Niagara hotel industry unites
Rooms offered to health-care workers to use to self-isolate during pandemic
In an unprecedented move, several Niagara hotels — business has been decimated due to the coronavirus — are offering rooms to health-care workers who want to isolate themselves as the battle to curb the global pandemic continues.
“Health-care workers who may, through their job, be exposed to COVID-19,
don’t want to go back to their families and risk infection,” said Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, who has reached out to the hotel industry.
“So, if they can live temporarily in isolation in a hotel room, I think it’s a safer approach to protecting our health-care workers and their families.”
Diodati said the public health department and the Niagara Health hospitals system is evaluating a number of hotel properties to determine if the suggestion is viable.
He said hotels could also play a role in fighting the pandemic by, if needed, becoming makeshift field hospitals.
“We have to prepare for anything and everything,” he said.
“We can be proactive. In the event we need a field hospital, we don’t need to build a hospital like they did in Wuhan.
“We have a bunch of hotels that are sitting empty. I thought it was really generous of the hotels to want to be part of the solution.”
Oakes Hotel is one of the properties offering to help.
“What may not be known to people
is the province has the right to commandeer hotels in times of crises,” said Doug Birrell, chief executive officer at Oakes Hotel and executive director of the Niagara Falls, Canada Hotel Association.
“They can do it, we’re just making it easier for them. I think all of the major properties have embraced the idea.”
Also, with approximately 95 per cent of the local hotel workforce laid off in recent weeks, Birrell said opening the doors to health-care personnel will go a long way to helping employees return to the workforce.
At Motel 6 Niagara Falls on Stanley Avenue, owner David Aucion has taken it a step further and is offering short-term residencies to individuals experiencing housing issues as well as to anyone who finds themselves under quarantine. “We are open and we want to do business to survive,” said Aucoin. “I’m here for my employees and I’m here to stay.”
The Motel 6 averages 20 to 30 bookings per night, while some hotels in the city have temporarily closed their doors.
“My goal as an owner is to do anything and everything that I possibly can to keep our doors open,” Aucion said. “I sent my staff a memo that I will keep the doors open and their jobs are safe, and I have to live up to that promise.”
Meanwhile, several hotel properties along the Niagara Falls skyline are lighting up rooms in the shape of a heart to show solidarity in these challenging times.
The initiative — Niagara Heart of Hope — began late last week when staff at Marriott Fallsview Hotel decided to light up a series of empty rooms.
Patrick Regina, area general manager of both Marriott Fallsview and Marriott on the Falls Hotel and Conference Centre, challenged other operators to follow suit.
The following night, several hotels, including Oakes Hotel and Sheraton on the Falls, accepted the challenge.
Additional properties added hearts on Sunday, including Motel 6.
The initiative has also caught the attention of hotels in St. Catharines. The Holiday Inn & Suites and the Hampton Inn, both have added hearts to their buildings.
“We wanted to participate with Niagara Falls to show that we’re part of the community, hospitality and tourism is important to us and we’re all one in the region,” said Joe Mannella, director of sales at both hotels.
Birrell called the grassroots movement “spectacular.”
“It’s such a strong, silent message that says so much. You have this darkened (Falls) skyline, that has never happened before since it was created, and now these hearts just pop out.”
Diodati said the hearts demonstrate solidarity within the tourism industry.
“They show solidarity and they show empathy,” he said.
“Niagara Falls is reaching out to the world and saying, we understand … we are all in this together.”
“It’s such a strong, silent message that says so much.” DOUG BIRRELL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA HOTEL ASSOCIATION