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Award-Winning natural health company, BetterYou® launch their latest innovation, BetterYou Magnesium Water™ to help millions meet their magnesium intake.
Studies show that an estimated 70% of people across Europe and America are not getting enough magnesium in their diet, with 1 in 2 younger adults having magnesium intakes below the LRNI equivalent to gross deficiency. In addition there has been a 21% decline in magnesium within all major food groups since 1940s.
“Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral essential for various biochemical reactions, from nerve function and muscle contraction to bone development,” says Dr. Naomi Newman-Beinart, PhD. “It plays a vital role in converting food into energy, repairing DNA, and ensuring the regular function of the heart and lungs. It can also help to promote sleep, boost mood, support healthy bones, boost exercise performance, and relieve muscle tension.”
For years, BetterYou have been market leaders in Magnesium innovation, and they have now launched their new “harder working water’ formulation: NEW BetterYou Magnesium waters, available in three varieties to support Hydrate, Energy and Focus. These delicious drinks contain a unique triple-blend of magnesium to maximise absorption in the body
– magnesium citrate, magnesium bisglycinate and magnesium derived from Irish seawater–provide 180mg (50% of the government’s recommended daily intake) of elemental magnesium.
Andy Thomas, CEO and Founder of BetterYou said: “I’m incredibly proud of our latest product development, we’ve used our years of experience working with magnesium to bring to the market a truly unique range of drinks that provide a highly effective way to supplement this essential nutrient. I’m thrilled that we’ve managed to develop products that provide easy, accessible and great-tasting ways for people to increase their consumption of magnesium.”
“For over seventeen years, I have been evangelical
Each formulation has been expertly developed to support health and wellness, including:
• Hydrate – a refreshing blend of citrus and botanicals rapidly replaces essential magnesium, lost through exercise and daily stress.
• Energy – an electric blend of pomegranate and rhubarb, unlocks the power of natural sustained oxygenated energy production
• Focus – an invigorating blend of blueberry and mint, enhances alertness and brain function
The formulations are naturally low in sugar, low-calorie, don't contain artificial sweeteners, palm oil free and come in an infinitely recyclable aluminium can.
about the benefits of magnesium supplementation. As an asthmatic, I used steroid inhalers for twenty-five years, until a biochemist introduced me to the power of magnesium. Through the reduction of calcium and increase of magnesium, I managed to reduce my reliance on my inhaler, until I eventually stopped using steroids altogether. I have now been asthma free for over seventeen years and want others to benefit from the effects that increased magnesium has on the body.”
Thomas continues: “Magnesium is grossly under presented in modern diets, due to its depletion in our soil and the rise of over processed foods, in fact our intake has declined by half since the 1940’s, and according to government statistics, is dramatically underrepresented in diets of our school children and the elderly.
BetterYou were the first brand in the world to bring transdermal magnesium (through the skin) to the market and for the past seventeen years we have
worked with hospitals and universities to study the impact magnesium has on improving people’s quality of life.”
BetterYou’s magnesium water initiative brings magnesium supplementation to a wider audience and importantly provides an opportunity for the media to put this vital mineral back on the agenda.
Magnesium is known to support over 300 reactions in the body and works together with calcium to support muscle function, energy production, heart health, mood and sleep regulation. A magnesium-rich body is stronger, more flexible & better able to recover from both physical and mental stress.
BetterYou Magnesium Water is available exclusively online, at betteryou.com from Wednesday 10th January 2024, with a launch planned into high-street retailers in early spring.
For further information please visit betteryou.com
• The flavours of Brazil are joining Nespresso Professional’s organic portfolio.
• ‘Made with Care’ the pure Arabic blend with sweet notes echoes its origin.
• Available from Monday 4th March 2024 for Nespresso Professional customers.
Nespresso Professional has announced the launch of a Brazil Organic capsule, a new pure Arabica blend developed exclusively to complement the existing Origins Organic range, available from 4th March 2024.
The new Brazil capsule will join flavours from Peru, Congo, and Colombia as an addition to the collection. All four professional Origins Organic coffees are ‘Made with Care’ and sourced from carefully selected regions within their respective countries. They’re cultivated, harvested, and processed using methods endorsed by local farmers each echoing the land its grown on, the farming practises and the care given in its sourcing.
The Brazilian Organic coffee is an elegant, delicate, and pure Arabic blend with sweet notes echoing its origin. Many Arabica beans take inspiration from the savannahs of the Cerrado Mineiro region, which gives the light hint of toasted grain and cereal, whereas others are from the hilltop plantations in Brazil’s southern Minas Gerais state, as well as São Paulo estates. This blend creates a smooth and mild coffee flavour, creating a unique profile for customers.
Nick Stevens, B2B Commercial Director, UK & ROI, said: “We’re excited to announce the latest addition of Brazil Organic to the Origins Organics collection. This allows our customers to continue to add another taste profile to the range of flavours and experiences already being provided to businesses and their customers.
“Organics are a proof point on our journey towards regenerative agriculture which is our
long-term ambition. We hope our customers will enjoy the unique taste of this exceptional new organic coffee, which represents the diversity of the Brazilian terroir.”
Nespresso Professional are cultivating the organic experience, having launched their first blend in 2020. Since then, over 4.8million organic capsules have been sold to hotels and businesses across a variety of industries, providing them with quality organic coffee.
Exceptional coffee is not only found in the taste, but also in the way it is made – Nespresso Professional are continuing to meet demand from customers to ensure products are not only the highest quality but are produced using natural substance and processes. ,
The Organic collection promotes farming practices based on natural and mechanical cycles such as soil cover, compost, and biocontrol, alongside reducing the use of chemical inputs.
Cultivated as part of Nespresso’s AAA program, the beans for the organic’s ranges are produced with the utmost care following Nespresso’s best practices and strict organic cultivation methods. This level of care adds to the richness of the stories, instilling pride and taking steps towards a more sustainable future for all of us.
Nespresso Professional customers can add the new Brazil Organic capsule to their orders now: Brazil Organic Coffee Capsule Box | Origins | Nespresso Pro™.
There is a popular saying in business that ‘volume is vanity, profit is sanity’. Swap ‘revenue’ for ‘volume’ and the expression rings equally true for hospitality.
As hoteliers, we are in the business of delivering profit; and sitting at the centre of this effort should be the revenue manager and his or her team. I always say to my students that we got the name wrong when we first defined the revenue manager. They should be called profit managers, because it is profitability that counts to owners, investors and shareholders.
And by this I mean Gross Operating Profit. How the business is funded, and the cost of that funding, is a decision for the owners.
So, how do we go about making our hotel more profitable? The answer is by using the ‘right’ data to drive smart decision-making, then having the communication and leadership skills to get each department to carry through the optimisation strategies that we have decided on based on the forecasted demand.
The specific actions and tactics on a departmental base should be left to the various department heads, as they are the experts and the ones responsible for their departments. As such, they should serve as a catalyst (not a resistant) of the proposed strategy and take ownership of their activities. The whole process can yield the desirable outcome only if it is a team effort, and achieving that necessitates an investment in human capital, in the form of educating each department in the mechanics of profit maximisation.
The current challenge for most hotels – whether independent or chain – is to advance and help populate a more sophisticated, data-driven segment profitability model regardless of how they create rate fences.
In doing so, data is our king; and the good news is that accessing data is becoming easier and more efficient as technology develops. At the same time, I believe we need to re-engineer the whole process of collecting ‘quality relevant’ raw data from scratch.
We need the current Property Management System (PMS) architecture to evolve away from being focused on reporting in accordance with accounting principles
(GAAP and/or USALI) in order to evaluate department heads and pay taxes. Instead, the focus should shift more towards producing segmented information that we can use to maximise profitability.
To help crunch the numbers, we will deploy advanced technologies and AI, such as machine learning. This will enable us to detect patterns in customers’ purchasing behaviour and allow for quicker adaption to current trends, enabling us to put a price tag on every segment in real time with two-way data streams. In a nutshell: Revenue Management 2.0 systems.
In today’s competitive environment, product prices might be dictated by market dynamics which are beyond the scope and direct influence of the marketer. Hence the focus should be on management controlled decision-making related to product and system efficiencies. As such, operating costs management is the key. PMSs should be able to perform activity base costing and allocate undistributed operating expenses based on the specific recipient, whether it is a product or a customer segment.
In addition, such tools should be able to use financial or statistical formulae and models approved by mathematician data analysts (and with their accuracy validated in simulations) to determine the degree of operating leverage (DOL) of the establishment at various forecasted occupancy levels. The level of granularity of such information should begin with the property as a whole, then broken down to its various operating departments and their sub-departments, all the way to the ‘work package’ level on project management terms.
Continue reading the full article here >>
The KIRA B 50 cleaning robot is a practical addition to any cleaning team.
Cleaning intelligently and autonomously, this robotic scrubber dryer takes on floor cleaning of medium to large areas efficiently, delivering consistent cleaning results every time.
When Cleaning Matters, Kärcher Delivers. karcher.co.uk
Large, heavily trafficked floor areas in hospitality venues can often be a challenge for cleaning businesses. This may not come as a surprise to many since keeping these floors fit for purpose has traditionally been a labour-intensive, time-consuming affair that impacts staff hours and budgets.
Care has been taken too with the robot’s functions. It is simple to operate, thanks to a large touch display complete with an intuitive menu and user guidance. It can accommodate multiple user profiles too and even offers language options for complete ease of use.
The KIRA B 50 is set to change all of that. Kärcher UK’s first ever robotic cleaning machine, the KIRA B 50 is a fully autonomous scrubber dryer specifically designed to tackle medium and large floor areas.
This new product will interest cleaning operators across multiple sectors like transport hubs, shopping centres and government buildings. The KIRA B 50 is set to shine especially within hospitality venues, where time is always in short supply and cleanliness is of the utmost importance.
The key to this versatility lies in the KIRA B 50 scrubber dryer’s robot proven roller brush technique, with a presweeping function and side brush to clean up to the wall. The combination of a wide 55cm working width plus a 160 Ah lithium-ion battery also delivers an impressive area performance of up to 15,000m² per day*, even on textured or uneven floors. Essentially, the KIRA B 50 can be left to get on with its job whilst freeing up facilities managers to oversee more complex and demanding cleaning tasks.
Of course, no two venues are the same, so the water volume, detergent dosing and cleaning speed can be precisely pre-set to deliver the ideal level of cleaning quality in the shortest possible time.
The KIRA B 50 can certainly clean effectively, but just how autonomous can it really be? The answer lies in its optional docking station which allows the unit to re-fill its water tank, drain and rinse the wastewater and even recharge its battery with no human intervention whatsoever.
As is the case with any robot, safety is critical, and the KIRA B 50 does not disappoint. Boasting integrated laser scanners, 3D and ultrasonic sensors as well as a powerful onboard computer, the KIRA B 50 combines 360° detection of its surrounding areas with quick reactions and reliable navigation. It not only detects changes in its surroundings and launches evasive manoeuvres, it also announces its presence with integrated light modules designed to alert anyone close by when it’s turning or charging. It should come as no surprise then to learn the KIRA B 50 is fully safety certified for use in public areas according to the latest industry standards.
The support for the product, as you might expect from Kärcher UK, is as impressive as it is reassuring. There’s a comprehensive service package through KIRA Care and KIRA Care Plus, which comes complete with features like web portal access and software updates. There’s a functional guarantee too, as well as trained and experienced service technicians on-hand whenever they’re needed. Customers who invest in the Plus package get the extra peace of mind that comes with immediate machine replacement in the unlikely event their machine fails.
There’s no denying the KIRA B 50 marks a change in how large floor areas are cleaned and maintained in the hospitality sector. A change that’s set to be welcomed by cleaning businesses, their operators and venues across the country.
*when used in conjunction with the docking station
We at Respa Beds are serious about sustainability and protecting our planet.
Introducing our Eco collection, using natural and sustainable materials including recycled plastics from our oceans
www.respabeds.co.uk hospitality@ respabeds.co.uk
The UK’s leading provider of hospitality solutions, Zonal Retail Data Systems, has announced a major partnership with Pan-European hostel and bar operator Beds and Bars.
Beds and Bars operates a range of centrally located backpacker hostels in London, Edinburgh, Prague, Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Amsterdam, Bruges, Bath and Newquay. Focused on delivering great experiences for cost conscious travellers, the majority of hostels offer a Belushi bar, renowned for famous homemade burgers and a wide range of international sports playing on big screens.
As the company continues with its expansion programme, Beds and Bars was keen to use technology to drive insight and enhance the overall customer experience.
“Backpackers have always been early adopters of modern technology and we want to make sure that we advance to stay one step ahead. By embracing new technology, we’ll get closer to our customers, understand their needs and be able to operate our ever expanding business even more effectively,” explained Beds and Bars’ CEO Keith Knowles.
The three month rollout, which completed this week, saw Zonal’s Aztec Enterprise EPoS and iServe solutions introduced into the all of the company’s 12 UK and eight European sites.
Zonal’s Aztec EpoS has been developed for its versatility and offers a fully integrated product suite, which is capable of managing every step of the operating and guest journey, delivering a great customer experience. Whilst decreasing transaction time, iServe can also drive spend per head through suggested ordering.
Beds and Bars has also adopted iServe, Zonal’s cost-effective replacement to the traditional order pad, which can be installed on any iPod touch/iPad to create a versatile handheld EPoS terminal. Orders are processed faster and tables turned around quicker, whilst staff visits to the bar and kitchen are reduced, giving the team more time to focus on and link with Zonal’s loyalty systems to deliver a truly integrated solution.
The first Beds and Bars site, Belushi’s in Covent Garden, went live on 10 December and the rollout completed in Berlin this week. Click here to read the full article >>>
It’s no secret! American craft beer is recognised the world over for pioneering the global craft beer revolution we see today due to an unswerving commitment to quality, relentless innovation and the highest levels of brewing skill and creativity. Beer styles include easy-drinking lagers, ever-popular IPAs and hazy IPAs in their many iterations, fruited sours, wheat beers, brown ales, porters and big barrel-aged stouts, to name but a few. There is a beer style to suit every customer’s palate regardless of age, gender or nationality.
This Mother’s Day try something new by offering an American craft beer paired menu that will surprise and delight your customers. Beer is the ideal partner for food due to its wide flavour spectrum and unrivalled versatility. The high level of carbonation in beer will help scrub the palate clean of fatty foods and leave the mouth refreshed and ready for the next bite. Beer is lower in alcohol than wine allowing customers to enjoy more than one per meal and helping to add incremental sales to your bottom line. Here’s a guide to creating a different type of culinary experience for Mother’s Day with typical dishes that pair well with beer:
Fish and chips – fish has a light, delicate flavour and shouldn’t be overwhelmed by the beer. Choose something crisp and clean with a high level of carbonation that will refresh the palate and compliment the fish, eg. Helles lager
Sunday roast – offer a beer that mimics the flavours of red wine such as porter or stout. The roasty, toasty, full-bodied flavours of porters or stouts will pair well with foods rich in deep, intense flavours such as meat, gravy and all the trimmings. These styles are
a good alternative to foods normally paired with wine, such as steak, casserole, burgers, ribs etc.
Vegetarian dishes/vegetables – hops add a herbal, citrus note to earthy vegetable dishes so IPAs are the go-to pairing solution for these foods. Add a touch of zing to your menu with a classic American IPA bursting with resin, spruce, citrus or tropical fruit notes. For a less bitter combination offer a hazy/juicy IPA with its restrained bitterness and soft, velvety mouthfeel which may appeal more to those mums new to the world of IPAs.
Desserts - a barrel-aged imperial stout or barley wine is a classic accompaniment to a decadent and indulgent dessert and pairs beautifully with chocolate, coffee, nuts or dried fruit-based desserts. Beers can be aged in a variety of used spirits’ barrels to give a rich depth of flavour and intriguing levels of complexity with bourbon being a classic example.
Cheese – flavour combinations between beer and cheese are endless – mild, creamy brie
or goat’s cheese goes with an easy-drinking pilsner, mature cheddar is perfect with a hop-forward IPA and stilton or blue cheese pairs well with a smooth, mellow stout with a hint of sweetness to match the intensity of the cheese.
American craft beer is widely perceived to be bigger, bolder and more complex in flavour than many other nation’s making it sought out the world over. It regularly wins top honours at international beer competitions judged by some of the best palates in the industry.
American craft beer is available through national wholesalers or on line Athletic Brewing, or Sierra Nevada UK The UK remains an important export market for American craft beer with 7.3% of all global exports, the second largest market behind Canada.
Free resources for chefs and restauranteurs are available on www.brewersassociation.org or www.craftbeer.com
www.brewersassociation.org
Jangro, the largest network of independent janitorial distributors in the UK and Ireland, is delighted to launch a new range of air freshener aerosols to keep spaces smelling fresh and clean. They are ideal for use in public areas, such as offices, hotels, reception areas, and washrooms.
Available in a variety of fragrant aromas, including Fresh Linen, Forest Berries, Wildflower, and Citrus, these highly perfumed formulations are designed to neutralise unpleasant odours effectively and remain suspended in the air, providing hours of long-lasting freshness.
Ready to order now in 270ml aerosol can format, they are compatible with Jangro Aircare dispensers, which will be available from March 2024. These dispensing systems are designed to automatically deliver programmed sprays of odour neutralising and pleasantly scented fragrance to keep rooms smelling clean and fresh throughout the day.
Jo Gilliard, CEO of Jangro, comments, ‘Our sense of
smell has a bigger role than merely detecting odours. It influences our cognition – our emotions, memories, and overall wellbeing. Pleasant aromas can evoke positive feelings, while unpleasant odours can create discomfort or even revulsion. Therefore, businesses must not underestimate the importance of keeping their premises clean and smelling fresh, to ensure that customers, visitors, and staff form a positive olfactory association with them.
Our new range of air freshener aerosols will help businesses to do just that, whatever the cause of the malodour. Sweaty changing rooms, washrooms, and lingering kitchen cooking smells will be eliminated, with four fragrances to neutralise and replace it. From zesty, energising citrus to relaxing, sweet wildflower, simply choose the scent that best suits the environment and release a pleasant scent to freshen the air.’
For more information about Jangro or to place an order, visit www.jangro.net or call 01204 795 955.
Lotte Peplow, Brewers Association American craft beer ambassador for Europe, adds: “The success of American craft beer at prestigious global beer competitions is testimony to the skill, creativity and allround excellence of America’s small and independent craft breweries Garnering 93 medals in total across three highly competitive international competitions is no mean feat and I’m incredibly proud of all of them.”
The campaign calls on London restaurants to participate and add optional donations to customers’ bills to help those most in need.
The Felix Project, London’s largest food rescue charity, has today launched its Restaurants Feed London campaign, which is calling on restaurants across the capital to add an optional £1 donation onto customers’ bills to help distribute quality food to Londoners most in need.
1.2 million adults in London live in food insecurity, and with the cost-of-living in the city rising by 24% over the past three years, around 100,000 families have less than £3 a day to spend on food. The problem is particularly acute in the capital where 40% of children have experienced food insecurity in the last month, compared to a national average of 29%.
“In 2024, we are hoping to provide over 250,000 meals during this campaign and need as many of London’s restaurants to help us to do this.”
Starting on World Hunger Day on 28th May and running for 9 weeks, participating restaurants will include an optional £1 donation on bills to help fund the distribution of high-quality, nutritious food to over 1,000 community organisations and 170 schools. Every £100 collected will provide 290 meals for Londoners. This year’s fundraising will build on the success of last year’s inaugural campaign which provided 91,000 meals across the city.
Park Plaza Hotels and Art’Otels are among the organisations to already sign up to the campaign, with their Executive Vice President of Restaurants and Bars Jamie Kerr, saying: “We’re thrilled that our restaurants are taking part in Restaurants Feed London this year; the values and aims of the organisation (The Felix Project) mirror our own at PPHE and we are constantly striving to do whatever we can to give back, both to charities close to home and much further afield. The money we’re hoping to raise across our restaurants will go a long way to feed those who go without every day in London.”
Emma Burns, Corporate Partnership Manager at The Felix Project said: “Last year this campaign enabled us to provide over 90,000 meals to the people of London who would’ve otherwise gone hungry. In 2024, we are hoping to provide over 250,000 meals during this campaign and need as many of London’s restaurants to help us to do this. 1 in 4 working London parents struggle to afford to feed their families, and with over 600 organisations on our waiting list to receive food we need more support than ever before! Together, we will win the war on hunger and waste in our city.”
To sign up to the campaign, please email Emma Burns, Corporate Partnership Manager at The Felix Project, at emma.burns@thefelixproject.org.
Les Roches, one of the world’s leading hospitality management institutions, is launching a new specialised program in sports tourism, the Master’s in Sports Management and Events, starting in September 2024.
The global sports tourism industry was valued at $323,420 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $1,803,704 billion by 2030, according to the international consultancy Allied Market Research, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.1% over the next six years.
This year alone sees two of the world’s most spectacular sporting events, the UEFA European Football Championship in Germany, and the Olympics Games in Paris, which will make them among the most sought-after destinations this summer.
In response to this growing demand, Les Roches has announced the Master’s in Sports Management and Events.
Spanning 12 months, students will delve into the global sports and events industry, gaining essential skills for
administrative and managerial roles. This includes analysing the industry’s economic aspects on an international scale and planning and executing events.
As part of the program, students will embark on business field trips to Abu Dhabi, a premier destination renowned for hosting prestigious events like the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship and NBA Games.
Additionally, they will visit Switzerland, home to major European sports organisations.
These trips offer invaluable opportunities for students to immerse themselves in real-world settings, network with industry leaders, and gain practical insights into sports management practices on a global scale.
The international sports and events industry offers exceptional professional opportunities, as various destinations, regions and even countries utilise sports to diversify their economies while reinforcing their tourism and hospitality sectors. However, the sports-driven tourism industry is not solely focused on entertainment. The profile of vacationers has also shifted towards a healthier lifestyle. As a result, there has been an increased demand trend for hotel accommodation with attractive sports offers.
Carlos Díez de la Lastra, Les Roches Global CEO, said: “Faced with a changing global demand, tourism companies must prepare for a decade filled with new expectations from travellers. Sports tourism is one of them. Over the past years, it has shown very positive growth figures, and we are confident it will continue this trend. Sports is a universal language known to all, which is why companies need to anticipate future trends, aiming to offer their customers excellent service and exquisite experiences. The implementation of this Master’s program represents a firm commitment to education in a field that gains more aspirants each year and requires highlyqualified and specialised personnel.”
Currently, Les Roches boasts a global network of over 16,000 alumni holding managerial positions in more than 140 countries worldwide. Of these, 67% secured their first job through school contacts, and 33% successfully launched their own ventures. Upon graduation, students receive an average of five offers from top hospitality, luxury tourism and related services companies and graduates typically triple their pre-degree salary within 12 years.
With a 70-year history, Les Roches is at the forefront of innovation in the hospitality sector. Its students gain access each semester to job and internships placements at over 200 leading companies in the hotel, luxury tourism and related industries, such as Louis Vuitton, Accor Hotels, IHG, The Ritz-Carlton, Soho House & Co, Mandarin Oriental, Marriott International, Silversea, Qatar Airways and Hublot, among others.
In addition, numerous Les Roches alumni already hold successful positions and have made significant contributions in sports management and events in some of the biggest sports brands and businesses such as Formula 1, FIFA, Nike, Netflix and the Olympic Committee.
www.lesroches.edu/
With 2023 already consigned to history as the year of tourism recovery, the hospitality industry, starting in 2024, now finds itself facing a scenario where actors who began making waves a few years ago are now consolidating their positions.
This year, we will witness a significant transformation in how the sector connects with its guests and the rest of the world, characterised by a strong presence of technology as the driver of innovation. Here are five key things to keep tabs on.
Customer expectations and priorities have shifted, with a preference for fully personalised, sustainable experiences closely tied to the local context. Simultaneously, these new demands in the hotel industry are being propelled by technology, which serves as the primary driver.
From service automation through chatbots and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to hotels employing Business Management Systems (BMS) for efficient resource management, including robots facilitating manual tasks like cleaning or luggage transportation.
Advancements not only steer us towards a more digital society but pave the way for delivering personalised customer experiences and operational efficiency for companies and their employees. Technology is, ultimately, the only path to survive and stand out in the tourism sector.
In Booking.com’s latest report, travellers already reflected their concern for making the world greener: 79% stated they want to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months, with 75% looking for companies offering more sustainable options.
Today’s tourists are much more aware of the environmental impact generated by tourism-related activities in recent years. Hotels are adopting renewable energies, centralised software, and BMS to optimise operational efficiency and reduce their environmental footprint. Implementing these intelligent systems contributes to energy efficiency through climate control, smart lighting, or electric vehicle charging points.
However, sustainability is not only about the optimal use of environmental resources but also considering the economic and sociocultural aspects surrounding the environment. This includes respect for the host community or the creation of activities that contribute to the benefit of all tourism stakeholders and poverty reduction through the promotion of local employment or the purchase of local products. Thus, hotels align with the sustainable development principles of the World Tourism Organization.
In recent years, the sector has made a push to further personalise service for a more premium clientele. This hyper-personalisation, demanded by 71% of customers, is achieved through the use of digital tools like AI, machine learning, and extensive data analysis.
Adopting these concepts allows hotels to anticipate and proactively meet guests’ needs, offering highly tailored experiences based on their preferences and habits. Key factors include adapting dynamic pricing strategies, tailor-made loyalty programs, gastronomic recommendations based on consumption patterns, and bespoke services based on guest history. The implementation of multichannel services, such as mobile device usage and e-invoicing, along with social media monitoring, expands options for developing seamless communication. This customer-centric digital revolution redefines actions, providing efficiency in commercial strategies and preparing hospitality to offer unique experiences globally.
Moreover, there is a surge in collaborations between companies seeking innovative approaches. Examples include Hotel Puente Romano and Nobu restaurant, which partnered to enhance the value and prestige of their service in Marbella; or Hotel Don Pepe and Moët & Chandon, which segmented suites to cater to different tastes.
The trend towards a holistic approach is consolidating, with travellers seeking authentic local experiences, with a strong preference for activities related to wellness, active tourism, immersion in nature, and gastronomy. These plans now surpass interest in
activities conventionally linked to tourism, such as art and culture.
The importance of adapting to these emerging trends is becoming an imperative and mandatory requirement for hospitality agents, as overreliance on specific tourism products can be inefficient, affecting destination sustainability. In this quest for new experiences, other types of tourism more linked to health, such as sports tourism, are gaining ground. In Spain, this finds its peak in golf, with our country and, more specifically, the Costa del Sol being global references in this activity. Les Roches recently bet on this expanding sector, which directly impacts the Spanish economy with over €5.4 billion annually, through its new Postgraduate Diploma in Golf Course Management, offering students the opportunity to train in golf business management, club operations, tournament organisation, and design, installation, and maintenance of courses.
Additionally, these experiential trips must be guaranteed from the moment of booking: according to a Forbes study, tourists under 34 are 130% more likely to book a hotel if they can take a virtual tour through its website. Such virtual visits, tailored to new demands and prior to travel, generate confidence in the destination establishment and an increase in the length of stay.
Social media remains and strengthens as an essential tool for the hospitality and tourism industry, influencing travel decisions and transforming customer interaction. Strategies focus on inspiring through platforms like Instagram or TikTok, influencing booking decisions, and building credibility through authentic reviews following travellers’ positive experiences.
The impact of social media is evident in tourists’ behaviour change, who consider direct brand relations crucial. Tourism companies actively use social media to promote destinations, advertising campaigns, and enhance customer service, demonstrating their continued importance in the hotel industry.
Additionally, they cannot overlook the received ratings and comments, and often must determine whether those reviews correspond to real experiences and give them the appropriate treatment to attract the most guests.
Karma Kitchen, the commercial kitchen operator, has announced the launch of its sixth site, a 14,682 sq ft, 26-unit strong location in Wimbledon, South West London.
Joining sites across the capital, Wimbledon adds another key strategic location to Karma Kitchen’s growing portfolio. Close to densely populated areas like Wandsworth, Tooting, and Earlsfield, it creates opportunities for new partners to expand their production to community-driven, light-filled, and innovatively designed spaces. Much like Karma Kitchen’s five other locations, it offers flexibility and scalability, with businesses able to increase the size of their kitchens within a matter of days, responding quickly to growing demand.
The Wimbledon location has a variety of kitchen floorplans, so partners can choose a space that’s specific to their production needs. A Karma Kitchen unit can be as much as 97% cheaper and 20 times faster to occupy than a traditional space, and every site is designed with the staff in mind, including a central break area and naturally lit kitchens.
McDonald’s is the first partner to open at the site, taking a 2,000 sq ft delivery kitchen that it has customised to suit its own operations and production methods. McDonald’s decision to choose Wimbledon was based on a strategic assessment of its current location coverage; it also follows the brand’s opening of a delivery kitchen at Karma Kitchen’s Bermondsey site in March 2023.
Karma Kitchen offers enterprise businesses such as McDonald’s the opportunity to join at the build stage of new sites. The provision of the core infrastructure and the ability to custom fit-out kitchens enables larger partners to open new sites quicker and at a lower operational cost compared to self-build.
This news comes as Eccie and Gini Newton, CoFounders of Karma Kitchen, were recently named within Business Leaders’ Top 32 Serial Founders, recognising the positive change that the company is spearheading in the food and beverage industry.
One of the UK’s leading care groups has launched a new apprenticeship academy for budding chefs.
Aria Care Group has partnered with Lifetime, a leading training provider, to offer its Chef Academy, in response to industry-wide challenges in recruitment.
As a rolling programme, the apprenticeship is open to people of all ages, offers nationally recognised qualifications and the opportunity to learn more about the hospitality industry, which people can join throughout the year.
Five apprentices have already attended two masterclasses – the first in Billingsgate Market, London, in October, which also marked the official launch of the academy; and the second which took place on Thursday, 8th February.
James Clear, director of hospitality at Aria Care, said: “Every day is a learning day as a chef. As a group we invest in our training and apprenticeships provide an exciting opportunity for people to gain nationally recognised qualifications, learn more about the hospitality industry, and achieve the next steps in their role.
“The masterclasses are hands-on courses which not only have all the candidates learning together and encouraging each other, but also gives them the opportunity to witness the skills of our experienced chef trainers first hand.”
Tom Withers-Ryan, second chef at Aria Care’s Ivy Court Care Home in Norwich, said: “The Aria Care chef academy seemed like the logical choice to support me in my journey towards a future head chef role. My favourite part of the programme is the masterclasses; these practical days are great as I can use the skills
I have learnt every day in my role, while developing my knowledge of working in a kitchen and my understanding of food preparation.”
In addition to the launch of the chef academy, Aria Care has also rolled-out new crockery into each of its communities. The duck-egg blue Churchill stonewash crockery is designed to offer a day-to-day premium dining experience, while its independence toolkit of crockery, cutlery and drinkware supports residents with dexterity challenges and visual impairment, while still providing a high-level experience.
James said: “From the chef academy to the introduction of new crockery, our aim is to always provide the very best experience for the people living in our communities. Food and drink is really important for social interaction and comfort, but we know there’s still a big stigma around care home food.
“We provide ‘hospitality from the heart’ with a nutrition and hydration framework which is shared with all of our homes. The crockery is important to offer a premium style dining experience, while the independent tool kit further supports residents to ensure everyone is able to enjoy their food and get the most from this time.”
For more information about Aria Care, visit www.ariacare.co.uk
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