Are Digital Gratuities Just the Tip of the Iceberg for the Hotel Industry?
Forget how much of a gratuity to leave the hotel housekeeper, the bigger question is becoming how do you tip hotel staff when you don't have any cash?
The light-hearted question, top of mind for travelers, came up during a panel session at the Toronto Hotel Investment Conference.
"Mandatory tipping: Yes or no?" asked Tony Cohen, partner and executive vice president of Crescent Hotels & Resorts, which manages a portfolio of more than 100 upper-upscale and luxury hotels and resorts in the U.S. and Canada.
Ally Wesson, vice president of marketing for Toronto-based Realstar Hospitality, is against mandatory tipping but noted many brands are testing out mobile tipping apps.
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US to End Vaccine Rule for International Visitors
The US is to scrap its longstanding Covid-19 vaccine requirement for inbound international travellers from 12 May, according to the White House.
The Biden administration made the long-awaited announcement on Monday (1 May), which will bring an end to the policy requiring international visitors to the US to be fully vaccinated against the virus.
This vaccination rule has been in place since October 2021 and was further extended by the US government at the start of this year.
“We are announcing that the administration will end the Covid-19 vaccine requirements for federal employees, federal contractors and international air travellers at the end of the day on 11 May, the same day that the Covid-19 public health emergency ends,” said the White House in a statement.
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Is the Travel Industry Taking Self-service Too Far?
Annette Johnson thinks the travel industry is taking self-service too far. She’s watched airlines drop their phone support and add fees for airport check-ins that use a human agent. Some air carriers are even tearing out their kiosks and prodding passengers into using a phone app at the airport.
“It feels like you’re being punished if you need a little help,” says Johnson, a travel advisor based in Colorado Springs, Colo. “I hate that.”
The trend started earlier this year when Frontier transitioned to “fully digital” communications by eliminating its phone center. Last month, Alaska Airlines removed check-in kiosks at nine airports and told customers to use Alaska’s app to download boarding passes or print them at home. It’s part of Alaska’s $2.5 billion plan to reimagine “a more seamless” travel experience.
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