ORIENTATION: The coronavirus pandemic, known as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, has not just caused a serious health threat; it has also altered how we think about and handle various facets of our daily lives, careers and the global economy. RESEARCH PURPOSE: This study sought to ascertain the COVID-19 pandemic's effect and influence on employee motivation and the reward programmes provided by Cape Town hotels. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY: The COVID-19 pandemic particularly hard hit the hospitality and tourism sectors, with hotels and restaurants being forced to close for a while before reopening at reduced capacity. RESEARCH APPROACH/DESIGN AND METHOD: An exploratory qualitative research approach was followed, which allowed for open-ended questions for semi-structured interviews to collect data from managers (n = 14). The data were analysed using Creswell's six-step approach. MAIN FINDINGS: The findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic had an unfavourable financial impact on hotels, causing permanent or temporary closure, retrenchments, layoffs, salary cuts and reduced shifts PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS: The study supports the development and upkeep of equitable employee reward programmes for hotel owners, managers and human resource specialists. CONTRIBUTION/VALUE-ADD: This study's findings provide insights into the rewards that motivate employees and assist hotels in strengthening their reward system strategies, specifically during a pandemic such as COVID-19.

ABSTRACT The tourism sector in the contemporary world has become a priority for many countries and today is presented as the locomotive of innovation for its versatile and dynamic feature, which inserted into a logistics chain in the already fine-tuned travel agency process (AAVV) - transporter - hotel, they give broad participation to multiple sectors, acting as a multiplier effect of the local and national economy. In the present work it is proposed to determine the level of Management of Innovation and Technology (GTI) of the Hotel 3 *. City Panamá, starting from the problem of not having a systematic evaluation in the innovative process and being able to lose position in the face of the strong competition to which the hotel for this purpose a series of tools are applied to quantify this competitiveness factor, based on an evaluation model and procedures supported by software designed by the authors of this article, which allows to determine how innovative the hotel is through of an integral synthetic indicator that takes into account the functions of the GTI and generates responses with artificial intelligence logic about the current state of the management of the innovative process. As a result, an adequate GTI level is obtained, concluding that the company is carrying good practices innovative, and the need to drive in the continuous improvement of workers on innovation and technological development.

RESUMEN El sector turístico en el mundo contemporáneo se ha convertido en prioridad para muchos países y se presenta hoy como la locomotora de la innovación por su característica versátil y dinámica, que insertado a una cadena logística en el ya afinado proceso agencia de viaje (AAVV) transportista - hotel, dan una amplia participación a múltiples sectores, actuado como efecto multiplicador de la economía local y nacional. En el presente trabajo se propone determinar el nivel de Gestión de la innovación y la Tecnología (GTI) del Hotel 3*. Ciudad Panamá, partiendo de la problemática de no tener una evaluación sistemática en el proceso innovador y poder perder posicionamiento ante la fuerte competencia a la que está sometido el hotel, para ello se aplica una un conjunto de herramientas que permiten cuantificar este factor de competitividad, sustentado en un modelo de evaluación y procedimientos con apoyo de un software diseñado por los autores de este artículo, que permite determinar cuan innovador es el hotel a través de un indicador sintético integral que tiene en cuenta las funciones de la GTI y genera respuestas con lógica de inteligencia artificial sobre el estado actual de la gestión del proceso innovador Como resultado se obtiene un adecuado nivel de GTI, concluyendo que la empresa está llevando buenas prácticas innovadoras, y la necesidad de accionar en la superación continua de los trabajadores sobre la innovación y el desarrollo tecnológico.

Resumen El segmento turístico es uno de los sectores económicos más importantes de la contemporaneidad y, dentro de su ámbito, los alojamientos destacan por su poder de transformación local gracias a los impactos socioculturales, económicos y ambientales que sus sistemas productivos ejercen sobre sus ubicaciones. Luego, realizar una gestión sustentable se vuelve vital para maximizar sus efectos positivos y minimizar los negativos, además de establecer un equilibrio entre las necesidades de los hoteleros y sus stakeholders. Todavía, considerando que este segmento es compuesto principalmente por pequeñas y medianas empresas que carecen de experiencia en el tratamiento de este tema, aquí se presenta un conjunto de 39 criterios de sostenibilidad, distribuidos por las siguientes dimensiones: (11) ambiental, (10) social, (4) cultural, (8) económico y (6) político. Así, este estudio expone parámetros para la operacionalización de estos criterios, a través de una investigación exploratoria-descriptiva estructurada a partir de un enfoque cualitativo realizado a partir de entrevistas en profundidad con seis gerentes de hoteles – situados en los Estados de São Paulo y Río de Janeiro – cuyas percepciones fueron tratadas por el análisis de contenido de Bardin. Los resultados ofrecen un panorama operativo para que las pequeñas y medianas empresas hoteleras actúen como agentes de transformación local, impactando positivamente a los actores que sustentan sus sistemas productivos. ámbito socioculturales ubicaciones Luego negativos stakeholders Todavía tema 3 sostenibilidad dimensiones 11 (11 ambiental 10 (10 social 4 (4 cultural 8 (8 6 (6 político Así exploratoriadescriptiva exploratoria descriptiva Bardin 1 (1 (

Resumo O turismo é um dos setores econômicos mais importantes da contemporaneidade e, em seu escopo, os meios de hospedagem se destacam por seu poder de transformação local graças aos impactos socioculturais, econômicos e ambientais que seus sistemas produtivos exercem sobre suas localidades. Logo, a condução de uma gestão sustentável torna-se vital para maximizar seus efeitos positivos e minimizar os negativos, além de estabelecer um equilíbrio entre anseios de proprietários e stakeholders hoteleiros. Todavia, considerando que este segmento é composto majoritariamente por pequenos e médios empreendimentos que carecem de expertises sobre o trato deste tema, apresenta-se aqui um conjunto de 39 critérios de sustentabilidade, distribuídos pelas seguintes dimensões: (11) ambiental, (10) social, (4) cultural, (8) econômica e (6) política. Assim, o presente trabalho expôs parâmetros para a operacionalização desses critérios, por meio de uma pesquisa exploratória-descritiva estruturada a partir de uma abordagem qualitativa conduzida por entrevistas em profundidade realizadas com seis gestores hoteleiros – situados nos Estados de São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro – cujas percepções foram tratadas pela análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Os resultados oferecem um panorama operacional para que empresas hoteleiras de pequeno e médio porte atuem como agentes de transformação local, impactando positivamente os atores que suportam seus sistemas produtivos. escopo socioculturais localidades Logo tornase torna negativos Todavia tema apresentase apresenta 3 sustentabilidade dimensões 11 (11 ambiental 10 (10 social 4 (4 cultural 8 (8 6 (6 política Assim exploratóriadescritiva exploratória descritiva Bardin 1 (1 (

Abstract Tourism is one of the most important contemporary sectors and, in its scope, the hospitality sector stands out because of its power of local transformation, due to sociocultural, economic and environmental impacts on the localities. Thus, the conduction of a sustainable management system becomes vital to maximize its positive effects and minimize the negative ones, besides establishing a balance between owners and hospitality stakeholders. However, considering that this segment is mostly composed by small and midsized enterprises that lack expertise in dealing with this theme, a set of 39 sustainability criteria are presented here, distributed among the following dimensions: (11) environmental, (10) social, (4) cultural, (8) economic, and (6) political. Therefore, this paper exposed parameters for the operationalization of these criteria, through exploratory-descriptive research structured from a qualitative approach conducted by in-depth interviews carried out with six hotel managers – located in the states of São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro – whose perceptions were treated by Bardin's content analysis. The results offer an operational overview for small and medium-sized hotel companies to act as agents of local transformation, positively impacting the actors that support their production systems. scope transformation sociocultural localities Thus ones stakeholders However theme 3 here dimensions 11 (11 10 (10 social 4 (4 cultural 8 (8 6 (6 political Therefore exploratorydescriptive exploratory descriptive indepth depth Bardins Bardin s analysis mediumsized medium sized systems 1 (1 (

RESUMEN La investigación tiene como objetivo aplicar los modelos CARE Y CANVAS para la construcción del Paisaje Cultural del Cacao en la provincia de Manabí, Ecuador. Se basó en un enfoque cualitativo y de corte transversal. Se realizaron dos talleres con participación de los sectores públicos y privados relacionados a la producción del cacao en la zona norte de Manabí en el Hotel Higuerón de la Escuela Superior Politécnica Agropecuaria de Manabí (ESPAM). Se reunió a 32 participantes durante los dos días de talleres (12 en diciembre de 2021 y 20 en enero de 2022 respectivamente) con una duración de cuatro horas por cada una. Los resultados más relevantes se dieron en la canalización de informaciones como la implementación de alojamientos alternativos (casas de huéspedes, camping y glamping); identificación importante en las vías de accesos (marítimos y aéreos); de recursos naturales (cascadas y ríos); de recursos culturales (gastronomía local); grupos de interés en el destino; establecimiento de alianzas estratégicas, etc. Se concluye que existe un gran potencial de atracciones turísticas para la creación del paisaje cultural del cacao en la provincia de Manabí, siempre y cuando, coexista apoyo del gobierno y del sector privado.

ABSTRACT The research aims to apply the CARE and CANVAS models for the construction of the Cocoa Cultural Landscape in the province of Manabí, Ecuador. It was based on a qualitative and cross-sectional approach. Two workshops were held with the participation of the public and private sectors related to cocoa production in the northern area of Manabí at the Hotel Higuerón of the Escuela Superior Politécnica Agropecuaria de Manabí (ESPAM). 32 participants were gathered during the two days of workshops (12 in December 2021 and 20 in January 2022 respectively) with a duration of four hours each. The most relevant results occurred in the channeling of information such as the implementation of alternative accommodations (guest houses, camping and glamping); important identification in access routes (sea and air); of natural resources (waterfalls and rivers); of cultural resources (local gastronomy); interest groups in the destination; establishment of strategic alliances, etc. It is concluded that there is a great potential of tourist attractions for the creation of the cultural landscape of cocoa in the province of Manabí, as long as there is support from the government and the private sector.

ABSTRACT Aim: This research was based on the evaluation of the hotel system in the touristic destination of Santiago de Cuba, in order to identify potentialities and limitations for the insertion in production chains. Methods: The procedure applied relied on the combination of three tools: regional analysis technique, cluster mapping, and adjustment of the input-product matrix according to regional data, and records provided by the Ministry of Tourism in the province, and the National Office of Statistics and Information, plus direct information, interviews, brainstorming, and expert opinion. SPSS version 22.0, Decision, and Microsoft Excel 2016, were used. Main results: The results of this study determined that the touristic destination evaluated has conditions for insertion in production chains, with a higher potential for materialization of the relationship between providers outside the Select Fruit and PESCASAN sectors, and Melia Santiago and Sierra Mar hotels. Conclusions: Upon the termination of the procedure, it can be concluded that Santiago de Cuba tourist destination can participate in production chains that not only contribute to the development of tourism, but also to productive sectors in the territory.

RESUMEN Objetivo: La investigación se sustentó en la evaluación del sistema hotelero del polo turístico Santiago de Cuba con el objetivo de identificar potencialidades y limitaciones para su inserción en cadenas productivas. Métodos: El procedimiento aplicado se fundamentó en la combinación de tres herramientas: técnica de análisis regional, cluster mapping y una adecuación de la matriz insumo-producto a partir de datos y registros aportados por la Delegación del Ministerio de Turismo y la Oficina Nacional de Estadística e Información; además de la observación directa, entrevistas, tormenta de ideas y el criterio de expertos. Se utilizaron los softwares SPSS versión 22.0, Decisión y Microsoft Excel 2016. Principales resultados: Los resultados del estudio determinaron que el polo turístico seleccionado posee condiciones para lograr encadenamientos productivos, con mayores potencialidades de materialización en la relación dada entre los proveedores ajenos al sector Frutas Selectas y PESCASAN y los hoteles Meliá Santiago y Sierra Mar. Conclusiones: Luego de finalizar el procedimiento se puede concluir que el polo turístico Santiago de Cuba tiene condiciones para lograr encadenamientos productivos que contribuyan no solo al desarrollo del turismo, sino también de los sectores productivos del territorio.

In an increasingly uncertain world where world dynamics accelerates the way of managing processes in any sector, the forecast of tourist demand becomes very important. In this sense, the present research aims to forecast the tourist demand of the Cuban Hotel Chain of Pinar del Río, Cuba, until December 2019, through the use of time series techniques, which facilitate planning and decision-making. in this sector and in this way work towards the achievement of an integration in the productive chains, considering that tourism is one of the socioeconomic activities that activates many other sectors of production and services, as well as predicting the behavior of tourism. For this, the quantitative research method was used as the guiding method, based on the Box - Jenkins methodology and the Holt - Winters exponential smoothing method. It is also possible to characterize tourism management taking into consideration two indicators: cost per weight and average income per tourist, referring to efficiency and effectiveness respectively. In addition, a multivariate analysis of time series was carried out that made it possible to characterize the tourist activity in four fundamental stages in the hotel chain taken as the object of study.

En un mundo cada vez más incierto donde la dinámica mundial acelera la forma de gestionar los procesos en cualquier sector cobra mucha importancia el pronóstico de la demanda turística. En tal sentido, la presente investigación tiene como objetivo pronosticar la demanda turística de la Cadena Hotelera Cubanacán de Pinar del Río, Cuba, hasta diciembre del año 2019, mediante el empleo de técnicas de series cronológicas, que facilite la planificación y la toma de decisiones en este sector y de este modo trabajar por el logro de una integración en las cadenas productivas, considerando que el turismo es una de las actividades socioeconómicas que activa muchos otros sectores de la producción y los servicios, así como predecir el comportamiento del turismo. Para ello, se empleó el método cuantitativo de investigación como método rector, sustentado en la metodología Box Jenkins y el método de alisado exponencial de Holt Winters. También se logra caracterizar la gestión turística tomando en consideración dos indicadores: el costo por peso y los ingresos medios por turista, haciendo referencia a la eficiencia y eficacia respectivamente. Se realizó, además, un análisis multivariado de series temporales que posibilitó caracterizar la actividad turística en cuatro etapas fundamentales en la cadena hotelera tomada como objeto de estudio.

With the rise of the sharing economy, the Tourism and Hospitality sectors have experienced significant changes in hosting services, especially in relation to the increased use of peer-to-peer platforms that appear as an alternative to the traditional hotel industry. Thus, this article aimed to identify the main reasons why people choose not to use sharing economy hosting services, particularly Airbnb and Couchsurfing. A qualitative study was conducted from semi-structured interviews with people who had not used any of these platforms until then. With the analyzes, it was possible to list six main reasons for the option of not using these networks: lack of opportunity, lack of freedom or privacy, social interaction, safety, age and convenience. Finally, the findings underscored the negative view of social interaction, the concern of people with the utilitarian aspects of consumption rather than relational, and the cultural and personal aspects that may be related to the perception of individuals about such services.

Con el surgimiento de la economía compartida, los sectores de turismo y hospitalidad han vivido cambios significativos en los servicios de hospedaje, especialmente en relación al aumento del uso de las plataformas peer to peer, las cuales aparecen como una alternativa a la industria hotelera tradicional. Así, este artículo tuvo como objetivo identificar los principales motivos por los cuales las personas optan por no utilizar los servicios de hospedaje compartido, particularmente Airbnb y Couchsurfing. Se realizó un estudio cualitativo a partir de entrevistas semiestructuradas a personas que hasta entonces no habían utilizado ninguna de esas plataformas. Con el análisis fue posible enumerar seis razones principales para usar estas redes: falta de oportunidad, ausencia de libertad o privacidad, interacción social, seguridad, edad y comodidad. Los resultados destacaron la visión negativa de la interacción social, la preocupación de las personas por los requisitos utilitarios del consumo en detrimento de los relacionales, y los aspectos culturales y personales que pueden estar relacionados con la percepción de los individuos sobre dichos servicios.

Abstract: As a possibly potent business strategy that can give significant economic benefits for hotelier sectors and other companies, the topic of customer relationship management has tempted the organizations throughout the 1990s to date. One of the big problems is that many hotels have not seen the results they expected with their practice. On the other hand, it is now spoken that has been changed from a transactional marketing to a relational marketing, criticized for being difficult to implement in practice. Based on information collected from small and medium-sized hotel companies of three stars, classification based on the new hotel classification. The research findings show that the actual results being measured and achieved in hotelier sector are that the use of this type of strategy can allow hoteliers or companies to tailor special guest programs, services and promotions based on hotel guest preferences. The hotel can use the data collected in a program to identify the needs of customers across hotel chains to be able to use marketing that can be targeted at specific groups of people. It also gives hoteliers the opportunity to evaluate frequent guest programs, personalize their services and perform trend analysis. A program based in marketing relational is typically run by hotels and companies to collect guest information and transaction data for use and examining to allow hoteliers to see target groups that should be marketed too. Based on these transactions hotels can create and manage guest loyalty programs and reward schemes. This research approach is to appraise the impact of customer relationship management on customer profitability as mediated by customer loyalty and customer retention within the hotelier sector of Mexico, and specifically for those hoteliers classified like of three stars. A sample of 100 hotels three stars was interviewed as respondents in this study. The objective of the study was to find the impact relationship between effective customer relationship implementation, customer loyalty, and customer retention and customer profitability. The findings of the study add value to hotels three stars in Mexico, and provide some invaluable statistical results essential for hotel managers and owners to successfully enhance customer loyalty, customer retention and customer profitability. This study’s findings add to the body of knowledge and enable the managers of this sector to implement customer relationship management in the best shape possible, to match it with Mexican market-needs thereby creating more loyal customers.

La actividad turística tiene un carácter multisectorial dinámico con encadenamientos durante y después de la prestación de servicios de turismo con el resto de la economía. Estos son particularmente importantes para un acercamiento integral al desarrollo de un país y del turismo en especial. En este contexto, se analiza la eficiencia técnica de los hoteles, hostales y campings españoles. Más concretamente, se va a seguir el enfoque de frontera estocástica para evaluar los niveles de eficiencia y el peso relativo de los hoteles, hostales y campings en la economía. Asimismo, se estima la convergencia de la eficiencia técnica para cada una de las Comunidades Autónomas objeto de estudio. En este documento se evalúa el desempeño de una muestra de 212 empresas pertenecientes al sector de actividad 55 del CNAE-2009 durante el período 2011-2012. Los resultados obtenidos permiten concluir la existencia de elevados niveles de eficiencia en el sector hotelero español, que resulta más competitivo y eficiente en todos los años de la muestra.

Tourism has a multiple sectors and a dynamic nature, attached to economy during and after the service, These links are particularly important in order to approach the development of a country and, specially, tourism, In this context, technical efficiency of hotels, hostels and Spanish camping are analyzed, More specifically, the approach of the stochastic boundary is going to be followed in order to assess the level of efficiency and the relative weight of hotels, hostels and campsite in economy, This study also assesses each region's technical efficiency, the relationship between tourism merchant society's typology and technical efficiency, This document assesses the development of 212 firms, which work on CNAE-2009 activity 55's sector between 2011 and 2012, Due to the results obtained, we can affirm that the efficiency level of Spanish hotel's sector is high, more competitive and efficient every year.

A atividade turística tem uma multissectorial dinâmica com correntes durante e depois a prestação de services de turismo com o resto da economia, Estes são particularmente importantes para uma aproximação integral para o desenvolvimento de um país e do turismo em particular, Neste contexto, a eficiência técnica de hotéis, pousadas e acampamentos espanhóis e analisada, Que seguirá a abordagem de fronteira estocástica para avaliar os níveis de eficiência e do peso relativo dos hotéis, pousadas e acampamentos na economia, Tambem, é estimada a convergência de eficiência técnica para cada uma das comunidades autónomas objeto de estudo, Neste documento, se avalia o desempenho de uma amostra de 212 empresas pertencentes ao sector da actividade 55 do NACE-2009 durante o período de 2011-2012, Os resultados obtidos indicam a existência de elevados níveis de eficiência no setor hoteleiro do Espanha, que é mais competitivo e eficiente em todos os anos da amostra.

Technical efficiency was estimated in a firm level panel in Agriculture, Industry and Hotel and Restaurants sectors through Stochastic Frontier Analysis. Results validate the presence of significant inefficiency, so the estimation of traditional production function estimation would not be appropriate. In every case the production gap was 5 times more than the effective production in all the sectors. In the case of the industrial sector, the most important factors to explain inefficiency were variables related to different types of salary and regulatory variables. The importance, in policy terms, of working towards individual and firm incentives was verified as a channel to reduce inefficiency.

En el presente trabajo se estima la eficiencia técnica de empresas de los sectores agricultura, industria manufacturera y hoteles y restaurantes, a partir del análisis de fronteras de producción estocásticas. Los resultados obtenidos validan la presencia de ineficiencia, por lo que la estimación de funciones de producción promedio no sería adecuada. En todos los casos, la brecha productiva fue superior a 5 veces la producción actual. En la industria manufacturera los determinantes que más se asocian a la magnitud de la ineficiencia fueron las variables vinculadas a diferentes formas salariales y variables regulatorias. Se verifica la importancia de actuar desde el punto de vista de política sobre los incentivos individuales y empresariales como vía para reducir la ineficiencia.

Hotel Chains Internacionalization: A Theoretical Review. The market is very competitive and is increasingly globalized in all sectors of the economy. In tourism this reality is even more frequent. From this, this paper presents a theoretical discussion about the internationalization of hotel chains, based on a literature review on the topic. Some of the main theories of internationalization of companies are analyzed, as the theory of the life cycle of the product, red, sequential, Born global, eclectic model of Dunning and Upp Hall. It was possible to identify the use of these theories in the research related with the hospitality industry, particularly on the issue of hotel chains. Thus, the study contributed to a broader view of the possibilities of internationalization and how the hotel industry has behaved in this world trend market.

El mercado es muy competitivo y cada vez más globalizado en todos los sectores de la economía. En el turismo esta realidad es aún más pronunciada. A partir de lo anterior, este artículo presenta una discusión teórica acerca de la internacionalización de las cadenas hoteleras, basada en una revisión bibliográfica del tema. Analizó algunas de las principales teorías de la internacionalización de las empresas, es decir, el ciclo de vida del producto, red, secuencial, born global, modelo ecléctico de Dunning y Upp Sala. A partir de ahí, identificó el uso de estas teorías en la investigación llevada a cabo en el sector hotelero, particularmente en lo relacionado a las cadenas hoteleras. Así, el estudio contribuye a una visión más amplia de las posibilidades de internacionalización y cómo el sector hotelero se ha portado dentro de esta tendencia del mercado en el mundo.

Abstract: In facilitating the presence of risk behaviors for health, some conditions inherent to the gastronomical and hotel industry may significantly affect the people working in this market. Among them are non-regular working days, temporary employment, law salaries, problems at work, low professional prestige, minimum development opportunities, bad relationships with managers, and unsafe conditions in the job environment. In comparison with other work areas, this is one of the sectors with higher risk of problems related to alcohol use, mainly due to the availability of the substance in the work place, to the social pressure, to the working schedules, and to the way people cope with stress at work. Due to movements, rhythm, and techniques used in the activities performed in this kind of job, it is possible to develop bones and muscles alterations, and because of constant changes in labor shifts circadian cycles suffer disruptions that lead to different somatic symptomatologies. Studies in workers have shown that problematic alcohol consumption is present in 33-44% of this population. Other studies have found prevalences up to 24% of mental disorders in workers. The Department of Labor has reported that, as part of work diseases, mental and behavioral disorders increased its prevalence of 0.3% in 1999 to 1.9% in 2003. On the other hand, some studies report an association between mental disorders, somatization, and alcohol use in general population. People spend a considerable portion of their lives at their work places and working in gastronomic and hotel industry implies high risk for health. The objective of this paper is to know the association among alcohol use, the number of symptoms regarding mental health problems, and the level of discomfort caused by somatic symptoms in a sample of gastronomic and hotel industry workers from Mexico City. Material and method Population and sample Sampling was non-random, on convenience, and by quota. The sample included 194 men, over 18 years old, who were working at companies from the gastronomic and hotel industry in Mexico City. Most of the subjects were under 45 years old, over half of them studied until junior high school. The most frequent position among the subjects was waiter. Working days vary, depending on the day and time banquets and receptions are programmed. Over two thirds of the subjects mentioned having three or less years working in this kind of job. Questionnaire The short version of the AUDIT (first three questions) was used to establish the level of alcohol use. This version allows to rate subjects in three levels, according to the amount and frequency of consumption: low risk use, risk use, and dangerous use. The five-item Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) was used to determine the presence of mental health problems. The MHI-5 is a screening test that measures non-psychotic affective disorders, according to DSM-IV criteria, with no reference to specific disorders. The Symptoms Check List-90 (SCL-90) was used to identify psychological stress derived from somatic symptoms. The three scales have good levels of reliability and validity. The field team talked to the managers of the training department at the union, because all the subjects in the sample were affiliated, to get permission to collect the information. No invasive techniques were used nor any other type of intervention. Subjects responded to the questionnaire gathered in groups inside a training room. The fieldwork involved trained interviewers, whose training was voluntary. All the workers accepted to participate and to respond the questionnaire through a verbal agreement. Participation was anonymous and neither the union representatives nor the managers had access to individual questionnaires, which granted confidentiality. The union representatives acknowledged a global report that intended to make them aware of the magnitude of the alcohol use and mental health problems among their affiliates. SPSS 10 software was used to analyze data. Results A total of 44.2% of the subjects reported drinking four or more drinks per occasion; 60.9% of them mentioned they had drunk six or more drinks per occasion during the last year; 55.5% of the workers were located in a low risk consumption level; 43.1% had a risky consumption level, and 10.4% consumed at a dangerous level. Results regarding mental health showed that a quarter of the subjects «have felt uneasy» (26.1%), 16.7% «have felt happy», 9.7% «have felt sad and melancholic», 8.4% «have felt down or as if nothing could cheer them up», and 4.3% «have been very nervous». A cut-off score of 16 or higher allowed identifying 11% of cases with symptoms of a possible mental health problem. Most of the subjects (69.6%) mentioned having experienced at least one somatic symptom during the last month. The ones that caused more discomfort were muscular pain (17.6%), backaches (12%), headaches (9.7%), weakness in some part of the body (7.1%), and nausea (6.7%). A cut-off score of eight or higher allowed to identify 14.7% of cases with somatic symptomatology that caused psychological distress. A Pearson correlation analysis was performed and the results showed a significant association between the level of alcohol consumption and the discomfort due to somatic symptoms (pr=.404^><.01). Significant associations were also found between the mental health state and the discomfort due to somatic symptoms (pr=.339 ^><.01), and between the level of alcohol consumption and the mental health state (pr=.260 ^><.01). Discussion and conclusions The percentage of alcohol consumers, the amount of alcohol consumed, the frequency of consumption, and the prevalence of problematic consumption were higher in this group of workers when compared to employees from other occupations. This can be the result of a mayor substance availability within gastronomic and hotel work environments. The association between alcohol use and the number of symptoms of mental health problems may be an indicator of co-morbidity between both conditions. It is also possible that the association is related to excessive alcohol use as a way to cope with emotional problems. The somatic symptoms with the highest prevalence were part of the somatization scale, but there is a possibility that they are indicators of an illness or disease derived from the labor activity instead of indicators of somatic symptoms. On the other hand, whether alcohol use increases frequency of mental and physical troubles or that consumption is present as a reaction to these troubles, more research is necessary to know more about these variables co-morbidity because these relate to the presence of accidents, problems at work, social and family problems, as well as economic burden. The use of screening scales in working settings is important because it reduces costs and helps to identify related problems. In addition, they are easy to use at factories and businesses without interfering with the manufacturing processes. Nevertheless, it is important to use more specific instruments with identified cases. This would permit a more precise diagnosis and, if necessary, to refer subjects to institutions that provide specialized health care. To have such a structure would reinforce protective factors for subjects to cope with the risks inherent to their professional activity. Limitations and suggestions Conclusions are valid only for the workers in this sample because of the sampling method and they cannot be applied to all the workers of the gastronomic and hotel industry. So far, studies about substance use in working settings have focused on men population; however, women are an important segment that researchers should consider investigating to collect information that can sustain proper and necessary actions.

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