June 2010
Dear Canada Owners,
We are midway through the 2010 IAHI Committee year and continue to have meaningful input and representation on both a Canadian and global level. As a Committee, we would like to continue to collect your feedback and ensure that the views of owners are understood and communicated.
Our focus in 2010 continues to be, together with IHG, improving revenues, gaining market share, reducing costs, as well as supporting the implementation of the Relaunch and making sure that Canada-specific issues are heard by IHG. The IAHI will continue to communicate with you through the use of newsletters, Owner Magazine, and email campaigns.
The June Owner Forum held in Toronto was very successful providing owners with the opportunity to engage with both IHG and their Canadian IAHI representatives. A special thank you is extended to Jim Abrahamson and his leadership team for their presence and active engagement with owners.
During the week of July 26th, IAHI and IHG will be sponsoring Celebrate Service Week, which was created as a way to recognize the hard work and dedication of the more than 330,000 employees who work at IHG’s managed and franchised properties around the world, as well as at IHG’s corporate offices. This is the industry’s largest recognition of front-line teams and the quality which they deliver. I strongly urge all owners and franchisees to actively participate in this celebration as a way to say thank you to your teams.
Our next Canada Committee meeting will take place in September. Should you have topics you wish to have discussed by the Committee, please do not hesitate to contact me or one of your Committee members. Additionally, I strongly encourage owners to attend the IHG Conference October 25-27 in Las Vegas, as it will provide excellent educational opportunities that will improve your business. We will also hold a Canada session during Conference where owners will have the opportunity to congregate and discuss issues that are specific to the region.
If you are not already an IAHI member, please feel free to contact representatives and the IAHI staff members listed below to find out more about the opportunities available through the IAHI.
Both the Canada Committee and I are proud to represent you and serve as your voice to IHG. The bottom of this newsletter contains information about how to contact all your IAHI Canada Committee representatives, and I encourage you to learn more about the IAHI Committee structure on www.iahi.org.
Kind regards,
Nora M. Duke
IAHI Canada Committee Chair
E-Mail nduke@fortisproperties.com
Canada Owners Calendar 2010:
July 26 - August 1 – Celebrate Service Week
September 21 – IAHI Canada Committee – Kelowna
October 25-27 – IHG Investors’ Conference – Las Vegas
December 1 - IAHI Canada Committee – Location TBD
Canada Committee Update – Key topics discussed at the Q2 Canada Meeting:
An update was given on the “Stay You” marketing expenditures for the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express Relaunch. As of May 20, there were only 34 properties or 32% of the estate remaining which have yet to complete the Relaunch. Of this 34, over half have completed several steps in the implementation process. Jonathan Lund is the Canada Committee member who sits on the global Holiday Inn Committee and Shazma Charania is the Canada Committee member who sits on the Holiday Inn Express Committee. Both may be contacted with questions or comments.
- Several cost-saving options for the Express Breakfast Bar have been evaluated and tested. This issue was a Canada-specific action item in response to owner feedback on escalating costs. The Committee endorsed these initiatives and recommended their expeditious implementation throughout the Canadian system. These cost saving items include additional breakfast meat options, a new juice blend and improved pricing for eggs and related egg products.
- Give Kids the World is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year and currently there are two initiatives which the IAHI is promoting. By voting once a day during the month of June at www.refresheverything.com/givekidstheworld, you can help GKTW receive $250,000 from the Pepsi Refresh program. The second initiative to raise awareness about the program is Ice Cream for Breakfast, where all hotels are being urged to host your own breakfast event to raise donations for the village.
- An update was provided on the newly- appointed Regional Sales team for Canada. The Committee provided input to IHG on the importance of timely and meaningful tracking and reporting of results achieved. Further discussion on this matter is planned for September.
- Meeting Broker has been deployed globally and Canada has seen an improvement in response time to RFP’s of 1.18 days as well as an increase in group and meeting business since installation.
- In Q1 of 2010, Canadian hotels enrolled 38,274 new Priority Club members, which is an increase of 32% over Q1 of 2009.
IAHI Sponsor Spotlight
We were pleased to have Chip Carroll and Bill Mitchell from hotel SystemsPro present to meet with the Committee and local Toronto Owners at our June 1, 2010 meeting. hotel SystemsPro is a technology company operated by hospitality professionals who provide high performance, ASP-based enterprise and property solutions that help hotel companies grow market share through better management of assets, increased sales, reduced operating expenses, and a higher quality guest experience. Several IAHI members currently use hotel SystemsPro software at their properties and speak very highly of the benefits and efficiency of the system. For more information visit www.hotelsystemspro.com or contact sales@hotelsystemspro.com or call: 877-263-3645.
hotel SystemsPro is a Global Associate Member of the IAHI Owners’ Association.
Contact the IAHI Canada Committee
Chair
Nora Duke
Fortis Properties
St John's, NL
Email: nduke@fortisproperties.com
IAHI Board of Directors
Vice Chair
Parimal (Perry) Vashee
Northampton Group Inc.
Mississauga, ON
Email: perry@nhgi.com
IAHI Technology Committee
Julian Bugledich
Royal Equator Inc.
Toronto, ON
Email: julianb@royalequator.com
IAHI Crowne Plaza Committee
Shazma Charania
Zainul & Shazma Holdings LTD
Red Deer, AB
Email: scharania@zsholdings.com
IAHI Holiday Inn Express Committee
Satinder Dhillon
Westmont Hospitality
Mississauga, ON
Email: satinder.dhillon@whg.com
IAHI Staybridge Suites Committee
Jeff Krivoshen
P.R. Hotels Ltd.
Saskatoon, SK
Email: jeffk@prhotels.ca
IAHI Priority Club Committee
Jonathan Lund
Fortis Properties
Kitchener, ON
Email: jlund@fortisproperties.com
IAHI Holiday Inn Committee
Andrea Ventrone
Westmont Hospitality Group - Canada
Mississauga, ON
Email: andrea.ventrone@whg.com
IAHI Revenue Performance / Distribution Reservations Channels Committee
IAHI Staff
Jordan Bray
Atlanta, GA
Email: CanadaCommittee@iahi.org