Howard Johnson Canada will become the first mid-market hotel brand within Canada to provide a 100 percent smoke-free guest experience. Each of their 3,500 guest rooms across Canada will become…
Howard Johnson Canada will become the first mid-market hotel brand within Canada to provide a 100 percent smoke-free guest experience. Each of their 3,500 guest rooms across Canada will become 100 percent smoke-free by September 1, 2007.
This change comes with the support of Howard Johnson’s Franchisees. Glen Blake, President of Howard Johnson Canada Franchise Systems Limited, says this move is in reaction to the input and opinions of our franchise family and hotel guests. Based on our research, we know this move will result in a cleaner, healthier and more family friendly hotel environment. Smoke-free facilities are becoming more commonplace across the country and are gaining a lot of public support; offering our customers and franchise employees smoke-free hotels is the natural next step.
Currently in Canada, market demand has shown that offering a completely smoke-free environment is poised to become the latest differentiator in the competitive hotel industry. According to a North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study (SM) conducted by J.D. Power and Associates in 2006, it was found that 79 percent of hotel guests prefer a smoke-free environment that exceeds the boundaries of their guest room.
Blake realizes that becoming smoke-free is not an easy step, which is why they have partnered with JohnsonDiversey, one of the world’s leaders in developing cleaning and hygiene solutions, to create a “Smoke-Free Cleaning Program”.
As soon as I heard about this initiative I knew we wanted to be part of it,” stated Edward Longergan President and CEO of JohnsonDiversey, “our program will allow all Howard Johnson properties to achieve their goal of becoming 100 percent smoke-free.”
Guest rooms will undergo a thorough cleaning and restoration program. After completing the program each hotel will receive a smoke-free certification from the JohnsonDiversey clean air program.
Domenic Rapini, Vice President and General Manager of JohnsonDiversey Canada, acknowledges that, there is more to becoming smoke-free than placing a sign on the door and removing the ashtrays, which is why we are delighted to be undertaking this initiative with a partner as highly regarded as Howard Johnson Canada.
Leading the way for Howard Johnson are their properties located in Victoria, Nanaimo and downtown Vancouver, which will all complete the required certification by June 1, 2007.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
