End of a motel era

Sadly The Australian Hospitality Digest will be no more.

Jim White, editor and producer of the quarterly email digest is giving it up due to health reasons.

For 17-years, moteliers in Australia and New Zealand eagerly anticipated the arrival of Jim's email publication.

Jim White sent out the email appended to this post to his subscribers today.

We will miss Jim's down to earth practical commentary on the motel industry - thanks and best wishes Jim!

A message to all recipients of

The Australian Hospitality Digest from Jim White

It is with considerable regret that I advise you that Number 4 of Volume 17, sent to you last May, is the last issue of the series. The reason is that I suffered a debilitating stroke in June. Although I have recovered to the extent I can now walk, my sight is impaired and I do not have full use of my right hand so it makes it impossible to produce more Digests.

Some friends in the industry offered assistance and I thank them for their offers but I do not think continuing the Digest is practical under the circumstances. I had intended to cease publication at the end of volume 18 or20 in any case.

I also thank those who provided valuable information during the 17 years of publication. I hope the Digest served its purpose of advising moteliers about new industry developments, and ideas on how older properties could be brought up to current day standards.

The idea of producing the Digest was given to me by a client for whom I had written a report. He suggested there was a need for such a publication.

Much of the information was based on my 40 years of Architectural practice. I commenced my practice in North Sydney in1960 after returning from an overseas trip that included staying in several American Motels so I visited the nearby office of the Motel Federation of Australia which at the time was the Australian standards body for quality motels. They were looking for someone to provide general advice to intending moteliers. I subsequently attended their conferences as a speaker. The rest is history.

In the mid 1960s I re-wrote the standards for MFA. This new version was adopted by many Governments, Councils and others. I have always been interested in standards and in later years I was one of the signatories for the registration of the STARS rating by the Automobile Clubs.

In over 40 years of practice I visited over 100 sites in all States ranging from Darwin and Cooktown in the north to Hobart in the south. I designed many motels from scratch, added to existing ones, refurbished others, and wrote reports on many aspects of designing and operating motels.

Membership of MFA provided an open door to attend motel conferences both in Australia and worldwide enabling me to gain foreknowledge of coming trends.

It has been a lifelong interest becoming a hobby as well as work. I thought moteliers might be interested in my part in the development of the industry. Those who have been moteliers for a long time should note HMAA are starting to compile a history of the industry. Any pertinent information you might have should be forwarded to them.

Finally I hope you have enjoyed the Digest and the contents have been of assistance to you. I shall continue to follow the progress of Motel development and wish you all the best for the future.

Jim White

Please note the old e-mail address will be canceled on January 1.

Any motelier wishing to contact me on a personal basis can reach me on the new address: jimwhite@iinet.net.au