In this episode, we delve into the dynamic world of Hotel B2B distribution. Join us as we explore the future of this ever-evolving industry with Chinmai Sharma, SVP and Global Head of Lodging, Ground, and Sea at Sabre Corporation. With extensive experience in the global travel and hospitality sector, Chinmai shares his insights on the significant shifts shaping the industry, the role of technology and AI in enhancing personalization, and the strategies hotels can adopt to maximize their visibili...
Apr 13, 2025•21 min•Season 4Ep. 1
In this episode, Jennifer Klar discusses Six Senses’ industry-leading approach to wellness and sustainability. Jennifer and I discuss the following: How Six Senses incorporate sustainability practices into their wellness offerings, and how these initiatives contribute to the overall well-being of their guests, team members and local communities. How to ensure that the resources you use align with sustainable practices and the steps to take to minimise the environmental and social impact. How to ...
Oct 30, 2023•19 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In this episode, we discuss using personalisation on your website to increase direct booking conversion. My guest is Juanjo Rodriguez, founder and CEO of technology company The Hotels Network. Juanjo and I discuss the following: The biggest challenges hoteliers are currently facing and how technology can help. Extending personal service to deliver online personalisation. The latest machine learning and how AI can bring value to hoteliers. How ChatGPT and generative AI can be used to create perso...
Mar 08, 2023•18 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In this episode, we discuss the latest trends in wine and how to profit from wine sales in your hotel or restaurant. My guest is Adam Mogelonsky, Partner at Hotel Mogel Consulting, renowned speaker, traveller and one of the industry’s most prolific researchers and writers. Adam and I discuss the following: The impact of the pandemic on the restaurant industry and the new trends today. Why restauranteurs and hoteliers should focus on wine in 2023. The psychology of selling wine! How wine list lay...
Mar 01, 2023•29 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In this episode, we explore the the latest trends and developments in spa and wellness with Tammy Pahel, Chief Wellness Officer for Alchemy Wellness Resorts and VP of Spa & Wellness Operations for Carillon Miami Wellness Resorts. Tammy and I discuss the following: The latest trends in Nordic spas. What makes a successful wellness retreat, and how can wellness be introduced into an existing hotel or resort? What’s new in anti-aging, and are these therapies at home in a hotel or destination sp...
Dec 09, 2022•24 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In this episode, we explore the development and launch of Appellation, a revolutionary new culinary-first hospitality-concept, with Ed Skapinok, Chief Commercial Officer. The brainchild of celebrated Masterchef Charlie Palmer, CEO and former Four Seasons President of the Americas Christopher Hunsberger, COO, Appellation is defining a new form of culinary hospitality through its innovative experiential resorts. Ed and I discuss the following: Why the name Appellation, and what is your purpose? Ho...
Oct 18, 2022•23 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Recovery is well underway, with destinations opening worldwide, making substantial inroads back to consistent and reliable levels. In this episode, Liz Ortiguera provides an update on the region’s recovery, the challenges facing travel, tourism and hospitality businesses and how the Asia Pacific region is the one to watch in the future. We discuss: The current state of the industry’s return in the Asia Pacific region. The pace of the return of international leisure business. How business and mic...
Sep 22, 2022•26 min•Season 2Ep. 6
The tourism and hospitality industry constantly evolves with new technologies, trends, and customer demands. Hotels have had to adapt to compete with online travel agencies to attract future guests to book direct. As hotels experiment with retail-hospitality convergence, they are learning how to create unique customer experiences through new products and services that will grow revenues and keep guests returning. In this episode, Frank Trampert, Senior Vice President and Global Managing Director...
Aug 22, 2022•25 min•Season 2Ep. 5
June is World Ocean Month and we’re talking with Theresa van Greunen , about the ways in which Aqua Aston Hospitality are integrating the expertise of local destinations while holding community and environmental stewardship as priority brand pillars. We discuss: How Aqua-Aston Hospitality protects the surrounding natural environment and beauty of the destinations it operates in. Some simple ways that the hospitality industry can operate more sustainably and minimize its overall impact. Measures ...
Jun 14, 2022•23 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Professor Kimes is considered to be one of the top thought-leaders and experts in Revenue Management in the world. Sherri has been working in Revenue Management since 1988 and has had the privilege of helping to educate some of the top leaders in Revenue Management. We discuss: How room revenue management impacts F&B revenue management and how the two should work together. How F&B revenue management can positively impact the customer experience. How General Managers might approach F&...
May 13, 2022•13 min•Season 2Ep. 3
At The Red Sea Development Company and AMA.ALA, John is leveraging his 38 years of international experience in delivering large scale multi-billion-dollar developments. Since 2018, John has led The Red Sea Development Company's growth from the ground up and is creating a unique eco-luxury, sustainable, regenerative tourist destination that will contribute to transforming the global tourism industry and to the diversification of the Saudi Arabian economy. We discuss: The key considerations in the...
May 03, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 2
What do the next 5-10 years look like? The Hospitality industry is in need of an upgrade to a new version. ‘Hospitality 2.0’ is a call to action for proactive change that will help hoteliers compete against the growing challenges presented by alternative accommodations, technological advancement, the COVID pandemic and labour constraints. It outlines a path forward for the digital transformation of our industry. Author of “Hospitality Revenue Management Made Easy”, “Hospitality 2.0” is Ira’s sec...
Mar 03, 2022•18 min•Season 2Ep. 1
We reflect on the impact of the pandemic, how it has led us to where we are today and the new crisis facing the hotel industry in the future. We discuss: The principal impacts for Best Western and the wider hospitality industry. How domestic tourism has profited from border closures. How guest expectations have altered and how hoteliers need to think differently about the delivery of their services in the future. How the commercial functions of marketing and revenue management changed now and in...
Dec 21, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 39
Prior to COVID, revenue management systems primarily relied on historical data together with movement in forecasts to aid revenue management decision making. However, with changing guest booking patterns as well as external influences such as border closures, historical data may not be the most reliable basis for revenue management in the future. We discuss: How revenue managers and hoteliers need to adjust to the new demand landscape. What is forward-looking data? How a hotel can leverage forwa...
Dec 14, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 38
Now that restrictions are easing and travel is beginning to return we discuss the opportunities for hotels to rethink their marketing, revenue management and sales. We discuss: Will price will play a key role in the future. Will the loyalty programs of the future be vastly different to those of the past? How can hotels encourage guests to book direct in the future? How can a hotel use TikTok as a marketing channel? How is storytelling in Instagram different to Facebook and how will it surpass Fa...
Dec 08, 2021•17 min•Season 1Ep. 37
We say we are in the hospitality industry. We say we care about service, but our conversations spin around investing, real estate and interior design. We discuss: What exactly is the paradox of hotel marketing. The importance of marketing in today’s competitive industry How to communicate the quality of your service through your marketing channels. What a good hotel website looks like in order to drive direct bookings. Do you need to invest heavily in marketing and hire a top-tier agency to comp...
Nov 24, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Nicki Graham, Vice President of Marketing at Cendyn, and Robert Schimmel, Vice President of Product Management at Cendyn, detailed the impact of these privacy changes and how hotels can prepare for the challenges ahead so they can get back to the core of hospitality — creating meaningful relationships with their guests. This is an audio recording of the webinar, in which we discuss: • What’s next for email marketing following Apple’s Privacy update • The Apple Privacy changes your hotel needs to...
Nov 17, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 35
As President, Sabre Hospitality Solutions, Scott Wilson has a global perspective of industry recovery, including how many hotels are thriving. Scott shares his insight including lessons to be learned from his experience in the retail and airline industries, to assist hoteliers to maximise opportunities through recovery and beyond. Learn more about Sabre .
Nov 02, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 34
The pandemic has changed the way we live, and the way consumers purchase, moving everything even further online, including hotel bookings. So, it is more important than ever to ensure your web presence is working hard for you. Learn why copy is important and how to ensure your digital voice communicates your service. We discuss: The importance of your voice in the customer journey How to know if your audience is actually listening and making an impression When text is your friend - and when it i...
Oct 19, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Exploring the evolution of revenue management due to the impacts of the pandemic. Changes to the operations, the management and the systems. We discuss: How the revenue management function is changing The impact on the requirements of revenue management systems Whether there is still a requirement for a dedicated revenue manager, and if so, how their role will change in the future The benefits for hoteliers and hotel groups through these changes. What’s next on the horizon for revenue management...
Aug 26, 2021•14 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Guest expectations in a contactless experience have accelerated technology developments and how you can ensure you can continue to exceed guests’ expectations in the contactless world. We discuss: Now the “big players” such as Apple are moving in, with the announcement of the room key for the wallet, what these advancements mean for the industry. How hotels can ensure they maintain ownership of the guest relationship throughout the customer journey. Will there still be individual solutions for t...
Jul 30, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 31
With the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into revenue management, how do we keep value creation in the centre of the revenue management function? We discuss: The importance of revenue management and marketing working closely together to continue to create valuable offerings to the consumer. The importance of hotel managers and owners working together to maximise customer-lead opportunities. How changes are impacting the organisational structure of the hotel. How reven...
Jul 22, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 30
COVID has taken a significant impact on hospitality people at all levels, and continues to challenge us in many ways, from the direct health complications to work and business pressures. As the world and the industry starts to recover, we now thinking about things differently, particularly in our life priorities. Catherine and I discuss the changing corporate culture and how positive leadership embracing change can lead to business success through people. We explore: How leveraging awareness ena...
Jul 16, 2021•20 min•Season 1Ep. 29
The pandemic’s widespread impact has supported the motivation of many people to lead healthier lifestyles for our physical and mental wellbeing. Banyan Tree are “democratising wellbeing” through the “I am with you” service culture program for their associates. Banyan Tree believe the happiness of associates is inextricably linked to the satisfaction of Banyan Tree guests and the success of the business. We explore: Banyan Tree’s purpose and philosophy, beyond providing a luxury stay What makes t...
Jul 08, 2021•8 min•Season 1Ep. 28
As an industry we are potentially facing a challenge in the near future, with increasing demands, yet a lack of experienced staff available in the market. We explore the key to delivering exceptional customer service. We discuss: What is great service? How important is service delivery going to be as markets return? Who stands to benefit the most from great service – the guest or the employee? The most important things for us and our teams to be thinking about whilst coming out of lockdown. Lear...
Jun 22, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Creating a hotel with purpose is the mission of leading designer Bill Bensley. Together with Rena Udomkunnatum, CEO of Elysian Development Co, the second project for this dynamic and inspiring partnership is the creation of the Intercontinental Khao Yai in central Thailand. Rena and Bill discuss the purpose of their hotel projects, what inspires the creation of quintessential properties and the value they provide not only to guests as a destination, but to the environment, the economy and the lo...
Jun 15, 2021•20 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Travel has been one of the hardest hit industries by the pandemic over the past 12 months. Now that vaccinations are rolling out and restrictions are lifting, we are seeing the first signs of recovery, as hotels emerge we explore the main trends for the future of the travel industry. We consider the following with Scott Wilson, President Sabre Hospitality Solutions : How “recovery” is shaping the future of travel, will travel return to pre-pandemic models, or what are the new models emerging. Ho...
Jun 10, 2021•19 min•Season 1Ep. 25
We discuss new financial models in hotels post-pandemic with Aaron Oh, a learning facilitator at The Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School at Torrens University.
May 27, 2021•16 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Reviewing March 2021 by the numbers around the globe, with David Eisen from HotStats . David is the Director of Hotel Intelligence and Customer Solutions at HotStats, the world’s largest monthly profit-and-loss database in the hotel industry. With uniquely intelligent benchmarking and performance software, HotStats looks far beyond REVPAR, offering an unparalleled opportunity to understand the industry like never before. We discuss market performance by region, including impacts on: REVPAR, occu...
May 11, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Sustainability is the mere tip of the regenerative travel iceberg. Hear Amanda Ho from Regenerative Travel discuss how a community of like-minded hoteliers are on a mission of continuous improvement from sustainability to regeneration. We discuss the five regeneration principals for hospitality: Whole systems thinking Honouring sense of place Community inclusion and partnership Aspirational in nature Continual co-evolution Download the white-paper here ....
May 05, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 22
