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Travel Trade Magazine - October 2011 issue on the city of Las Vegas
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WWW.TRAVELTRADEMAGAZINE.COM
AUGUST 2011
KIMPTON hotels & restaurants
industry news - feature destinations - interviews - travel tech
Feature interview with
IATA CEO Tony Thyler
TOP TEN
TRIP GUIDE
21 VEGAS TIPSTOURISM PROFILE
LAS VEGAS HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION SUPPORTING TRAVEL & TOURISM IN LAS VEGAS
BEST HOTEL SUITES IN VEGAS
Meet the newLAS VEGAS MAYOR
Carolyn Goodman
FEATURES
AND MUCH MORE!
Com
nia
dolu
ptio
est
iatu
s
FEATURE DESTINATION FOR OCTOBER
Agree to a Jaunt by October 31st, 2011 and secure your discounted fee and premium placement just in time for the holidays!
traveltrade
MESSAGE FROMTHE EDITORIt is with great pleasure that we present our October 2011 issue which is packed with some of the greatest stories we’ve been fortunate to cover.
In this issue we traveled to Las Vegas as our Destination of the Month, and we had the opportunity to connect with the newly appointed Mayor Carolyn Goodman and learned more about building and promoting new and exciting operations within the city itself. We also check in with J.J Wills and the Las Vegas Hospitality Association to highlight their role in sin city’s hospitality industry.
Keeping the hotel industry in mind we travel to Canada and talk with the Hotel Association of Canada and stop by San Fransisco to feature Kimpton Hotels, leaders in luxury boutique experiences.
In all, it has been a very exciting with this issue, and the almost immediate success we have had. Again I am very much looking forward to hearing from you, our reader. If you have any story ideas or information you want to share - please write us at [email protected], and I will personally try to get back to each and every one of you.
Safe Travels,
Paul WestonEditor inChief
Travel Trade Magazine
magazine teamEDITOR:
Paul Westont. 647.933..9070 x 207 e. [email protected]
PRODUCTION MANAGER:
Brian Andersen
t. 647.933..9070 x 211 e. [email protected]
PRODUCTION MANAGER:
Jason Alexander t. 647.933..9070 x 212 e. [email protected]
PRODUCTION MANAGER:
Kevin Baxter t. 647.933..9070 x 205 e. [email protected]
WRITERS
Ryan Jack
t. 647.933..9070 e. [email protected]
Kim Walker
t. 647.933..9070 e. [email protected]
Kelli Pavlovec t. 647.933..9070 e. [email protected]
advertisingview www.traveltrademagazine.com/media-kit/ for our Media Kit.
AD SALES: t. 647.933..9070 x 211 e. [email protected]
Subscribe? Follow this link to subscribe to Travel Trade Magazine
magazine contact
EDITOR: Paul Weston EMAIL: [email protected] WEB: www.traveltrademagazine.com
Published by Select Digital Media, 100 western battery rd, Toronto, On, Canada
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THE AMAZON KINDLETRAVEL TECHNOLODY AND GADGETS14
SHOWCASING IATA TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT IATAAND THEIR ROLE IN THE INDUSTRY14
WORLD TRAVEL MARKET AND OTHER SHOWS IN OUR INDUSTRY EVENTS CALENDAR12
KIMPTON HOTELS AND HOW THEY BECAME ONE OF THE WORLDS TOP HOTEL BRANDS22
ECO FRIENDLY INITIATIVES TONY POLLARD AND THE HOTEL ASSOCIATION OF CANADA 20
Message from the Editor ............................................03A quick introduction and updates from our editor Paul Weston
Travel Trade News ....................................................06-11The latest industry news and hot topics
Upcoming Industry Events .................................12-13Travel Industry Events listings and Trade Shows worldwide
Travel Technology ..................................................14-15Gadgets and travel tools for the road warrior
Heading IATA ............................................................16-19We take a closer look at IATA and their role in the industry
The Hotel Association of Canada .....................20-22with HAC President Tony Pollard
Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants .....................24-30How Kimpton continues to excell at client satisfaction
DESTINATION OF THE MONTH LAS VEGAS IS THE ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, QUINTESSENTIAL VACATION DESTINATION
32
LAS VEGAS TOURISMAND THE LAS VEGAS HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION MEMBER COMMUNITY 24
BEST HOTELS IN VEGASHERE’S OUR TAKE ON THE BEST HOTEL ROOM SUITES IN LAS VEGAS44
21 VEGAS TIPSTWENTY ONE HANDY TIPS TO ENSURE A GOOD TIME IN VEGAS54
City of Las Vegas .....................................................32-44Feature Destination & Entertainment Capital of the World
Best Hotel Suites in Las Vegas ...........................44-53Our Top Ten List uncovers the very best rooms in vegas
Twenty One Las Vegas Tips .................................54-56Everything you need to know about vegas can be found here
Las Vegas Hospitality Association ....................58-61We interview LVHA president J.J. Wills
CAROLYN GOODMANAPPOINTED MAYOR IN JUNE 2011, SHE IS HEADING A NEW FRONT 34
Advertisers:
Jaunt.ca ......................................................................................................02 Bahamas ....................................................................................................19 Intrepid .......................................................................................................23 Daytona Beach ........................................................................................31 Travel Shake ..............................................................................................41 Las Vegas ...................................................................................................43 Visit Manchester .....................................................................................57Site Minder ................................................................................................57Ingle Insurance ........................................................................................62
traveltradeNEWS
TRAVEL NEWS
CEASARS BREAKS GROUND ON $500 MIL-LION STRIP PROJECT
Construction began on a $500 million development that will include a 550-foot observation wheel —developers say it not be called a Ferris wheel — and a restaurant-entertainment district.Clark County commissioners ap-proved the 18-month project this week, giving Caesars Entertainment the green light to break ground.It will consist of 326,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment venues between the Imperial Palace and the Flamingo. Caesars Entertainment attorney Tabi-tha Fiddyment said the project will cost about $500 million and “com-pletely change this area of Las Vegas Boulevard … it’s going to entirely revi-talize it.”It will create thousands of jobs, both construction and permanent, and be another amenity on the Las Vegas Strip for tourists to visit and enjoy.
Tourism is growing with new routes to China this year, as its outbound departures are pre-dicted to top 65 million after reaching over57 million in 2010, according to a report from the China Outbound Tourism Research Insti-tute (COTRI). The UN World Travel Organiza-tion (UNWTO) estimates that there will be 100 million Chinese outbound trips by 2020.International airlines that haven’t already es-tablished direct routes to China are rushing to do so.Air Mauritius and South African Airlines will become the latest to set up links with direct flights toShanghai and Beijing respectively, as early as July.But airlines are not just targeting China’s ma-jor cities for direct routes. Australia and New Zealand aretrying to encourage airlines to es-tablish new links between tourist destinations in those countries and some of the China’s tier 2 cities.
CHINA EXPANDS TOURISMWITH NEW ROUTES
6
TRAVEL NEWS
Most major global hotel markets through the end of 2012 will experience higher reve-nue per available room, “led mainly through increases in rate rather than through occu-pancy increases,” though growth will de-celerate, according to STR Global. For 2011, the firm projected that Hong Kong would have the highest RevPAR growth, up 24.7 percent from 2010. Other top growth mar-kets include Amsterdam, Beijing, Cologne, Copenhagen, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Milan, Moscowand Singapore. Many of those will continue to be top growth markets next year, al-though the highest projected 2012 RevPAR growth is 9.6 percent in Singapore, which would be lower than the 10 largest market increases expected for this year. No U.S. cities are in the top 10 RevPAR growth mar-kets for either 2011 or 2012. STR Global also noted volatility, acknowledging that “the difficult and relatively fast-changing chang-es in the broader economy could very well change the forecast with the next quarterly report.”
GetThere and Gogo have signed an agreement that allows GetThere to of-fer Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi services at a discounted rate. Under the agreement, GetThere users can access special pric-ing on daily and annual Gogo passes for in-flight Wi-Fi. With the passes, GetThere customers using laptops, tablets and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices can access Gogo’s in-flight Internet network and services.Gogo Wi-Fi is currently available on nearly 1,200 aircraft spread across eight major airlines including all AirTran Air-ways, Delta Air Lines and Virgin America flights, and select Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, United Air-lines and US Airways flights. GetThere, a Sabre Travel Network brand, provides travel technology solutions to corpora-tions. For more information, visit www.gogoair.com
GET THERE, GOGO PARTNER TO OFFERDISCOUNTED IN-FLIGHT INTERNET
GLOBAL HOTEL MARKETS TO SEE GROWTH
7
traveltrade
Singapore Airlines, Singapore’s flag, car-rier seems to have raised high hopes for travel agencies based in London includ-ing travelhouseuk.co.uk, after the airline’s announcement for offering cheap Airline tickets to Asia and cheap flights for various Australian destinations.
“We perceive Singapore Airline’s recent development of lowering flight fares to two of the world’s most popular holiday continents, as one sparkling opportunity for both, passengers and travel agencies. This year the airline has targeted the most sought-after and popular destinations at a time when two mega events: Christmas and New Years are approaching fast.” said Zak Chahal, the CEO of Travelhouse uk.
Google has begun to reap the rewards of its $676m acquisition of the airline fare tracker ITA Softwareearlier this year by launching a flight-price search system for flights be-tween US destinations.Their new search engine, at www.google.com/flights, arrived in a low-key launch, after the takeover was sourly opposed by rivals including other travel services and Microsoft.Google will collect an affiliate fee from travel websites when people click through from the searchengine’s service to book flights. Flights can be sorted by airline, travel date, time and price.
TRAVEL NEWS
NEWS
SINGAPORE AIRLINES DISCOUNTED AIRFARES FOR ASIA & AUSTRALIA
GOOGLE UNVEILS NEW FLIGHT SEARCH IN U.S.
8
According to the 2011 SITA – Air Transport World Passenger Self-Ser-vice Survey reported that the increas-ing number of smartphones carried by airline passengers, and who have travel apps, has doubled over the last year making them an important device for travelers who want to ac-cess flight information or check-in remotely. For starters, travelers who own a smartphone has increased from 28% in last year’s survey to 54% this year; 74% of business class respondents and frequent flyers (10+ round trips per year) owned one.
SMARTPHONE TRAVEL APPS TAKE OFF IN SITA SURVEY
TRAVEL NEWS
It has been a significant few days for British tourism in the USA, Britain’s most valuable overseas market.Following Prime Minister David Cameron’s New York visit to unveil the GREAT Britain campaign – a new drive to promote Britain as a place to visit and do business – John Pen-rose, Minister for Tourism and Heritage, lent his support to Britain’s third largest industry at Destination Britain North America, the region’s largest business to business event.Destination Britain North America is VisitBrit-ain’s annual flagship event, bringing together British tourism suppliers with US and Cana-dian tourism buyers. This year a record number of British suppliers were in town to showcase their products and negotiate business deals. Over 2,900 appoint-ments took place during the two day market-place, as well as destination seminars and other networking functions.
GREAT BRITAIN GEARS UP TO HARNESS 2012 OLYMPICS OPPORTUNITY
9
traveltradeNEWS
The travel industry has had its share of ups and downs in recent years, thanks to economic uncertainty, high unem-ployment, political turmoil abroad and the public’s embrace of technology and the Internet. However, things are looking up for travel agents, many of whom are experiencing greater traffic and revenue. The Ameri-can Society of Travel Agents released its Leisure Trends Report earlier this year, they have determined that a large per-centage of leisure-based travel agen-cies saw increased revenue and trans-actions last year compared to 2009, which a positive trend that agents ex-pect to continue through 2011 when 94 percent expect to make a profit.
TRAVELLERS ARE RETURNING TO TRAVEL AGENTS
Tall ship specialist Star Clippers is offering guests complimentary daily yoga and med-itation classes in the middle of the Atlantic beneath 56,000 square feet of billowing sails, during the 2012 transatlanticcrossing of the line’s flagship, the 227-pas-senger Royal Clipper, in April 2012.
Surrounded by vast, open expanses of ocean, yoga classes will take place on Royal Clipper’s sun-warmed teak decks un-der the guidance of qualified yoga teacher Christel Vollmer.
Star Clippers operates three of the world’s largest and tallest sailing vessels. Visit-ing ports often untouched by larger cruise ships and offering passengers the activi-ties, amenities and atmosphere of a private yacht, Star Clippers is recognized as one of the premier specialty cruise lines.
LIFT MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT ON A TRANS ATLANTIC YOGA CRUISE
10TRAVEL NEWS
Sewveral industry leaders are pitching for agents to have access to all airfare content, regardless of which global distri-bution system (GDS) they opt to use.Discussing the issue at the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA) bi-annual board meeting earlier this month, chairman Peter Barlow said it was “critical” agents have access to allairline information.“It is critical that all airlines level the play-ing field and ensure that agents have access to all airline content and are able to easily access and facilitate payment for ancillary services through theirpreferred GDS.” Other issues covered during the as-sembly included ancillary fees, GDX surcharges, airline credit card levies and credit card fraud. The WTAAA also agreed to engage the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to adjust the Passenger Agency Program into one that is more “equita-ble and relevant in the current business environment”.“This is a challenging industry; it’s a volatile industry, but that being said, we are doing well because we have strong support from travel agents,” Air Canada vice president of global salesClaude Morin added.
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has recently worked with Google to co-host “Cruise Digital Marketing 2011,” with the goal of analyzing and understanding the impact of the digital world from a marketing perspective with reference to the travel in-dustry.Questions about effectively reaching cus-tomers, analyzing existing data to drive re-sults and differentiating one brand from an-other were only some of the many subjects discussed during the event, which offered a fresh perspective on technology for the marketing experts in the travel industry and beyond.“CLIA welcomed this close collaboration as the perfect chance to emphasize the need of understanding the digital world and its continuous changes, not only for the benefit of the cruise industry, but for the entire travel industry as well,” said Christine Duffy, Cruise Lines International Association’s President.Focusing on topics such as customer loyal-ty, learning from retail by creating the offline experience online, measurement and attribu-tion of online marketing, the day’s sessions served as an informativeanalysis of the current digital landscape with examples of success stories from various industries.
AGENTS NEED ACCESS TO FULL AIRLINE CONTENT: WTAAA
CLIA AND GOOGLE COLLAB-ORATED TO HOST ‘CRUISE DIGITAL MARKETING 2011’
11TRAVEL NEWS
EVENTS THISOCTOBER
OCTOBER 22-30TH
THE CRUISE SHOW The CRUISE show in-cludes companies with an upmarket live brand environment, with the major cruise lines and specialist operators exhibiting under one roof.MORE INFORMATION: www.cruisingshow.com TO BOOK CALL: 0871 620 4024
OCTOBER 21-23RD
INTERNATION-AL TOURISM & TRAVEL SHOWInternational Tour-ism & Travel Show is a dream opportunity to introduce your new products and services to thousands of tar-geted consumers. This three day event offers will help you gener-ate valuable contacts, make immediate sales, increase your visibility
and make solid con-nections that will trans-late into year round sales. Come, and you will understand why exhibitors renew their commitment year after year.
MORE INFORMATION: www.salontourismevoy-ages.com TO BOOK CALL: (514) 527-9221
OCTOBER 27-28TH INTERNA-TIONAL CRUISE SUMMIT 2011An International Cruise Summit for Travel agencies and tour operators, interested in the specialisation of selling cruise products. Commercial representatives at cruise lines and General Sales Agents. Cruise lines, itinerary planning.
OCTOBER 25TH THE TOURISM SOCIETY: MEDIA MAS-TERCLASSThe Tourism Society annual media mas-terclass offers the chance to speak to the trade papers and journalists within the field to gain an insight into how to pitch ideas to them for articles.
MORE INFORMATION: www.tourisociety.orgTO BOOK CALL: +44 (0)20 8661 4636
OCTOBER 29TH CORROBO-REE 2011 - THE AMERICAS AUSTRALIA TRADE SHOW ACTIVECorroboree 2011 will be
featured event
NOVMBER 7-10TH WORLD TRAVEL MARKETExhibiting companies have the scope of strengthening their business networks, by getting into profitable partnership deals with industry peers.The sheer range of exhibited items at the event is impressive, and ranges from airport and flight travel services and tourist board services, to event management .EMAIL: [email protected] MORE INFORMATION: www.wtmlondon.comTO BOOK CALL: + 44 (0) 208 271 21600871 620
12EVENTSCALENDAR
held in Melbourne, Vic-toria from Saturday 29 October to Monday 31 October 2011. Corrobo-ree is the premier retail training event held by Tourism Australia to educate Aussie Spe-cialist agents on Aus-tralian tourism prod-ucts and experiences. The event focuses on cultivating relationships and building new busi-ness for the Australian Tourism industry. MORE INFORMATION: www.tradeevents.australia.com
NOVEMBER 03-06THTHE LUXURY TRAVEL FAIR The Luxury Travel Fair is a one-stop destination for all travel and holiday enthusiasts,and draws in leading pro-fessionals from this sector as well. A large number of hotel ser-vice providers,travel agencies,airline and luxury cruise experts,and related personnel are presentas exhibitors at the show. MORE INFORMATION: Luxurytravelfair.comTO BOOK CALL: 0871 230 1091
NOVEMBER 8-10THMODERN HO-TEL - KIEV EXPO PLAZA EXHIBITION CENTER, KIEV, KIEV CITY, UKRAINE Modern Hotel will be held at KievExpoPlaza. Modern Hotel is the first specialized exhibi-tion in Ukraine target-ing professionals of the industry of hospi-tality and dining out. A total experience for the Food Service and the Hospitality profession-al. If its used in a hotel or restaurant, Interna-tional Restaurant and Hotel Expo has every industry segment cov-ered.MORE INFORMATION: www.rest-hotel.kiev.ua
NOVEMBER 11-14TH TALPEL INTER-NATIONAL TRAVEL FAIR Taipei International Travel Fair will be host to industry profession-
als and academics, who will lend the local market their knowl-edge of the latest industry trends and methods of operations. It is also the aim of the Taipei ITF to increase the frequency of me-dia exposure, promote trade for both buyer and seller, and help the consumer public to be more globally-minded.MORE INFORMATION: www.taipeiitf.org.twTO BOOK CALL: 886-2-2597-9691
NOVEMBER 15TH5TH ANNUAL TRAVELZOO AWARDS The Travelzoo Awards celebrate the compa-nies that took perfor-mance to the next level by providing the year’s best in travel, entertain-ment and local offers. MORE INFORMATION: www.travelzoo.com/tzoosTO BOOK CALL: (212.484.4921
WANT YOUR EVENT FEATURED HERE?
Feel free to keep us posted of any other industry events or conferences we may have left out.
Email: [email protected]
featured event
NOVEMBER 14-17TH INTERNATIONAL GOLF TRAVEL MARKET IGTM is the meeting place for the world of golf travel. Over 600 golf tourism suppliers join 350 pre-qualified buyers and 140 international press for four days of prescheduled appointments, networking opportunities and industry updates.
MORE INFORMATION: www.igtm.co.uk
13EVENTSCALENDAR
TRAVELTECHNOLOGY
#1 MACBOOK AIR
Razor thin masterpiece of industrial design that, in ways large and small, favors el-egance over practicality. To minimize un-sightly ports it eliminates the Ethernet and Firewire slots. To maintain a profile slim enough to fit into an interoffice envelope, it does without a CD/DVD drive and sports a battery that
can’t quite make it from SFO to JFK on a single charge. The keyboard is full-size and backlit for when the cabin lights dim. And with a built-in camera and mike, it doubles as a videophone for conducting face-to-face meetings without the jetlag.
TRAVEL GADGETS
#1 MACBOOK AIRShort description of item in this panel.www.apple.com
PRICE $1,799.00
14TECHNOLOGYPRODUCTS
FOR THE ROAD WARRIOR
#2 PHILIPS DOCK-ING SPEAKERThese give you a big sound in a slim, portable package. Running on AC power or a built-in rechargeable battery, the clever docking dongle can prop up iPads or iPhones—even when they’re in cases. It can also connect to any Bluetooth-stereo-enabled mobile phone, tablet, or laptop.
PRICE: $199.00 MORE INFORMATION: www.philips.com
#6 VIBRATO HEADPHONES There are a lot of great noise-can-celling headphones around, but V-Moda Vibrato Planet’s model negates the competition when it comes to `comfort to wear’ and its unmatched sound quality. The de-vice is ideal for multi-music-genre listening, amazing bass without compromising mid-range clarity. It even comes with a microphone.
PRICE: $129.99 MORE INFORMATION: www.v-moda.com
#3 ETON RAPTORThe tough Raptor combines an AM/FM/wideband radio, an LED flashlight, an altimeter, a barom-eter, an alarm clock, an audio-in, a charger for your gadgets, and a bottle opener—all juiced by a solar charger or USB. Oh, it’s water-proof too. PRICE: Not yet priced MORE INFORMATION: www. etoncorp.com
#7 FLIP HD If you are in the hunt for a simple and fast device to capture high clarity video, Flip MinoHD is the best buy. What you will love most is its user-friendly control. Unique is this camcorder with a physical record button for crisp and clear 720p HD videos. The built-in USB connector acts as a charger in additio n to transferring video to your PC.
PRICE: $139.99 MORE INFORMATION: www.theflip.com
#4 AMAZON KINDLEAn eBook reader can carry for you more than thousands of books and magazines. You have only to choose. Amazon Kindle is the best pick among the lot. Even in this tablet-filled world, eBook reader stands out with its glare-free e-ink screen, making it ideal for both beach and bedtime reading. PRICE: $140 MORE INFORMATION: www.amazon.com
#8 ASUS R300 HANDHELD PERSONAL NAVIGATORA mounting kit makes it easy to use for in-car GPS, for starters. But you can also slide it into your pocket, and get directions in pe-destrian, bike and even bus mode. It also can carry photos, music files, and you can field phone calls too.
PRICE: $299.00 MORE INFORMATION: www,asus.com
#5 MAGELLAN EXPLORIST 710 This sturdy utility device is for an adventurer who roams thinly populated or obscure areas. This handheld, waterproof, GPS stylish gadget will be a great guide for hikers and bikers traversing areas with topographical US maps. This gadget will be a wonderful addi-tion to any road warriors . PRICE: $549.99 MORE INFORMATION: www.mangellangps.com
#9 TRAVEL VALET SERVICE - TRACKSTICK IILoad it into your computer via the built in USB connection, apply the nifty Google Earth integration and all of a sudden you can see your life mapped by a series red lines. Travel great distances and you’ll have that Magellan feeling of creating an arc across the globe.
PRICE: $199.00MORE INFORMATION: www.trackstick.com
15TECHNOLOGYPRODUCTS
IATA Director General and CEO Tony Tyhler
Working hard to fulfill their mission to represent, lead and serve the airline industry, this international trade body supports one of the most dy-namic industries in the world.
IATA’s early roots are from the International Air Traffic Association, which began in Hague in 1919, a date that marks the beginning of the world’s first international scheduled flight services.
The modern-day IATA be-gan in Havana, Cuba in 1945 with just 57 members from 31 participating countries, mostly European and American. With scheduled air transport now 100 times larger than it was in 1945, IATA now boasts a port-folio of 230 airlines, a magni-tude representing 93% of the world’s scheduled air traffic.
One of IATA’s primary roles is educating governments and decision makers on aviation’s
economic value. “It has been said that aviation is the real world wide web. It connects people and businesses all over the globe,” says Perry Flint, spokesperson for IATA. The airline industry supplies 32 million jobs and $3.5 trillion in economic activity. If avia-tion were a country, it would place 21st in the world when ranked by gross domestic product, according to Oxford Economics.
TAXATION
Despite aviation’s worldwide significance, IATA demon-strates that airlines face har-rowing government-imposed taxes in the name of environ-mental preservation, which are making airlines’ standard operating procedures increas-ingly difficult. As a matter of fact, airlines only account for 2% of all human-caused CO2 emissions, and 12% of trans-port emissions.
Even though IATA has devel-oped aggressive plans for im-proving fuel efficiency, cap-ping aviation CO2 emissions and cutting net carbon emis-sions, governments continue to tax airlines and passengers at rates of up to 20% of the cost of an airline ticket. Oddly, in some cases, the money pulled in by these taxes is not even required to go toward the environment or improving aviation’s efficiency.
SECURITY
In a post-9/11 world, IATA also concentrates on the pressing issue of security. Although national security is a gov-ernment responsibility, IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) serves its world-wide customers with efforts geared toward providing safe, reliable air transportation.
Written by Kelli Pavlovec
HEADINGIATA
17
attests that safety costs are instead being forced onto the shoulders of airlines and passengers at the lofty sum of $7.4 billion annually.
Passengers’ convenience likewise is poorly balanced with security, according to IATA. “Passengers should be treated with courtesy and respect for their privacy rights; they should not have to disrobe in order to be al-lowed on an airplane,” says Flint. IATA has developed a Checkpoint of the Future program, which is designed to improve airport processes by removing hassle and in-creasing security.
COSTS
IATA also assumes the responsibility of address-
ing cost challenges to the aviation community. Jet fuel prices have risen from $30.50 in 2001 to an average of $126.50 today, and now account for 30% of overall costs, up from 13% of costs 10 years ago.
Flint, on ever-increasing infrastructure tolls, says, “We continue to face strong challenges to cost-efficiency. Too many governments view airlines and their passengers as cash cows.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Future plans for improve-ment rest on airline mergers between countries, according to IATA. “IATA believes that consolidation will make the industry stronger and help to break down the post-World
War II international aviation regulatory structure that limits the ability of airlines to ex-pand across national borders in the same fashion as other sectors of the economy,” says Flint.
Going forward, IATA also has long-term plans for develop-ing biofuels that will reduce carbon emissions, without competing with food crops. Some planes are already flying certain routes with a mixture of biofuel and regular jet fuel.
As passenger volumes are expected to rise to 16 billion by the year 2050, IATA plans to continue to lead interna-tional airlines in achieving maximum financial sustain-ability and upholding safety as their number one priority.
18
As travel and tourism is one of the fastest growing busi-nesses today, HAC embraces its duty to represent, protect, and support hoteliers in a challenging business world.
Since 1913, HAC has been an advocate for hotels, mo-tels and resorts, growing to a present-day membership of 8,486 hotels. Tony Pollard, president of HAC, is a key mediator between hoteliers and members of Parliament. “We like for the government to look favorably on us,” says Pollard of government relations, the principal preoc-cupation driving HAC.
HAC has developed a complete, ongoing program to assist hoteliers in going out and meeting with MP’s, and pointing out what the government can do to help. MP’s are looking for input from their constituents, and as HAC’s membership represents numerous voters, it’s im-portant for hoteliers and MP’s to connect with each other.
The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) represents the entire lodging industry, providing its members with as-sistance with government relations, marketing innova-tions, and industry resources.
Written by Kelli Pavlovec
HEADINGTHE HOTEL
ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
20
GREENING
In new developments, HAC is proud of its recently infa-mous Green Key Program, which has been adopted by more than 60 countries representing approximately 30% of the globe. A program that was developed in 1997, Pollard describes Green Key as “an overnight success that took about 14 years to get there.”
Hoteliers are readily jump-ing onto the Green Key Program, recognizing the environmental, marketing and financial advantages of adapting this fully voluntary program. “By demonstrating that hoteliers are voluntar-ily participating in an envi-ronmental program which benefits any and all, the government looks on us as good guys,” says Pollard.
TECHNOLOGY
In an ever-changing, tech-nologically driven world, 60% of leisure travelers and 62% of business travelers now get information on where they want to go from the internet. “The odds are that you’re going to get in-formation online and you’re probably going to book online. That’s very different from what it was before. And that’s forced us as an industry to change drastical-ly how we go about doing things,” says Pollard.
Likewise, online travel agents such as Expedia and the new Google Hotel Finder have replaced the brochures and booklets of 10 years ago. Making the industry more transpar-ent in terms of fees, rates, and bookings, these online
A program that was
developed in 1997,
Pollard describes
Green Key as “an
overnight success
that took about 14
years to get there.”
21
presences have forced the industry to reevaluate the way they do business.
In an effort to restore per-sonal interaction, most hotels now offer a best rate guarantee, a positive initia-tive that promises match-ing rates for online prices, provided the customer calls in to speak with a rep-resentative.
LOOKING FORWARD
HAC inaugurated the Green Key Meetings Pro-gram earlier this year, an assessment that evaluates hotels’ meeting operations and rates their sustainabil-ity efforts. “Green Key has been very eagerly adopted
and endorsed, particularly by larger hotels who do a lot of meetings,” says Pol-lard.
This fall, HAC will be rolling out the results of its Green Key review, a standard operating procedure com-pleted every 5 years that ensures the program is still current, credible and reflec-tive of what’s going on in the industry.
For the future, HAC will continue to provide hotel-iers with the tools, advoca-cy and protection needed for business success.
HAC PRESIDENT - TONY POLLARD
22
It’s opening day every day at Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, an award-winning hotel and restaurant chain that takes the road less travelled to provide a powerful emotional connection with its guests.
It’s opening day every day at Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, an award-winning hotel and restaurant chain that takes the road less travelled to provide a powerful emotional connection with its guests. By striving to make every guest’s first experience the best,
Kimpton has gained the highest customer satisfaction scores (93%+) and emotional at-tachment scores (89%) of any hotel company operating in the United States, according to Market Metrix Hospitality Index.
BEGINNINGS
In the early eighties, the age of big conven-tion hotels, founder Bill Kimpton set out to revolutionize the hotel industry. “It’s not so much about who we are today and where
GUEST LOYALTYKimpton has some of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the hotel business.
KIMPTON HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
24EDITORIALFEATURE
“AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR GUESTS LOVE US. IT’S NOT ABOUT THE MILES AND THE POINTS; IT’S ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE”
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we’re going, but about the man who founded the organization, and who he was and how he saw things back in 1981,” says Steve Pinetti, Senior Vice Presi-dent, Inspiration & Creativity, of Kimpton Hotels and Restau-rants.
An avid European traveller, Kimpton sought out intimate, high-design hotels while abroad. That’s when it clicked for him, and the idea for “boutique ho-tels” was born, a concept cred-ited to Kimpton according to USA Today. Inspired by a San Franciscan hotel with a 24-hour lobby coffee shop, Kimpton de-signed a personalized hotel with a chef driven restaurant. Today, Kimpton hotels typically con-sist of 220 rooms, an 8-10,000
square foot meeting space and a separate-entry restaurant.
Given the large number of res-taurant options available to diners, Kimpton decided, “As long as we’re in the restaurant business, let’s be the best we can be,” says Pinetti. Realizing that the few moments a guest spends during a first dining experience hold the power of future word of mouth referrals, Pinetti states: “It’s vital that we hit a home-run every day.”
THE KIMPTON DIFFERENCE
Kimpton Hotels may have branded the term “boutique,” but they are not a small op-eration. With 54 hotels and 54 restaurants in 23 cities, and over
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7,400 employees, they’re a driving force in the industry. “We’re like the biggest little guy and the smallest big guy,” says Pinetti. Kimpton realizes the opportunity to do the routine with flair and fun every day, and their creative ideas are often mimicked by the big brands.
As an example, Kimpton’s complimentary Hosted Evening Wine Hour is a time to wind down after a hard day, or vamp up in prepa-ration for a fun night out. Originating from Bill Kimpton’s tradition of greeting every single guest with a glass of wine at the end of the
day, Wine Hour is a time when guests min-gle and share talents, stories, and interests.
Guests also have the unique option of leaving a bag with personal products at their favorite Kimpton hotel in a frequently traveled city. Or, when a guest is charged an airline baggage fee for checking a second bag, Kimpton picks up the tab and gives cash back through a program called “We’ve Got Your Bag.” Guests can work out, bring their pets, enjoy complimentary coffee and tea during the day, and essen-tially maintain their own lifestyle away from home.
Kimpton is aggressive about interacting with guests through focus groups, guest feedback, and employees’ observations of rearranged furniture in rooms in order to
create a homelike environment. “Our people are terrific, and they’re great fun to interact with. We’re going to know who you are and recognize you every time you come in,” says Pinetti.
A GREAT PLACE TO STAY, A GREAT PLACE TO WORK
It’s not only guests who receive preferen-tial treatment; employees are valued as top notch as well. Boasting a place on Fortune 100’s Best Places to Work in 2011, Kimpton
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operates by allowing its employees to work within a framework of empowerment. In fact, Kimpton Hotels “attract individuals with en-trepreneurial, exciting personalities, who react from their heart with guests, and take their problems away from them,” says Pinetti.By recognizing that employees spend more waking hours at work than with family, Kimpton works to ensure that employees get satisfaction and fun out of work. Not at the expense of high quality, though, according to Pinetti: “We are as focused on high perform-ance as we are on fun and empowerment. We are a work hard, play hard organization; we keep it all in balance.”
GUEST LOYALTY
In keeping with their creative methods, Kimpton’s unique loyalty program aims to find opportunities that other hotels have missed by rewarding loyal guests beyond traditional miles and points. “I don’t want people staying in our hotels because they get miles and points. I want people to stay in our hotels because they love staying in our hotels,” says Pinetti.
With Kimpton InTouch, Kimpton creates a personal profile on guests, looking at what kind of pillow they like, what kind of music they prefer, what items they might like in a
welcome amenity, and delivers on personal preferences to make people feel recognized and at home. “At the end of the day, our guests love us. It’s not about the miles and the points; it’s about the experience,” says Pinetti.
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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Kimpton sustains eco-conscious-ness through its own greening initia-tives program called EarthCare. From providing phonebooks in rooms by request only, to transforming historical buildings into luxury ho-tels, specially appointed EarthCare champions meet weekly to ensure standards are being met. Kimpton’s efforts have achieved Green Key certification in all hotels.
Kimpton’s restaurants, likewise, follow EarthCare standards by elimi-nating styrofoam, using recycled or unbleached napkins and ToGo con-tainers, and conserving energy.
Kimpton Hotel’s social responsibility also extends to charitable partner-ships, most notably their involve-ment with Dress for Success. As Kimpton holds the highest ratio of businesswomen to businessmen of any of the major hotel chains, they actively partner with this not-for-profit organization that guides economically-challenged women as they transition from unemployment to success.
Kimpton also collaborates with the Trust for Public Land (TPL), the same non-profit that suc-cessfully preserved the land behind Hollywood’s sign. As $10 of the daily room rate goes to help TPL, staying at Kimpton Hotels supports efforts to preserve land and create parks in cities all across America.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
For the future, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants plans on doubling in size, while maintaining the intimate, high-quality boutique atmosphere they branded. Kimpton’s refusal to follow the crowd has earned them the label as one of the top 25 “pivotal influences” in the hospitality industry over the last 25 years, according to USA Today. Kimpton aims to maintain its social stand-ing and carry forward its ground-breaking success as guests continue to value the intimate uniqueness of the Kimpton environment.
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Call: 1.866.530.3127 or 1.386.255.0415, ext 126VISIT: www.daytonabeach.com Email: [email protected]
Visitors continue to agree that
Daytona Beach is the perfect location for their vacation. The destination
offers 23 miles of golden beaches, great weather, oceanfront accommodations,
restaurants and pubs, fabulous golf and family attractions.
And best of all...timeless memories at an affordable cost for every budget.
CITY OF LAS VEGAS The Entertainment Capital of the World
Written by Kelli Pavlovec
With 24-hour-a-day casino excitement, award-winning restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs, world-class entertainment options, premium shop-ping, destination spas and fantastic golf, Las Vegas offers something for eve-ryone. As the destination continues to evolve, new attractions this year include a flightline experience on Fremont Street, day clubs at resort pools, and new resident headliners such as Celine Dion, Rod Stew-art, Elton John and soon,
Shania Twain.
When new appointed Mayor Carolyn Goodman was elected in June 2011, she understood the sig-nificance of developing and establishing a city plan that would allow the com-munity to grow in a man-ner that would appeal to all involved.
“Travel and tour-ism is the top industry in the State of Nevada. In Southern Nevada alone, tourism generates approxi-
It goes without question that the City of Las Vegas is the most populous city in Nevada. Las Vegas has grown into a truly global city, offering a diversity of experiences to rival any other. Through strategic planning and investment, Las Vegas has been able to shape itself into a city that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but is also excels in the tourism industry.
“Travel and tour-
ism is the top
industry in the
State of Nevada.
In Southern Ne-
vada alone, tour-
ism generates
approximately
$37 billion to the
local economy.”
said Goodman.
EDITORIALFEATURE
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman
CITY OF
LAS VEGAS
34
mately $37 billion to the local economy.” said Goodman. “Approximately 215,000 members of Clark County’s workforce are employed di-rectly in the hospitality indus-try. The Las Vegas Conven-tion and Visitors Authority is the official destination mar-keting organization of Las Vegas and markets Southern
Nevada as a leisure and busi-ness destination worldwide. In 2010, Las Vegas attracted approximately 37.4 million visitors.”
DEVELOPMENT FOR GROWTH
As the national economy continues to show improve-
ments, the local Las Vegas economy has also improved. They have seen 15 consecu-tive months of increases for both visitation and Average Daily Room Rates. Citywide occupancy also continues to show solid increases. According to the LVCVA’s 2010 Visitor Profile Study, other tourism trends include
EDITORIALFEATURE35
a larger share of international visitors in the destination and overall spending increases on non-gaming elements such as dining and shopping.
“One thing that the city has done is to keep pressing forward despite the downturn in the economy. There continues to be a push forward with projects that will improve the quality of life in Las Vegas and create jobs for its residents.” said Goodman. “One of the major projects I hope to see come to fruition is a new arena in downtown Las Vegas. The city is currently in an exclusive negotiating agreement with the Cordish Companies to develop that arena and its ac-companying entertainment piece. I believe
that once we have that arena, Las Vegas will become home to a major league sports franchise.”
The year 2012 will be a big year for the city with The Mob Museum, Neon Museum, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and the new City Hall all scheduled to open. Symphony Park, located in Downtown Las Vegas, is the latest development in the 61-acre, master-planned neighborhood which is already home to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health (an iconic Frank Gehry-designed building), and to soon-to-open The Smith Center for the Per-forming Arts. Other planned uses including
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“The more travel
agents know
about Las Vegas,
and the more
incentives they
have to book Las
Vegas for their
clients, the more
we benefit as a
destination”.
said Goodman.
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residential, retail and hospitality are being scheduled for development.
Of great interest additionally is the Fre-mont East Entertainment District which has undergone a $5.5 million revitalization in-cluding the installation of retro-looking neon signs and the addition of small businesses including bars, restaurants and coffee houses. “The energy that is happening in that area is really special and a tribute to the young, ambitious downtown residents who live, work and play in the area.” Goodman said.
Working closely with the LVCVA, the city continues aggressively to market the des-
tination to increase tourism. Over the past year, it has conducted extensive research to determine who, exactly, their potential customers are and what motivates them to travel to Las Vegas. LVCVA has found that Las Vegas travel segments are overwhelm-ingly defined by the experience.
“What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” is still the umbrella marketing and advertising campaign. However, currently they are wrapping up there new summer campaign called “Life is Short. Summer is Shorter” which includes new television, ra-dio, print, and internet promotions and out-door advertising, as well as public relations efforts targeting national and regional media
. PARTNERSHIPS
The LVCVA and the city continues to work closely with McCarran International Airport to bring new airlines and service to Las Vegas. Recently, Spirit Airlines an-nounced new, daily, non-stop service from Portland, Oakland and San Diego. British Airways, which launched direct service between Las Vegas and London Heathrow in 2009, increased capacity by 18 percent recently. The airline switched from a B777 to a
B747, which adds 62 seats on every flight.
The LVCVA announced CCRA Travel Solutions as the newest addition to its Preferred Travel Partner Program. As part of the pro-gram, The LVCVA will pro-vide travel agent services, commissionable booking opportunities and incentive programs to registered us-ers of the CCRAtravel.com hotel reservation portal.
“The more travel agents know about Las Vegas, and the more incentives they
have to book Las Vegas for their clients, the more we benefit as a destination”. said Goodman. The LVCVA makes this process as easy as possible for agents and tour operators through a va-riety of tools and education programs.
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
Las Vegas continues to explore various ways to promote the destination including the use of emerg-ing technologies. Among the resort properties and
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the LVCVA, Las Vegas has a strong presence on so-cial media and continues to engage friends and fol-lowers through a variety of promotions. “The City of Las Vegas has a full range of social media outlets includ-ing Twitter and Facebook, as well as an award-winning government website and Emmy-winning television station, KCLV Channel 2.” explained Goodman.
GREEN INITIATIVES
The city of Las Vegas has long been a leader in sustainability at the govern-ment level. With buildings built to LEED standards and
a fleet of vehicles that is 90 percent alternatively fueled. In recent years, Las Vegas resorts have turned their attention and focused their efforts on becoming more environmentally conscious. From energy efficiency and water conservation to recycling and implement-ing greener practices, Las Vegas is doing its part to contribute to the sustain-ability of the planet. “City Center has achieved Gold LEED certification for ARIA Resort & Casino’s hotel tower, convention center and theater, Vdara Hotel & Spa, Mandarin Oriental, Veer Tow-ers and Crystals.” Goodman explains. “This marks the
highest LEED achievement of any hotel, retail district or residential development in Las Vegas.” It is also the world’s largest private green development. Caesars Enter-tainment is the only casino, hospitality and entertain-ment company to receive seven gold level accredita-tions from Travelife Sustain-ability for its Las Vegas Strip properties. Las Vegas Sands Corporation announced that the company’s Vene-tian Resort and Sands Expo and Convention Center achieved Gold LEED certifi-cation for existing buildings. The Palazzo achieved Silver LEED certification for new construction in 2008. When
EDITORIALFEATURE40
combined, The Venetian, The Palazzo and the Sands Expo comprise the largest LEED building in the world. In addi-tion the new City Hall is also being built to LEED stand-
ards.Certainly the economy
is getting stronger, and Las Vegas is as vibrant today as ever before as an entertain-ment and tourism mecca
as well as being a most ap-pealing residential and living community. Like many cit-ies across the country and throughout the world, “Las Vegas has been impacted by the recession, but it is making a gradual recovery evidenced by many exciting projects happening in city. This will bring new workers downtown and hopefully be the start of other major companies choosing to make their home in Las Vegas” Goodman stated. There will be role for everyone to play, and Las Vegas is well on their way to where they plan to be.
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THEhotel at Mandalay Bay is an impressive 43-story tower located within the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino complex.
Bringing in a new model of luxury, allowing guests a sanctum of elegance and service on par with the best boutique hotels in the world. The stylish lobby with its appointed suites set a tone of
Ziggurat Suite - New York New York
You can’t go wrong with the timeless Las Vegas’s New York New York, which has traditional sin city momentum that is created in the Ziggurat suite.
Luxury goes a step farther than you’d think when you’re in the center of the las vegas strip, becoming even more flashy when the amentieies like a spa tub, oversized shower, wet bar, dining room
THEsuite- THEhotel at Mandalay Bay
BEST HOTEL SUITES THE
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confident carefulness, while its tailored amenities provide a great
experience for both business and pleasure travelers. It might not be the
newest or latest tower on the Las vegas strip, but it wasn’t that long ago that the
Mandalay Bay’s latest tower was the hot ticket in town. THEhotel still has the cutting
edge feel to it with a sense of history. At 725 square feet it has tremendous views of the
strip with separate living area with floor to ceiling windows, 42” Plasma TV, desk area with wireless
and hi-speed internet access, mini-bar, in-room safe, and dual phone lines.
and his and her own closets. The Ziggurat Suite takes the Mesopotamian idea of building on
elevated surfaces indoors. Hotel guests at New York New York can experience 1,100 square
feet of different levels for sleeping, living, and eating. With its size, fantastic retro-
futuristic art deco design, and tons of ameneties ensure a royal experience.
IN LAS VEGAS
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Grand and classy, the Salon Suite is 2,261 square feet with adjoining entertaining and bedroom areas.
Featuring comfortable Wynn signature beds, massage room, powder room, wet bar, two closets and the most vast assortment of features, this suite is cosmopolitan living coupled with resort luxury. Enjoy the ammenties like Pillow top Wynn Dream Bed featuring 100% Egyptian cotton 310 thread count linens, the Floor-to-ceiling windows, one-touch climate control
Sky Lofts - MGM Grand
The MGM Grand Hotel and Casino represents the heart and soul of Vegas, complete with upscale accommodations, live shows and nightlife, front-door access to The Strip, and professional, attentive services.
Its a private sanctuary. Headlined at the top two floors of MGM Grand, Skylofts truly express luxury. From the
Encore Salon Suite - Wynn Hotel
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modern two-story loft design to your very own personal 24-hour Butler, every single
detail was planned to ensure your absolute comfort and relaxation. If leaving the room
proves too exhausting, theres an extensive room service list created just for Skyloft
passengers - with prefereed seating at MGM’s Cirque du Soleil show and signature restaurants.
boutique hotels in the world. The stylish lobby with its appointed suites set a tone
and state-of-the-art office equipment. Whether it’s a full breakfast, brunch, or late night snack -
there are many different dining considerations at Wynn and Encore Las Vegas. From the pan-
Asian cuisine at Wazuzu, to the seafood and steakhouse fare at Switch, to early French-
influenced Shanghai cuisine at Wing Lei, Wynn and Encore Las Vegas are
revolutionizing the Las Vegas Strip’s dining scene.
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Vdara is a breathtaking, non-gaming, non-smoking, all-suite hotel and spa. Ideally located between Aria Resort & Casino and Bellagio within CityCenter, Vdara is minutes away from an unparalleled offering of fine retail and exceptional entertainment.
Crystals, CityCenter’s retail and entertainment district, houses a stunning collection of the world’s most elite and celebrated brands under its multi-faceted canopy of unprecedented brilliance. The Two-
The interior of the Mandarin Suite combines all the glamour of Art Deco with the composure of the Orient.
The master bedroom has a calm to its surroundings; the bathroom is a symbol of relaxation. A personal fitness area includes a Technogym Kinesis Wall and exercise bike. A large second
The Penthouse - Vdara
Mandarin Suite - Mandarin Oriental
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Story One Bedroom Penthouse is perfect for those seeking the ultimate in privacy and refuge.
Picture laying in your spa-style soaking tub and overlooking the entire Las Vegas Valley
and then stepping into your second-story bedroom and taking in the living space
below. Open and airy with 948 square feet of space, this is how everyone should
experience The Strip. revolutionizing the Las Vegas Strip’s dining scene.
bedroom has two double beds and an equally beautiful bathroom. Throughout
the suite there are great views over the shimmering heights of CityCenter and the
neon Strip. This is a comfortable living space with a private dining room, bar and study.
The entire suite is outfitted with the latest in technology from Bang & Olufsen. The luxuries are
clear in the detailing however it will be the dubious Mandarin Oriental service that will ensure your stay
than any other in Las Vegas. Approximately 3,100 square feet (288 square meters)
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Caesars Palace captures the story of Greece and the beauty that was Rome in a resort casino that has become one of the most well known in Las Vegas.
When compared to other resort casino hotels, the Roman Empire certainly has its own special appeal with architecture, imperial statues, a giant rotunda and soaring columns flanking the pool. Built in 1966, the 3,348-room-and-suites Caesars Palace has defined excess on The Strip. The Las Vegas resort’s three Octavius Tower Villas—the property’s only
Panoramic View- Penthouse Sky Suite at Aria
This is a place where glamour and green collide.
The legendary resort and casino rises 61 stories above the heart of CityCenter covering two curvilinear steel and glass towers, designed by world-renowned Pelli Clarke Architects, dominating the Las Vegas skyline. Creative design reveals itself everywhere you look - from the crystalline exterior to lavish natural elements indoors including plants, reclaimed wood and native sandstone. You shouldn’t have
Claudius, Octavius Village -Ceasars Palace
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individually designed suites—opened in September as part of an ongoing $1 billion expansion.
Central to the development, the $375 million Octavius skyscraper was built to house 665
guest rooms and 71 suites, including this trio of second-floor retreats where rates are
$30,000 per night. When you combine Ceasars Palace with the spacious
ambianiance of the Hoover Dam, out comes something like Cladius.
Needless to say, with this kind of space, you wont miss a single thing.
to settle for anything but the best. And with their Two-Bedroom ARIA Suite, you
won’t. At approximately 1,630 square feet, this suite envelops you in a fusion of tasteful,
contemporary luxury and phenomenal, panoramic views of Vegas. Separate living and
powder rooms, as well as a spa-like bathroom sanctuary ensure that nothing has been either
overlooked or compromised. And to top it all off, enjoy the comfort and convenience with our state-of-
the-art, customizable one-touch in-room technology in addition to the innovative amenities reserved
exclusively for their very special guests.
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The first floor of the Lanai Suite is made up of an expertly styled, intimate living room with designer furniture, a kitchen-like galley with mini-bar and microwave, and an ultramodern dining space.
Technology in the suite includes 52” Flat Screen TVs, a state-of-the-art connectivity panel, and surround sound throughout. From the living room, a sliding glass door opens to the private terrace featuring stylish outdoor furniture and a deluxe Jacuzzi. In most suites, a gated terrace allows guests to enjoy direct access to the tranquility of the Bamboo Pool. A sleek staircase, situated between the living
Cypress Suite - Bellagio
Comfort is the hallmark of your Bellagio luxury hotel experience. Guests realize that Bellagio is special as soon as they arrive.
Along the entire street in front of Bellagio is a tree-lined boulevard – so much so that it hides parts of the hotel including its own marquee - historical heresy in Las Vegas. With its Tuscan-
Lanai Suite - Cosmpolitian
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inspired architecture along an eight-and-a-half-acre lake, Bellagio stands out
as something special in Las Vegas. The Cypress Suite offers 1,525-square-feet of
spellbinding space in an arc shape. Large windows make for excellent views. Additional
amenities include: an open floor plan combining the living, dining and sleeping area; a separate
foyer; his bath with steam shower, hers with soaking whirlpool tub; deluxe spa products; plush robes and
slippers; separate illuminated makeup/shaving mirrors; and nightly turn down service.
and kitchen areas, leads to the upper floor and the open master bedroom. The upper level offers
breathtaking views through two-story windows and features a plush, queen-sized bed and a
Projection TV that drops down from the ceiling. The marble tiled master bath includes an
expansive glass enclosed spa shower and contemporary dual bathroom vanity. The
up-and-down layout of this suite, along with its unexpected amenities, access
to the serenity of the Bamboo Pool and Sahra Spa & Hammam, creates an
ideal setting for entertaining small parties or a private escape.
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01 What to Wear: With Las Vegas in the desert the tem-
perature gets to be about 115 degrees in the summer. But if you happen to be visiting in the fall and winter months a light jacket is recommend-ed.
Small BillS - A tactics some taxi drivers use to
scam passenger once you get to your destination, is to suddenly mention that they cannot make change. If your trip from the airport to your hotel is $12, and all you have on you is a $20 bill. You will find yourself reluctantly giv-ing an $8 tip. To avoid this, make sure you have plenty of small bills and change ahead of time.
Get movinG: Arriving before check-in time at
your Vegas hotel should be the least of your worries. If you arrive early and your hotel doesn’t allow early check-in, grab what you need for the next couple of hours, drop your bags off, and be on your way.
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Las Vegas is an adventure in traveling. Make the most of your Las Vegas vacation with travel tips and secrets that will boost your va-cation in a different direction. Heres our Twenty one tips on mak-ing your visit an enjoyable one.
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TWENTYONE LAS VEGASTIPS
0654
Buy in advance: In order to book a cheap vacation
you will need to plan in ad-vance. Prices on a Saturday go down slightly and there is less congestion at the air-port, however hotel rates for Saturday nights in Las Vegas are overpriced. Instead, pay just a bit more and arrive on a Sunday and realize a huge savings on accommodations.
When to Go: Las Vegas in the middle of the week
is far more affordable. It still can be absurdly cheap on a Tuesday night. The make or break factors are often con-ventions and major events but on average rooms are cheaper during the week. Avoid weekends all together if possible, table limits are higher, restaurants reserva-tions are harder to come by and the room might cost you three times as much.
Be Specific- Some-hotel-casinos are larger than they
appear, telling your party to meet you at the bar could leave them wandering around for hours. Name a specific location all will be able to find, such as the front desk of your hotel.
SPF 50 - Sun-screen is a must in Las Vegas. Try to
bring your own if you can.Electrical outlets in The Is-lands Of The Bahamas are 60 cycles/120 volts, which is
compatible with all U.S. appli-ances. British and European appliances require a flat two-pin adaptor and 220-volt converter.
PedeStrianS: Traffic is crazy. It could be the lights,
the fountains, the volcano, the Eiffel Tower or the lion; whatever it is, drivers seem to have a difficult time fol-lowing simple traffic rules. Be careful at all times.
avoidinG the maSSeS: If you’re attempt-ing to avoid the
crowds and visit Vegas dur-ing the slow season, it may be difficult. Vegas is a hot vacation spot year-round. However, we can tell you that from about 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. is perhaps the slowest time, particularly during the week. Early-morning hours are probably the perfect time for new players to step up to a craps table and play without the pressure of veteran play-ers glaring at you.
the Water of life: Drinking lots of booze at night and
then walking around in 115 degree heat during the day = dehydration. Buy one of those trendy bottled waters. The prices for the bottled stuff are quite high at the hotels, so stop by a local grocery store or convenience store and stock up.
KeePinG in touch: Cell phones and
walkie talkies are a great way to keep in touch with fellow travelers while in Vegas. Just keep in mind that most casi-nos frown upon their use on the casino floor (and they’re strictly out of bounds in the race and sports books). Walkie talkie users actually say the signal is clearer than on cell phones, plus they’re generally cheaper, but they do have a far more limited range.
attention, GamBlinG virGinS: Take les-sons if the casino
offers them. If lessons aren’t available, spend a couple of bucks on the crib card that supplies the basics. When all else fails, don’t be afraid to ask questions. The dealers are there to help -- and most of the time they’re happy to do so.
it addS uP to real money: Those coins and play chips are
real so keep your change buckets close and your chips even closer. If your winnings become too heavy to carry around, be sure to make use of the hotel safe. free ciGarS, you Say? The next
time you’re passing time at the tables or machines and
ordering those free drinks, don’t forget to ask for a free cigar. Several hotels have been known to keep some of those trendy little incendiary devices on hand for just such an occasion.
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loWer taBle mini-mumS: Still trying to find your way
around the tables and feel-ing intimidated by the high table limits on the Strip? Head for downtown Vegas. The table minimums for craps, and “let it ride” are usually lower, so your learn-ing curve won’t cost you too much.
Player’S cluBS: Stand in line, get the form and sign
up for the frequent gambler card at your favorite hotels. Use the card to accumulate points, since you’ll probably be gambling anyway, and perhaps receive something free. It helps to be on the mailing list for a lot of ho-
tels.
tiPPinG tiPS - So here’s the rundown; Bell-men- They usually receive $1 a bag, Taxi drivers; About 15 percent of your total fare
should make up for their efforts. Valet parking and maid service attendants: We suggest $1 to $2 each day. Cocktail waitresses: About $2 per round is sufficient for a small group (2-3 people). Increase for larger groups. Don’t fail to tip, even if your drinks are comped. Don’t forget to tip the dealer a few bucks every hour.
hanGover tiP - Its going to happen in Vegas, so draw
the blinds, take some Tyle-nol and drink lots of water. Whatever remedy you have, you better break it out.
food & dininG: If you like Las Vegas buffets try
going during the lunch time. It’s usually much cheaper with often the same food selection. Order wine by the bottle. If two or more people are drinking wine and can settle on the type of wine
that you like, you can save some money by ordering a bottle.
funBooK - At check-in, remem-ber to ask for a
Funbook if one is not given to you. A Las Vegas fun-book is a little book filled with Las Vegas coupons for a variety of things at the ho-tel. Each hotel prints it’s own funbook and examples of what you can get for free or at discount prices are food, drinks, shows, buffet cou-pons, and free slot plays.
taKe a Side triP If the chaos on the Strip grows tire-
some, then head off into the desert for a mini-adventure. The Hoover Dam and Mount Charleston are all worthy side trips. Feeling ambi-tious? Consider the 240-mile drive east to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. be absurdly cheap on a
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There’s so much more of England to discoverbeyond London!
For itinerary suggestions, contacts and news, go to visitmanchester.com/traveltrade
Located in the North of England, Manchester isideally placed to explore the whole of the regionoffering easy access to destinations such asLiverpool, the Lake District, Chester and York.
Set in a region that offers great value for money,Manchester has a wealth of things to see and do,with over 90 museums and galleries, most ofwhich are free to enter, a thriving nightlife sceneand top class events. Combine this with stunningcountryside on its doorstep and you have adestination perfect for any age.
Starting off in Manchester, one of themost vibrant and cosmopolitan cities in the UK, you’ll find a city steeped inhistory with its own unique character.Embrace the heritage and step back in time at the Museum of Science andIndustry, People’s History Museum oronboard the East Lancashire Railway.
Getting to Manchester couldn’t be easier with non-stop flightsfrom across the US, Europe and around the world. Isn’t it timeyou booked to see ‘real England’!
Travel Trade ad:Layout 1 08/09/2011 11:56 Page 1
LAS VEGAS HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION
The Las Vegas Hospitality As-sociation (LVHA) is a membership-driven, volunteer
association dedicated to providing its 400 members with education and net-working through special events, monthly meetings, and community involve-ment.
Since 1962, LVHA has been the hospitality indus-try’s go-to place for net-working and new events. “It’s very popular to belong to our organization,” says Mary Thomas, Parliamen-tarian for LVHA. “We bring people together with one main goal, and that is to bring travel and tourism to Las Vegas in the best way possible.”
According to LVHA Presi-dent J.J. Wills, “Everything we do is for our members and done by our members. We’re a volunteer board, so we really work together as a community to network and educate ourselves. We make sure that we’re the best we can be and in a
position where we’re offer-ing the best experiences and opportunities for our customers.”
A USC business gradu-ate, Wills brings years of experience in the hospi-tality industry to the table. Beginning with catering and hotel sales in Portland, Oregon, and moving on to convention sales, she fo-cuses primarily these days on the meetings industry with Las Vegas Meetings by Caesars Entertainment.
ROLE IN THE INDUSTRY
LVHA raises positive awareness in the local community and industry through monthly mem-bership events primarily focused on education. “I think it’s really important to be engaged and get to know your peers within the industry and to help sup-port it,” says Wills.
LVHA’s list of events also includes Panel Discus-sions, an annual upcom-ing event where top dog professional speakers
Written by Kelli Pavlovec
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address pressing industry topics. Customers from various market segments learn directly from top dog leaders, with past speakers including Anheuser-Busch, the American Medical As-sociation, IBM, and Expe-dia.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
25 years ago, LVHA de-cided to concentrate on offering education schol-arships to members, members’ children, their spouses, and now even their grandchildren, an ef-fort that dually supports the educational institutes in the community. These scholarships bode well for the hospitality industry, as seen through thank you notes from recipients such as Haley Etchison: “I’ll do my best to perform with
excellence and reflect well on my financial sponsors such as the LVHA.” LHVA has raised over $700,000 through fundraising events such as their annual golf tournament and charity auction.
Other philanthropic en-deavors include support of charities including Three Square, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Toys for Tots, and Child Haven, to name a few. Through their own “Fill a Bag with Cheer” campaign, LVHA adopts a school and members fill and deliver bags to en-sure those children receive everything they need. As Thomas recounts tears shed as children open new socks and coats to replace their own tattered ones, she says, “We’re loving it - it’s very heartwarming.”
“Everything
we do is for our
members and
done by our
members. We’re a
volunteer board,
so we really
work together
as a community
to network
and educate
ourselves. “
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PARTNERSHIPS
LVHA works closely with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), a quasi-governmental agency that markets Las Vegas as a tourism destination. “We’re a membership organization representing our members, whereas the LVCVA is an organi-zation that does definition marketing,” says Wills of their strategic partnership.
GREENING
Several of the LVHA members undergoing construction are practicing environmental responsibility. Caesars Entertainment Cor-poration’s expansion at Caesars Palace Conference Center achieved LEED Silver Certification, and the CityCenter construction project built by MGM MIRAGE received LEED Certification for ARIA, currently the largest hotel in the world with Gold LEED status.
“As an organization,” Wills points out, “we have tried to do our part to go green. We’ve done away with mailings and we do every-thing electronically. All of our event invita-tions are electronic, and this year we started taking RSVP’s electroni-cally.”
TECHNOLOGY
LVHA uses technology to promote the organiza-tion and events on Fa-ceBook, and is exploring further exposure through LinkedIn. “Going into 2012, our action plan is to add another position to our board that would specifically be a market-ing position that could help us engage through social media with our membership and pro-mote all that we’re do-ing,” says Wills.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Starting this year, LVHA is partnering with other industry organizations, including PCMA, IMEX, and IAEE to promote network-ing in the local community.
New on the horizon in Vegas is the unveil-ing of the results of Tropicana’s nearly-completed renovations, as well as recently announced plans from Caesars Entertain-ment for Linqs. A $550 million shopping and entertainment complex center on the strip, Wills says Linqs is “absolutely a new experi-ence that people are going to want to come see.” The focal point will be the world’s larg-est observation wheel called the Las Vegas High Roller, rising to 550 feet.
From the Cosmopolitan hotel on the strip, to the Vegas Mob Experience, to the zipline flying over Fremont Street, there’s always something new to do in Las Vegas. As the dynamic Vegas continues to grow, the LVHA will continue to serve as its premier hospitality organization.
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