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Jobs Abroad, Work Abroad, International Jobs Online - Singapore Airlines has founded 69 years ago May 1, 1947, as Malayan Airways and it commenced operations October 1, 1972. Singapore Airlines uses the Singapore Girl (SIA uniform since 1972) as their central figure in its corporate branding. Singapore Airlines is the flag carrier of the Republic of Singapore and it ranks amongst the top 15 air carriers worldwide in terms of the scale of revenue-passengers-kilometers. It is also 10th in the world for the volume of International passengers carried and one of the largest airline businesses in Asia.

ING Group is a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation based in Amsterdam. The business of this company is primarily insurance services, direct banking, investment banking, retail banking, commercial banking, and asset management. ING means Internationale Nederlanden Groep or International Netherlands Group in English. The company is also one of the Dutch members of the Inter-Alpha Group of Banks, a cooperative consortium of 11 prominent European Banks.

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HOTEL BRAND HIHOTELS by Hospitality International has partnered with Getaroom, a hotel distribution platform within OTA Priceline. The arrangement is expected to increase hihotels reservations capability through adding Getaroom's website and call center. The benefits for hihotels' five brands, Red Carpet Inn, Scottish Inns, Master Hosts Inns, Downtowner Inns and Passport Inn, include stronger distribution, access to more incremental guests and increased revenue, according to Hospitality International. "Hihotels is thrilled to announce this strategic alliance with Getaroom," said Gary Gobin, hihotels director of operations. "The opportunity to expand the distribution of our hotels is a top priority. This new relationship will help to bring more visibility to our hotels and offer budget-friendly accommodations to travelers."

IN RECENT WEEKS, CBRE Hotels Research has revised its forecast for the hospitality industry upward in light of several factors, such as rising occupancy levels, improvement in domestic travel and some opening in international travel. Recent developments, however, including the rise of the Omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19, elevates the uncertainty level of those forecasts, but still the industry is expected to return to 2019 levels by the second half of 2023 rather than 2024. Hotel occupancy in the third quarter rose 35.1 percent over the previous year, according to CBRE's December 2021 edition of Hotel Horizons. ADR also saw gains, reaching 2019 nominal levels in the third quarter. "CBRE expects ADR will continue to exceed 2019 levels, followed by a demand recovery in early 2023," CBRE said in a statement. "Pent-up demand for leisure destinations, an increase in household personal savings and fewer constraints on availability compared with earlier in the pandemic contributed to the brisk pace of ADR recovery. The resumption of inbound international travel will help gateway markets regain occupancy in the coming year."

Jay Pricher is the new general counsel for Best Western Hotels & Resorts. He succeeds Larry Cuculic into the role after Cuculic was named Best Western's president and CEO in October. Previously, Pricher was the company's vice president of legal, according to a press release. Prior to joining Best Western, he was vice president and associate general counsel for Financial American Corp., a real estate focused private equity firm. Pricher has a bachelor's degree in legal studies and politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a juris doctor degree from UC's Hastings College of the Law. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, with an emphasis on International Finance. "Jay is a strategic leader who has a deep understanding of our unique organizational structure and the needs of our hoteliers," said Larry Cuculic, President and Chief Executive Officer, Best Western Hotels & Resorts. "He has a proven track record of supporting our members and hoteliers across a variety of legal issues related to international operations, intellectual property matters and business litigation. I have great confidence that Jay will continue to deliver exceptional leadership as he takes on this expanded role."

AAHOA IS URGING hotels to adopt cybersecurity measures to prevent incidents similar to the recent cyberattacks on MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment. Following the ransomware attack on IHG Hotels & Resorts last year, which cost hotel owners between $30,000 and $75,000 each, AAHOA called for clear lines of communication to protect franchisees who bore the brunt of revenue losses from bookings missed due to the disruptions. In July, Choice Hotels International confirmed a data breach impacting guest information in its Radisson Hotels Americas chain, originating from a file-transfer system hack, according to AAHOA and media reports. The association said that most impacted franchisees are small business owners, unable to absorb unexpected booking losses. This challenge is amplified by ongoing issues like staffing shortages, which further hinder their recovery efforts. It further emphasized that with franchisor support, hoteliers can improve the guest experience and reduce the risk of disruptive incidents.

DOROTHY DOWLING HAS joined her old boss, David Kong, as a principal for Kong's DEI Advisors, a non-profit organization that aims to empower women and other underrepresented groups to achieve their career goals. Previously, Dowling was chief marketing officer at Best Western Hotels & Resorts for 18 years while Kong was Best Western's CEO for 20 years. Kong, along with principals Rachel Humphrey and Lan Elliott, formed DEI Advisors last year. Humphrey is the former executive vice president and COO for AAHOA, and Elliott is co-founder of Acacia Hospitality LLC. Dowling also held senior leadership positions with other hospitality companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Forte Hotels, Travelodge Canada, Royal Host REIT and ARAMARK. She serves as a board member and advisor for several organizations, including Cubesmart, HSMAI, and WINiT by GBTA. Dowling recently received the lifetime achievement awards from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference for her business performance, and GBTA WINiT for her leadership advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the hospitality industry, according to DEI Advisors.

SONESTA INTERNATIONAL HOTELS Corp. recently launched Sonesta Essential, a new upper-midscale select-service brand. The company now offers 15 brands. Sonesta Essential is meant to offer easier new builds and conversions with modest brand standards, limited food and beverage requirements and simplified conversion processes, according to the company. "Sonesta Essential is a fresh, new brand carefully designed by Sonesta to deliver a core selection of services compared with other hospitality experiences," said Brian Quinn, Sonesta chief development officer. "With tremendous demand in the select-service category, we are confident that Sonesta Essential will become a leading brand in an exciting, timely and relevant segment." The first two Sonesta Essential hotels will be a franchise in Vacaville, California, which is set to open in late spring 2023, and a managed property in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which will be converted from a Sonesta Select in the fall of 2023.

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association philanthropy branch AHLA Foundation has launched a trafficking prevention training program for the hotel industry in collaboration with ECPAT-USA and Marriott International to mark the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons observed on July 29, a statement said. The program titled "Recognize and Respond: Addressing Human Trafficking in the Hospitality Industry" was developed by Marriott by partnering with non-profit organizations and survivor experts. It includes learning paths for associates and managers around increased guidance on responding to potential trafficking situations and interacting with potential victims. It is available to the hotel industry through ECPAT-USA's online learning platform for free, the statement said. The new initiative advances the American Hotel & Lodging Association and AHLA Foundation's "No Room for Trafficking" awareness program which raises awareness about human trafficking. "One of No Room for Trafficking's goals is to train every single hotel employee to identify and respond to a potential human trafficking situation. Through this innovative new training, the industry as a whole will be better equipped to help identify and stop cases of human trafficking," said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA. "We are extremely grateful to Marriott International and leading trafficking prevention partners who are offering this free training with support from the AHLA Foundation."

DALLAS LEADS THE U.S. hotel construction pipeline for the fourth consecutive quarter, according to Lodging Econometrics. Among brands, Marriott International led the pipeline. Dallas had a record 173 projects with 20,707 rooms in the second quarter of this year, followed by Atlanta with 140 projects containing 18,131 rooms, Los Angeles with 124 projects with 20,365 rooms, New York, with 113 projects with 19,238 rooms and Phoenix with 108 projects containing 14,964 rooms, Marriott had 1,355 projects with 167,034 rooms, up 4 percent by projects year-over-year, tops the pipeline during the period. The Q2 2022 U.S. Construction Pipeline Trend Report said that major markets and popular tourist destinations in the U.S. reported highest occupancy rates since the pandemic began in early 2020 in the second quarter mainly due to robust leisure travel, group, and international travel. New York City with 78 projects with 13,063 rooms, Atlanta with 25 projects containing 3,905 rooms, Dallas with 25 projects with 3,725 rooms, Phoenix with 23 projects with 4,955 rooms and Los Angeles with 22 projects with 3,606 rooms are the top five markets with the most projects under construction during the end of June. They account for 22 percent of rooms under construction in the U.S.

NEARLY 80 PERCENT of travelers said that the latest COVID-19 variant, BA5, is unlikely to make them cancel or postpone international travel this year, according to a survey from travel risk assessment firm Global Rescue. At the same time, Global Rescue said relaxed COVID-19 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could encourage travelers' confidence. The floodgates are opening The Summer 2022 Global Rescue Traveler Safety and Sentiment Survey found that 68 percent of respondents have already traveled internationally since the pandemic. Another 16 percent expects to travel abroad by the end of the year and 9 percent plan to do so in the first quarter of 2023. "Whether it's revenge travel or responsible travel following vaccination, or a combination of both, 7-out-of-10 travelers are much less concerned about travel compared to the beginning of the pandemic," said Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce. "They feel safe enough to plan trips and vacations because they're vaccinated, borders are open, and they have confidence they'll be able to get home if the worst happens." The U.S. ending its requirement for a negative COVID test to enter the country in June also went far in increasing confidence and encouraging visits from international travelers, Richards said. Nearly half of travelers, 49 percent, said that they are more likely to travel internationally in the next 12 months as COVID related restrictions are relaxed.

DALLAS-BASED NEWCRESTIMAGE plans to acquire 45 hotels from a private investment firm. The portfolio includes approximately 3,300 rooms in 11 states, but other terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The hotels include 35 Marriott International-branded, seven Hilton-branded, two Choice Hotels International-branded and one Radisson Hotels-branded properties. They are in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas, according to NewcrestImage. "The current financial environment makes it very attractive to buy rather than build, and this group of fine hotels in high-traffic locations provides us with an exceptional opportunity to immediately start generating significant revenue, profit, and return on investment," said Mehul Patel, NewcrestImage managing partner and CEO.

INTERNATIONAL INBOUND TRAVEL is expected to slow down in the fall after surging over the summer, according to the latest U.S. Travel Association forecast. USTA also expects it may take until 2025 for the travel segment to recover to pre-pandemic levels. Inbound travel recovery picked up in summer and reached a pre-pandemic high of 35 percent below 2019 levels in July 2022, said U.S. Travel Association. It improved from a 41 percent decrease in May and declines of more than 50 percent earlier in 2022. The latest report by Aaron Szyf, economist, USTA, said that inbound travel recovery continued from Europe and Latin America in the past few months, which was 22 percent below 2019 levels in July. Meanwhile, Asian markets declined 66 percent in July, largely due to stagnation from China and a very slow return from Japan.

BANYAN INVESTMENT GROUP recently acquired the Castle Hotel, part of the Autograph Collection by Marriott, in Orlando, Florida. The hotel recently underwent an $8.2 million renovation on its guestrooms, public spaces and exterior. The 213-room hotel is on Universal Boulevard near the city's key attractions, Disney's Magic Kingdom and Universal Studios, according to Atlanta-based Banyan, led by Rakesh Chauhan, managing partner and CEO. Also nearby is the site of Epic Universe, a 750-acre, $1 billion theme park expected to open in 2025, which will be the largest Universal Park in the U.S. and second largest globally. The Castle Hotel, which is designed to look like a medieval fortress, also is close to the 270-acre Lockheed Martin regional headquarters that employs 8,000 people. Also nearby are the Orlando International Airport, including the recently opened $2.8 billion, 15-gate international Terminal C, as well as the Orlando Convention Center. Brightline High Speed Rail plans to open two stations in the area.

THE AMERICAN FRANCHISE business model is in trouble, according to a recent survey commissioned by AAHOA. The survey was inspired by a webinar AAHOA co-sponsored to gather public comment on the state of franchising for the Federal Trade Commission. The survey found that only 5 percent of the franchisee respondents are satisfied that their current franchise agreements provide fair terms representing a balanced relationship between themselves and their franchiser. Also, 72.6 percent of respondents would "possibly" or "probably" terminate their current franchised business within the next year if they could do so without penalty. "Franchising is in dire straits unless changes are made," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA president and CEO. "Franchising is still a powerful tool for economic mobility for America's small-business owners, including AAHOA Members. But franchising only works when both franchisors and franchisees are committed to its success, which requires transparency, fairness, and sustainable business practices. As this survey shows, there is much room for improvement when it comes to relationships that allow our small-business owners to thrive." Blake recently wrote an editorial supporting AAHOA's 12 Points of Fair Franchising and its promotion of a proposed New Jersey law that would reform that state's franchising regulations in ways similar to the 12 points. Several large hotel companies, including Choice Hotels International and Marriott International, protested AAHOA's recent annual convention in protest to its position on franchise reform The survey was conducted among owners of hotels, restaurants, retail stores and other small businesses that had participated in the FTC webinar. It was co-sponsored by the American Association of Franchisees and Dealers, and the Coalition of Franchisee Associations, conducted the survey after a recent webinar with FTC Chair Lina Khan. The FTC is soliciting comments through June 8 about issues that affect franc

NEXGEN HOTELS HAS acquired EVEN Hotel Miami - Airport in Miami, marking its first wellness-focused brand in the portfolio. Managed by Missouri-based Genuine Hospitality Group, this upscale hotel represents NexGen's third acquisition in a brief two-week span under the leadership of Chris Patel. Located one mile from Miami International Airport and minutes from the Port of Miami, the hotel offers guests access to Waterford Business District, Brickell City Centre, and Miracle Mile, according to NexGen. Nearby attractions include DRV PNK Stadium, LoanDepot Park, the University of Miami, Florida International University, South Beach, Miami Seaquarium, and the future Miami Freedom Park Stadium. "We see Florida as a growing market for us and this acquisition offers an assortment of value opportunities for our company," Patel said. "We are also excited to add the EVEN hotel brand to our portfolio as it is well received by health-conscious travelers."

TRAVEL INDUSTRY LEADERS are continuing their press of federal officials and the Biden Administration to end pre-departure testing for COVID-19 by vaccinated international air travelers bound for the U.S. This time they went directly to the White House. On May 24, representatives from the U.S. Travel Association and Airlines for America met at the White House to make their case that pre-departure testing is no longer required at this stage in the pandemic. USTA and other organizations have been lobbying the White House persistently for the past few months to take the step, and in May they sent a letter to White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha saying the requirement is discouraging international travelers. Roger Dow, USTA president and CEO, reiterated that point after last week's meeting.

FOUR PROPERTIES JOINED the hihotels by Hospitality International portfolio during the first quarter. The new additions are in Maryland, Oregon and Texas and are all conversions. The four hotels signed or activated are: A former Econo Lodge turned Red Carpet Inn in College Park, Maryland, signed. A former Rodeway Inn turned Scottish Inns in Ashland, Oregon, signed and activated. A former Americas Best Value Inn turned Scottish Inns in DeSoto, Texas, activated. A former Econo Lodge turned Scottish Inns & Suites in Spring, Texas, signed. The five hihotels brands include Red Carpet Inn, Scottish Inns, Master Hosts Inns, Downtowner Inns and Passport Inn. Hospitality International said the brands' franchising model includes customized support, advanced technology and overall value.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S new National Travel and Tourism Strategy sets a 5-year goal of attracting 90 million international visitors to the U.S. each year. Two major associations in the U.S. hospitality industry applauded the strategy as a step forward in restoring the travel industry. The new tourism strategy aims to support broad-based economic growth in the travel and tourism industry across the U.S. AAHOA thanked the U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and the Tourism Policy Council for their continued leadership and support. "[An expected] 90 million international visitors will drive strong economic growth," said Laura Lee Blake, president and CEO, AAHOA. "The $279 billion in annual estimated spending by these visitors will help not only the hotel and hospitality industry, but also the entire American economy. We commend Secretary Raimondo's new National Travel and Tourism Strategy, and welcome her efforts to aggressively rebuild U.S. travel and tourism."