DAY ONE: IH/M&RS Kicks Off With A Bang

NEW YORK— The International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show (IH/M&RS) got off to a brisk start on Saturday, with exhibitors reporting strong numbers of visitors at their booths. Indeed, the show, which runs through Tuesday, had a real buzz to it as purchasers, hotel executives and students walked the aisles of the Javits Center here in order to sample the latest new products offered to the hotel industry. The upbeat launch of the show was a far cry from last year’s IH/M&RS, which was one of the few industry events not cancelled after 9/11. The downing of a jet airliner over nearby Queens cast more gloom over the final day of that show, with a separate portion of the Javits being used as a gathering place for families of the victims of the crash. All told, the resultant poor attendance of the combined events had more than one exhibitor indicating doubt that they would return this year. That sentiment appeared to be only temporary, however, with this years confab showing a pent-up demand to be here from both vendors and attendees. But while business is indeed back at the IH/M&RS, the events of 9/11 appear to have had some impact on issues discussed at the show, with the topic of safety and security getting attention on the show floor and on the dais. Kicking off the IH/M&RS presentations was panel of six hotel executives who spent nearly half their allotted session time discussing terrorism and its impact on global travel and tourism levels. Addressing the Recovery and Resiliency of the Lodging Industry were Accor/North America’s Georges LeMener, Carlson Hotels’ Curtis Nelson, Bob Cotter of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Joe Kane of Days Inn Worldwide, Atlantica Hotels’ Paul Sistare and the International Hotel & Restaurant Association’s Eric Pfeffer. The overwhelming consensus of the panel was that terrorism is a fact of today’s world and is here to stay. The group advised hoteliers to learn to deal with this reality, work with employees in their own organizations as well as with their local government officials, and understand the consumer is very aware of the present-day situation. In essence, a show of security should no longer prove to be a “business turn-off,” they concluded. Meanwhile, on the show floor, Montreal-based Kaba Ilco representatives they’ve seen a “particular increase” in their business involving controlled exit devices as well as an uptick in their guestroom door-mounted locking systems. On this latter note, commanding the Kaba Ilco spotlight at this year’s show are its mag-stripe reading Generation E-760 Stand-Alone Electronic Lock as well as its enhanced Solitaire 710 – II and (smartcard-technology) SolitaireSMART offerings. Across the aisle at Miwa Lock Co., a new dual mag-stripe/smartcard automatic deadbolt lock features a magnet-triggered deadbolt that only locks into place when the door is fully closed. Morever, the bolt’s extra length is designed to provide an extra measure of solid-steel security, specifically by working to prevent “spreading” of the door frame away from the door itself. Meanwhile, technology, as usual, had a high-profile presence, with high-speed Internet access vendors out in full force, looking for hotel brand companies and individual owners to target for service. Wayport was pushing its Wi-Fi 802.11 wireless, as well as its hard-wired HSIA services to prospective clients. The company has installed its service into 475 hotels and 10 airports and sees 2003 as being the year when HSIA becomes a “must have” for hoteliers. “We are targeting the hotel owners,” said Chris Burke, national sales manager at Wayport. “This show provides with a broad spectrum of potential clients.” Across the aisle, TeleResource Corp. is also pushing its HSIA solution as well as its phone and video conferencing capabilities. “This year was a big one in terms of the industry crossing over and embracing high-speed Internet access,” said Tommy Beckham, vp/national accounts for TeleResource. “Those hotel