MARCH 2016 • PM #42084516
HOTEL HOSPITALITY magazine
CONVENTION 2016
MAY 12 & 13, 2016 | DELTA BESSBOROUGH HOTEL | SASKATOON
CONVENTION REGISTRATION ONTHE BACK COVER
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contents
Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association
ASSOCIATION NEWS
302 - 2080 Broad Street Regina, SK S4P 1Y3 T: (306) 522-1664 F: (306) 525-1944 www.skhha.com
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- CEO MESSAGE
“WHAT’S ON YOUR RADAR”
All materials are the property of the Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association and its members.
- 7
- TOURISM SPOTLIGHT
EXECUTIVE
CHAIR Glenn Weir VICE CHAIR Gary Hoffert CEO Jim Bence
INDUSTRY NEWS
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- FINALLY A NEW LIQUOR
RETAILING POLICY
ZONE DIRECTORS
NORTH WEST Lance Grosco NORTH EAST Bryan Baraniski
CENTRAL WEST Gary Hoffert
CENTRAL EAST Herman Zentner SOUTH WEST Jasmine Deblois
SOUTH EAST Joel Kish
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- SLGA UPDATE
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- A HISTORY OF ONLINE
TRAVEL AGENTS
REGINA HOTEL ASSOCIATION Glenn Weir
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THE COST OF AN INJURY
SASKATOON HOTEL
ASSOCIATION Courtney Morrison
FOREIGN WORKER PROGRAM
BREW PUBS, RESTAURANTS & LOUNGES Denny Joyal
RESORTS John McKenzie
MEMBER NEWS
SALES
WARREN NERBY
T: (306) 790-1045 [email protected]
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- WINSTON’S PUB
A CONVERSATION WITH OWNER CHRIS BEAVIS
DISTRIBUTION
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Find out how members of the SHHA can benefit from these advantages:
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Program Ownership
ASSOCIATION
NEWS
CEO MESSAGE: “What’s on Your Radar?”
ell, who saw that coming? Global oil
e WCB “2015 Strategic Plan” finally stated that a review
W
of the rate setting model would occur. It did not. As of February of 2016, a “Request for Proposal” for the analysis was started, but the actual review itself is nowhere in sight. Analyzing recently released WCB data, we have determined that the premium rates used this year to calculate what you would pay are nothing more than an extension of the previous years. e reduction in costs that occurred last year had zero bearing on this year’s rates! prices plunging below the $30 a barrel mark has oil producing regions around the world in extreme distress and everyone wondering when will it all end.
2015 was one tough year for the provinces hospitality industry, and 2016 is proving to
Jim Bence, President & CEO
It begs the question, “what is the WCB doing?” ey have been on notice for 5 years that they have a problem, and because it has been largely ignored, they have been allowed to continue to over-charge the employers of this province to the tune of 100’s of millions of dollars. be even more challenging. And without a crystal ball, we are leſt with the pressing question, “What’s next?!?”
We don’t have a crystal ball, or a “Long Island Medium” on staff, but here are a few things that are on our radar. All of them impact your bottom line, and unless we hold them up to the light and make others aware, these issues could wash over our industry like a tsunami and sweep us away before we see the wave coming.
is leads to other very concerning questions. Some are asking “Is the WCB mismanaged”? Others query “At what point does the Board of the WCB fulfill their mandate and govern the administration more effectively”? e inactivity of the board to respond in a timely fashion to years of protests by employers defies reason and we wonder if it isn’t time for the government to intervene on behalf of all employers of the province.
WCB vs YOUR BOTTOM LINE.
Without the advocacy of the Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association, and the Stakeholders Advisory Committee to the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), you would not have seen the cheque you did from the WCB. ey were going to keep a massive portion of the money they had over collected from the employers of Saskatchewan and it wasn’t until we put extreme pressure on them, did they relent and return the entire $141 million dollars that was over collected in 2014.
ON-LINE TRAVEL AGENCIES
COMMISSIONS vs YOUR BOTTOM LINE.
Expedia, Booking.com and that Trivago guy have been eating our lunch for years, and there seems to be no end in sight…or is there? We have some ideas on how we can assist you to keep more of your revenues and decrease the amount of cash you spend every year in commissions.
We need to come together as an industry and engage the OTA’s in an effort to negotiate lower commission rates (You pay 20-25% where some big brands pay as low as 12-15%), and, find ways to drive the customer directly to your door and avoid the OTA channels. In a time when expense management is a critical piece of everyday conversations, there is no bigger discussion that needs to happen.
In a stunning revelation at their AGM last year, the WCB confessed that they had over collected yet again, this time to the tune of another $91 million dollars. e SHHA has maintained for years that the rate setting model isn’t responding to the dropping costs of claims and warned the WCB that this was going to continue to occur.
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AIRBNB vs YOUR BOTTOM LINE.
If you think OTA’s are gorging themselves on your revenues, just wait till Airbnb gets a grip in Saskatchewan.
PAYMENT CARD INDUSTRY COMPLIANCE vs YOUR PEACE OF MIND.
Branded properties are all working diligently on credit card privacy and PCI compliance. Are you?
Having a huge impact on occupancies around the globe,
- our economy can little afford to give up any market share to
- Are you aware of the rules and what could happen if
a “sharing economy”. Understanding who is in your market you are not in compliance? What would a fine look like? place and how to compete with them will be the difference What does an audit look like, and how do you
- between profitability, mere survival or sadly in some cases stack up?
- It might be worth your time to visit
you have your butt covered.
SGEU, LIQUOR AND CAM BROTEN vs YOUR BOTTOM LINE.
In our industry, “it’s not what you make, it’s what you keep”.
SGEU has rolled out its suite of media communications to Between the WCB, the OTA’s and Airbnb’s, we are seeing a public that has very little interest in their tired, irrelevant revenues syphoned from our bottom line like never before. message. Using the same commercials with the same
We need to be educated, we need to plan, and we need to misinformation, the current campaign seems to have had zero
execute. WE need to do these things if we are going to survive traction with the average Saskatchewan consumer.
in this ever changing competitive market.
e people of this province are too smart, and see through
We have a number of opportunities to come together this the nonsense of union claims that converting government
year to learn, discuss and strategize about next steps. Take liquor stores will result in lost revenue for roads, hospitals and
them, don’t miss the chance to have your voice heard and be a schools.
part of change.
And true to form, when Cam Broten was asked at the Saskatchewan Chamber Political Forum of his thoughts on
Yours in Hospitality, the proposed changes, he said, and I summarize, “I wouldn’t change anything. I would help some of the underperforming stores with their lighting”. Typically status quo from the party who, by ignoring the government liquor stores that have been hemorrhaging money for years, actually reduced the flow of money into the General Revenue Fund.
When the Saskatchewan Party is re-elected, we will see the changes we have lobbied so hard for and our members can finally compete on the same even playing field as everyone else.
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DARRYL Caudle
n April 2015 Darryl Caudle accepted the position of Vice President of Hotel Operations for Westcap Management and oversees the Saskatoon Ramada Hotel and the Ramada Plaza Hotel Regina.
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Prior to this appointment Darryl was the General Manager of the Park Town Hotel, Saskatoon, bringing 25 years of experience from the Sheraton Cavalier, Saskatoon where he held the position of Rooms Division/Revenue Manager.
Darryl has been involved with the hospitality industry in Saskatchewan for over 30 years, starting at the Keg restaurant.
Darryl Caudle
Vice President - Hotel Operations
Sask Ramada
e Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association would like to congratulate Darryl on his appointment and his many successful years in the industry. ■
TOURISM SPOTLIGHT Hazel Hack, Heritage Inn Hotels, Moose Jaw and Saskatoon.
By Darrell Noakes, Tourism Saskatchewan
Journeyperson certification through the Saskatchewan
This post is published on behalf of the
- Apprenticeship
- &
- Trade Certification Commission
Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council, the education and training department of Tourism Saskatchewan
(SATCC), which was also achieved in 2009. Before starting on her emerit path, Hazel had been sitting on the SATCC board, representing employees in hospitality occupations, and she realized she was the only board member who was not a Journeyperson. “I decided if I was going to be a board member, I should complete the process myself ”. very month STEC takes
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the opportunity to feature oneofourindustry’soutstanding Certified Professionals and puts them in the “Tourism Spotlight”.
“A big part of my success was having the support of my employer as well as having STEC behind me with encouragement and always on the other end of the phone or by email to answer questions.”
is month we are very pleased to recognize Hazel Hack, Sales Representative at X-Dream
- &
- Marketing
Hazel encourages colleagues and peers to enroll in
Marketing, representing the certification and apprenticeship. “Learning should never stop, Heritage Inn Hotels in Moose learning as much as you can on how to treat people and guests
Hazel Hack
Heritage Inn Hotels Moose Jaw and Saskatoon
- Jaw and Saskatoon.
- will benefit not only themselves but also the company they
work for.”
In 2009, Hazel achieved
- emerit certification in four tourism occupations including
- e Heritage Inn in Moose Jaw certainly support their
Front Desk Agent, Reservations Sales Agent, Housekeeping employees by offering a wage increase upon becoming a Room Attendant and Tourism Visitor Information Journeyperson. Counsellor, as well as obtaining a certificate as a Workplace
Hazel clearly loves her work. She plans to stay with her
Tr a i n er.
current career until she retires. at retirement may be as far
For Hazel, these certifications were stepping stones to yet as six years from now, but in the meantime she plans to keep another goal of achieving her Guest Services Representative learning and leading by example.. ■
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INDUSTRY
NEWS
FINALLY a New Liquor Retailing Policy
t’s a good bet that a lot of ere are a web of silly rules and restrictions. For example, rural franchises and government stores aren’t allowed to sell cold Pilsner.
- hoteliers know what
- a
I
customer is going to buy the moment the off-sale door opens. at’s because hoteliers know their customers.
Anyone who cares about serving customers right knows beer should be sold cold.
Everyone selling liquor in Saskatchewan should have the right to provide the best possible price and service to their customers and that’s exactly what the new policy does. ere will be one liquor retail licence with one set of rules and one pricing structure. All liquor retailers, from hoteliers to government stores, will pay the same wholesale price for stock.
- e
- Saskatchewan
government is planning to implement a new liquor retailing policy that’s the biggest step forward for the industry since the end of Prohibition. And the best part of the new policy is
Todd McKay
Canadian Taxpayers Federation
e government is also getting rid of 40 of its least profitable stores to let the private sector take over. that hoteliers will finally have the opportunity to serve their customers right.
is is a huge opportunity for hoteliers: aſter decades of
watching government stores take the lion’s share of business, hoteliers will be able to compete for customers on a level
e current system is unfair. Hoteliers have to pay retail prices for their stock which means they have to charge customers more. But that’s not where the unfairness ends. playing field. ■
#302 – 2080 Broad Street, Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 1Y3
Phone: 306-522-1664 Facsimile: 306-525-1944 Email: [email protected] Website: www.skhha.com
The Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association (SHHA) is the provincial organization that represents YOU and the
many hotels, bars and restaurants in Saskatchewan. Our association is responsible for providing you with the voice and support our industry needs to operate effectively and profitably.
We are YOUR voice with government ministries, MLA’s and bureaucracy. For example:
• LIQUOR:
Among many activities relate
• WCB:
Our work with WCB was
• IMMIGRATION:
The SHHA entered into an unprecedented agreement with the government of the Solomon Islands, witnessed and endorsed by SK government Minister of Immigration and Tourism Jeremy Harrison, which will provide temporary foreign workers from the island nation to this file, The Saskatchewan Hotels and Hospitality Association (SHHA), Restaurants Canada and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) jointly launched a petition calling for fairness in pricing, selection and regulation for liquor retailing. This lobbying will have a direct, positive effect on your bottom line. another recent example of our effectiveness and the direct impact on YOUR bottom line. Because of the efforts of the SHHA, the Workers’ Compensation Board reversed an earlier decision to withhold surplus funds and return the entire $141 million of YOUR money.
Other details and examples of our work can be found on our website at www.skhha.com
Belonging to the SHHA is an important business decision that will pays you dividends throughout the year.
With your support we will continue to work tirelessly on your behalf. We know that being part of our association is beneficial to you, your family, your business and the industry as a whole.
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SLGA UPDATE March 2016
- s you may be aware, in June of 2015 the Saskatchewan
- In December of 2015 Raynelle Wilson, Director of
Hotel & Hospitality Association (SHHA) took part Enterprise with SLGA, met with the Advisory Committee
A
in the formation of the Stakeholders Advisory Committee to SLGA. is group was comprised of buyers and sellers of beverage alcohol in the Saskatchewan. to discuss and elicit feedback on how to proceed, and, create an effective and efficient liquor distribution system. Very productive discussions regarding implementation, pricing, distribution, supply, and selection took place, along with an agreement that further meetings would be beneficial to all parties.
Never before has such a group of experts assembled to discuss mutual concerns specific to liquor. e committee, consisting of the SHHA, the Saskatchewan Liquor Vendors Association, Restaurants Canada, ALES Club, Fine Wines Saskatchewan, and, the Canadian Tax Payers Federation found many areas of common interest and formed a plan to better engage the government and the SLGA.
Last week the SLGA, SHHA, Restaurants Canada, SLVA and other stakeholders met for 4 sessions over 2 days to discuss a broad range of topics. Structured as a “Focus Group”, questions and feedback were centered on the new “Level Playing Field”, Retail Store Permits, Supply Chain Model, Pricing, Online Ordering, Inducements, Special Occasion Permits, Agent Stocked Warehousing, the Special Order Desk, Payment Terms/Methods, and the RFP Process, etc.
rough the combined efforts of the Advisory Committee, and meaningful discussions with SLGA Minister Don McMorris, the Saskatchewan Party announced sweeping changes to liquor legislation and in what way beverage alcohol would be bought and sold in the province should the Saskatchewan Party be re-elected on April 4.
econsensusoftheSHHAwasthatthemeetingswerevery productive and represented an opportunity for our members to offer their opinion. As the end-user, SHHA members have the single biggest impact on the overall customer experience, and know what drives consumer satisfaction, and also have strong opinions on how best to serve the public. We were leſt with the impression that the SLGA, as a partner in the process, heard us loud and clear.
ese changes include: • One licence for all liquor retailers (Retail Store Permit). • One wholesale, unified price for all R.S.P’s. • e conversion of 40 public liquor stores to R.S.P. • Introduce and RFP 12 new permits in underrepresented
- areas.
- e intent of the meetings was not to come to any decisions,
but for stakeholders to meet and come away with information that could be used to enhance liquor procurement and delivery in the province.
Encouraged by the announcement, the Advisory Committee was very interested in how the new policies and procedures would be implemented, and, wanted to be an integral part of the creation and development of the systems required to deliver these proposed changes.
So far the SHHA is encouraged by what we heard, and eagerly look forward to post-election changes. ■
TOURISM INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
2015 Canadian Tourism Awards
he Canadian Tourism Awards are presented annually Congratulations to Saskatchewan winners….
T
by TIAC to recognize success, leadership and
THE INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP
TOURISM EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Michelle Blakely, Tourism Moose Jaw - Moose Jaw, SK
– WINNER innovation in Canada’s tourism industry, and to reward those people, places, organizations and events that have gone above and beyond to offer travellers superior tourism experiences in Canada.
e Canadian Tourism Awards have become the standard of excellence for businesses and organizations in the travel industry, showcasing the nation’s best tourism products, services and experiences.
THE INNVEST REIT TOURISM
EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon Hotel - Saskatoon, SK
– WINNER ■
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SASKATCHEWAN HOTEL & HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION
CONFERENCE & EXPO
MAY 12 & 13, 2016 | DELTA BESSBOROUGH HOTEL | SASKATOON
3:15 pm – 4:15 pm TAKE BACKYOUR GUESTS:
THURSDAY MAY 12
OTA SESSION
10:00 am – 3:00 pm CONVENTION REGISTRATION
Delegates may pick up their registration
kits on the convention floor. Name badges are required to be worn for entry to all functions and sessions.
Adam Ballroom
DAVE KAISER.
President & CEO,AHLA Dave Kaiser is the President & CEO of the Alberta Hotel & Hotel Lodging (AHLA)