Browsing by Author "Schoening, Elise"

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    Airline Safety Update: Carriers Partner With Covid-19 Testing Providers
    Schoening, Elise; Grimaldi, Lisa A. (Northstar Meetings Group, 2020-12-08)
    International travel is not expected to return until 2024, roughly the same timeline the hotel industry is expected to recover, from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many airline carriers have partnered with a verity of test distribution companies to promote travel and have enforced stricter mask protocols. The domestic market will look to recover much faster as the COVID-19 vaccine continues to be distributed across the United States.
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    Airlines Tighten Mask Restrictions, Partner With COVID-19 Testing Providers
    Schoening, Elise; Grimaldi, Lisa A. (Northstar Meetings Group, 2020-11-13)
    In their latest effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn that it has brought with it, Airlines are requiring all passengers to wear a mask when traveling. Face shields, bandanas, and scarves are not permitted. Jet Blue is leading the way for rapid testing by partnering with Vault Health to offer to travelers within 72 hours of their flight. Many airlines are continuing their partnership with major medical experts and will continue to work with them to insure the safest standards among travelers. This news comes in light of the recent Harvard publican citing airplanes as safer to be on than possibly going to the grocery store.
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    At Digital Event, Evolving Role and Importance of CVBs Takes Center Stage
    Schoening, Elise; Palmer, Alex (Northstar Meetings Group, 2020-08-05)
    Conventions and Visitors Bureaus are the saving grace to planners as they begin to plan their upcoming in-person events. CVBs are invaluable resources that should be looked at as a "bridge" between the planner and hotel. Don Welsh, president & CEO of Destinations International, noted the need of best practices for each city given the varying ordinances. Welsh also advocated for more funding for CVBs as the economy begins its early recovery.
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    Destinations International Releases Roadmap for Enhancing Diversity in 2021
    Schoening, Elise (Northstar Meetings Group, 2021-01-14)
    Destinations International is working toward expanding diversity within the hospitality and travel industries. The release of their road map towards enhancing diversity across all industry sectors includes a Toolkit for CEO, Executive Masterclasses, metrics guides, university partnerships, supplier diversity, talent development, inclusive marketing, and welcoming certificate for completing the program. Diversity will be a critical factor for the hospitality and travel industries as they build their way back from the economic devastation that the COVID-19 pandemic reaped on their industries.
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    Domestic Travel Spend Will Be Nearly Halved in 2020
    Grimaldi, Lisa A.; Schoening, Elise (Northstar Meetings Group, 2020-11-17)
    Although many travel researchers marveled at at the increase in domestic travel throughout the summer months, the number of people traveling domestically annually remains nearly half of what it was in 2019. Travel jobs continue to evaporate as Congress stalls on a second finical aid package. However, the asks from the travel industry remain the same: enhance and extend the Paycheck Protection Program until the end of the year and expand eligibility to include CVBs, enhance and extend the COVID relief fund through the end of 2021, and provide additional assistance to U.S. airports.
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    Hospitality and Leisure Industry Unemployment More Than Double the National Average
    Schoening, Elise (Northstar Meetings Group, 2020-12-07)
    Unemployment within the hospitality sector of the United States is more than double the 7% national average. The hardest hit facets of the hospitality industry include food & beverage, entertainment, and accommodation. U.S. Travel and the American Hotel & Lodging Association remain hopeful Congress will pass relief funding before the end of 2020.
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    Hoteliers are optomistic regarding the possible positive impact that a COVID-19 vacine will mean for the Hotel Industry. Experts expect the Hotel Industry to "be back in business" by 2024
    Schoening, Elise (NorthStar Meetings Group, 2020-10-06)
    The Global BioRisk Advisory Council (GBAC) has unvailed its top of the line safety precatiouns and cleaning standards. The GBAC will rate current CVBs, Convention Centers, and now hotels on a star system. Industry leaders are hopeful this rating system will encourage travel among consumes due to the enhanced safety precautions that are taken to earn the GBAC certification.
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    Hotels Face a Dire Winter Without More Aid From Congress
    Schoening, Elise; Shapiro, Michael J. (Northstar Meetings Group, 2020-09-30)
    The devistation of the economic impacct that COVID-19 has had on the United States continues to ravish the Hotel Industry. The COVID Relief Now Coalition, roughly 150 hospitality organizations, have banded together to urge congress to set politics aside and agree on a bill for the further deligation of CARES Act funds. Although Hotel Industry recovery in Asia continues to show progress, industry experts are concerned U.S. hotels will not survive the winter months without furture assistance and aid from Congress.
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    How to Rethink Event Pricing and Refunds
    Schoening, Elise (NorthStar Meetings Group, 2020-10-13)
    The onset of COVID-19 has created a variety of pricing options for rescheduled or canceled events. 71% of planners have had to reschedule to 2021, while 34% have said they are planning for a hybrid in-person and virtual event. NorthStar outlines several ways to handle the questions around pricing events during 2020-2021 and communication that goes along with the possibility of cancellations.
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    How Top Meetings Destinations Are Handling the Pandemic and Preparing for Recovery
    Schoening, Elise (Northstar Meetings Group, 2020-09-16)
    Chicago, Las Vegas, New York City, Orlando, and Washington, D.C. are among the top meeting destinations that are implementing new standards amid the COVID-19 pandemic. These five cities are eager to host in-person meetings again and are enforcing a variety of technology to make it happen.
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    Industry Leaders Push Biden to Set Timeline for Reopening International Travel
    Schoening, Elise (NorthStar Meetings Group, 2021-03-23)
    The travel and aviation industries joined together to urge President Biden towards setting a date and timeline to begin re-opening international travel. In 2020, the United States dropped international travel by 80%. Although the trade associations that signed this letter do not support the ease in health restrictions towards opening up, they need a plan to prepare themselves for what the next three quarters of 2021 will bring.
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    The Latest CDC Guidelines for Events
    Schoening, Elise; Shapiro, Michael J. (Northstar Meetings Group, 2021-02-01)
    The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has announced new guidelines meeting planners must follow in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mask mandates are sweeping the nation with the Biden Administration's recent Executive Order and the CDC is requiring international travelers to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test upon returning to the United States. The CDC's recommendations remain the same regarding social distancing and the emphasis to follow state and local mandates remain. The CDC has also published an event ready checklist for planners are they continue to navigate their way around the COVID-19 pandemic.
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    The latest on Airline Safety Protocols
    Schoening, Elise; Grimaldi, Lisa A. (Northstar Meetings Group, 2021-01-29)
    As the COVID-19 virus continues to evolve, so does the airline industry's COVID-19 protocols and procedures. Today, United is offering onsite testing and is in the process, along with American Airlines, to streamline COVID-19 documentation portals within their mobile applications. Jet Blue has notably started offering at- home testing up to 72 hours before their flights. American Airlines has begun offering at-home and onsite testing for it's travelers. Although all airlines have tackled the prior touchy mask mandate, many are still having difficulty regarding the middle seat separation protocol.
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    Los Angeles Commits to New Health-Security Verification Program
    Schoening, Elise (Northstar Meetings Group, 2021-04-13)
    Los Angeles is on the move to become the first destination to be Sharecare Forbes Travel Guide Badge verified. The city is pushing for all properties within the city limits to become certified within the program to push domestic and group travel back into their city. To earn the verification a property must answer the 360 question form and prove that they have adequate personal protective equipment, masks, strong management accountability, and reliable health and safety communications. The property is monitored by a mobile AI application that confirms the health and safety measure are constantly being put into place.
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    New Black Talent Directory Aims to Diversify Travel Industry
    Schoening, Elise (Northstar Meetings Group, 2021-02-12)
    Black Tourism Talent Directory is a database that was founded to promote inclusivity and diversity throughout the hiring processes within the hospitality and tourism industries. The Directory comes from the National Blacks in Travel and Tourism Collaboration webpage, which enables recruiters to look at every position throughout the industry.
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    NYC & Company Launches 'Commit the Comeback' Initiative to Drive Local Meetings
    Schoening, Elise (Northstar Meetings Group, 2021-04-01)
    NYC & Company have launched a campaigned to generate local meetings and travel heading into quarters three and four of 2021. NYC & Company, New York City's Convention & Visitors Buerue, have put together a Meet Local NYC Tool Kit and have 10 Reasons to Book Your Next Meeting in NYC list to help generate local planners to book internal meetings across the city's five boroughs. NYC & Company have also launched the Stay Well Pledge, which encourages the city's tourism establishments to follow the structed COVID-19 procedures allocated by the CDC guidelines. In addition NYC & Company's campaign, the Javits Center has also been GBAC Star accredited in coronavirus cleaning and prevention.
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    NYC's Roosevelt Hotel Latest to Close Due to COVID-19
    Schoening, Elise; Shapiro, Michael J. (Northstar Meetings Group, 2020-10-13)
    The almost 100 year old Roosevelt Hotel in New York City is among one of the many hotels that will shut it's doors for good due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This comes at a time were industry leaders are pleading with Congress to put politics aside and make a decision on relief for industry employees who are desperately in need. It is predicted the industry will not return to January 2020 levels until middle to late 2023.
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    Travel - Related Economic Losses Now Top $360 Billon
    Schoening, Elise (Northstar Meetings Group, 2020-09-09)
    In the months that COVID-19 has ravished its way through the domestic and international travel sectors, researchers estimate roughly $360 billion in losses across the US Hospitality Industry.
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    Travel Industry Rallies Behind 'Diversity Matters' Mission
    Schoening, Elise (Northstar Meetings Group, 2021-02-02)
    Norstar Travel applauds the Tourism Diversity Matters initiative and it's effort to enhance diversity and inclusion across every facet of the Hospitality and Tourism Industries. Tourism Diversity Matters will assist youth in four specific categories of: workforce development, apprenticeships, research and data, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Candidates within the program will have the opportunity to gain experience in destination management, sports, and meetings.
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    Travel Leaders announce support for New Hospitality and Jobs Recovery Act
    Schoening, Elise; Braley, Sarah J.F. (NorthStar Meetings Group, 2020-10-16)
    Many travel organizations, including AHLA, American Gaming Association, and the Nevada Resort Association actively support the new bipartisan relief bill making its way through Congress. Relief for the Hotel Industry has never been needed more than it does now as hotels, mainly franchised, report continued layoffs and job loss. Researchers indicate without relief, 50% of travel supported jobs will be lost by year end.