Podcasts about minor hotels

NYU IHIF 2026 was full of insights and thought leadership from some of the best and brightest hospitality professionals in the industry.  In this episode of the Suite Spot, you will get to hear from some of the most influential and biggest names in hospitality in the exclusive interviews we were able to cover at the event.  NYU IHIF is the epicentre of hospitality brands, capital, and fast-paced dealmaking – opportunity moves fast, and so should you. This is where the rebound takes shape, where leaders uncover what's next, and where relationships turn into real transactions. Ryan Embree: Welcome to Suite Spot, where hoteliers check in, and we check out what’s trending in hotel marketing. I’m your host, Ryan Embree. Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of the Suite Spot. This is your host, Ryan Embree and VP of Marketing here at Travel Media Group. Cassady Quintana: And I’m Cassady Quintana, Brand Ambassador here at TMG. Ryan Embree: And today we are fresh back from NYU IHIF 2026. My second time in attending this incredible event. Cassady, your first, what were your thoughts? Cassady Quintana: Yeah, I thought overall was a great event. A lot of optimism, especially as we’re heading into the summer season. So I thought, you know, the conversations that we heard on the panels and the ones that we were having with people were awesome, and a lot of you know, good things coming out of that. I feel like the biggest topics that I heard, there were three major takeaways I took from a lot of the panels and people we were talking to, but one being that K-shape economy that we’ve heard a lot about, right? We know that luxury is still outperforming while economy segments are feeling a little bit more of that pressure especially as we head into this summer season and looking at some of those trends. And then I think one of the biggest topics we have been talking about since the beginning of this year is the World Cup and how international travel we thought was gonna be booming. We were expecting a lot of busy hotels, but it’s kind of been on the softer side, and we’ve actually seen international travel dip a bit. So I think right now we’re kind of in that wait and see period of maybe you know people are waiting to see if their teams make it out of the group stages and then they’ll plan on booking a hotel. So keeping an eye on kind of that last minute travel. But the biggest topic that we were talking about a little bit last year, but the biggest one this year is AI and how hotels are using that within their systems. You know, there’s a lot of trends around using that for more personalization and being able to use it to look at your, you know, revenue optimization and how you’re performing online. So finding ways that we can use AI that doesn’t take the hospitality out of hospitality and doesn’t replace that human element. But that kind of went with that overarching theme of the entire event, which was sharpening the edge. So the thing I took from that is that the hotels that are really gonna win are the ones that are understanding their guests and using AI to further that, to further get to know their guests, to make that experience a little bit better. Ryan Embree: You know, and we had some incredible conversations and interviews with some professionals that we’re gonna share here in a second. But just to kind of jump on what Cassidy’s saying, we’re at a really cool inflection point in our industry right now as we go gear towards the busy travel season. So it’ll be interesting to see, you know, we had the opportunity to meet with development person from Minor hotels who’s looking to bring their brand into US and Canada, which will be very interesting. We know how they have a huge global footprint, a lot of interest early on in getting into the Americas. Uh, we then visited with AHLA and Kevin Carey and his team doing such wonderful work over there advocacy for our industry and some really cool initiatives that we were able to sit down with Kevin for a few minutes and chat about, uh, Jan Freitag from STR our hotel Data North Star and compass. They just released a revised forecast for the hospitality industry. So we went over some major points of that revised forecast and finally we got the opportunity to sit down with president and CEO Best Western Larry Cuculic. What a wonderful conversation about the best Western brand and how they are implementing, um, some of that AI and technology into their brand, and capitalizing on not only the World Cup, but also America 250. So wonderful insights that you’re only gonna find here on the sweet spot. Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoy these exclusive interviews from NYU IHIF 2026. Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Sweet Spot. We are live on location at NYU IHIF 2026 here with Genna, the VP of US and Canada Development for Minor Hotels. Genna, thank you so much for taking the time to stop and the busy big apple and talk with us today. Genna Panagopoulos: Thanks for having me. Ryan Embree: Excited about, this show. A lot of energy, a lot of buzz. You know, when you come to an NYU talking to ownerships, a lot of capital here, what are the conversation kind of stem around, and what does a successful NYU show look like as you head back to your home base? Sure. Genna Panagopoulos: Successful NYU would really be finding some deals, perpetuating some deals. So hopefully advancing some opportunities and it’s really all about for right now because we’re relatively new into the region. Educating our owners and the, the broader development community. So, you know, some of, some of the players do already know us, but in the luxury space, but there’s a lot of people we gotta get out in front of and introduce Minor hotels to. Ryan Embree: And this is a great place and, obviously a great city to do that in. What has been kind of the feedback? I mean, you’ve been tasked with this enormous job. We have such a great brand, worldwide, you’re bringing it here to us, Canada, and North America. What have been some of those initial conversations and hearing that and initial interest and feedback from owners? Genna Panagopoulos: Yeah, we’ve had a lot of feedback and interest on Anantara. So some of our, you know, established luxury brands that are pretty well known when you know the luxury hotel space in a global environment. Sure. So those owners have actually come to us saying, we’re really excited about the opportunities here. So that’s one piece. Of course we have NH Hotels, NH collection, and NH, which are very well known brands, especially in Mediterranean, Europe. Yeah. And, Central and South America. So there’s excitement around that too. Ryan Embree: Does it help, I mean, having such an international brand, we got the World Cup here, right? In a couple months. You kind of using that as maybe some momentum as you kind of come into, and introduce this brand into the Americas. Genna Panagopoulos: Absolutely. There’s a lot of, you know, I’m also educating Minor of the markets we wanna be in and so that’s definitely helping as well and putting some places on the map. Ryan Embree: And let’s talk about that because there’s been some announced projects already right here actually in New York. Talk about that project a little bit. Genna Panagopoulos: Yes. Thanks for asking too. We have a Worsely Hotel that’s opening, here next year. It’s gonna be super exciting because Worsely is a restaurant brand that we are taking into the hotel space. So it’s the first of its kind and nowhere better than to start in New York comes from London. So there’s a lot of correlation between the two markets. Ryan Embree: One of a kind hospitality venue and a one of a kind city, so. Exactly. But another project we’re really excited about just ’cause we’re home based, obviously in Orlando right down the road, a bright line away in Miami. Talk to us a little bit about that project and how that’s different. Yeah, Genna Panagopoulos: It’s a high rise building built in Miami. Hasn’t started construction yet, but it’ll open in 2030. It’ll be an Anantara hotel with branded residences, both private branded residences and, um, ones that will be able to be rented to hotel guests as well. Super wellness oriented. There’s gonna be a really extensive spa. Right. Very experiential. Wonderful for the residents that are gonna be buying, the residence. Ryan Embree: It’s incredible. It sounds like you guys are really taking care of all of the kind of popular travel trends right now. Right. FMB has really had this resurgence in hospitality with the project here. Wellness, obviously a huge piece of what hospitality is leaning into and what travelers are looking forward to. So having that flexibility between the brands too, I’m sure is a definitely a fun place to be when having these conversations with owners. But you talked about another project in Turks and Caicos. Genna Panagopoulos: Turks and Caicos. So we have an Anantara in Turks and Caicos that I believe will open in 2029. So in order we’ll have one in New York next year, and then 29 on Ontario trips and Caicos 2030, Miami. Ryan Embree: So no shortage of news on the Minor Hotel side. Congratulations to you and your team. Thank you. As you wrap up, I mean, what’s your vision? What’s your goal? As you bring Minor Hotels into the North American region? Genna Panagopoulos: Yeah. Well, if I think about next year at NYU, I hope people, more people are coming towards us. Excited about us being a different brand a different mindset. So we offer, we think of ourselves a little bit differently from the parent brands that are already established here because we have, you know, ownership still of most of our portfolio or we lease most of our portfolio. Um, so I hope there’s more inbound traffic coming towards my way. I hope people generally just walking down the street know us a little bit more. Certainly. You know, white Lotus helped us with Anantara, so there’s a lot of people who Oh, yes, are are diehard Anantara fans because of that. But that’s what I’m hoping for. And eventually we’d love to have an office here. So as long as we do our, our, our work, right, we, we get a strong pipeline, we’ll be able to have an office, a regional office in, in North America. Ryan Embree: Incredible. Well, super exciting. Can’t wait to catch up on all the exciting projects that you have at Minor Hotels. This is the first of a couple collaborations we’ll be doing with Minor hotels, so make sure you stay tuned. Congratulations again, Genna. And thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. Genna Panagopoulos: Thanks for having me. Ryan Embree: Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Suite Spot. We are live on location, New York City at NYU IHIF. I’m here with Kevin Carey, President and CEO of the AHLA Foundation and COO of AHLA. Kevin, not your first time on the Suite Spot. Appreciate you taking some time and joining me here today. Kevin Carey: It’s lways a pleasure to spend time with you. Ryan Embree: Yeah, it’s fun.Incredible event so far. NYU obviously AHLA, AHLA Foundation Forward has a huge presence here. What does, you know, when you come to the event like this, we always talk in hospitality, these events are always going to exist no matter what. Technology comes down the pike because hospitality, we’re people, right. We like connecting. What is a successful NYU IHIF look like for you and your team? Kevin Carey: Well, It’s always an important period of time in the year at, as we approach midyear to check in with our members, to have that conversation about the advocacy issues we’re leading on behalf of the industry to hear how the business performance is tracking as well. And just to build enthusiasm and engagement for the events and the initiatives that we’re leading, not only in the association, but with the foundation as well. Ryan Embree: And none more important than the No Room for Trafficking initiative that you and your team have done some fabulous work on. I mean, we have all sorts of brands up on stage, sometimes with differing opinions here and there, but one cause that everyone in our industry has really gotten behind, and it’s the work of you and your team, is this No Room for Rrafficking? We always like to spread awareness of this. Talk to us a little about, about on that front and the progress you’re seeing and making. Kevin Carey: Well, this is a longstanding commitment that the industry has to human trafficking prevention and awareness. It started in 2019 with the development of the No Room For Trafficking Initiative and its focus on training and expanded in 2022 to include the Survivor Fund. So this is an area where AHLA and the foundation specifically serves as a convening entity to bring the industry together to rally around this important issue to work, to build awareness that’ll drive prevention of human trafficking, and also to gather funds to help support survivors. So this is a commitment not only on a longstanding basis, but also on a going forward basis as well. Ryan Embree: And such inspiring stories that you’ve told over the years. And people, you know, hoteliers and other people listening to this can really get behind and encourage people to kinda look at that initiative. Another kind of initiative that you’ve done in these events that, when we’re talking about these events is forward. We had a record breaking attendance a couple months ago in the spring. Talk to us about how that is. And you actually have some of those the forward initiatives here at NYU. Kevin Carey: We do within the foundation, our mission is to advance the workforce of the industry. And we do that through a focus not only on the current workforce, those over 2 million associates and colleagues who deliver hospitality day to day, but also how do we attract the future workforce to the industry. I talked about being a convening entity. The foundation brings together the industry across all segments. And there’s two areas where we believe we can make a difference. One is around human trafficking that we just spoke about, but also around the forward initiative which is geared towards, and its purposes to advance women in the hospitality industry and in leadership roles in the hospitality industry. So we were delighted to host our most recent forward conference in Atlanta, back in April. And the results were outstanding but really the momentum and the impact that that forward is having is really, which has us so enthusiastic and committed to this initiative moving forward. Ryan Embree: Yeah, that’s gotta be so cool to see industry leaders in hospitality raise their hands and want to be a part of this movement and really see the results from that. Kevin Carey: Well, it’s grown from just being a conference, that started in 2018 and had about 150 people at the first event to now over 1100 attendees. But as it as it has expanded from a conference to a leadership development curriculum. And you mentioned the forward exchange, which took place, here in New York earlier today, where it brought together over a hundred early and mid stage career and professionals of women and some men who are participating along with their peers to focus on networking and building those relationships so they can be well suited and take on roles, over time in the industry. Ryan Embree: Really cool to see. And again, probably some incredible stories coming from that over the years as the as the initiative matures. One thing that, that hospitality in general, really looking forward to, we got big summer, right? We’re usually really excited about summer is just ’cause of the travel season, kids being outta school. But this summer in particular, we’ve been looking forward to for a couple years. We got World Cup on the horizon, finally. We played just a couple miles from here and in America 250. What are you kind of hearing from hoteliers and how are AHLA really, gearing up for these big events, showcasing our industry? Kevin Carey: Well, these are really defining opportunities, for the industry to support those guests to welcome that demand, to drive the hospitality infrastructure over time. So there’s a lot of enthusiasm around the potential that that represents and as we’ve seen on stage already today the results in the first part of the year for the industry have been positive. a number of the outlooks are increasing the Revpar and ADR and other industry metrics, here with the these large events we are still waiting to see some of the demand materialize and we’re in a critical period of time right now, about 10 days out before the games to see that hopefully what’ll be a late surge in bookings, then translate into further business success for the industry. Ryan Embree: Yeah. Hopefully, and hopefully see that international travel continue to come back to North America, you know, a lot of hoteliers, hoping for that. Zooming in a little bit on a AHLA summertime, also time for interns, right. Come in and we’ve talked about this before. I mean, internships, mentorship in hospitality. So critical. I mean, throughout the years we’ve had these staffing shortages and we’ve talked about getting creative, our industry, getting creative on ways to fill those roles, internships being one of them. Talk about a little bit about the AHLA internship program and what these interns are are ready for this summer. Kevin Carey: Well, it’s not new. We’ve had a well established program from a number of years now. And, and we’re excited annually to bring a number of interns into our team across each function. we’ll have an interns in the government affairs team, in marketing, in the foundation. it’s so refreshing to engage them in our work to see their enthusiasm about their future to see them pick up valuable skills and experience of being in an office environment, learning more. And you know what? They, they have a real impact. They have some fun along the way as well and we have a wonderful session at the end where they get to present the results of some of the work in the initiatives that they’ve been working on. So it’s an annual opportunity that we look very forward to. And they’ll be starting just in about a week’s time. so it’ll be a great another repeatevent for us. Ryan Embree: Yeah. Love to see it. You know, again, any way that we can have more exposure to all sides of hospitality. Beause as we know, it’s not just, you know, the front desk. There’s so many elements to it and there’s none more demonstrated by how big our hospitality industry is than by the hospitality show that you put on. And this year is gonna be right in our backyard. In Miami, Florida. Get us a little bit excited about what we can expect at this year’s fourth annual. This is our fourth Hospitality Show, correct? Kevin Carey: So we started in Vegas, went to San Antonio, we’re in Denver last year. A lot of enthusiasm coming out of Denver for the content. And then what’s unique about the hospitality show is it’s really the only conference in the industry with a focus on operations and how operations is driving profitability. So there’s a terrific enthusiasm and people are looking forward to being in Miami, coming together in Q4, all segments of the industry represented. So we’ll have the brands we’ll have management companies, owners, service providers, suppliers, independent hotels also play an important role in the industry. So we’re about to open registration and that’ll really kickstart, the focus on November 2-4 in Miami. Ryan Embree: Well we’re looking forward to it. We’re hoping to go 4/4 on covering the hospitality show. Especially with it being right there in our backyard. Kevin, we know you’re busy. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today on some of these important initiatives. And hopefully we’ll see you in Miami in just a few months. Kevin Carey: Hopefully I have something else on. Ryan Embree: Alright. Appreciate it. Thanks. Kevin Carey: Thank you so much. Ryan Embree: Hello everyone. Ryan Embree. here live at NYU IHIF 2026 here with Jan the National Director of Hospitality Analytics at CoStar. Jan, you were just on a panel. Thanks for taking the time to jump off and speak with us. Jan Freitag: Absolutely. Ryan Embree: State of the state, love the name obviously you’re the north star of hospitality data out there. Jan, revised forecasts just came out. Talk to us a little bit about those points that you were sharing with the audience today. Jan Freitag: So we’re suggesting that RevPAR this year is gonna grow 2.8%, which is very different from the way we looked at the world at the ALIS Hotel Investment Conference. First quarter performance was much more stronger than we had expected than the public traded companies had expected the brands or the …. And a lot of them have revised their year end forecast up. So, you know, we followed suit. Now they, most of them just revised their forecast by the outperformance of Q1. But we’re suggesting No, no, there’s momentum. So we actually took our forecast up by a lot more to 2.8%, 2% driven by ADR and 0.8 by occupancy, which is really good to see. ’cause it implies that demand is outpacing supply. You know, so we get occupancy gains and then some pricing power. Ryan Embree: Love to see that. I mean we were here a year ago with Amanda who is talking about trying to decipher through the noise, a lot of noise right now. But great to see the momentum with those revisions and so important to have those revisions because the landscape can change ever so rapidly as you know. But talking about the supply, talk to us a little bit, go into a little bit more in depth and then obviously every market is different. What markets right now are running a little bit hot on supply? Jan Freitag: Yeah, so fational forecast for Supply goes to 0.4%, not a whole lot. Right. The long run average is 1.6, so we’re well below that. The number of rooms in construction used to be between, we know, 150,000 – 160,000. It’s now 140,000. So it’s sort of staying there. It’s just so expensive to get anything done. And interest rates are still high and could go higher. Who knows, we’re not making interest rate forecast. But you know, there’s definitely no longer this idea of how we should cut, you know, interest rates twice this year or so. I think those days are gone, you know, and so now the question is, okay, so where are people getting things done? And you can look at it by markets. So a couple of them are usual suspects. So Nashville, very strong, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Phoenix. So those are markets sort of in the smile states, sort of in the Sunbelt that still get a lot of people moving there. And you know, migration determines the economic performance. And so we’re seeing a lot more room supply growth there, but there’re just a lot of markets where it’s very, very hard to get anything done because of that higher cost of construction and of the higher interest rate. So I would single out those markets, but overall the picture is rather muted. On the supply side. So what that means then, for existing owners is the time to renovate is right now percent. Because you want to be the new kid on the block with the new hotel, there’s not a lot of new competition coming. This is time to renovate and really put your best foot forward. Ryan Embree: A hundred percent. And you know, one of the other topics we talked about, or you talked about rather on stage was segments right now luxury, doing very, very well leading the way. Obviously a lot of bifurcation, that K-shaped economy. What are you seeing across the segments right now? Jan Freitag: Yeah, I mean there are no wrong answers in luxury, right? I mean, luxury last year was the winner. This year is the winner. We’re projecting, very healthy RevPAR growth double of what we’re saying for the nation. We think the luxury class can materialize. And then what’s really nice to see is that for upscale upper midscale midscale, there’s also RevPAR growth there, which we hadn’t seen last year. And to me that speaks to the strength really of the American economy. But it sort of permeates toward all income classes. Now the exception is was and unfortunately will be likely the economy sector now even there we’re suggesting RevPAR’s growing, but it’s just, you know, 0.8% call that flat for all intent and purposes. Ryan Embree: International travel too, obviously World Cup on the heels of this. What are you see any interesting data points there you wanna share just right ahead of the America 250 and World Cup? Jan Freitag: There are two very different vibes coming from the panel that I was on. Adam Sacks prior to US presenting was talking about, oh wow, international inbound is really still quite a bit lower than it was in 2019. But the gentleman from the NTTO, the National Travel Tourism Organization was like, no, we’re projecting rock and roll, really strong growth of international inbound. The truth is probably gonna somewhere in the tween this year. World Cup is gonna drive a lot of international travelers. What I’m wondering about though is are some of those travelers basically stealing from 2025 and from 2027 and now they’re saying, oh, let’s not go in 25, let’s go in 26. And then when next year comes around, they’re like, we just went to the us you know, and not go in 27 either. So I just hope that the more positive spin from the government comes true and this and, and not that we’re just sort of packing everything into this year and then international inbound is gonna deteriorate. Ryan Embree: So many interesting data points. Anyone in particular you have your eyes on where, you know, obviously we love a nice rosy outlook and try to look for opportunities through all of the data that’s out there, but anyone’s that are like unexpected data points or something that you’re at least keeping an eye on right now? Jan Freitag: Yeah, so there are a couple, but the one that I’m really focused on is consumer price index. Everything is getting more expensive and so that means that hotels will see their cost increase. And the big question then is how much of that cost increase can they pass on to the customer? And I just told you that our ADR forecast for this year is 2% and inflation is gonna be what, 3.5 or something? I mean, it’s gonna be much more than that outpacing that. So that’s really the crux and I think that’s what we here at NYU, to talk to owners and investors and management companies have figure out, okay, so how can we keep our margins expanding even maybe how do you do that in this environment where top line growth may be not keeping pace with with inflation. So the CPI number is really something I’m keeping an eye on. Ryan Embree: Yeah, pretty challenging time right now. when it comes to margins and hospitality that we, again, trying to suss out and figure out here, what are those maybe opportunistic data points that you’re seeing that you’re saying this, this is really good, maybe unexpected on the other end of the spectrum? Jan Freitag: Yeah, I think the Americans are wealthier than they ever have been. And Adam Sachs has this fascinating data point where he shows at the emerge that the middle class in America is shrinking, but part of it is because a lot more people are rich. So people are moving up the income chain and that allows ’em then to spend more money on experiences, very clear that people favor experiences over goods. And we are right in that Suite Spot. Ryan Embree: That continues to be the experience over stuff. We love to see that. And then you’re kind of here celebrating an anniversary/birthday of your podcast, is it? You know you’re, you’re usually, typically used to be in the host, not so much the guests, so thank you. Tell us a little bit more and maybe where our hotel audience can find the insights that you provide. Jan Freitag: Yeah, and thank you for having me. So we have our own podcast. My colleague Isaac Collazo from STR and myself get together once a month. It’s called Tell Me More, A Hospitality Data podcast. And three years ago at juniors across the street over cheesecake, we sort of hatched the idea. And so now we’re, I don’t know, like, you know, almost 30 episodes into it. And we get together once a month and we just sort of riff on the data and hopefully you can join us. Ryan Embree: I love it. That’s awesome. Well, Jan, thank you so much. Very busy time. Appreciate you stopping by and talking to us. Jan Freitag: My pleasure. Thank you so much. Ryan Embree: Alright. Hello everyone. Ryan Embree here with the Suite Spot. We are live at NYU IHIF 2026 here with Larry Cuculic, President and CEO of BWH Hotels. Larry, thank you so much for taking time outta your busy schedule to join us here on the Suite Spot. Larry Cuculic: It’s my absolute pleasure. Thank you for the invitation and for allowing me to share some thoughts with regard to the success and BWH hotels. Ryan Embree: Yeah. We’ve got a lot to cover cause you’ve got a lot going on right now. But let’s start with this event, right? NYU IHIF, lot of major brands here what does a successful NYU look like for you and your team? Larry Cuculic: To us, a successful NYU is interacting with developers and investors such that they’re aware of what BWH has become. We’re now 18 brands, over 4,000 hotels in over a hundred countries and territories from premium economy up to luxury hotels. We acquired world hotels about six years ago. And so it really is continuing to educate about the possibilities of their associating with BWH hotels because we would be singularly focused on their success if they partner with us. And you’re also in a powerhouse panel tomorrow, the Executive Exchange Hospitality Performance Strategies for Success give our audience a little bit a sneak peek of what you’re gonna be talking about on stage. Larry Cuculic: Well, we’re gonna be talking about of course, the economy near term as well as long term projections for what that looks like. we’ll be talking about the importance of loyalty programs. We’ll be talking about the impact of really the economy and things like labor insurance and how we as brands need to focus on the success of our hotels by offering them programs to really offset that impact on net RevPAR. Ryan Embree: And I’m sure one of the subjects and topics that we brought up on your panel, certainly something we talk about these hospitality events is, AI and technology. And we had the privilege of having SVP and your CTO Bill Ryan on at the Hospitality Show a couple months in October, gave us a little bit of lay of the land when it came to AI and technology. How do you feel personally that this technology is really changing the way that travelers choose hotels, but also how they have their hotel experience, their guest experience? Larry Cuculic: Sure. So the first thing we’re doing is we’re reinvesting in our .com as well as our app. And we want them to be easy to use intuitive, but we also wanna make sure they have content that convinces guests when they’re shopping that our hotels will provide them kind of that customization and personalization. ’cause it’s not about a commodity, a hotel room, it’s about all those things that we can offer. By way of example we’re partnering with an AI agency to kind of harvest content with regard to where our hotels are located in those communities. At the same time, we’ll take that harvested content and we’ll filter it through our hoteliers who live in those communities and create the content that will be the AI answer when somebody’s looking for a place to stay. And they’ll know that we want them to have the best possible time while we’re in that community, not just staying with us as a hotel, that we recognize that people don’t want just to stay, they want really a journey. Ryan Embree: Yeah. Something that we aspire in hospitality to provide that not just a hotel stay, but an experience. And we talked to Joelle Park about the power of storytelling and how that can play a component in one of the best stories, obviously that you just had a really exciting announcement with is America 250 and the story of this great nation. So talk to us a little bit about that partnership and what BWH Hotels is doing with America 250. Larry Cuculic: Well, we are a sponsor of America 250, and we’re encouraging our hoteliers to embrace the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation. And part of that is not just USA 250, we also have the 100th anniversary of Route 66. We have hotels that have been with us, believe it or not, we have a hotel that’s been with us 75 years. And it speaks to the heritage of our brand. So we’ll be leaning into the history of this great country. At the same time we’ll be leaning into the history of our great brand and encouraging people to travel and see the United States and all that it has to offer no matter where you go. And the beauty of our hotels we have 2200 of them in North America and wherever they’re going to go, we want them to know that we have a hotel that will meet their travel leads such that they can experience really the 250th anniversary of USA. Ryan Embree: Yeah. It’s a really exciting partnership right in at an inflection point with the World Cup as well. So introducing maybe some international travel also to the brand and the nation. You know, you’re a great following on LinkedIn. I encourage our audience, if you haven’t, make sure you follow Larry, but one of the things you’re reflecting on your North American regional conferences that you’ve done up to this point in 2026 and you quoted to say that you want BWH hotels to become the most welcoming brand in the world. What does that mean to you and how is your team working to achieve that? Larry Cuculic: Well, welcoming means that we’re gracious hosts, but it also means that we’re, I’ll call it easy to do business with understanding, being flexible and recognizing that we are somebody you’d want to be partners with. Whenever anyone walks into a hotel we should tell them, you know, welcome, we’re glad you’re here by way of example. But I used to think of it that way in terms of being gracious host and everything that happens at the hotel, but when I think of welcoming, I also want to think about our new.com and app. Again, it’s that ease of use and personalization so that when you go there, we know it’s you and we want to help you make good decisions with regard to travel. So welcoming is about ease of.com, the app we’re redoing our loyalty program. I think Joel probably talked to you about that. And we want the loyalty program to be welcoming as well. Well, what does that mean? Well, that means that when you interact with us, you’ll know how many points you have. You’ll know they never expire. You’ll know that you can use them to buy down the price of a room at any point. That you don’t have to, to have as many points for a full stay to leverage those points. It’s a value of the program. And of course welcoming. I always lean into the importance of being not just a gracious host, but somebody that appreciates our guests. To me, that’s welcoming because you have to recognize that people, they’re traveling with their families, it’s something that you wanna leave a terrific impression on them and their family. And you also want them to know that we appreciate that they’ve spent their hard-earned money staying with us. To me, that’s being appreciative gracious hosts. And that’s part of the welcoming. It’s not, the welcoming doesn’t just happen when they enter. Welcoming has to be entire stay. Ryan Embree: So key. And the brands that kind of make that connection with their travelers, especially in a time where, I mean, we just talked about in this interview AI technology, there’s way more places become disconnected, to find that connection, that human to human connection. Very important right now. So as we wrap up the interview, obviously at these events we’re always, whether it’s the hospitality data we’re looking into, whether it’s a conversation, we’re always trying to take a glimpse into the future, trying to predict that future. Larry what do you see, what’s your vision for the future of BWH Hotels. Larry Cuculic: People will always wanna travel. And for us, if we can become that welcoming brand that appreciates our guests, we will build that loyalty. When we build that loyalty, that program will grow. Our revenue delivery brand direct will grow which is the lowest cost for us in terms of that reservation for our hoteliers but what I think I would also offer to you is we’re also very focused on thoughtful growth. And what that means is if you grow your loyalty program, you also wanna make sure you have hotels that are in locations where guests want to go. Be it London, be it Rome, be it Frankfurt, be it Bangkok, no matter where it is around the world. And so, you know, we have a, a focus goal of 5,000 hotels, which means we will grow thoughtfully, but with our guests in mind. And because when we have a hotel join us, our sole focus is the success of that hotel as well as having a quality hotel where guests want to go. Ryan Embree: That’s awesome. Well, we wish you nothing but success. Hopefully maybe can join the Suite Spot when that 5,000 hotel opens and we can celebrate that together. But in the meantime, thank you, Larry, for taking the time out of your day to join us here on the Suite spot. Larry Cuculic: Well, thank you. Thank you for the opportunity. Very much appreciate it. Speaker 2: To join our loyalty program, be sure to subscribe and give us a five star reading on iTunes. Suite Spot is produced by Travel Media Group. Our editor is Brandon Bell with Cover Art by Bary Gordon. I’m your host Ryan Embree, and we hope you enjoyed your stay.

Subscribe to This Week in Hospitality wherever you get you podcasts: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5oPExA0txHMjEI5Ye13IUy Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-hospitality/id1849637233 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinHospitality   This week opens at LE Miami — which Scott describes less like a travel conference and more like Coachella for hotel nerds — before the guys dive into the real industry tension underneath the party. Hyatt tells investors to stop counting rooms and start counting fees, arguing that “empty calorie” growth is the wrong metric. But the panel digs into the contradiction: the premium story is Park Hyatt, Andaz, Thompson, and Alila — while the actual growth engine may be Essentials, all-inclusives, and credit card economics. Translation: hotel companies are increasingly distribution platforms, loyalty machines, and maybe even banks. Then Hilton's Undergraduate by Hilton gets a second look. The name still gets roasted, but the strategy starts to make sense: college towns are wildly underserved, Graduate doesn't pencil everywhere, and tired select-service boxes are begging for conversion. The question is whether this is lifestyle innovation — or just another brand solving an owner pipeline problem. The guys also react to Sonder co-founder Francis Davidson's new AI travel startup, Odessia, and debate whether dedicated AI travel agents can win when ChatGPT and Claude already own so much user context. That leads into a bigger conversation about trust, human travel advisors, preference passports, and why overwhelmed travelers may want fewer options — not more. Finally, Minor Hotels makes the case for “asset-right” hospitality, arguing that brands need more skin in the game if they want owner trust. The crew closes with DMs, celebrity hotel speculation, World Cup demand anxiety, and Ben teasing a possible conversion-brand play of his own. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance   Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro & L.E/Miami Recap 05:52 — Hyatt's New Growth Strategy 16:35 — Hilton's Undergraduate Brand Bet 24:25 — Sonder's Founder Is Back: Odessia and AI Travel Planning 33:35 — The Human Concierge Is Making a Comeback 50:00 — What's In Your DMs? 59:25 — Spice of the Week   Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/   Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/   Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/   Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

Óscar Restrepo, director regional de Minor Hotels para la región Andina by Diario La república

Subscribe to This Week in Hospitality wherever you get you podcasts: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5oPExA0txHMjEI5Ye13IUy Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-hospitality/id1849637233 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinHospitality   This week's conversation pulls apart a reality the industry has been circling for months—but is now impossible to ignore: travel demand is no longer being created, shaped, or captured by the companies that actually deliver the experience. It's happening upstream. What starts as a discussion around TikTok and AI quickly evolves into something bigger—a structural shift in how travelers decide. Discovery is no longer destination-first. It's scroll-first. A piece of content sparks interest, AI compresses consideration, and by the time a traveler reaches a booking interface, most of the decision has already been made. That shift leaves hotels, airlines, and even OTAs reacting instead of leading. The episode unpacks what that means in practice. Why a digitally ambitious airline like Riyadh Air still defaults to legacy distribution before launch. Why Uber entering hotel bookings isn't about inventory—it's about embedding travel into habit. And why every major brand—from Airbnb to Minor Hotels—is racing to become more than just a single touchpoint in the journey. Underneath all of it is a more uncomfortable truth: the industry has over-rotated on storytelling without solving distribution. And storytelling alone doesn't close the transaction. There's also tension between strategy and reality. Independent operators are told to “create demand,” but many are still constrained by ownership structures focused on 30- to 90-day performance windows. Attribution remains murky. Investment decisions follow what can be measured—not necessarily what drives long-term growth. The result is a fragmented ecosystem where inspiration, validation, and booking live in entirely different places—most of which operators don't control. The question isn't whether this shift is happening. It's who adapts to it—and who becomes invisible within it. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance   Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 05:15 — Story #1: TikTok, AI, and the Hijacked Travel Funnel 28:50 — Story #2: Uber Enters Hotel Booking Through Expedia 38:35 — Story #3: Riyadh Air's Direct-Booking Reality Check 47:28 — Story #4: Minor Hotels Bets on Private Jet Luxury 57:32 — Spice of the Week   Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/   Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/   Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/   Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

Asia is reshaping global travel demand, United expands loyalty into everyday spending, and Minor Hotels moves deeper into ultra-luxury. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down why Asia is becoming the center of gravity for travel growth, how United is turning Lyft rides into a loyalty play, and why Minor Hotels is adding private jets to its luxury ecosystem. This episode is presented by Lodgify! Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGThe Great Rebalancing: Asia's Advantage and Why Travel Brands Need to Catch UpUnited Expands Lyft Partnership With Miles RedemptionMinor Hotels to Launch Private Jet Experience Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk are live from Seatrade Cruise Global, breaking down how AI is reshaping the way travelers discover and book hotels and whether brands are starting to lose control of the funnel. Expedia Group data shows that only a small percentage of bookings are currently driven by AI, but the shift in discovery behavior could have much bigger long-term implications. They also explore how Minor Hotels is building out its AI tech stack to drive deeper personalization, Lemon Tree Hotels' record year powered by an asset-light strategy, and Delta Air Lines's first major Delta One upgrade in nearly a decade as airlines continue investing heavily in premium experiences. This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠Vrbo!⁠⁠⁠ Learn how you can earn ⁠⁠OneKeyCash⁠⁠ today. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/skift⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SkiftNews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and never miss an update from the travel industry.

On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk are live from Seatrade Cruise Global, breaking down how AI is reshaping the way travelers discover and book hotels and whether brands are starting to lose control of the funnel. Expedia Group data shows that only a small percentage of bookings are currently driven by AI, but the shift in discovery behavior could have much bigger long-term implications. They also explore how Minor Hotels is building out its AI tech stack to drive deeper personalization, Lemon Tree Hotels' record year powered by an asset-light strategy, and Delta Air Lines's first major Delta One upgrade in nearly a decade as airlines continue investing heavily in premium experiences. This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠Vrbo!⁠⁠⁠ Learn how you can earn ⁠⁠OneKeyCash⁠⁠ today. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/skift⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SkiftNews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and never miss an update from the travel industry.

Genna Panagopoulos, newly appointed vice president of development for North America for Minor Hotels, shares expansion plans with CoStar News Hotels' Natalie Harms at the recent Americas Lodging Investment Summit.

Various statistics suggest that more than half of travellers want to see animals when they travel: that's why we keep returning to the topic of animal tourism and how we can do this in ways that both keep humans interested in caring for animals but without doing too much harm - and while bearing in mind that for many communities, animal tourism can be a significant part of their economy. To sum up: it's tricky! In this episode I get a bunch of different perspectives. I start with Eryn Gordon, a travel writer who visited Thailand and had her first encounter there with an animal sanctuary that was ethical on paper but made her question this when she was there in person - something that many tourists experience. Next, I speak with safari guide Suyash Keshari, who has many years of experience working in tourism with tigers in India (and other animals around the world), and discusses the difficult balance of tourist behaviour that does and doesn't impact animals in ways that actually change their lives. Finally, John Roberts takes us back a couple of decades to describe some of what was happening when the world first started to consider whether it was okay or not to train and tame elephants for tourism purposes, and some of the tricky elements of this in the Thai context in particular. Links: Eryn Gordon’s website Earth to Editorial - https://earthtoeditorial.com/ Eryn's TEDx Talk on “What it means to be a good traveler” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WQYSdm-5ps Suyash Keshari, Ameliya Safaris - https://ameliyasafaris.com/ John Roberts, Group Director of Sustainability and Conservation, Minor Hotels -https://www.minorhotels.com/ Whither Captive Elephants? by Daniel Stiles - https://medium.com/@danielstiles/whither-captive-elephants-f4e70a36aff8 Join our Facebook group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Join our LinkedIn group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://notaballerina.com/linkedin Sign up for the Thoughtful Travellers newsletter at Substack - https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/381Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

El informe de tendencias de Minor Hotels señala que el 94% de los viajeros prevé viajar igual o más en 2026 y mantener o aumentar su gasto, reflejando un fuerte optimismo pese a la incertidumbre global. El estudio apunta a un cambio de modelo: se deja atrás el fast travel en favor de viajes con conexión auténtica, experiencias grupales, bienestar y mindfulness, inmersión cultural y gastronomía, que influye en el 85% de las decisiones de viaje.Lanzarote acogió la Conferencia Mundial de Turismo Sostenible 2025, donde se adoptó la Carta Mundial del Turismo Sostenible +30. El evento reunió a representantes de administraciones, organismos y sector privado para actualizar los principios de sostenibilidad turística de la isla, adaptándolos a retos actuales como el cambio climático, la evolución social y las nuevas tecnologías.La Hispanic Society abrirá en 2026 su primer museo en Europa en Valencia, dedicado a Joaquín Sorolla, con más de 220 obras traídas desde Nueva York. La Generalitat destinará 1,15 millones de euros anuales al proyecto, que busca enriquecer la oferta cultural en un momento de crecimiento del turismo motivado por la cultura.Viajes El Corte Inglés ha duplicado el peso de los paquetes turísticos en su actividad, hasta representar ya alrededor de un tercio de su negocio. La compañía comercializa estos productos en diez países a través de sus tres turoperadores —Tourmundial, Club de Vacaciones y Smytravel—, con un foco especial en destinos de largo radio y en la integración de vuelos, alojamiento, traslados y experiencias como estrategia para captar y fidelizar clientes.El anuncio de la gira mundial Lux Tour 2026 de Rosalía ha provocado un fuerte aumento en las búsquedas de viajes a las ciudades donde actuará, con incrementos destacados en Milán (+140%), Colonia (+91%), Zúrich (+39%) o Lyon (+35%), según datos de eDreams, incluso antes de la venta de entradas. En Madrid, donde el concierto coincide con Semana Santa, las búsquedas han crecido cerca de un 60%, impulsadas por la combinación de vacaciones y evento musical.

Did you know that one in ten jobs worldwide is in the tourism industry? I think we're all sometimes guilty of merrily going on our travels without giving much thought to the people behind the scenes that make this possible. In this episode I chat with three people in very different careers in the travel area and hear some of the behind-the-scenes of what makes tourism tick. First up, Suyash Keshari, founder of Ameliya Safaris, gives us the rundown of a typical day in the life of a safari guide. It's interesting to hear the ups and the downs of what sounds like a dream job. Next, I speak with John Roberts, who's the Group Director of Sustainability and Conservation in the Minor Hotels group. He tells me about some of the challenges and goals of implementing sustainability actions and policies across a hundreds of hotels in different parts of the world. Finally, Jamie Burr describes how he entered the tourism industry and explains his previous and current roles in marketing. His thoughts on how travel businesses can promote themselves through telling stories rather than posting trip deals are especially interesting. Links: Suyash Keshari, Ameliya Safaris - https://ameliyasafaris.com/ John Roberts, Group Director of Sustainability and Conservation, Minor Hotels -https://www.minorhotels.com/ Jamie Burr - https://jamieburr.com/ Join our Facebook group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Join our LinkedIn group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://notaballerina.com/linkedin Sign up for the Thoughtful Travellers newsletter at Substack - https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/357 Support the show: https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

เปิดพอดแคสต์เอพิโสดนี้ใน YouTube เพื่อประสบการณ์การรับชมที่ดีที่สุด ในยุคที่ AI ก้าวล้ำ บทบาทของผู้นำจะถูกแทนที่หรือไม่? เมื่อ AI สามารถประมวลผลข้อมูลได้ดีและตัดสินใจได้อย่างรวดเร็ว หัวใจสำคัญของ 'ภาวะผู้นำ' อาจอยู่ที่แก่นแท้ของ 'ความเป็นมนุษย์' และความสามารถในการสร้างแรงบันดาลใจให้กับผู้คน เคน นครินทร์ คุยกับ Robin Sharma ผู้เขียนหนังสือ The 5AM Club และ The Wealth Money Can't Buy และ Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of Minor International & CEO of Minor Hotels สกัดแก่นแท้ของ 'ความเป็นผู้นำ' และบทบาทการบริหารองค์กรระดับโลกที่ต้องนำทั้ง 'คน' และ 'การเติบโตของธุรกิจ' เจาะลึกแนวคิดขับองค์กรด้วย 'การสร้างผู้นำในทุกระดับ' ทำความเข้าใจนิยามคำว่า 'ภาวะผู้นำ' ที่ไม่ถูกจำกัดอยู่กับตำแหน่งและอำนาจในองค์กร หากแต่คือการกระทำและคุณค่าที่สร้าง ร่วมเรียนรู้หลักการของ 'Self-Leadership' เพื่อค้นพบศักยภาพในการพัฒนาตัวเองให้ดีขึ้นและเก่งขึ้นในทุกวันไปด้วยกันใน The Secret Sauce เอพิโสดนี้

ในยุคที่ AI ก้าวล้ำ บทบาทของผู้นำจะถูกแทนที่หรือไม่? เมื่อ AI สามารถประมวลผลข้อมูลได้ดีและตัดสินใจได้อย่างรวดเร็ว หัวใจสำคัญของ 'ภาวะผู้นำ' อาจอยู่ที่แก่นแท้ของ 'ความเป็นมนุษย์' และความสามารถในการสร้างแรงบันดาลใจให้กับผู้คน เคน นครินทร์ คุยกับ Robin Sharma ผู้เขียนหนังสือ The 5AM Club และ The Wealth Money Can't Buy และ Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of Minor International & CEO of Minor Hotels สกัดแก่นแท้ของ 'ความเป็นผู้นำ' และบทบาทการบริหารองค์กรระดับโลกที่ต้องนำทั้ง 'คน' และ 'การเติบโตของธุรกิจ' เจาะลึกแนวคิดขับองค์กรด้วย 'การสร้างผู้นำในทุกระดับ' ทำความเข้าใจนิยามคำว่า 'ภาวะผู้นำ' ที่ไม่ถูกจำกัดอยู่กับตำแหน่งและอำนาจในองค์กร หากแต่คือการกระทำและคุณค่าที่สร้าง ร่วมเรียนรู้หลักการของ 'Self-Leadership' เพื่อค้นพบศักยภาพในการพัฒนาตัวเองให้ดีขึ้นและเก่งขึ้นในทุกวันไปด้วยกันใน The Secret Sauce เอพิโสดนี้

John Roberts, group director of sustainability and conservation at Minor Hotels, talks with Jeannie Fang of Insider Travel Report about the company's elephant conservation work and broader sustainability efforts across its portfolio. Roberts explains initiatives like solar power, coral planting and anti-poaching programs, and how these efforts support local communities, protect wildlife and engage guests through hands-on activities.. For more information, visit www.minorhotels.com. All our Insider Travel Report video interviews are archived and available on our Youtube channel (youtube.com/insidertravelreport), and as podcasts with the same title on: Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, TuneIn + Alexa, Podbean,  iHeartRadio,  Google, Amazon Music/Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict, and iTunes Apple Podcasts, which supports Overcast, Pocket Cast, Castro and Castbox.

PortAventura Convention Centre ha obtenido el Premio de Oro al “Mejor Centro de Convenciones Internacional” en los micebook Awards 2025, celebrados en Londres. El jurado valoró su innovación, sostenibilidad y excelencia operativa, destacando la capacidad del recinto para crear experiencias MICE singulares en un entorno único.La reputación del turismo en España ha caído notablemente debido al creciente descontento social por la masificación y el impacto del sector en el precio de la vivienda, según el “Barómetro de Percepción Turística” de LLYC. El estudio señala que los mensajes críticos sobre la gentrificación se han convertido en el eje del debate público, haciendo que el apoyo social al turismo haya descendido un 35% desde 2022.Vietnam, Mauricio, Japón y Francia encabezan la lista de los destinos más buscados para el verano de 2025, según un reciente análisis de la aerolínea Emirates. La aerolínea ha detectado un aumento general del 7% en las búsquedas de vuelos para los meses de julio y agosto, marcando una clara tendencia hacia la exploración de nuevas culturas y lugares menos transitados.La Agencia Catalana de Turismo ha presentado una nueva estrategia de marketing turístico centrada en el “turismo consciente”, que prioriza el bienestar de la comunidad local y la sostenibilidad. Por primera vez, se incorpora al residente como actor clave en la planificación, con el objetivo de pasar de un modelo de “más” turismo a uno de “mejor” turismo de cara a 2028.Exceltur prevé un crecimiento más moderado del turismo este verano, con un aumento de ventas del 2,7%, frente al 4,5% registrado en el segundo trimestre. Por ello, ha revisado a la baja sus previsiones para el cierre de 2025, situando el crecimiento del PIB turístico en un 3,3% frente al 4% estimado en abril. La incertidumbre geopolítica influye en este ajuste, aunque el sector mantiene una perspectiva positiva pero cautelosa.

Según el informe de CBRE, las valoraciones de activos inmobiliarios han mostrado una evolución positiva en la primera mitad de 2025, destacando la revalorización de los hoteles vacacionales (+3%), los hoteles urbanos (+2,5%) y las residencias de estudiantes (+3,1%). Además, el valor del suelo residencial en la Costa del Sol ha aumentado un 17% en los últimos 30 meses, impulsado por la demanda de desarrollos de lujo y branded residences.EasyJet anunció ocho nuevas rutas para el invierno 2025 desde España, sumando más de 110.000 asientos adicionales. Las conexiones partirán de Barcelona, Málaga, Gran Canaria y Almería hacia destinos en Reino Unido y Francia, con vuelos operativos desde octubre.Diners Club Spain ha lanzado una nueva división especializada en el sector travel, que sitúa a las agencias de viajes en el centro de su estrategia. La compañía prevé que un 40% de su nuevo negocio en 2025 provenga de este canal y ofrece soluciones que permiten a las agencias incrementar ingresos y reducir hasta un 20% los costes operativos asociados a los pagos.Civitatis ha registrado un crecimiento cercano al 17% en las reservas realizadas a través de su canal B2B durante el primer semestre de 2025, a pesar de un contexto de primavera “compleja”. Las actividades lideran el incremento con casi un 20% más de ventas, seguidas de los traslados, que suben más del 10%.El Grupo Grimaldi ha ampliado en 50 millones de euros el capital de su filial española Trasmed, con el objetivo de fortalecer su posición financiera y reducir la deuda. Trasmed, que opera ferris entre la Península y Baleares, alcanzará un capital social de 347 millones de euros. Esta inyección se destina principalmente a disminuir el endeudamiento generado por la financiación de la compra de sus buques.

First it was finance spreadsheets, now it's suite dreams: Ian Di Tullio's journey to the top of Minor Hotels is anything but ordinary. Let's just say: it started with data and ended with loyalty (lots of it). We mic'd up with the Global Chief Commercial Officer, Ian Di Tullio, who went from flying high with Air Canada & Accor to shaking up hospitality from Bangkok with brains, heart, and some serious backend magic. In this one, we get into: - What the airline industry taught him about innovation and squeezing margin magic - How data & AI = power (when you actually use it right) - And why respect > synergy when it comes to brand acquisitions Enjoy the show!

In this episode, Bill Barnett, Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks, sits down with Omar Romero, Chief Development and Luxury Officer at Minor International, to explore how the definition of luxury is evolving—and how branded residences are leading the change. Omar shares insights on redefining luxury through sustainability, wellness, and personalised living, while also shedding light on Minor's upcoming global projects. From wellness tech in residences to the rise of “real estate collectors,” the conversation covers the latest trends shaping high-end hospitality and residential development. Tune in for a candid, forward-looking discussion on what makes branded residences not just desirable, but meaningful.

Seis compañías del sector turístico han sido incluidas en el ranking “Las 100 mejores empresas para trabajar en 2025” en España, elaborado por Forbes. La clasificación, basada en encuestas anónimas, valora aspectos como la cultura corporativa, el desarrollo profesional o la conciliación. Las empresas destacadas son Ávoris, eDreams, Grupo Iberostar, Ilunion, Meliá Hotels International y Minor Hotels.Según el último Barómetro Turístico de Andersen Consulting, el gasto de los españoles en viajes internacionales aumentó un 18% en 2024, representando ya el 34% del total. Esta tendencia está impulsada por una nueva generación de viajeros más preparados tecnológica y lingüísticamente, así como por el papel clave de las agencias de viajes, especialmente en desplazamientos de medio y largo radio.La Confederación Española de Agencias de Viajes (CEAV) reunió a más de 100 profesionales del turismo en un workshop celebrado en Valladolid, donde más de 80 agentes de viajes conocieron las novedades de 30 expositores del sector. El evento forma parte del CEAV Profesional Tour 2025 y destacó la importancia de las agencias en la promoción de destinos como Marruecos, Alemania y Andalucía.La ruta aérea que conecta Roma-Fiumicino con Madrid-Barajas se sitúa en lo más alto del tráfico aéreo del continente. Con 1,32 millones de asientos previstos, según datos recopilados por Statista a partir del proveedor de inteligencia de viajes OAG, esta conexión se posiciona como la más transitada entre, desde o hacia Europa durante la temporada estival.

Barcelona acogerá el Tourism & Economy Barcelona Summit 2025 los días 2 y 3 de abril en el auditorio de CosmoCaixa. El evento abordará la necesidad de un nuevo modelo turístico que combine el impulso económico y la convivencia ciudadana. Participarán destacadas figuras del sector público y privado, y se debatirá el impacto del turismo en el PIB y la gestión sostenible del sector en grandes ciudades.Ávoris Corporación Empresarial busca que más del 50% de su ebitda provenga de mercados internacionales en los próximos años, frente al 20% actual. La compañía apuesta por la expansión en el norte de África y Europa, además de fortalecer su presencia en Latinoamérica tras un acuerdo con el grupo CVC. Próximamente, Ávoris se establecerá en Marruecos y prevé abrir en México.La Fiscalía de la Audiencia Nacional se une al Ministerio de Consumo en la batalla legal contra las aerolíneas de bajo coste por prácticas abusivas y falta de transparencia en las tarifas, especialmente en lo relacionado con el cobro de las maletas. La Fiscalía ha anunciado que defenderá los derechos de los consumidores en los procedimientos judiciales por las sanciones impuestas a estas compañías.La Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar ha comunicado que Punta Cana (República Dominica) acogerá en 2026 un nuevo 'Rafa Nadal Tennis Center', un anuncio que se ha hecho oficial durante la visita del extenista español al país caribeño para inaugurar el nuevo hotel de la marca ZEL.El aeropuerto de Palma de Mallorca fue el tercero con un mejor ratio de puntualidad entre los grandes aeropuertos del mundo durante el mes de febrero, con el 88,91% de sus vuelos programados despegados en hora, según los datos analizados por la consultora Cirium.

United Airlines is raising fees for its credit cards and lounge memberships while adding new perks like rideshare credits and Instacart memberships, as it sees growing revenue from these services. Marriott International is expanding rapidly in the branded residences market, especially in the Caribbean and Latin America, though it faces stiff competition from other major hotel chains. Meanwhile, Minor Hotels is consolidating its eight brands under a single app and launching a masterbrand strategy to streamline loyalty programs and improve cross-selling. How Marriott Is Defending its Lead in Branded Residences United Airlines Raises Credit Card and Lounge Fees: Here's What to Know Minor Hotels to Unveil Masterbrand and Unify 8 Chains on One App Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

eDreams Odigeoregistró un beneficio neto de 4,1 millones de euros durante los primeros nueve meses del ejercicio fiscal 2025, finalizado el 31 de diciembre, frente a los 'números rojos' de cuatro millones de euros del mismo periodo de un año antes, impulsado por la fortaleza de su modelo Prime. La Asociación de Ejecutivas de Empresas Turísticas (ASEET) ha celebrado su I Congreso sobre el papel de la mujer en la industria turística, reuniendo a 150 profesionales. El evento abordó temas como la evolución laboral femenina, la igualdad de oportunidades, el liderazgo y la relación con la tecnología e innovación en el sector. Play ha anunciado un aumento de frecuencias de vuelo entre Alicante y Madrid con Reikiavik (Islandia) con el objetivo de dar respuesta a la alta demanda, especialmente durante Semana Santa y la temporada de verano. Hesperia World refuerza su estrategia digital con una nueva web corporativa y la renovación de las plataformas de su marca propia Hesperia Hotels y activos clave como La Manga Club. Para optimizar su estrategia online, ha consolidado una alianza con Mirai. Con este impulso, busca alcanzar los 60 millones de euros en venta directa para 2026. El Ministerio de Derechos Sociales, Consumo y Agenda 2030 ha abierto expedientes sancionadores a varias empresas que administran cientos de viviendas turísticas por presuntamente ofrecer información falsa o engañosa. Una de esas "prácticas engañosas" es indicar en el anuncio que quien gestiona un alojamiento turístico es una persona particular cuando en realidad se trata de una empresa.

Insider ILTM Video: Marion Walsh-Hédouin, global head of marketing and communications for Minor Hotels, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at last month's ILTM Cannes luxury show about Minor's growth in luxury hotels. Minor has even launched itself as its own brand, overseeing such expanding luxury chains as Anantara, Tivoli, NH Collection and more, to become one of the fastest growing luxury hotel companies in the world. For more information, visit www.minorhotels.com. All our Insider Travel Report video interviews are archived and available on our Youtube channel  (youtube.com/insidertravelreport), and as podcasts with the same title on: Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, TuneIn + Alexa, Podbean,  iHeartRadio,  Google, Amazon Music/Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict, and iTunes Apple Podcasts, which supports Overcast, Pocket Cast, Castro and Castbox.  

Learning more about being a responsible traveller when it comes to seeing or interacting with animals on my trips is one of the biggest learning curves running this podcast has given me over the past decade. In this episode, I hear from three professionals working at the intersection of animals and tourism, in three different but equally fascinating roles. First up, I chat with Nora Livingstone of Animal Experience International, about a trip she took to Sierra Leone to visit a dog rescue centre that was looking for volunteers. Then, I speak with John Roberts, director of Sustainability and Conservation for the Minor Hotels group, and he describes the particular case of looking after hornbills at their Avani resort on Koh Lanta, Thailand. Finally, Suzanne Milthorpe of World Animal Protection Australia explains the sad sight that awaited her on a visit to a so-called turtle rescue venue in Bali, Indonesia. From all of these stories, there is plenty for us to take away and help in our considerations for future trips so that we can be thoughtful when it comes to how we include animals in our travels. Links: Nora Livingstone from Animal Experience International - https://www.animalexperienceinternational.com John Roberts - Group Director of Sustainability and Conservation, Minor Hotels -https://www.minorhotels.com/ Suzanne Milthorpe - Head of Campaigns, World Animal Protection Australia - https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.au/ Join our Facebook group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfultravellers Join our LinkedIn group for Thoughtful Travellers - https://notaballerina.com/linkedin Sign up for the Thoughtful Travellers newsletter at Substack - https://thoughtfultravel.substack.com Show notes: https://notaballerina.com/331 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Podcast del programa Imagen Empresarial transmitido originalmente el 20 de diciembre de 2024. Conduce Rodrigo Pacheco. Los entrevistados de hoy: Lorenzo Graciano, director general región México y Cuba de Minor Hotels; Europe y Americas Tema: Expansión de Minor Hotels Europe y Americas Juan Carlos Baker, ex subsecretario de Comercio Exterior y académico de la escuela de Gobierno y Economía de la UP Tema: Relación México - EU

As the operating boss of Minor, Dillip Rajakarier retains an enviable enthusiasm for his brands as they proliferate worldwide.

En una medida sin precedentes, la Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) ha confirmado una multa de 413.240.000 euros a Booking.com, acusándola de abuso de su posición dominante en el mercado. Esta decisión pone fin a una investigación que comenzó en octubre de 2022 y que ha puesto en el centro del debate las prácticas comerciales del gigante de las reservas hoteleras online. El sector de las agencias de viajes se ha reunido con el Ministerio del Interior para solicitar unánimemente la exclusión de la aplicación del Real Decreto 933/2021, que establece obligaciones de registro documental de reservas y que está previsto que entre en vigor en octubre. Este verano, los españoles son los que más utilizan el alquiler de coches en España, Italia y Grecia, según los datos de EconomyBookings.com. Además, el aeropuerto de Málaga se destaca como el punto de recogida de coches de alquiler más utilizado de Europa. Casi un 75% de los españoles que viajan al extranjero temen sufrir un intento de fraude, según un estudio de Visa. En este contexto, el 30% de los consumidores ha sido víctima de fraude durante un viaje, y se sienten más vulnerables al realizar pagos superiores a 300 euros. El transporte en autobús será elegido por más de 10 millones de viajeros en el mes de agosto, siendo el modo de transporte público que cuenta con una mayor cuota de viajeros, un 46%, frente al 26% del ferrocarril, el 27% del transporte aéreo o el 1% del marítimo. KAYAK revela el ranking de destinos asiáticos más populares donde es posible alojarse por menos de 120€ la noche. Ciudades como Osaka tienen un precio medio de hotel de 81€ por noche. Otros destinos son Yakarta, donde el alojamiento cuesta solo 26€ por noche, y Kuala Lumpur, con un precio medio de 47€. Stayforlong, la plataforma de viajes de larga estancia con sede en Barcelona, ha expandido su presencia a Latinoamérica al abrir mercados en México y Brasil, aumentando así su cobertura a 26 países. Viajes El Corte Inglés ha mejorado su propia plataforma de búsqueda y reserva para incluir los viajes en tren, con el objetivo de facilitar a los clientes la contratación de este tipo de productos en su página web.

I'm with Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels and The Wolseley Hospitality Group. He's one of the top people globally in hospitality – with brands such as Anantara, NH Hotels and Tivoli – and has ambitious plans for the future.This podcast is free, as is my weekly newsletter. Subscribe to The Independent's newsletters here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

El Gobierno destinará un total de 130 millones de euros al Plan Verano Joven 2024 que permitirá viajar a personas de entre 18 y 30 años, en tren, autobús e interrail, con descuentos que llegan hasta el 90%. Como novedad, este año podrán beneficiarse del plan todos los jóvenes con residencia legal en España, independientemente de su nacionalidad. El sector turístico ha pedido una hoja de ruta que permita al sector avanzar en la transformación y la transición sostenible, en una sesión de los desayunos organizados por Foment del Treball y la Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy (CETT-UB). A pesar de que tres turoperadores alemanes, TUI Group, DER Touristik y Schauinsland-Reisen, se han postulado para asumir las reservas afectadas tras la quiebra del turoperador FTI Group, en Canarias, las empresas del archipiélago podrían tener impagos de hasta tres meses. The Fun Lab, firma española de ingeniería y entidad acreditada internacional de inspección por ENAC en parques acuáticos y piscinas lúdicas, ha inaugurado su primera delegación comercial internacional en Cancún (México), desde la que va a ofrecer sus servicios a los clientes de la región del Caribe. Iryo ha presentado la segunda fase de su marca de multimodalidad —bautizada como 'Iryo Conecta Más Destinos'—, con la que apuesta por la interconexión de medios de transporte desde los trenes hasta la llegada al destino final mediante taxis, autobuses, aviones y barcos. Con motivo del Día Mundial del Medioambiente, un estudio de Appinio revela que el 68% de los españoles se siente afectado por las consecuencias del cambio climático, destacando que Andalucía, Valencia, Cataluña y Madrid son las regiones donde más se considera que el cambio climático es un problema importante. El presidente de la Asociación de Líneas Aéreas (ALA), Javier Gándara, ha denunciado que la multa de 150 millones de euros impuesta por el Ministerio de Consumo a Ryanair, Vueling, Volotea y easyJet por cobrar por el equipaje de mano, "atenta" contra "la libertad de edificación tarifaria y la capacidad de elección de los consumidores". El pasado 16 de mayo, Más Turismo Chino recibió el primer premio internacional en la Feria Internacional de Turismo de Guangzhou en la categoría de Internet / Media. Estos premios son organizados por el prestigioso organismo de turismo chino Chinese Outbound Tourism Research Institute.

¿Alguna vez te has preguntado cómo las grandes marcas, especialmente en el mundo hotelero, dominan las redes sociales? En nuestro nuevo podcast, nos zambullimos con David Díaz, Head of Social Media en Minor Europe & Americas (antes NH Hotel Group), para destapar todos los ases de la manga que tiene David a la hora de apañárselas en su día a día. Desde estrategias de contenido hasta manejar crisis y el inevitable "hate", este es tu pase VIP detrás de las cámaras del mundo de las redes sociales. En este episodio te hablaremos de: Trayectoria de David Díaz Molina. El equipo de Social Media a su cargo. Cómo y cuándo se diseña una estrategia. Qué métricas revisa constantemente. Aprendizajes de su experiencia con creadores o influencers. ¿Hubo crisis en Social Media? ¿Cómo se gestionó? Enlaces y recursos recomendados en el programa:  NH Hotel Group David Díaz Molina en LinkedIn -Síguenos en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingParadise -Nuestra newsletter sin humos: https://mkparadise.com/email -Academia de profesionales, no de profesores: https://mkparadise.com/academia

Il gruppo alberghiero Minor Hotels annuncia la nomina di Estelle Vassallo come Direttore Generale di Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel. Con vent'anni di esperienza nel settore dell'ospitalità, Estelle porta con sé un importante know how e una visione dinamica per questa struttura unica nel suo genere, situata a ottanta metri sopra la splendida città di Amalfi. 

Who has united 530 hotels, resorts, and eight kick-ass brands under one roof?

Ian Di Tullio, chief commercial officer for Minor Hotels, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at last month's ILTM Cannes luxury show about the growth of Minor and its many hotel brands, especially Anantara, Tivoli and NH Collection. Owned by a serial entrepreneur Bill Heinecke, Bangkok-based Minor is now expanding rapidly in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and even the Americas. For more information, visit www.minorhotels.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube.

    Relebogile speaks to Lindi Mthethwa the Regional Director of Sales and Marketing for Minor Hotels about the options you need to consider when booking a December holiday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our latest podcast episode, William Heinecke, Founder & Chairman, Minor Hotels in conversation with Jennifer Pettinger-Haines from The Bench, discusses his passion for sustainability in the hospitality industry and how Minor has been involved in various ESG initiatives. Minor Hotels has been involved in various innovative projects, from rescuing street elephants in Thailand to replanting coral in the Maldives, showcasing how cross-industry collaboration can accelerate sustainable practices. Register for our future editions: FHS Saudi: Al Faisaliah Hotel, Riyadh, from 29 April to 01 May 2024 FHS World: Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, from 30 Sep to 02 Oct 2024 futurehospitality.com #FutureHospitalitySummit

This week James and Lucy are visiting the Thai capital with Dane Halpin, Director of PR and Communications at Minor Hotels in Bangkok.We explore the contrasts of a city that is simultaneously traditional and modern, frenetic and serene. Join us for a mouth-watering foodie tour, an eye-opening street art trail and an unmissable festival that keeps locals cool in the scorching summer months… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Bruce Poon Tip, one of travel's most influential voices, about community tourism and we'll also take you to the tropical paradise that is the Maldives. Also on the pod, best outdoor showers and tubs, and which do you think is the best country for solo travel?  Social entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author and owner of adventure travel company G Adventure Bruce Poon Tip talks to Kirstie Bedford from Toronto about the importance of community tourism, and what you can do as a traveller to genuinely make change to communities in need.  Bruce also reveals the countries that are leading the way in travel for change, gadventures.com  Watch Bruce's moving video here, which is sure to change your perception of travel: thelasttouristfilm.com  To tropical islands and swaying palms, Belle catches up with Mark Thomson, a senior executive of Minor Hotels, which has seven hotels in the Maldives. The burning question is, with all our own sun and sand, why should Australians visit the Maldives? Visit avanihotels.com and  anantara.com  If you'd like to read more about those solo travel stats, here's the survey by left luggage service Bounce, usebounce.com  And finally, if you want to subscribe to the special 40th anniversary issue of Vacations & Travel which Kirstie mentions, click here: https://subscribe.vacationstravel.com/ Thanks for listening. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

On this episode we hear from Samantha. She came to Thailand for her internship and basically got stuck. She did do a pre-opening on an island in the Maldives, which she advises all her students to do, something I regret not doing, but during the conversation she reminded me that there are no wrong moves in your life. She spent some time in events, loyalty and now in education all with Minor Hotels for the past 13 years. we talked about culture and the impact on speaking up, how we have both experienced it. She encourages her students to always try asking questions because it will benefit your peers. She has great example where she gets the students involved using post it notes and practicing. Same goes with public speaking, start small before you move onto larger audiences. Find what works for you, whether in work or your personal life. Try different things till you know which techniques work for you. I also love how she approached networking with kindness and a view to paying it forward.

NH Hotel Group, part of Minor Hotels, annuncia l'apertura della sua tredicesima struttura milanese, NH Milano Corso Buenos Aires, situato all'angolo tra via Scarlatti e il celebre Corso Buenos Aires. In occasione dell'inaugurazione sono stati presentati i risultati di un'indagine commissionata ad AstraRicerche – istituto italiano di ricerche sociali e di marketing – incentrata sulla scoperta di come, quando, dove e perché gli italiani escono a bere un drink per un aperitivo o un cocktail dopo cena. Nel mese di febbraio e marzo 2023 sono stati raccolti numerosi dati frutto della somministrazione di un questionario a un campione di più di 1000 persone di età compresa tra i 18 e i 65 anni intervistate online su tutto il territorio nazionale con la metodologia CAWI.

David Garner, vice president-commercial for Minor Hotels, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Hotel about how Minor's many brands are expanding in the Middle East & Africa. Garner describes how such luxury brands as Anantara and Tivoli have opened around the region, including three in Dubai alone. He also highlights the growth of Minor's other brands, including NH Hotels, NH Collection, Avanti, Oaks and more. For more information, visit www.minorhotels.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube.

Marianne Walsh, vice president of marketing and communications for Minor Hotels, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the company's expansion of its luxury Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas brand in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. This is part of our series of interviews from ILTM Cannes, held Dec. 4-8 in France. For more information, visit www.minorhotels.com or www.anantara.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube.

Minor Hotels is a large international hotel group which has its origins in Thailand and is expanding into Africa, with 29 hotels and lodges already established in Africa but none yet in South Africa. John Maytham speaks to Lindi Mthethwa, Regional Director of Sales & Marketing for Minor Hotels Africa.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hear him now, on MARY GOSTELOW GIRLAHEAD PODCAST

In this episode, the Senior Vice President Operations Middle East and Africa at Minor Hotel Amir Golbarg tells me, some of its hotels are back to pre pandemic levels. Amir who has been attending the 16th Meetings Africa in Johannesburg South Africa says Minor Hotels is committed to expanding its enviable footprint in Africa.  Amir Golbarg heads up Operations in the Middle East and Africa region for Minor Hotels, in addition to the Indian Ocean islands of the Seychelles and Mauritius. Minor Hotels' portfolio currently totals 528 hotels in 56 countries and includes the highly-acclaimed luxury Anantara brand and the upscale Avani brand. Amir currently oversees a total of 33 properties in operation across ten countries and four brands, in addition to driving the development of a strong pipeline of properties within the region across multiple brands. This will see the launch of two new brands – NH Collection and NH Hotels – to the region later this year. Joining the Minor Hotels regional team in March 2019 as Vice President Operations for the Middle East, North Africa, Mauritius, and Seychelles, Amir was promoted in September 2021 to Senior Vice President Operations, including adding the group's operation in Southern Africa into the mix. Amir previously held the strategic position of Chief Operating Officer at Al Rayyan Hospitality and Corporate Director – Asset Management at Katara Hospitality. Both entities are subsidiaries of the state-owned Qatar Investment Authority and in this dual role, Amir supported the State of Qatar with the opening and positioning of government assets and hotels both locally and internationally, in addition to managing a portfolio of operating entities and opening five luxury properties. These included the relaunch of Ritz Carlton Doha, the rebranding of the Six Senses Spa with Chiva-Som Resort in Thailand, the renovation of Raffles Singapore and the acquisition of Grosvenor House London. A graduate of Glion Institute of Higher Education, Amir began his career in hospitality in 2004 and held various front of house roles for prestigious hotels such as Burj Al Arab and Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. Amir first joined Minor Hotels in 2012 as Director of Operations & Hotel Openings based in the Bangkok Corporate Office. He then held several international positions with Minor, before becoming Hotel Manager at Souq Waqif Hotel Doha, Qatar in 2015. Amir, who is a Danish national, is currently based in the Middle East Regional Office in Dubai. Now a seasoned international hotelier, Amir's passion for excellence has led him to successfully drive the operations and hospitality assets for a number of companies for over 17 years. Minor Hotels is an international hotel owner, operator and investor with a diverse portfolio of brands including Anantara, Avani, Oaks, Tivoli, NH Collection, NH, nhow and Elewana.  

Com uma estrutura de tirar o fôlego, atendimento humanizado e personalizado, e, claro, atividades que entretém hóspedes de todas as idades, o Tivoli Ecoresort é um destino perfeito para quem deseja descansar em meio a natureza mas não abre mão de luxo e conforto. Localizado no norte de Salvador, o resort conta com doze quilômetros de praia de areias brancas e corais que rendem fotos maravilhosas. Além disso, o Tivoli Ecoresort é muito procurado por casais que estão em lua de mel e também por quem deseja explorar o maravilhoso estado da Bahia, especialmente a natureza ao seu redor. E para falar sobre o empreendimento e também analisar o atual cenário da hotelaria país, o Seu Podcast de Turismo conversou com João Eça Pinheiro, diretor geral do Tivoli Ecoresort. Nascido em Portugal, João Eça tem uma longa história no ramo da hotelaria. Aos 23 anos, trabalhou em um dos mais importantes resorts português, o Algarve, onde ficou por 24 anos. Depois de muitos anos de história, em 2010, João foi convidado pelo o grupo Minor Hotels para comandar o Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte. “Foi a paixão pela natureza, pela região e pelas pessoas que nos levou a construir o Tivoli Ecoresort. Um projeto inovador e totalmente corajoso, pois na época o acesso a região era difícil, em meio a Mata Atlântica. Assim, desenvolvemos essa proposta de sustentabilidade que possibilita uma experiência única aos hóspedes, com muita qualidade e criatividade”, destaca o diretor. Projeto de sustentabilidade Transmitindo o seu conceito para os hóspedes, o empreendimento iniciou uma campanha de sustentabilidade que consiste em uma nova técnica sobre o uso das toalhas.  Funciona assim: Nas áreas comuns do resort, terá um QR Code em que o cliente precisará acessar para retirar a toalha que necessita. Entretanto, o sistema só permite que o hóspede utilize duas toalhas durante o dia. Após o uso, mais especificamente no fim do dia, o cliente dará baixa no sistema, devolvendo o acessório. Caso o cliente necessite de mais toalhas, será cobrada uma taxa que, posteriormente, será revertida para o projeto TAMAR e o Instituto Baleia Jubarte. Quer saber mais sobre os projetos do Tivoli Ecoresort? Confira a entrevista completa através do Seu Podcast de Turismo, nas plataformas Spotify, Google Play e Apple. https://open.spotify.com/episode/54PKPceTAXdjwHWTZ1mvea https://www.brasiltravelnews.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Seu-Podcast-de-Turismo-115.m4a

Com uma estrutura de tirar o fôlego, atendimento humanizado e personalizado, e, claro, atividades que entretém hóspedes de todas as idades, o Tivoli Ecoresort é um destino perfeito para quem deseja descansar em meio a natureza mas não abre mão de luxo e conforto. Localizado no norte de Salvador, o resort conta com doze quilômetros de praia de areias brancas e corais que rendem fotos maravilhosas. Além disso, o Tivoli Ecoresort é muito procurado por casais que estão em lua de mel e também por quem deseja explorar o maravilhoso estado da Bahia, especialmente a natureza ao seu redor. E para falar sobre o empreendimento e também analisar o atual cenário da hotelaria país, o Seu Podcast de Turismo conversou com João Eça Pinheiro, diretor geral do Tivoli Ecoresort. Nascido em Portugal, João Eça tem uma longa história no ramo da hotelaria. Aos 23 anos, trabalhou em um dos mais importantes resorts português, o Algarve, onde ficou por 24 anos. Depois de muitos anos de história, em 2010, João foi convidado pelo o grupo Minor Hotels para comandar o Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte. “Foi a paixão pela natureza, pela região e pelas pessoas que nos levou a construir o Tivoli Ecoresort. Um projeto inovador e totalmente corajoso, pois na época o acesso a região era difícil, em meio a Mata Atlântica. Assim, desenvolvemos essa proposta de sustentabilidade que possibilita uma experiência única aos hóspedes, com muita qualidade e criatividade”, destaca o diretor. Projeto de sustentabilidade Transmitindo o seu conceito para os hóspedes, o empreendimento iniciou uma campanha de sustentabilidade que consiste em uma nova técnica sobre o uso das toalhas.  Funciona assim: Nas áreas comuns do resort, terá um QR Code em que o cliente precisará acessar para retirar a toalha que necessita. Entretanto, o sistema só permite que o hóspede utilize duas toalhas durante o dia. Após o uso, mais especificamente no fim do dia, o cliente dará baixa no sistema, devolvendo o acessório. Caso o cliente necessite de mais toalhas, será cobrada uma taxa que, posteriormente, será revertida para o projeto TAMAR e o Instituto Baleia Jubarte. Quer saber mais sobre os projetos do Tivoli Ecoresort? Confira a entrevista completa através do Seu Podcast de Turismo, nas plataformas Spotify, Google Play e Apple. https://open.spotify.com/episode/54PKPceTAXdjwHWTZ1mvea http://brasiltravelnews.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Seu-Podcast-de-Turismo-115.m4a

Anantara Anji will have 162 guest rooms in an ecology-friendly Anji County. #MinorHotels #anantara #AnjiCounty #Zhejiang #Hangzhou #AnantaraAnjiResort #resortsinChina #EmeraldMountains #teaplantations #ecology #AnantaraSpa #Zen #pavilion #MengFanhao #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/anantara-expands-its-luxury-portfolio-in-china-with-the-announcement-of-anantara-anji-resort-6730.html

Two rare therapeutic treatments, ‘Yam Khang' and ‘Yajoo' #AnantaraChiangMai #NorthernThailand #massage #aromatherapy #YamKhang #Yajoo #Lanna #heritage #ThaiFireTherapy #plai #TokSen #spaandwellness #therapy #anantara #minorhotels #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/anantara-chiang-mai-resort-revives-ancient-northern-thai-healing-practices-for-the-body-and-soul-6742.html

A getaway to the capital of the old Khmer empire. #AnantaraAngkorResort #AngkorAllInclusiveDiscovery #AngkorWat #resortsinCambodia #anantara #minorhotels #getaway #SiemReap #hotelstays #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/anantara-angkor-resort-launches-all-inclusive-discovery-package-that-takes-exclusivity-to-another-level-6630.html

The first NH Collection property globally with a beach club. #minorhotels #NHCollection #DohaOasisHotel #BeachClub #RasAbuAbboud #hotelsinQatar #DillipRajakarier #Darwish #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/minor-hotels-announces-new-nh-collection-property-in-qatar-nh-collection-doha-oasis-hotel-amp-beach-club-to-open-in-mid-2022-6512.html

The resort offers back to nature and island escape experience. #minorhotels #avanihotels #kohlantakrabi #nature #islandescape #resortsinThailand #Thailand #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/avani-reimagine-krabi-with-the-launching-of-avani-koh-lanta-resort-6448.html

Joining MSpa International after a 17-year stint at Six Senses, Chunxia specializes in management, pre-opening, technical services and design for new spa and wellness facilities around the world #MSpa #Appoints #GroupDirectorofSpaandWellness #ChunxiaGao #MinorHotels #Onthemove #Hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/chunxia-gao-leads-mspa-international-as-group-director-of-spa-and-wellness-in-asia-6246.html

Located in a lush jungle on the banks of the Ruak River, the new Jungle Bubble Lodge is perched on a raised wooden deck offering uninterrupted views of rescued elephants and stargazing at night #Anantara #Thailand #AnantaraGoldenTriangleElephantCampandResort #JungleBubbles #JungleBubbleLodge #Attractions #Hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/anantara-golden-triangle-elephant-camp-amp-resort-launches-new-family-jungle-bubble-lodge-6226.html

TravelWise with Phil Blizzard and the opening of the eagerly awaited Anantara Dubai World Islands. In part 2 of this interview with Michael Marshall, Chief Operating Office for Minor Hotels the focus is on the GCC region. In the pipeline are several new hotels - such as The Anantara Ras Al Khaimah and Anantara - The Plaza in Qatar. To conclude Michael talks about the prospects for 'end of year 'travellers to Thailand, home to the HQ of Minor Hotels.

TravelWise with Phil Blizzard and as more countries open up to international travellers the focus this time is Thailand.  We catch up with Michael Marshall, Chief Operating Office for Minor Hotels - with their well know brands such as Anantara Hotels - Resorts - Spas and the  Avani Hotels & Resorts. In this the first of two podcasts Michael talks about the current regulations for visiting the 'Land of Smiles', how they had to restructure their operations to serve the domestic market and how the festive season is looking for international travellers.

Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas debuts in Hungary and continues expansion of the brand in European #anantara #AnantaraNewYorkPalaceBudapest #hotelsinHungary #BelleEpoque #DillipRajakarier #MinorHotels #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/6140_the-elegant-anantara-new-york-palace-budapest-hotel-joins-european-portfolio-of.html

New General Managers: Erik Billgren, Joao Corte-Real, Gaudéric Harang and Mohammed Wazir #anantara #ErikBillgren #AnantaraMuiNeResort #resortsinVietnam #GeneralManager #JoaoCorteReal #AnantaraKalutara #resortsinSriLanka #AvaniKalutara #GaudericHarang #SirBaniYasIsland #resortsinAbuDhabi #MohammedWazir #BananaIslandResortDoha #resortsinQatar #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5990_anantara-hotels-resorts-amp-spas-announces-new-general-manager-appointments-in-m.html

Anantara guests are now welcome to visit any part of the country after meeting the governments health and safety requirements under the new ‘Test & Go' scheme. #Anantara #AnantaraHotelsResortsandSpas #Thailand #Travel #LatestNews #Hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5959_thailand-s-borders-re-open-to-international-travellers-here-s-what-you-need-to-k.html

Brand new luxurious spa treatments showcasing the plant's myriad benefits. #anantara #minorhotels #AnantaraSpa #resortsinThailand #antioxidants #spatreatments #cannabis #cannabisinfused #spaandwellness #MuayThai #AnantaraSiamBangkok #AnantaraRiversideBangkok #AnantaraChiangMai #AnantaraBophutKohSamui #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5928_anantara-spa-launches-first-cannabis-infused-treatment-menu-in-thailand.html

From the mountains in the north to the bustling capital, down to the beaches in the south. #MinorHotels #anantara #resortsinThailand #JungleBubbles #GoldenTriangle #ChiangMai #loypelavoyages #AnantaraSiam #AnantaraBophutKohSamui #AnantaraLayan #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5902_anantara-ready-to-welcome-international-guests-back-to-thailand-with-unforgettab.html

Oaks Egypt New Capital Apartments & Suites to Launch in 2025 #MinorHotels #OaksEgyptNewCapitalApartments #OaksHotels #EgyptVision2030 #MarginsDevelopment #DillipRajakarier #SherifKhalil #newhotel #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5900_minor-hotels-to-debut-in-egypt-with-new-build-oaks-property.html

The opening marks the brand's debut in Italy. #anantara #minorhotels #AnantaraPalazzoNaiadiRome #hotelsinItaly #TheLeadingHotelsoftheWorld #hotelsinRome #historic #VillaBorghese #DillipRajakarier #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5888_historic-anantara-palazzo-naiadi-rome-hotel-joins-european-portfolio-of-anantara.html

We speak to James Hewitson, General Manager and Mohamed Abdelwahab, Area Director of Engineering, Middle East from Anantara The Palm, Dubai Resort, UAE. The hotel is owned by Seven Tides International and managed by Anantara part of MINOR Hotels group. All hotels under MINOR group have energy, water, and waste management as mandatory key performance indicators (KPI's) and receive consultation support from Green Growth 2050 to delivering the metrics. Eco-friendly resort Anantara The Palm Dubai resort has delivered on all its green metrics consistently; and received “Platinum status” certification on the Green Growth 2050 program. Recently, they have further shown their commitment to sustainability by installing a water filtration system from Infinity water systems, in July 2021, when most of the hospitality is still coping with the impact of the pandemic and fighting for survival. In the episode we discuss the challenges and opportunities facing a general manager in introducing green initiatives; right from having the CAPEX allocated, with getting owners buy-in to team alignment in implementation. The two sustainability focus areas of the hotel have been on “Energy and Plastics”. They have eliminated most of the single use plastic items from the hotel: straws, cutlery, room keys to now plastic bottles. Mohamed has had great success with energy efficiencies and reduced the property's energy bill by $250K savings in a single year. Proving that “Saving energy can—and will—impact profitability”. The next challenge for the hotel is waste reduction, as all Minor hotels have been tasked with 20% reduction in waste for 2022, compared to baseline 2016. In other episodes of the podcast, we have previously covered hotel sustainability stories from three different hotels; and we hope each of these episodes gives you an inspiration for your hotel's green journey. Previous related episodes: Episode 1 of the podcast shared the passion from Paul Schenk, as Hotel Manager of Crowne Plaza Oman with a passion to eliminate all plastic form the hotel. Episode 5 featured Soneva Resorts Maldives (25 years of sustainable luxury) shared on the podcast a few “smart commercial models implemented at the island” to fund their ongoing sustainability initiatives. Episode 16 covered the story from The Hotel Britomart, New Zealand's first and only 5 Green star rated hotel; working with local suppliers and in challenging the status quo to achieve sustainability Show Notes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameshewitson/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamed-abdelwahab-94ba0714/ https://www.anantara.com/en/palm-dubai https://www.seventides.com/ https://www.minorhotels.com/en https://www.greengrowth2050.com/ https://infinitywatersystems.com/ https://www.minor.com/storage/download/sustainability-reports/2020/mint-membership-certifications-en.pdf https://sustainabilitystoriespodcast.com/?p=309 https://sustainabilitystoriespodcast.com/?p=157 https://sustainabilitystoriespodcast.com/?p=461

The package for two people includes accommodation and breakfast, yoga session, massage, dinner and surfing session. #anantara #AnantaraUluwatuBali #KellySlater #ImpossibleBeach #PadangPadangBeach #BinginBeach #NusaDuaBeach #DreamlandBeach #BalanganBeach #GreenBowlBeach #surfing #yoga #resortsinBali #resortsinIndonesia #hoteloffers #diningoffers #hozpitality #minorhotels https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5836_catch-the-ultimate-break-and-discover-bali-s-hottest-surfing-spots-with-anantara.html

New family-style villas for travellers seeking their next winter sun escape. #anantara #AnantaraKihavahMaldivesVillas #villas #winter #island #KihavahCollection #Snorkel #OceanWhisperer #resortsinMaldives #hozpitality #minorhotels https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5815_anantara-kihavah-maldives-villas-launches-new-family-beach-pool-villas-for-the-u.html

From flying-in by private jet to handling the original golden gun from the 1974 film. #minorhotels #anantara #JamesBond #LayanResidences #resortsinPhuket #ManwiththeGoldenGun #privatejet #VIPexperiences #BangkoktoPhuket #AnantaraLayanPhuket #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5795_to-celebrate-the-latest-james-bond-movie-anantara-layan-phuket-launches-the-excl.html

A well-deserved break by the river to rediscover the heart and soul of the city that never sleeps. #anantara #bangkokriverside #AnantaraRiversideBangkok #ChaoPhrayaRiver #foodie #staycation #KlongTour #minorhotels #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5778_luxury-discovery-and-irresistible-offers-return-to-the-river-with-anantara-river.html

Anantara Iko Mauritius Resort & Villas is welcoming back guests with the introduction of daily activities focused on wellness and active wellbeing and the launch of its brand-new pool villas. #AnantaraIkoMauritius #resortsinMauritius #reopens #holisticwellness #getaway #staycation #island #anantara #minorhotels #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5741_anantara-iko-mauritius-resort-amp-villas-reopens-with-active-wellbeing-programme.html

Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas look forward to welcoming international travellers back to the luxurious comfort of Oman. #anantara #hotelsinOman #resortsinOman #CivilAviationAuthority #SupremeCommittee #AlJabalAlAkhdar #AlBaleedResortSalalah #beach #lagoon #MountainParadise #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5733_rediscover-the-beauty-of-oman-with-anantara.html

Chef Alexandre Castaldi is ready to welcome cabin-fevered patrons clamouring for the return of the communal experience back to SEEN. #MinorHotels #AlexandreCastaldi #seenrooftopbangkok #SEENBangkokRestaurant #AvaniRiverside #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5683_meet-head-chef-alexandre-castaldi-as-he-dishes-out-plans-for-returning-bangkok-d.html

Proprietário de mais 500 hotéis espalhados por todo continente, a Minor Hotels é responsável por grandes empreendimentos no Brasil, como o Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte (BA), Tivoli Mofarrej São Paulo e NH Curitiba The Five. Destacando-se também no setor de eventos, o grupo lidou com a crise do coronavírus com muito planejamento e com o auxilio das midias sociais, levando, assim, inovação e sofisticação. E para falar sobre isso, o Seu Podcast de Turismo, neste episódio, conversou com Marco Amaral, vice-presidente de Operações e Desenvolvimento para Europa e América do Sul da Minor Hotels.  Com raízes asiáticas e ambições globais, a história de sucesso da Minor Hotels se estende por quase cinco décadas, quando um jovem chamado William E. Heinecke fundou a Minor Holdings. Ano depois, a Minor cresceu e se expandiu por vários setores, criando marcas inovadoras e adquirindo empresas estrategicamente para fortalecer o portfólio. No Brasil, essa história se iniciou com a Tivoli Hotels e Restorts, presente em dois estados: São Paulo e Bahia. Sobre a pandemia A crise sanitária causada pelo coronavírus abalou todo o setor turístico e também foi responsável, segundo Marco Amaral, pelo fortalecimento do papel do social media dentro do campo. "A implementação de novas tecnologias sempre é muito importante e permite o contato com os clientes, via redes sociais, e também permite uma gestão de inventário, ou seja, a busca de novos clientes e a adequação a esse público", afirma o vice-presidente, que volta há 2 anos e detalha como foi o inicio da pandemia para o grupo. "Foi um momento de repensar tudo, se reorganizar e até mesmo se preparar para o pior. Porém, com muito trabalho interno e também com a vacina, conseguimos retornar e manter o nosso padrão de qualidade", explica. Quer saber mais sobre a Minor Hotels? Confira a entrevista completa através do Seu Podcast de Turismo, nas plataformas Spotify, Google Play e Apple. https://www.brasiltravelnews.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Seu-Podcast-de-Turismo-103.mp3

Proprietário de mais 500 hotéis espalhados por todo continente, a Minor Hotels é responsável por grandes empreendimentos no Brasil, como o Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte (BA), Tivoli Mofarrej São Paulo e NH Curitiba The Five. Destacando-se também no setor de eventos, o grupo lidou com a crise do coronavírus com muito planejamento e com o auxilio das midias sociais, levando, assim, inovação e sofisticação. E para falar sobre isso, o Seu Podcast de Turismo, neste episódio, conversou com Marco Amaral, vice-presidente de Operações e Desenvolvimento para Europa e América do Sul da Minor Hotels.  Com raízes asiáticas e ambições globais, a história de sucesso da Minor Hotels se estende por quase cinco décadas, quando um jovem chamado William E. Heinecke fundou a Minor Holdings. Ano depois, a Minor cresceu e se expandiu por vários setores, criando marcas inovadoras e adquirindo empresas estrategicamente para fortalecer o portfólio. No Brasil, essa história se iniciou com a Tivoli Hotels e Restorts, presente em dois estados: São Paulo e Bahia. Sobre a pandemia A crise sanitária causada pelo coronavírus abalou todo o setor turístico e também foi responsável, segundo Marco Amaral, pelo fortalecimento do papel do social media dentro do campo. "A implementação de novas tecnologias sempre é muito importante e permite o contato com os clientes, via redes sociais, e também permite uma gestão de inventário, ou seja, a busca de novos clientes e a adequação a esse público", afirma o vice-presidente, que volta há 2 anos e detalha como foi o inicio da pandemia para o grupo. "Foi um momento de repensar tudo, se reorganizar e até mesmo se preparar para o pior. Porém, com muito trabalho interno e também com a vacina, conseguimos retornar e manter o nosso padrão de qualidade", explica. Quer saber mais sobre a Minor Hotels? Confira a entrevista completa através do Seu Podcast de Turismo, nas plataformas Spotify, Google Play e Apple. http://brasiltravelnews.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Seu-Podcast-de-Turismo-103.mp3

Tree House is a dining journey that consists of a premium chef's-choice set menu. #minorhotels #anantara #AnantaraMaiKhaoPhuketVillas #TreeHouse #Omakase #restaurant #BanyanTree #gastronomy #FredericVarnier #hozpitality #diningexperience https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5656_anantara-mai-khao-phuket-villas-announces-chic-new-omasake-dining-concept.html

Anantara Ubud Bali Resort is scheduled to open in mid-2022 on the island of Bali. #minorhotel #anantara #AnantaraUbudBali #luxury #DillipRajakarier #EDCInternational #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5608_anantara-expands-its-luxury-portfolio-with-the-announcement-of-anantara-ubud-bal.html

Anantara Chiang Mai's spy-themed The Service 1921 Restaurant and Bar resort launches a healthy and nutrition-rich cannabis-infused menu. #anantara #minorhotels #AnantaraChiangMai #CannabisInfused #Service1921Restaurant #healythyfoods #HempinDistiller #chiangmai #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5581_anantara-chiang-mai-resort-launches-its-nutritious-cannabis-infused-menu.html

The Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus models making travel to Thailand safe and smooth once again. #anantara #minorhotels #resortsinThailand #PhuketSandbox #SamuiPlus #AmazingThailand #AnantaraMaiKhao #AnantaraLayan #LayanResidences #AnantaraLawana #AnantaraRasananda #StaywithPeaceofMind #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5544_international-guests-return-to-thailand-for-luxurious-double-destination-stays-i.html

Prizes worth over US$ 20,000 to be won #anantara #minorhotels #GoldenTriangleAsianElephantFoundation #fitness #wildliferangers #ThailandtoPhilippines #CambodiatoTanzania #RunWalkCrawlforRangers #CardamomTentedCampConcession #WildlifeAlliance #MasungiGeoreserve #helpingelephants #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5552_step-up-in-september-to-protect-wildlife-elephants-and-forests.html

The new island resort will be Anantara's seventh property in the UAE and the first resort to open on the World Islands #anantara #minorhotels #AnantaraWorldIslandsDubai #ArabianGulf #WorldIslandsDubai #DillipRajakarier #AbdullabinSulayem #AnantaraThePalmDubai #hozpitality #SevenTidesLimited https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5534_anantara-hotels-resorts-amp-spas-announces-upcoming-launch-of-new-resort-on-duba.html

New build Avani and Tivoli Hotels to launch in 2024 #minorhotels #edamah #BahrainRealEstateInvestmentCompany #AvaniBilajAlJazayer #TivoliBilajAlJazayer #BilajAlJazayer #WilliamHeinecke #DillipRajakarier #AminAlarrayed #hotelsinBahrain #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5514_minor-hotels-announces-upcoming-debut-in-bahrain.html

A collection of the largest private pool residences in the world. #anantara #anantarakihavahmaldives #minorhotels #PoolResidences #privatepool #resortsinMaldives #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5510_anantara-kihavah-maldives-villas-unveils-collection-of-expansive-private-pool-re.html

Online sales in August to benefit Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation #MinorHotels #anantara #helpingelephants #prefallcollection #OnlineSales #elephant #jungle #donation #AnantaraGoldenTriangleElephantCamp #GoldenTriangleAsianElephantFoundation #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5498_rumble-in-the-thai-jungle-inspires-nicole-miller-pre-fall-2021-collection.html

Avani reveals the new ‘Plus' look of its Seychelles resort's upgrade #MinorHotels #avanihotels #AvaniBarbaronsSeychelles #AvaniPlus #AvaniBeachSuites #AmirGolbarg #GlobalHotelAlliance #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5495_avani-seychelles-announces-significant-renovation-and-will-relaunch-as-avani.html

Anantara's portfolio serves as the perfect springboard for a truly unforgettable trip. Whether it's visiting the towering Burj Khalifa, which topped the poll as the most-searched bucket list experience. #MinorHotels #anantara #bucketlist #AnantaraThePalmDubai #CNBC #BungeeJump #BurjKhalifa #RoyalLivingstoneZambia #VictoriaFalls #sunrise #AngkorWat #AnantaraAngkor #QasrAlSarabDesert #DesertDreaming #AnantaraTempleGuru #AnantaraKihavahMaldives #AnantaraPeaceHavenTangalle #WalkwithGiants #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5487_the-most-searched-for-bucket-list-experiences-with-anantara-hotels-resorts-amp-s.html

The awards are conducted via an independent research process and are regarded as one of the most distinguished in the world. #minorhotels #seenbeachclubsamui #SohoHospitality #BestLuxuryCommercialInteriorDesign #LuxuryLifestyleAwards #EmanuelGrosch #RohitSachdev #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5460_koh-samui-s-seen-samui-beach-club-and-soho-hospitality-make-waves-at-the-prestig.html

Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort and Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan Villas are set to reopen. #MinorHotels #anantara #KohSamui #KohPhangan #AnantaraLawanaKohSamuiResort #AnantaraBophutKohSamui #AnantaraRasanandaKohPhangan #StaywithPeaceofMind #SamuiPlusModel #FishermansVillage #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5431_anantara-welcomes-back-international-guests-to-thailand-s-renowned-islands-of-ko.html

Chef Paco Roncero to host dining experiences at Anantara Kihavah Villas & Niyama Private Islands Maldives #AnantaraMaldives #PacoRoncero #NiyamaPrivateIslands #AnantaraKihavah #DinneratSEA #LunchatFIRE #DinneratEdge #LunchatSubsix #CookingClass #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5407_six-metres-below-amp-above-in-the-maldives-with-two-michelin-starred-chef-paco-r.html

A holistic wellness retreat from 19-22 August 2021 at The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara in Zambia. #anantara #minorhotels #TheRoyalLivingstone #resortsinZambia #retreat #wellness #culture #ZambeziRiver #Vinyasayoga #StuartKirton #YoYogaStudio #Ashtanga #hot26 #RestorativeYoga #ShadowYoga #AnantaraSpa #hotelstays #cruise #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5360_a-holistic-wellness-retreat-on-the-banks-of-the-zambezi-river.html

Now the island is ready to welcome back visitors from around the world from July 1st and Anantara has put together a top ten unmissable things to experience on a visit to Phuket. #minorhotels #anantara #AnantaraPhuket #PhuketTown #GiantLillies #SarasinBridge #ChalongBayRum #KohPanyee #TheResidencesLayan #maikhaophuket #layanphuket #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5346_phuket-is-now-open-for-international-travellers-here-s-anantara-s-top-10-things.html

The partnership is to jointly develop and operate upscale hospitality projects in China #minorhotels #FunyardHotels #hotelmanagement #partnership #MemorandumofUnderstanding #hotelsinChina #JiHongjun #DillipRajakarier #development #upscale #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5321_minor-hotels-announces-strategic-partnership-with-funyard-hotels-amp-resorts.html

Pascal Bertrand brings over 35 years of luxury hospitality experience from around the globe. #minorhotels #anantara #AnantaraIkoMauritius #PascalBertrand #generalmanager #resortsinMauritius #hotelier #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5336_anantara-iko-mauritius-resort-amp-villas-announces-appointment-of-new-general-ma.html

The resort will undergo a total redesign with all the public areas and accommodation. #minorhotels #NaladhuPrivateIsland #naladhumaldives #resortsinMaldives #relaunch #renovation #privatebeach #lagoon #YujiYamazaki #BeachHouse #OceanHouse #snorkeling #GilesSelves #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5340_new-look-naladhu-private-island-maldives-to-relaunch-in-november.html

A luxurious offer from Anantara destinations across the Indian Ocean, Spain and Mozambique. #anantara #EidalAdha #resortsinSpain #resortsinMozambique #beachfront #AfricanIslandParadise #AnantaraBazaruto #AnantaraPeaceHavenTangalle #AnantaraVeliMaldives #AnantaraKihavahMaldives #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5305_magical-eid-al-adha-getaways-by-anantara-hotels-resorts-amp-spas.html

Brings over a decade of experience from some of the best restaurants and luxury resorts. #anantara #MinorHotels #AnantaraRasanandaKohPhanganVillas #LucasLeonardiVarin #ExecutiveChef #Yukinoya #beachfront #MichelinStar #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5118_anantara-rasananda-koh-phangan-villas-welcomes-executive-chef-lucas-leonardi-var.html

Yann Decaix brings over 20 years of experience in the industry. #AvaniIbnBattutaDubai #YannDecaix #AvaniHotels #MinorHotels #generalmanager #DubaiExpo2020 #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5122_avani-ibn-battuta-dubai-hotel-announces-appointment-of-new-general-manager.html

NH Hotel Group to launch NH Dubai The Palm, later this year. #minorhotels #NHhotels #NHDubaiThePalm #DillipRajakarier #PalmJumeirah #SevenTides #AbdullabinSulayem #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5072_nh-hotels-announces-upcoming-debut-of-brand-in-middle-east-region.html

Skydive into the Tropics at Niyama Private Islands Maldives #NiyamaPrivateIslandsMaldives #Skydive #skydiving #DhaaluAtoll #minorhotels #tropicalislands #flight #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5063_adrenaline-junkies-delight-as-skydiving-lands-at-niyama-private-islands-maldives.html

Planning European summer getaways just got easier with the reopening of two stunning Anantara resorts on the Mediterranean; Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Marbella in Spain and Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort in Portugal. #anantara #SouthernEurope #AnantaraVillaPadiernaPalace #hotelsinSpain #AnantaraVilamouraAlgarve #hotelsinPortugal #hozpitality https://www.hozpitality.com/Minor_Hotels/read-article/5067_anantara-hotels-resorts-amp-spas-in-spain-amp-portugal-reopen-in-time-for-a-luxu.html

En este nuevo episodio de Experto en Hoteles dialogamos con Serge Ditesheim, General Manager de One&Only Mandarina en la Riviera Nayarit que inaugura en noviembre de 2020, también conversamos sobre Anantara con Manuel Melenchon, Vicepresidente de Operaciones en Minor Hotels y hablamos con Lucy Ruiz, General Manager de Hyatt Centric Las Condes Santiago, en la capital de Chile.

TravelWise podcast with Phil Blizzard - an interview special with guest Michael Marshall, COO, Bangkok headquartered Minor Hotels. In this interview they talk about the groups portfolio of hotel brands - which includes Anantara, Avani, Tivoli. Also camps, lodges and hotels across Africa within the Elewana Collection plus the groups expansion into Europe with NH Hotels. The conversation also focuses on the current tourism scene in Thailand which is opening up to international travellers in a phased manner. They also talk about the COVID-19 protocols in place in their hotels.

In this week's first podcast, David and Catherine are joined by Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of Minor International and CEO of Minor Hotels. With exposure in almost 60 markets around the world, Minor has taken a country-by-country approach to tackling the crisis, always putting the safety and welfare of their teams and guests first. Looking at the crisis from the perspective of Minor's home base in Thailand, Dillip says regional travel will return first, but international arrivals will take much longer to come back. Even countries such as Sri Lanka, which he praises for the speed at which they got the virus under control, will struggle because the strict curfews have brought the country's economy to its knees. On the other hand, Dillip believes the crisis may force change upon certain destinations like the Maldives that desperately need recalibrating. Recent years have seen the country navigate towards a lower-cost market, which was not good for the country, and he hopes this may cause the Maldives to return to its roots as a high-end luxury destination.