Kid-free restaurant in Istanbul causes controversy

The owners of a restaurant in Istanbul have fuelled a discussion on social media as they refused a woman to enter with her child, saying, “We are a kid-free business.”

The woman targeted the restaurant on Twitter, blaming the owners of the business for “discrimination.”

Social media users, business owners and even the psychologists intervening in the discussion were divided into two, some supporting the idea of a kid-free restaurant, some opposing it.

“Children should go to bed by 10 p.m. Of course, you should not go to a restaurant with a kid at that hour. What is a child doing there at that hour?” Yeşim Akıncı, a psycologist, told daily Hürriyet on Aug. 20.

Arif Verimli, a prominent psychologist in the country, directly opposed the idea of a kid-free restaurant. “I find a world without children a little beastly and not chirpy. There may be people choosing a way of life without kids, but such a concept does not fit me,” he said.

Clinical psychologist Emre Konuk is on the side of people finding the discussion “weird.”

“As if there is only one restaurant in Turkey and it does not allow kids to enter,” he noted.

Another psychologist, Ozanser Uğurlu, raised the bar on the discussion, defending that the situation was a “cultural matter.”

“We have a children-based culture. We were nomads first, then with the start of agriculture, we settled. Just at this point, people saw children as an object that widens and keeps the family tight. Motherhood is sacred, so is childhood,” Uğurlu said.

When asked if he supported the owners of the kid-free restaurant, Uğurlu replied, “As parents with children face no problem for dining in any restaurant, some businesses may choose to ban kids.”

Other than children, he also blamed their parents. “A child will show its childhood anywhere. The problem is the parents. Some raise kids without limits and responsibilities.”

Defending the idea of a kid-free restaurant Akıncı said, “At restaurants, people smoke and drink alcohol. Also, there is loud airplay in the place… All these would badly affect kids.”

However, Verimli highlighted another bad effect of being rejected at the door of a restaurant.

“It is quite embarrassing not to be permitted to enter. Both for a mother and a child,” he defended.

Daily Hürriyet’s two columnists, Orkun Ün and Cihan Şensözlü, also participated in the discussion by being on the side of the restaurant.

Another columnist, Fulya Soybaş was on the woman’s side.

“The tranquility of public space can not be solved by disclaiming a child, a woman, or any other from a religion or a race,” she wrote on her column on Aug. 20.

Uğurlu admitted that he found the “discrimination” allegations “a little exaggerated.”

“Calling this event as ‘discrimination’ is overstepping the mark, isn’t it? As a result, a kid is not a race or gender,” he said.

Source: https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/kid-free-restaurant-in-istanbul-causes-controversy-167229

Unvaccinated People Facing More Travel Restrictions Across EU

With the introduction of the COVID-19 Passport, holding a certificate that proves vaccination or previous recovery from the virus has become a norm in order to be allowed restriction-free entry in several European Union countries.

Currently, the majority of the EU countries keep in place strict restrictions against travellers who have not been vaccinated or recovered from the COVID-19 disease in order to protect public health and avoid an upsurge of infection cases.

As such, in most cases, the strictest restrictions are imposed against those travelling from countries that are placed on the red and yellow list, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

Lithuania is one of the EU countries that has in place a double testing requirement for all travellers entering its territory from a country that is placed on the yellow list. This means that all unvaccinated and unrecovered travellers must take a test before entry and another one three to five days after their arrival.

Just recently, Lithuania imposed a double testing requirement for arrivals from Bulgaria, Liechtenstein and Slovenia.

As for unvaccinated and unrecovered travellers arriving from a country on the red list, Lithuania keeps even more stringent restrictions. Except for the testing requirement, those arriving from a red country need to stay self-isolated for ten days.

Similarly, the Czech Republic also keeps tightened entry rules for all persons who have not been vaccinated or recovered from the virus. – Advertisement –

According to the Ministry of Health of Czechia, all persons that arrive from a red country and who do not meet the vaccination and previous recovery requirements need to undergo testing before entry and follow quarantine rules as soon as they enter the latter’s territory.

From today, tightened rules apply to all unvaccinated travellers entering Czechia from Belgium, Denmark and several other countries.

Except for the two countries mentioned above, the Danish authorities have also announced that persons who have not been vaccinated or recovered from the virus arriving from several EU/Schengen Area, and third countries must follow testing and quarantine requirements.

Travellers arriving in Denmark from a country placed on the yellow list are obliged to undergo double testing, whereas those arriving from a country placed on the orange list need to stay self-isolated, apart from the testing requirement.

Yesterday, Denmark revealed that unvaccinated travellers from Italy and some regions of Switzerland are obliged to undergo double COVID-19 testing.

On the other hand, Finland has decided to ban unvaccinated travellers arriving from specific countries.

Source: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/unvaccinated-people-facing-more-travel-restrictions-across-eu/

Lifting restrictions on hospitality sees record job losses and record job vacancies simultaneously

Pre-pandemic the hospitality industry employed 3.2 million people. This month the Office for National Statistics shows that figure as 1.8 million, a contraction of 1.4 million or -44%.

If more than a million people that worked in hospitality pre-pandemic are now not, why is the ONS showing there are currently 117,000 job vacancies in hospitality?

ONS figures researched in partnership with ESCoE also show at least 355,000 people that worked in hospitality pre-pandemic were forced during the pandemic to leave the UK under Brexit legislation.

The so called ‘pingdemic’ did impact but has diminished, and in the past month as those people returned to work job vacancies continued to increase.

Exactly a month ago to the day all Covid restrictions were lifted, businesses reopened, customers came back, and the attempt to operate without a full team proved futile. Businesses were forced to limit trading and ‘freedom day’ transpired to be nothing of the sort as job vacancies continued to rise.

Why would vacancies rise as business reopened? The vacancies are open to skilled and experienced people, the sort of people that Brexit dispelled.

The exact same people trained as HGV drivers, also ‘sent home’ by Brexit, that today is impacting hospitality’s supply chain to such an extent more restaurants are unable to open.

Just as HGV drivers need to be trained so do chefs and many other roles in hospitality, and that takes time. The hospitality industry needs a constant pipeline of people being trained to fill positions in future. But training people for the future does not fill today’s vacancies, and businesses will continue being unable to trade fully as a consequence.

As was recently said by Professor Peter A Jones MBE FIH in conclusion to his writings in – Key historical issues facing hospitality compounded by Covid-19 – “The only short term solution to the diminishing hospitality workforce is through relaxing immigration restrictions on EU nationals.”

Enabling Professor Jones’ conclusion is an opportunity presented to hospitality through asking government to: “Ease immigration restrictions on EU nationals and other migrant workers with experience of working in the UK hospitality industry, at least temporarily, immediately. This could be achieved by creating a new hospitality visa, or exempting non-UK nationals with relevant experience from immigration requirements.”

Source: https://www.hospitalityandcateringnews.com/2021/08/lifting-restrictions-on-hospitality-sees-record-job-losses-and-record-job-vacancies-simultaneously/

No North America tourism recovery until 2025

Destinations across North America are at different stages of tourism development.

However, one common factor between the United States, Mexico and Canada is that the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 have been felt hard.

That is accord to GlobalData, a data and analytics company.

A report, Tourism Destination Market Insight: North America (2021), found that total international arrivals to the region declined 67 per cent year-on-year in 2020 and inbound expenditure by 74 per cent.

North America’s forecast recovery follows the general global travel consensus that domestic tourism will recover first (2022), but international arrivals will not recover until 2024.

Forecasts for inbound tourism expenditure, however, suggest this will not surpass pre-pandemic levels until after 2025. 

Johanna Bonhill-Smith, travel and tourism analyst at GlobalData, commented: “Covid-19 can still be identified as the greatest threat to growth within the travel sector, and in North America this is no different.

“The loss of inbound tourist spending in 2020 to North America was significant.

“GlobalData’s forecast suggest this is not expected to fully recover until after 2025, and this will be one of the greatest factors affecting economic recovery for the region over the next few years.”

One of the major benefits of inbound tourism is spending, which can boost economic revenues, stimulate employment and act as a catalyst for infrastructure development.

Each destination does hold a strong domestic tourism offering, but this cannot be relied upon alone to offset the collapse of international travel.

Bonhill-Smith continued: “Travel to North America from other destinations worldwide can be expensive.

“GlobalData’s survey found that 23 per cent of global respondents have reduced their household budgets in the past year and 27 per cent have ‘somewhat’ reduced them.

“Reduced budgets mean less expenditure on recreation affecting the ability to travel.

“Budget constraints are going to be more important in purchasing travel experiences over the next few years, which could jeopardize North America’s tourism recovery in comparison to other regions worldwide.”

Due to proximity, connectivity and competing low-cost carrier operators, travel between the US, Canada and Mexico can be relatively low-cost, spurring travel across the destinations.

Intra-regional travel will be vital in North America’s tourism recovery.

Each destination already relies heavily on neighbouring destinations as important sources for economic income.

Source: https://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/no-north-america-tourism-recovery-until-2025/

Self-isolation changes: Relief for hospitality managers as ‘pingdemic’ ends, but ‘uncertainty’ not over yet

Managers at pubs and hotels, and the CBI, have warned that disruption could last for weeks to come with younger hospitality workers less likely to have had both vaccine doses.

Pub and hotel managers have hailed changes to self-isolation rules – which are set to mark the end of the ‘pingdemic‘ – but warned that uncertainty is not over for businesses yet.

From Monday, those who are fully vaccinated will no longer have to quarantine when identified as a close contact, signalling an end to temporary closures and huge staff shortages that have blighted the hospitality industry this summer.

However, managers have warned that with younger staff members – who are more likely to work in hospitality – still waiting to receive second doses, some disruption is still expected over the coming weeks.

Veryan Palmer, director of the five-star Headland Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall, welcomed the changes, but added: “It’s not quite over for us yet”.

“Generally our older staff have been fully vaccinated, but if you’re young you still often haven’t yet had your second vaccination.”

Over recent weeks, the hotel has experienced mass disruption due to self-isolation, leading to bedrooms being closed and only one of its three restaurants being able to operate.

At one point, 51 out of its 227 staff had been pinged, although only one employee has tested positive for Covid after being told to self-isolate by the NHS Covid-19 app.

“It’s been really tough and it’s been really tough for a lot of the staff. People want to work and they want to earn money,” said Ms Palmer.

She added that on top of having lots of staff under 25 who are yet to receive a second dose, there were fears that last week’s Boardmasters Festival, which was held in the town, could lead to an uptick people being told to isolate.

“I know a lot of young staff managed to get tickets. We’re hoping that it won’t have become a super-spreader event,” she said.

Disruption to the industry caused by people being asked to self-isolate after being pinged as a close contact could last for several weeks yet.

Those who are yet to receive a second dose will then have to wait two weeks until they are exempt from quarantine when contacted.

Martin Robinson, general manager at Ye Old Fighting Cocks, in St Albans – which claims to be the oldest pub in England – said the changes would make things “much easier”.

But, he added: “A lot of the staff are under 21, so it’s going to take a little while for everyone to get there.”

Amid the heatwave on 12 July, the pub was forced to close for 10 days after all 17 staff who were working that day were pinged.

“Not one of us tested positive. That was a real kick,” said Mr Robinson. “10 days, beautiful sunshine, and a bunch of healthy 20-somethings sat at home twiddling their thumbs.”

On Monday, the pub’s chef was isolating after contracting Covid, meaning there was no kitchen service.

But while Mr Robinson said it was important to keep people safe and to avoid further lockdowns, even small numbers of staff isolating caused big issues because the pub was operating on scaled-back staff numbers.

“You try to run as slim as possible because we’re coming out of financial hardship,” he said.

“When you’re running that tight, it only takes one person to say I’ve been pinged and it’s really tough to deliver a decent standard of service.”

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said the changes would come as “a long-awaited relief to businesses” and would “ease” the impact of the pandemic.

However, a spokesperson added: “for those sectors reliant upon younger works still awaiting their second jab, including hospitality, a critical part of the workforce still face the prospect of needlessly having to self-isolate.

“A practical test and release scheme could be a sensible alternative for those who are single-dosed to ensure that self-isolation remains properly targeted at those who risk spreading the virus.”

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) also said that while the new exemptions would provide “huge relief” to small business owners, a “well-functioning testing system” was also critical.

Source: https://inews.co.uk/news/self-isolation-rule-changes-hospitality-relief-pingdemic-ends-uncertainty-not-over-1152908

The top performing cities at the peak of Summer 2021

Rentals United looked at data across ten cities in 6 countries – Spain, United Kingdom, France, Greece, Italy and the USA – and looked at how cities are recovering compared to 2019 data.

BARCELONA – The height of summer 2021 has brought mixed news from countries around the world citing progression of vaccination programs coupled with new COVID outbreaks, creating some confusion as well as positivity towards travel. With such opposing news stories, Rentals United has reported some interesting statistics regarding vacation rental performance.

Rentals United looked at data across ten cities in 6 countries – Spain, United Kingdom, France, Greece, Italy and the USA – and looked at how cities are recovering compared to 2019 data. Here is how each city is performing, with data insights from the Rentals United Data Studio.

The Top-Performing Cities in the US and Europe
While demand for rural destination and resort markets has dominated 2020 and 2021, urban vacation rentals are still very much on travellers’ radars. With vaccinations being widely distributed and countries reopening their borders, many cities are already starting to notice the effects.

Rentals United is shedding some light on the urban properties and showing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Ten cities across Spain, United Kingdom, France, Greece, Italy, and the USA were analysed in terms of reservation performance in 2021 compared to 2019.

The return of urban travel is moving in a positive direction

USA
Over the last two months, bookings made in New York have started to creep up again. Compared to 2019, New York is seeing an average increase of 258% in booking reservations across the past eight weeks. With vaccination roll-out in the USA being one of the fastest across the world, people are feeling safer to travel within the country and to other cities.

Miami Beach
According to Rentals United data, current Miami Beach reservations are also outperforming 2019 with an average increase of 123% across weeks 23-30.

UK: Brighton
Brighton is one of the top destinations for holidaymakers in the UK. With strict travel restrictions still in place, many UK travellers are once again forgoing their holiday abroad and choosing to staycation in the UK. Since the pandemic, however, Brighton has seen an uptick in reservations with a percentage increase of 67.5% compared to 2019.

Spain: Barcelona
While Spain is bouncing back, Barcelona is taking a little longer to get back to pre-pandemic times. With the spike in Covid cases in Barcelona over the past couple of weeks, it clearly took a hit with reservations. Barcelona is starting to look a little more positive in terms of bookings but we still see an average percentage decrease of -28.4% compared with 2019.

Madrid
Over the last two months, bookings for Madrid have started to creep up again. Compared to 2019, Madrid is seeing an average increase of 8.3% in booking reservations across the past eight weeks.

Malaga
Malaga is another city in Spain that is performing very well when compared to 2019, Malaga is actually outperforming 2019 with an average increase of 72.5% per cent. The reason for these great statistics can be attributed to Spain’s open borders for tourism, and the staggering 3.5 million flights being booked between June and September. Thanks to Malaga’s southern location situated on the coast it is a high demand location for those looking to enjoy the Mediterranean sea.

Greece: Athens
Demand for vacation rentals in Greece has been huge this summer and that includes Athens too. Vacation rentals in Greece are especially popular among travellers from Spain, France and Italy. Thanks to their open borders and relaxed restrictions, compared to 2019, Athens has seen an average percentage increase of more than 201%.

France: Paris
Despite the lockdowns and restrictions France has had to endure, the performance in Paris is beginning to pick up again in comparison with 2019. Over the past 4 weeks, bookings made are starting to close the gap with 2019 performance. While not yet at the same, there are definitely positive movements in the right direction.

Rennes
Rennes is the capital city of Brittany, located in northwest France. Current Rennes reservations are outperforming 2019 with an average increase of 33.6% across weeks 23-30. One of the best locations to be bouncing back after the pandemic in France, this medieval city is a cultural hub for tourists looking to getaway.

Italy: Milan
Italy as a whole is bouncing back tremendously well, thanks to its popularity with French travellers who are able to drive across the border. Italian cities, on the other hand, are taking a little longer to bounce back. There has, however, been some positive trends over the past 8 weeks. 2021 bookings being created are looking to be on the uptick, and last week in Milan alone bookings were only -18.% down when compared to the same statistics in 2019.

Source: https://www.traveldailynews.com/post/the-top-performing-cities-at-the-peak-of-summer-2021

Marriott Bonvoy Relaunches Moments Platform, Bringing Back Money-Can’t-Buy Experiences To Members

Members Can Create Memories with Pinch-Yourself Experiences Like Exclusive Access to NFL Kickoff, Walking the Red Carpet at the MTV VMAs or Designing a Wedding Gown with a Top Bridal Designer

Following more than a year of physical isolation and missed connections, Marriott Bonvoy – Marriott International’s award-winning travel program – is ushering in a refreshed version of the Marriott Bonvoy Moments platform to help members who want to make up for lost time. Launching today, Marriott Bonvoy’s new offering of mind-expanding, money-can’t-buy Moments with both new and long-standing collaborators aims to serve as a vehicle for travelers to discover the world around them and be forever transformed by the places, experiences and people encountered along the way.

With 66% of people saying they were inspired to create a bucket list because of the pandemic¹, the Marriott Bonvoy Moments program gives members ways to check items off their list with those closest to them. Using Marriott Bonvoy points accumulated from travel and everyday activities such as credit card spend, ride-sharing, or food delivery, members can gain VIP access to concerts, culinary experiences, premier sporting events and more all over the globe. Members may redeem their points for either fixed-price experiences or use them to bid on experiences through auctions using the revamped, easy-to-navigate platform.

“After so much time spent unable to do many of the things we enjoy, our members are eager to get back out on the road – not just to escape, but to discover all the people, places and experiences the world has to offer,” said David Flueck, Senior Vice President, Marriott Bonvoy. “We are excited to relaunch Marriott Bonvoy Moments, which has always been one of the most beloved elements of our travel program, and to give our members access to money-can’t-buy experiences where they can make memories, forge new connections and expand their minds.”

Marriott Bonvoy Moments span a wide variety of passions, from sports to culinary, and from music to professional development and more. Moments in both virtual and in-person settings are available on the platform. Examples of Moments available for bidding at launch include:

Sports

Cheer on the start of the 2021 NFL season with an exclusive NFL Kickoff Experience
For the first time ever, Marriott Bonvoy members can celebrate the start of the NFL season with exclusive access to the NFL’s Kickoff celebrations – including tickets to the NFL’s Kickoff Eve Party the night before the game, as well as the VIP Concert Viewing Party leading up to the game on Thursday, September 9^th. The experience will culminate with game tickets to watch the opening game.

Improve your tennis skills at a clinic hosted by former #1 Andy Roddick and attend the Laver Cup
The Laver Cup is an unrivaled men’s team competition that showcases six of the top players from Europe against their counterparts from the rest of the World. Join former world no. 1 Andy Roddick on the Laver Cup practice court for a tennis clinic in the morning. Learn how to dominate your opponent with Roddick’s trademark strokes, including his iconic wrist-snapping forehand and ultra-powerful serves. Then spend the afternoon watching some of the best players in the world compete at the Laver Cup. This is one of many unique Laver Cup-related packages available.

Music

Walk The Red Carpet at MTV’s Video Music Awards
Be among the A-List at MTV’s iconic Video Music Awards, with the opportunity to access the red carpet before you take your seats to the show.

Experience Firefly Music Festival Like a VIP
With Super VIP Weekend Passes, get the best views of main stage performances with access to the front row and the side viewing loft, as well as artist lounges with private bars and complimentary snacks. Relax at the end of a day in your glamping tent, with access to Camping Hubs — featuring additional artist performances, camping entertainment, activities, shopping and more.

Culinary

Secure A Table at The Hottest Spot in Town
Get a guaranteed reservation at top restaurants including Thomas Keller’s Per Se (New York, NY) & The French Laundry (Yountville, CA), Enrique Olvera’s Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico) and Stephanie Izard’s Girl & the Goat (Los Angeles, CA). Some packages also include a private dinner with the Chef.

Learn How to Grill Like a Master
Impress your guests at your next cook-out after a lesson from a Weber Culinary Grillmaster, the brand of grilling equipment for TownePlace Suites hotels.

Personal & Professional Development

Master Public Speaking with Training from TED’s Director of Speaker Coaching
Learn how to master the art of communication – whether in person or virtual – with help from TED’s Director of Speaker Coaching, Briar Goldberg, thanks to Marriott Hotels’ long-standing relationship with TED. In an online class, TED’s public speaking expert will teach valuable communication skills – along with actionable tips and takeaways – through engaging exercises that will help you identify your audience, keep them engaged and inspired and convey your message confidently.

Bring Order to Your Home with The Container Store
At most TownePlace Suites hotels, longer-stay travelers can spread out, settle in and get organized with a custom ElfaÒ closet exclusively from The Container Store. Now, you can get the chance to create the “Ultimate Closet” at home with items from The Container Store and guidance from one of their organizing and custom closet experts.

Arts & Culture

Make Your Special Day Extra-Special with a Made-To-Order Wedding Gown Designed by Justin Warshaw of Justin Alexander
No gown for your re-scheduled wedding? No problem! Come and enjoy an indulgent day helping design the wedding gown of your dreams that will be made to order from Justin Alexander.

Attend a New York Fashion Week Invite-Only Presentation
Be the first to see the fashion brand alice + olivia’s Spring 2022 Collection at an invite-only presentation during fashion week, and have the opportunity to shop the collection.

Marriott Bonvoy will continue to debut one-of-a-kind Moments in new locations around the world throughout the rest of 2021 and beyond. Members will be able to enjoy once-in-a-lifetime experiences once again as Marriott Bonvoy resumes activations under its long-standing relationships with the NFL, Manchester United, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team, the National Park Foundation and many more.

All in-person Marriott Bonvoy Moments will follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control or the equivalent in the country/region where the Moment takes place with regard to mask-wearing, testing and other COVID-19 protocols.

To explore Marriott Bonvoy Moments, please visit https://moments.marriottbonvoy.com. For more information about Marriott Bonvoy or to enroll as a member for free, visit here. Join the conversation @MarriottBonvoy and #MarriottBonvoyMoments.

Source: https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4105870.html

Can Phuket’s sandbox be a model for vaccine tourism?

Phuket opened to tourists despite COVID-19 deaths surging on the mainland. But the sandbox provides lessons for other tourist-friendly countries in the region, says a Southeast Asia observer.

JAKARTA: Before the pandemic, Thai island Phuket offered visitors the perfect blend of sun, beach and seedy-but-fun nightlife as one of the region’s best-known tourist destinations. Now, it offers visitors something much more novel: A quarantine-free holiday.

As of the start of July, fully vaccinated visitors from select countries can fly directly into Phuket and go straight from the tarmac to the beach. Spend a full 14 days there and visitors (or savvy Thai nationals) are welcome to continue their trip around Thailand, effectively spending their quarantine term in a resort under a programme that is being called the “Phuket sandbox”.

The programme isn’t without controversy. Fears over the safety of Phuket communities, as well as cynical assumptions that few would take up the confusing and expensive offer, blighted the programme in its first weeks.

Still, if it goes well, expect to see other holiday favourites such as Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao accessible shortly afterward.

Thailand was the first country outside of China to record a case of COVID-19 which, paired with mass cancellations of trips from Chinese visitors, saw tourism grind to a halt in the first couple of months of 2020.

The sharp, sudden decline in visitor numbers and then eventual rolling lockdowns smashed the country, where tourism accounts for around 12 per cent of GDP.

The delicate balance between economic imperative and public health has been revealing of governments around the world. In Thailand, that balance has looked desperate as the government moved to open something – anything, anywhere – to tourism.

Phuket is a natural choice. With a long-time reputation as one of Thailand’s best resort islands, Phuket has the infrastructure, particularly an international airport, to support the programme.

And as one of the most visitor-dependent provinces in a country already vulnerable to the whims of tourism, it is among the most desperate.

A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD

For the half a million residents of Phuket, the “sandbox” is a double-edged sword. The tourism industry has been all but destroyed by a year of no visitors, but public health is also paramount.

The government in Bangkok promised the plan would not go ahead until the community reached 70 per cent vaccination by the Jul 1 launch, which did in the end fall short – but only slightly.

The province has been plagued by the same issues as the mainland in terms of securing vaccine stock and navigating complicated online systems. Still, the vaccination programme will continue alongside the opening of the sandbox.

Full vaccination can’t come soon enough. At least six tourists have tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving on the island under the sandbox programme. One of the first to be identified was a visitor from United Arab Emirates who had taken the test as part of requirements upon arrival.

Drivers and hotel staff who had come into contact with the man were placed into self-isolation. Health officials confirmed the tourist was vaccinated fully with the Sinopharm vaccine.

“Worry more about domestic arrivals,” provincial chief doctor Kusak Kukiattikoon told local media. His blunt words refer to the growing disaster on the mainland, with new daily record deaths as the Delta variant surges through the country.

Fresh restrictions are expected imminently including restrictions on interprovincial travel – essentially ending the quasi-quarantine of Phuket before heading elsewhere.

Ironically, the launch of the Phuket sandbox may have become a spreader event for the political elite in Bangkok who attended.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha, who proudly attended the launch on the island, went into self-isolation after an attendee tested positive. Spokespeople for the prime minister’s office reassure that he has so far tested negative and will continue his work as usual.

AN OPTION FOR OTHER COUNTRIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

He may well use that time promoting the sandbox idea to other leaders in the region.

As planned travel bubbles, such as that between Singapore and Australia, collapse under the weight of new cases and unsteady vaccine programmes, the sandbox could become an option for other tourist-friendly countries in Southeast Asia.

“The sandbox is much more than just for Phuket or Thailand. It sets a possible way forward for other Asian countries,” tourism magnate Ho Kwon Ping told Bloomberg. He pointed to other possible locales such as China’s Hainan province, islands in Vietnam or even Indonesia’s Bali.

That may be overly ambitious for the time being, but it shows an industry pivoting towards creative ideas which acknowledge the pandemic is a long way from being over.

By the end of the year Phuket expects to have played host to 100,000 visitors. A long cry from the 10 million in years past but a respectable start for a devastated community fighting its way back.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/covid-19-phuket-sandbox-quarantine-beach-resort-travel-thailand-15225442

New coalition to fight for gender equality in hospitality

Hospitality leaders across the globe have come together to form LeadingHôtelières, a coalition working to achieve better representation for women at the highest levels.

Formed by some of the world’s top hoteliers and hospitality academics, this pioneering initiative is calling for gender equality across senior positions, in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5.

Uniting industry leaders in a common goal

The LeadingHôtelières coalition has been founded by the CEO and president of HoteliersGuild, Frank M Pfaller, and co-founded by the CEO of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Lindsey Ueberroth. Considerate Group’s Xenia zu Hohenlohe is leading the coalition as chairwoman in its inaugural year, and the associate professor of management at EHL, Dr Sowon Kim, is joining as co-chair.

“When we looked at our HG membership roster, we realised that we had far too few women in leadership positions,” said Pfaller. “Reaching out initially to Lindsey, Xenia and Sowon, we were thrilled to realise their enthusiasm to join our cause to making a real change.”

Additional support is being provided by industry leaders like the owner and CEO of Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Valentina de Santis; sustainability architect Yasmine Mahmoudieh; the director of Red Carnation Hotels, Vicki Tollman; the director of spa at Four Seasons Hong Kong, Dr Tania Bardhan; and the CEO of hospitality consultancy WE(i) Think, Celine Vadam. Each will play an important role in establishing greater gender balance at a systemic level. The group’s communication is to be coordinated by the managing director of Mason Rose, Maria Pajares.

An advisory board is now taking shape, with founder of ESPA International, Sue Harmsworth; associate professor at Institut Paul Bocuse, Dr Henri Kuokkanen; and professor at IUBH University of Applied Sciences, Dr Willy Legrand onboard to offer support.

Working towards gender balance

Together, these figures are setting plans in motion to encourage gender equality across the industry by providing guidance, mentorship and training through its network of industry contacts.

The focus for the coming year is on addressing flexible working structures. “I’m happy to see more women CEOs in hospitality, but we are still a far cry from where I hope we can be in terms of representation,” said Ueberroth. “The biggest challenges for women looking to achieve top leadership roles were the need to travel, relocate and dedicate long hours.

“In the past, once having children and raising a family came into the equation, many women were forced to make a choice, and those challenges were hard to overcome. Given the innovations in technology and a more open attitude towards flexible working hours and home offices, many of these hurdles seem alleviated.”

“We are currently working on a framework to test whether the outcome of our goal, to improve gender equality among directorial and operational roles in the hospitality industry through updated flexible working schemes, actually works for our hotelier partners,” added Dr Sowon Kim, who is heading up research for the initiative. “We aim to create new and relevant knowledge and share these findings in a meaningful, productive way.”

Xenia zu Hohenlohe concluded: “Gender equality is a key part of the UN’s Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and any business serious about futureproofing itself will need to address this issue.

“We have an incredible collection of women with highly professional profiles paired with great brainpower in this group, all driven by the motivation to ensure the female hotelier of the future will be able to finally have the same opportunities for career development as their male peers. I am delighted to be co-chairing this chapter with the wonderful Sowon Kim and we hope to be able to make a real difference with this work.”

Source: https://tophotel.news/new-coalition-to-fight-for-gender-equality-in-hospitality/

New CEO for Institute of Hospitality

The Institute of Hospitality, the professional body for current and aspiring managers working in hospitality, has appointed Robert Richardson as CEO.

Robert Richardson is to become CEO of the organisation as of 19 April 2021, succeeding Peter Ducker, who spent eight years in the role.  

A new chapter for the Institute of Hospitality

  Now taking the helm of this international professional body, Richardson will endeavour to build on Ducker’s legacy. Richardson was previously general manager of Cave Hotel in Kent and, prior to that, held the same post at The Grand in Folkestone, and was an active member of the institute’s advisory board.   The new CEO received the Institute of Hospitality Judges’ Award in 2018 for his commitment to the professional body, before in September 2020 being named Institute of Hospitality vice-chairman.  

Leading the industry forward

  In this influential role, Richardson will work closely with the Institute of Hospitality chair, Kellie Rixon, to lead the body in a post-pandemic world and help realise its aspiration to achieve chartered status.   “We could not be more thrilled to welcome Robert as our new CEO,” said Rixon. “We know he brings with him not only a wealth of hospitality industry experience and connections, but the respect of his peers in education and the wider community where he has dedicated so much of his time to raising the standards and stature of our amazing profession.”   “As hospitality returns to the forefront of our economy and our daily lives after a year of unprecedented disruption and challenge, there has never been a more important time for our industry to cultivate strong leadership and management skills,” added Richardson. “We also need to attract and inspire future generations of talent, and I believe the IoH is perfectly placed to help support this. It is a huge honour to step up and lead our institute moving forward into a brave new post-lockdown world.”

Source: https://tophotel.news/new-ceo-for-institute-of-hospitality/