Last year was essentially like Navy SEAL training for many hotel operators. Guest traffic, expectations and demands have required adaptation on a scale never seen before. Thankfully, the hospitality industry is made up of strong players who have risen to the occasion. Hotel operators are now handling sanitation and disinfecting all while winning back the trust of concerned guests to refine their businesses. As a result, the waste streams have most certainly changed. The utilization of single-use items, pre-packaged amenities and increased cleaning have driven waste volumes up. Pair this with unpredictable occupancy, challenging events, and the unique needs of...

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped hotel operations in many areas, from contactless check-in to keyless room entry to QR codes for restaurant menus. Hotel gym operations and cleaning protocols have also changed in response to pandemic health and safety concerns. Many of these changes are projected to become mainstays in 2021 and beyond to meet guest expectations for enhanced cleaning and hygiene protocols. For most hotel guests, the best location, five-star restaurants and over the top amenities have taken a back seat to high standards for health and safety. According to a TripAdvisor survey, cleanliness is the most important factor in...

With multiple effective COVID-19 vaccines emerging, hotels are looking forward to hosting more guests in 2021 and beyond. Even after most of the population has been vaccinated, many guests will likely maintain heightened awareness of hotel cleanliness. At the same time, the environmental crisis is worsening, and a growing number of Americans are feeling its impact. A recent Pew Research Center survey found a majority (62 percent) of Americans see the climate crisis affecting their local communities. These conditions create a perfect opportunity for hotels to emphasize sustainability in their cleaning programs. It is crucial to understand that green cleaning...

With COVID-19 disrupting commercial activities around the globe, one of the many knock-on effects has been on the composition and volume of waste generated by organizations. The crisis has added new considerations for why transparency about the way waste management systems are designed and function is essential for adequate performance, both now and beyond the pandemic. For example, some companies are faced with the challenge to offer adequate protection for workers who deal with waste. Others are presented with trade-offs and new waste-related impacts, as they have shifted from physical commercial activity towards e-commerce. And some companies are already re-thinking...

There is not one aspect of society that has not been significantly challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the hospitality industry has undoubtedly been hit harder than most. When the pandemic reached our shores, thousands avoided travel and local governments instituted regulations at restaurants and other venues to ensure health safety. But slowly, as restrictions ease and the public grows more comfortable venturing out, hospitality will make a comeback, and visual communications—digital signage, wayfinding, video walls—will lead the way towards a safe return. Here are a few things hospitality professionals should consider when working with technology providers to adopt necessary...

Hoteliers agree that proactive safety measures, especially in the wake of COVID-19, are important in maintaining a positive guest experience. From informative signage in guestrooms regarding cleaning procedures to check-out surveys and stocked in-room coffee supplies, it is the little touches that show you are not only thinking ahead but also prioritizing the guest experience. This mindset holds true for hotel pest management as well. In fact, pest control providers emphasize Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a methodology designed with the future in mind. IPM takes a proactive and all-inclusive approach to prevention by eliminating the conditions that are conducive to pest activity. Without preventative...

If real, achievable, disinfection measures increase confidence, the public will return. People are placing health as a top priority. Almost 85 percent make their travel decisions based on health safety. Some 40 percent are unsatisfied with the communications they’re currently receiving about safety protocols according to PWC. Half of consumers are also willing to pay extra for more safety. To get the public back, business has to have high level safety protocols and make people aware of them. The devastation to the hospitality industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic is illustrated in a survey by the American Hotel & Lodging Association...

The unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19 have reminded us that we are an interconnected global community. While this crisis rightly has dominated our attention, we must not lose sight of progress on the broader aims of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. Like the pandemic, our response must transcend national boundaries, engage the public and private sectors—and the pace must quicken. Corporations are essential to sustainable development. We live in a globalized economy where some multinational companies have revenues that exceed the GDP of many countries, workforces in the millions and supply chains that touch every corner...

There is a radical change in the way the hospitality industry is operating compared to the last decade. From shifting guests away from the front desk and favoring mobile check-in to new sanitization regulations that call for constant vigilance, it can be a lot for any organization to process and maintain consistency—particularly right now as guidelines and state regulations are subject to abrupt changes. The need for communications is increasing tenfold between hotel leaders, employees, and guests, as everyone must navigate the ongoing uncertainty and changing societal norms. COVID-19 has forced hotels to make changes in line with the physical...

NATIONAL REPORT—Deciding to close or remain open during a pandemic can be one of the most difficult decisions a hotel company will ever have to make, especially if multiple assets are involved. Many factors need to be analyzed, including the financial, brand, and human resources sides of the business to determine which action is the most fiscally responsible. At Sixty Hotels, we are “Always Open” to show our customers that we are there for them in good times and bad, no matter what. This is especially challenging considering that our hotels are in the heavily populated tourist destinations of...