HOSTED ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA LTD. A Better Way to Stay MEMBER HANDBOOK. Available to Members online. Revised: 2014

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1 HOSTED ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA LTD MEMBER HANDBOOK Revised: 2014 Available to Members online

2 Hosted Accommodation Australia Ltd CORPORATE OVERVIEW Hosted Accommodation Australia (HAA) is the national peak industry organisation for hosted, owner operated accommodation including bed and breakfasts; farmstays and station stays, self catering cottages, houses and suites; guesthouses and boutique hotels. It is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, registered with ASIC and governed by a Board of Directors. HAA BOARD Responsibilities Development of annual Business and Marketing Plans, Corporate Governance, Policy Setting, Advocacy Divisional Activities State and Territory Operating Divisions Liaison with local tourism industry Development of networking, professional development and marketing opportunities Membership recruitment HAA Office Membership services General administration and accounting Membership recruitment Administrative resources for the Board and Committees Event management HAA Members National Committees: Accreditation : Finance & Corporate Governance : Industry Regulations : Marketing : Member Benefits : Membership : Professional Development : Rural Development : Website Increase membership Advocate on compliance issues Promote quality standards and accreditation Support developing businesses Commission industry research Conduct a grants and sponsorships program Expand professional development and training programs Monitor and maintain corporate website HAA AGENDA FOR Maintain and enhance consumer website Distribute regular communications Improve awareness of the HAA Brand Collaborate with other industry groups Increase rural and regional industry development Develop international marketing opportunities Expand national gift voucher program Expand B&B course program

3 INDEX PAGE 2 Hosted Accommodation Australia Corporate Structure 3 Index and Contact Information 4 Code of Conduct 5 Categories of Membership 6 Member Benefits 7 Download the HAA Logo 8 Membership Information on the Website 9 Managing Your Online Listing 10 HAA Gift Voucher Information 11 Complaints Procedure CONTACTS Board Chairperson: Sue Sciberras Board Members: Helen Barrett; Carl Gledhill; Carol McKenzie; Mark Tull; Kay Watson Online Development: Ciaran Cryan Company Secretary and Accountant: David Pryor Executive Officer: Liz Pryor Special projects: Gil Birnstihl Hosted Accommodation Australia Ltd (ABN ) PO Box 422 Eltham, Victoria 3095 Telephone: or Facsimile: admin@haalimited.com.au Corporate Website: Consumer Website: 3

4 Members must Hosted Accommodation Australia Ltd Members' Code of Conduct 1. Abide by the Constitution of Hosted Accommodation Australia Ltd and any other by-laws, rules and standards of HAA. 2. Conduct their business to or above the standard approved by the Board of HAA on admittance to membership. Each member must be prepared for an assessment inspection if deemed necessary by the Board. 3. Register and maintain their business name on the national business names register administered by ASIC to enable HAA to use their property in its marketing and promotional activities. 4. Carry Public liability insurance suitable to the business of at least $10,000, Have approval of their Local Council to operate as an accommodation establishment. 6. Conform to required Federal, State and Local Government legislation and other regulations relating to the conduct of their business. 7. Observe the provisions of the Privacy Act and respect the confidentiality of any personal information collected in the normal conduct of business. 8. Acknowledge that as a member they are a participant in the National Gift Voucher Program and, as such, are bound by the rules of the program. 9. Provide genuine hospitality, courtesy and cleanliness; be reasonably available and/or able to be contacted by guests at all times, and provide emergency contact information. 10. Operate with integrity and honesty and describe accurately to all visitors the amenities, facilities and services provided by the establishment in person, advertising material and promotions. 11. Provide only direct business contact details for publication in HAA marketing and promotional material eg website, brochures etc. Telephone numbers, and website addresses for booking or management agencies that provide services to non-haa member businesses are not accepted. 12. Include breakfast as a component of the daily tariff where a business is promoted or advertised as a Bed and Breakfast. 13. State clearly verbally and/or in writing at the time of taking a booking enquiry, all charges and tariffs, the conditions of booking and the conditions of cancellation. 14. Respond courteously to all enquiries, requests, reservations and complaints. 15. Under a duty of care, provide a safe and risk-free environment for guests. Take all reasonable action to ensure that furniture, equipment, plant and products likely to be encountered by guests are in safe and good working order. List all potential hazards/risks that exist within the business on a regular basis in order to assess methods of overcoming them. Notify guests upon arrival of any potential safety hazards and clearly display safety and emergency procedures in each guest accommodation. 16. Give notice to HAA one month prior of any transfer, sale or cessation of the business. 4

5 CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP Hosted Accommodation Australia Ltd is a membership based organisation and every member is valued for their support and the way in which they represent their industry through operating to a high standard of quality, with generous hospitality and excellent service. Applicants for full membership are assessed for the quality and eligibility of their business before membership is approved. Full members of Hosted Accommodation Australia Ltd agree to abide by its Code of Conduct and Quality Standards. There are three categories of members: Full Members: 1. Are entitled to one vote per membership 2. Pay an annual fee, as determined by the Board of Management. The membership year commences on 1 April. 3. Have access to the Members secure section of the website 4. Are provided with one listing of seven screens with the option of subscribing to supplementary listings on 5. Receive news and news in brief and scam alerts through the Pillow Talk e.newsletter 6. Receive discounts and savings negotiated on their behalf, plus the resource document The Buyers Guide, available in the Members secure section of the website. 7. Are entitled to membership rates for all Hosted Accommodation Australia events 8. Can opt in to Hosted Accommodation Australia marketing initiatives 9. Can download a membership certificate from the members secure section of the website, or by request to the Hosted Accommodation Australia office 10. Have access to the services of HAA s office, open from 9am to 5pm EST, Mon to Friday, or by outside office hours. Associate Members: 1. No voting rights 2. Pay an annual fee, as determined by the Board of Management. 3. Receive all full member benefits, except for a listing on the HAA Consumer Website. * Associate membership is only available to eligible developing accommodation businesses. Once open for business, associate membership will cease and the business owner has the option of upgrading to Full Membership (relevant charges apply). Affiliate Members (Service and Product Suppliers including Locums): 1. No voting rights 2. Pay an annual fee, as determined by the Board of Management 3. An online listing under Marketplace in the public section of the Industry website 4. News and news in brief through the Pillow Talk newsletter 5. Sponsorship opportunities 5

6 A Value Packed Membership MEMBER BENEFITS As the national peak industry organisation, the role of Hosted Accommodation Australia Ltd is to provide its members with information, management assistance and benefits. Unlike many other professional organisations, it also provides to its members marketing and promotional opportunities. Hosted Accommodation Australia Board of Management and Full Time Office Policy setting, quality standards, corporate governance, advocacy, accreditation, industry development, member benefits, membership services. Reported to members via the Pillow Talk newsletter, bulletins and s. Online Membership Programs (see page 7 for the full contents of this page of links) A consumer website which promotes member properties and a corporate website with news, information and the secure page where members edit their listing and access their online benefits e.g. blog, view member to member offers, etc Your Website Listing and Other Promotions (see page 8 ) Seven page member listings, optimised with each page having a unique URL Promotion of the industry through Tourism Australia, the STOs and other marketing organisations HAA Gift Voucher Program. Introducing new business to members in excess of $400,000 since 2008 Discounts and Savings The Buyers Guide, available in the members section. A resource listing suppliers of goods and services including those who offer discounts. Includes special merchant service fees with Westpac and Diners and insurance providers. Marketplace on. Listings of suppliers on the public area of the website with links to their contact details, businesses for sale and locum services. Advocacy Negotiations with federal and state government departments to address compliance issues. These include: Food Safety Programs and Liquor Licensing Australian Building Code review of the Disabled (Access to Premises) Standard State Planning Departments Productivity Commission submissions Online Travel Agency commissions and positioning Federal Government funding for research into this industry Representation on Accreditation committees Representation on the Star Ratings Australian Industry Advisory Board Collaboration with the Accommodation Association of Australia Professional Development A Guide to Establishing and Maintaining an Accommodation Business in Australia - Members $36 non members $60 Industry days with speakers on various topics Alerts for members to any other training opportunities and B&B courses Management Fact Sheets B&B courses conducted in South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia Support and Mentoring State and territory committees working on behalf of members. Telephone and online assistance through the HAA Office 6 With most of the Australian tourism industry being small businesses with less than 10 employees, there is always strength in numbers. Hosted Accommodation Australia provides that strength for the bed and breakfast and farmstay sector. To me, organisations such as this put like-minded people together and bring benefits that would be impossible to gain on your own. Andrew McEvoy, CEO, Tourism Australia 2010

7 LOGO Your symbol of quality accommodation Members are encouraged to use the logo as a symbol of quality accommodation on their brochures and websites. To access the logo, login to your membership page. In the second column under Taking Care of Business, click on Download HAA Logo. The logo is available in colour in two versions (see below): (Greyscale is available on request from the office) Logo 1 is for use where the logo sits next to the full name of the organisation, e.g. on letterhead Logo 2 includes the name of the organisation and are for use where they stand alone, e.g. in a list of sponsor logos or on member brochures. Programming is also available on this page for you to instal the logo on your website as a direct link to the Hosted Accommodation Australia consumer website: Why Link to us? We represent only quality in B&B and Farmstay properties in Australia It is mutually beneficial to link to us - we have pages of useful content that might add value to your website! Good linking is an important part of an effective marketing strategy By trading links with us (reciprocal linking), you'll soon see your site included in many major search engines. Increased website value - Adding a link to us from your website is a smart way to create content, value, and interactivity with your users. In addition links will result in increased repeat traffic as your visitors return to your website Increased website traffic - The more times a link to your website appears on other websites, the more visitors your own website will receive. Website visitors see your link 1 on other websites, and click it to navigate to your website. If you link with other sites in your genre, the traffic you receive from clicks will be already interested in your website. Assistance in better search engine ranking - Most search engine algorithms take linking partially into account when ranking websites in the search results. Having links pointing to your website from other quality, related websites can help your own website ranking in the search engines. We've worked hard to build australianbedandbreakfast.com.au because we believe it provides a valuable service to our members, the Australian travelling public, our local community and our international visitors. By linking to us you are helping to increase the use of this website which in turn should help us to continue building it. 2 The logo is copyright protected and members and third parties may only use it with permission from HAA. The dimensions, appearance and colours in the logo must not be altered in any way. For further information please contact the HAA Office: or admin@haalimited.com.au This is the only logo that represents the organisation. If you are displaying a logo on your website that has been superseded, please remove it. 7

8 Hosted Accommodation Australia Ltd INFORMATION ON THE CORPORATE WEBSITE There are two ways of logging in to access your members home page. On go to Members in the top toolbar On go to the foot of the home page and click on LOG IN Your User Name is the address you have entered into your Business Details If you forget your Password, there is a prompt to have a reminder ed to you. At the top of your Member landing page you will find your unique Membership Number. There are four sections: Edit Your Listing See the next page Taking Care of Business Edit your business details - the information you provide here is for office use only. It is important that it is kept current Pay an Account an enquiry to the HAA Office Link to us Download HAA logo Resources and Information Guidelines for Gift Vouchers Complaints Procedures Surveys Annual Statement s Chairperson s Report s Minutes of Annual General Meetings Membership Benefits Buyers Guide - a useful list of suppliers of goods and services to the industry, including those who offer specials such as Westpac Merchant Fees, insurance providers and website designers Members Blog - a forum, well used by members to pass on information, consult their fellow members and share ideas Newsletters - An archive of past Pillow Talk newsletters and articles Member Certificate - download and print out your certificate or ask the office to send you a copy Scam Alerts - links to anti-scam websites and shows examples of what to watch for Management Fact Sheets - information on a range of topics Order a HAA reflective aluminium gate sign Member to Member offers - lists of members who offer special deals to their fellow members. The box to tick to make an offer is on your editing page Marketing current projects - a list of the type of marketing projects undertaken by HAA 8

9 MANAGING YOUR ONLINE LISTING Displayed on There are two ways of logging in to access your member page and edit your online listing. On go to Members in the top toolbar On go to the foot of the home page and click on Edit Your Listing Links Your last update date The tariff your listing is displaying Your primary image (this appears on your listing Overview page and on your thumbnail entry when listed with other properties Edit your property listing - this is your main editing page Add a special package - this a package you offer that is different from one of the set specials (those are accessed on the main editing page) Add Guest Reviews Add Local Events Add Media Comments View Your Monthly Page Statistics - these will also be ed automatically to you. On this page you will also find a log of recent booking enquiries ed direct to you via the booking enquiry form on your page Add an additional listing. For members with businesses at separate addresses. An additional listing can be obtained for a small fee Guidelines for editing your listing. See the Guidelines for editing your listing. These cover information on all of the above Your listing will appear on You can find it by entering the name of your property or location in the keyword search box, or by clicking on any of the link pages that apply to your type of business, or any special offer you have ticked, etc. Your listing will also appear on any search for accommodation in your locality. All words in your listing are searchable on the website. Travel agents are able to search for commissionable properties. This is an optional benefit for members who tick a box on their editing page to indicate if they are domestic, and or, internationally commissionable. 9

10 CLAIMING REIMBURSEMENT FOR GIFT VOUCHERS The Gift Vouchers Vouchers are issued in denominations of $25, $50 and $100. Each voucher is numbered and dated and the full details of the purchase and the voucher numbers are recorded on a register. Conditions of use are printed on the reverse of the vouchers. The vouchers are transferable. GST is not paid by the purchaser at the time of purchase in accordance with the ATO ruling on vouchers which deems them to be the same as cash. Validation Period Vouchers are valid from 12 months from the end date of the month in which they are purchased. The date of expiry is printed on the voucher and members should check the date with the voucher holder ensure that any voucher they accept has not expired. Vouchers can be accepted as a deposit for a booking that will occur after they have expired, provided that you receive the voucher within its valid period. Sales and Promotion The vouchers are available for purchase online on both HAA websites and by telephone enquiry to the Office. Vouchers sales have exceeded $300,000 (as at January 2012). The value of new business developed for members through this program exceeds this amount, as many vouchers are used as a deposit and the balance made up by the guest. Conditions of Use (for Voucher Holders): Voucher holders are advised that: They must contact members direct to make a booking They must advise that they wish to use a voucher on their initial booking enquiry No part of the voucher is redeemable for cash Administration Fee: The Hosted Accommodation Australia Gift Voucher Program is a service to members and it must be self-funding. An administration fee of 10% of the value of the voucher, plus GST, applies and is deducted from the reimbursement made to the member. This should be viewed in the same way as commissions paid to any agency that introduces bookings to your business. Any surplus proceeds from the Gift Voucher Program are used by HAA to provide services to benefit members. Reimbursement: Treat the vouchers as a cash deposit and ask that they be sent to you immediately to confirm the booking. To claim a reimbursement, take a copy of the vouchers for your records and send the originals to Hosted Accommodation Australia Ltd, PO Box 422, Eltham Victoria You will be reimbursed, promptly, for the value of the voucher less 10% plus GST administration fee (see above). To receive payment by electronic funds transfer, we will need your BSB and Account Number, otherwise payment will be made by cheque. A tax receipt invoice for the administration fee will be sent to you. ENQUIRIES: HAA OFFICE or admin@haalimited.com.au 10

11 COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE Complaints against a member by a guest It is clearly in the interests of all parties for every attempt to be made to reach a speedy, fair and amicable outcome between the member and the complainant. The complainant will be requested to provide details of their complaint in writing. They will be advised that their letter or will be forwarded to the member against whom the complaint is made and the member will be asked to respond in writing to the complainant (copied to Hosted Accommodation Australia) within 5 working days. If the matter remains unresolved to the satisfaction of the complainant and/or the member, and he/she proposes further action, to assist a resolution the committee can offer the mediation process as detailed in the section below. In the event that the complaint is deemed upheld and if the basis of the complaint is that member s business is not compliant with Hosted Accommodation Australia s Code of Conduct and Industry standards (9.2 Constitution), membership will be suspended pending a rectification of the Code breach. *A contract to provide accommodation is between the provider (the member) and the complainant (the guest). Hosted Accommodation Australia Ltd will not be held liable for costs or settlement between the parties to the complaint. Apply to Hosted Accommodation Australia for the full Complaints Procedure By-Law 7 for A guest against a member A member against another member A member against Hosted Accommodation Australia Ltd A member against a director or the board of directors The Board considers any complaint to be serious and can, if not dealt with properly and expeditiously, be detrimental to the reputation of the company as well as the member. 11