

JobKeeper should not be a cash grab for the states: AAoA

The tourism accommodation sector is calling on all state and territory governments to remove additional taxes and charges on JobKeeper payments, to ensure that businesses can retain their connection with close to 100,000 employees in the sector.

Dean Long, chief executive of the Accommodation Association, said: “The Federal Government has stepped up to the plate with this wage subsidy, recognising that businesses across Australia value their employees and yet do not have the cashflow to retain employees during a period of zero demand.

“The stated purpose of JobKeeper is to keep an employer connected to the business, so businesses are in a position to bounce back and contribute to the economy post-COVID 19.

“Unfortunately while states have been supportive of small business they are inconsistent in overall response, imposing taxes and charges on the Federal Government stimulus that act as a disincentive for employers to put their staff onto JobKeeper.”

Long said states such as South Australia and Western Australia have demonstrated leadership in waiving the payroll tax on JobKeeper, but there is a lack of consistency across other states response.

Blackstone advises of purchase Of Crown Hotels shares

In a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange, Crown Resorts said it had been informed that an entity owned by funds managed or advised by The Blackstone Group Inc. and its affiliates had purchased 67,675,000 shares in Crown.

This represents 9.99 per cent of the issued capital of Crown, as purchased Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited at a price of $8.15 per share, Crown Resorts advised.

Airbnb announces enhanced cleaning measures for the future of travel

Image supplied

Airbnb has created the Enhanced Cleaning Initiative, which includes the first overarching standardised protocol for cleaning and sanitisation in the home sharing industry.

The work is informed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published standards; leading experts such as Dr. Vivek Murthy, former Surgeon General of the United States; and companies in the hospitality and medical hygiene sector, such as Ecolab, a global leader in cleaning and hygiene technologies and services.

It comes as Airbnb prepares to launch its new cleaning protocol in May, with enhanced procedures and guidance on how to clean every room in a home, including specific information on COVID-19 prevention.

For more information, click here.

Hotels for Health by TripAdvisor connects hotels with healthcare providers

TripAdvisor has this week launched Hotels for Health, a program to connect healthcare and government agencies worldwide with lodging providers who can supply rooms in this time of need.

With hospitals in many areas close to reaching capacity, and many frontline healthcare providers unable to return to their homes after their shift, the extra beds provided by TripAdvisor’s hotel partners will make a huge difference in the fight against COVID-19, TripAdvisor said.

The site allows healthcare providers to advise that they need rooms, and hotels to advise that they have spare rooms available. The teams at TripAdvisor will then connect the hotels and healthcare providers.

Featured image: Muri Beach Club Hotel (supplied)