The Covid-19 pandemic continues to shake the world, with the number of cases soaring in countries including the US, Italy, Spain and Germany. Many countries including the UK, New Zealand, France and Malaysia, have implemented lockdown measures, resulting in market contractions and possible economic recessions. As at 14 April 2020, there are over 1.9 million confirmed cases worldwide and over 119,000 reported deaths.

Here’s a look at how our companies have ramped up their initiatives in light of the increasingly severe outbreak situation around the world.

Spreading the positive message of love in Suzhou, China

HLCC mall in China, working with its food and beverage tenants, has put together a giveaway initiative in March to thank the unsung heroes for their contributions to the fight against Covid-19. An appreciation booth was set up at one of the mall entrances to provide complimentary meals and warm drinks to the frontline workers in Suzhou, which include cleaners, security guards and public officers.

Participating tenants included KFC and hotpot chain Haidilao, who prepared lunch packs and drinks. A shopper who wished to remain anonymous also chipped in to sponsor packets of snacks. HLCC mall staff also prepared care packages which were delivered to frontline workers who were unable to visit the mall.

Millennium Hotels around the world welcome frontline workers

Around the world, Millennium Hotels and Resorts properties have rolled out welcome mats to medical workers and other frontline workers, supporting them in the long and tireless fight against the pandemic.

Its UK hotels including Millennium Gloucester and Copthorne Tara have accepted reservations only from government-approved categories of travellers, as well as key workers, infrastruture workers and government employees to get much-needed rest at the hotel. This was during the planned lockdown period from 23 March to 13 April.

English professional football club Chelsea FC is also working with the National Health Service to have medical staff working in hospitals in the North-West London region stay at the Millennium and Copthorne hotels at Chelsea FC’s Stamford Bridge. The arrangement will be for a two-month period from 23 March and is helpful for staff who may not be able to travel home or would otherwise have to make long commutes.

Commenting on Chelsea FC's support of the NHS, club Chairman Mr Bruce Buck said, “Working closely with our partners at Millennium Hotels and Resorts, it has been our pleasure to offer an aggregate of 128 rooms in our Millennium and Copthorne Hotels for NHS staff to stay between shifts. These provide reprieve for staff who are unable to travel home or would otherwise have to make long commutes. Local accommodation helps maintain the health and well-being of these crucial personnel at this critical time.”

Across the Atlantic Ocean, hotels in the US including The Bostonian Boston and Millennium Buffalo have plans to offer speical room rates for medical personnel including nurses, doctors and first responders in support of the medical community. The Bostonian Boston has also launched its University Housing Package for university students and faculty members who are not able to go home, inclusive of daily breakfast, high-speed Wi-Fi, and discounts at area restaurants offering takeout.

Grand Millennium Beijing in China has also partnered with businesses Yin Shan Group, HKI Group and not-for-profit organisations Yu Sun Say Foundation and GoHigh Capital to donate medical goods to 36 frontline hospitals and medical institutions in China. The monetary donation allowed the charity organisations to purchase medical supplies including 487,500 surgical gloves, 68,400 masks and 4,500 medical personal protective equipment.

Caring for affected displaced guests and residents

In New Zealand, Grand Millennium Auckland has the team caring for 40 Britons who are stranded in the Pacific country, as well as aircrew that are working to bring New Zealanders home. Following a four-week lockdown that started on 26 March, the team, which is in lockdown at the hotel, has been keeping guests occupied (and sane) with special activity sheets delivered everyday with breakfast. It includes word searches, puzzles, fun facts and light-hearted news to help them stay positive, with answers delivered with dinner!

Singapore properties M Hotel, Copthorne King’s and Studio M have also been designated as hotels for returning citizens and residents from the UK and US to serve out their stay home notices. When the Malaysia Movement Control Order was issued on 18 March prohibiting citizens from travelling abroad, workers who frequently commuted to Singapore for work were affected. MHR’s Singapore hotels including Orchard Hotel quickly extended a helping hand, offering discounted accommodation to affected staff from companies including SBS Transit.

Hong Leong Finance boosting assistance to affected individuals and SMEs

On 31 March, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, together with industry partners including Finance Houses Association of Singapore (FHAS) and Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS), announced a package of measures to help ease the financial strain on individuals and SMEs. The measures complement the initiatives rolled out by the Singapore government during its Resilience Budget and Solidarity Budget delivered on 26 March and 6 April respectively.

As a member of both FHAS and ABS, Hong Leong Finance is supporting the package, which covers three components: helping individuals meet their loan and insurance commitments; supporting SMEs with continued access to bank credit and insurance cover; and ensuring interbank funding markets remain liquid and well-functioning.

We Clean. We Care. We Welcome.

The Millennium Hotels’ ‘We Clean. We Care. We Welcome’ campaign has rolled out globally, with measures such as more rigorous cleaning and sanitisation of guest rooms and public areas, and temperature taking for staff and guests. Regular staff training to ensure proper hygiene practices and Covid-19 awareness were also put in place. 

In both the Middle East and Singapore, recreational facilities such as swimming pools and gyms have closed to help curtail the virus spread. Dining in Singapore has also been limited to takeout- and delivery-only due to tightened measures announced on 3 April. Hotel dining in the UK hotels have also been restricted to takeout-only, and properties in China such as Millennium Zunyi and Millennium Wuyishan have launched F&B deliveries.

Around the world, MHR has waived change fees and allowed for cancellation with full refunds for guests for guests with bookings from or at hotels in Greater China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

City Developments Limited extending support for the office and retail community

City Developments Limited (CDL) has committed over S$17 million in property tax and rental rebates to help its office and retail tenants tide through these difficult times. CDL is one of Singapore’s largest commercial landlords, with five core retail properties, eight retail properties where the group owns strata-titled units and four commercial properties with a retail component.

The S$17 million includes the full quantum of the Singapore government’s enhanced property tax rebates to landlords, which will be passed on to CDL’s tenants. CDL has disbursed rental rebates to qualifying retail tenants last month, and will provide them rental rebates of 100% in April and 50% in May.

Hong Leong Group of companies include City Developments Limited, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Limited, Hong Leong Holdings Limited, Hong Leong Finance, CDL Hospitality Trusts and Hong Leong Asia.