Airbnb eyes the sky with hire of aviation exec

SAN FRANCISCO - Airbnb on Thursday said that it hired airline industry veteran Fred Reid away from an autonomous flight vehicle startup backed by Google co-founder Larry Page.

The move was described as part of an effort by the San Francisco-based firm to add "how you get there" to an Airbnb platform that already features lodging and activities.

"I'm not interested in building our own airline or creating just another place on the internet where you can buy a plane ticket, but there is a tremendous opportunity to improve the transportation experience for everyone," said Airbnb co-founder and chief executive Brian Chesky.

"We're going to explore a broad range of ideas and partnerships that can make transportation better."

In his job as global head of transportation, Reid will focus on travel partnerships and services, according to Airbnb.

Reid was hired away from his role as president of Cora Aircraft Program at Kitty Hawk where he oversaw development of autonomous electric aircraft capable of taking off and landing vertically, Airbnb said.

Reid's airline industry experience includes being chief executive at Virgin America.

"Whether in the air or on the ground, there are tremendous opportunities to create products and forge partnerships with other companies that make travel easier and even fun," Reid said, noting the mission could take years.

The move comes with Airbnb preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) as soon as the middle of this year at a valuation estimated to be more than $30 billion. The lodging startup last year said its quarterly revenues topped $1 billion for the first time.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Red Planet investing P4-B to expand hotel chain

MANILA, Philippines - Red Planet Hotels Ltd. is investing $85 million (about P4 billion) to double the size of its budget hotel chain in the Philippines over the next five years, its top executive said yesterday.

In an interview, Red Planet chief executive officer Tim Hansing said the hotel operator plans to bolster its operations in the country through its new Red Planet hospitality brand by building 10 new hotels until 2020.

The expansion is expected to double the company’s current hotel network of 10 as well as more than double the number of its rooms to about 4,000 from its current 1,720, Hansing said.

Of the 10 new hotels to be built, Hansing said three sites have already been secured in Cubao, Manila Bay and Binondo, with construction of the hotels expected to commence within the year, he said.

“The Philippines has been a great market for us. We came in just at the right time. There was an under-supply of value hotel accommodation. It’s just been fantastic for us to be at the right place, at the right time,” Hansing said.

Red Planet Hotels, formed in 2010, is a privately-owned regional hotel company focused on Asia’s expanding value hotel sector.

The company recently ended its global franchise partnership with Tune Hotels, the value hotel chain of the Tune Group of Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes. It has already rebranded all of its existing Tune Hotels into the Red Planet brand since July 10.

In the Philippines, Red Planet’s 10 operating hotels are located in Makati, Aseana City, Ermita, Quezon City, Ortigas, Angeles City, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao.

“We already have hotels in Davao, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Angeles so at the moment we’re really going to continue expanding mostly in Metro Manila,” Hansing said.

“We started here about three years ago. We already opened 10 hotels and we have 1,720 rooms which I think is a record in the Philippines to open so many hotels in such a short span of time,” he added.

He said the company has already invested some $80 million in the Philippines over the last three years.

He said their investments did not go to waste as Red Planet is now the market leader in value hotels in the country.

He said the occupancy rate of Red Planet Hotels locally ranges from 85 percent to 100 percent depending on the location.

Hansing added the hotels have also been receiving strong patronage from the local community as almost 90 percent of their customers are Filipinos.

“This market is very strong. It’s the biggest category in the hotel supply so there are more people wanting to stay at this end of the market than anywhere else. If it’s a five-star hotel, there are not many people who’d stay so it’s a smaller market,” Hansing said.

For this year, Hansing said the company expects a 30 percent increase in revenue for its Philippine operations.

Read more on The Philippine Star

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Tourism boom will require more chefs, says Baldoz

MANILA - As the country intensifies its campaign to boost tourism through the “It’s more fun in the Philippines" slogan, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) also sees a corresponding boom in the hotel and restaurant industry, and consequently in the need for more chefs and other such workers in the sector.

“The hotel and restaurant industry is a pillar of the tourism sector. It goes without saying that improved tourism means increased hotel and restaurant activities,” said Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz.

“If this current trend continues, the growth in the hotel and restaurant industry is expected to provide more employment opportunities to our workers,” Baldoz said.

Data of the Department of Tourism shows that a total of 1,497,851 visitors came to the Philippines from January to April 2012, an increase of 14.61% over the previous year’s volume of 1,306,944 for the same period.

In anticipation of this demand, the DOLE has included the occupational position of chef in the DOLE’s Career Guides as one of the featured careers under the hotels and restaurant industry. The DOLE’s Career Guides can be accessed at the Bureau of Local Employment’s website:http://ble.dole.gov.ph/career.asp.

According to the career guide, there are no specific educational requirements for chefs. However, most employers prefer to hire high school graduates who have completed a course on commercial food preparation.

A four-year degree in International Hospitality Management, with specialty in culinary arts, will give a chef a distinct advantage when applying for a high-paying job, such that of an executive chef in a prestigious restaurant or hotel.

“For those who were not able to enrol in college this year, there are culinary schools that offer short-term courses in culinary arts for one year and two months; a three-month training program for the certification of the fundamentals in culinary arts; or a four-month training in commercial cooking, or a five-day culinary course,” said Baldoz.

A four-year degree in international hospitality management with specialty in culinary cost around P170,000 to P200,000 per semester, inclusive of the materials (utensils and ingredients) that will be used during the whole course.

As indicated in the DOLE’s Career Guide, salaries of chefs vary according to the type of food services establishment in which they work. The monthly salary for entry level chefs starts from P10,000 to P18,000, depending on the level of education they have achieved and if they are able to land a job in elegant restaurants and hotels.

Specifically, a chef is tasked to plan and direct food preparation and cooking activities; planmenus, ensure food meets quality standards; estimate food and labor cost; supervise activities of cooks and other kitchen staff; demonstrate new cooking technique; instruct cooks in preparation, cooking, garnishing of food displays; and plan the requisition of food and kitchen supplies.

“There are many employment and business opportunities for a chef, which includes authoring a cookbook, going into catering business for weddings, and business functions, among others. They can also work as consultants for restaurant owners who want to develop special menus,” Baldoz added.

source: interaksyon.com