Podcasts about ota

Ep.389 - Il Digital Markets Act ha imposto nuove regole ai grandi gatekeeper del web, e due di questi toccano da vicino gli albergatori: Booking.com e Google. In questa puntata Edoardo Ridolfi e Marco Matarazzi analizzano come la normativa europea abbia colpito i due colossi in modi molto diversi. Da una parte Booking, dove lo stop definitivo alla parity rate va a vantaggio dell'hotel indipendente. Dall'altra Google, dove l'intervento contro l'abuso di posizione dominante ha finito per penalizzare anche le strutture, spingendo le OTA in cima ai risultati di ricerca a scapito di Google Travel.

This Episode is Sponsored by StayFi Your ultimate tool for Vacation Rental WiFi marketing allowing you to collect guest emails automatically via custom captive WiFi login splash pages. Drive repeat direct bookings and convert your OTA bookings to book direct for their next visit. Visit https://stayfi.com/vrsuccess/ and use code VRSUCCESS for 50% off 3 months of StayFi service. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This summer Andrew Kitchell opened up Wheelhouse and invited his customers to build on top of it. Not engineers. Customers. Property managers, revenue managers, and a fair number of people who had never built anything in their lives. Over four days, 120 people from six continents worked together, and 40 of them finished with a working prototype. The top prize of $5,000 went to a full-time property manager who had never told anyone he was interested in building software. Heather has spent her own summer building, so she came to this conversation with the question she keeps turning over: if someone with no coding background can build a working app, does that mean every property manager should? Andrew has a clear answer, and it has nothing to do with the tools. His view is that the barrier is no longer technology or design or user experience. It is permission. Giving yourself permission to stop doing what you normally do and decide that today is a build day. Along the way they get into what a hackathon actually is, why Wheelhouse now describes itself as a growth company rather than a pricing company, how MCPs let you ask questions of your portfolio in plain language, and where building your own tools earns its keep against where it becomes an expensive hobby. About Andrew Kitchell Andrew Kitchell has been in and around the short-term rental space for around fifteen years, starting as an Airbnb host in San Francisco while the platform itself was being built a few blocks away. He joined an eight-person urban rental company that was updating its prices by hand twice a week, spent a weekend hacking the Airbnb API to automate it, and four weeks later the business had pivoted into Beyond Pricing. He went on to found Wheelhouse and the operating company Lyric, and has run both technology businesses and operating businesses through some hard cycles, including losing Lyric entirely when COVID hit. Wheelhouse today connects to around 800,000 listings and has opened its full platform to anyone who wants to build on it. Key Takeaways The barrier to building your own tools is no longer technical skill. Andrew argues it is permission, the decision to stop doing today what you normally do and treat a few hours as build time. If you can describe a problem clearly, you are much closer to solving it than you think. Property managers describe their operational problems better than almost anyone, and that description is now most of the work. The old software model asked the person who understood the customer to hand that understanding to an engineer and hope it survived the journey. That gap has closed, and the people closest to the problem can now solve it themselves. You do not have to build anything yourself to benefit. Direct booking sites, owner reports, and small internal tools are all cheaper and faster to produce now, whoever builds them. Building is worth the time when it lands in your quieter season and when what you learn carries into the next build. Treat the first few attempts as research and development, not as finished product. MCPs remove the need to understand APIs at all. Connect Wheelhouse to Claude and you can ask questions of your portfolio and execute pricing strategy in ordinary language, which Andrew sums up as a click is a command, is a chat. An open platform produces better outcomes than a single one. After the hackathon there is no longer one Wheelhouse experience, there are forty-one, each built by someone who knew exactly what they needed. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why don't guests book direct – and how do you fix it?In this episode of Built to Book, Jonas Baum, Head of CX at Smoobu, breaks down how to build a direct booking website that converts. Learn the trust signals, AI workflows, and booking flow fixes to help you build a smarter, more successful, and more sustainable short-term rental business.If you're getting traffic but no bookings, this is your 30-day plan to turn Airbnb and Booking.com guests into repeat direct bookers – with offers the OTAs can't match, better photography, stronger brand, and a frictionless checkout.Special offer: Get 20% off Smoobu with the code HOSTPLANET20: https://www.smoobu.com/en/hostplanet/?utm_source=hostplanet&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=podcast_3In this episode we cover:- What goes wrong when a guest doesn't book direct- Why brand matters whether you have one property or hundreds- Core trust signals every direct booking website  needs- How to utilise AI to build your brand and content faster- Where booking flows lose people – and how to fix drop-off- What to offer direct that Airbnb can't match- How to convert an OTA booker to a direct booker next time- Photography, about pages, add-ons and the traffic-but-no-bookings fix- Simple 30-day plan for more direct bookings Timestamps:1:34 When a guest doesn't book, what's gone wrong?5:12 Brand means the same whether you have one property or hundreds8:54 The core trust signals on a direct booking website10:42 Get 20% off Smoobu with the code HOSTPLANET20: https://www.smoobu.com/en/hostplanet/?utm_source=hostplanet&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=podcast_311:36 How to utilise AI to build your brand14:38 Where booking flows lose people16:58 What to offer on your direct booking website (that the OTAs like Airbnb and Booking.com can't match)19:59 Turn an OTA booker into a direct booker next time22:23 What a website that's quietly killing bookings looks like24:02 The importance of photography25:46 The fix that flips the switch for hosts getting traffic but no bookings27:12 A good add-on is a strong about page28:31 The simple 30-day plan to achieve more direct bookingsBuilt to Book from Host Planet and Smoobu helps hosts drive more direct bookings with practical tips on websites, brand, marketing and automation.#HostPlanetPodcast #BuiltToBook #DirectBookings

Drs. Christopher Doro and Lauren Summers discuss d distal humerus fractures. They cover diagnosis and management of these patients in this high yield case series. For additional educational resources visit OTA.org

On this week's show we look into an article that alleges LG's Smart TVs are listening in on your conversations even when the screen is off. We also do a quick rundown on what Dolby's AC4 is and where you can experience it. We also read your emails and look at the week's news. News: Streaming Is Raising Prices Faster Than Cable Ever Did More than half of consumers want live TV and streaming in one package  LG Smart TVs caught listening even with the screen off Stan from Pittsburg sent us a link to an article (LG Smart TVs caught listening even with the screen off) at FlatpanelsHD claiming LG smart TVs collect more data than many owners realize — including with the screen off. What the investigation found LG TVs use ACR (automatic content recognition): they snapshot what's on screen, including HDMI sources, for ad targeting. FlatpanelsHD notes this has been industry-wide for years, not unique to LG. The TVs scan the local Wi‑Fi network, identify other devices, and send back data such as IP address, location, and nearby network names. Voice features can transcribe speech after "Hi LG." The mic can stay active 10–15 seconds after silence. Researchers reported recording/transcription even with the display off, and that locally stored data can upload later when the set reconnects (including for a firmware update). That last point is presented as conflicting with LG's claim that its TVs "do not collect, record, or store ambient conversations." LG had not commented when the article ran. Flatpanel's Recommendation Turn ACR off if you can, or take the TV off the internet and use an external streamer (Apple TV, or Roku.). Firmware can be updated via USB instead of online. ACR is an old, industry-wide problem and it's unclear why the article focused only on LG. They still argue the mic/network findings are worth attention. They also link their earlier piece ranking Apple TV 4K as stronger on privacy because it doesn't do this kind of viewing tracking. Update - In a statement sent to Tom's Hardware, LG said "The claims made in the recently published video are not true. LG TVs process voice data only when the voice button on the remote control is pressed and held, or when a wake word such as 'Hi LG' is recognized after the user has activated the Far-Field voice recognition feature. Other than these instances, the TVs do not collect or record ambient conversations. (If the wake word is not recognized, no voice data is transmitted to the server; the audio processing for wake word detection is performed locally on the device and is immediately deleted.)" Dolby AC-4 One of our listeners, Scott, sent an email asking us to discuss Dolby AC-4 so that is what we are going to do today! Dolby AC-4 is Dolby's next-generation audio codec for broadcast and streaming. It was designed as a clean-sheet replacement for the older Dolby Digital family, not as a tweak of it. Compared with Dolby Digital Plus, AC-4 aims for similar or better quality at roughly half the bitrate. It natively handles channel-based audio, object-based Dolby Atmos, dialogue enhancement, loudness control, multiple language tracks, and different renderings for speakers vs. headphones in one bitstream. There are several profiles/levels: Level 3 — the version widely built into TVs (broadcast/OTT Atmos-style delivery). Level 4 — fuller Atmos metadata, including headphone/head-tracking features. IMS (Immersive Stereo) — a stereo-plus-metadata flavor used for Atmos music on phones and headphones. Is it backwards compatible? No. An AC-4 bitstream cannot be decoded by a Dolby Digital (AC-3) or Dolby Digital Plus decoder. Old AVRs, soundbars, and TVs that only know DD+ (AC-3) will not play AC-4. What is compatible is the playback path in new TVs and set-top boxes. Those devices decode AC-4 internally, then output whatever the next box needs: PCM stereo, AC-3, DD+, or Atmos over HDMI. So the living-room chain can still work; the codec itself is not drop-in compatible with older Dolby formats. Services that must reach mixed old/new hardware still send DD+ or AAC as a fallback. Devices that support it AC-4 decoding is common in UHD TVs shipped since about 2017, especially models that already license Dolby Audio (Dolby has said it is in a large majority of new UHD TVs). Early public commitments came from Samsung, Sony, and Vizio; it is also in many Android TV / Google TV platforms and some Amazon Fire TV devices. It is not universal: Pre-~2017 TVs, most older soundbars/AVRs, and a lot of cheap streaming sticks do not decode it. ATSC 3.0 ("NextGen TV") tuners are the main over-the-air path in the U.S.; tuner support is still incomplete across brands and model lines. Most consumer AVRs still expect Atmos via DD+ JOC (Joint Object Coding) or TrueHD, not a raw AC-4 bitstream from the source. Note - JOC  allows an Atmos-capable TV, soundbar, or AVR to use the "JOC" metadata to build the immersive mix. An older DD+-only device ignores the extra data and just plays the core 5.1 Studios and television Broadcast is the main home. AC-4 is an official audio system for ATSC 3.0 in the U.S. and is adopted by DVB in Europe. NextGen TV stations can (and some do) use it for Atmos, dialogue enhancement, and multiple presentations. Immersive AC-4 on U.S. OTA is still uneven; many 3.0 stations have not yet gone full Atmos. Streaming is later. Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and most other major video services still deliver Atmos as Dolby Digital Plus + JOC. Peacock has publicly committed to AC-4 (alongside Dolby Vision 2), with rollout described as later in 2026. Atmos music already uses AC-4 IMS on several apps. Studios still master Atmos the same way. The delivery codec is chosen per platform: cinema TrueHD, most streaming DD+ JOC, NextGen TV and a few future streamers AC-4. AC-4 is in the pipeline; it is not yet the default living-room streaming format.

This Episode is Sponsored by StayFi Your ultimate tool for Vacation Rental WiFi marketing allowing you to collect guest emails automatically via custom captive WiFi login splash pages. Drive repeat direct bookings and convert your OTA bookings to book direct for their next visit. Visit https://stayfi.com/vrsuccess/ and use code VRSUCCESS for 50% off 3 months of StayFi service. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A while back I talked with Suzanne Young (ex-Hacker) about how to prepare a property for guests with autism. That conversation covered the host's side of it. This one covers the other side, which is what the families themselves are looking for, and what they wish they could find out before they book. Eloisa Jones is a travel designer who plans sensory-friendly trips for neurodivergent families. She is also an autism parent, a short-term rental owner, and the writer of a weekly newsletter that has now run for seventy-one weeks without a break. What she brings to this conversation is a level of detail most of us have never had to think about. The light bulb that gives off a high pitch. The ceiling fan that throws a flicker across the room. The blanket that clumps if it is dried on the wrong cycle. The bleach smell that turns an arrival into a migraine. The second half turns to search. Families are now asking ChatGPT for a sensory-friendly rental with low lighting and no open floor plan, and Eloisa is blunt about what that means for your listing. If your website does not say those things, you will not be found. About Eloisa Eloisa Jones is the founder of Gathering Memories Travel and the writer of The Autism Passport newsletter. Born in Mexico City, she spent eighteen months living in Japan, and she has traveled for more than twenty years with family members on the autism spectrum. She holds four certifications in autism and accessible travel, including IBCCES and Autism Double-Checked, and has owned and run her own short-term rental since 2019. The travel business funds a longer-term goal, which is a nonprofit supporting autistic young adults at the point where school-age support ends. Key Takeaways Family-friendly tells an autism family nothing. Specifics do. Which bedroom is quietest, how far the property sits from a main road, whether the yard is fenced, how many steps there are to the door, whether the washing machine backs onto a living space. Most of what makes a property autism-ready costs very little. Warm dimmable bulbs that do not flicker or give off a high pitch, cleaning products without harsh chemicals, an air purifier run before arrival, a smooth blanket for the couch, microfiber sheets that do not pill. Scent is a bigger problem than most owners realize. Plug-ins, scented candles, heavy diffusers and the bleach some cleaners leave behind can trigger a migraine the moment a family walks through the door. Eloping matters and most listings never mention it. Families with a child who runs need to know about door safety, road proximity and fencing before they book, and inexpensive door stops address more of this than owners expect. Search has changed. Families are typing whole sentences into ChatGPT, so listings need the actual phrases: sensory-friendly, low stimulation, neurodivergent welcome, predictable environment, single story, blackout curtains. Treat this as a loyalty market rather than a niche accommodation problem. One family recommends another, and they come back. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Omakase is back for another episode, as John is joined by returning guest Paul Volsch, co-host of the Emerald Flow Show on this very network! They start out a week of talking about mostly smaller shows building to bigger ones with STARDOM's 9/6 Korakuen Hall event, a show that featured some good build to their upcoming Yokohama Budokan show and also a truly horrendous High Speed Title match. They then give a full preview of said Yokohama Budokan show on 9/12 including how likely they think all the major titles are to change hands.Then it's back to the world of Tokyo Joshi to cover their 9/5 Yokohama Radiant Hall event, featuring a great three-way tag match to determine the Princess Tag challengers on their major Ota show early next month. They also give a quick look ahead at what's coming up for TJPW, including an early look at said Ota card and how tickets are moving for it so far. They then continue their ongoing coverage of Marigold's Dream Star GP with a look at the day/night doubleheader from Osaka, including some stuff that really worked for them and a couple things that really, really didn't. (NOTE: This was recorded before Nao Ishikawa withdrew from the rest of her Dream Star GP matches- just noting this since at one point we speculate about whether or not she's out for the rest of the tournament, and now we obviously know she is!)Finally, they wrap things up with a quite passionate review of Dragongate's 9/3 Korakuen show, a truly baffling event on multiple levels. Allegedly this was to build their own major show, also on 9/12 from Ota, but unless you count Jiro Shimbashi it's hard to figure out how exactly this show was supposed to even do that. They rant quite a bit about DG booking in 2026 in general as they also preview said Ota show with an absolutely absurd name (seriously, what was wrong with Dangerous Gate guys??). Also some other odds & ends including Paul attending All In in London, the Wrestle Kingdom 21 ticket prices & on sale dates finally being revealed, and more!Check out the Emerald FlowShow: https://redcircle.com/shows/the-emerald-flowshowFollow Wrestling Omakase's Twitter account: http://www.twitter.com/wrestleomakaseFollow John on Bluesky: http://bsky.app/profile/justoneenby.bsky.socialOur Sponsors:* Sign up for MyBookie today and use our code VOWNETWORK for access to MyBookie's one of a kind Bet Back Bonus! If your bet hits, you win. If it misses, you'll earn a 100% Refund of up to $500 in Free Play. It's win-win. Get in on the action now at https://www.mybookie.agAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Annie Holcombe has spent her career refusing to pick a side in the hotel versus vacation rental debate, working her way through property management, Expedia during the HomeAway and Vrbo years, channel management, and business development for Marriott Homes and Villas. She is now founder of Annie & Co, coaching independent vacation rental operators on distribution and growth, while also serving as a brand ambassador and US market consultant for Booking.com, sitting on the VRMA board, and co-hosting the podcast Alex and Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals. Susan and Annie talk about convergence, consistency, and commissions. What You'll Learn - Why the early job Annie's most grateful for wasn't the one you'd guess - What it took to finally convince Annie to bet on her own business instead of someone else's - What happened to the company Annie and her husband ran together before this one - How Annie decides what gets her time between consulting, board seats, a podcast, and her own company - Why hotels and vacation rentals used to feel like separate worlds, and what's pulling them together now - What a converted roadside motel reveals about where hospitality is headed - How the OTA relationship changes depending on which side of the lodging industry you're standing on - Why rate parity gets complicated the moment you're not a thousand-room hotel chain - Why the vacation rental industry can't seem to agree on standards, and whether that could ever change - What conventional wisdom Annie wants new rental operators to ignore, and what she'd tell them instead - Where Annie predicts the hotel versus vacation rental rivalry actually lands Key takeaway:  The hotel and vacation rental worlds are converging, whether the industry likes it or not, and the winners will be the ones who stop fighting over turf and start listening to what guests actually want. Our sponsor, Lodgify [https://www.lodgify.com/], has a special Labor Day promo from August 25th to September 8th. Using code TOPFLOOR60, our audience will get 60% off their Professional and Ultimate plans (one- or two-year plans). This is a huge deal, so jump on it quickly! Annie Holcombe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-holcombe-vrgal/ Annie & Co. https://anniecosolutions.com/ Join the Top Floor Mail Club https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/mail-club

Drs. Alex Crespo, Nathaniel Schaffer, and Benjamin Wharton discuss proximal humeral fractures. They cover diagnosis and management of these patients in this high yield case series. For additional educational resources visit OTA.org

La Unión Europea prepara nuevas reglas para facilitar que ciudades y gobiernos limiten los alquileres turísticos de corta estancia en las zonas con problemas de acceso a la vivienda. El borrador del Affordable Housing Act, cuya presentación está prevista para el 9 de septiembre, contempla criterios comunes para identificar mercados bajo presión y permitir medidas como límites cuantitativos a las viviendas destinadas a plataformas como Airbnb, siempre que sean proporcionales y no discriminatorias.El turismo en España avanza hacia una desestacionalización cada vez más evidente, impulsada no solo por las políticas del sector, sino también por los elevados precios de julio y agosto, la masificación y las temperaturas extremas. Por primera vez, mayo superó este año a junio con más de 10 millones de llegadas internacionales, mientras las reservas para mayo, septiembre y octubre llevan creciendo de forma sostenida desde 2023 y hoteles, agencias y plataformas están adaptando su oferta a un calendario turístico más amplio.La industria MICE española afronta un fuerte incremento del absentismo laboral, cuyo coste económico alcanzó los 2.339 millones de euros en 2025. El primer informe específico elaborado por Foro MICE contabiliza 819.819 procesos de incapacidad temporal y señala que las bajas por contingencias comunes han crecido un 23,9% desde 2022, con una duración media un 17,5% superior y una especial preocupación por el aumento de los trastornos relacionados con la salud mental.Los bancos y las tarjetas de crédito están adelantando a hoteles y aerolíneas en una batalla que hasta ahora parecía reservada a las empresas turísticas: la fidelización del viajero. Según Global Travel Insights de Skift Research, el 32% de los viajeros considera que los programas de tarjetas y entidades financieras son los más gratificantes, frente al 26% que elige los hoteleros, el 20% los de aerolíneas y apenas el 8% los de las OTA, aunque la reserva directa con el proveedor sigue siendo el canal que genera mayor confianza.

Serkusten Nick ja Haile Kieferin murhat 64-vuotiaan Byron Smithin kotona Little Fallsissa Minnesotassa nousivat otsikoihin vuonna 2014. Byron vetosi itsepuolustukseen, koska Nick ja Haile olivat murtautuneet hänen kotiinsa. Poliisin tekemän tutkinnan aikana kävi kuitenkin ilmi, että tapaus ei ollut aivan näin yksinkertainen. * Tiedäthän, että tämä kuuntelemasi jakso on podcastin aiempaa tuotantoa. Podmessa voit kuunnella kaikki Jäljillä-podcastin viimeisten vuosien jaksot. Lisäksi uunituoreita jaksoja julkaistaan Podmessa joka viikko, ja mikä parasta – ilman mainoksia. Eli jos tykkäät kuulemastasi ja haluat lisää, sitä löytyy yllin kyllin osoitteesta podme.com. Ota yhteyttä: jaljillapodcast@gmail.comInstagram: @ jaljillapodcastMusiikki: This work contains Music Track Doug Maxwell Media Right Productions - Heartbeat of the Hood that is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Source: https://directory.audio/free-music/ambient/5275-doug-maxwell-media-right-productions -heartbeat-of-the-hoodAuthor: Doug Maxwell Media Right Productions Lähteet:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7-xa9VHBgYhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR_enPmJ9I4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k0mEpKb6Qshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10U4tp56ZR4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SxydkG1Zw8https://casetext.com/case/state-v-smith-5630https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-633/159775/20201105123712731_Petition.pdfhttps://www.mncourts.gov/Documents/0/Public/Court_Information_Office/Smith_Jury_Trial_Instructions.pdfhttps://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/byron-smiths-best-friend-all-he-wanted-was-peace-quiet/https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/byron-smith-serving-life-for-murdering-teens-in-little-falls-denied-appeal-from-scotus/https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/closing-arguments-tuesday-in-little-falls-murder-trial/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trial-set-to-begins-for-minnesota-man-who-shot-teens-in-his-home/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/byron-smith-case-slain-minn-teens-may-be-tied-to-previous-burglary-police-say/https://www.justiceforbyronsmith.com/homehttps://www.oxygen.com/dateline-the-smoking-gun/crime-news/byron-david-smith-fatally-shoots-haile-kifer-nicholas-bradyhttps://ccwsafe.com/resources/byron-david-smith-part-1-the-limits-of-home-defense/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/minnesota-homeowner-byron-smith-convicted-premeditated-murder-n93166https://www.startribune.com/one-break-in-tied-to-slain-little-falls-teens-others-being-investigated/181189391https://www.startribune.com/little-falls-teen-shooting-deaths-called-cold-blooded/180853761https://www.startribune.com/byron-smith-s-attorneys-file-federal-appeal-in-little-falls-murder-case/501039532https://www.startribune.com/man-who-killed-two-teens-in-his-home-denied-last-appeal/600037407

This Episode is Sponsored by StayFi Your ultimate tool for Vacation Rental WiFi marketing allowing you to collect guest emails automatically via custom captive WiFi login splash pages. Drive repeat direct bookings and convert your OTA bookings to book direct for their next visit. Visit https://stayfi.com/vrsuccess/ and use code VRSUCCESS for 50% off 3 months of StayFi service. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How you handle a mistake, a tense moment with staff, or an unhappy guest at 8pm says more about your company than any mission statement ever will. In this episode, Heather welcomes back Rachel Alday, co-founder of Abode Luxury Rentals, to talk about the leadership framework at the heart of her new book, Please Do Disturb: How True Leaders Show Up When It Matters Most, written with her longtime company culture consultants at Tandemly. Rachel walks through the three commitments: show up, make room, and build belonging. It is a deceptively simple framework, illustrated with real stories from running a luxury rental company, including the anniversary couple whose hot tub let them down on arrival night and what her team did instead of scrambling for a technician. Along the way, the conversation covers the service recovery paradox, why every guest and homeowner complaint has a thing behind the thing, and how to train a team so this kind of hospitality shows up consistently, not just when the founders are in the room. Key Takeaways The three commitments give hospitality a trainable shape: show up (be fully present, not typing while you listen), make room (hear the whole issue before your brain starts drafting its rebuttal), and build belonging (make deeper connection the goal of every interaction). The service recovery paradox: a guest who hits friction and watches you handle it well often ends up more loyal than one whose stay was flawless, because the problem created a chance to connect that a perfect stay never would. Ask for the thing behind the thing. The anniversary couple with the lukewarm hot tub did not want a repair at 9pm, they wanted quiet time together, so the team set up a private fire pit next door with blankets and spiced cider. Homeowner frustration usually has a root cause too. A flood of small complaints may trace back to one stressful moment, like re-entering banking details after a software switch. Find that, solve that, and the rest often dissolves. Train leaders first. Teach managers to use the three commitments with their own team, let staff experience it from the inside, and front-line people will carry it to guests and owners naturally. A company retreat compresses months of connection into a few days. Even with 5 or 10 employees, Rachel considers it one of the highest-value investments a hospitality business can make. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A bombshell estimate flips the script on who actually leads in B2B hotel bookings, Marriott presses its sales teams to close a $1.55 billion gap in group bookings for 2027, and AI-generated hotel videos on TikTok are misleading travelers about properties they can actually book. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why a new analyst estimate suggesting Booking Holdings leads Expedia in B2B room nights could reshape how the industry thinks about OTA competition, what Marriott's internal stretch goal reveals about the group booking market heading into 2027, and why TikTok Go's AI-generated hotel videos are a real problem for travelers and property owners alike. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Booking Holdings vs. Expedia in B2B: Bombshell Estimate Says Booking Leads in Room NightsMarriott Presses Sales Teams on $1.55 Billion Gap to Goal for 2027 GroupsAI-Generated TikTok Go Hotel Videos Connect with Bailey Schulz 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.

Most people think occupational therapy is what happens after something goes wrong. Tyler Broome is here to tell you that's exactly the framing that's costing patients their independence. In this episode of the Your Health University Podcast, Jamie sits down with Tyler Broome, a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant at Your Health, to explore what OT actually is, how it fits into a truly integrated care model, and why the therapy team often sees the earliest signs of decline — before anyone else on the care team does. Tyler brings a uniquely grounded perspective, shaped by a baseball career, a grandmother's fall, and years of working inside the homes of real patients. He articulates something most healthcare systems have yet to fully grasp: that medical outcomes and functional outcomes are deeply connected, and that a care team working in silos is a care team leaving gaps. In this episode: Why occupational therapy is defined by daily function — bathing, dressing, meal prep, medication management — not just physical recovery How OT's presence in the home gives the care team "functional health intelligence" no clinic visit can replicate The difference between saying your system is integrated and actually delivering integrated care Two real patient stories where early cross-disciplinary communication prevented a crisis from becoming a catastrophe Why the shift to value-based care makes therapy's role not just important — but essential If you work inside the Your Health system — or if you've ever wondered what the therapy team actually contributes — this conversation will change how you think about the care happening around your patients every day. www.YourHealth.Org

Drs. Roman Natoli and Michael Weaver discuss how implant biomechanics can influence the biological environment of fracture healing. They explore the principles behind controlled axial micromotion, early clinical experience with OrthoXel's Apex Micromotion Nailing Systems, and the research shaping its potential role in tibial and femoral fracture fixation. Learn more about the clinical evidence supporting micromotion technology on the OrthoXel website. Connect with OrthoXel on LinkedIn and follow our podcast on Spotify. For additional educational resources visit OTA.org  

On the show today our guest is John Black, CTO of Brain Corp. John shares how Brain Corp has evolved from proving autonomous navigation in public spaces to operating at fleet scale across cleaning, scanning, retail analytics, and new manipulation use cases. He explains why the real challenge is not just making robots smarter, but building the guardrails, infrastructure, and platform reuse needed to deploy them safely and reliably in the real world. John joins Gene Demaitre and Mike Oitzman to unpack how Brain Corp moved from proving autonomous navigation in public spaces to operating fleet scales across cleaning, inventory intelligence, and shelf scanning. He explains why the company's next leap is less about building one perfect robot and more about creating a platform that can support many robot form factors, many applications, and many customers at once. You'll discover: Why public spaces are the hardest test for autonomous robots, and how Brain Corp designs for safety without killing productivity How Brain OS evolved into a full-stack platform with cloud infrastructure, OTA updates, manufacturing tools, trust centers, and fleet management Why 50,000 connected robots and tens of millions of operating hours create a data advantage smaller fleets simply cannot match If you want a clear-eyed look at where physical AI is headed — and what it takes to make robots commercially useful instead of just impressive — this episode delivers the strategy behind the scale. ### Register now for RoboBusiness 2026: https://cvent.me/w0eRN9?RefId=podcast

Join Scott as he works to polish the MCUboot bootloader for use with Zephyr based firmwares like CircuitPython. He'll answer any questions folks have too. Visit the Adafruit shop online - http://www.adafruit.com Thanks to dcd for timecodes: 0:00 Getting started 0:57 Hello everyone - circuit python (CP) on microprocessor example NRF64LM20 3:25 Join discord for chat (online and during the week) 4:12 Detour into bootloader - 8:00 Seattle happy hardware hour - first Thursday of every month 12:19 github adafruit/adabute 13:22 uf2 bootloaders - then green lake 14:32 oldinsurancemaps.net rabbit trail 15:34 uf2 created to drag/drop boot loaders 17:42 need to preserve the flash segments 19:39 original adafruit UF2 boot loader 20:12 tinyuf2 ( built on tinyusb ) support espressif 20:52 nRF52 bootloader 21:30 adding a fourth boot loader based on zephyr 22:23 LLM coding 23:32 safe mode support added "saved word" ( including unit test ) 25:45 swapping regions for software update over the air (OTA) 29:08 UF2 application that can update itself 29:50 OTA_0 and OTA_1 discussion 32:18 boot loader status indicators, and double tap 33:13 partition table example nrf54lm20dk.dtsi 39:54 ROM bootloaders 43:33 enter boot loader via double reset 45:39 boot/zephyr/main.c and CONFIG_BOOT_SERIAL_DOUBLE_TAP (double tapping reset) 47:35 related to CP reset and boot button 51:10 consider firmware for coprocessors also 52:30 thinking about pin muxing in parallel 54:00 build and reflash the bootloader 55:00 CURRENT.UF2 support for dragging off the non volatile memory, and INFO_UF2.TXT 56:40 copy the updater to the UF2 drive 52:23 next week in new office! 1:00:44 display support ----------------------------------------- LIVE CHAT IS HERE! http://adafru.it/discord Subscribe to Adafruit on YouTube: http://adafru.it/subscribe New tutorials on the Adafruit Learning System: http://learn.adafruit.com/ -----------------------------------------

Welcome to another episode of The AZREIA Show! In this episode, host Jeremy Holden continues the short-term rental mini-series with Ashley and Brittany of The Cohost, a local family-owned short-term rental property management company that has been operating since 2018. They explain how managing an Airbnb or VRBO is fundamentally different from managing a traditional long-term rental, comparing successful STR operations to running a five-star hotel where guest experience, fast communication, and immediate problem-solving are critical. The conversation breaks down what full-service short-term rental management actually includes, from acquisition support, revenue projections, listing creation, professional photography, and guest communication to dynamic pricing, OTA management, cleaning, vendor coordination, and handling urgent guest issues. Ashley and Brittany also discuss Arizona's seasonality, protecting properties through Airbnb AirCover, Safely, and homeowners insurance, dealing with difficult guests and fraudulent refund claims, and strategies professional managers use to increase revenue through pricing and marketing. Whether you're considering your first Airbnb, already operating multiple short-term rentals, or trying to decide between full-service management and co-hosting, this episode provides practical insights to help you choose the right strategy. Jeremy, Ashley, and Brittany also explore the differences between luxury and condo operations, co-hosting platforms such as Evolve, the most important operational priorities for STR owners, and whether AI can realistically replace professional property management. 00:43 – Their Short-Term Rental Background 01:52 – Short-Term Rentals vs. Long-Term Rentals 03:39 – What Full-Service STR Management Includes 05:24 – Why the Right Team Matters 08:07 – When Should You Hire a Property Manager? 11:00 – How to Interview an STR Property Manager 12:46 – Parties, Property Damage & Insurance Claims 15:34 – Handling Refund Scams & Difficult Guests 18:36 – How Professional Management Can Boost Revenue 19:58 – Luxury vs. Condo STR Operations 21:30 – Co-Hosting Options 22:36 – Key Operational Priorities 24:14 – Can AI Replace Short-Term Rental Property Managers? -- Contact Alden of Silver Crest Opportunity Fund at http://silvercrestopportunityfund.com "AZREIA does not endorse specific investments. Please do your own due diligence." Want to grow your real estate business?

This Episode is Sponsored by StayFi Your ultimate tool for Vacation Rental WiFi marketing allowing you to collect guest emails automatically via custom captive WiFi login splash pages. Drive repeat direct bookings and convert your OTA bookings to book direct for their next visit. Visit https://stayfi.com/vrsuccess/ and use code VRSUCCESS for 50% off 3 months of StayFi service. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I invited Simon on this podcast because his video, The Five Levels of STR Companies Explained, made me wince. He describes, almost line by line, the way I ran CottageLink Rental Management for the best part of 15 years: every contract in my head, every standard different, every decision routed through me. I got right up to that wall at 200 properties and never went through it. I sold instead. This conversation is honest about what that costs, and specific about what has to change before you can climb. Whether you are at five properties or 150, you are somewhere on this ladder. About the guest Simon Lehmann is one of the most recognized figures in professional short-term rental. He was CEO of Interhome, co-founder and chairman of Vacasa Europe, chairman of MadeComfy in Australia, and a board member at HomeAway and Breezeway. Through AJL Atelier he advises property management companies worldwide, with most of his one-to-one work in the 50 to 200 unit bracket. He hosts the STR Global Unlocked podcast and is launching the Simon Lehmann Academy, a self-serve curriculum built from 21 years of domain knowledge. Some people in this industry call him the Godfather. Key takeaways Below 50 units you are the system. Every standard, every owner agreement, and every exception lives in your head, and that is exactly what stops you growing past it. The first real hire is not a junior assistant or a VA. It is an operations person who can take 50% of the work off your hands so you can start being strategic. Saying yes to every property will cost you later. When operators finally analyze owner lifetime value and margin contribution per property, they typically find 20 to 25% of the portfolio is dragging the whole business down. Tier your owners internally, into three tiers, no later than 100 units. This is an internal exercise, not an owner-facing one, and it is the first step toward a single standard contract. The number worth building your reporting around is net margin contribution per unit. Most managers know how profitable the business is. Very few can tell you how profitable one property is. You have to fire yourself from the position that creates the biggest bottleneck in your company. Selling while you are still the operator means the buyer discounts the price by the cost of replacing you. Simon replaced 4,500 Swiss francs a month of software with tools he built himself, having described himself as technically illiterate six months earlier. The AI wall works the same way as the 50 unit wall. Once you break through it, it gets easier. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Drs. Greg Gaski, Zach Bennett, and Colin Harrington chat about distal tibia pilon and ankle fractures. They discuss diagnosis and management of these patients in this high yield case series. For additional educational resources visit OTA.org

Yu Ota is a bird guide and ornithologist based in Queensland's Atherton Tablelands, an area known for its tropical rainforests and diverse wildlife. Having grown up in a major city in Japan, how did he come to build a career working with birds in Australia? We spoke to Ota about his journey, his long-running involvement in bird research, and the appeal of birdwatching. This story was first published in May 2022. - 熱帯雨林や野生動物で知られるクイーンズランド州アサートン高原に暮らす、野鳥ガイド・野鳥研究家の太田祐さん。日本の大都市で育った太田さんが、なぜオーストラリアで野鳥に関わる仕事に就くことになったのでしょうか。現在の仕事に至った経緯や、長年携わっている鳥類の調査、そして野鳥観察の魅力について聞きました。2022年5月放送。Listen to SBS Japanese Audio on Tue, Thu and Fri from 1pm on SBS 3. Replays from 10pm on Tue, Thu and Sat on SBS1. Listen to past stories from our podcast. Download the free SBS Audio App and don't forget to visit SBS Japanese Facebook and Instagram page! - SBSの日本語放送は火木金の午後１時からSBS3で生放送！火木土の夜10時からはおやすみ前にSBS1で再放送が聞けます。SBS日本語放送ポッドキャストから過去のストーリーを聞くこともできます。無料でダウンロードできるSBS Audio Appもどうぞ。SBS 日本語放送のFacebookとInstagramもお忘れなく。

This Episode is Sponsored by StayFi Your ultimate tool for Vacation Rental WiFi marketing allowing you to collect guest emails automatically via custom captive WiFi login splash pages. Drive repeat direct bookings and convert your OTA bookings to book direct for their next visit. Visit https://stayfi.com/vrsuccess/ and use code VRSUCCESS for 50% off 3 months of StayFi service. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Most people in short-term rentals describe how they got started with a slight apology in their voice. They fell into it. They bought a place, put it online, and worked out the rest as they went. Jodie Odlin thinks that story has run its course, and this episode is about what replaces it. Jodie trained in hospitality management and worked in five-star hotels before she started a rental business in the Cotswolds. What she found when she arrived in short-term rentals was a lot of beautiful properties with very little behind them in the way of standards. She began collecting host stories in a book called Hospitable Hosts, and that first volume grew into five books, more than two hundred authors, a publishing house, a training academy, an accreditation system, and a three-day summit in upstate New York at the end of September. In this conversation Heather and Jodie work through what an industry standard would actually contain, why it has to leave room for the character of an individual property, how you hold standards together from eleven time zones away, and why the standards conversation has to include owners and guests as well as hosts. Key takeaways A workable industry standard sets a floor for cleanliness, safety, and communication, and then leaves room for everything that makes one property different from every other one. Setting guest expectations accurately in the listing and in pre-arrival communication protects a review more reliably than any amount of upgrading. Standards only survive the owner being absent if they live in a trained local team and a documented process rather than in the founder's head. AI guest messaging works best as a hospitality tool that is read every day, with a clear route to a human at the point where the guest says the problem cannot wait. Owner standards matter as much as property standards, because a property nobody is willing to invest in reflects on the manager's brand rather than the owner's. Holding a standard runs in both directions, and calling out a guest who leaves a property in a poor state carries less risk than most operators assume. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Vice President of Marketing at HEI Hotels & Resorts, Emma Shaybani, joins the Suite Spot to discuss the upcoming 2026 Digital Travel Summit taking place in Orlando, Florida on September 28-29 and how the HEI brand is leveraging social media, artificial intelligence, technology, and online guest feedback to better shape and optimize the traveler journey.  Tune in now and the Suite Spot looks forward to seeing you at the conference next month! 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, as always, Ryan Embree. Very excited for our next guest in an edition of our TMG Hospitality Trailbazer series to set the table. This is that series again with conversations with people, organizations, and companies within the hospitality industry that are paving a path forward. I’m so excited for our next guest. And it also really seconds as a preview for the Digital Travel Summit happening in Orlando in September. My guest, this will be the first of a few times that we’re gonna be together. Emma Shaybani, VP of Marketing at HEI Hotels and Resorts. Emma, thank you so much for joining me on The Suite Spot. Emma Shaybani: Thank you for having me. Ryan Embree: Yeah, we’re excited. So we’re gonna talk about that Digital Travel Summit event. We were talking off camera. It’s a powerhouse event. Can’t wait. Some big players within the travel industry gonna be there. But before we do that, we’d love to introduce you to our Suite Spot audience. Maybe love learning about everybody’s kinda hospitality journey that led you to your role over there at HEI Hotel and Resorts. Emma Shaybani: Yeah, it’s a bit of an unconventional journey, I suppose. So, I moved from England, and I moved from England to Connecticut, and I was really looking for my next opportunity. I’d not worked in hospitality before. I’d worked actually for CBS back in London. I had a couple of my own businesses, so hotels weren’t necessarily part of my original plan. But I, I joined HEI actually in a reputation management role. And I think at the time, they just knew that they needed somebody to look after reputation management, but they weren’t exactly sure what I would be doing. So it started off really as me in a room responding to guest reviews. So it, it didn’t take too long for us to all realize that probably wasn’t the best use of my time. So I kinda went to my boss at the time, Brian, with a plan and I was like, “Hey, you know, it’s hard for me to, to respond to these reviews when I’m not at the property. I don’t know what’s happened. You know, really, we should empower the teams at the hotels to be responding to these reviews. And, you know, really, I can be there as kind of a, you know, backup support and making sure that we are responding.” Because, you know, the hotel teams know the guest experience the best. And I was really focusing then on monitoring the trends, opportunities, and that’s when I noticed that the same thing was kind of happening with social media. We had all these accounts. They weren’t necessarily active. So we took this kind of a similar approach with social media. And then from there, the role just kind of kept evolving. So every time we kind of solved one challenge, we’d notice something else that we could then tackle. Back then, we had 20-27 hotels, I think it was. And now today we’ve grown the team. There’s quite a few of us now, over 100 hotels, multiple brands. So it’s been pretty incredible, honestly, to, to grow alongside the company. And I remember back in the day, my biggest concern was trying to memorize these 27 hotels, and now somehow I seem to manage with a hundred and something. Ryan Embree: We love the unconventional journey in hospitality and kinda falling into it. But also, a lot of people we find fall in love with hospitality. And that’s why you hear about people maybe starting kind of in, you know, I was a bellman when I first started at a hotel and front desk agents, F&B, and then all of a sudden, here they are 30 years later into a career that they absolutely love. And your foundation actually mirrors a lot of what the Suite Spot is. We started as a digital marketing podcast preaching to hoteliers about the importance of things like managing your reputation, social media strategy, which we’re gonna get into in this conversation a little bit, because it is a constantly evolving and so ever important because those are places that can be touched prior to a guest arrival and have a real impact on bookings and the guest experience. But before we get into that, I want, I do wanna start about talking about that event, the Digital Travel Summit that both of you will have the pleasure of attending down there in Orlando at September 28th and 29th. Personally, could not be more excited for this event, bringing some of the travel industry’s biggest and brightest together in a very intimate setting, very excited about it. What are you most looking forward to about this event? And maybe what caught your eye and it drew you initially to this Digital travel Summit? Emma Shaybani: I think what immediately caught my attention was that it was an event that was dedicated solely to digital marketing as a whole. I think, while, while AI is, is transforming things pretty rapidly, and I think this was nice because it was a conference that recognizes digital marketing is so much broader than just AI. And we still have to think about search, paid media, websites, all of these things and how those pieces work together to essentially drive demand. So I saw that and then also I’m looking forward to seeing some of our friends that are there, some of the industry leaders that are talking. I think there was one of the sessions, a keynote that’s on event-driven travel, which is something that we’re investing heavily in at HEI, you know, things like concerts, festivals, major conventions. A lot of my team’s focus at the moment is setting up things like landing pages, targeted offers to really kind of take advantage of those experiences. ‘Cause we all saw what happened, with the Taylor Swift effect a few months ago. Ryan Embree: 100%. Emma Shaybani: Exactly. So I think that’s a really, a lot of the topics throughout the event are really on trend and really useful. So I think it’s, it’ll be good to bring everybody together. We’re all solving similar challenges, so that hopefully, you know, we can come away with some practical ideas that myself and the team can implement when we’re back in the office. Ryan Embree: Yeah, 100%. And to piggyback on that Taylor Swift effect, you got the World Cup that just happened this summer. You got the Olympics in LA in a couple more years. So no shortage of events coming to domestic US. Concerts are gonna continue to pop up. Sporting events across generations, younger travelers, but across generations still prioritizing those experiences at the forefront. And I think you’re absolutely right, Emma. It’s a very comprehensive event. It’s funny, back in the day when we started first talking about, you know, this to hoteliers with, with digital marketing, sometimes social media review responses, you, like you talked about in your story, it fell on the youngest person at the hotel, right? So who’s the youngest, uh, front desk agent? They probably know the best about social media. Now as digital marketers, we kinda cringe thinking about that. We put our whole stake of reputation on someone that we really didn’t train a hotel’s voice or anything like that. So it really has evolved. And I love your perspective on where we are with AI because you think about this emerging technology. Well, social media a couple decades ago was right there in that spot, and now it’s created roles within social media. So it’ll be interesting to get everybody in like you said, that room to, with the same challenges, trends, what are you seeing? And speaking of panels, I’ll have the privilege and pleasure of moderating a powerhouse keynote panel with you involved, Emma, called Building AI-Ready Marketing Teams: Knowing When to Automate and When to Go Human. For our Suite Spot audience, give us maybe a little bit of sneak peek of a preview on your thoughts on that topic. Emma Shaybani: I think, you know, I always encourage the team to really ask themselves kind of simple questions, right, when it comes to our use of AI, is if, like, if this task disappeared tomorrow, would anyone notice, right? And if the answer is no, then we can probably find a way to automate that, you know? And I also think there’s a question of, is there value in the thinking or is there value in the typing? Because we do spend a lot of our time producing reports, producing presentations. And really, the value of having humans is the strategy, the judgment, the relationship building, and also the creativity. So we wanna make sure that, you know, humans are also, we’re remaining in charge of the decisions, but can we become more efficient by our use of AI? And we kind of split. We do something called the rule of 80/20, which is AI can get us about 80% of the way there to the finish line, right? It can gather data. It can generate drafts, mock-ups, website copy, summarize reports, but then it’s really like that final 20%, which is gonna create the real value. Human judgment, as I said, creativity, empathy. That’s where we need the human, human touch. And I think that’s really important when it comes to just overall guest experience as well, because while we’re using AI to get in front of guests, we’re trying to be the most visible or the top on Google or, you know, any of, any of. We really want maximum visibility, right, across all these channels. But when we get, when people get to the property, they want a human experience. I think people still very much want a human experience. So we have to make sure that what we’re portraying online is an extension of this experience that happens on property. So I think it’s a mix. I really do. Ryan Embree: It gets a little bit more complicated within hospitality. Other industries, it might be easier to automate all the way through, where in hospitality, there does need to be that human touch because of what, exactly what you just said, Emma, right? Like, people want that connection. They want that exper – That’s why we travel, right? It’s not that there might, might be some places where you can completely disconnect from people, but most of the time, they wanna experience. That’s why they’re getting out. That’s why they’re going to new places and having new opportunities to explore cities and locations that they haven’t before, and they wanna, they wanna feel that. So it is interesting to see that. You know, I’ve, I’ve said it on this podcast and we’ll probably say it again. The GM of the next few years might look a lot closer to what it did 20 or 30 years ago before all of those tasks were put on their plate and all of a sudden they had to sit behind a computer for 80% of their time and do spreadsheets and other things that required our time. Now they can maybe get back to the heart, which will be very interesting to see that shift in hospitality. Excited to explore it in that keynote panel that, again, is gonna feature some major brands alongside, travel industry brands alongside Emma here. So hope our Suite Spot listeners will look into that event, the Digital Travel Summit, and join us. I wanna shift back to, well, actually, I wanna talk about AI and, and the guest experience a little bit more. A few years back, you were a featured columnist in Hotel News Now, where you wrote that managing the guest experience in hotels begins earlier than ever. Now, this was a couple years ago. We’re getting news almost on a weekly basis with, with the cadence of AI and technology. Talk to us a little bit about your thoughts on how, if at all, that’s changed with the emergence of AI traveler search. Emma Shaybani: Yeah, I actually think the, the idea is probably more relevant today than it was when I wrote that article a couple years ago. I think the guest experience no longer begins when someone walks through the hotel doors, right? It starts the moment they have that idea and start dreaming of a trip or a destination. I think today, obviously, a lot of travelers are using AI and Googles to really help them to decide where to stay, where to go, what to do. It’s great. I use it myself, right? You can go through so much more data, so many more options, and it just kind of speeds up the entire trip planning process. But what it means is that our digital presence really is, more importantly than ever, an extension of the actual guest experience itself when they get to the property. You know, AI kind of just, just changed how guests discover us, but what really isn’t changing, as I kind of said before, is, is what they expect when they arrive. I think it’s actually raising the bar in many instances, because we’re getting the information to the traveler through AI or through Google, and we’re actually, we’re creating more personalized recommendations. We’re getting them more information than ever, and we’re setting these kind of real clear expectations of this is what you can expect when you arrive. So we have to make sure that the in-guest experience really, like, delivers on that promise when, when they get there. But for me, I think that’s where hospitality really still wins, because technology can, we can inspire people to travel, to book a stay, but people create memories, they wanna create memories on property that they’ll take home. And if we’ve promised a really great experience online, you know, the front desk, the food and beverage, housekeeping, every interaction throughout that stay is really gonna, like, enforce that expectation that we’ve set. So I think it, you know, AI is a tool to enhance hospitality. I think it replaces it. And I think it’s just kind of, trying to really seamlessly marry those two things together, so that we’re setting expectations correctly, but then we’re also delivering on real, incredible real life experiences. Ryan Embree: 100%. Yeah, personalization, a goal and objective that hospitality has been in after, I mean, for a decade now. We are closer than ever with as much data as we have right now, and that’s why I think a lot of hoteliers, brands, management companies are really going after that data and really trying to figure out a way, how can AI help me? All this data that I’m collecting from this guest make a more personalized experience and enhance, like you said, Emma, the guest experience. But at the core of it, I remember. I mean, I remember when you go to a TripAdvisor for a hotel and you keep, you scroll through the reviews and you see someone’s name mentioned at the front desk over and over again, “Emma at the front desk was amazing. Emma did this. Emma did that.” And then you come in and you’re greeted by Emma and you’re like, “I, it’s like I know you already, right? Like, it, that is such a cool experience and it elevates that. And I think that is in practice what I think these LLMs hopefully will have for a guest on the horizon. I think it does raise the bar, what you’re saying, Emma, because we want our guests to walk through those doors and know us as intimately as the front desk agent that they’ve maybe read three or four reviews about. So really exciting to kind of see and have certainly seen it implemented that elevation of guest service through HEI and resorts. It’s award season and obviously the accolades keep rolling in for your portfolio. Recognition from Conde Nast, Cvent, Travel and Leisure. Congratulations first off to you and your team. But from a reputation management, I mean, that’s your origin story, right, with HEI and Hotel and Resorts. How do you leverage these to kind of win more business? And how critical is it in today’s landscape to have a defined reputation management strategy more than kind of where you started maybe just responding to the reviews? Emma Shaybani: Thank you. Yeah, the awards like this are really meaningful, I think, to everybody because they’re really a reflection of the teams that are delivering those exceptional guest experiences every single day. I think behind these recognitions is the front desk associates, the housekeepers, engineers, servers, people who are creating these memories and these memorable stays. So I think it’s really important to celebrate that, which is why we really put an emphasis on promoting when we do win these awards. I think from a marketing perspective, these awards really serve as kind of a very powerful third-party validation. We spend a lot of time, telling guests what they can expect from our hotels, through our websites, our social media, photography. But these awards from Conde Nast or Travel and Leisure really, like, reinforce essentially that that promise that we’re making is real and help really allow us to build trust with a guest before they’ve not before they’ve even booked. And I definitely think it can be the deciding factor, right? If someone’s, you know, looking in the several hotels in the same market that they’re considering, it does help kind of validate that our hotels are a top choice in the market. I think on the reputation management side, it’s funny because back then it really was a case of, okay, we’ve just got to respond to these reviews. The brands are telling us, we’ve got to respond to anything under a three-star, and we have to do it within 48 hours. And I think it’s become so much more than that, and it’s, it’s so much more critical now because it’s no longer just about having a high rating on the different review sites. Guest reviews, I think, are really influencing how AI-powered search tools and large language models understand and recommend hotels. There’s been studies on it, we’re seeing it ourselves. Every review essentially creates this kind of digital story of the property, and then that story gets shared, right, from whether it’s on ChatGPT, whether it’s on Google, iit’s obviously very visible. I also think reviews are really, like, one of the few opportunities that we have to publicly demonstrate how we respond to feedback. You know, whether it’s thanking someone that they’ve had, you know, for a great stay or we’re addressing concerns. These responses, I think, allow us to show that we’re, you know, we’re open to feedback. We care and that we’re committed to kind of continuously improving, um, the guest experience. But I think all these things, ultimately, awards, reputation management, they’re all working hand in hand at the moment to ensure, again, we’re, people are getting credible information, and then also that they’re making informed decisions when they book. Ryan Embree: Yeah, what an opportunity to showcase the level of service that you’re gonna experience at a hotel than to publicly kinda display that through reviews and review response, right? You know, as it’s really human nature sometimes, I think unfortunately, that will go. Travel is stressful, right? Things happen in travel. We talked that there were a couple missed flights when we were trying to plan this out, right? How stressful is that? Like, so if you see that, sometimes a guest is a traveler, you sometimes have to put yourself in that, “Well, what is the worst case scenario?” So you try to look maybe for that one-star review. And if you see that empathetic voice on the other side of someone that genuinely has an authentic feeling of service-oriented response, man, the impact on that can really, really make the difference, and be maybe that final little push that has that comfort level, that trust that you talked about. I think that’s a great word right now, is we’re just looking that I trust that this hotel’s gonna take care of me, my family, if I’m traveling, my family, to make this experience the best it can. So 100% agree with you. That is something we preach all the time on this podcast. Social media, on the other end, plays a huge role in reputation management, and very comprehensive. What are your thoughts on what hoteliers should be prioritizing in the social media space right now, which is ever-evolving? Emma Shaybani: Yeah. I think the biggest thing is the shift we’ve seen, especially with platforms like Instagram and TikTok, is the priority is now content, and kind of not over-complicating social media as a whole. I think we talk a lot of time, talking about algorithms and platforms, but at the end of the day, if we don’t have compelling content, our strategy isn’t gonna get us very far. I think what I’ve seen a lot is that hotels will invest heavily in the social media management, but they’re not investing as heavily into the content itself. And we’ve spoken to a number of agencies and worked with different ones over the years, and a lot of them have fairly significant price tags to manage social media accounts, which I understand, right? Platforms like TikTok take a ton of time to create and produce. But these agencies, they’re, you know, they’re typically posting content, they’re doing community management, but they’re not necessarily creating the photography, the video, the reels, and influencer partnerships that are really the things that are gonna fuel engagement. So I think what we’ve seen is that without a strong pipeline of content, we’re just repurposing the same assets over and over again. So we’ve shifted a lot and it’s really about finding the right balance. So having a reliable content partner that can help create some consistency, and then filling in the gaps with influencers and creators, that can help, capture authentic moments and, and produce those reels. Doing those two things together work really well, but I really do think it’s now it’s time to start and really investing into content. Just be – everyone gets so fatigued, right? You just scrolling all the time. And then when people have seen that picture, they’re like, “Okay, I’m gonna scroll to, scroll to the next one.” And a lot of the time, we’re not just producing. I think everybody really used to think of it as, like, okay, we produce content for the website and the brand websites, and then we have content for social media, which is different. And it doesn’t actually have to be different anymore. You know, great content really powers everything. We can use that same photography or same social content to really strengthen our website. It really helps improve paid advertising performance. So, we can use it in our email campaigns, even on our OTA listings as well. So it’s kind of trying to get everyone to understand that that one investment can really help us deliver value across our entire marketing ecosystem. And it’s funny because it’s always the thing that everyone tries to cut from the budget is the photography aspect. We haven’t been renovated. We don’t need a photo shoot. There’s still things we can do, right? There’s still, there’s still new content to be, to be taken. So I think that’s where we’re focusing a lot of our time is content over the management piece. Ryan Embree: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, quality of content, I mean, the landscape has changed as far as the competitive forces, right? Now, back in the day when, when social media first, it was only anyone that you followed, right? You were only competing against those pages that that particular user was following. Now, a majority of time spent for a social media user is in explore pages, and a lot of accounts that they’re in. It’s more interest-based than follow base. You rarely see the things that you follow unless you’re engaging with it frequently. So the competitive nature of that, and you think how quickly. I mean, next time you’re in front of your phone, any of our listeners, how quickly your thumb is swiping, it’s a lot quicker than it was a decade ago, and how much your brain is actually giving that attention, that attention span has been shrinking. So quality of content, it has to be at a high level. And, and you’re absolutely right, Emma. We’ve seen a lot of hoteliers maybe not give the necessary time attention, whether it be time investment or capital investment into that. And it’s not enough just to be there anymore. I think that’s where we were maybe a decade ago. If you’re in the arena, you’ve got a shot. Now the bar is being raised, in that regard. So marketing, what a fun position. Always something going on, right? Something to celebrate. You got projects that you’re working on, announcements, try to make as much noise as possible. Any particular projects right now, Emma, that you’re particularly fired up about that you’re working, you and your team are working on? Emma Shaybani: Yeah. I think there’s a few things, because everything’s just changing so rapidly at the moment. So it’s actually like a fun, I think it’s a fun time. It’s stressful, but it’s a fun time to be a marketer. But I think the first thing is websites, because I think things have, like, especially where we’re able, we have obviously independent hotels, and we also have some branded assets that have vanity websites. And I think how that trend is also shifting, because for years, the trend was to have, like, these minimal content websites. You didn’t have a lot of copy, massive imagery. But now, obviously, with the shift in AI search, the websites have to be kind of richer, more informative, and actually have some genuinely helpful content. Things like destination guides, and FAQs, and all these different things, which is now kind of shaping a lot of our future designs on what these websites look like. So it’s kind of like we’ve kind of gone back a little bit. And so I think that’s kind of, it’s exciting to test a lot of that and really start to kind of just a lot of it’s testing, just really kind of getting in the weeds and just trying different things. I think another thing that we’re excited about, and we’ve got a lot of projects on the go is video. Again, I think video always used to be one of these nice-to-have pieces, but now it’s becoming a must-have because people want, you know, again, people are used to video content, short-form video content. So we’re implementing that on websites and in emails. But we’re also starting to have a lot more fun with our creative. I think a great example is we have an asset in Nashville called Waymore’s, and it’s a fun hotel. It’s in East Nashville, and we just produced this video that really is probably a little bit out of the box, but it really leans into the personality of the hotel and kind of the spirit of Nashville. And it’s definitely catches people’s eyes. We’re, we’re running it on social, we’re running it on emails, and we’ve seen a real uptick in people engaging with it. So I think it’s fun to kind of work on these more exciting videos, exciting content. And then my other big project right now is building what we’ve launched earlier this year called LoyalKey, which is our independent loyalty program for our HEI independent hotels. We haven’t done that before. It was something new that we wanted to try. And it’s an opportunity that really allows us to kind of bring together our. We have some really one of a kind independent assets. And we wanted to create kind of like a shared loyalty experience while still, like, maintaining what kind of keeps each hotel special. And it really gives us the ability to leverage the guests at each of those hotels and connect them to, if you’re interested in one independent asset, you might be interested in another one. So it’s giving these hotels real opportunity to kind of co-market, and at the same time, build this loyalty brand. So it’s been, it’s been a learning experience, to kind of build that from the ground up. But it’s fun. Ryan Embree: What a project. An opportunity, again, for personalization. You get some more of that guest data within loyalty programs, and all of a sudden, personalization starts to really blossom there, especially in the independent hotel space where you can do some really, really cool things. So, and just to piggyback on your video comment, if you don’t believe, Emma, as far as how important video is, go through, again, your social media feed. See how long you’re scrolling on each one, but also see how many times you’re seeing a still image now. I mean, it is surprising now when I go through my feed that I rarely come across just a still image. Most of them are going to be, whether it’s a GIF or some sort of, uh, short form video, most of the content that we are consuming now is not going to be a still image. So just going where the trends are, and yeah, it’s funny you mentioned that about that East Nashville property. You know, we work with hotels in their social media. And one of the videos that went viral on this particular hotel partner’s account was that they filmed High School Musical Two at the property, right? And it was kind of like this produced Zac Efron in there, and it exploded. And it was, like, probably something that we didn’t think was gonna get that much traction, but it was fun. People engaged with it. People loved it, especially those, millennials that grew up with that. And it became kind of a staple of that property and just a way to share the story of that property. So really cool examples there. And that creative side that’s the fun part of social media. So you mentioned 100 plus properties, so this might be a little bit tough for you, but I’m gonna put you on the spot here, Emma. I’m gonna do some rapid fire questions to get to know you and the HEI Hotel and Resorts portfolio a little better. So what is one of your favorite views at a property, HEI Hotel and Resort property? Emma Shaybani: I would say probably Hyatt Regency, Jersey City. So I had actually never been to Jersey City, but I was astounded by the, when I went, the views of Manhattan. ‘Cause it’s great, you know, when you’re in Manhattan, you’re like, “Oh, this is amazing.” Like – Yeah. But when you’re actually looking at it from across the water, it’s incredible. So probably that one. And we also have another, actually, another Times Square view. We have Renaissance Times Square that has this really cool bar that overlooks, like, the whole of Times Square. And it’s just like, incredible. I could sit there and watch that for hours. So it’s, it’s probably the New York views for me. Ryan Embree: Yeah. And those are hard to beat. Being in New York a couple months, same place up on a rooftop. I mean there’s not a lot that beats that. So what about a favorite fun fact about one of your properties? Emma Shaybani: Oh, I really like, it’s my favorite thing to do is always research or ask the team, like, what’s the craziest story about this hotel when I go? I love all, like, the historical facts, like, the ghost stories. So probably the Liberty in Boston, it used to be the Charles Street Jail. And today, I just love that, like, you’re sitting in there having a cocktail and there’s still, like, the, the doors and the window bars. And it just, that’s really fun. We also have The Cavalier, which has hosted, like, 10 presidents, Frank Sinatra. There’s definitely some secrets in that hotel. And I love that they play into it. They have a lot of, like, historical facts on the wall. So it kind of becomes, like, I don’t know, it’s like a fact-finding mission when you’re there. Ryan Embree: Yeah. I love that. It’s funny. You think about in maybe 100 or 200 years, which of those structures might be hotels in the future, right? Think that there’s a jail there. I’ve heard stories about, yeah, this used to be a bank and everything. Thing and now it’s a hotel. Like that’s the best part about hospitality, right? We can turn almost anything into a hotel. So, what about favorite signature dish at one of your properties, Emma? Emma Shaybani: I really like the steak tartar at the J in San Francisco. Served at the third floor and it’s just one of those, it’s just one of those dishes that I have to have, like I can not be hungry and I’ll still order it because I need to have it. Cause I don’t know when the next time I’m going back, but no, it’s kind of got like, it’s got like a Japanese twist on steak tartar, which is, it’s delicious. Ryan Embree: Very nice. Coast to coast, Emma, I like it. This really shows the breadth of the portfolio you’re working with over there. Last ones, either favorite piece of art at one of your properties or a favorite amenity at one of your properties? We can do both. Emma Shaybani: Well, we have a very, I think a pretty unique portfolio with every hotel kind of has a unique amenity. But I think the Live at the Sunrose, which is at our Sunrose property in West Hollywood, has this really cool intimate live music venue inside the hotel. And like you, just because it’s in West Hollywood, you just don’t know who’s gonna turn up, start singing. I think, like, J-Lo was there. It’s just, like – Oh, wow. It’s just fun. Like she’ll just get up and start singing. So I feel like that’s like a really cool little just addition, right? Like if a guest is staying and that’s all happening, it just really brings a lot of, a lot of energy to the, to the hotel. Ryan Embree: Well, and some great opportunity for content. You wanna talk about the perfect social media video? Emma Shaybani: I have no problems. Ryan Embree: Jennifer Lopez, right, singing at one of your hotels. Awesome. Well, you know, it’s always. I’ve done almost, well, over 200 episodes. I always feel like it’s my duty to my Suite Spot listeners when we have incredible industry influencers and leaders. And Emma, you were just recently named a top 100 marketer as part of the 2026 On Conferences Icon Awards. I always feel like I try to just get as much knowledge and tips and best practices from my guests as I can in the time that I have you here. So, what would be one piece of advice that you might share with hospitality marketers in our Suite Spot audience right now? Emma Shaybani: Yeah, I think the biggest thing is, and I tell my team this a lot, is don’t be afraid to test. I think one of the realities is that there’s a lot of pressure to kind of always deliver positive results to owners, asset managers, and leadership teams really naturally want kind of every campaign to be successful. But the reality is, if every campaign that we do succeeds, we’re probably not pushing the boundaries or trying enough things. You know, I think with any of, with any of the, the campaigns that we run, I think the best marketers aren’t really the ones that never fail. It’s the ones that learn the fastest. So I think it’s completely okay that every campaign or every test that we do isn’t always going to work. And that’s totally fine. I think it’s important to then explain, why we’re making a recommendation, why it worked, and the adjustments that we made when it didn’t work or if it did work. So I think it’s really just owning the, not being afraid to really own the outcome, good or bad, but really just, just test as many things as you can. I think it’s funny. One of the things I always think about is, it was like with email marketing, everyone said you had to send it at, like, 11:00 AM on a Tuesday or a Thursday. And everyone’s just taken that as gospel for so many years. And the other week, I think one of my team was like, “Oh, I made a mistake and sent it on a Sunday.” And I was like, “What, like, what happened?” And he’s like, “Well, I got the highest open rates that we’ve ever had.” And I was like, “Well, there you go. You’ve got to try these things. Don’t just keep doing the same thing. It’s not a big deal. If we send an email campaign on a Sunday, okay, we get a lower click rate. Oh, you know, it doesn’t matter. We can go back. The next one, we do something different.” But it worked. So you never really know what’s gonna work until you try. Ryan Embree: Yeah, bit of an unintentional test there, but turned out the right way. And as you mentioned, Emma, some of the biggest learning lessons can come out of those failures. And we’ve certainly heard some examples and stories on this podcast of industry leaders and professionals that some of their greatest success kind of started at maybe a moment of failure for them personally. So I think awesome advice. I appreciate that. Again, congratulations, on that recognition there. As we wrap up, Emma, we always like to end our episodes kinda looking ahead, right? We’re looking forward to the Digital Travel Summit, like I said, in September. But from a marketing perspective, Emma, what’s your vision for the future of HEI Hotel and Resorts? Emma Shaybani: Yeah, I’m really excited where we’re heading. I think over the last few years, we’ve seen some incredible growth, especially to kind of our lifestyle and independent hotel portfolio. And I think that is rewarding for the team because there’s so much freedom on the marketing side that comes with that. I think I’m just overall excited to, with the continued evolution of marketing within hospitality. As I said, it’s a stressful time, but it’s kind of a fun time. Because there’s a lot of things to try and work with. When I started my career, marketing was really viewed as a support function and today it feels a lot more integrated. And it is a driver of revenue and business performance, whether it’s AI, digital distribution, loyalty, reputation management. Marketing’s kind of influencing now every stage of the guest journey. And it’s nice to have a seat at the table, kind of alongside sales and revenue management and really be part of the bigger conversations that I think historically marketing was kind of seen as secondary to. So I think for us, looking ahead, we’re just gonna keep pushing, pushing, trying to push boundaries, try a lot of new technology, especially where it’s gonna add value. And as I mentioned, continue investing in things like creativity and content. And at the same time, try and not lose sight of what makes hospitality special, which is the people. Ryan Embree: Certainly a great opportunity to practice your advice, Emma. Use the testing waters and sandbox as much as you can. Exciting to see, because again, it’s evolving so quickly. It feels like almost every single day we’re getting some news out there. So we will continue to look to you and other industry leaders for what’s next in hospitality marketing. Emma, thank you so much. It was a super comprehensive episode. Any final thoughts today? Emma Shaybani: No, thank you so much for having me. It’s been a pleasure, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in Orlando at the conference. Ryan Embree: Yeah, excited as well. Thank you so much, Emma, for your time. We will let you get back to it, all the exciting things you have over there at HEI Hotels and Resorts. And thank you, the Suite Spot listener for joining us today. We will talk to you next time on The Suite Spot. To join our loyalty program, be sure to subscribe and give us a five-star rating 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.

Send us Fan MailWe catch up with Lark Elliott one year after opening Tuxedo Falls to learn what it takes to turn a rare waterfall property near Asheville into a high-demand glamping retreat. We dig into design choices like open air soak tubs, heated toilet seats, brutal infrastructure realities, and the operating and marketing decisions that drive reviews, pricing power, and direct bookings. • How exceptional land and location can do your selling • Choosing Bushtec safari tents and building true treehouses around living trees • Guest experience details that lift reviews and return visits • The hidden horizontal infrastructure budget: stormwater, roads, rock, wells and septic • Zoning, utility availability and fire access as early deal killers • Financing a proof of concept while building infrastructure for future units • The whiplash shift from builder to operator and what to fix first • Handing off social media marketing and using paid social to find the right guest • Dynamic pricing and revenue management trade-offs at different unit counts • Leveraging tourism board PR and avoiding costly OTA surprises • Mentoring, books and practical habits that make operations saner • Using travel insurance messaging to reduce cancellation pain Check out tuxedofalls.com or reach out to lark at lark@tuxedofalls.comWe work really hard to bring you the best content from the best operators in our industry and we do it all absolutely free of charge. All we ask is that you consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so we can keep the momentum going. Simply go to the homepage of the podcast and scroll down till you see the stars. Thanks for your support and let's keep getting more people outside.Newbook - www.newbook.cloudInterested in learning more about Newbook? Book a software demonstration with one of their market consultants today and don't forget to mention you came from the Outdoor Hospitality Podcast to receive 15% off your Newbook subscription and your first month free. This offer is for Newbook Signature subscriptions only.This podcast is powered by Sage Outdoor Advisory, the industry leaders in feasibility studies and appraisals. 

Recorded live at Auto Tech 2026, this episode features AutoMobility Advisors' Chip Goetzinger discussing the rise of software-defined vehicles, embedded connectivity, and changing OEM-supplier relationships. He also explores emerging automotive trends like vehicle commerce and digital identity, along with insights from his background as an amateur race car driver.

Manual testing never died. IoT is the proof. In this episode, Joe Colantonio talks with Oleksii Cherkashyn, a QA team lead, automation engineer, and IoT testing specialist who built a complete test architecture from scratch across hardware, firmware, mobile, web, and API. IoT breaks the usual automation playbook. You are not testing a shopping cart. You are connecting a real microcontroller, flashing a sketch, validating that a physical command produced the right change in a dashboard widget, and then doing the same thing again through the REST API and the mobile app. No marketplace framework covers that, so Oleksii built his own. You'll learn: Why manual QA remains essential in IoT and which cases can never be automated How Oleksii built a custom Node.js library to simulate up to 50,000 device connections for performance testing without buying the hardware Why he chose WebDriverIO over Playwright and the mobile automation reason behind it How he uses WebDriverIO MCP and cloud coding agents every day to create and repair tests The hard truth about dependent test chains and where AI agents still hallucinate How to handle time based scenarios like sleep modes, daily triggers, and delayed notifications Static versus dynamic provisioning, and how to test OTA firmware updates What to do first if your company hands you an IoT device and you have never tested hardware If you work in test automation and you want a look at the layer of testing that AI is not coming for, this one is for you. Listen up, and check out the links below for everything mentioned in this episode.

Listen in as host Dr. Alex Crespo chats with Caryn Lindsey about her OTAI editorial entitled, "Treating mental and social health: A call for alternative payment models in orthopaedic trauma." Click here for the link to the editorial. To have further discussion with Alex or Caryn, please reach out to them by email: Amcrespomd@gmail.com or Caryn.Lindsey@csmc.edu For additional educational resources visit OTA.org

Airbnb spent ten years swearing it would never be another OTA. It just started buying its experiences from Viator.For twenty years the industry has argued about whether anybody can build a real marketplace for experiences. Mitch Bach and Pete Syme think the Airbnb deal settles it. The companies with the deepest pockets have looked at the category, done the arithmetic, and decided to rent someone else's supply rather than build their own. The ones still committed to building are running on economics that get worse every year, even while the market underneath them grows. None of that stays inside the marketplaces. A business under margin pressure has only so many places to find money, and the commission operators pay is the one that moves the dial.Pete's answer for operators is not a new tactic, and he says so plainly. What has changed is the price of ignoring the old ones. Discovery sits underneath every other question an operator has, and more money flowing into the platforms meant to solve it has made it harder, not easier. His argument is that operators keep chasing discovery where it costs the most to win while walking past the customers already sitting in their own city, the corporates and schools and universities that book fifteen times instead of once. Mitch pushes on what that leaves for anyone running a general tour for a general audience. They land in the same place: the only bagel tour in New York gets found, and the two hundredth walking tour in Madrid does not.Resources:Peter Syme on LinkedIn, where he posts his breakdowns of the Viator and GetYourGuide numbersTourpreneur business retreats in PortoTourpreneur CONNECT

Agriculture, manufacturing, carnival rides, and games are great—but let's be real: we're here for the unapologetic, deep-fried culinary breakdown! On this episode of the Only in OK Show, we take a deep dive into the delicious, decadent, and downright wild eats coming to the 2026 Oklahoma State Fair running September 17–27 at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. From classic golden staples to global street food fusion and insider budget tips, here is your ultimate guide to eating your way through the fairgrounds: Golden & Deep-Fried Cornerstones Brown's Corndogs & Cheese On a Stick: Jumbo, batter-dipped perfection. Wade Shows Funnel Cake: Crispy, golden, and smothered in powdered sugar. Salty & Savory Handhelds: Giant smoked turkey legs, roasted corn on the cob, bacon-wrapped treats from The Bacon Habit, and Swain's Pizza On-a-Stick. Sweet Indulgences: Deep-fried Oreos, Granny's Cheesecake, and Rodney & Lisa's Fancy Caramel Apples. Global & Specialty Eats African Flavors (Afrikan Delights): Egusi + Fufu plates (chicken, beef, goat, or vegan), smoky skewers, and jollof rice. Southwestern & Street Food Fusion: Birria street corn, Carne Asada street corn, and Dan's famous Indian Tacos. Cajun & Southern Comfort: Big G's Cajun shrimp, crawfish boils, and Eli's Soul Food. Wild Desserts & Drinks: Cobbler in a Cone, Mochi donuts, Turkish Delights, Waffle Chix, and cold refreshing Agua Fresca, Horchata, or Sunrise Boba. Insider Tips for Foodies on a Budget Taste of the Fair Tuesday (Sept 22): The absolute best day for food lovers! Gate admission drops to $4, and vendors across the fairgrounds offer select $4 menu items for sampling. The "Little Book of BIG DEAL$": Pick one up at the gate or the Made in Oklahoma Store (Bennett Event Center) for over 60 coupons and $250+ in food and fun savings. Pro-Tip Strategy: Use the fair's official online Food Finder tool beforehand to plot a strategic route across vendor rows so you don't miss key spots like Mac Me Crazy or Wondervan Pops. Event Logistics & Discount Days Location: Oklahoma State Fair Park (3001 General Pershing Blvd, OKC) Early Savings: Buy gate admission and carnival armbands before September 17 to lock in advance discount pricing. Thrifty Thursdays (Sept 17 & 24): $10 gate admission, $25 ride armbands. Military Monday (Sept 21): Free admission for active duty, veterans, and spouses. Senior Day (Sept 23): Free admission for 55+ with free shuttle access. College Day (Sept 24): $5 admission with college ID. Important Policies: Minors under 18 require an adult chaperone (25+) after 5:00 PM. Paid parking is cashless (credit/debit required). Links: Oklahoma State Fair Ticket Info & Advance Savings Interactive OK State Fair Food Finder Map Question for the listeners: If you could only eat ONE fair food for the rest of your life—are you picking a giant corn dog, an Indian taco, or a hot funnel cake? Let us know! Also discussed:  Misfit Pits BBQ, Enid SOS, HeyDey Entertainment, OTA, Visit Norman #OnlyInOKShow #OKStateFair #OklahomaStateFair #OKCFoodie #OKCFood #OklahomaCity #FairFood #DeepFried #TasteOfTheFair #ExploreOklahoma #OKEvents #OKC #IndianTacos #FunnelCake

This Episode is Sponsored by StayFi Your ultimate tool for Vacation Rental WiFi marketing allowing you to collect guest emails automatically via custom captive WiFi login splash pages. Drive repeat direct bookings and convert your OTA bookings to book direct for their next visit. Visit https://stayfi.com/vrsuccess/ and use code VRSUCCESS for 50% off 3 months of StayFi service. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Five days before recording this episode, Heather added an AI agent called Viktor to her Slack workspace. Within the hour it had introduced itself to her entire team, worked out on its own that the podcast was central to the business, counted the back catalogue, audited which episodes had transcripts, and offered to fix the gap. It had also spent two thirds of her credit balance, and when she asked where the money had gone, the answer was not what she expected. That story is the way into a full account of the AI tools Heather is currently paying for: what each one does, what it costs, and whether it earns its place. The total comes to $329 a month, which is just under $4,000 a year, and it is a number she had never added up before preparing this episode. The second half is a practical method for auditing your own stack. Where duplication hides, what your existing property management software already does that you may be buying twice, why monthly subscriptions beat annual ones until you are certain, and how to hand the whole exercise to AI rather than building another spreadsheet. Heather also covers what is genuinely worth learning right now and what most operators can safely leave alone for another six months. Key Takeaways Most AI spending is not a decision. It arrives as a run of small, individually defensible choices, and it lands on top of a software bill that was already growing. When an agent runs on credits, the work you ask for is usually the cheap part. The expense sits in recurring background jobs and proactive activity nobody requested. Ask any metered tool, within the first week, where your credits went and what it does when you are not watching. A capable agent needs a scope brief before it gets access, not after. Decide what it can see, who can instruct it, and what it may do without asking. Per-seat pricing is where software bills quietly grow. A tool that costs $84 a year can cost $420 a year across a team. Audit by job, not by tool. Write down the job, then list everything you pay for that does it. Check what your existing platforms already do. Most PMS and operations tools have shipped AI features that operators are separately paying for elsewhere. Only take an annual plan once you are confident you will still be using the tool in a year. The discount is always offered when you are most enthusiastic and least informed. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What happens when you combine hands-on hotel experience, OTA expertise, hospitality technology, and a test-and-learn mindset? In this episode of The Modern Hotelier, David Millili sits down with Nick Farrell, Senior Vice President and Head of Sales at Phunware, to explore his journey from working on-property to Expedia and into the world of hospitality technology.Nick explains why hotels should embrace a test-and-learn mentality, how AI can turn guest data into actionable insights, and why technology should ultimately give hotel employees more time to focus on what matters most: creating meaningful human connections with guests.In this episode, you'll learn:What working at Expedia taught him about distribution, digital marketing, and demandWhy a test-and-learn mindset is critical for hotelsHow AI and guest intelligence can transform the hotel experienceThe opportunities hotels are missing between check-in and check-outHow AI Concierge technology can personalize recommendations for guestsIf you're interested in hotel technology, AI in hospitality, guest experience, hotel revenue, hospitality innovation, hotel distribution, ancillary revenue, and the future of the hotel industry, this episode is a must-watch.Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XXWIowhCp8Q Links:Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nfarrell1/Phunware Hospitality: https://www.phunware.com/For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/318Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-..Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn pageConnect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

Atlanta Falcons DB Darnay Holmes chats about handling the heat in Atlanta, the physicality of practice preparing the team for the season, why he decided to join the Falcons, what he talks to his father (who also played in the NFL) about, the real difference between playing Nickel Corner and Outside Corner, how he expects to be used this season, the importance of OTA's in setting the defense up for the season, facing the Broncos in the preseason opener on Friday, and the defensive backfield group.

Listen in as host Dr. Michael Blankstein chats with Drs. Mai Nguyen and Carla Smith about the Task Force created to provide education and materials to trauma surgeons in limited resource countries and the SIGN group. For more information, visit this OTA website link. For additional educational resources visit OTA.org  

On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Brandreth Canaley, Michael Goldin, and Jamie Lane break down three stories about who is winning the race to control how travel gets discovered and booked. The conversation opens with Airbnb's Q2 earnings: nights and experiences booked up 9%, revenue up 11%, and 100 new features shipped in a single quarter using AI. Brian Chesky is calling it a compounding advantage that rivals cannot close easily. From there, the crew digs into why Expedia Group is doubling down on B2B, where gross bookings are growing at more than twice the rate of its consumer business, and what the Layla AI Travel Agent acquisition means for how vacation rentals get discovered inside bank and airline platforms. They close with Booking Holdings flagging Google AI Overviews on an earnings call for the first time and what it means when the biggest OTA in the world admits the search landscape is shifting underneath it. This episode is presented by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠StayFi⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bilt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you're ready to start turning today's guests into tomorrow's direct bookings, head to stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality and use code GOODMORNINGHOSPITALITY to get 50% off your first three months. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joinbilt.com/gmh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more for GMH listeners!

Other Transaction Agreements, known as OTAs, are a federal contract vehicle that carries almost none of the standard bidding rules, and agencies now issue them at every project size rather than only for large awards. Eric Coffie breaks down how a small firm can pitch a contracting officer on using an OTA, why the same vehicle powers major technology awards like Palantir's, and how the vehicle fits alongside 8(a), WOSB, and IDIQ. What you'll learn in this episode: - What an OTA is and why it operates with far fewer rules than a standard solicitation - Why OTAs now fund contracts of all sizes, not just billion-dollar programs - How to pitch a contracting officer on the buying vehicle that gets them the least pushback from leadership - Where OTAs sit alongside 8(a), WOSB, and IDIQ as options to put in front of an agency - Why safety and Corps of Engineers standards like EM385 can keep a federal contractor on a project when others get removed Chapters: 0:00 - Finding the contract before you bid on it 1:10 - Making a requirement mandatory to bid 2:40 - OTAs fund projects of every size 3:54 - How Palantir wins work through OTAs 4:40 - Pitching the government on which vehicle to use 7:05 - OTAs for construction and the bonding question 7:24 - The $20 million safety company story 9:38 - Why the bond is really insurance Mindy gives you the federal opportunities, agency signals, recompete intel, and pursuit briefs that tell you not just what contracts exist, but which ones to chase and how to win them. Sign up for free Daily Alerts and get opportunities delivered to your inbox before the day starts.

Danielle ja Richard katosivat jäljettömiin treffi-illan jälkeen vuonna 2005. Pariskunnasta tai heidän autostaan ei ole saatu yhtään havaintoa sen jälkeen, kun he poistuivat Philadelphiassa sijaitsevasta baarista. FBI uskoo, että pariskunta joutui palkkamurhan uhriksi, mutta ei ole avannut sitä, miten tähän teoriaan on päädytty. * Tiedäthän, että tämä kuuntelemasi jakso on podcastin aiempaa tuotantoa. Podmessa voit kuunnella kaikki Jäljillä-podcastin viimeisten vuosien jaksot. Lisäksi uunituoreita jaksoja julkaistaan Podmessa joka viikko, ja mikä parasta – ilman mainoksia. Eli jos tykkäät kuulemastasi ja haluat lisää, sitä löytyy yllin kyllin osoitteesta podme.com. Uusi throwback-jakso julkaistaan joka perjantai. Ota yhteyttä: jaljillapodcast@gmail.comInstagram: @ jaljillapodcastMusiikki: This work contains Music Track Doug Maxwell Media Right Productions - Heartbeat of the Hood that is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Source: https://directory.audio/free-music/ambient/5275-doug-maxwell-media-right-productions -heartbeat-of-the-hoodAuthor: Doug Maxwell Media Right Productions Lähteet: Kadonneet-dokumenttisarjan jakso “A Bridge too Far” (kausi 8, jakso 11, Investigation Discovery)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlgRUb5-IjA&ab_channel=6abcPhiladelphiahttps://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/danielle-imbohttps://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/richard-petronehttps://charleyproject.org/case/danielle-imbohttps://charleyproject.org/case/richard-petrone-jrhttps://eu.courierpostonline.com/story/news/local/south-jersey/2014/02/15/petrone-family-seeks-closure-9-years-after-couple-vanished-from-philly-club/5520415/https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/danielle-imbo-richard-petrone-missing-persons-ottobre/2006687/https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/fbi-danielle-imbo-richard-petrone-cold-case-missing-persons/2006689/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/were-long-missing-couple-victims-of-a-murder-plot/https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/danielle-imbo-richard-petrone-missing/https://abc7.com/true-crime-6abc-cold-case-philadelphia-police-department/5948803/https://abc7chicago.com/archive/5940410/https://patch.com/new-jersey/moorestown/new-details-danielle-imbo-richard-petrone-jr-case

- Ford Names New EV Truck Fathom - Value of OTA Market Will Quadruple - GM to Ship China-Made Buicks Overseas - U.S. Dealer Group Calls for China Ban - Honda Still Recovering from Earthquake - Honda Taps Tata for New Platform - Mercedes Removes Axial Motors for Cheaper Version

- Ford Names New EV Truck Fathom - Value of OTA Market Will Quadruple - GM to Ship China-Made Buicks Overseas - U.S. Dealer Group Calls for China Ban - Honda Still Recovering from Earthquake - Honda Taps Tata for New Platform - Mercedes Removes Axial Motors for Cheaper Version

This Episode is Sponsored by StayFi Your ultimate tool for Vacation Rental WiFi marketing allowing you to collect guest emails automatically via custom captive WiFi login splash pages. Drive repeat direct bookings and convert your OTA bookings to book direct for their next visit. Visit https://stayfi.com/vrsuccess/ and use code VRSUCCESS for 50% off 3 months of StayFi service. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Twenty-five years ago, Heather could get on the phone with every guest who booked her cottage in Ontario and ask one question: what would it take for you to leave saying this was the best vacation of your life? One answer led to a fishing rod, a tackle box, and a tub of live worms in the fridge for an eight-year-old visiting from England. That depth of guest knowledge became impossible once she was managing 200 properties. This conversation is about getting it back. Orlie Benjamin spent her corporate career in marketing at Victoria's Secret, American Airlines, NetJets, and Scotts Miracle-Gro before buying 78 acres near Hocking Hills, Ohio, and building her own vacation rental business. What she found was an industry with almost none of the guest marketing infrastructure she had taken for granted, and distribution channels designed to keep operators and guests apart. So she built Lasoh, an AI-driven guest portal, CRM, and marketing platform for short-term rental operators. Listeners will come away with a clear picture of what it means to know an incoming guest before they arrive, why the anticipation phase is the most neglected stage of the guest journey, and how to think about direct booking as a business strategy rather than a wish. Key Takeaways Revenue has three levers: the number of guests you have, how often they transact, and what they spend each time. Most operators only ever work on the first one, and they rent it from the OTAs rather than owning it. The anticipation phase is the longest stage of the guest journey, and for most operators it sits empty. The window between booking and arrival is where guest knowledge is gathered and goodwill is built. Three plain, open-ended questions sent before arrival will tell you more than any polished survey. Orlie deliberately made Lasoh's pre-arrival form look unsophisticated so it feels like a human is reading the answers. One is. AI removes three of the four steps: asking, capturing, and drafting the response. The human does the fourth, which is reviewing the reply and adding the judgement and flair that make it exceptional. Build the goodwill piggy bank before arrival. A guest who has been genuinely looked after in the weeks before their stay will forgive the thing that inevitably goes wrong. A guest arriving at neutral will not. If your business runs entirely through Airbnb, your customer is Airbnb, not the guest. Direct booking is a deliberate strategy that requires people, systems, and process, and it starts with deciding who your guest and owner ICPs actually are. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The TMG Hospitality Trailblazers welcomes the latest addition to the series, Kim Wootteon, Sr. VP of Commercial Strategy at Kampgrounds of America, Inc. to discuss the outdoor hospitality landscape and how artificial intelligence and technology are playing a key role in connecting different generations of travelers to the KOA vast portfolio of properties. 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 co-host, Ryan Embry. Cassady Quintana: And I’m your co-host, Cassady Quintana. Ryan Embree: We’re excited to have you here with us for another edition of our TMG Hospitality Trailblazers series. We’ve been running this series for quite a while, paving those management companies, individuals that are paving a way into the future for hospitality, which feels like is changing on a weekly basis. I’ve been really looking forward to this episode. A familiar face and voice with us. It’s the first time you’re joining us virtually. Kim Wootteon, Senior Vice President, Commercial Strategies at Kampgrounds of America. Kim, thank you so much for joining us back on The Suite Spot. Kim Wootteon: Yes, it’s great to see you both. Thanks for having me today. Ryan Embree: Yeah, we’re gonna have a super fun conversation. You have an incredible brand. We can’t wait to jump in. But before we start talking about Kampgrounds of America and KOA, I wanna start because we missed it when we were in Arlington at the Digital Transformation Summit of getting a little bit about your hospitality background and journey that led you to such a cool position at KOA. Kim Wootteon: My kind of career path has been quite interesting. It’s really led to the role I have today. So the first 12 years of my career was spent in retail. And for all of you millennials, I started with PacSun. I was an OG, skate and surf lifestyle fanatic. And I worked in retail for 12 years and really learned operations, marketing, and quite frankly, leadership. PacSun was a really great people-centric company. And it’s really where I got my foundation for leadership and my drive for results. And then I transitioned for retail into the more traditional hospitality sector and worked for four years with Marshall Hotels and Resorts, leading sales, marketing, and diving into revenue management. And then was recruited by a company called Bluewater Development, who was really pioneers within the outdoor hospitality industry and very traditional owners in the indoor hospitality industry. So great experience. I was introduced to KOA with them and the entire glamping and camping sector of hospitality, which was super exciting. And then also got to work with some really great brands such as Marriott and Hilton and IHG and independent properties, independent campgrounds. It was quite an eclectic mix of properties, that I got to support in sales, marketing, and revenue. And I joined KOA about five years ago, leading marketing at the local level. And in 2022, we established the commercial strategy team at KOA, and, I now oversee revenue management, local marketing or field marketing, retail, distribution, and sales across the entire KOA portfolio, both our owned assets and our franchise locations, and support for KOA, Inc. as well. Ryan Embree: So this is why I love this question so much, because we get such an eclectic melting pot of backgrounds of hospitality professionals, maybe starting in retail. I hear F&B a lot recently. And then you go from the brands, you go, outdoor hospitality, and you get this big melting pot, and it kinda defines who you are as an industry professional, but also gives you, I think, an appreciation of some of those other places that you’ve been or even properties which can span from the giant resorts that we’ve seen all the way to, maybe it is a campsite where it’s a lot more local and kinda community and, and tight-knit feeling. Kim Wootteon: Absolutely. Absolutely. I’ve enjoyed my journey. It allows me to bring perspective to the work we do every day that is unique. And we’ve done a really great job at KOA of hiring a team of leaders and a team of people, in the field with really diverse backgrounds, which I think is a great compliment to the diversity across our portfolio. Cassady Quintana: Yeah, I think it’s interesting because you talk about this new team that you guys have created at KOA and the things that you’re developing and introducing into this outdoor hospitality. But for our listeners who may not know too much about KOA, we have a lot of hotel listeners. So if you can just give us a little bit of background about the brand and how it’s found its way to becoming one of the number one outdoor hospitality leaders. Kim Wootteon: So KOA was founded in 1962 by Dave Drumm in Billings, Montana. He saw this surge of travelers heading to the world’s fair in Seattle, and he opened the Billings Campgrounds, on his property along the Yellowstone River. And today, Kampgrounds of America is the largest system of privately owned campgrounds across the US and Canada with over 500 locations. We have 50 locations that are owned and operated by KOA, and 450 plus locations that are franchised. It’s a really interesting segment or vertical within the hospitality industry. Incredibly diverse portfolio, incredibly diverse guests. And we’re really fortunate to be the leader within this segment of the industry. Ryan Embree: And we mentioned at the top of this episode, this is our TMG Hospitality Trailblazer series. Now, I don’t think there is a much more fitting brand than KOA as far as being a trailblazer when you, when you think about that term, but I’ve been surprised to learn from getting to know you and the KOA brand of the different modern way that we kind of talk about trailblazers in our industry. And so, Kim, you and your team have been doing some incredible work. We’re gonna mention it in this episode, but what do you think makes the Kampgrounds of America brand a true embodiment of trailblazers and trailblazing in our industry right now? Kim Wootteon: It starts really with our vision at KOA. And our vision is to be the world leader in defining and advancing the business and experience of outdoor hospitality. And that’s been a focus for our company for years. We have taken a really unique approach to, I’d say, the traditional hospitality industry. We understand camping, we understand hospitality, and we are really committed to being the leader within not just the outdoor hospitality space, but the overall hospitality space in general. And it really starts with knowing our guest. And we are fortunate. We have tons of first-party guest data. We have years and years of history. And we’re known in our segment of the industry for the research we do to really better understand our guest and how our guest changes and what they expect. So it’s a really unique advantage. And the research we provide is not just for KOA and our franchisees, but it’s for the entire industry. And trailblazing shows up in a variety of ways, almost every decision that we make as a brand. So from the guest experience standpoint, we’re launching a new koa.com website that’s really powered by AI and focused on personalization and trip planning and flexible cancellation policies and the guest’s ability to manage reservations. So some of the more traditional things that you would see in the hospitality industry, but with some unique features that are custom to how guests like to camp. From an organizational structure standpoint, we have a commercial strategy team, which we really are the only one in the industry that has a full commercial strategy arm. And we have an AI team. We built our AI department at the beginning of this year, and that team continues to grow and really focus both internally and externally on how we can use AI to enhance the employee experience and the guest experience. And then within outdoor hospitality, technology has kind of always been a little bit of an opportunity. We don’t necessarily follow some of the mainstream tech choices that you see in indoor hospitality. So our focus has really been how do we align with what works well within indoor hospitality? We’ve been exploring OTA integrations and an RMS integration and enhanced text messaging capabilities and housekeeping modules to help operations be more efficient. It’s about really how can we be the first in the outdoor space to align most closely with what works in indoor hospitality, and then try to address the points of friction where we can that are really unique to outdoor hospitality. Cassady Quintana: I love that you mentioned this balance of outdoor hospitality and what that means to people, but also finding those opportunities for technology because that is the trend these days, right? Is AI this, AI that, and how can we bring in that technology? And we know that KOA has built such a recognizable brand in outdoor hospitality. So how do you guys find that you’re balancing and maintaining what Dave built back in the ’60s, that trusted legacy of what KOA is with continuing to try and attract a younger generation or maybe people that have never been camping before? Kim Wootteon: It is a really fine balance that is not easy. We truly work at it every day and we’re really, really fortunate to have such a legacy brand and such a trusted brand. And so it’s really this balance of how do we stay rooted in our core values and our mission with connecting people to the outdoors and each other while meeting guest expectations for who the camper is today? And so, we see participation in camping across all generations, which is really fascinating. In 2025, participation among adults, 65 or older, reached its highest level in eight years. So we’re seeing this rebound in the boomer population. 25% of all new campers in 2025 were boomers. And at the same time, younger generations, particularly millennials, continue to make camping a really meaningful share of their leisure travel. So it’s this ongoing challenge of how do we attract and retain campers? It’s the same challenge everybody has in our industry. And then keeping existing campers and getting new ones to come back. It’s really that frequency question. We’ve seen some shifts in frequency over the past several years. Our more legacy campers used to take two, three, four trips a year. And we’re seeing that frequency diminish slightly. New campers come and experience it. And maybe don’t, maybe don’t camp again in the same year. It may take one camping trip a year. So that’s a unique challenge our industry is navigating. But we do a lot of research to understand what inspires each generation to camp, and we work really hard to deliver memorable experiences to keep them coming back. But I think the thing that is consistent across all generations and what really matters most to campers, whether they’re new or they’re legacy campers, there’s some core foundational items that we really pride ourselves in across the KOA system. So safety and security is one, cleanliness and quality. We have a really rigorous quality assurance program, and we visit every single campground every single year to ensure each campground is meeting quality assurance standards. And we’re okay to say goodbye to those campgrounds that maybe aren’t meeting our standards. Campers are looking for some self-guided recreation. So if they want to be in the outdoors and really utilize their time as they see fit, the amenities and the recreation continue to play a critical role in that decision-making process. Pet friendliness is really critical and so many people in outdoors love to camp with their pets. And so it’s vital that all of our properties be really pet-friendly. And we have pet-friendly accommodations, pet walks, and camp canine parks. Pets are, are really an extension of our guest base, truly. And then basics like clean laundry, clean restroom facilities, clean laundry facilities, all the essentials that are needed for a great camping experience. Ryan Embree: You definitely have the advantage of a memorable experience on your end, right? I think that has been the knock on the indoor hospitality space, is that sometimes it’s your hotel stay or experience there might not be the most memorable part of a trip versus camping feels like something, if done right, and the quality is there, that is a memory that’s not just gonna stick with you for a year that you might just tell a couple people about, but maybe decades. Maybe it becomes a family tradition, and I’m sure you have some incredible stories to share there. But as I mentioned at the top of this episode, Kim, we had the pleasure of meeting you in Arlington, Texas at the Digital Transformation Summit and Hospitality and Hotels. And again, from what I knew about Kampgrounds of America then and what I know now, it was like kind of one of those spaces where I was like, “Well, I wonder, I wonder what KOA is doing in this space.” And then I got to hear your keynote and I was blown away. But it was also one of the most fascinating conversations I had at that event because of the relationship with technology where some of your guests might be looking for an escape from that technology while others kind of see it as this is the baseline and maybe WiFi isn’t a tech- technology to them. Maybe that’s just a standard for them. So it’s so interesting. It’s fascinating. I’m sure it’s that balance what you’re talking about, Kim, but you also have to balance between the guest and you also have 450 franchisees out there, right? And you’re an owner yourself of 50 properties. So I wanna get into both of those kinda spectrums. One is, what are you seeing the guests, their relationship with technology when it comes to KOA? And then maybe you can speak to the owner side of it, of are you hearing owners wanting to implement more technology or are they kind of resisting that when you’re saying, “Hey, let’s start to look at these new kind of maybe fancy technological updates.” I know there’s a packed question there, so. Kim Wootteon: Yeah, no. And lots to unpack within that question. So let’s start with the guest first and really the unique expectations that come from our campers. And while historically, camping has been a way of a form of leisure travel where you can kind of disconnect from everything that’s going on in daily life and really spend time in the outdoors, nearly half of all campers, about 47% site wifi as very important. So we have learned over the years that wifi is a utility. It is not an amenity anymore. It is a price of admission expectation for campers. Technology and remote work is still shaping camping behavior. And then Gen Z is the most likely to work while camping. So, we cater our experiences to every generation. And so Wi-Fi becomes a critical, critical component. While we’ve seen a slight decline in work camping, with people going back to the office and those just individual changes, it’s still really important. And it, what’s really unique is new campers, and again, kind of new campers, 25% of all new campers last year were boomers. So when we think about new campers, they are more likely than experienced campers to prioritize connectivity. So about 50% of new campers versus 43% of experienced campers. So access to technology directly influences length of stay and the experience. So we have focused heavily on tech and not just wifi at the campground, but how technology is used throughout the guest journey. Have we made it really easy for them to book and find the campground that meets their experience expectations? What’s the communication with the guests look like pre and post, or pre-during, quite honestly, and posts say through text messaging or, or other forms of technology? How easy can they find their site? Just all of those simple things where tech is a really great way to create efficiencies in operations, still have really, really connected touchpoints, relationship-wise, because I think that is, one of the most critical pieces of outdoor hospitality is the relationship our owners build with their campers. And then can they connect while they’re on site? And for those who don’t want to connect and really wanna disconnect during their stay, have we effectively marketed those sites that are best for them to stay in? Have we created connectivity zones where if they do choose to connect, there’s a place on the campground that is best for that, and the rest of the park could be more of a disconnection zone. So really thinking about how a camper is using the space. On the flip side, our owners, this has been an interesting challenge and journey. Just like our campers, our owners are incredibly diverse as well. We’re really blessed. And I think this kind of lends to the success of our legacy brand. We have legacy owners within the KOA brand. We have franchisees that have been in the system for 50 and 60 years. They’ve been here since the beginning, and that ownership has passed down through generations, which is really rare to find across our industry today. We have a lot of individual owner operators that, they gave up their careers as nurses and as architects, and they follow their passion for the outdoors, and they built and own, decide to buy a campground and and be entrepreneurs. And then we have a lot of investors coming into our space, that are diversifying their portfolio. They have hotels, like that public storage and outdoor hospitality is just a natural transition in their portfolio diversification. So the diversity amongst our owners is a unique challenge when it comes to technology. And then across multiple, age demographics as well. So from a wifi standpoint, we make it a requirement. It is now part of our quality assurance. We incentivize our owners to deliver really great wifi. We have a wifi royalty incentive program, and they can receive reduced royalties for a select period of time if their wifi meets certain standards. We believe it’s that important to the guest experience. And then really from tech adoption, I think that’s where we see some of the larger pieces of friction as our industry evolves and we’re constantly trying to balance the expectations of the guests with the needs of our owners and operators. Things like a couple years ago, we were getting ready to launch online reservation management. Okay, I can, I can book, I can change, I can cancel my reservation all on my phone through the app or otherwise. And then was faced with quite a bit of resistance because it was different and it was new and it took some of the control out of the hands of the owner. And so different components of that have kind of made it out to the public, and then there are some key components that have not quite made it out yet. So it’s really that balance of how do we meet guest expectations and owner expectations? But at the end of the day, we do have the responsibility to ensure our brand stays profitable and our owners are profitable. And so sometimes we do have to make those decisions that may not be as favorable to our owners, but are truly the best decision for the business. And it comes down a lot to training and education and really making sure they understand. So we have a great learning and development team, great communications team, a great project team that really ensures all of these initiatives come to fruition in the way they need to be successful. Ryan Embree: Well, and you also have, like you said, 50 properties that you own and manage, which I’m sure is a great kind of sandbox that you can play before you roll something out across the entire brand. But to put this in perspective for our listeners, you just mentioned that maybe there was some resistance to the online bookings that you were talking about, all the way to the owner that you were talking to me. I had to bring this up again, that there was drones bringing firewood to campsites at your property, right? So, I mean, that is the spectrum that you’re talking about. And I think that also is on the guest side. And that’s why probably, you and your team do such a great job of keeping your ear to the ground with these guests and constantly staying. I thought it was a fascinating stat that you talked about, Kim, where you’re saying that the first time campers are expecting more tech than maybe your returning campers or campers that have done that before. And I think that is a, it’s a telling statistic of, “Hey, we’re gonna try this for the first time. We’re gonna go camping.” And they’re coming to the camping site and being like, “All right, well, where’s the plugs and where’s the, the wifi and all that stuff?” Versus the campers that have been there have been like, “Oh, you, you’re camping. What are you talking about?” So interesting. Kim Wootteon: It’s a fun challenge. Cassady Quintana: I’m glad you mentioned that because when I think about it from a marketing perspective, you’ve talked about the different types of guests. You also have diverse owners, but you have diverse guests. When you think about hotels in the hotel industry, a lot of them have their niche and what they expect their demographic to look like when they come visit them. And so they can kind of cater that marketing a little bit better. But you have people ranging from children all the way up until boomers, and so they’re all expecting something different and they all want it to be exactly what they want. So when I think about it, I’m Gen Z, and this outdoor hospitality thing has really started to become a big thing for us. Like, whether it is because we wanna fully disconnect everything is too technologically advanced now, or I want a little bit of the best of both worlds. I wanna feel like I’m in nature, but also I can check my Instagram later if I really need to. So when you guys think about that from a marketing perspective, what do you think is driving that Gen Z interest, but also how do you develop a marketing strategy so that you can connect with those new campers and that, that younger generation? Kim Wootteon: Oh, my gosh. It’s a nonstop kind of everyday challenge that our teams work through at both the national level. How do we really connect the brand to people? I mean it’s so much of the success of our brand, and really camping and outdoor hospitality in general is built off of some, like, this emotional connection to nature and this desire to be outdoors. And how do we be part of that journey? And how can we be a catalyst to creating that experience for people, whether it’s their hundredth time camping or their first time camping? And there’s so many different tactics and strategies, within the marketing space that are available to us now. And it’s constantly evaluated with AI. We are traditionally rooted in SEO, and now we’ve got GEO to adapt to. But the Gen Z population within our camper mix is about 13% of all of our campers, as of 2025, and had been up to about 25% of our camper mix in 2022. So a really significant portion of all of those people that are participating in camping are in that Gen Z demographic. And it really comes down to doing a lot of research and understanding, what motivates people to connect to a brand, what’s important to them, whether it’s sustainability or looking at the health benefits from being outdoors, whether it’s the thrill of trying something new and really adventure-seeking, whether it’s we camped with our parents as kids, and we wanna try it again as adults. And the value proposition for, especially Gen Z is not to that point in life where you’re fully invested and you have a ton of disposable income. And so camping has always been a really affordable way to travel and leisure travel and experience and see things. So it’s this balance of how do we connect with each generation on the right channel? Social media plays a really critical role in our marketing strategy, having a presence across multiple platforms, Facebook, which tends to cater to a little bit more of our Gen X and baby boomer population, TikTok, Instagram, other channels for Gen Z. So social media plays a really key role, and we’ve seen a huge insurgence of social media conversions in our marketing strategy over the past several years. And then the technology piece of some of our generations like to pick up the phone and call and ask questions about their stay. And then others really just wanna be 100% booked online, make all of their change, and make all of their choices without any human connectivity. So finding that balance. But the, the Gen Z demographic is really fascinating. And I love watching how they use campgrounds. We see a lot of Gen Zers use campgrounds as that hub for all of their outdoor adventures, really wanting to spend time in nature and are utilizing a campground to facilitate that experience. Ryan Embree: This question is certainly resonating with me. I’m a little bit older millennial. I have a two and a five-year-old. And I remember camping as a kid. I wanna take my kids, but I also do not want to just maybe stay in a tent and not have any sort of. So, I want, I want that, that nice little balance of, yes, we are camping, but we might be going into a nice air-conditioned cabin or lodge, and we might be able to still watch a little TV. But I think it’s fascinating what we’re talking about, because that’s exactly it. And Gen Z, they’re great storytellers. Let me tell you about marketing. They’ll do most of your marketing for you if you put them in the right position, especially on Instagram and TikTok. Kim Wootteon: I’m really fortunate on my team. We have a really diverse team as well. And I have, I have kind of boomers and I have a ton of Gen Zers on my team. And so it’s great just to watch those generations meld and figure out how we, how we best connect to our owners and our audience. We spend a lot of time in the outdoors just as a team, when we have meetings and stuff like that. And I just love what comes from it. And then we take those best practices and really implement them with our guests because it’s, it’s the same. We all camp. Most of us in our team, we love spending time in the outdoors. So it’s like what’s gonna be attractive to us? We are our own demographics, right? Ryan Embree: There you go. Well, I wanna shift gears and congratulate you and your team, the entire KOA team, recognized as one of the top 50 most profitable franchises by Franchisee Business Review. What do you think Kim, I mean, obviously, when we talk about franchises and we look at the ROI, but I think there’s probably a different type of reward that comes with having a KOA franchise, being obviously we look for that, that financial one, but also from kinda to build something meaningful. You talked about the legacy of some of your franchisees and that being a family business. We’ve talked about the close connection and memories that you get from camping. Well, first of all, congratulations, but what do you think you and your team did to kinda make that list? Kim Wootteon: Thank you. We’re really, really proud of this recognition. And I think it speaks to just the uniqueness of the brand. So we have a unique mix of brand standards and entrepreneurial spirit. KOA is a franchisor unlike no other, you know? And I’ve worked with a lot of the big franchisors, especially in our industry. I’ve worked with the Marriott brand and Hilton and IHG and Jellystone and Sun Outdoors. But what I think I love most about KOA, which makes it such an attractive business opportunity, is, we’re hyper-focused on quality. We’re hyper-focused on our brand position consistency. We have three brand positions within the KOA brand. We have the KOA journey, the KOA Holiday, and the KOA Resort to really help campers identify and connect with the experience they’re looking for. But what I love the most about our franchise that is different from a lot of others is that each location is truly unique to space and place, which fuels the creativity and the pride of our owners. So there are certain things that you will find very standard across the KOA portfolio, and there, there’s an expectation campers have with KOA, but every single location is unique. And that’s what makes the system of campgrounds truly special. You’re not gonna get the same overall experience at any two locations. And our owners take an immense amount of pride in understanding the market that they’re in, understanding their campers, and building an experience that drives them to come back and stay with the KOA brand and book again, and at the same time, is quite profitable. So that unique blend of uniqueness and standards is what really sets us apart. And I will say to you, I remember this, if I didn’t shout out just the incredible support that KOA offers its franchisees. Again, I’ve kind of worked with many franchisors, but the support that KOA offers is quite unique. I’m very, very proud to be part of that. We have an amazing field operations team, franchise operations team. We have a team of just passionate, dedicated franchise business coaches that are working with our owners every single day to help them truly grow their business and optimize their investment in the KOA brand and then their campground. We have a whole coaching team within commercial strategy focused on marketing and revenue, and how to maximize revenue and optimize profitability. And then multiple other departments across the organization that really, their customer is the franchisee. And so I think this is a really adequate representation of the hard work our team puts in to support our owners on a daily basis. Ryan Embree: Yeah. I mean, with a, such a complex ecosystem that we kind of talked about throughout this episode, it’s a true testament to the work you and your team are putting in to be recognized. So again, congratulations to you and your team on that. We’re gonna shift gears. This is the rapid fire portion of our episode. I love doing this and I was looking forward to your portfolio specifically. You’re no stranger to travel, Kim, you’ve already mentioned. So we’re gonna get to list a series or a series of questions to get to know you and the KOA portfolio a little bit better. So let’s start with favorite view at one of your properties. Kim Wootteon: Yeah. So, and just for the record, so I have been to well over 100, almost 200 KOAs across our systems. I’ve been really fortunate to see a lot of our portfolio with some amazing, amazing properties and experiences. But I was just recently at the campground in Fredericksburg, Texas, which is under construction. We are building it and it’ll be introduced to the KOA system this fall. But the view from The Overlook, which is sort of our main building in the back part of the campground with all of our food and beverage and our meeting space and our pool and our lazy river, the view is absolutely spectacular overlooking the entire campground. The sunsets are great, and it was just, it was a really magical moment. Cassady Quintana: Awesome. Ryan, write that down. We gotta take a look at when that one opens up. Ryan Embree: Yeah, for sure. Kim Wootteon: You’ve gotta come experience it. And, and Ryan, we do have some amazing glamping accommodations, so you’ll get all of the amenities of home and a really cool outdoor setting. Ryan Embree: Love it. Best both worlds, for sure. Cassady Quintana: All right, Kim, favorite fun fact about one of your properties? Kim Wootteon: Oh my gosh. There’s so many options because we have such a diverse portfolio. But one of the things we learned as we were prepping for America 250 and just kind of learning our history is the Mystic KOA campground in Connecticut has a house on property that wasn’t built in the United States. It actually existed before the United States existed. It was brought over as settlers have founded that area. And it’s still standing on our campground today. And there’s a lot of history with that property. Ryan Embree: So it’s one of my favorite questions to ask, just because you get to learn these, these stories that you would have no idea about. Very, very cool. What about favorite guest experience or amenities at one of your properties, Kim? Kim Wootteon: So, the Mount Rushmore KOA Resort at Palmer Gulch has a rodeo, like a full-on rodeo. So that’s a crazy thing to experience. The campground in South Padre Island is right near SpaceX, and we just built these beautiful, RV sites, along this peninsula on the water, so you can see the SpaceX launches. And then there’s simple things like blueberry picking in covert and just amazing hiking near some of our National Park properties. Cassady Quintana: Awesome. Something for everybody. There’s something for everybody at every different property. Yeah. So kind of with that in mind, what’s one of your favorite locations of your properties? Kim Wootteon: So it’s funny. So I am a camper myself and I love to spend time outdoors. And I have kind of this unique mix of properties that I love to visit because, every time I camp, I look for a different experience. So I love, like, Lake Placid, KOA, it’s just that, like, quintessential camping experience, really, really wooded and nature-driven. If I’m looking for just incredible beauty with really, really amiditized recreation, I love the Astoria KOA on the Oregon Coast. If I want a tropical resort retreat, I go to Sugarloaf KOA or Fort Myers KOA. So it’s just, it’s. I don’t know. I can’t pick one. I love too many of them, which is my problem and why I’m always on the road and traveling. . Cassady Quintana: It’s a good problem to have. Kim Wootteon: Exactly. I know, right? Ryan Embree: That’s what I was gonna say. . Well, we appreciate you playing along with us. As we wrap up today, we always have kind of a tradition to, especially, with some of our industry leaders that we get the opportunity to speak to multiple times. You teased back in March, you had working on that revamped website that we talked about you formed a new AI team. What’s the status of those projects? And then maybe just looking into the future, what’s your vision for, for KOA as we wrap. Can’t believe I’m saying this. Wrap up 2026 and go into 2027. Kim Wootteon: Oh, my gosh. Yes. We, we are really hyper-focused on 2027 right now as a leadership team, which is crazy. I’m like, we’re all happy through 2026. But yeah, we ha – we’ve had a ton of really large projects this year as a brand, and really in, in that vein of trying to modernize our brand to meet the guest expectation, the owner expectations, and stay that, brand of choice. Both of our projects, the development of our AR team and the rebuild, redesign, and launch of our new website, as well as campground landing pages and a new content management system are going incredibly well. We are on track to launch in Q4 with a slew of continued enhancements throughout 2027. A lot of really AI-focused efforts for koa.com, specifically in trip planning and just communication on a site, as well as personalization. We know that that’s so important. How does a guest land on the site and how is everything really customized and tailored to what they’re looking for and what their needs are and how they’ve came to before? So those two teams have been really, really critical in, in the rollout of this project. And selfishly for me, the AI team does a, a lot of work with our internal teams, and how do we impl – improve the employee experience? So the work they’ve been doing just, I mean, so many efficiencies for my role and so many other roles across the organization around really quick access to data within our KOA ecosystem. Like every bit of data I could ever want to access is available through our AI platform. I am able to ask questions quickly, research things quicker, and really get to an end result, which makes the analysis of our business so much easier in identifying trends and opportunities. So those two pieces are just really game changers, not only for our brand, but in the industry right now. And 2077 is stacking up to be a pretty, pretty insane year as well, with just really double down focusing on how do we continue to attract guests, retain guests, really strong focus on that short-term leisure RV camper, and kind of that mash of how do we take all of our legacy campers and all of these new campers and really just exceed expectations to grow the business next year. Ryan Embree: Wel like I said, a true embodiment, a brand that is truly trailblazing in hospitality. So wish you luck with all of those projects. We’ll have to keep a close eye on which campgrounds we’ll do an onsite. I still haven’t given up on that dream of doing – Kim Wootteon: No, we’re, we’re gonna get you outdoors, Ryan. Ryan Embree: Let’s do it. I’m, I’m looking forward to it. I can’t, I can’t wait. So, Kim, we know you’re busy. Thank you so much for taking the time to join me and Cassady here on The Suite Spot. Kim Wootteon: Yes, thank you both. It’s a pleasure. Cassady Quintana: Thanks, Kim. Ryan Embree: All right. Thanks, everyone. And thank you for listening to Suite Spot. We’ll talk to you next time. To join our loyalty program, be sure to subscribe and give us a five-star rating 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.

Joe Jensen sits down with Mark Simpson, founder of Boostly, to break down how short-term rental hosts can reduce their dependence on Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, and other OTAs by building a stronger direct booking strategy. Mark shares how he grew up in hospitality on a 200-acre farmstay in the UK, long before Airbnb existed, and explains how the industry shifted from upfront marketing costs to commission-based OTA bookings. While platforms like Airbnb can be a great way to get started, Mark warns that relying on one platform too heavily leaves hosts exposed to rising fees, algorithm changes, guest complaints, and sudden account suspensions. The conversation dives into practical strategies for getting more direct bookings without leaving Airbnb entirely. Mark explains the "billboard effect," where hosts use Airbnb for visibility while making their brand, property name, Google presence, website, and social profiles easy for guests to find directly. He also shares why professional hosts should aim for a healthier mix of bookings, with direct bookings forming the backbone of the business and OTAs acting as extra lead sources. The episode is a reminder that platforms are useful, but real business control comes from owning your audience, your brand, and your booking process. Book a free real estate investing strategy call! No experience necessary. Check out the Real Estate Investing School Youtube Real Estate Investing School Instagram Brody's Instagram Joe's Instagram Mark LinkedIn Boostly UK

Dr. Klapper joins the show and talks about Patrick Mahomes 7 months after his ACL/LCL injury, and how he's full go at OTA's. Plus the doc gives a fantastic Klappervision on CTE after Kap spoke about Billy Ray Smith Jr's passing from dementia due to CTE. The guys have a convo about Bob Chesney getting everyone at UCL super excited for the football team's future, along with a bigger convo about money, NIL and the ability to compete with the big boys. The Lindsey Segment! and Evan Cohen stops by for the second time this week and they talk a lot of nonsense and never get ot the bit Morales has been teasing all week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Episode is Sponsored by StayFi Your ultimate tool for Vacation Rental WiFi marketing allowing you to collect guest emails automatically via custom captive WiFi login splash pages. Drive repeat direct bookings and convert your OTA bookings to book direct for their next visit. Visit https://stayfi.com/vrsuccess/ and use code VRSUCCESS for 50% off 3 months of StayFi service. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This episode started on LinkedIn. Gil Chan posted about hyperlocal property management, using VueStay Vacations, a newly launched company with 4,500 homes across eight states, built on centralized revenue management and marketing through the Casago franchise network, as his example. Richard Vaughton replied that hyperlocal is as much about owner relationships as local market knowledge, and that the relationship piece is increasingly getting forgotten. That comment is where this conversation begins. Heather's guest is Richard Vaughton, a short-term rental consultant with close to thirty years in the industry and a career built on starting, scaling, and selling companies: an Italian rental business grown to roughly 800 properties, a UK company in Torquay, a PMS technology startup, and a VP role at Stay Alfred during its collapse in the pandemic. The two have known each other for more than twenty years, and this is an unscripted, fireside-style conversation rather than a structured interview. Listeners will come away with a clearer, more operational definition of hyperlocal, a look at why some of the industry's best-known roll-ups have failed while others have scaled successfully by staying local, and a reminder that the piece of this business that most often determines a guest's review, and an owner's trust, is not technology or marketing. It is cleaning. Key Takeaways Hyperlocal is an operating decision, not a marketing word: it means real local staff, a genuine local reputation, and a company culture rooted in one place, not a national brand run by a distant account manager. The owner, not the guest, is the most important person in the ecosystem. Without a well cared-for owner there is no polished product to offer a guest in the first place. Large-scale roll-ups have historically broken at the point where they centralize everything beyond accounts and revenue management, while UK consolidators like Sykes Cottages, Awaze, and Travel Chapter have grown large by staying hyperlocal at a national scale, keeping local offices and local staff as they expanded. AI is freeing up enough staff time that teams can spend it on relationship-building rather than admin, such as calling every guest and owner after checkout with nothing to sell, just a thank you. Culture, trust, and local relationships are the parts of this business that resist mechanization. Reporting, revenue management, and communication can be automated; the relationship at the center of it still has to be built by a person. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Listen in as Drs. Malcolm DeBaun and Saam Morshed chat about young femoral neck fractures. They discuss diagnosis and management of these patients in this high yield case series.  For additional educational resources visit OTA.org

Cole Bishop returns to Centered on Buffalo to break down one of the biggest storylines heading into Bills training camp.The third-year safety joins Eric Wood to discuss recovering from his OTA injury, learning Jim Leonhard's new defensive system, building chemistry with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and why Buffalo's secondary could look very different this season. Cole also shares his thoughts on Josh Allen, Keon Coleman, DJ Moore, Jordan Poyer's mentorship, studying film, and why versatility is becoming one of the most important traits for NFL safeties. 

This Episode is Sponsored by StayFi Your ultimate tool for Vacation Rental WiFi marketing allowing you to collect guest emails automatically via custom captive WiFi login splash pages. Drive repeat direct bookings and convert your OTA bookings to book direct for their next visit. Visit https://stayfi.com/vrsuccess/ and use code VRSUCCESS for 50% off 3 months of StayFi service. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Paul Anderson first appeared on the Vacation Rental Success Podcast in 2021, when he was running a guest house in Oxford and building a following on Instagram. Five years on, he returns as a coach and strategist working across dozens of short-term rental operators, and now a commissioned officer in the Royal Air Force reserves. That mix of experience gives this conversation its shape: what the military taught him about briefing, decision-making and slowing down, and how those same lessons apply to the way operators are using AI in their marketing. The central argument is one Paul delivered on stage at Scale in Brighton, and it is worth sitting with. AI did not break marketing, it exposed the people who were never really marketing in the first place. When content becomes cheap and fast to produce, the operators who understood their audience all along pull ahead, and the ones who mistook activity for strategy get found out. Heather and Paul talk through his 10-80-10 protocol, his SMERLAC briefing structure borrowed from military planning, and why the real work in AI happens before you ever ask it to write a word. It is a practical, funny and genuinely useful conversation for any operator who has looked at their AI-generated captions and felt that something was missing. Key takeaways AI has not broken marketing. It has exposed the operators who were producing content without ever really marketing, because publishing posts, writing blogs and appearing in magazines are not the same as moving a guest from "I might visit" to "I want to stay there." The real work happens before you prompt. Paul's 10-80-10 protocol puts the first 10 percent into defining exactly who you want and briefing the AI properly, lets AI do 80 percent of the heavy lifting, then reserves the final 10 percent for inspecting and personalising the output. Define your perfect potential guest in granular detail. Go beyond age and income to how many cars they have, where they shop, even the colour of their hair, so you can picture one real person on the other side of the screen rather than a demographic. Use a proper brief, not a wish. "Write me 10 captions about my holiday cottage" is a wish. Paul's SMERLAC structure (Situation, Mission, Execution, Resources, Limitations, Ask questions, Check understanding) gives the AI what it needs to produce something useful. Followers are not the same as money. A client with 28,000 followers built through giveaways had almost no buying intent, while 52 people who genuinely want to book beat 52,000 who just think you are funny. Feed AI your real voice. Heather uploaded the handwritten manuscript of a book she wrote in 2005, unedited, and it changed everything the AI produced. Your idiolect, the phrases only you use, is what cuts through the sameness. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What does it take to build a vacation rental company that can grow, evolve, and remain successful for nearly seven decades? In this episode, Alex & Annie sit down with Rick Elliott and Brandon Cox of Elliott Realty to explore the people, systems, leadership decisions, and business fundamentals behind the company's longevity. Elliott Realty has been part of the Myrtle Beach vacation rental industry since 1959. Over those 67 years, the company has navigated new technology, changing traveler behavior, higher homeowner expectations, and an increasingly complex distribution landscape. Rick and Brandon share why long-term success requires a willingness to evolve, strong systems, careful attention to detail, and people who can grow with the organization. They also discuss Elliott Realty's approach to homeowner relationships, property standards, direct bookings, OTA distribution, brand development, and local tourism advocacy. Episode Chapters:06:42 - How Elliott Realty Has Evolved Since 195907:15 - Why Strong People and Systems Matter More Than Technology Alone12:20 - Hiring Intentionally and Promoting Future Leaders From Within15:59 - Understanding Individual Homeowner Goals and Expectations19:05 - Maintaining Property Quality Across a Large Portfolio27:52 - Balancing Direct Bookings With OTA Distribution35:56 - The Importance of Local Advocacy and Community Involvement48:00 - Why Investing in Your Brand Creates Long-Term Value48:47 - How Founders Can Step Back and Empower Their Leadership Team For vacation rental leaders thinking about the future of their business, this episode offers practical lessons on building a company that can adapt, develop new leaders, and remain strong for generations. Connect with Rick:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-elliott-192aba11/ Connect with Brandon:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-cox-87930a56/ Connect with Elliott Realty:Website: https://www.elliottbeachrentals.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliottrealty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliottbeachrentals?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elliott-beach-rentals/about/ ✨ Exclusive Offer to Alex & Annie Listeners: List your professionally managed properties on VacationFinder.com with no listing fees or booking commissions.Join through the link below for a chance at featured launch placement and a $250 Amazon Gift Card. Drawing August 15, 2026.

On this week's show we take a hypothetical look at Cable and Satellite TV's future. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news! News: Netflix Is Exploring Live TV and Bundles as It Struggles to Keep Viewers Hooked Scripps, DirecTV End Blackout, Ink New Retrans Deal RGB LED TVs Set For Market Growth In Coming Years What If Cable & Satellite Providers Exit Traditional Linear TV Business On this week's show we take a hypothetical look at Cable and Satellite TV's future.   We have said that we see TV being delivered via the Internet vs the traditional means of OTA, Cable, or Satellite. What would this world look like and who are the winners and losers? Scenario Setup Major providers — Comcast/Xfinity, Charter/Spectrum, DirecTV, Dish Network, Altice, and smaller cable operators — face accelerating cord-cutting. Traditional pay-TV subscribers have already dropped to ~34% of U.S. households. Revenue from linear TV (cable channels + satellite) is shrinking fast due to high programming costs, declining ad revenue, and competition from streamers. In this scenario, the industry collectively decides to abandon legacy linear TV (bundled channel packages) and pivots hard to two main businesses: High-speed broadband/data which is their most profitable product. IPTV / Streaming aggregation with their own apps or virtual third party MVPD services like YouTube TV-style offerings. They sunset traditional cable TV boxes, satellite dishes, and legacy contracts over 2–3 years. What Happens Next For the Providers it's mostly upside. Broadband becomes ~70–80% of revenue. Margins on data are much higher than on video because there are no expensive content carriage fees. Companies like Comcast and Charter already make most of their profit from data. Huge reduction in programming fees paid to Disney, NBCU, Warner, etc. No more maintaining old coaxial/satellite infrastructure for TV. All of which greatly cuts costs. New Growth Areas: Sell/partner on IPTV services (e.g., Xfinity Stream becomes the main offering, or they white-label streaming bundles). Mobile + home internet bundles (5G fixed wireless + fiber expansion). Advertising on their own streaming platforms. The biggest hurdles are massive customer service transition, potential loss of some rural satellite customers, and potential regulatory scrutiny over broadband monopolies. For Consumers the benefits include: Lower base bills, faster innovation in home internet which results in more fiber, better speeds, and  lower latency, and IPTV options could be cheaper/better than old cable (cloud DVR, multi-device streaming). Of course there is a downside. Sports fans and older viewers lose easy "flip channels" experience. Live sports become fragmented across streamers which could end up costing more if you want everything.  There will be Market & Industry Ripple Effects Streaming Wars Accelerate: YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, Fubo, and new entrants gain millions of former cable customers. Netflix, Amazon, etc., may expand live offerings. Content Owners Adapt: Networks like ESPN, CNN, TBS shift to direct-to-consumer or wholesale deals with IPTV platforms. Some channels may disappear or go streaming-only. Competition & Consolidation: Telecoms (AT&T, Verizon) and tech giants (Google Fiber, Amazon, Starlink) push harder into broadband. We could see more mergers. Advertising: Shift from traditional cable ads to targeted streaming ads and broadband data insights. The reality is that it's already happening gradually. Cable companies have been de-emphasizing video for years, pushing broadband bundles, and launching their own streaming apps. Satellite providers are in steeper decline. The full pivot described here would simply formalize and accelerate a trend that's well underway.   

This Episode is Sponsored by StayFi Your ultimate tool for Vacation Rental WiFi marketing allowing you to collect guest emails automatically via custom captive WiFi login splash pages. Drive repeat direct bookings and convert your OTA bookings to book direct for their next visit. Visit https://stayfi.com/vrsuccess/ and use code VRSUCCESS for 50% off 3 months of StayFi service. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Gil Chan came at the short-term rental industry from a direction most operators never consider. After 15 years in Silicon Valley, working with brands like Gap, Sephora, and Home Depot on their post-purchase e-commerce experience, he became an STR host - and immediately spotted a gap that his industry background made obvious. The tools that e-commerce businesses took for granted simply did not exist for vacation rental operators who wanted to build a direct booking website worth having. Crafted Stays is Gil's answer to that gap: a purpose-built direct booking platform that works the way a proper commerce site should, not as feature number 40 in a property management system's marketing materials. But what makes this conversation particularly timely is where Gil has taken the platform over the past year - deep into AI-powered search, website building, and the kind of content strategy that gets operators found in places Google's traditional search results simply can't reach. This episode covers direct booking strategy, how search is changing (and what SEO, AEO, and GEO actually mean for property managers), the Aria AI assistant Gil built into Crafted Stays, and how operators can start thinking about their online presence in a way that serves both guests and the AI systems that are increasingly mediating how people find places to stay. It's a practical, technically grounded conversation - and one that will stay relevant for some time. ‍KEY TAKEAWAYS‍ Direct booking websites built on WordPress and plugins were never designed for the live data demands of vacation rental commerce. Purpose-built platforms handle PMS connections, checkout, and mobile experience in a fundamentally different way.‍ SEO, AEO, and GEO are three different things. Traditional search engine optimization gets you on page one of Google. Answer engine optimization gets you into the snippet at the top of the page. Generative engine optimization gets you cited when someone asks ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Claude for a recommendation. Operators need to think about all three.‍ AI-powered review analysis is an underused tool. Most operators check a five-star review and move on. Mining reviews for recurring themes - a screened porch that guests keep mentioning, a location detail that keeps coming up - surfaces the specific things guests value most, and those become the content anchors for the entire website. The Sightline Report that Aria generates combines property data, review sentiment, and third-party SEO keyword research to produce a strategic playbook for each operator. It tells them which keywords to target, which landing pages to build, and which guest personas to write toward - without requiring any marketing expertise from the operator. Building your AI business brain before you start using AI tools is not optional - it is foundational. Gil has been giving every new team member at Crafted Stays the same 40-page document about the business since he built it a year ago. The quality of AI output is directly tied to the quality of context you give it. The divide in AI adoption is getting wider, not narrower. Some operators are building sophisticated automated systems; others have barely touched ChatGPT. The window to build a real advantage by getting in early is still open, but it will not stay that way indefinitely.‍ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your Airbnb payout hitting your bank account is not the same thing as knowing your business is profitable.In this episode, Sarah and Annette walk through the monthly payout routine they use to track revenue, catch missing money, compare actual payouts against forecasts, and move income into the right financial buckets.They break down why every hosting business needs a dedicated business bank account, how to audit payouts against reservations, and why relying on your bank balance at the end of the month is not a real business metric.You'll also learn how they use the Profit First method to separate money for operating expenses, owner's compensation, taxes, and profit—so every dollar has a job the moment it lands.If you've ever looked at your Airbnb payouts and wondered where the money went, this episode will help you build a clearer, more consistent routine.In this episode, you'll learn:Why your Airbnb payouts should go into a dedicated business accountHow to audit every payout against every reservationWhat to do when Airbnb or another OTA underpays youHow to compare actual revenue against your forecastWhy your bank balance is not a profitability metricHow to use Profit First buckets for expenses, taxes, owner's pay, and profitResources Mentioned: Apply for Strategic Host!Mentioned in this episode:Save your workshop seat!