News Briefs

PopID and Steak n Shake announced today that all Steak n Shake locations in the United States now accept PopID Check In (to review favorite orders and loyalty points) and PopPay for checkout. With more than 300 locations, Steak n Shake is the first national restaurant brand in the United States to adopt biometric check-in and checkout nationwide. PopID’s biometric check-in feature makes kiosk ordering faster, easier, and more personalized.

The implementation of PopID in every Steak n Shake location was accomplished rapidly and at low cost through a partnership between PopID and ACRELEC, a leading supplier of kiosk-ordering hardware and drive-through products. Cameras were shipped to every restaurant for attachment to the existing ACRELEC kiosks. “As explained in our recent publication, ACRELEC believes that our integrated biometric solution provides various benefits to restaurant operators related to throughput, ticket size, and loyalty engagement,” says Bruno Lo-Re, President of ACRELEC America.

“We are thrilled about our partnership with PopID and to be on the edge of biometric technology for the benefit of our customers. Our guests now have the option to use biometrics for a faster and more seamless experience,” says Sardar Biglari, Chairman of Biglari Holdings, the parent company of Steak n Shake.

Now that biometrics are enabled for all ordering and payment inside Steak n Shake restaurants, PopID and Steak n Shake will begin implementing biometric check-in and checkout at the restaurant’s drive-through units. “Similar to the kiosks, biometric check in can increase loyalty participation and revenue at the drive thru while also reducing payment processing costs,” says John Miller, CEO of PopID and Chairman of Cali Group. “Additionally, biometric payment at the order confirmation screen enables staff members to work on tasks other than taking payments by card and phone at the order pick-up window.”

Cloudbeds, the hospitality management platform powering more reservations and happier guests for independent lodging businesses around the globe, has spotlighted key developments poised to reshape the travel industry this year.

The findings, featured in Cloudbeds’ 2024 State of Independent Lodging Report, include new spins on experiential travel, the rising popularity of inflation-busting travel hacks, and a growing demand for new skills among next-generation hoteliers.

Adam Harris, Co-Founder and CEO of Cloudbeds, said: “The economy seems poised to dodge a recession again this year, but that doesn’t mean it’s smooth sailing for hotels. Travel patterns are changing, travelers are more price-sensitive, and demand may soften. Under any market conditions, it’s the hoteliers who monitor the trends and data closely, act quickly to seize opportunities, and offer a distinctive guest experience that will outperform the market.”

Here are some of the emerging trends set to shape the travel and hospitality landscape in 2024, as identified by Cloudbeds:

• Travelers trade up. Travelers are finding creative ways to upgrade their travel experiences amid high inflation, by leveraging money-saving hacks, swapping popular destinations for more affordable ‘dupes’ (Expedia), and relying on ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ options (Atmosphere Research). Despite the rising cost of living, Skyscanner found 81% of travelers planned to travel the same or more in 2024 compared to 2023.
• The experience IS the destination. After years of post-pandemic binge-buying, consumers are moving on from collecting stuff to collecting experiences. Almost 70% of travelers say they are more likely than ever to travel to a concert outside their hometown (Expedia), while 47% of US travelers have booked a destination purely to visit a specific restaurant (Skyscanner). Meanwhile, Booking.com found more than half of travelers are keen to book a surprise trip where everything down to the destination is unknown until arrival.
• Next-gen hoteliers upgrade their skills. As technology transforms the hospitality industry, next-gen hoteliers must adapt by acquiring a blend of technical, analytical, and strategic skills to effectively leverage new tools and maintain a balance between automation and human interaction. The World Economic Forum suggests an estimated 42% of business tasks will be automated by 2027. In the hospitality sector, 91% of hotels globally use a PMS, 64% have a booking engine, and 33% have a channel manager (Skift).

The new trends complement last year’s five key developments, which are set to continue this year: value-driven decision-making, the shift to virtual front desks, blended travel meeting hybrid hospitality, new technologies to disrupt travel search and inspiration, and a shift from focusing on amenities to guest experiences.

For more trends and comprehensive global insights into the independent lodging landscape in 2024, download a free copy of Cloudbeds’ annual ‘State of Independent Lodging Report’ at https://www.cloudbeds.com/hospitality-industry-report.

U.S. hotels added 700 jobs to their payrolls in June, according to the latest government data that shows the nationwide workforce shortage continues to make it difficult for hotels to fill open jobs.

Total hotel employment stands at about 1.92 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That’s more than 196,000 fewer workers in the industry than in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit, a shortfall that reflects the scarcity of available employees.

BLS also revised down the total number of hotel jobs in the country, which eliminated job gains for the industry that were reported in prior months.

“Halfway through 2024, the hotel industry is behind where it needs to be when it comes to hiring staff, despite near-record high wages and expanding workplace benefits and flexibility. The reason is the nationwide workforce shortage, which is preventing hoteliers from meeting their full potential as demand for travel remains strong,” said AHLA Interim President & CEO Kevin Carey. “Both Congress and the administration can provide relief to our members, many of whom are small business owners, and AHLA will continue to call for action to expand the pool of available workers.”

Hotel workforce overview

Hotels continue to offer increased wages, benefits, and workplace flexibility to attract and retain workers in the face of a nationwide workforce shortage:

• Since the pandemic, average hotel wages (+26.0%) have increased more than 15% faster than average wages throughout the general economy (+22.2%).
• Despite these increases, there are currently tens of thousands of open hotel jobs in the U.S., according to Indeed.

Nationwide workforce overview

• As of May, there were 8.1 million job openings in the United States and only 6.6 million unemployed people to fill those jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

AHLA workforce policy priorities

AHLA is calling on the Department of Homeland Security to expand the workforce by making available nearly 65,000 additional H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas as soon as possible, under authority Congress gave it as part of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act.

AHLA also urges Congress to pass the following bills to help expand the workforce so hoteliers can maintain and expand their operations:

• The Closing the Workforce Gap Act of 2024 (H.R. 7574) would replace the arbitrary annual cap of 66,000 H-2B guestworker visas with a new, needs-based system for allocating visas.
• The H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act (H.R. 4708) would expand the H-2A/H-2B labor certification period to three years and permanently authorize the waiver of in-person interviews for returning workers. The HIRE Act would make it easier for qualified workers to secure jobs in fields that are struggling to recruit and retain enough employees to meet demand. By growing the pool of seasonal workers, the bill would give seasonal small business hotels critical staffing relief and facilitate the hotel industry’s continued recovery.
• The Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act (S.255/H.R.1325) would allow people seeking asylum at ports of entry to be eligible for work authorizations starting 30 days after they apply for asylum, provided their applications are not frivolous; they are not detained; their identities have been verified; and their names are run through the federal government’s terrorist watch lists. This change would help hotels address critical staffing needs by allowing certain asylum seekers to work as soon as 30 days after applying for asylum. Current law prevents them from legally working for at least six months, forcing them to rely on assistance from local governments and communities.

AHLA Foundation workforce policy priorities

To help hotels fill open jobs and raise awareness of the hotel industry’s 200+ career pathways, the AHLA Foundation remains focused on growing and retaining the industry’s talent pipeline through workforce development initiatives.

• The Foundation’s No Room For Trafficking Survivor Fund and Empowering Youth Program (EYP) support community-based organizations that provide workforce readiness and hospitality training and access to employment opportunities for human trafficking survivors and Opportunity Youth (ages 16-24 who are not currently in school or employed), respectively.
• The Registered Apprenticeship Program is a Department of Labor-funded initiative that combines on-the-job training with classroom education for in-demand occupations. The program supports hospitality industry programs for cooks, lodging managers, and maintenance workers.

Mews, a hospitality cloud, is an official sponsor for Hotelschool The Hague’s Sustainable Hospitality Challenge, an initiative that aims to champion the evolution of eco-friendly hospitality.

The Sustainable Hospitality Challenge (SHC) is in its 10^th year and has evolved into a global knowledge-based initiative. Targeted at future-thinking students around the world, it aims to stimulate and create investment in innovative, sustainable solutions that will have a tangible impact on the industry.

“It’s a real privilege to support an event that has such an important message, and it’s heartening to see such passionate and brilliant engagement from the future generation of hospitality professionals,” said Matt Welle, CEO at Mews. “I can’t wait to see the ideas the challenge generates.”

SHC is the biggest student challenge within hospitality. Students from over 75 of the world’s top universities present products and solutions to a ‘Shark Tank’ of industry leaders, including support from the likes of UN Tourism, Accor, Hilton and Marriott.

“We are incredibly excited to have Mews on board as a sponsor of the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge,” said Paul Griep, Director of Alumni & Industry Relations at Hotelschool The Hague and founder of SHC. “Mews brings a fresh and innovative perspective to the challenge with their expertise in hospitality technology. Their commitment to sustainability will inspire our students to think outside the box and explore new dimensions of hospitality innovation. Their involvement not only elevates the prestige of the challenge but also broadens the horizons of what sustainable solutions can be in our industry.”

Hotelschool The Hague, is the proud founder of the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge, provides high-quality education and cutting-edge research in the field of international hospitality management, with an emphasis on the transformation of sustainability and digitalization. Ultimately, developing students into sought-after hospitality graduates who excel in leadership roles worldwide.

The sponsorship is the latest in a long series of actions by Mews that advocate for more eco-conscious travel. A unique partnership and integration with Hotels for Trees has seen over 40,000 trees planted in place of housekeeping turnovers, saving 20,000 hours of housekeeping services. Mews has also published many materials to encourage hoteliers to act more sustainably – including a guide to the Green Hotel of the Future – and a dedicated internal committee on climate action.

The first Marriott Bonvoy Week kicks off for Starbucks Rewards members July 8-14.

Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s award-winning travel program and marketplace, and Starbucks announced a new collaboration offering distinctive benefits to loyalty members last month. Marriott Bonvoy members and Starbucks Rewards U.S. members who link loyalty accounts will have the opportunity to earn more Stars toward free beverages, food and more at Starbucks, and Marriott Bonvoy points that can be redeemed at Marriott Bonvoy’s more than 30 brands and 10,000 global destinations as well as for Marriott Bonvoy Moments experiences.  

• How Starbucks is Adapting to a ‘Challenging Operating Environment’
   
• This is the first Marriott Bonvoy Weeks  planned since the program was announced last month. Throughout the year, during any designated Marriott Bonvoy Week, Starbucks Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy members will earn 100 Marriott Bonvoy points when they make three qualifying transactions at participating Starbucks locations. 
• Double Stars During Stays: Marriott Bonvoy and Starbucks Rewards members can earn Double Stars on qualifying transactions at participating Starbucks locations through the duration of their eligible stay at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. 
• Eligible members enrolled in both programs can easily link their accounts by visiting Starbucks.com/MarriottBonvoy. Once linked, Starbucks Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy members can begin to earn these new benefits from both programs.

“I love my regular morning cup of Starbucks coffee, and find I enjoy it even more when traveling. So, Marriott Bonvoy’s collaboration with Starbucks makes perfect sense,” said David Flueck, Global Head of Loyalty, Cards & Enterprise Partnerships, Marriott International. “We will truly satisfy our members’ passions for coffee and travel with the opportunity to earn more points and Stars while traveling and at home, and later this year by bringing those passions together when we introduce exclusive coffee- and travel-themed experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments.” 

• How Starbucks is Adapting to a ‘Challenging Operating Environment’

“Marriott Bonvoy’s commitment to enriching moments for their customers aligns with Starbucks customer promise to uplift the everyday, making them the perfect loyalty partner,” said Kyndra Russell, senior vice president, North America chief marketing officer, Starbucks. “We’re continuing to develop our Starbucks Rewards program, and through this new collaboration, we are excited to offer members even more value and enhanced benefits through travel experiences.”  

Starbucks Reserve locations in Seattle, Chicago and New York are also introducing the Starbucks Reserve Siciliano for Marriott Bonvoy to celebrate the launch. The cocktail, inspired by the brands’ mutual love for travel, coffee and connection, blends Starbucks Reserve Cold Brew with traditional Italian spirits, including Amaro Averna and Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth, finished with Scrappy's Orange Bitters, sparkling water and an orange swath. For a limited time, Starbucks Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy members with linked accounts can enjoy this exclusive global-inspired cocktail at U.S. Starbucks Reserve® Roasteries and the Starbucks Reserve Store at Empire State Building®.