ALPHARETTA, GA.—Hotel occupancy is rising, and hotel staff have begun to return to work. While safety and health are always top priorities for the industry, concerns about COVID-19 and the ongoing pandemic make daily wellness even more important. To address these concerns, Hotel Effectiveness has launched a powerful new enhancement to the MyHotelTeam application, Team Wellness Check-In. Hotel Effectiveness, with its award-winning labor management technologies, is used by more than 4,500 hotels to manage more than $15 billion in labor costs each year. The Team Wellness Check-In will facilitate a safe and efficient return-to-work process through a simple and secure,...

To further expand the hotel industry’s Safe Stay initiative, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) this week announced COVID-19 Precautions for Hotels, an online course developed in partnership with the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) and created to help hotels train their staffs on the enhanced safety and cleanliness guidelines. The new training course was created in consultation with the AHLA’s Safe Stay Advisory Council and represents a united industry approach around the Safe Stay guidelines endorsed by all major U.S. hotel brands, hospitality associations in 50 states and Canada, and thousands of hotel properties across the...

NATIONAL REPORT—At the moment, there is a lot that seems uncertain for the hospitality industry. The coronavirus pandemic has drastically shifted the way resorts and airlines operate. Over the next year, we can anticipate further adjustments—especially when it comes to consumer behavior. The entire experience may change completely. Here’s what we should expect to see next year. 1. Increased Cleanliness Standards All industries will need to follow strict cleanliness guidelines for the foreseeable future—hospitality or otherwise. While it is up to guests to practice decent hygiene, the company must also ensure employees maintain a sanitized environment. Hotels need to create their own plans. This...

BOULDER, COLO.—1908 Brands announces the launch of NEW Boulder Clean Disinfectant Cleaner. Boulder Clean Disinfectant Cleaner is formulated to clean, disinfect and deodorize in one simple step. The plant-powered disinfectant kills over 99.9 percent of household germs within 10 minutes of contact. Made with botanical-based ingredients and essential oils, Boulder Clean Disinfectant Cleaner wipes away germs, dirt, and allergens without harsh, toxic chemicals. It is free from dyes, artificial fragrances, bleach, ammonia, formaldehyde, triclosan, MIT, parabens, phosphates, and phthalates. Boulder Clean Disinfectant Cleaner is safe to use around family, pets, and the environment. Boulder Clean Disinfectant Cleaner is sold in 28...

OSHKOSH, WIS.—Girbau North America (GNA) recently developed and released the Covid-19 Disinfection Monitoring Package (DMP), a module that works in concert with Sapphire laundry management software to monitor and verify disinfection of washed textiles. Unique in the industry, the DMP was innovated by Girbau Global Laundry Solutions to address the immediate need for disinfection and hygiene within laundries across the globe. Available on all GNA on-premise and industrial washer-extractors, the DMP comes as a result of GNA’s targeted effort to help counter the Covid-19 pandemic and stop the spread of infection. The DMP is a module that integrates with Sapphire,...

QUEBEC—Energy Door Co., a leading supplier of glass display doors and frames for the commercial refrigeration industry, introduces AMSafe, an antimicrobial hands-free, door arm that sanitizes itself. The unique design of the AMSafe Antimicrobial Arm uses a micronized antibacterial compound embedded into the arm killing 99 percent of germs. Even if you never clean it, the antimicrobial compound lasts for the life of the handle. “Developing a product that is not only conveniently hands-free but also keeping customers safe in a retail environment is more critical than ever,” stated Tim Dye, Director of Sales and Marketing for Energy Door Co. “With...

MIAMI, FLA.—The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the $4.5 trillion global wellness economy, today announced that its 2020 conference would move from Tel Aviv, Israel, to the United States, by far the largest wellness market. It will now take place November 8 to 11 at The Breakers, an iconic hotel on 140 oceanfront acres in Palm Beach, Fla., which has received numerous awards for its commitment to guest and employee wellness and diversity. The 2021 Summit will be held in Tel Aviv, November 15 to 18. COVID-19 brutally exposed the importance of preventative wellness and...

MIAMI BEACH, FLA.—Vero Water, a leading provider of luxury still and sparkling water to the hospitality industry, announced the introduction of VERO+4 featuring Touchless Technology to meet the heightened sanitation and safety requirements for HORECA establishments as a result of COVID-19. The new VERO+4 with Touchless Technology includes all the industry-leading features of the original Vero+4, such as the proprietary VERO+ Five-Stage filtration process that consistently delivers Vero’s signature taste, but with the added benefit of touchless filling. The Vero+4 with Touchless Technology includes the following features ideal for high-volume venues: Touchless Filling Technology. Simply place a bottle on...

BEND, ORE.—Ripclear, makers of the most advanced protective film for outdoor sports eyewear, announced the launch of its V2 Shield, designed to protect personnel dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak including hotel staffers, EMS workers, nurses, police, facility and operations personnel, and other front-line staff. They expertly designed V2 Shield features with 91 percent optical transparency, so that personnel can safely and effectively do their work while staying protected via a certified medical face shield. “We heard the needs of frontline responders and essential workers across the country, and are producing an optically clear, anti-fog, foam padded face shield that protects...

MCLEAN, VA.—This week, Hilton will begin a worldwide roll-out of a new program to deliver an industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection to Hilton properties. Hilton CleanStay, created in collaboration with Lysol and Dettol maker RB and Mayo Clinic, includes new procedures to help Hilton guests enjoy an even cleaner and safer stay starting this summer. Hilton and RB have expanded this partnership to support the global portfolio of hotels and the trusted RB family of products will be used in multiple markets around the world. “For more than a century, our top priority has been the safety and security of...