I'm off on holiday for a week, safe in the knowledge that last Friday's judging of Caterer and Hotelkeeper's Best Places to Work in Hospitality 2007 was a resounding success.
Once again, we've managed to identify the hotel, restaurant and leisure companies doing the most to ensure good practice in the recruitment, training, retaining and motivating of their employees. Last year's winners included McDonald's Restaurants, whose commitment to providing a positive working environment led them to start a campaign to get the word "Mcjob" (definition: a low-paying, low-prestige job) taken out of dictionaries. As of last week, the fast-food giant's campaign petition had attracted over 100,000 signatures. Good on them for taking steps to challenge prejudices and boost the self-esteem of their workforce.
I could tell you who our Best Places winners are, but then I'd have to kill you, so you'll just have to wait until we announce them at a ceremony during next year's Hotelympia.
See you in a week, when there'll be plenty to tell you about the announcement of the 2007 Hotelier of the Year.