In Focus

In this podcast we were joined by Accor's CEO of Northern Europe, Duncan O'Rourke, to discuss how the hotel company has seen strong growth in the luxury market, a sector O'Rourke is very familiar with having worked with Kempinski Hotels previous to Accor, where he oversaw the worldwide operations for their luxury brands. O 'Rourke said focusing on the lifestyle segment for Accor has energised the Accor brand and forms a part of their strategy which has paid off throughout the pandemic as brands such as Wojo offered smart flexible working spaces as well as a diverse portfolio of extended stay and branded residential offerings.

Duetto are experts in the field of software for revenue management. We sat down with Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Chris Crowley, to discuss how technology is driving an informed strategy for hotel businesses. Duetto's software enables customers to drive an informed strategy by Integrating processes using Duetto's smart technology and allowing deep personalised experiences for customers, driving revenue and loyalty with improved access to the hotel's retail products as well.

In this week's podcast, Rita Marques, Secretary of State of Tourism, Portugal, joins us to discuss travel and tourism in Portugal the impact of travel restrictions for the country's international tourist sector and their strategy to ensure it remains a prime location for external investors in hospitality and tourism.

AHV are bullish on hospitality, lean in to find out what is driving this optimism? Join us every week for a new podcast from the people and the stories behind the news in hospitality investment, development and operations. Harrington is very bullish on a strong recovery for the hospitality industry, as he has seen that not only are business meetings coming back but there is potential for hotels to emerge from the crisis in a better place with more efficient businesses.

Maria Vafiadis, Founder and Managing Director, MKV Designs will be speaking at IHIF on the session, Luxury: What does it Mean Now? In this podcast she sat down with Hospitality Insights' EiC, Patrick Whyte to discuss sustainability, how it is evolving within the hotel investment, development and design industry and it's impact on the meaning of luxury.

Volume up for this one! Tune into this week's podcast with IHG's Karin Sheppard, Managing Director Europe. The leisure segment is an increasingly competitive area which IHG are investing in right now, how are they setting themselves apart, where are those growth opportunities?

Positivity, humility, and connectivity” are the words Agnès Roquefort uses to describe her role at Accor this past nine months. This week's guest on In Focus is Accor's Chief Development Officer Agnès Roquefort. Roquefort has a strong knowledge of the hospitality and travel industry with over 20 years' experience. She recently was elevated to Accor's executive committee, leading the development team during a very challenging few months.

We hear about how some of the largest travel and hospitality companies pivoted in this very difficult year, When will travel return and what will it look like, what will the trends be? Who will be the big players in 2021?

Julie Rey-Gore and Katherine Doggrell review the Travelodge propositions and what it means for the hotel group as well as the latest news from the sector. As the most fascinating story of the summer unfolds, this week Katherine caught up with two of the main contenders for a stake in the hotel group. Lionel Benjamin, CEO at Gullwing Hospitality and Thomas Magnuson, Co-founder & CEO at Magnuson Hotels. AGO Hospitality is comprised of Accor, Gullwing Hospitality and Oasis Holdings and promises the owners "a seat at the table to discuss their opinions with the brand and the operator" while Magnuson Hotels promises "to bring in the money".

This week Alexi Khajavi and Katherine Doggrell discuss the latest details from the Travelodge story, conversions and asset management. Katherine interviews Joachim Schmitt, CEO at Orascom Hotel Management to discuss real estate developments and we team up with Jeremiah Batucan, Conference Director for Bar & Restaurant Group at Quextex Hospitality & Travel with his guest Devin Burns, VP of Rooms and F&B for Omni Hotels & Resorts. Unpack the latest developments with this week's panel. Stay up to date with the latest news and developments in the hospitality industry over on www.hospitalityinsights.com

This week Alexi Khajavi is joined by Elaine Simon, Senior Managing Editor at Hotel Management, to discuss how robust the construction pipeline is in the US and Europe while Matt Turner, Associate Editor at Luxury Travel Advisor discusses development opportunities and tourism in the Caribbean market with this week's guest, Frank Comito,CEO & Director General at Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association. Alexi & Elaine also take a look at how the hospitality industry as a whole needs to adapt to not just survive but to inspire the next generation of hoteliers.

In this episode we focus on the US market as Alexi Khajavi is joined by Elaine Simon, Senior Managing Editor at Hotel Management, to discuss the latest news in hospitality this week. While Ruthanne Terrero, VP Editorial Director at Luxury Travel Advisor interviewed Justin Koziol, Owner of Bento Living.

The impact that COVID-19 is having on the hospitality industry is palpable. There is no time more important than right now to come together, share information, and discuss what this means for our future. Julie Rey-Gore and Katherine Doggrell join us this week to discuss development and investment in the African market with this week's guests, Rose Bakri and Ahmed Shalaby, as well as the potential exit of Travelodge. Katherine interviews Rose Bakri, CFO at Louvre Hotels Africa to talk about both the struggles and rather surprising successes during lockdown. As well as Dr. Ahmed Shalaby, President & CEO at Tatweer Misr this week to discuss new developments from the group in these challenging times but there is hope, as international and domestic travel opens back up.

The impact that COVID-19 is having on the hospitality industry is palpable. There is no time more important than right now to come together, share information, and discuss what this means for our future. Julie Rey-Gore and Katherine Doggrell join us this week with guest Leslie Johns, MD & Co-Founder at Pitaya Group as they discuss the meaning of brands in a post Covid landscape and nailing the customer experience.

Getting back to business with Asli Kutlucan, Chief Development Officer at Cycas Hospitality. Emily Newman talks to Asli as part of the In Focus podcast series and discusses the return to normality across continental Europe, the opportunities for those who understand the cyclical nature of the hotel sector and why talent is Cycas' biggest asset.

Alexi Khajavi and Katherine Doggrell join us this week with guest Julie Grieve, Founder & CEO, Criton. Can technology really improve hospitality and the customer journey, is this the end for the hotel reception desk?

As some resorts prepare to reopen and welcome guests for the summer season, Emily Newman talks to Roger Allen, Founder and Group CEO of Resources for Leisure Assets (RLA) about the importance of a genuine and authentic offering and a greater sense of purpose.

No clarinet or new language learning here but a fascinating insight into how Destination Management Organisations (DMO) are preparing for the easing of lockdown restrictions and supporting local tourism and hospitality businesses in reopening plans as Emily Newman talks to Deirdre Wells OBE, CEO of Visit Kent and Go To Places. Can we maintain the attraction of hyper-local goods, products and services that has developed during the crisis once the shutters come up? Listen for Deirdre's thoughts on this and much more.

Adjusting to this new world means learning new ways to do business. Emily Newman chats with Carine Bonnejean, managing director of hotels at Christie & Co, on how they're discovering opportunities as the hospitality industry finds its feet.

This week was defined by liquidity and cleanliness -- and we don't mean bubble baths -- as AirBnB raised another $1 billion and hotels like Accor and Marriott released new standards for cleanliness. Alexi Khajavy and Katherine Doggrell chat with Rob Mangan of Bain Capital and Russell Kett of HES Global about the hospitality industry's financial state and new strategies for bringing back guests.

As some lockdowns ease, there seems to be a complete lack of appreciation by world leaders of the role that hospitality plays in the global economy. How can hotels update their operations to help countries reopen and attract visitors once again? Julie Rey-Gore and Katherine Doggrell chat with David Kellett of Invesco Real Estate and Tom Page of CMS about the next trends in the hotel sector.

What a juicy week it's been: AirBnB delayed their IPO and instead raised $1 billion in VC. Is this the canary in the coal mine for short-term rentals? Katherine Doggrell and Alexi Khajavy chat about the state of the hospitality industry with Philip Bacon of Horwath HTL and Yannis Ermilios of Colony Capital.

In a short period of time, we've seen hotel balance sheets decimated, billions lost in market capital, and layoffs as both leisure and corporate demand have disappeared. This week, Alexi Khajavy and Katherine Doggrell look at the state of the market and a glimmer of hope for recovery. Plus, a chat with industry experts Jonathan Langston, chair of the AHC and IHIF Advisory Boards, and Theodor Kubak, managing partner at Arbireo Capital.

The entire world is postponed until further notice. How did we get here? What will travel and hospitality look like when we emerge from this? Alexi Khajavy and Katherine Doggrell chat with Thanos Papasavvas of ABP Invest Ltd, Thomas Emanuel of STR, and Simon Allison of HOFTEL about the impact of COVID-19 on the industry.