June 28th, 2011 by TRT Blog

Hoteliers start your engines. The last few years have been tough for the hospitality industry, but hotels are finally setting off down the road to recovery. There’s good reason for owners to start feeling enthusiastic and optimistic about the opportunities ahead, but they still need to exercise caution. The road to recovery is not an easy one, nor is it straightforward. It’s winding, maddeningly unpredictable, and covered with obstacles and speed humps.

Take Product Improvement Plans (PIPs), for example. Hotels that are owned by a group or franchised are required to spend a significant portion of their budget on renovations, to bring the establishment in line with overall brand expectations. This could include replacing televisions in rooms with more up to date models, or updating worn or out-of-style hotel furniture.

During the darkest days of the recession, many hotels put elements of their PIPs on the backburner. And for the most part, hotel owners were okay with it –money was tight, and there was a general acceptance that certain improvements would have to wait. But suddenly PIPs are looking very important indeed. Brand owners are pushing their hotels hard to meet their plans and quickly get up to spec.

Which, for many establishments, is easier said than done. Things may be getting better, but the money still isn’t flowing like it used to.

Staining existing hotel furniture can really pay off

But here at The Refinishing Touch we know that hotels can go a long way towards fulfilling their PIPs by making intelligent use of what they’ve already got. In our experience, it’s usually faster, and cheaper to refinish and repurpose existing furniture than order an entirely new set. This is something that The Refinishing Touch specialises in, and it’s something that we find ourselves doing more and more. Similarly, many companies ask us to repurpose furniture that is no longer needed – armoires for example – into new pieces that can help with their PIP.

Hospitality professionals need to start thinking very hard about their PIPs right now, because they represent one of the biggest obstacles on the road to recovery. But by planning ahead, and making use of existing resources such as hotel furniture, hotel owners should be able to steer round it and drive on to success.

hotel furniture, Hotels, PIP, renovations

June 24th, 2011 by TRT Blog

Samsung Reclaim from Sprint

We’re proud to say that we’ve done much to reduce the harm done to our environment while continuing to offer the highest possible level of service for our customers.  The equivalent of 7 million trees saved is a very impressive number, in our opinion, and we consider our use of safe, environmentally friendly materials as a badge of honor.  While we do quite a lot, there is always more that can be done. The goal of zero waste is a holy grail of sorts for any business that is serious about truly being green.  While this goal is achievable for many companies, it’s extremely difficult for many others to reach because of internal issues or the nature of their business.

One reason is size.  Large corporations have many different arms of the company to manage, and if just one is not operating efficiently it can ruin the entire corporation’s progress to the goal.  Other companies face hurdles because of the type of business they’re in.  Businesses that deal in consumer electronics have incredibly high amounts of e-waste due to the quick turnover of products.

Fortunately, many companies are working to resolve their internal issues and continue setting ambitious goals to reduce their waste to zero.  Sprint, for example, has set a goal of zero e-waste by 2017.  Over the next six years, the company has plans to collect 100% of its own electronic waste for reuse and recycling, and will require all of its recycling and remanufacturing vendors to meet one of several responsible recycling certifications.  These goals are lofty, to be sure, but by setting the bar high, Sprint is making itself accountable and, by extension, the entire mobile and telecomm industry.  Surely Sprint’s competitors don’t want to appear as if they don’t have strong green initiatives in place and risk a negative image in an incredibly competitive market.

Each industry needs a trendsetter for the green initiative, otherwise the status quo remains and the damage to the environment created by poor practices may be too much to repair.  We applaud Sprint for setting a high standard and look forward to others following their lead and making a major American industry greener and more economically appealing.

e-waste, Sprint, Sustainability, telecomm, zero waste

June 21st, 2011 by TRT Blog

Knowledge is power. It’s a cliché, sure, but that doesn’t make it any less true. More and more consumers in the US are willing and eager to reduce their environmental impact, and choose greener products or services. But that’s often easier said than done. Even if a business has implemented solid sustainable practices, it can be quite difficult to find out about the green credentials of its products, and that’s a shame. Giving customers this knowledge empowers them. It increases their trust in the company. And it can help them decide to purchase that product.

Take the motor industry for example. Over the last few years, car manufacturers have been investing millions of dollars into making cars more environmentally friendly. Of course, calling a car ‘environmentally friendly’ is like calling an elephant ‘elegant’, but even so, car manufacturers are on a mission to cut emissions. And they’ve made great strides.

More and more consumers are looking for cars with lower carbon footprints and it’s about to become much easier for them to make an informed decision. A new update to vehicle fuel economy labels is on the way. Starting with 2013 models, cars and light trucks will be rated according to how environmentally friendly they are.

Cars will get two ratings – one for greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide per mile), another for smog (chemicals like nitrogen oxide and formaldehyde) – and the scale goes from one to ten. The higher on the scale, the more environmentally friendly the vehicle is. It’s a solid, easy to understand system of measurement, and as more companies make use of it, it won’t be long before a someone claims their vehicle goes up to 11.

How successful the labels are remains to be seen, but we understand part of the philosophy behind them. It’s arming people with knowledge and encouraging them to think about environmental issues. But more importantly, it’s another step towards making it easier to be green. And that’s largely what The Refinishing Touch is all about too.

cars, education, emissions

June 17th, 2011 by TRT Blog

We’ve shown how hotels are adopting ways to appeal to a wider range of travelers through greener, healthy initiatives such as electric vehicle charging stations , using greener products in hotel rooms and sustainable attitudes to furniture assets. The hotel industry is certainly on the right track to recovery. However, the most important figure, the bottom line, still isn’t showing the levels of improvement everyone had anticipated.

For the complete recovery of the hotel industry, it’s essential that rates must go up to offset the amenities hotels are providing for guests.  This year, according to Marriott president Arne Sorenson , those rates still aren’t bouncing back despite an overall increase in travel. Hotel rates remain ten percent lower than they were in 2007, the year before economic turmoil all but destroyed the hospitality industry. This is still an improvement over room rates from 2008-2009 which saw revenue per room drop 25 percent – the worst ever for the Marriott chain.

These issues were of course widespread throughout the industry. Thankfully, there was only one direction to go, and that was up. Even though rates are still not where they need to be, hotel chains are at least experiencing an increased volume of guests. Soon, as Marriott has demonstrated, rates will slowly climb and become what they once were before the depression. Demonstrating that there is positive and lasting growth taking place, Marriot has responded by announcing plans to build 50 international hotels over the next four years.

Hotels are experiencing a slow but steady growth trend. As long as smart decisions are being made by the industry and guests continue to flock to hotels this summer and beyond, we can expect to see our friends in hospitality completely recover and begin experiencing the levels of success they once had.

economic recovery, green, hospitality

June 14th, 2011 by TRT Blog

With the weather finally shaping up throughout the country, the summer season has begun and hotels and resorts are gearing up for the summer surge. Families, couples and those looking to enjoy vacations throughout the summer months have begun researching and comparing hotel rates and vacation packages in preparation for their travels, and you can safely bet that smart spending is right at the top of their list of priorities when reviewing their options.

To accommodate summer travelers, hotels are realizing the importance of offering competitive rates and the best amenities for those rates, but are also striving to connect with guests in ways that may not always be expected. After all, it’s that connection that can define a guest’s stay and the amount of brand loyalty that may follow and ultimately how well the hotel and industry does as a whole.

Many travelers are now researching hotels based on their green practices and certifications. In a study from Travelocity, over 10% of customers said that the green rating at a hotel will influence their decision to stay there, even if there is a price discrepancy (usually meaning higher costs). A whopping 65% said green rating greatly influences their decision if the prices between hotels are roughly the same.

Besides the benefits to the environment that a greener hotel provides, there are health benefits as well. Truly green hotels are conscious about making low or chemical-free products available in their rooms including shampoos, conditioners, body washes and lotions. Further, guests can take note of the fact that products and methods used to clean their rooms are made and purchased with the human body in mind.

Green hotels still only make up only a fraction of the hotels out there, but the number is growing. With a strong summer travel season on the horizon, it’s time that these hotels are recognized and rewarded with the high occupancy and financial boost they deserve for making efforts to become greener.

environment, green travel, hospitality, tourism

June 10th, 2011 by TRT Blog

We focus heavily on the current and planned work being done to improve the environment here in the U.S., but the onus doesn’t fall entirely on the United States to resolve the issues facing our planet. Government officials across the globe are working towards building a more sustainable and energy efficient future. During the 2011 G8 Summit held in Deauville, France last month, leaders of some of the world’s largest economies gathered to recommit to the effort of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

While the G8 Summit is designed to discuss and work towards amicable solutions to many of the world’s issues, few of these issues carry the weight that the status of the environment presents with the possibility of such severe, widespread long term problems. At the summit, the tragedies of Japan’s recent earthquake and tsunami were discussed along with the resulting fallout from the Fukushima nuclear reactor raising concerns about the viability of nuclear power. Once thought to be the best replacement of fossil fuel, many delegates agreed about the urgent need to look into alternate power sources.

The adoption of wind, solar and biodiesels were all discussed during the summit, however with each, there are challenges. Biodiesels in particular pose a grave threat to the world’s rainforest. Palm-oil, a plant used in a variety of products, including fuel, is growing in popularity and increasing the rate at which rainforests are being reduced. With this rapid depletion, a major natural carbon dioxide storage source is being removed, resulting in adverse effects on the climate around the world. With this, the natural production of food suffers as do the prices for these goods. Suddenly, we’re faced with skyrocketing food costs because of mismanaged efforts to use a seemingly useful and environmentally friendly fuel.

Thankfully, the leaders at the G8 Summit are aware of this and have not only expressed their commitment to the environment, but are also coming together to encourage emerging economies to reduce their emissions and commit to the world’s environmental future as well. We truly do believe that it takes government involvement to make true progress in the battle for climate change, and with commitment from the some of the world’s largest, most influential countries we can only expect positive results.

alternative energy, climate change, environment, G8, Sustainability

June 7th, 2011 by TRT Blog

The adoption of electric vehicles, or EVs, continues. Now many rental companies count EVs among their fleets, with the new vehicles offering technologies such as mobile apps which drivers simply wouldn’t find in gas powered models.  As adoption  grows EV drivers have the reassurance of charging stations popping up in easily-accessed locations.

The availability of charging stations will truly hold the key to EVs becoming a, excuse the pun, driving force in transportation. And with summer upon us, the urge for travelers to see the sights grows and EVs offer those with a eye towards doing so efficiently and cheaper with the reduced dependency on gas.

It’s no surprise then to find that hotels are presenting themselves as a place to recharge both body and car. By offering a place that you can charge a rental or your own EV, perhaps for free or for a flat rate, hotels are showing support for an upward trending product and establishing itself as an early adopter of new and relevant technology. Where this pays off is that when guests who take advantage of these amenities are looking for a place to stay on their next trip, they are more likely to return knowing a particular hotel was one of the early supporters of a product they have heavily invested in. Just like that a permanent relationship is created between hotel and guest.

To take advantage of the growing consumer awareness with EVs, hotels need to make sure they promote not only the positives of moving towards a green focused business model, but being first to market with charging stations for guests. Hotels such as Super8Ukiah and Inn Marin in northern California are examples of hotels touting its exclusive availability of charging stations in the area.

We’ve stated before that the hotel industry needs as much help as possible to fully recover. With the attitude towards EVs growing and being overwhelming positive, being on the ground floor of the EV revolution is an excellent step in the march towards recovery.

electric vehicles, environment, EVs, Hotels, marketing, Travel

June 3rd, 2011 by TRT Blog

The railroad has always been a part of Americana and since its inception we’ve been fascinated with the concept of direct travel across the nation by a method other than cars. Trains once represented the engineering capabilities and mobilization of our nation and while they still display our ability to get around, train engineering has seen less progress as time has passed.

In celebrating its 40^th birthday this year, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation – better known as Amtrak — has taken the steps to bring engineering back to the forefront of its operations with a pledge to go green. In early May, Amtrak completed a year long trial run using biodiesel fuel on passenger cars between Oklahoma City and the Fort Worth-Dallas area showing its continued commitment to reducing emissions.

Since 2003 Amtrak has increased service on many of its routes while reducing diesel fuel consumption by 5%. It looks to cut consumption by 7% by the end of 2011. While those numbers may not seem like much, considering Amtrak operates service from Maine to New Orleans and Chicago to Los Angeles, reductions like these make big differences.

With a considerable amount of passengers taking the train daily for both regional and long distance travel, the reduction of emissions is not the only concern Amtrak has. Recycling plays a huge role in its operations and according to CEO Joseph Boardman, Amtrak’s recycling efforts have “netted more than 875 tons of paper; 209,000 gallons of used oil; 6,800 tons of steel parts and scrap steel; 27.3 tons of mattress foam and 73 tons of cable.”

With recognition from TIME magazine as one of the top 50 inventions of 2010 along with 20 and 30% better efficiency over airline and automobile travel respectively, trains are slowly moving back towards an age of innovation. The combination of offering travelers a choice in travel methods to many of the domestic locations that planes do, and doing so more efficiently can boost the travel industry as well as help protect the environment.

Sounds like a win-win scenario to us!

Amtrak, green, trains, Travel