AHCT Oct 09

asian hotel& Catering times

Published since 1976 Vol 34 October 2009

hong Kong sAR hK$50 china RMb50singapore s$15 Malaysia RM30 Thailand bt300 Rest of Asia us$10

THE SPA ISSUERecruitment’s the rub

Does Green mean green?

What’s in an amenity’s name?

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LRT Oct 09.ai 9/22/09 12:38:33 PM

WHAT WE LIVE FOR.

www.lifefitness.com

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Life fitness Oct 09.pdf 9/22/09 2:52:52 PM

Mischa Moselle

AsiAn Hotel & CAtering tiMes is publisHed MontHly by tHoMson press Hong Kong ltd (tpHK)

The opinions expressed in Asian Hotel & Catering Times do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or the publication. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted by the publisher, editors and staff, agents and contributors for omissions, typographical or printers errors, inaccuracies or changes howsoever caused. The editors reserve the right to edit any material submitted at their discretion. All materials published remain the property of TPHK. Reproduction without permission by any means is strictly prohibited. Correspondence should be addressed to The Editor, Asian Hotel & Catering Times, Room 1205-6, 12/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2815 9111 Fax: (852) 2851 1933. Fantasy Print, Unit B 8/F, Tin Fung Industial Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong

All rights reserved (c) 2009Thomson Press Hong Kong Ltd

Welcome to the very latest issue of Asia’s favourite hospitality read.

This month we take a look at the business of spas. Insiders comment on the best way of recruiting spa managers who have the ‘hands-on’ therapeutic experience and the hard business head needed to generate revenue.

Also, spa branding: as environmentalism becomes ever more ingrained in the mainstream, we take a peek at spas that have their ‘green-ness’ built in; and how spa amenities are also crucial to branding, be it

Hong Kong Hotels AssociAtion

Hong Kong cHefs AssociAtion

federAtion of Hong Kong restAurAnt owners

tHe federAtion of Hong Kong Hotel owners

AssociAtionof tHAilAnd

BAKing industry trAining centre

AssociAtion of internAtionAl

Hoteliers sHAngHAi

singAporecHefs AssociAtion

Hong Kong BAKery & confectionery

AssociAtion

singAporeHotel AssociAtion

Hong Kong BArtenders AssociAtion

Hong Kong MAitre d’Hotel AssociAtion

sHAngHAi cHefs AssociAtion

MyAnMAr cHefsAssociAtion

MAlAysiAn AssociAtionof Hotels

MAcAu HotelAssociAtion

cluB MAnAgers AssociAtionHong Kong

HONG KONGThomson Press Hong Kong Limited/Media Transasia LimitedRoom 1205-6, 12/F, Hollywood Centre,233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong KongTel: +(852) 2851 7068, 2815 9111 Fax: +(852) 2851 1933, 2581 9531Email: [email protected]: Mr Mischa Moselle

AUSTRALIAMass Media PublicitasLevel 9, 215-217 Clarence Street Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Tel: + 61 2 9252 3476 Fax: +61 2 9251 3726 Email: [email protected]: Mr Charlton D’Silva

INDIAMedia Transasia (India) LtdK-35 Green Park, New Delhi-110016Tel: +91 (0) 11 26862687 / 6868775 Fax: +91 (0) 11 26867641Email: [email protected]: Mr. Xavier Collaco

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THAILANDMedia Transasia Thailand Ltd14/F, Ocean Tower II, 75/10 Soi Wattana,Sukhumvit Soi 21, Asoke Road, Klongtoey,Prakanong, Bangkok 10110, ThailandTel: +66 2 204 2370 Fax: +66 2 204 2391Email: [email protected]: Mr Gaurav Kumar

UNITED KINGDOMThe Powers Turner GroupGordon House, Greencoat PlaceLondon SW1P 1PH, United KingdomTel: +44 (0) 20 7592 8300 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7592 8301Contact: Mr Chris Morgan

USARiverside Media159 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Lake Placid,NY 12946, USATel: +1 518 523 4794 Fax: +1 518 523 4708Email: [email protected]: Ms Christina Eccleston

Marston Webb International60 Madison Avenue, Suite 1011,New York, NY 10010, USATel: +1 212 684 6601 Fax: +1 212 725 4708Telex: (023) 420773 BRANINTContact: Ms Madlene Olson

ITALYEdiconsult Internazionale s.r.l.Piazza Fontane Marose, 3-16123 GenovaTel: +39 010 583684 Fax: +39 010 566578Email: [email protected]: Mr Vittorio Negrone

JAPANEcho Japan CorporationGrande Maison Rm 303, 2-2 Kudan-kita 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0073Tel: +81 3 3234 2064 Fax: +81 3 3263 5065Email: [email protected]: Mr Ted Asoshina

MALAYSIAPublicitas International Sdn Bhd.S 105, 2nd Floor, CentrepointLebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.Tel : 603 7729 6923Fax : 603 7729 7115 Email: [email protected]: Ms Shallie Cheng

the spas’ own brand or a name that’s already famous. The choice is between piggybacking on someone else’s marketing legwork or creating a strong individual identity.

Branding is of course the key word across the whole hotel and is something seen by guests every time they encounter a uniformed member of staff. Some hotels in Europe and North America have been bold enough to hire top fashion designers to create chic uniforms for staff but hotel operators and owners in Asia are not enthusiastic – practicality and cost seem to be the key concerns.

MAnAgIng EdITorMischa Moselle

[email protected]

dESIgn byKoon Ming Tang

[email protected]

ConTrIbUTorSBruce DawsonZara Horner

Christina KautzkyCatharine Nicol Ruth Williams

ASSoCIATE PUblISHErSharon Knowler

[email protected]

AdvErTISIng SAlES MAnAgErClaire Sancelot

clair [email protected]

CIrCUlATIon ExECUTIvEBecky Chau

[email protected]

CHAIrMAnJS Uberoi

dIrECTorGaurav Kumar

endorseMents

Finally we would like to raise a glass to the memory of restaurateur, TV chef and outdoor drinking enthusiast Keith Floyd, a man passionately dedicated to good food and to passing on his knowledge and enthusiasm.

Have a slurp on us, Keith.

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E d i t o r ’ s M E s s a g E

� AHCT october 2009

EQUIPMEnT34 Big brand or own brand spa

amenities38 Tabletop trends42 Designer uniforms don’t catch on

in Asia

EvEnTS And ExHIbITIonS48 Events calendar49 Food and Hotel Malaysia reviewed50 Food and Hotel China previewed52 International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant

previewed53 Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong reviewed

APPoInTMEnTS54 See who is moving where

A safe pair of hands

Health huts

MAnAgEMEnT12 Recruiting quality spa managers16 Independents share the marketing

clout of affiliation organizations

TECHnology20 Revenue Management Systems boost

profits

dESIgn24 Environmentally-friendly spas

Food 32 A hotel’s halal experience

nEWS CUlInAry30 Italian revival; Cooking contests;

Wine events

IndUSTry8 Marriott expansion; Vietnam;

Kadoorie honoured

ProdUCT46 Tabletops galore

cover photography courtesy of the intercontinental Bali resort

Uniformly striking

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UpandComing...November• Loyalty programmes• Market Report Hong Kong• In-room entertainment• Bar design• Banqueting• Whisky• Tea & Coffee; Room safes

December• Pay scales• Market Report: the Philippines• ASP• Hotel• Desserts; Meat• Beer; Cocktails• Dishwashers; Lighting

Alpha International 9 Boncafe 28 & 29 BSC OBC Charming Ideas 17 Easy (Ez) Revenue Management Solutions 23 Global Search International 11 Global Chef 43 Groupe Batteur-Algotherm & TDO 37 Gulfood 55 Hotel Expo Macau 45 Hotelex 2010 41 IDeaS 21 IH/M&RS 19 Life Fitness IFC LRT 3 Lutron 5 M.Schaerer 27 Monin 15 PROS Pricing 25 World Gourmet Japan 47

Advert isers’ index

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CONTENTSV o l u m e 3 4 o c t o b e r 2 0 0 9

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At a September press conference during which he characterised 2009 as a “tough year”, Marriott International’s President and Managing Director International Lodging, Ed Fuller announced the company had signed management contracts for 21 new hotels in the Asia Pacific region.

This brings Marriott’s Asia Pacific pipeline to 58 hotels under development or some 16,000 rooms.

The newly announced properties are scheduled to open through the end of 2013 and represent 7,000 rooms across four brands – JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts; Marriott Hotels & Resorts; Renaissance Hotels & Resorts and Courtyard by Marriott.

The properties are planned for China, the Philippines, Thailand, India and in Cambodia – a first for the group.

Marriott International is confident that both leisure and business travel will grow, citing a survey by the National Business Travel Association predicting a 7.2 percent growth in business travel by 2013.

The company’s confidence in China stems from its experience of robust growth in the country and the belief – based on a prediction by the U.S-China Business Council – that by 2050 the country’s economy would be twice that of the United States in size.

The World Travel and Tourism Council has also predicted that China will be the leading country for outbound travel by 2020.

Fuller went on to say that while Marriott International had tended to concentrate on the key cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, it would now be expanding further into second and third tier destinations and adding to its properties in Sanya, with the addition of the JW Marriott Sanya Qinqshui Bay Resort & Spa. An overwhelming majority of Sanya’s guests are from the mainland itself.

Marriott International currently has seven hotels in key cities in India and a further 25 under development.

Fuller said that the company was “well-positioned” in Thailand with its base of 13 hotels set to expand to 26.

Marriott’s first Cambodia property is to be in Siem Reap and will be a 206-room Courtyard by Marriott.

As of mid-June this year, Marriott International operated 3,200 lodging properties in 67 countries and territories, employing roughly 146,000.

In addition, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is seeking to expand its current offer of 16 hotels and some 5,000 rooms with a pipeline of nine properties or some 1,500 rooms.

Next year Ritz-Carlton properties are slated to open in Shanghai and Hong Kong’s Kowloon district.

Marriott announces ambitious Asia expansion

RenaissanceShanghaiSongjiang

CourtyardbyMarriottHangzhou

CourtyardbyMarriottPuneChakan

Iconic hotel, Ho Chi Minh City’s the Caravelle has celebrated turning fifty. The Worldhotels Deluxe Collection affiliate, a legendary base for Vietnam War correspondents, marked the milestone with a memorable party in a ballroom transformed into a replica of the former Rue Catinat (now Dong Khoi Street) as it looked in the 1960s.The Caravelle underwent refurbishment in the late 90’s and has recently completed a revamp of its ground floor dining.

The hotel has new neighbours.The first international luxury hotel to open in Ho Chi Minh

City in the last four years and the first residential property under the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) brand in Asia Pacific have opened as InterContinental Asiana Saigon hotel and InterContinental Asiana Saigon Residences. The 305-room hotel has 5 restaurants and bars, spa, and health club featuring a 20-metre long outdoor swimming pool. Sister property InterContinental Asiana Saigon Residences offers 260 fully furnished serviced apartments, ranging from a one-bedroom at 78 square metres to a three-bedroom at 204 square metres. To celebrate its opening, InterContinental Asiana Saigon is offering a special introductory rate of approx. US$195++ including complimentary breakfast for two and free access to the health club. Available until 31st December 2009. And meeting packages with 15 percent discount until 31st December 2009 for groups of 20 persons or more only.

Not looking a day older

TheCaravelleturns50

AdeluxeroomattheInterContinentalAsiana

i n d u s t r y n E w s

� AHCT october 2009


october 2009 AHCT �

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Queue reduction solution“Your room is not ready yet” is probably among the most annoying sentences in the world, with obvious impacts on guest satisfaction, staff stress levels, and cleaning quality. It’s not a new problem, but Optii Keeper promises to make it a thing of the past. A dynamic scheduling and management process, Optii Keeper coordinates housekeeping workflow, supervises, and performance-manages it in real time. “Optii’s managed processes result in rooms coming back into clean inventory earlier,” says Soenke Weiss, CEO of Optii Solutions. “Beyond an overall reduction in labour requirements and quality improvements, this is a key aspect of Optii Keeper that directly impacts on the guests’ arrival experience.”

The idea is being implemented at the City of Dreams in Macau.

Singapore’s 49-hectare family fun park Sentosa island is ear-marked to become home to Southeast Asia’s first Universal Studios theme park, the world’s largest oceanarium ‘Marine Life Park’ and the region’s only fully integrated destination spa, ESPA. The development will include six themed hotels as well as huge capacity event venues. Four hotels will open in early 2010 including the ultra-luxurious Maxims Tower; the world’s only Hotel Michael, named the architect Michael Graves who designed the resort; the glamorous and cool Hard Rock Hotel Singapore; and family friendly Festive Hotel. Resorts World Sentosa opens in early 2010 and is expected to welcome 13 million visitors in its first year.

The resort’s public relations are to be handled by veterans Grebstad Hicks Communications.

Winds of change blow in ChicagoThe Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH) has confirmed its wholly-owned subsidiary, HSH Chicago, Inc. has entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement with Tower Summit LLC to purchase the remaining 7.5 percent of the ownership interest in Peninsula Chicago LLC. HSH

Wyndham expands into ThailandWyndham Hotel Group, has signed the company’s first management agreements in Bangkok, Thailand. Currently under development, the properties include the 188-room Ramada Encore, Bangkok, owned by Nai Chan Estate Co. Ltd., the 98-room Ramada Hotel & Suites, Bangkok, owned by Sookjai Condominium Co. Ltd. and the 150-room Ramada Bangkok Sukhumvit, owned by Asset Lifestyle Co. Ltd. Wyndham Hotel Group has a managed portfolio of 27 properties around the globe. Part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, it encompasses more than 7,000 hotels and 590,000 rooms in 66 countries under the hotel brands: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Ramada, Days Inn, Super 8, Wingate by Wyndham, Baymont Inn & Suites, Microtel Inns & Suites, Hawthorn Suites, Howard Johnson, Travelodge and Knights Inn.

Pan Pacific to add China propertyIn line with its growth strategy for the country, Pan Pacific Hotels Group is set to have another hotel in China next year. The 484-room Sheraton Suzhou Hotel and Towers will be re-branded Pan Pacific Suzhou in January 2010. The hotel unveiled its new Towers Wing, with 99 deluxe rooms and suites, earlier this year. Before it’s opening as Pan Pacific Suzhou in 2010, key areas will be identified for enhancement and upgrade to align the hotel with the new brand. A 342-room hotel in Tianjin, scheduled to open in 2011, is next in the pipeline for the Group.

PRveteranLynnGrebstadofGHC

Universally Sentosa the Honourable Sir Michael Kadoorie, will be presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th annual HICAP, scheduled for 14-16 October 2009, at the InterContinental Hong Kong. The award is presented to a leader who has made a considerable difference in the hotel industry through positive actions and significant contributions. Sir Michael was made a Knight Bachelor in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June 2005 (United Kingdom), holds the Gold Bauhinia Star from the Hong Kong SAR, is an Officier de la Legion d’Honneur, a Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, and Commandeur de L’Ordre de Leopold II. He holds an honorary LL.D. from the University of Hong Kong and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from The Imperial College, London.

Chicago, Inc. now assumes full ownership control of The Peninsula Chicago. The hotel portfolio of the Group comprises The Peninsula Hong Kong, The Peninsula New York, The Peninsula Chicago, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, The Peninsula Tokyo, The Peninsula Bangkok, The Peninsula Beijing, The Peninsula Manila and The Peninsula Shanghai (opening in late 2009). The property portfolio of the Group includes The Repulse Bay Complex, The Peak Tower and The Peak Tramways, St. John’s Building, The Landmark in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and the Thai Country Club in Bangkok, Thailand.

In further HSH news,the Chairman, ThePeninsula,HongKong’siconiclobby

IN BRIEFWhat’s in a name?Hilton Hotels Corporation has become Hilton Worldwide. The change of name is explained thus, “[It] signifies the company’s global reach, and the logo incorporates key design elements that reflect Hilton’s rich heritage [and] vision for the future.” The new corporate identity follows the recent relocation of company global headquarters as well as the internal launch of a refreshed company vision, mission statement and key strategic priorities. With 3,300 hotels in 77 countries already Hilton Worldwide plans to open 300 new establishments this year.

HiltonWorldwideSignage

TheSheratonSuzhouHotelistoberebrandedasaPanPacifichotel

VingCard secures Thai propertyVingCard, part of the Assa Abloy Hospitality Group has recently installed its Signature RFID NFC lock system at the Sea Pearl Villas in Phuket, Thailand.

The resort is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2010.Radio Frequency Identification locks allow for contactless guest

room entry and are compatible with Near Field Communication mobile phones.

“With such an extensive array of services available to our guests, we needed a highly reliable, adaptable security system,” said Sumit Soontornnont of Sea Pearl Business Company. Ltd. “The RFID electronic locks no longer require the insertion of key cards, instead utilizing a sealed exterior. This helps protect against the environment while maintaining the high level of security VingCard is known for throughout the industry.”

TheRamadaEncoreonBangkok’sSukhumvit,Soi10

CityofDreamsisusingtheOptiiKeepertospeedupguestcheck-in


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When the average spa-goer visits a spa, physical and emotional rejuvenation, fluffy towels, soft fragrances, an hour or so of blissful quiet and a delightfully kind therapist are probably the sum total of their

contemplations. But for the front of house sanctuary to be a beautiful, whisker-

clean, relaxing refuge from the slings and arrows of modern life involves a lot of hard work back of house, from staff motivation, shift arrangements and product sourcing to menu creation, overseeing cleaning, dealing with owners and upper management, and dreaming up new and exciting ways to generate business.

The spa industry has long lamented a severe shortage of spa managers and directors to do all this well. Still in its infancy compared with other hospitality fields, the sector’s unprecedented growth has left HR departments, and owners reeling, wondering where to find someone to lead their spa into solvency and success. “I’ve been doing this since 1995,” says recruitment agent Janet Bradford of Active Connection. “During that whole time we have never had enough people – in good times and bad. I don’t see it changing.”

The way things wereIn the past, as spa managers with experience barely existed, ambitious or senior therapists were promoted from their technician roles. But the difference in job description often came as a shock. “When you train to be a beauty therapist you train to heal, to treat, to pamper,” Bradford continues. “Their vocation is to make people feel great. They would have gone into a bank if they had wanted to [number crunch].”

Not only this, it can be hard for even ambitious therapists to move up the career ladder. “If you’re a good beauty girl they like to keep

you as that,” says Bradford. “If you’re a top therapist that’s what makes money. There are girls who at the three to five year point are desperate to be a manager. They either find someone prepared to train them – or leave the industry.” Although business experience is starting to make its presence felt as candidates enter the industry from other fields, Bradford admits nine times out of ten she is still asked for a spa manager from a spa and beauty background – and female.

Lisa Starr is a Senior Business Consultant for Wynne Business, a United States spa consultancy and spa management training company. “In both hotel and day spas, many of the management personnel have come up through the ranks as either spa technicians or fitness personnel. That kind of experience is helpful in understanding day-to-day challenges staff face. But at some point, the technician inside has to give way to management imperatives,” she warns.

Here and nowIn Asia, Rhett Pickering, Director of Spa

Operations at Marriott Hotel & Resorts is finding job requirements moving towards the business related. “We are now not hiring spa staff as managers although of course there will be exceptions to this,” he says. “At the last spa we opened at JW Marriott Shenzhen we hired a local person with hotel concierge experience. Our new spa at Bangkok Renaissance Hotel has hired a marketing specialist as the spa manager. We have teams within the hotel to develop, assist and deliver spa marketing, PR and finance objectives, we need the spa manager to understand and initiate those concepts. Often spa people don’t and so we have challenges in revenue generation.”

Pickering’s choice to pick candidates from other career disciplines, particularly within the hotel world, resonates with what the Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne offers its students. There is no dedicated course for spa mangers-to-be, or at least not yet. Instead students can

“WE HAVE NEVER H A D E N O U g H PEOPLE – IN gOOD TIMES AND BAD” Janet Bradford

Business head or gifted hands?

Catharine Nicol asks: Which do you want managing your spa?

TheInternationalSpaandBeautyCollegetakesahands-onapproach TrainingattheInternationalSpaandBeautyCollege

Maintainingaperfectspatakesagreatdealofbehindthesceneswork

photograph courtesy of the chuan spa at the langham place Hotel, Hong Kong

M a n a g E M E n t

12 AHCToctober 2009

M a n a g E M E n t


the only way to ensure a guest receives the best care possible is to have your staff in the frame of mind to give that care; that happens when they feel cared for by their management. When staff perceive management “doesn’t care”, and their perception is their reality, then they don’t dig deeper to give the utmost to the client, and everyone suffers from the drop in client satisfaction.”

While admitting that, “the skills [spa managers] need most are the ability to connect with and relate to staff and guests,” Starr goes on to say, “even more important now is the ability to manage a budget and understand the financial imperatives of the business.”

With all these business and marketing experts infiltrating the industry it seems like ambitious therapists are the ones to lose out. According to Bradford, smart therapists understand the way to climb the ladder is either to study P & L and finance at evening school, or find opportunities to learn on the job. Whichever way it’s done, the results could be lucrative. “A top end spa director – yes, we are seeing that become a serious income job,” Bradford says. “Our industry is often perceived as a waiters and waitresses low-end service industry, but there is money at the top of the game. I tell girls to hang in there. Don’t expect too much your first two to five years, learn the trade, and then find a company that will invest in you for the extra things you need – finance budgets and P and L. Girls who have that training are highly sought after.”

“The spa director is the captain of the ship” Lisa Starropt to take spa management in their fourth year. Stefan Fraenkel, Deputy Director, INTEHL believes, “Students are able to transfer their [hotel and restaurant] skills into other sectors such as spa. For us it might be easier for a hotel manager to become a spa manager [rather than the other way round].”

Hong Kong’s International Spa and Beauty College Founder and Principle, Ranjeet Kour, reports increasing numbers of students, including on management courses. “Many times before students have even completed the course they have already secured a job in a spa. The China spa market is booming [but] there is certainly a shortage of qualified, trained therapists, managers and directors there.”

Mandara Spa is one of Asia’s largest spa companies. Trent Munday is the company’s Regional Vice President. “For a spa manager role, if I had to chose between a candidate with solid hospitality related management experience or spa therapist experience, I would take the candidate with management experience. Simply speaking, a good therapist does not necessarily make a good manager.”

Working in the world of people development for over 13 years, Pam Stirling co-founded Pitchblue International, notes spa manager requirements are shifting. “Employers are now keen to look for real ‘managers’ with business heads rather than simply a hands-on spa manager who has come up through the ranks of beauty therapy,” she says. “Businesses are looking for staff with sound business management skills as well as or instead of a traditional therapeutic background.”

Expat v localThe industry’s gradual search for candidates with business backgrounds could indicate a maturing, an indication the industry is being taken seriously as a business. Pickering reports, while he still sees a shortage of qualified and experienced candidates, it isn’t as bad as just three years ago with the rise in candidates local to countries like China, Thailand and Indonesia a key factor easing recruitment. In fact hiring locally is becoming more likely as budgets tighten and local candidates increase. “Expat managers are a hard sell to hotels,” admits Pickering. “We always try and find a balance between hiring experienced (expensive) expat managers and local, usually less experienced but less expensive local managers. Usually the local managers win out due to cost.”

Munday agrees. “In recent high end spas we have opened, the brief from the hotel has been to find them the ‘best spa manager out there’. When we come back with the salary costs of the ‘best’ person and present this along with the revenue projections, the hotel sees from a business perspective, the spa just can’t support it. We then look at all sorts of different options, like incentives, commissions, non-salaried benefits, etc. Still, sometimes we simply need to go with a cheaper person. I should stress that simply paying the higher salary is certainly no guarantee that you will get the best person.”

Wynne Business’ Starr says, “The spa director is the captain of the ship, morale and contentment come from the top down. I believe

PhotographcourtesyoftheI-SpaattheInterContinentalHongKong

Localtalentisusuallycheaperthanexpat

M a n a g E M E n t

1� AHCToctober 2009

“We provide our member hotels the global exposure they need” Claus Sendlinger

In developing markets such as India, China and Vietnam, Simmons says that new hoteliers and small hotel groups are emerging. “Just as global chains are getting bigger and continuing to roll out properties, there are also new up-and-coming hotel operators who want to create something new in their own market, but need the global reach of Preferred Hotel group,” says Simmons.

This global reach includes access to global partnerships in sales with strong relationships in all market segments. Simmons says his company has 300 multinational corporate accounts managed by 60 sales people worldwide. “Members gain access to global partnerships with four of the largest travel management companies, AmEx, HRg, Carlson Wagonlit and BCD Travel, as an independent hotel they could not access those relationships.

“Preferred Hotel group also works with 14 frequent flyer programmes, including Asian airlines such as Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles and is the only independent hotel group associated with Singapore Airlines’ Krisflyer programme.”

When business is quieter, marketing partners like Preferred Hotel group offer independent hotels additional support. “Hotels have turned to us for solutions. We try to come up with cost effective sales and marketing solutions to generate incremental business,” says Simmons, adding that a measure of any group or management company’s success is their member retention rates. “We have been able to retain our members and key members have been loyal.”

Basket of solutionsAnantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas is a member of the global Hotels Alliance and various properties within the brand are members of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Virtuoso and Kiwi Collection.

“It’s good not to have all your eggs in one basket,” says group Director of Public Relations, Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, Marion Walsh, adding for independent hotels and small groups such as Anantara, marketing alliances and collections are an important

PreferredHotelGroupmember,TheLeelaPalaceKempinskiUdaipur

Independent spirits

“Contrary to what you would expect in an economic downturn, we have received an unprecedented increase in the number of enquiries from luxury hotels wanting to be part of the SLH brand,” said

Paul Kerr, Chief Executive Officer of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. SLH reported that 25 more hotels had joined the collection in the first quarter of 2009, taking their membership figures to over 500 small independent hotels in more than 70 countries.

“We believe that part of this is due to the fact that hotels look towards a brand like SLH to provide them with a safe haven when conditions are challenging. In spite of the large number of enquiries, standards of excellence remain core to SLH’s success and our selection criteria therefore remain as strict as ever,” he added.

Partnering for growth Preferred Hotel group has also been adding to its collection of small to medium size independent hotels this year. Worldwide Preferred Hotel Group now has 760 members across its brands. “In Asia Pacific the membership has grown from 13 properties in 2005 to 88 hotels as of September 2009,” says Mark Simmons, Area Managing Director Asia, Preferred Hotel group.

Established in the United States over 40 years ago, Preferred Hotel group is a global sales and marketing distribution partner for small- and medium-size independent hotels. “We do everything a management company does without managing the hotels,” explains Simmons. In Asia the group’s brands are Summit Hotels & Resorts, Preferred Boutique, Sterling and Preferred Hotels & Resorts.

Simmons adds that the key areas for growth in membership have been India where Preferred Hotel group now has 23 hotels and China where 14 hotels bear a Preferred Hotel Brand. In Hong Kong the group has a further 10 members, including some of the city’s most interesting new hotels – Harbour grand, The Mira and Swire Hotels’ The Upper House and East.

DesignHotelsaimstoprovidemembersliketheNewMajesticinSingaporeglobalexposure

Leading affiliate hotel groups say they are

weathering the global economic crisis and

report increases in membership in Asia

Pacific and worldwide. Ruth Williams reports

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from prospective independent hoteliers. “Increasingly creative investors or developers from outside of the hospitality industry are seeking professional consultation to realize new projects,” said Sendlinger. “Our presence throughout Asia has been growing consistently. We have 27 member hotels and we’re expecting five more to join in the very near future. We receive applications from all over Asia on a continuous basis.”

Whole world in his handsWith 500 members, Worldhotels is one of the larger independent hotel organizations but promises “to bring unique individuals and unique hotels together” and to give independent and local hotel groups a competitive edge. The group also reports growth having added 32 new hotel affiliates during the first half of this year and has 81 members in Asia Pacific.

Roland Jegge, Vice President Worldhotels Asia Pacific, says its hotel affiliates benefit from its global network of 30 sales offices and marketing strategies that include an extensive internet presence, targeted public relations campaigns, inclusion in the annual Worldhotels directory found in nearly 500 affiliated hotel’s guestrooms worldwide and cross-promotional opportunities with 20 international airlines and travel-related partners.

“These programmes are laid out in our annual sales and marketing planning guide, offering a menu of over 100 targeted initiatives for hotels to join,” explains Jegge. “In addition to the industry’s leading distribution technology and revenue management tools that optimise yield and allow hotels to react quickly to changes in market demand, we provide hotels with comprehensive marketing and advertising opportunities across all travel related media.

“Worldhotels offers international visibility and maximises the revenue potential of each affiliated hotel by providing a range of programmes guaranteed to increase the hotel’s international exposure,” says Jegge. In response to the economic downturn,

Worldhotels designed a “take 5” strategy to boost sales within five different sales segments with support of its network of 30 sales offices. “This strategy has allowed us to gain market share from other hotels and was achieved only with the help and great buy of our affiliated hotels,” Jegge acknowledges.

Looking to the future, Jegge is also optimistic about growth in China and India where Worldhotels plans to offer wider networks of hotels in more destinations. “We are also planning further growth in the South Pacific region notably in Australia and New Zealand with some exciting new additions.”

part of a long-term marketing strategy. “For example, Small Luxury Hotels is a great way to reach out to a large number of markets.

Both The Anantara Koh Samui Resort and Spa and the Anantara golden Triangle Resort are members. Walsh explains the properties are about experiencing different aspects of Thailand and appeal to guests looking for more than just two weeks in the sun.

“SLH definitely helps us, it’s very much geared to move beyond the hardware of the hotel, it’s much more about depth of experience.” Walsh continues, “SLH can throw it’s net a bit further, we are 10 hotels moving towards 30, it’s experiential, it suits our brand.”

Walsh also reports considerable success with Virtuoso an invitation-only network of exclusive travel agencies targeting high net worth individuals and Kiwi Collection for other Anantara properties.

Tapping niche marketsLike hotels themselves, these collectives, come in all shapes and sizes and target different markets. Based in germany, Design Hotels has attracted a loyal following among guests who are passionate about architecture and design. “Every single one provides a unique hotel experience and reflects the vision of an independent hotelier – an ‘original’ with a passion for genuine hospitality that is culturally rooted and enhanced by thought-provoking design and architecture,” says founder and CEO, Claus Sendlinger. “With tailor-made solutions and services we provide our member hotels the global exposure they need while preserving their individual identity,” Sendlinger explains. “No other affiliation has such a distinct profile.”

Design Hotels also told aHCt that there was plenty of interest

WorldhotelsVicePresidentAsiaPacific

RolandJegge

DesignHotelsmemberKemangIcon

byAlilainJakarta

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Technology is both a joy, and a curse but in the hospitality industry it is also the key to profitability. With revenue management systems becoming ever more sophisticated year-by-year, software providers explain how they are able

to guarantee results. For a start, explains Oliver Winzer, Regional Director – Head of IT, Amadeus Asia Pacific, “Think about if you could earn US$1 more from every guest over the course of a year – how much more would you make?” He continues, “It’s tough to say this in a sales pitch, but a revenue management system is there to make money for you.”

Human vs machine“Traditionally,” explains Todd Montgomery, Director APAC, PROS Pricing, “revenue managers spent most of their time generating reports and only had time to focus on their specific booking window of maybe 5-10 days. This time-consuming and inefficient process left revenue on the table.”

Because of this history, notes Christopher Adams, Regional Product Manager for OPERA Revenue Management Systems, Micros-Fidelio, there is a myth that “revenue managers… will be replaced by technology.” Whilst RMS are fully automated, “any revenue strategy still needs human guidance behind it. An RMS is there to give recommendations and help the hotel team in planning and responding to market place changes.”

This point, in fact is the heart of the RMS debate on efficiency: revenue management systems can take into account hundreds of controls and factors, in real time, and are updated constantly to help the hotel forecast and set pricing for dates well into the future.

Says Patrick Andres of SynXis Asia-Pacific, “A few of these [controls] include open/close, arrival/departure, minimum stay or stay through, lead time, sell threshold, and sell limit.” He adds, “ Some may also argue that placing inventory controls is not the best way to impact demand but rather impact demand through pricing.”

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Revenue management software can lead to a major increase in profitability, but Christina Kautzky asks, how?

President of Operations at EasyRMS explain this is advantageous because, “The controls and recommendations produced from the modelling and optimisation modules can be applied in all channels where inventory is displayed and available for sale.” Their system “also takes into account total revenue that a customer will bring to the hotel, not only room revenue. [As] such, this ensures that the total profitability of the property is optimised.”

Effectively, Andres says, “If you do not have a full-featured reservation system, this could mean hours spent trying to set stay controls [and] restrictions in multiple systems for multiple channels – for example – gDS, OTA, Website Booking Engine, Call Centres.”

This also means setting the system up to succeed, and ensuring it receives all relevant information. “Automated revenue management cannot happen unless it interacts with all consumer touch points,” says Adams. The property management system, customer relationship system, channel management, sales and catering, rate shopping and guest value applications are all integral to an RMS’s efficiency gain.

When configured properly, this translates into new data, new pricing recommendations and new forecasts interacting with automated feedback from all channels, as well as facts that only a human could know – like special events or conferences that will increase demand, or a political situation that might decrease demand. Amadeus’RMSsolution

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“There are just too many factors to consider that are changing every minute...no one person or team could do all this manually,” says PROS Pricing’s Montgomery.

Concludes grahame Tate, Managing Director at IDeaS, “Increased operational efficiencies are derived from the time saving that the system provides to the user and/or the hotel chain as a group,” as well as “the actual decisions coming from the RMS.”

It’s installed – now what?In order to ensure that the hotel or chain of hotels gets the most out of the system and to guarantee that the group can in fact see the above efficiencies drive profitability, industry experts categorically agree that the burden of responsibility falls on all parties involved.

“There needs to be more education in the market,” says Amadeus’ Winzer. “It’s a very big issue, and something that we are working with colleges and universities on – donating our systems so that people start out learning what it means and how to drive these systems.”

“However, the provider must make it easy,” Andres advises. This could include training on specific topics, web-based courses, on-demand recorded sessions, on-site help, user documentations or help screens, to name a few.

Montgomery adds, “A hotel’s revenue management needs depend upon its structure, experience, IT, and corporate strategy, so you can’t just install and walk away. It’s essential to create an ongoing partnership to insure product functionality fully integrates with their RM processes.”

While partnerships are clearly ideal, at the end of the day, the system provider is ultimately responsible. “The relatively high turnover among staff, and consequently high knowledge leak,” says Tate, means that on-going updates and training are necessary for each hotel. “IDeaS has a support structure in place to ensure that each hotel group is maximising their use and experience with our solutions,” he says.

The flip side of the argument is that it is up to the hotel to inform the technology provider if there has been a change in staff that require new training. At the end of the day, the more proactive the hotel organization, the more effective and profitable the system will be. “If the user doesn’t take the time to understand and become educated on the features and functions of their chosen system, and how to affect their revenue management strategies through that functionality, they lose some of the revenue potential that their property (or properties) may have,” says Andres.

And, the individual driving the system is incredibly important,

notes Winzer. “You need to have someone in the driver’s seat and that person should always report to senior management. That is the only way to ensure the hotel or chain gets the most out of the system.”

Expanding the reach of RMSAs quickly as technology is developing, explains Montgomery, “The software and tools behind it are expanding constantly. It’s all pretty exciting at the moment.” RMS is not confined to room rates and specific packages anymore. Its applicability transfers seamlessly into spas, restaurants, gaming, and even catering and events. “The basis of

revenue management is forecasting. good forecasting drives pricing recommendations, drives revenue. [All of these] departments rely on forecasting.”

RMS has proven to make a marked difference on profitability, and there is no time like the present – hopefully coming out of the back end of a financial crisis – to explore what new solutions can do for individual or chain properties. Adams concludes, “Combined with the right rate strategy and put into the hands of the right staff, [RMS] solutions can undoubtedly have a positive effect on the bottom line.”

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Conscientious spa-ing Design trends of the twentieth century bounded from

clean, starched minimalism to elaborate fantasies of expressionism, from straight-laced structuralism to angular deconstructivism. It was all in the art. But the

end of last century and the beginning of the new brought a focus on green architecture and design.

More and more designers, owners and slowly, consumers of the spa world are listening to their eco-consciences, and going green. Or at least that’s the theory. Certainly in Asia the green movement has been slow to grow, especially when compared with Europe or the United States.

Fox Linton Associates, for example, one of Britain’s leading interior design firms, and a staunch believer in the power of green, is involved in the new 69-room hotel Coworth Park, set within 200 acres of Windsor great Park. Quite apart from its royal neighbours, the still unfinished Coworth Park, due to open mid 2010 is already making headlines by breaking environmentally friendly barriers. “The owners hadn’t considered it when we started working with them,” says Creative Director, Martin JV Hulbert, “but we felt it was essential. If you’re going to build a brand new hotel and didn’t take in as many of those credentials as you could fit, the project was going to be a huge mistake.” The owners were easy to persuade, he says, and the result is a lesson for all future projects. At its core is the forest of willow that has been grown in order to provide timber for sustainable heating – essential when taking into account the British climate. Of course the forest benefits the environment directly, and provides jobs. “You have to plan in advance, and it is an enormous investment in the beginning,” admits Hulbert.

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Closer to home“I believe the spa industry in general is in agreement about the need to green up its act,” says Cathy Chon of CatchOn and Co, which issues reports on Asian trends, and is based in Hong Kong. “I think in Asia we are lagging behind Australia, North America and Europe in terms of awareness and commitment. These values are more in line with developed markets. It’s difficult to be green when you are fighting for survival.”

While Asia is the spa continent of the world, it is true that some spas have such a hand to mouth existence being green is low on their priorities. In this respect the spa industry reflects the world’s general concerns about countries like India and China in particular delaying environmental policies in their struggle to catch up with the developed world.

But traditional architecture in Asia has always been about keeping cool using fresh air and shade, while using water wisely. These ancient practices are at the forefront of modern architecture and design policies in the region. Take the Earth Spa at Six Senses Hideaway, Hua Hin in Thailand, gold medal winner of the Asia Pacific Interior Design Award in 2005. Calling itself a natural eco-environment, the spa consists of a series of mud domes, the design and materials influenced by northern Thailand’s indigenous tribes. While iconic, the interiors need no air conditioning. “The focus is on keeping things as natural as possible,” says Arnfinn Oines, Area Environment Conscience for Thailand and Vietnam. “And it has been that way from the very beginning. It is part of our DNA.” Currently carbon neutral, by 2020 they plan to be carbonizing – absorbing more emissions than they are producing and producing more renewable energy than they are using. And this will include offsetting the single largest carbon emitter associated with their resorts – their import and guest air miles. Despite this Oines acknowledges humbly, “We are far from perfect. It is important to acknowledge there is still room for improvement. We will try to do better and encourage others to follow.”

design shows the type of property that can be constructed while being green,” says a clearly impressed Russ. The first hotel in Bali to get the highest level of certification for Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD), architects WOHA worked with Alila to ensure long term reduction in the property’s ecological footprint. Steve Jeisman, Director of Spa Development of Alila Hotels and Resorts, points out the “bamboo ceilings, local Jogja stone, lava rocks and recycled timbers are all locally sourced that leave minimum impact on the earth when taken. Who said hotel and spa resorts can’t have a pretty face, and be kind to the environment?”

He is a firm believer in Green Globe certification as an essential tool and inspiration. “Consumers are becoming more environmentally savvy. Today’s consumer is starting to look for certain ways to holiday without leaving a thumping carbon footprint behind. Being certified may give guests the feeling that their pampering or accommodating experience with Alila may somehow minimise or offset their carbon footprint. If guests are or are not drawn to the property because of our green accreditations it’s still the responsible thing to do and respect in the community is worth its weight in gold.”

Chon warns that Asian consumers are less driven by the shade of green of a spa, than its safety and value for money. Her study ‘Does gREEN sell in Asia?’ concludes, “Only 16 percent indicated they would most likely choose an eco-friendly spa. Most important to respondents are price, brand/product quality, and health concern.” Six Senses tends to agree at the moment, Oines admitting, “For new guests being green is not the strongest driver. But we obtain a lot of return guests because of it.”

“I believe it’s the education provided to [the hotel] team that in the long run has the greatest impact,” says Alila’s Jeisman. “You teach them how to be energy efficient around the work place and suddenly they’re practicing the same standards at home and passing it on to the next generation. It’s one of those invisible differences.”

Eco friendly measurement and certification tool Green Globe has become a household name in hotels and resorts, but in terms of spas in particular, it is still an underused resource. “You can lead a horse to water…” says Andre Russ of EC3 global, which helps companies associated with travel and tourism develop environmental management and awareness. He cites Six Senses, Alila Hotels & Resorts and Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts as being Asia’s leaders in environmental responsibility, but acknowledges that other spas are slow on the uptake.

Chon points out there are many companies who are instilling green practices but we don’t always get to hear about them. “There are those who choose to do it quietly, behind the scenes, because they view it as a work in progress, and the moment you start brandishing green credentials or desires for that matter, you’re taken to task about green washing.”

One company, which is just starting its journey along the green brick road, is Langham Hotels International (LHI). Although their spas are yet to be Green Globe certified they are aware that “globally consumers are putting businesses under the microscope,” says Nicholas Blake, Environmental Manager at The Eaton Hotel Hong Kong and LHI.

Banyan Tree instilled green and socially responsible practices in their hotels and spas from the word go, in particular through design. “When Banyan Tree Spa pioneered the tropical garden spa concept at Banyan Tree Phuket in 1994, we were already pushing forward the barriers of being green. We ignored consultants who told us we needed air-conditioning to create a European environment. Instead, we decided to highlight the tropical greenery, humidity and Asian culture with therapists working barefoot, taking advantage of natural ventilation,” says Dharmali Kusumadi, Vice President of Design Services.

Another company blazing a green trail is Alila. “Alila’s amazing

EnvironmentalismisintheSixSensesDNA

Locally-sourcedmaterialsareusedattheAlilaVilasUluwatu

BanyanTreehavebeenpushinggreenpracticessince1��

FoxLintonAssociatesdesignforCoworthParkisbreakingenvironmentally-friendlybarriers

NaturalairconditioningattheEarthSpaatSixSensesHideaway,HuaHininThailand

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Todd In AHCT Feb Issue FA Pathed_.indd 1 1/19/09 2:02:20 PM

Competition hots upHong Kong chefs have been busy competing in culinary competitions sponsored by some favoured brands.

Anchor Butter maker Fonterra, the New Zealand producer that is the world’s largest exporter of dairy products, recently co-organized a cake and cookie cooking contest at the Hospitality Industry Training & Development Centre with Angliss Hong Kong Food Service. The competition was endorsed by the Hong Kong Bakery & Confectionery Association and the Hong Kong Chefs’ Association.

While the judges felt the overall standard was very high, with an imaginative variety of ingredients being matched with butter to produce intriguing East meets West flavours, they were particularly impressed by Chan Ho Ming and Lee Him Shing.

Chan, who took gold in the cake category, works at the Hong Kong Club. Lee took both the Judges Best Selection Award and Anchor Butter Best Matching Award and is Pastry Chef at Coup Kitchen.

The panel of judges included Louisa Ho, the President of Hong Kong Bakery & Confectionery Association, David Ross, the General Manager of Fonterra Brands (Hong Kong), Heinz Fischer, a committee member of the Hong Kong Chefs’ Association and Thomas Lui Executive Pastry Chef of The Mira and himself no stranger to the winner’s podium at pastry contests.

Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong 2009 was the venue for a hot chef challenge, with teams competing to create six dishes each with Tabasco hot sauce – including a dessert. The eventual winners were from Disneyland.

Wine dinnersHong Kong’s wine fraternity is to have some important guests in November. Leading members of the Primum Familiae Vini, Europe’s most prestigious association of wine producing families will present flagship wines at a series of events at the Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong hotel in mid-November.

The events include a gala dinner in the ballroom and a lunch at the Lobster Bar and Grill. There will also be a trade tasting at the Atrium.

Certain names really do need no introduction and in this case we are referring to Hubert de Billy of Champagne Pol Roger, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, Egon Müller, Etienne Hugel, Laurent Drouhin, Alessia Antinori, Juan-Maria Torres, Marc and Pierre Perrin, Sebastiano Rosa, Paul Symington and Pablo Alvarez.

One highlight of the gala dinner will be an auction of a box containing one bottle from each winemaker, with proceeds going to charity.

Hong Kong was also recently lucky enough to host some winemakers from the United States.

Golden Gate wine hosted a wine dinner in Cucina at the Marco Polo Hongkong hotel that matched the restaurant’s cuisine with bottles from the Oregon vineyards Sokol Blosser and WillaKenzie.

Winemakers Alex Sokol Blosser and Jennifer Locke were in attendance.

BaronessPhilippinedeRothschild

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CakecategorywinnerChaHoMingandhispineappleandpandanuscake

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Italian renaissanceHong Kong Dining Concepts is taking a gamble on the place of Italian food in Hong Kong diners’ hearts.

The company recently converted its Vietnamese restaurant Tru into an Italian steak house called Bistecca, installing Chef Christopher Mark at the helm.

Chef Christopher previously worked at the company’s BLT franchise.The Herman Zhangellini designed restaurant is said to resemble an Italian

butcher’s shop and aims at a casual dining atmosphere. There are carving tables aplenty and sides of meat are displayed in a custom-built fridge. The kitchen is partly open and Chef Christopher is much in evidence on the restaurant floor and carving salami.

Steak is obviously at the centre of the menu. Australian wagyu beef is served in cuts designed for sharing such as the 24 oz Delmonico. A speciality of the house is the Chicago cooking style, which chargrills the outside of the steak but leaves the inside cooked to the diner’s order.

Antipasti include deep fried artichokes and calamari skewers while salad can come with homemade anchovy vinaigrette. The restaurant bakes its own bread, makes its own ice cream and a offers chocolate and hazelnut mousse that can provide a Meg Ryan moment.

The company has also introduced a new set menu at its SoHo restaurant Cecconi’s, an extension of a well-known Melbourne institution.

Young Australian chef Peter Birks is offering a five-course tasting menu for HK$428.

With a probably unintentional reverse surf and turf, the menu starts with a beef carpaccio and truffled mushrooms with garlic aioli and shaved parmesan followed by a king prawn wrapped with zucchini and pancetta. Pancetta also plays a role in the next course of roasted figs with goats cheese, flat pancetta and honey mustard dressing. Chef Peter is known for his pasta and he includes one of his inventions – tagliatelle with Italian sausage, garlic, chilli, olives, white wine and pine nuts.

Old fashioned apple and blackberry crumble rounds it all off.

Roastfigwithgoat’scheeseatCecconi’s

TherusticinterioratBistecca

AustralianChefPeterBirks

That’s32ozofAustralianwagyucookedChicago-style

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Stagnant visitor numbers from traditional long haul source markets in Europe and North America are forcing hotels in Asia to reconsider

their target audience.Worldhotel’s Beijing affiliate Hotel

Kunlun recently announced that it’s fine dining restaurant Crystal would be the first in the Chinese capital to serve a halal menu. Room service also has halal options while prayer mats, copies of the Qur’an and a Mecca compass are all provided in each guestroom. The hotel’s publicity machine states that it is responding to an increasing number of high-level Middle East delegations to the Chinese capital from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the U.A.E.

In Hong Kong one hotel is going even further than this. The InterContinental grand Stanford in the city’s Tsim Sha Tsui East district is capitalising on the past Middle East experience of its Director of F&B. John Drummond, who was formerly the property’s Executive Chef, worked in Dubai and Bahrain for about six years and while Dubai can be very westernised, the Scot found that Bahrain was far more traditional.

The TST hotel had offered Arab dishes

pork and/or alcohol is kept separate from halal ingredients.

The InterContinental grand Stanford has also gone halal in its Italian restaurant Mistral, the all-day dining Café Rendezvous, the Cantonese restaurant Hoi King Heen, and for its in-room dining service.

SpecificsOne of the issues at Mistral was its a la carte lamb rack dish. The restaurant now has to offer two types to make sure that halal guests are catered for. Readers familiar with the well-established restaurant will know that one of the first sights to greet the guest are large platters of salami and various other Italian pork products. Would guests who find pork ritually unclean object? This has not been a problem so far. “We have never had any negative comments,” says Drummond.

Ice cream can be an issue as well. It’s not just that flavours such as rum and raisin don’t sit well with guests who don’t drink alcohol, and such flavours are not even offered, some flavourings used in ice cream can contain trace

Mischa Moselle discovers how some

establishments are adapting favourite

old recipes to suit the religious and cultural differences of today’s

traveller

at a number of its outlets but now four restaurants have a halal menu. Each room now not only has a Bible but also a Qur’an, prayer mats and qibla locator indicating the direction of Mecca. Members of staff have been trained in Muslim culture as well as in the meaning of halal and have received instruction from representatives of the mosque on nearby Nathan Road.

It was training in halal cuisine that was probably the most time consuming, at least at the start of the process. Drummond explains that staff had to understand the basics, “There was no point in buying halal lamb and then cooking it in the same pan as pork.”

Some training came from guest chefs from the InterContinental Bahrain. Chef Samara initially came for a two-week stint and then returned a year later for two months. The same hotel also lent its pastry chef Khadija for a visit. She trained grand Stanford staff in pastries that use nuts, honey, rosewater, dates and saffron to give a flavour punch rather than alcohol. She also makes her own phyllo pastry.

The hotel’s kitchens are not certified halal but all the relevant produce is. Equipment is segregated so any that is used for cooking

amounts of alcohol that are objectionable to the strictest adherents of halal dietary laws. Drummond found in his experience in the Middle East that Movenpick and Haagen Dazs were acceptable to Muslim guests and he offers Haagen Dazs now. The hotel also offers sorbets instead of ice cream as the ingredients water, sugar and fruit should not offend anyone.

Adapting the menu at the Cantonese Hoi King Heen was the biggest challenge. Fried chicken in Cantonese restaurants is made with freshly slaughtered poultry, meaning the chicken could not be certified. The dish is now made for Muslim guests using a slightly adapted technique.

Adaptations and additionsThe impetus came from a couple of Middle Eastern journalists who were staying at the hotel on a familiarization trip. The writers complained the only halal Cantonese food they could find was at ‘hole-in-the-wall’ type establishments and they wanted to experience fine dining.

The most obvious problems that faced Chinese Head Chef Leung Fai Hung are the widespread use of pork and Chinese wines in the Chinese kitchen. Early on in the experience Drummond and Leung decided to respect the dishes and not try and make pork- or wine-free versions of items that required those ingredients. The only exception was a Char Siu Bao (pork bun) made with lamb or chicken. This will be made on request but is not on the menu.

Chef Leung tells aHCt that Cantonese cuisine is flexible enough to offer many recipe options that use beef, lamb or chicken cooked in corn oil or vegetable oil. Intense flavours can be added by the use of ingredients like dried orange peel and by offering plenty of condiments.

Typical offerings highlighting the chef ’s skill are a broccoli and seafood soup, a lamb cutlet marinated in papaya, crispy chicken with spiced salt and fried rice with seafood and avocado.

Halal coexists with Cantonese

InterContinentalGrandStanfordDirectorofF&BJohnDrummondbroughthisMiddleEastexperiencetobear

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Whether to use an international product house or create an in-house spa brand has become a hotly contested issue. Catharine Nicol sheds some light

Big brand vs own brand? Armani, gucci, Prada … Asia loves labels, especially exclusive and expensive ones, and the skincare world is no different. Brands like La Mer, Natura Bisse, Chantecaille - la crème de la crème of beauty and agelessness-in-a-pot

- engender the same kind of awe and wonder from both loyal and wannabe consumers.

Many spas feed on this law of attraction by partnering up with international brands which reflect core values, whose reputation goes before them, and who have already done the marketing leg work. But increasingly others are breaking off in a renegade group, taking the risk of creating, and marketing their own in-spa labels and using them to build up their own brands, one facial or massage at a time. But, which way to go?

“It’s a big internal debate,” notes Vanessa Main, Director Spa Operations and Development, Hilton Hotels. “One of the challenges is looking at what the guests want and will identify with. If you have strong branding, great core values, and can communicate this to guests [own products] can work well,” she says. “But a lot of guests are still looking for the results and comfort of a brand they recognize and identify with. They know what it’s like on the skin and tend to be loyal to a particular brand.”

Like so much in today’s modern world, many of the answers lie in the power of marketing. Algotherm, one of Europe’s most established skincare names, draws on the reputation of almost 50 years of research, pharmaceutical expertise, distribution and promotion. And the result? “Our headquarters in France frequently receive requests from all over the world to carry and distribute Algotherm,” boasts Anne-Sophie Batteur, general Manager of OTB Algotherm.

Kate Deeson, Vice President of Rooms and Spa for The Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts in the United States puts it into very simple perspective when she says, “In our Ritz-Carlton Spas we use top of the line products in keeping with our brand positioning.”

So first and foremost it’s about finding a match. And quality, says InterContinental Hotels group (IHg) former Spa Director greg Payne. “There has to be a fit and alignment between the perceived quality of spa product and the positioning of the spa. guests won’t choose their resort based on the spa product. However, the spa product is one part of the overall cohesiveness of the spa offering and ultimately will have an impact on the reputation of that spa.”

Making the marketOn the other side of the spa skincare fence, the marketing potential for an in-spa brand is very tempting. “A lot of spas want to provide their own line, but this needs careful consideration and the question ‘Why?’ should be applied several times,” cautions Payne citing packaging as needing particular attention. “It is easy to see how what starts out as a potential margins improver becomes a drain on cash flow as economies of scale don’t start until you produce a minimum

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packaging, visual noise the consumer gets confused and you only have a split second to grab their attention. Make the most of that split second with your packaging, even if it is going to be thrown away.”

Ming Fai is a private label company specialising in producing hotel amenities like Nobility, and also distributes brands Aigner and Molton Brown. “Many hotels want their own style,” says Vivian gao, Executive Secretary. “Amenities need to match the hotel room. Hotels want to add their own logo into the label to tell people this amenity is from them.”

Of course international skincare brands also work hard on presentation. Algotherm’s newly re-launched range has gone from conventional blue and white style boxes to sparkling new ‘pearlesent’ colours with embossed botanical algae emblems and product identity indentation.

Packaging may snare new buyers, but it is the physical and emotional bond between consumer and product - its texture, fragrance and results - that create a loyal, repeat customer.

“In this competitive world everyone is operating spas and everyone is looking for something unique,” says Main. “But the pond is only so big. I get the best out of my suppliers if I have flexibility. I don’t want to prevent them from going to other businesses as more presence in the region may mean easier access to training.”

Aromatherapy Associates has blazed a trail through the spa industry with catchwords ‘natural’ and ‘honest’ increasingly attractive to spa managers and directors. geraldine Howard, Founder, is wary of exclusivity. “Hoteliers tend to be paranoid about exclusivity,” she says. “It is more important the brand in the spa reflects the quality of the hotel. guests are disappointed when they go to the spa and the quality of the product doesn’t match the hotel. This is a much bigger problem.”

Hilton’s Main goes one step further matching a potential international brand with different spa locations. At the Hilton Wangfujing Beijing, for example, there’s a Traditional Chinese Medicine concept “for the local experience people are looking for.”

A sense of place is therefore another key driver in choosing which product to go with and something the right in-spa brand can, and should, deliver. But when you’re buying into an established brand, how does that work? Says Payne: “We work closely with the product houses developing the menu with them so we get beyond ‘off the shelf ’ standard menus and start to develop interesting offers that combine international favourites with those that reflect a sense of place, bringing in local specialties. We are developing treatments and delivering them to a quality that best represents both the property and the product brand.”

At the end of the day it’s all down to quality. Put in the hard work and create an in-spa brand of tangible quality with meaning, or match an international brand with your spa’s concept, location and perceived quality. There’s no short cut. As Sasso says, “You’ve just got to do the legwork.”

of 1,000 units of bottles and boxes for each product, and you are considering perhaps 15 products. It normally only works in large spas and hotel properties that are willing to take the products into their room amenities range too.”

IHg works with Pevonia, Aromatherapy Associates and Ytsara.

For over ten years global Amenities has provided private label guest room and spa products to numerous clients worldwide, customizing them according to the property’s image. Director Roger Mohan points out, “Having your own spa brand adds prestige as it indicates a more established spa.”

One spa that has its own brand of spa skincare is Banyan Tree Spas. “Unlike other spas which import skincare and cosmetic treatments, Banyan Tree gallery has chosen instead to indigenise their signature spa products and treatments from the start, drawing on the holistic healing disciplines of Thai herbs, flowers and spices,” says Ravi Chandran, Managing Director, Spa Operations, Banyan Tree Spas & Angsana Spas.

With such a strong core value of natural Thai healing, which runs throughout their spa treatments and also their resort and hotel style too, this approach clearly works for the guests as well as the company’s bottom line. “From a business perspective Banyan Tree is a vertically integrated company, with capacities in spa, retail, design and marketing – it was a natural choice for us to introduce and use our own in-house brand products to fulfill the brand experience for our guests. Whether in marketing or product innovation, we are able to reduce time needed for development, and manage brand quality effectively.”

While the quality of the product is unquestionably of utmost significance, Jade Sasso of Prestige says spending time on research and creating quality packaging are also key. “At the end of the day this is what sells. We are bombarded by so much information, colours,

“Guests are disappointed when they go to the spa and the quality of products doesn’t match the hotel” Geraldine Howard

TheShearangefromGlobalAmenities

BanyanTree–usingin-housebrandproductstofulfillthebrandexperienceforguests

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The traditional concept of a dinner party started back in 19th-century Europe, when an affluent bourgeoisie was on the

rise. It was a way of displaying the host’s house, servants, recipes, and possessions. Today though we are generally more casual diners, social norms have relaxed and attitudes changed, while eating outside of the home more and more has given rise to a whole new industry, as well as offshoots – such as tableware design.

Design is a fundamental economic instrument in an industry where products have been exhausted in terms of function. Now, design is indispensable for differentiation. In the food and beverage industry, artistic and innovative food presentation is catching on, where tableware is sometimes regarded as a frame or a canvas for the ‘work’ that is displayed upon it: the food.

Tableware designers, manufacturers and distributors know demands may have altered but good taste never goes out of fashion and as a result today’s tableware is much more creative, inventive and colourful than in the past with innovative new items introduced almost daily.

CompartmentalisingOne trend which has been catching on is the compartment dish where segmented platters do away with the need for several pieces of crockery. german manufacturer Tafelstern points to its latest range, which includes: ‘’a square indented dish perfectly designed to present sushi, tapas and desserts. The raised relief structure of these angular pieces allow for a natural segmentation. Another of the company’s latest designs is the pedestal bowl. As the name suggests this is a small bowl raised up on a porcelein plinth. ‘’The height adds a new dimension and perspective to the table,’’ says the company

Today’s dining landscape is vastly different from the tabletops of old. New products are being introduced, old products are evolving and nearly everything has a different form, as Bruce Dawson and Billy Clarke discover

TableTop

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representative. ‘’The piece is of sufficient depth to accommodate small meals with a dash of sauce and yet shallow enough to allow food to be portioned with just a fork.’’

A head of the tableTableware is no longer simply designed for containing food, but for creating thoughtfully composed visual presentations. Revol and Villeroy & Boch are two leading tableware and ceramic companies breaking up the classic order of table ornamentation including curvy bridge-like plates that hover over the dining table and modular-arranged plates while other designs acknowledge the beauty of past designs. For example, ‘’Sedona is a contemporary interpretation

of classical tableware,’’ points out a Villeroy & Boch spokesperson. ‘’The relief pattern theme on the plates and dishes is white-on-white which opens up a new decorative dimension reminiscent of older delicate textiles, and draws the eye to the content - elegantly framing the culinary creation.’’

german porcelein company, Kahla’s Tao range is made of natural materials using highly innovative techniques which reduce CO2 emissions and result in multi award winning real stone look plates and dishes. ‘’Mirroring shapes from nature, the sensual contours and clear lines of this range create a harmonious atmosphere which suits a light, wellness cuisine, exotic or Mediterranean food or just a relaxed moment,’’ explains a company spokesperson. ‘’More and more hotels and restaurants are producing high

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quality organic food now and want appropriate dishwear to present

it on,’’ continues the representative, ‘’flexibility,

individualization and quality,’’ are what tableware is all about now, says

Kahla. With that in mind the company has produced a range of slightly off-kilter crockery designed to rest easily in the hand with shapes which include twisted hexagons and curved edge rectangles. Pointing especially to the dip bowls and milk jugs - ‘’reminiscent of items found on a beach,’’ - the company says pieces such as the handle-less sauce boats are multi-functional and easy to use. Meanwhile, the Opus range is distorted, highly angular, stackable and multi-purpose designed specifically to provide a sleek compartmentalised way to present food.

Around the world’s tableSome point to globalisation as having changed forms of eating, communicating and activities at the table. Designers these days are taking global food items and international habits into account, which results in further differentiation and specialization for individual dishes, and drinks. ‘’Spanish tapas, Italian antipasti, Asian finger food and a host of other worldly delicacies look good on our Pi Carre range,’’ assures the Villeroy & Boch representative. ‘’Restaurateurs and hoteliers are offered

completely new possibilities for staging the food on dishes such as these.’’ Inspired by the world of mathematical formulas the range follows the geometrical principles of triangles, squares, rectangles and hexagons. ‘’With a wide variety of items and sizes, the tableware is ‘’’multifuntionality’ in a plate and is ideal for en vogue international cuisine.’’

Over at Tafelstern the ‘’hard, resilient, delicate, graceful’’ properties of bamboo are what inspired the manufacturer to use it for its latest range. Bamboo platters, trays and plates provide, the company says, ‘’a harmonious juxtaposition between stringent functionality and pure elegance making it easy to create appetising arrangements.’’ Tafelstern’s clear graphics, geometric lines and easy grip borders radiate an air of trendiness. Harking back to childhood, the latest showpiece, Cone is, says a spokesperson, ‘’ideal for the presentation of wraps, satay or Espumas.’’

In terms of popularity classical tableware hasn’t suffered, and for those with more traditional tastes the baby is still in the bath, but these days there is usually a twist to make it special. Silver flatware commands an elegance that conventional steel will never manage and crystalware is another popular choice that appears will never wane while white plates with coloured rims simply never go out of fashion.

However, although these traditions remain, the good old public is more receptive to tableware combinations with creative customization and mixing and matching are now more accepted and even applauded. And that can only be good news for those serving it up to them.

SedonaisacontemporaryinterpretationofclassicaltablewarefromVilleroy&Boch

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uniform, which looks good on all shapes, sizes and complexions requires experience, says guilliot, “As a 75-year-old worldwide distributing company, we differentiate our productions regarding geographic zones and supply on a ‘pret-à-porter’ basis with required adjustments provided on site. Hotel staff are expected to look nice and clean, but it is important they don’t look nicer than customers themselves. Uniforms have to [be] neutral with only touches of design details that will make the garments look like high class work-wear.”

For the business traveller who uses the same hotel chain across the world, guilliot says it’s important to have, “a standard staff uniform worldwide” so the frequent customer feels at home, while reflecting the design of the building itself. “This ‘home’ feeling is seriously developed by hospitality groups. Recently, two uniform options have emerged: trendy, modern designs to match a contemporary interior decor and traditional: uniforms reflecting the history of a hotel.”

Getting it right for everyone within a hotel is, “very difficult if not impossible” admits Alan Steinger, Top Hat Imagewear’s CEO/Creative Director. As hotels typically renew uniforms every few years and replace when undergoing refurbishment, Steinger says while style and durability are important, staying within budget is paramount. When producing a new range, the company interviews department heads, custom manufactures, and offers alternatives such as separates in matching fabrics and colours: “so that people who are not model types will blend in and feel comfortable.”

While Steinger feels the trend towards using well-known fashion designers is “valid” he points out several possible drawbacks. “Problems soon arise after purchase or even before. Fashion designers do not understand the hotel uniform business. They are not familiar with the range of sizes required for both male and female. They are not familiar with the ‘fit’ necessary to please hotel workers, with making clothing where the buyer is expecting at least 2 years of usage if not longer, or with uniform reorders which may consist of one piece.”

Classic looks for classic hotels and more retail looks for boutique

AspalookbyTopHatImagewear

GuestsstayingattheMandarinOriental,

BangkokwillexpectaThai-inspireduniform

From the bellhop to the Maitre D’, from receptions to spas there are high expectations for hospitality industry employees, not least in the way they dress. With superstar designers like Philippe Starck, Bill Bensley and Louise Kou involved in

hotel and restaurant building and accessory design, and celebrity chefs making guest appearances, it was only a matter of time, perhaps until ‘designer uniforms’ became de rigueur. But have they?

Certainly, in some parts of the world, there seems to be a trend towards commissioning the likes of Michael Kors, Diane Von Furstenberg, Jean Charles de Castelbajac and even popstar gwen Stefani to design hotel uniforms which make fashion statements. Quite literally anything goes. Design house Missoni has gone one step further

and opened it’s own hotel in Edinburgh - to mixed reviews on the apparel front, ironically!

But in Asia it would appear guests still prefer a uniform to look just that … brand related, functional and instantly identifiable. Tim grubi, Managing Director, global Chef says the over riding concerns when purchasing uniforms in Asia continue to be durability, comfort, function, wash and wear and cost, “but the most important is quality. Without quality how does your customer tell your brand apart from the rest?” global Chef provides custom made chef wear, “designed by chefs for real working chefs” and grubi says, when producing such attire there needs to be an understanding of laundry processes, and “respect for tradition is the name of the game.”

Different perspectives Serving the needs of clients such as Accor and Starwood, Bragard’s Ronan guilliot says hotels usually renew uniforms every 3 to 4 years and that the first concern is to reflect brand image. “Most major luxury hotel chains are asking for a ‘griffe’, a famous designer signature. Bragard works with many world famous haute-couture designers such as Jean-Louis Scherrer or Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. We develop collections department by department as each has specific needs: resistance for engineering, easy motion for housekeeping, image for front of house.”

High-end designer hotel uniforms might be getting popular, but those wearing them aren’t all catwalk material. Producing a

The NoRTh AmeRIcAN ANd euRoPeAN PeNchANT foR so-cALLed ‘NoN-uNIfoRms’ hAsN’T cAughT oN IN AsIA. ZaRa HoRneR Asks, why?

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hotels is the way to go, according to Steinger. “At the end of the day most hotel uniforms are fairly conservative.”

Reflecting on why designer ‘non-uniforms’ haven’t caught on in Asia, Chef Works’ Sales and Marketing Manager, Stefan Strandlund points out that while using a well known designer may create “buzz”, he feels the main concern is whether a designer understands the needs and requirements of staff. “At Chef Works we use professional chefs to test and try all new designs. In-house designers work with chefs to ensure each garment meets the comfort and functional requirements of a professional kitchen.” Furthermore, Strandlund says, Asian countries are proud of their cultural heritage and hotel uniforms reflect this. “When you stay at The Oriental in Bangkok you expect Thai inspired uniforms. I believe the trend in Asia will be a designer take on traditional

uniforms. Another reason [for less designer uniforms in Asia] is that there are fewer world class Asian designers that would bring name recognition to a collection.”

Practicality reignsWhile there’s general consensus that bringing in a fashion designer to produce a uniform range will result (hopefully) in good looking, chic, specific attire, Global Chef ’s Grubi believes only a “reputable” fashion designer can produce a “cutting edge” uniform, and warns: “the questions I’d keep in mind are: how will the uniforms perform on the job and in the laundry? For the kitchen – stick with a leading brand that meets your budget. As a hotel guest I expect staff to be in a clean pressed corporate uniform that befits their station. There is nothing more off putting than a uniform that is thread bare, pilling or just tired. Nowadays I am seeing more uniforms that should have been replaced in the last budget or in the budget before the last budget.”

Well-designed uniforms made using good fabrics will look good on most shapes, Strandlund says and to tailor-make uniforms is “timely, expensive and should be avoided. A well designed, off the rack, uniform with an extensive size range should be suitable for most staff members. With the staff turn-around in the hospitality industry an establishment should have an inventory of off-the-rack uniforms with an extensive size curve and quick turn around time. Using tailor made uniforms risks new staff members ending up in the ill-fitting uniforms of old staff members.”

It is said that during times of economic hardship trends tend towards more conservative looks. Bragard’s guilliot says, the current crisis has put a hold on most outgoings, including uniforms, but … “on the other hand, some hotels take the opportunity to re-brand their hotel” and that means updating work wear. grubi says, what’s happening depends on who’s paying and that, anyway, “most chefs are happy with conservative chef wear, only a minority want to be seen in overtly colourful or flamboyant designer garb and those that do usually can’t cook so well. Investment owners spend less than managers because it’s their money. It all depends on cost versus benefit.”

Ain’t that the truth!

“WHEN YOU STAY AT THE ORIENTAL IN BANgKOK YO U E x P E C T T H A I INSPIRED UNIFORMS” Stefan StrandLund

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With pleasureWith 128 years’ experience, German porcelain manufacturer, Bauscher says the company’s love of experimentation, of “leaving the familiar and ordinary behind to create something unique and surprising,” has resulted in its latest range, ‘Pleasure’. White hard porcelain plates, bowls, platters, cups and pots offer geometric shapes which have been extended and stretched to achieve, “balanced proportions of symmetry and elegant organic form”. Whilst keeping the bigger picture in mind, (heat resistant, dishwasher safe) Bauscher says it is attention to detail that results in tableware professionals want.

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Malaysia’s official food and hotel show, FHM 2009, ended on a successful note as the August 11-14 event attracted some 18,100 visitors.

The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) was thronged with trade visitors meeting, mingling and doing deals.

The show featured 808 participating companies from 41 countries and was housed in 10,000-square-metres of the KLCC’s halls 1-4 and an additional hall 6 in the ballroom.

There were six international pavilions, representing Austria, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and the United States. The Taiwan pavilion was an FHM record-breaking 546 square metres in size, housing 46 participating companies.

A taster of the participating companies includes Lee’s Frozen, HSH Frozen Foods, Prima Agri, Pok Brothers, GBA Corporation, BGS, English Hotbreads, Bakers’ Choice, Pastry Pro, Auric Chun Yip, Boncafe, Dankoff Coffee, Ricmas, Ebenezer, Premiere, Luen Heng, Urschel Asia Pacific, Sinmag, DH Hygiene, Multiplex, Karcher, Hotel Information Systems, Inter-Register Communications, CCI Solutions & Security, F&B Equipment, SCC Corporation, Ultimate Circle, Hyperlux, NKR, Quality Associates, MSM Equipment, Winterhalter, Silikal, Rak Porcelain, Eurochef, Kian Contract, Seng Huat Hang, Poslinks and Piau Kee.

These companies represented the F&B sector, Bakery, Kitchen Equipment, Hospitality and IT Solutions.

Concurrently with FHM 2009 was PROPAK Malaysia 2009, the 5th Malaysian International Food Processing & Packaging Technology Exhibition, and an enthralling event for those in the sector.

The Malaysian Association of Hotels, Chefs Association of Malaysia and the Malaysian Food & Beverages Executives Association co-organized the region’s largest culinary competition, Culinaire Malaysia 2009. Also on the cooking front, celebrity chefs Ismail and Florence Tan made guest appearances, causing a stir with dishes made from ingredients supplied by Auric Chun Yip, Lucky Frozen, GBA Corporation and Pok Brothers.

Seminars were held on topics in food service and revenue management.The show was covered by TV station Asian Food Channel.

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Oct 1 – 3 Food&HotelVietnam 2009 Incorporating FranchisingVietnam 2009, Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center

Oct 14-16 Hotel Investment Conference Asia-Pacific (HICAP) InterContinental Hong Kong Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong

Oct 14-16 Hotel Investment Forum India (HIFI) Renaissance Mumbai Hotel & Conference Centre Mumbai India

Oct 22 – 24 Wine & gourmet Asia Hall C, The Cotai Strip Cotai Expo at The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel

Nov 4 – 6 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre

Nov 7-10 International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York City USA

Nov 11 – 13 HI DESIgN ASIA 2009 Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang, Malaysia

Nov 12 – 14 Hotel Expo Macau Hall C, The Cotai Strip Cotai Expo at The Venetian Macao- Resort-Hotel

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Vietnam’s premier food and hospitality sourcing and networking trade event returns for the 5th year. Running concurrently with Vietnam’s major franchising trade event, and introducing the inaugural ‘Vietnam Barista Competition’ to promote the expertise, creativity and talent of top local coffee baristas. Co-organized by Singapore Exhibition Services and Kerry Ingredients.

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Wine and spirits companies introduce their wares to the new regional wine hub.

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The debut HI DESIgN ASIA, with its unique format of face-to-face meetings, expert industry seminars and unrivalled networking opportunities, is the place for leading operators, designers/specifiers and suppliers to explore and develop potential in hospitality design, and apply it to future quality hotel projects in Asia.

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International Hotel Equipment & Supplies Expo incorporating Foodservice Equipment, Food & Beverage Expo is the largest gathering of the hotel, hospitality and tourism industries in Macau.

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Asia’s longest running hotel investment conference, HICAP brings strategic insights to investors, financiers, developers and leading industry professionals about developments, changes and opportunities in the region.

BHN and Horwath HTLTel: +1 714 540 9300Fax: +1 714 540 9306 Email: [email protected] www.hicapconference.com

Bringing hotel executives, investors, lenders, developers and the professional advisory community together, HIFI presents a forum dedicated to hospitality investment in India.

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The world’s largest showcase and exchange of industry products, trends and developments continues to attract every segment and facet of the hospitality and restaurant industry.

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october 2009 AHCT ��

Some 25 national and regional pavilions will be participating at this year’s FHC China, of which 13 are new to the show.

China International Exhibitions, the organizers, are confident that the level of interest in the show reflects the fact that China is shrugging off international trends and continuing to attract newcomers.

New national pavilions attending the show this year, the 13th edition, come from Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, France, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The pavilions join those organized by companies or coordinated by national and regional export corporations and ministries from Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Britain and the United States.

According to the China Daily newspaper, China’s market for imported food and wine is valued at US$30.6 billion and has been growing by 15 percent a year for the last five years. That strong lure is one reason why the show is expecting to attract 800 international exhibiting countries to meet some 20,000 trade buyers. As China’s middle class expands so do food and wine imports, the reverse of elsewhere in the world. This is demand for imported meat, seafood, fresh, frozen and processed food, wines, coffee,

FHC China 2009 shanghai New International expo centrePudongshanghai

November 18-20, 2009www.fhcchina.com

Record participation at China show

confectionery, dairy products and much more. Indeed, the China National Food Industry Association predicts that China will become the world’s largest market for imported food by 2018.

This year will see an expansion of the popular Tea & Coffee China area and two new, dedicated areas – Wine and Spirits China and Meat China. All three are supported by seminars, training activities and competitions. Those competitions include the 11th edition of the FHC International Culinary Arts Competition in which 250 chefs vie for prizes in 13 categories. The competition is co-organized with the Shanghai Junior Chefs Club and the Shanghai Cuisine Association.

Domestic demand is also supplemented by the needs of the 10.2 million tourists who visited China in the first half of 2009. Shanghai and Beijing are the top two destinations and their appeal is boosted even further by top international business, sporting and cultural events. Shanghai is to host WorldExpo 2010, a 241-country and organization extravaganza that will last six months. There are predictions that the event will attract 70 million visitors, five percent or 3.5 million of them from outside China. The year will see eight new 5-star properties open in the city and dozens of 4-star and lower properties add rooms to the market.


50 AHCToctober 2009



The 94th annual International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show (IH/M&RS) in the “greatest city on earth” is to have a strong focus on the economy.

The discussion among industry professionals will not only be about how to survive tough economic times but also how properties can position themselves to take advantage of any upturn.

The economic focus, the social networking and opportunities to meet industry leaders is likely to draw some 35,000 industry professionals to the stalls of some 1,000 exhibitors.

Exhibitors representing all vertical markets within the hospitality industry – including F&B, furnishings, technology, equipment, linens, amenities, tableware, cleaning and more – will showcase their latest technologies, products and services to the industry’s most influential buyers, including lodging and restaurant owners and operators, purchasing companies, owner groups, design firms, catering and specialty foodservice establishments, equipment dealerships, casinos, resorts and more.

The Hospitality Leadership Forum is to present more than 20 seminars. Topics to be addressed during this full-day conference include 2010 occupancy forecasts, purchasing strategies, navigating a challenging economy, social networking implementation, customer service and more. Educational sessions will continue with topics ranging from benchmarking your property’s eco-system to bouncing back from a down economy.

In cooperation with The M. Tucker Company, the IH/M&RS will feature an all-new 8,000-square-foot (740-square-metre) addition dedicated to the very latest in food, equipment and supply trends for the New York marketplace. This special focus area on the show floor also will include celebrity book signings, chef Q&A’s, cooking demos and seminars addressing such topics as viral marketing, menu trends and sustainability. Exhibitors within The New York Marketplace include APW/Wyott, Cardinal, Carlisle, Cres Cor, Captive Aire Systems, Day & Nite, GAF Seelig, Lakeside, Manitowoc, Oneida, RPI Industries, Scandia Fish, Unified Brands and others.

The Salon Of Culinary Arts will be making a popular return. The 141st annual Salon will feature elaborate buffet tables, decorated fish and poultry, pastry work and other creatively prepared foods.

The show will also feature hospitality design awards and awards for new products.

International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show

Jacob k. Javits convention center

New york, New yorkunited states

November 7-10, 2009

www.ihmrs.com www.lonelybeds.com

www.lonelytables.com

It’s the economy

Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centrewanchaihong kong

september 7-9, 2010

www.restaurantandbarhk.com

The 2009 edition of Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong was once again the hottest ticket in town and the best ever line-up of top chefs performed inspirational demonstrations in front of packed houses. The wine

tasting theatre was similarly full with an imaginative yet practical programme of tastings from local experts and internationally renowned growers including Australia’s first Master of Wine.

The Spirit and Cocktail Theatre saw the return of one of the world’s most recognised experts, Angus Winchester fronting a comprehensive programme covering all the key cocktail-making skills.

The Hong Kong Chefs Association put on their best Chefs Corner so far. This was where the region’s chefs gathered and where the Hot Chefs Team Challenge took place. Congratulations to Hong Kong’s DHH team who triumphed over the Singaporean champions in the grand final. Thanks to all competitors, organizers and judges and especially La Rose Noire, Gastro Primo, Kolb, Catering Depot and the Vocational Trading Council’s Hospitality Industry Training and Development Centre and Chinese Cuisine Training Institute in Pokfulam.

Ever since its launch in 2002 as the region’s first fine dining and bar show, the event has improved year by year and is not only the largest and leading niche gourmet business show but is clearly the region’s most popular one, too judging by the warm comments and feedback from visitors and exhibitors alike.

Due to the success of the event this year, it’s set to double in size for 2010 based upon the record breaking re booking by this year’s exhibitors and in view of the continuing improvement in the economic climate. It is also the only hospitality show in Hong Kong next year too with many new features to excite and delight the region’s best operators.

Hot Restaurant and Bar show wows Hong Kong


52 AHCToctober 2009



ColinBaker

PierreBarthes

MariaCristinaCesario

Carlson Hotels Worldwide has appointed Colin Baker as general Manager of Park Plaza Beijing West, scheduled to open by year-end. Baker joins the pre-opening team with nearly two decades of hospitality industry experience with international hotel groups and prior to this was responsible for 21 properties at Accor Première Vacation Club in Australia.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel group has announced Pierre Barthes will succeed Jonas Schuermann as general Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur. Hailing from France, Barthes has more than 20 years experience in the hospitality industry and has held a variety of senior management positions in the group’s US, Macau and Beijing establishments.

Director of Sales & Marketing, One&Only Resorts is now Maria Cristina Cesario. Bringing with her more than 10 years of sales, marketing and public relations’ experience, the native Italian has worked at some of the world’s most distinguished hotels including the grand Palazzo della Fonte in Fuggia, Rome and the Forte Village Resort in Sardinia where she was Hotel Manager.

Pan Pacific Hotels group has announced the appointment of Laurence Courtinat-Vernon as Vice-President, Brands. Courtinat-Vernon’s experience spans retail, internet, leisure and hospitality industries throughout Europe. A key priority for the new VP is managing the strategic review for both the Parkroyal and Pan Pacific brands, for which global branding strategist Interbrand has been appointed.

One&Only Resorts has announced the appointment of Stephan Killinger as general Manager One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives. german-born Killinger previously worked as Executive Assistant Manager at One&Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas. Prior to which he had spent nine years with Four Seasons Resorts and Hotels, Egypt having already worked for many years for Pensinsula and Ritz Carlton groups, mainly focusing on F&B and resort management.

Chef Ku Keung has been with Conrad Centennial Singapore’s award-winning Chinese restaurant, golden Peony since 2005 and now has been promoted to Executive Chinese Chef. Chef Ku started his culinary profession in 1983 in his native Hong Kong and has also worked in Malaysia.

AnthonyLim

JohnRoberts

JonasSchuermann

Anthony Lim has been named Area Director of Sales, Singapore for Pan Pacific Hotels group. In his new role, Lim will head up the newly integrated Singapore Sales Team and be responsible for its customer management and revenue generation for the group’s four Singapore hotels. Lim’s twenty-year career has been focussed in the airlines industry.

Marco Polo Hotels has announced the appointment of John Roberts as generalManager of the Marco Polo Jinjiang, China, the first international hotel in the city and scheduled to open April 2010. Roberts has held various hospitality industry positions in Taiwan, Turkey, Hong Kong, Mexico, and most recently at Le Royal Meridien Shanghai.

Jonas Schuermann is now general Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. The veteran hotelier’s career includes more than 15 years in senior management positions in Mandarin Oriental properties. Fluent in four languages, for the past five years the Swiss national has been general Manager of the award-winning Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur.

After 12 years with Marriott, german born Stephen Stoss has been appointed to the newly formed position, Cluster general Manager at Courtyard By Marriott, Phuket. Now responsible for the Thai island’s three Courtyard By Marriott Hotels and the soon to open Marriott Hotel and Spa at Kamala Cove, Stoss was general Manager of the Renaissance Makati City Hotel, Manila, the Philippines.

Arnaud Thulliez has returned to the Lion City as The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Executive Chef. With a culinary career that spans Paris, London, Dubai, Shanghai and Singapore, Chef Thulliez was most recently Executive Chef at the Jumeirah Burj al Arab, Dubai.

Chief Marketing Officer, Amari Hotels and Resorts is now Duncan Webb. Having worked for the Thai group for nearly 20 years and previously held the position of Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Webb’s new role will focus on marketing, PR and brand management as Amari plans to re-brand in the fourth quarter of 2010.

LaurenceCourtinat-Vernon

StephanKillinger

KuKeung

ArnaudThulliez

StephenStoss

DuncanWebb

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