British Columbia – January 16, 2025: Les Dames d'Escoffier International BC Chapter (LDBC) online scholarship applications are now open until February 12^th (11:59 pm PT) to those who identify as women in BC interested in furthering their careers in the culinary, beverage, agriculture, aquaculture and other hospitality fields.

Founded in 1992, LDBC has awarded scholarships for over 30 years to support women who wish to further their careers through educational opportunities.

LDBC has up to $30,000 to award in 2025 including tuition support sponsored by the Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver, Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, Cacao Barry/Chocolate Academy, Pastry Training Centre of Vancouver, Snowcap Fund, Karen A. Davidson, the Fineza Family, and Two Rivers Specialty Meats. 

Eligibility

Scholarships are open to persons in BC who identify as women, of any age and at any stage of their career, who are looking to either refine or expand their expertise at a credible educational institution of their choice anywhere in the world.

Scholarships are awarded on merit, ability, commitment, and passion.

Applicants can be awarded a scholarship more than once, depending on the circumstance. If a woman’s previous application was unsuccessful, they are encouraged to apply again between now and February 12^th, 2025.

Scholarships Bringing it Full Circle

Christine Godlonton, Culinary Arts Program instructor at Vancouver Island University, was awarded LDBC scholarships in both 1994 and 2023 and has become one of the newest Les Dames members joining the BC Chapter in 2024.

Christine shares, “I am very grateful for the support that the BC Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier has provided me over the last 30 years as a young woman just embarking on a career path in BC’s culinary field with a ton of passion and then again as a mature woman who absolutely loves what I do. I fully believe in the work of Les Dames d’ Escoffier and am proud to now be a member to bring my experience full circle to mentor, support and inspire our next generation of women leaders.”

Important Details

• The deadline for applications is February 12^th, 2025 (11:59 pm PT).
• Applicants must be BC residents.
• Applications are available online at https://lesdames.ca/scholarship-program/apply/
• Applications are reviewed and evaluated by the Scholarship Committee comprised of Les Dames members.
• Scholarship awards rarely constitute a complete tuition, therefore scholars must be able to provide the remaining funds through other sources.
• Successful applicants will be announced in March 2025.

Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) is an international organization of women leaders who create a supportive culture in their communities to achieve excellence in the fields of food, beverage, and hospitality.

The organization’s 2,400 members in 41 chapters in the US, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Italy provide leadership, educational opportunities, and philanthropy. LDEI chapters raised and donated more than $525,000 to community non-profits, philanthropic organizations and individuals in 2021.

To learn more about Les Dames d’Escoffier BC Chapter and its scholarship application process: www.lesdames.ca

Tourism HR Canada is delighted to announce the appointment of two new directors to its board. Bringing a mix of experience in non-profits, governance, workforce development, and the tourism sector are Beth McMahon, President & CEO of the Hotel Association of Canada, and Tracy Breher, Vice-President, Destination and Workforce Development, at Tourism Saskatchewan.

The new directors’ elections were confirmed at Tourism HR Canada’s recent Annual General Meeting. They join a highly engaged and experienced board that plays an integral role in helping Canada’s tourism sector reach its full potential with a vibrant, diverse, skilled workforce. Tourism HR Canada plays a lead role in pan-Canadian attraction, retention, and skills development initiatives, as well as labour market intelligence.

Beth fills one of four seats in the national associations category, allocated for the Hotel Association of Canada. With over twenty years of executive experience, Beth has significantly grown and strengthened non-profit organizations by fostering collaboration and innovation among boards, members, and staff. An award-winning association leader, Beth is leading the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) into an exciting new chapter of growth and advocacy.

Prior to joining HAC, she served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP), where she expanded membership by over forty percent and strengthened the organization’s position with government and key partners. She has also held leadership roles such as Vice President, Government and Public Relations, at the Canadian Vintners Association (now Wine Growers Canada).

A graduate of the University of Toronto with a Master’s in Environmental Studies from York University, Beth has also completed the IVEY Business School CommunityShift executive leadership program, underscoring her commitment to continuous professional learning.

Tracy fills one of four seats in the industry at-large category. Tourism Saskatchewan is a Treasury Board Crown Corporation responsible for developing and promoting tourism in the province. Its mandate includes education and training, product development, visitor services, and marketing. Tracy leads the team responsible for strengthening industry growth through planning and development support for businesses, as well as tourism education and training to address the challenges of a competitive labour market.

Tracy has diverse experience from past roles in communications, development, and marketing, always working to support strategic growth and business sustainability. She is a champion of advancing quality experiences through industry-validated training and brings focused accountability on program results.

“We benefit from a collaborative Board of Directors that is committed to ensuring smart, targeted strategies to support Canada’s tourism workforce,” said Philip Mondor, President and CEO of Tourism HR Canada. “The perspectives and expertise Beth and Tracy bring to the table will be invaluable as we continue to grow a resilient, competitive, and inclusive tourism workforce.”

Tourism HR Canada board and staff members thank outgoing directors Susie Grynol (formerly with the Hotel Association of Canada, now with Marriott International) and Jim Bence (Hospitality Saskatchewan) for their leadership and significant contributions and look forward to ongoing collaboration.

Tourism HR Canada would like to thank all who put forward nominations.

Madrid, January 20, 2025: Gonzalo Aguilar has assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer at , effective January 1, 2025. Aguilar joined Minor Hotels in October 2024 and succeeds former CEO Ramón Aragonés, who retired at the end of 2024 and continues to serve as a member of the Board of Directors and Non-Executive Vice President.

With over 30 years of hospitality experience—including his most recent senior leadership role as Chief Operating Officer for Europe at Marriott International—Aguilar brings a proven track record in driving growth and profitability to the Minor Hotels team. His leadership was instrumental in integrating the AC Hotels brand into Marriott and achieving significant corporate milestones throughout a career, which has seen him rapidly rise through the ranks from his start as a restaurant manager in Colorado. 

At Minor Hotels Europe & Americas, Aguilar will focus on strengthening international integration of Minor’s brand portfolio and accelerating hotel openings in key markets, particularly in the luxury and resort segments, under the company’s ‘asset right’ strategy which drives sustainable growth through an optimized balance of ownership, management and franchise models.

“Gonzalo’s expertise, leadership, and deep knowledge of the multi-brand, asset-light hotel landscape makes him the ideal choice to guide Minor Hotels Europe & Americas through our next phase of strategic growth in this high-value region,” said Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels and Chairman of Minor Hotels Europe & Americas.

Aguilar expressed his enthusiasm for the role, stating, “Joining this forward-thinking hospitality group is an opportunity I embrace with great enthusiasm. I look forward to collaborating with our talented teams to build on the company’s excellent performance. With our globally recognized brand portfolio and ambitious expansion plans, we are well-positioned to achieve continued success in the most profitable segments of the market.”

Aguilar’s appointment will be formalized at the Ordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting, scheduled before June 30, 2025. During his onboarding, he worked closely with Aragonés to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Steinhausen, Switzerland – January 16, 2025 – , developer of an award-winning  revenue management system (RMS) for hotels, is proud to announce three big wins in the 2025 , which recognise the best operational solutions based on reviews and ratings from hoteliers around the world.

In this year’s awards, RoomPriceGenie won second place for “The Best Revenue Management System (RMS)” for the second year in a row, as the solution is a simple, automated way for hoteliers to optimise their pricing – after implementation!

The RoomPriceGenie RMS was also recognized as the 7^th “Most Recommended Solution” overall, a category that compares the solution’s performance with that of all operational solutions in the industry.

Finally, RoomPriceGenie won third place in “The Best Place to Work Award” for the second year in a row, recognizing the company’s commitment to creating a supportive, inclusive and fun-filled work environment, and building a team that is passionate about helping clients achieve their business and financial goals.

“We are very proud to be recognized across these three categories of the HotelTechAwards, as these wins demonstrate the efficacy and ease of use of our RMS, as well as the knowledge and dedication shown by our hard-working team of Genies,” said Ari Andricopoulos, CEO of RoomPriceGenie. “We are very excited to see the positive impact that we have had on hoteliers’ bottom lines continue through 2025, as our growth and development plans for this year will further empower hoteliers to maximise their long-term profitability, no matter how the market changes.”

To find out more about RoomPriceGenie’s 2025 HotelTechAwards wins, please read the official press release on