Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites - Travel Adventures

Viking® (www.viking.com) today announced that its newest river ship, the Viking Saigon℠, has begun its inaugural season in Southeast Asia. Purpose-built for the Mekong River, the 80-guest ship sails between Kampong Cham, Cambodia and Mỹ Tho, Vietnam as part of Viking’s popular 15-day Magnificent Mekong itinerary. With the 2022-2023 season now underway, regular sailing dates are available through March 2023; the 2023-2024 season begins in July 2023.

“The fascinating cultures of Vietnam and Cambodia have always made this region a favorite destination among our guests,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “We are also pleased to welcome back to Southeast Asia our first guests since early 2020. With arrival of the Viking Saigon, we look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to this iconic waterway in the coming years.”

Purpose-built for the Mekong River, the new Viking Saigon hosts 80 guests in 40 outside staterooms. Featuring the clean Scandinavian design for which Viking is known, all staterooms have hotel-style beds and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with a Veranda or French Balcony. Guests on the three-deck Viking Saigon also enjoy a Spa & Fitness Center, Infinity Pool and open-air Sky Bar on the Upper Deck.

During this 15-day journey, guests explore the cultural treasures of Vietnam and Cambodia with 16 guided tours. Hotel stays in Hanoi, Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) bracket an eight-day Mekong River voyage on this unique itinerary, during which guests can enjoy exploring the Old Quarter of Hanoi and attending a performance by Apsara dancers; tasting the distinctive fresh ingredients from bustling markets and local restaurants; wandering the Khmer temple complex of Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; visiting Ta Prohm, where jungle vines embrace ancient ruins; and seeing the sights of Phnom Penh by cyclo rickshaw. On the river voyage portion of the itinerary, guests can discover silk towns, fishing villages, monasteries and floating markets.

From now through August 31, 2022, Viking is offering special savings on select river and ocean voyages, with a limited-time $25 deposit as part of the company’s 25^th Anniversary Sale. Call Viking toll free at 1-855-8-VIKING (1-855-884-5464) or contact a travel advisor for details.

Viking was founded in 1997 and provides destination-focused journeys on rivers, and lakes around the world. Designed for curious travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers experiences for The Thinking Person^SM. Viking has more than 250 awards to its name, including being the first cruise line ever to be simultaneously named the #1 Ocean Line and #1 River Line in Travel + Leisure’s 2022 “World’s Best” Awards. Viking was also rated the #1 River Line and #1 Ocean Line by Condé Nast Traveler in the publication’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards. For additional information, contact Viking at 1-800-2-VIKING (1-800-284-5464) or visit www.viking.com. For Viking’s award-winning enrichment channel, visit www.viking.tv.

SEPT. 1 ESTABLISHED AS NATIONAL HOTEL EMPLOYEE DAY
Annual Event to Celebrate, Thank Hotel Employees

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today announced it has established Sept. 1 as National Hotel Employee Day in the National Day Calendar.

National Hotel Employee Day will be celebrated annually to thank hotel employees for their hard work and dedication and recognize the integral role they play in our nation’s travel, tourism, and hotel industries.

This year, National Hotel Employee Day will take on added significance, as hotels across the nation are working to quickly fill more than 120,000 open hotel jobs. To attract more talent, hotels are offering current and prospective employees higher wages, with better benefits, and more flexibility than ever before.

“On this inaugural National Hotel Employee Day, we thank America’s nearly two million hotel employees. Every day in communities across the nation, hotel employees’ service and dedication help facilitate some of Americans’ most important life events – from wedding receptions to family reunions and vacations,” said AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers. “And with more than 120,000 open hotel jobs across the nation, now is the time to consider one of the more than 200 enriching careers in the hotel industry.”

Nearly all hotels are experiencing staffing shortages, and half report being severely understaffed, according to a member survey conducted by AHLA. Ninety-seven percent (97%) of survey respondents indicated they are experiencing a staffing shortage, 49% severely so. The most critical staffing need is housekeeping, with 58% ranking it as their biggest challenge.

These staffing challenges coupled with strong summer travel demand are resulting in historic career opportunities for hotel employees. National average hotel wages have increased from $18.74/hour before the pandemic to $22.25/hour in May 2022. And hotel benefits and flexibility are better than ever.

“There has never been a better time to work in the hotel industry than right now,” Rogers said.

The hotel industry offers more than 200 different career paths and many opportunities for upward mobility, with 80% of entry-level workers eligible for a promotion in less than one year and 50% of hotel general managers having started in an entry-level position.

To learn about hotel career opportunities and search for jobs, visit https://www.thehotelindustry.com/

To learn about National Hotel Employee Day, visit https://www.ahla.com/day

About AHLA
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is the sole national association representing all segments of the U.S. lodging industry. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AHLA focuses on strategic advocacy, communications support and workforce development programs to move the industry forward. Learn more at www.ahla.com.