50 Shades of Hospitality

In this podcast, Dr. Wendell L. Galapate, Dean and Program Chair of the School of International Hospitality and Tourism Management at St. Dominic College of Asia, in The Philippines, talks about hospitality education in The Philippines and discusses why hospitality graduates from The Philippines are appreciated around the world.  She explains why practical experience and internships are a key to h...

In this podcast, Clémence Gillier and Neil Beecroft from the sustainability consultancy agency, The SHIFT , talk about how businesses can develop and improve their sustainability practices. Clémence and Neil describe what sparked their interest in this important field and how their careers have evolved into creating and running The SHIFT .  They also speak about pragmatic and real-life sustainable...

In this podcast, Johanna Fagerberg, who is currently the Guest Experience Manager at The Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, talks about working in Saudi Arabia and the vast plans that the Kingdom has for hospitality and tourism.    Johanna also talks about her career choices and what it’s like for a European woman to work in the Middle East and in Saudi Arabia in particular.  Johanna is originally from...

With a remarkable career in the hospitality industry spanning over 35 years, Christian Marich has been an active player in the Swiss Hotel scene.  He is a specialist in design, planning, implementation and management of tourism and hotel businesses. Originally from Uruguay, Christian has been responsible for several hotel openings and renovations and was involved in the Glacier 3000 project and th...

In this podcast, Peter Cross talks about the challenges of working in the Sport Management field and specifically, Mega-sporting events like The Olympics, Youth Olympics and FIFA World Cups.  He also discusses his personal and professional impressions and experiences in Qatar, Russia, France and Switzerland.  Finally, he talks about the Sport Management field and gives advice to young people who a...

Susanne Welle was born in Norway and is the Director of the Geneva Hotel School (EHG). She has had a successful lifetime career in hospitality and hospitality education.  In this podcast, Susanne discusses how EHG is different from other Swiss hospitality schools and the emphasis that the school places on practical experience. She also shares her career path choices and her insights into the hospi...

In 2016, Vasily Grogol was hired by an investor to create a feasibility study on a hotel project in Kyiv, Ukraine. In 2017 he moved to Kyiv and worked on opening not only a boutique hotel called BURSA but also a gallery for young, Ukranian artists.  At the age of 24 he became the Executive Director of BURSA Hotel and gallery and his goal, in his own words “is to change the perception of Ukraine on...

Ivan Artolli is the kind of hotelier you dream of meeting in a luxury hotel.  He shares his lifetime experience with our listeners and talks about the people who have been role models in his life.  He is charming, cultivated and he talks candidly about his youth and his dream of one day becoming a General Manager.  A lifetime career of working in some of the most luxurious hotels in Europe, Ivan h...

William Mackay is an internationally experienced executive with over 45 years of experience in luxury hotel, spa and F & B management, operations, and development.  He has a proven track record of assembling and leading highly motivated, diverse, and mutually accountable teams and a true passion for quality as the primary means to profit.    We have invited William as our guest because he has...

Today’s guest, Jordan Kestle, is a multilingual professional with a diverse background in the hospitality and tourism industry. With a passion for developing innovative strategies, Jordan is a leader in the field of purpose-driven organisations in the hospitality industry. Currently managing the Swiss Hotel Management Professional Association in Lucerne, Switzerland, Jordan is also dedicated to me...

With over 20+ years experience in the hotel industry, Annie Boslem has been working for some of the most prestigious international companies such as Starwood, Inter-Continental, Shangri-La and Taj Hotels. She also works with many small and exclusive privately-owned properties, both in the UK and overseas. She moved from luxury hotels into hospitality recruitment in 2000 and works closely with many...

Joy Dong, Founder of Jorizon Education Consulting, China, talks to us about how the Chinese hospitality industry dealt with the COVID pandemic and how it is bouncing back after more than two years of disruption.  Joy discusses new technologies, best HR practices and the growth of domestic travel.  Joy established Jorizon Education Consulting in April 2020 with other partners who are all passionate...

Inge De Lathauwer is the founder of Sumba Hospitality Foundation but everyone calls her "Ibu Inge" on the remote Indonesian island of Sumba.  As a lifelong charity worker, she had previously witnessed the disastrous consequences of poorly planned charities. To better understand the dreams and aspirations of the Sumbanese people, Inge decided to spend more time listening. Not only to thei...

The global hospitality industry is still reeling from the COVID pandemic and trying to find solutions to the many challenges that it is facing.  Lack of qualified staff as well as staff retention are causing havoc in many hotels and restaurants.  But are we doing enough to face these challenges?  Egidio analyses the current situation and pinpoints the lack of vocational education and training for...