JUNE HOT complete_M/A Hot cover.layout 12-06-04 9:40 AM Page i PLUS: THE ROOM-RATE CONUNDRUM • RISING THROUGH THE RANKS THE MAGAZINE FOR HOTEL EXECUTIVES // JUNE 2012 $4 THE 470 # 40063 GREEN TEAM Delta Hotels and Resorts scores big with Hotelier’s Green Leadership Award CANADIAN PUBLICATIONhoteliermagazine.com MAIL PRODUCT SALES AGREEMENT 0YL 0000 JPC 000 YL 0000 JPC 000 YL 0000 JPC 000 YL 0000 JPC 000 YL 0000 JPC 000 Y C 00 L 00 JP 00 JP 00 C 0 0 0 0 L 0 Y Y L 0 0 0 0 0 0 C 0J P PC 000 Y 0000L JPC 00 0Y 00J 00 YL 0000 YL00000 JPC 000YL 0000 JPC 0 0L00 P 0 JPC 0000 00YL 0YL000000 JPC 000 YL0000 JPC 0 0Y 00JC00Y 00JC0 JPC YL 0000 000 JPC 00 YL 0000 0Y 00JC0 JPC 00 0000 YL 0 P 0 JPC 000 YL000000 JPC 0 L0 PC000Y J 000 0Y 0000 YL 00 J L0 C Y 000 P P C 0J 0 0 0 0 0 0 L Y Y L 0 0 0 0 0 0 C 0 P J J 0 P 0 C 0 0 0 L 0 Y 0 0 J P C 0 0 0 0 0 0 L 0Y 0 P 0 JPC 0 0 0 0 0 Y L P 0 0 C 00J 0000 Y 0 L 0 C 0 J P 0 00 L 0 0 Y 0 0 JPC 0 0 0 L 0 Y ©2012 DFS Services LLC. Services DFS ©2012 . ® ®® Open your door to global business. global to door your Open Visit AcceptDiscover.ca or contact your payment processor to accept Discover today. Discover accept to processor payment your contact or AcceptDiscover.ca Visit Tourism brings billions of dollars to Canada. If you want a bigger share, accept the card card the accept share, bigger a want you If Canada. to dollars of billions brings Tourism network that’s been serving one of the largest U.S. issuers for more than 25 years. Discover years. 25 than more for issuers U.S. largest the of one serving been that’s network Find us on Facebook. www.facebook.com/DiscoverNetwork www.facebook.com/DiscoverNetwork Facebook. on us Find JUNE HOT complete_M/A Hot cover.layout 12-06-04 9:40 AM Page ii Page AM 9:40 12-06-04 cover.layout Hot complete_M/A HOT JUNE JUNE HOT complete_M/A Hot cover.layout 12-06-04 9:41 AM Page 1 Volume 24, Number 4 // J u n e 2 0 1 2 Contents Features 11 THE PATH TO GREENING 12 FLYING THE GREEN FLAG Hotelier’s Green Leadership Award recognizes Delta Hotels’ commitment to sustainability Edited by Adrian Bell 23 UP THE LADDER Rising through the ranks By Laura Pratt 26 A TALE OF TWO TRAVELLERS Why tailoring technology and information to your guests is smart business By Warren Markwart 29 THE ROOM-RATE CONUNDRUM When is low too low? By Gabor Forgacs 33 PLAYING THE GREEN CARD Going green is about more than a social conscience, Departments it’s a smart business move By Denise Deveau 2 EDITOR’S PAGE PLUS: THE ROOM RATE CONUNDRUM • RISING THROUGH THE RANKS 3 CHECKING IN THE MAGAZINE FOR HOTEL EXECUTIVES// JUNE 2012 $4 40 HOTELIER: ON THE COVER: (left to right): Joseph Klein, Francisca Quinn, senior principal, Le Château Champlain, Loop Initiatives, Inc.; THE David Bird, senior vice- Montreal 70 president, Operations, # 400634 GREEN TEAM Delta Hotels and Resorts scores big with Delta Hotels and Resorts; Hotelier’s Green Leadership Award Paul Gardian, executive director, Brand Operations and environmental officer, CANADIAN PUBLICATIONhoteliermagazine.com MAIL PRODUCT SALES AGREEMENT Delta Hotels and Resorts COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARGARET MULLIGAN, PHOTOGRAPHED AT THE DELTA CHELSEA,TORONTO hoteliermagazine.com JUNE 2012 HOTELIER 1 JUNE HOT complete_M/A Hot cover.layout 12-06-04 9:41 AM Page 2 EDITOR’S PAGE FOLLOW THE LEADER ver the past decade, while dealing with recessions, disasters and other Odramatic world events, the hotel in- dustry has capitalized on two of the most im- MITCH KOSTUCH | PRESIDENT & GROUP PUBLISHER pactful trends of recent years: greening and [email protected] technology. It’s hard to fathom staying at a ROSANNA CAIRA | EDITOR & PUBLISHER hotel today without feeling the significant [email protected] impact of both of these trends. Whether it’s DAVID HEATH | ART DIRECTOR at the back of the house, where technology [email protected] has helped increase the speed and fficiency e BRIANNE BINELLI | ASSOCIATE EDITOR of the kitchen; the front of the house where [email protected] ADRIAN BELL | ASSOCIATE EDITOR PMS systems make the checking-in process [email protected] more fluid and seamless by readily providing JACKIE SLOAT-SPENCER | ASSISTANT EDITOR [email protected] guest information at an employee’s fingertips; or in the guestroom, where MAYA TCHERNINA | WEB COMMUNICATIONS flatscreen TVs, iPod docking-stations, tablets and other tech toys are revolu- SPECIALIST tionizing not only the way we do business, but the way we entertain and ed- [email protected] ucate ourselves. As most of us already now, itk can be infinitely challenging; DEREK RAE | PRODUCTION just as one technology comes into play, another one takes its place. And we MANAGER [email protected] can expect more change in the not-so-distant future, as tech expert Warren BRENDA JAMES | SENIOR Markwart’s story entitled “A Tale of Two Travellers” illustrates (see story on ACCOUNT MANAGER page 26). The story looks ahead to imminent technological change, which is [email protected] expected to revolutionize the front-desk experience. JIM KOSTUCH | DIRECTOR Similarly, after years of talking and thinking about it, while postulating [email protected] KATHRYN PETROVICH | MARKETING/EVENTS about the benefits of going green, the hotel industry is finally making trac- CO-ORDINATOR tion on the green front. Toronto-based global giant Fairmont Hotels was one [email protected] of the early believers and adopters of green power. They joined the green ELSIE REDEKOPP | ACCOUNTING movement long before many companies even realized there was a move- [email protected] ment. Years later, many hotels are n ow following Fairmont’s example, and ADVISORY BOARD: they’re doing so not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s David McMillan, Tracy Sherren, PACRIM smart business. And, these days, third-party accreditation, whether in the HOSPITALITY SERVICES, Charles Suddaby, form of LEED or Energy Star-rated programs, is making it considerably eas- CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD LTD., Bill Stone, CBRE, Joe Collura, HOTELEVISION CANADA ier for operators to know which way to turn for advice. LTD., W. Lyle Hall, HALL HOSPITALITY To help motivate hotel operators and to fuel further change, KML has ADVISORS, INC., David Larone, PKF, Henry Wu, proudly partnered ith Fairmontw Hotels and Resorts for the past four years METROPOLITAN HOTELS, Stephen Renard, to present the Green Leadership Awards to hoteliers (and restaurateurs RENARD INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY, Stephen Foster, STARWOOD HOTELS, through our sister publication Foodservice and Hospitality ) leading the Michael Haywood, Anne Larcade, SEQUEL charge in this pivotal area. We’re thrilled to profile Delta Hotels and Resorts HOTELS & RESORTS as this year’s recipient (see story on page 11). We hope that by highlighting Delta’s story, others will emulate their green success. HOTELIER is published eight times a year by Kostuch Media Ltd., 23 Lesmill Rd., Suite 101, Toronto, Ont., Lastly, rounding out this month’s trifecta of top trend stories, freelancer M3B 3P6, (416) 447-0888, Fax (416) 447-5333. All rights Laura Pratt’s story “Up the Ladder” takes a look at the merits of mentorship. reserved. Subscription rates: Canada: $25 per year, single issue At a time when the threat of labour shortages looms large, it’s essential read- $4, U.S.A.: $30 one year; all other countries $40 per year. ing to remind managers of the importance of human capital. Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement #40063470. Member of: Canadian Circulations Audit Board, the American Business Media and the Canadian ROSANNA CAIRA Business Press. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Canadian Editor and Publisher Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing [email protected] activities. Printed in Canada on recycled stock. FOLLOW US: For daily news and announcements: @hoteliermag on Twitter and Hotelier magazine on Facebook. 2 JUNE 2012 HOTELIER hoteliermagazine.com JUNE HOT complete_M/A Hot cover.layout 12-06-04 9:41 AM Page 3 CheckingTHE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS FOR HOTEL EXECUTIVES FROM CANADA AND AROUND In THE WORLD ONWARD AND UPWARD The 2012 Choice Hotels International convention offered an optimistic outlook, with news of positive growth and value-driven initiatives BY BRIANNE BINELLI ive thousand hotel owners, representing Choice Canada properties are experiencing a NIGHT AND DAY: 11 brands, took centre stage at the Man- RevPAR jump of 5.6 per cent and occupancy and The Choice dalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, ADR gains surpassing Q1 2011 levels. Hotels International F convention saw Nevada last month at the 58th annual conven- But the figures are just part of the equation, tion of the Silver Spring, Md.-based Choice Ho- and the Choice corporate session focused on Steve Joyce, president and CEO, tels International, which presented an optimistic broad-based company strategies and highlights, take the stage at outlook and “All-In” slogan. including an update on the success of the Choice the corporate “This is the right time and the right place for us Privileges reward program, which has grown business session, to go all in by accelerating growth, performance threefold in five years to 15-million global mem- while the music and profitability,” said Steve Joyce, president and bers.