Chinese couples seeking a divorce must first complete a month-long "cooling-off" period according to a new law passed Thursday that sparked outrage over state interference in private relationships.
The provision that requires couples filing for separation to wait for a month before their request can be processed -- in a bid to reduce divorce rates -- sparked widespread opposition when lawmakers first sought feedback last year.
After it was passed, the law became one of the top trending topics on China's Twitter-like platform Weibo -- with over 25 million views of posts using the hashtag "oppose the divorce cool-off period". The country's first-ever civil code -- passed during its annual rubber-stamp parliament -- is a sweeping piece of legislation that will replace existing laws on marriage, adoption and property rights among others.
"We cannot even divorce freely?" wrote one user. "There must still be a lot of people who marry impulsively, they should set a cooling-off period for getting married as well!"
"They passed the divorce cooling-off period despite everyone's opposition online, which means their respect for public opinion is just for show," added another commentator. The cooling-off period will not apply if one spouse is seeking divorce following domestic violence. China's divorce rate has increased steadily since 2003 when marriage laws were liberalised and as more women become financially independent
But that led to "reckless divorces" becoming an increasingly common phenomenon not conducive to family stability, an official told China Women's Daily recently.
Last year some 4.15 million Chinese couples untied the knot -- up from 1.3 million in 2003 when couples were first allowed to divorce by mutual consent without going to court. Before then, divorce had to be obtained by one spouse suing another in court.
The new civil code will come into effect on January 1, 2021.
Other new laws include expanding the definition of sexual harassment, new protections against land grabs, and measures to allow people to donate the organs of dead relatives.
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Alibaba's InTime department store chain turns to live-streaming to boost sales during coronavirus5/29/2020
InTime, one of China's largest department store operators that's owned by e-commerce giant Alibaba, turned to livestreaming and online sales during China's coronavirus lockdown, its CEO Chen Xiaodong told CNBC.
The move helped the company significantly boost its digital revenue, he added, while pledging to continue opening more physical locations. The digital push underscores how InTime has been able to leverage the e-commerce might and logistics scale of Alibaba in order to survive the lockdown, which saw its 65 stores closed for a number of weeks. Alibaba acquired InTime in 2017.
Meanwhile, retailers around the world have faced store closures and bankruptcies as a result of the pandemic.
Sales in May had almost fully recovered to levels seen in the same period last year, while foot traffic in stores was just 70% of what it was, Chen told CNBC on Thursday. He said the company's digital push had helped it to achieve that. InTime has an app called Miaojie which people can order from. Deliveries are made to customers using Alibaba's logistics network. InTime has also jumped on the livestreaming bandwagon, a popular way of shopping in China. In some of China's e-commerce apps, users will often see videos of people talking about products. They're then able to buy items from that livestream.
While sales remain low from this shopping method, it does help to drive people to an online store or brand.
And it has helped InTime. Nearly 20% of sales this year has come from online versus a "single digit" portion in 2019, Chen said, adding he expects that figure could potentially reach 50% next year. Chen said the company has plans to ramp up its livestreaming efforts. It doubled its livestreaming sessions — from 100 to 200 — during the height of the pandemic, and used sales associates from its stores to feature on the videos.
It was hosted via Taobao Live, the livestreaming platform run by Alibaba. Taobao is one of the China's most popular e-commerce apps, which helps InTime get customers.
"The livestreaming is booming in a period of pandemic but I think in a normal time, we also will focus on this kind of tours," Chen said, referring to "tours" of the products on display. "The traditional service in our department stores or shopping mall, they only can serve one people or two. Right now (with livestreaming) they can serve a bunch of people in the same time." He added that InTime will increase the number of products on sale via livestreaming and content.
Other companies are doing the same. JD.com, Alibaba's fiercest rival in China, on Wednesday announced a partnership with livestreaming platform Kuaishou. Users of that app will be able to purchase products via JD without leaving the Kuaishou app.
Meanwhile, InTime also plans to open more physical store locations, according to Chen. In contrast, retailers in the U.S. such as Victoria's Secret's parent company L Brands and J.C. Penney, which have been hard hit by the coronavirus have decided to close stores. "As our plan, we will open five to eight stores per year," Chen said. So far, InTime has not opened any new stores this year. The company added four new locations in 2019.
Facebook on Thursday said that its Messenger app will be watching behind the scenes for scammers using the smartphone communication system.
Safety notices will pop up in Messenger text chats if activity taking place in the background is deemed suspicious by artificial intelligence software, according to director of privacy and safety product management Jay Sullivan.
He said the new safety feature "will help millions of people avoid potentially harmful interactions and possible scams without compromising their privacy."
The feature began rolling out to the Messenger app tailored for Android-powered smartphones in March and will head to Messenger on iPhones next week, according to Facebook. "Too often people interact with someone online they think they know or trust, when it's really a scammer or imposter," Sullivan said. "These accounts can be hard to identify at first and the results can be costly."
Artificial intelligence software scans for scammers based on account behavior, such as sending messages in bulk targeting demographics or geographies, according to Facebook.
Warning notices pop up before people respond to messages of possibly dubious origins. Since the feature does not involve looking at what is in messages, it should continue to add a layer of safety when Messenger takes to encrypted missives as planned by Facebook. "As we move to end-to-end encryption, we are investing in privacy-preserving tools like this to keep people safe without accessing message content," Sullivan said. Messenger already uses software tools to fight spam and thwart efforts by adults to contact minors they don't appear to know.
Messenger has been ramping up capabilities and security as use of online tools to communicate and socialize surges due to restrictions of movement during the pandemic.
Facebook recently unveiled a new video chat service with virtual "rooms" where people can pop in to visit friends, aiming at users turning to the popular Zoom platform during the pandemic.
It's official: Google Play Music will bite the dust sometime later this year. Ahead of that, YouTube Music recently unveiled a new tool to transfer your entire library, profile and playlists from Google's streaming service into YouTube's revamped one with just one tap. YouTube Music is also getting some new features that may make it a bigger competitor to streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music .
Google hasn't said exactly when its music streaming service will go away, though we've been waiting for it to happen for more than a year already. For now, users will have access to both services, giving them time to move their music over and get used to the YouTube Music interface. You'll get plenty of notice before Google Play Music finally shuts down, Google said in a blog post.
As of last year, YouTube Music and Premium had 20 million paid subscribers. Where YouTube Music stands out from its competitors is in its deep integration with your YouTube and Google profiles, which translates into better recommendations for you, the companies say. Since many people use YouTube for music discovery, the Music app tracks your video searches and determines what you might want to hear next.
How to move your music from Google Play Music to YouTube Music
1. Download the YouTube music app, for iOS or Android. (Or, to do it from a desktop, go to music.youtube.com/transfer, and click transfer.) 2. You'll see a transfer button at the top of the screen in both Google Play Music and YouTube Music. Tap it from either app, and your uploads, purchases, added songs and albums, personal and subscribed playlists, likes and dislikes, curated stations and personal taste preferences will all start moving from Google Play Music to YouTube Music. 3. Depending on how much music is in your library, the move could take up to a few hours. You can close the app and use your phone in the meantime, and open it back up to track the progress if you want to. You'll get a notification and an email when your music library transfer is complete. 4. Open YouTube Music and find your music in the Library tab, and updated recommendations. If you listen to podcasts on Google Play Music, you can also transfer your subscriptions and episode progress to Google Podcasts by visiting this site.
What's the deal with YouTube Music?YouTube Music works through an app and web player, offering more than 50 million official tracks, albums, deep cuts, B-sides, live performances and remixes.
YouTube recently added several new features, based on user feedback:
Another cool feature: Toggle over to the lyrics of a song while you're listening to get karaoke-ready, or over to its music video, which plays in real-time with the song. How much does moving to YouTube Music cost?
Right now, pricing is the same between Google Play Music and YouTube Music. You can listen to an ad-supported version of YouTube Music for free, or pay for YouTube Music Premium for $9.99 a month, which includes background listening, downloads and an ad-free experience. You can also subscribe to YouTube Premium to get those benefits across all of YouTube, for $11.99 a month.
Google Play Music Unlimited members will automatically be moved to the equivalent tier of YouTube Music Premium or YouTube Premium based on their current subscription, at the same price.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we’ve become particularly aware of the simple, daily blessings that we take for granted, including access to healthy, year-round produce. As we collectively give thanks for what we’re fortunate to have — from a safe home, to a healthy meal, to our ability to care for our families’ wellbeing — we can’t help but think of those in our communities who aren’t so fortunate. Our hearts particularly ache for children who are unable to receive access to free school lunch programs as a result of nationwide school closures.
How Will COVID-19 Affect School Lunch Programs?
Widespread school closures could mean that up to 30 million of our nation’s most vulnerable children will lose access to regular, healthy meals (Hess, 2020). Fortunately, federal funding will continue to cover the cost of school lunch programs; however, many schools simply aren’t equipped to safely distribute the meals. Because these meals — which sometimes also include breakfast — were previously served in group settings at the schools themselves, teachers and administrators now need delivery vehicles, single-serve packaging, increased food storage facilities, and sanitation gear to bring boxed meals directly to their students. All of these items cost money, and not all schools have the funds to purchase them. After researching ways to help alleviate this heart-breaking and unexpected result of COVID-19, we were grateful to connect with the nonprofit GENYOUth. This national organization recently started a COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Fund.
With our hands raised, our Herbal Academy team is joining GENYOUth by pledging donations and using our platform to help spread the word! If you also find yourself aching for the wellbeing of our nation’s most vulnerable children, then you, too, can donate at GenYouth.com. Imagine the difference we would make if each of us donated even $10. If you’re able to donate, then take a photo with your hand raised to join us in solidarity for those on the frontlines. Share your photo on social media with the hashtag #ForSchoolsSake to join the national movement, and consider tagging herbalacademy so we can acknowledge your heart-felt contribution on our social channels.
If you are a teacher or school administrator, then please accept our deepest thanks for the work you do and for the care you extend to our children year-round. You may also be interested to hear about GENYOUth’s grant program, for which schools can apply for up to $3,000 to purchase safe meal delivery supplies.
Other Helpful COVID-Related Nonprofits
Supporting this national school lunch program has helped provide a soothing balm for our worried hearts, but we also acknowledge that there are many other wonderful organizations you can consider if you’re yearning to help from home. Here are a few that have caught our eye, many of which we have also donated to. Local Food Pantries and Schools Donating to a nearby food pantry or local school is an excellent way to help fight food insecurity in your town, especially if you have an abundance of canned items or dry, bulk goods. Visit www.FeedingAmerica.org to find a pantry near you. If you’re a gardener or farmer with an abundance of fresh produce, then visit www.AmpleHarvest.org for a list of local pantries that accept homegrown items.
Herbalists Without Borders
Herbalists Without Borders is an international nonprofit that provides natural and herbal support through local chapters. They’re funded entirely by membership fees and donations, and they supply their clinics with products that are either purchased with donation funds or donated by individuals worldwide. You can find a list of the antiviral, immune-supportive dried herbs, tinctures, and other goods that they currently need Prevent Child Abuse America Another heart-breaking result of widespread school closures is that more children are now at home with abusive family members. As parents’ anxiety levels rise over financial insecurity, health concerns, and potential food shortages, the chances for abuse and neglect also rise. Prevent Child Abuse America is one of the highest-rated charities for children in the nation. By donating, you’ll directly support their home-visitation program, which provides much-needed services to more than 70,000 families per year. National Foundation for Infectious Diseases More relevant than ever, this nonprofit is dedicated to educating the public and healthcare professionals about the burden, causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases. Donations to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases help fund research and the creation of educational resources, like how to best wash your hands or open mail to prevent the spread of disease.
Quarantine Chat
During these unprecedented times, we’re all at an increased risk of experiencing loneliness and depression. If you have the time and energy to offer heartfelt conversations to strangers, then you may consider downloading the free Quarantine Chat app. After you sign-up and enter your language preferences, the app will periodically call you with the opportunity to connect with someone completely random. The app never shares your phone number, and you can always decline the call if you’re not available. The beauty of this app is that it’s a free way to provide a spark of joy in a stranger’s life — all from the safety and comfort of your own home. (Because this app involves connecting with strangers, use the same safety precautions you would use when interacting with unknown people on any platform.) Humane Society of America Our beloved pets provide a much-needed source of love and comfort during these times. However, for families who have experienced recent job losses or financial insecurity due to COVID-19, paying for their animals’ food and veterinary care can quickly become an unexpected burden. The Human Society accepts donations to help meet pets’ basic needs, and they’ve also created this robust list of national organizations that provide financial assistance to pet owners. If you’re ready for the long-term commitment of a pet, you may also consider fostering or adopting! This good deed has multiple benefits, from providing you and your family with companionship, to supplying the pet with a loving home, to helping the shelter workers stay safe at home.
In Closing,
While it’s easy — and understandable — to get swept up in the fear and anxiety that race alongside this deadly pandemic, it’s also a time when we can collectively shine brighter and spread hope, love, and compassion more than ever before. Whether you’re supporting school lunch programs, singing from your balcony, or simply providing your family (and yourself!) with some much-needed compassion, then you’re already well on your way to carrying the collective torch toward brighter days ahead.
The daughter of Singapore billionaire Peter Lim wants justice for the city’s beauty clinics – such as her own – which were forced by the pandemic to close and won’t be operating any time soon.
Kim Lim, 28, who hasn’t been able to sell ultrasound facials, stimulate collagen or freeze fat for three months at her clinic, recently took to Instagram to vouch for the industry, which will not be allowed to operate when lockdown restrictions are lifted Monday.
“If some businesses can resume with measures put in place, why can’t aesthetic clinics do the same? Private aesthetic clinics uphold the very high standards that are expected of all [Healthcare Institutions],” she wrote Thursday.
Lim, whose Illumia Therapeutics is at Orchard Road’s Wheelock Place, also lamented the drain on her business’ finances due to its expensive equipment and products’ short shelf life.
“The PICO lasers, Fat Freeze machines, [High-intensity focused ultrasound machines] come at a high cost with ongoing installments, even when we are not operating,” she said. “We have to watch other businesses resume, while our expensive stocks of botox, fillers expire in the fridge. Please spare a thought for us, as we are earning zero income and we are expected to pay our bills, our installments, rentals and staff salaries.”
Lim noted that her business had been maintaining hygiene and social distancing measures even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit Singapore.
“Face masks and gloves have been used when coming in contact with patients, needles only used once and we always sterilise all our equipment. We can operate only by appointment, keep services short, put in place social distancing, disinfect our premises more regularly, wear a face shield on top of our face masks etc,” she said. “There should be a BALANCE to everything. Shutting businesses down for an extended period is not the best way to deal with this, we can all learn to support and fight this together in a safe manner too,” she added.
Google's popular map service on Wednesday added more ways for people to engage with local businesses struggling to survive the economic hit of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Google Maps enhancements were touted as part of an effort to help small shops and restaurants.
They come a week after Facebook unveiled free tools for retailers to create online storefronts on the social network and Instagram. Google searches for "how to help small businesses" rocketed to an all-time high in March, according to Google Maps senior vice president Jen Fitzpatrick.
"People across the world are looking for ways to continue supporting corner bookstores; local watering holes; beloved dance studios and other businesses that give their neighborhoods character -- even if it's from a distance," Fitzpatrick said in a blog post.
New features at Maps include being able to check by name whether local businesses have donation or gift card links at their online profiles. In the weeks ahead, Maps will make it possible to use its search tool to find all nearby restaurants asking for financial help to endure the crisis, according to Fitzpatrick. Google has protocols to check whether businesses reaching out for support are legitimate operations, the Maps team said. In response to financial disruptions caused by the pandemic, Maps recently began allowing merchants in a half-dozen countries to add links to make donations or buy gift cards.
Google on Wednesday added another 18 countries including Italy, Spain and Japan.
Maps is also ramping up tools for customers to tune in to online sessions or appointments. "Merchants who normally provided in-person services are now pivoting to connect with their customers virtually -- from yoga studios offering online classes to salons hosting virtual hair styling classes," Fitzpatrick said. "We're making it easier for customers to discover online classes and book virtual appointments." Maps is also expanding the roster of restaurant meal delivery services and working on making it easier for eateries to specify which service they prefer be used, according to Fitzpatrick. Other new attributes -- such as whether curbside or "no-contact" pickup, or dining in, are options -- appear in restaurant descriptions in the free navigation service.
"Today people are deciding where to grab food not only based on the menu, but also on how easy it is to pick up safely," Fitzpatrick said.
"Some restaurants are even ditching dining areas for good." Since March, more than 3 million restaurants have added or edited their dining attributes, according to Fitzpatrick.
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the travel industry in seemingly every way imaginable. One area undergoing massive changes ― and preparing for more ― is the hotel business.
Public health experts are generally still advising against nonessential travel, but as states start to reopen, people are venturing off and booking hotel stays. And hotels are working to meet new demands in the age of COVID-19.
“Travelers want to feel safe, period,” Melanie Lieberman, senior travel editor at The Points Guy, told HuffPost. “Hotels will have to consider every amenity and service and determine what they can do to give travelers additional peace of mind. And though many of these changes may be temporary, some may be permanent.”
What might some of these changes be? HuffPost spoke to Lieberman and other travel experts to find out what the hotel experience may look like going forward. Emphasis On Cleanliness “Travelers will certainly hear hotels talk about their sanitization and cleaning protocols, and certain properties or brands may seek cleanliness certifications,” Lieberman noted. “The key here will be communicating their cleanliness standards to guests.”
Many hotels are already touting “enhanced” cleaning standards, which can include more thorough or frequent disinfecting of high-touch surfaces, the use of more aggressive products, and even new sanitation technology.
“Marriott, for example, said it’s going to use electrostatic sprayers and hospital-grade disinfectants,” Lieberman said. Other examples include the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s “Safe Stay” initiative, which includes new cleanliness measures, as well as Hilton’s “CleanStay” program and Accor’s “ALLSAFE” plan. “Such things as UV light sanitizer or tech that can assist with social distancing have already started to show promise,” said Robb Monkman, founder and CEO of the hospitality safety brand React Mobile. “Hotels are also making use of digital signage reminding guests and staff about best practices.”
The increased emphasis on cleanliness could also lead to changes in many hotel room layouts and amenities. While there’s been a recent push toward the more eco-friendly bulk toiletry dispensers, some brands may return to single-use bottles. Hand-washing stations and hand sanitizers may also appear in key areas. And minibars could become a thing of the past.
“Hotels will need to evaluate what they put in the room beyond furniture as it will need to be sanitized on a daily basis, including throw pillows and blankets, printed menus, barware, and much more,” said Rob Karp, founder and CEO of the travel planning service MilesAhead. “A specific example is the chocolate or candy that many hotels leave in rooms at turndown ― I think many properties will begin to realize that guests won’t want this additional treat if it means that it could potentially be contaminated.”
Self-Service And Contactless Tech Solutions
“People go to a hotel to enjoy being taken care of, and now in a post COVID-19 world, hotels will need to find new ways to provide excellent service with limited human interaction,” said Adam Deflorian, founder and CEO of the hospitality technology and marketing firm AZDS Interactive Group. That’s where technological advancements come in. Industry experts say ultraviolet, germ-killing lighting, germ-killing robots and contact-tracing apps could all be embraced by the hospitality industry.Melanie Lieberman, senior travel editor at The Points Guy“There will be an acceleration of self-service tech solutions in hotels,” said Konrad Waliszewski, co-founder and CEO of the travel app TripScout. “Services that would have happened anyway over the next decade ― such as self-service and contactless check-ins, mobile keys, mobile check-ins, and mobile SMS/chat for requests ― will become the norm for hotels.” The ability to use your phone to unlock your hotel room would be a game-changer, as would in-room automation like mobile apps to turn on the lights, control the TV, and order room service. Monkman noted that some hotels could even implement food delivery robots — like Cleo and Leo at Chicago’s EMC2 Hotel.
“Every hotel brand and individual property will respond differently to the call for change, but some hotels have turned to technology in a big way. Industry experts say ultraviolet, germ-killing lighting, germ-killing robots and contact-tracing apps could all be embraced by the hospitality industry,” Lieberman suggested. “The Westin Houston Medical Center is already using germ-fighting robots, so it’s no longer the stuff of science fiction.”
Although recent research suggests that the coronavirus does not spread as easily through contaminated surfaces as previously thought, these measures are still useful to reduce risk and make guests and employees feel safer. “Many hotels were adopting mobile digital check-in and digital keys prior to the pandemic — so it’s possible, after COVID-19, the days of the hotel room key will be numbered,” Lieberman said. “Or maybe not. As with almost everything these days, there’s a lot of uncertainty, and the situation is always changing.”
Masks And Temperature Checks
“Unquestionably, I think you’ll begin to see mask requirements for guests and staff,” said Deflorian. “It is proven that face coverings can significantly reduce the spread of the coronavirus. I think you’ll begin to see the opportunity to have branded masks for employees, as well as new training methods to teach staff how to show emotions while still wearing their face covering.” Whether or not hotels require masks in public spaces may vary based on local and national requirements for businesses as well. “Many hotels may choose to implement temperature checks upon arrival,” Deflorian added. It’s possible this kind of temperature screening technology will come along with previously mentioned enhancements like mobile check-in, digital keys and contactless payment.
Spacing Changes
“Most, if not all hotels, will be mandated to have fewer rooms open for service, and they will use this to market their properties as safe and secluded vacation destinations,” Karp predicted. “For example, if a hotel or resort has 100 rooms, only 60 will be available for bookings.” He added that many hotels may implement minimum multiple-night-stay policies (i.e. requiring guests to stay for more than a night or two) to make up for lost revenue while maintaining a lower occupancy. Having fewer guests on the property will help keep people spaced out, as will changes in lobby layouts and other public areas. “I think from an operations standpoint, you’ll start seeing lobbies with socially distanced tables, frequent disinfectants and more outdoor seating and dining,” Deflorian said. Monkman added that he foresees physically distanced queues, partitions at front desks and no scheduled entertainment offerings that require guest interactions. He noted that some brands like Accor are even offering guests free access to telemedicine consultants and connections to other medical services.
Bye-Bye, Buffets
“I think the days of buffets are gone,” Deflorian said. “Even well after a full recovery, I think guests will be very much concerned about buffets, but I do think there will be an increase in demand for in-room dining.” Lieberman, however, believes buffets will survive but are not likely to remain self-service. Physically distanced lines and barriers like sneeze guards may also alter the experience. “As the pandemic picked up, we saw a significant reduction in buffet service all across the travel industry. Airport lounges, for example, suspended self-service stations in favor of prepackaged food with individually wrapped flatware and single-serve condiments,” she said. “Some Las Vegas resorts closed buffets altogether. As with most things, we’ll probably see a gradual, phased approach to hotel buffets. Some might opt for grab-and-go, individually packaged foods, while others might opt for buffets to be staffed, rather than self-service.” I think from an operations standpoint, you’ll start seeing lobbies with socially distanced tables, frequent disinfectants and more outdoor seating and dining.Adam Deflorian, founder of AZDS Interactive Group, a hospitality tech firmBeyond buffets, new hotel dining procedures might involve dining rooms operating at reduced capacity and more guests reserving private dining rooms or balconies for meals. Monkman suggested automats could make a comeback.
Reservations For Amenities
“Similar to guests making a massage appointment, hotels may now require advance-timed reservations for using the tennis court, pool, spa and other amenities where guests can be in close proximity,” Karp noted. “Golf courses in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic are operating by spacing tee times to promote safe distancing,” he added. “Any use of public facilities at hotels and resorts will need to be treated with extreme care as many guests, including potential carriers, use it on a daily basis.” Elevator Challenges Elevator safety has become a concern not only for hotels, but for high-rise office buildings and apartment complexes as well. Deflorian and Monkman believe that frequent sanitizing and limits on the number of riders will be common practice. “Americans will be in the best shape of all time because most of us will choose the stairs,” Deflorian joked.
“If nothing else, travelers should expect to see hand-sanitizing stations deployed to high-touch areas all over hotels, including by elevators,” Lieberman noted. “Who knows? Maybe elevator attendants will make a comeback.”
More Direct Bookings Waliszewski believes more travelers will book their stays directly with the hotel, rather than a third-party service like Expedia or Booking.com. “Travelers struggled to figure out if the cancellations and changes were the responsibility of the hotel or who they booked it through,” he said, recalling the early days of the pandemic when people rushed to alter their travel plans. “Many who didn’t book directly with a hotel got screwed, or at least had a lot more hassle.” Waliszewski also thinks hotel brands may capitalize on this shift of power away from those third-party sites. “More people will book directly with the hotel in order have more flexibility and protection,” he said. “You already saw brands like Marriott only give reward points to customers who book directly, but expect many more perks to not be available unless booking direct.” New Packages And Programming “Hotels will need to figure out ways to entice guests to come, which will be challenging, particularly because the airline lift is so limited,” Deflorian said. “I think for resorts, we will begin to see all sorts of new outdoor programming and new fitness, ‘one of a kind’-type experiences ― paddleboarding, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, etc.” Waliszewski believes hotels may cater to local travelers craving a “staycation” as stay-at-home measures are lifted. “People will appreciate much more what’s in their own neighborhood, will want to support local businesses, and will have to do something different since many of the obvious nature experiences will be crowded and booked up,” he said. “The hotels that embrace this with earlier check-in times and better spa packages will help offset their decline of business travelers.” This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Google will reimburse employees up to $1,000 to pay for equipment to help them work from home, CEO Pichai wrote to employees on Tuesday.
He also detailed how the company will slowly reopen its offices, starting by rotating employees through offices at 10% capacity on July 6, and working up to around 30% capacity in September. This echoes statements Pichai made earlier in May.
The move shows how one of the world's most highly valued companies is attempting to bring back normal operations following the onset of coronavirus, which has killed over 347,000 people to date and impacted Alphabet's business. Google was one of the first companies to tell all employees to work from home, and has managed expectations throughout the pandemic, at one point informing them that they could not expense items like food (to replace free food served in cafeterias) or gym memberships.
"This will give Googlers who need to come back to the office — or, capacity permitting, who want to come back — the opportunity to return on a limited, rotating basis (think: one day every couple of weeks, so roughly 10 percent building occupancy)," Pichai wrote in the email, which was published on a Google blog.
He also noted that offices would be different. "We'll have rigorous health and safety measures in place to ensure social distancing and sanitization guidelines are followed, so the office will look and feel different than when you left."
Managers will tell employees if they must go back by June 10, and for all other employees, coming back will be voluntary, Pichai wrote. Those who are interested should speak with their managers, he wrote.
It was not immediately clear how the guidelines will apply for Alphabet contractors, which make up a significant portion of its overall workforce. A Google spokesperson did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.
From new cleaning technology to digital check-ins, here's what these major hotel companies are planning.
In the beginning of April, nearly 80 percent of U.S. hotels were empty, according to a report by STR, a firm that analyzes the hospitality industry. Planning for future travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt are introducing new cleaning protocols for the safety and assurance of their guests.
On April 21, Marriott International announced the launch of the Marriott Global Cleanliness Council to develop new cleanliness standards for its hotels around the world. To better clean rooms, lobbies, gyms, and other public areas, the hospitality company plans to use electrostatic sprayers with hospital-grade disinfectant recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). It plans to clean high-touch surfaces more often and to install more hand sanitizing stations. To limit person-to-person contact, in more 3,200 of Marriott’s hotels, guests can check in to and access their rooms using their phones. Marriott is also revamping its foods safety guidelines.
Hilton announced on April 27 that it will be partnering with Reckitt Benckiser, the maker of Lysol and Dettol, and consulting with the Mayo Clinic to develop a new program called CleanStay. While Hilton is still developing the full program, some of the measures it's considering include: deep cleaning 10 hight touch areas, supplementing paper amenities with digital alternatives, and placing a room seal on doors indicating that no one has entered the room since it's been cleaned.
Hilton is also considering contactless check-in, an increase in frequency of cleaning public areas, limiting the number of guests in the fitness centers, disinfecting wipe stations for guests, and electrostatic sprayers. According to a press release, Hilton will provide personal protective equipment and enhanced training to its employees.
Last week, Hyatt also announced new cleanliness guidelines. Per a press release, these will include an accreditation process by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), "a division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association." By September 2020, every Hyatt hotel around the world will have a Hygiene Manager tasked with making sure the hotel is adhering to the new protocols, some of which include increased frequency of cleaning with hospital-grade disinfectants on all high-touch surfaces, enhanced food safety and hygiene protocols for restaurants and room service, and hand sanitizer stations for employees and guests.
Hyatt might also plan to install devices that will ensure enhanced air quality, provide protective personal protective equipment for hotel colleagues, and provide social distancing guidance in public areas. |
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October 2021
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