Current Designations
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the environment in which the AHLA and its members are operating, creating serious issues we must acknowledge. People working in leadership positions in hotels are having to perform many roles, including human resource functions, often with little or no guidance or training. There is a need to skill up those who are working in hotels now and demonstrate that the hotel industry offers fulfilling careers.
We are excited to announce that an exciting new designation is on the horizon that will replace the former programs.
The AHLA believes this creates an opportunity to take the best of our legacy programs and create a new standard that defines and recognizes excellence in multiple aspects of hotel operations, including:
- Human resources
- Health & safety
- Risk management & loss prevention
This new designation will be applicable to real life hotel operations as opposed to other designation programs, such as COR. Hotels that achieve the designation will not only demonstrate due diligence in the areas of health and safety, human resources and loss prevention, but also that they offer a safe, fair and healthy workplace.
Past Designations
In light of the impacts of COVID-19 on Alberta’s hotel industry, the AHLA’s Board of Directors paused the following programs.
AHLA Safe Accommodation Promise (ASAP)
As the official safety association for Alberta hotels & convention centres, the AHLA has developed the ASAP designation to help properties:
- Understand their responsibility to provide a safe environment for guests and staff, and what this entails.
- Provide assurance to guests and staff that their property is a safe place to stay or work.
By meeting ASAP requirements and earning the right to display the ASAP logo and certificate, your property is making a promise to staff and guests to prioritize their health & safety.
Employer of Choice
The Employer of Choice (EOC) designation was created to showcase exceptional human resources practices in the accommodation sector. Having an EOC designation allowed hotels to show that their staff was being treated fairly and were working in a safe environment.
EOC helped properties discover areas for improvement and what mattered to their employees. Improving the satisfaction of your team leads to improved satisfaction among your guests. An EOC designation allowed members to distinguish their hotel, motel, or resort from other employers in Alberta’s tourism and hospitality industry.
Housekeeping Awards
From 1983 to 2019, the AHLA delivered Alberta’s Housekeeping Awards in conjunction with Travel Alberta and the Government of Alberta. These awards recognized the highest standards of excellence in cleanliness, maintenance, and state of repair for hotels and motels. Congratulations to the hundreds of member properties that received the award over the years!
In 2020, the Housekeeping Awards were retired. The AHLA now encourages hotels to make the AHLA Safe Accommodation Promise (ASAP) to assure the health & safety of their staff and guests.
Hospitality Safety Leadership Certificate
Exclusive to the hotel industry in Alberta, the Hospitality Safety Leadership Certificate was designed to lead employers through the process of developing and implementing a health and safety management system and create a corporate safety culture that improved the way hotels do business.
Requirements for each level built on the foundations of the previous levels, and the certification was renewed annually.