The Future of Hospitality

AI does not fix a bad pricing strategy, it just runs it faster. Roz Hunter and Charles Pinard, pricing and revenue-management consultants at Simon-Kucher, break down how they read a revenue team from the inside and why most pricing problems are about trust and alignment, not the systems. - Cut the morning screen count from eight to ten systems down to one source of truth and two screens - Escape t...

The rebrand only adds value once the segmentation and product are fixed. Learn how a bold wholesaler cut rebuilt rate quality and moved RGI from 81 to 110. In this episode Luc Boschmans interviews Sophie Richard, who leads European asset management for M&L Hospitality and chairs HAMA Europe. - Cut a low-rated wholesaler base, accepting 13 percent occupancy loss to rebuild higher-quality rate -...

Sustainability lives or dies by what guests actually do. Learn which initiatives survive daily operations and which quietly fail after a pilot. In this episode Cesar Wurm interviews Gavin Fraser, Remco Groenhuijzen, Chrys Filimegkas, and Eric Van Lambalgen, four hotel leaders working across operations, finance, and sustainability in Amsterdam. - Account for behavior, since keycard heating and biod...

Revenue managers do not set the price. The guest does, and the rate is just where you move up or down. Learn how independent hotels run occupancy, distribution, and forecasting without a brand playbook handed to them. In this episode Tim Boersma interviews Rogier Ensel, owner of RevGen and former group revenue director at Cycas, on revenue management for unbranded properties. - Run occupancy first...

Handed millions and a great location, all three pick independent. Learn where independents still beat the chains and where AI actually belongs. In this episode Balve Bains interviews Klaus, Frank, and Panagiotis Kalogeridis, three hotel leaders running independent and family-owned properties across Europe. - Use speed as the independent edge, since a menu or a fix lands faster than any chain can a...

New graduates are fluent in AI, but fluent is not the same as competent. Learn how to hire, onboard, and train hospitality talent for an AI-first industry. In this episode Brian Hicks interviews Michael Goldrich and Mike Gamble on the future talent pipeline report. - See why the confidence and competence gap shows up the day new grads start - Apply the four T's of AI adoption: tone, tools, tra...

Guests check in carrying stress the front desk cannot undo on its own. Learn why wellness belongs across the whole hotel and why staff wellbeing sets the ceiling. In this episode Arjan Eikelenboom interviews Keith Dickey, Jeremy McCarthy, Simone Puorto, and Javier Suarez, a neuroacoustics co-founder, a former group wellness director, a technology consultant, and a spa consultant. - Treat arrival a...

The tech experience belongs in the back of house, not the front. Learn where restaurant innovation pays off and where it breaks the guest experience. In this episode Gabriella Gomes Branco interviews Robin Vromans, who runs several hospitality venues and built BUNKR in Eindhoven, the first AI restaurant in the Netherlands. - Keep tech in the back, since front-of-house automation breaks the premium...

Regenerative hospitality means giving back more than you take. Learn how commissions, ownership, and transparency shape the choices of the next generation. In this episode Anemoon Schepel interviews Anastasia Ivanushkina and Bouke, both in their graduating year at Hotelschool Den Haag. - See how platform commissions of up to 30 percent pull value out of local communities - Understand how investmen...

What does it take to build hotel leaders who go on to lead hotels of their own? Learn how people-first leadership, culture, and long-term team development create stronger operations and better guest results. Guest: Dieter Schmitz , General Manager at Sofitel, Accor, hospitality veteran of nine openings, and a leader known for developing future GMs while driving major hotel transformations. Key tak...

Change won’t feel comfortable, but it will unlock revenue and agility for your hotel. Learn how to build an experiment-ready culture that makes AI and personalization deliver results. In this episode Brian Hicks interviews Dr. Florian Ilgen, keynote speaker and change strategist at Dr. Florian Ilgen. He holds a PhD in chemistry and uses neuroscience plus hands-on experiments to help organizations...

The contact center isn't overhead. Ask anyone who's actually run one. Anita Travis leads global contact center operations at Outrigger Hospitality. Megan Becker has spent 14 years in reservations at Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. Both have built teams that drive revenue through every call - and both have had to fight for the contact center's seat at the commercial table. This is...

Reinvention that actually fills the dining room: how to reset a fine-dining signature and win guests in a new market. Practical leadership, conscious sourcing, and marketing tactics from a chef who left a 13-year career to start fresh in Bali. Syrco Bakker, chef and culinary creator and founder of Syrco BASÈ, built a two-mission kitchen at Pure Sea and trained in three-star kitchens, now leading a...

Stop guessing rates. Start shaping profit with speed and trust. How to make revenue management the commercial center that drives NOI and operational alignment. Jason D'Agostino is a certified revenue management executive at Visions Hotels who has overseen 70+ assets and a portfolio exceeding 300 million in top line room revenue. Host Tim Boersma explores how operators can use revenue strategy,...

Struggling to attract and retain hospitality talent? Practical hiring fixes you can apply this week from an industry insider. Guest: Kim Loman, Founder of The Hospitality Recruiters, Amsterdam. With 18 years placing talent from part-time to director level and building international hiring and verification programs, he shares actionable tactics for busy leaders. - Improve applicant conversion by re...

Navigate people crises and build a resilient hospitality culture today. Hear how HR becomes the strategic engine for retention, growth, and guest excellence. Nicole Bon, HR Director People and Culture at Corendon, shares hands-on leadership lessons from COVID, talent strategy, and practical AI use in hospitality. - Lead through crises while protecting staff morale and trust - Free teams from repet...

Fix underperforming hotels by getting inside operations and people, not just systems. Learn how to recruit, coach and structure agile management for short-term owner timelines. Guest: Clare Anna Gamon, leader of London Rock Partners, a hands-on operator who has worked in hotels since her 20s and now manages 17 hotels across the UK. - Pinpoint leadership gaps fast so you can turn revenue and guest...

Sick of overcomplicated revenue strategies? Learn how simplicity and commercial leadership unlock profit for independent hotels. Niek Kollau shows how to turn chain-level structure into practical wins for small properties. Guest: Niek Kollau, commercial 'co-pilot' and revenue management consultant at Rev&U, former NH revenue manager and coffee-shop owner, with hands-on experience build...

Turn everyday interactions into lasting community impact. Learn how small leadership choices build workforce pipelines for hospitality. Stuart Brown, Executive Director of the Inspire Brands Foundation at Inspire Brands, leads youth empowerment, education and community impact initiatives and brings corporate, nonprofit, and startup experience. - Create a steady pipeline of work-ready hires by adop...

Double guest frequency and keep the vibe relaxed and profitable. How an all-day brunch formula built 16 locations and loyal guests. Guest: Michiel Huisman, co-founder of Teds, scaled an all-day brunch concept across 16 locations over 10 years, turning leisure moments into repeat revenue. Key takeaways: - Optimize menu for speed, profitability, and Instagrammable moments to raise average spend and...

Want to turn cocktails and small plates into your hotel's most profitable moment? Learn how an apero-first experience builds loyalty, retail channels, and a signature vibe. Guest: Jeroen de Pauw, TV chef and creator of Canape Abero, trained in Michelin-star kitchens and experienced touring with international artists and large-scale events, bringing hospitality, storytelling, and product partne...

Replace plastic in your hotel rooms without changing your operations. Discover how one reusable bottle can turn in-room water into a visible sustainability statement guests actually take home. Guest: Bart Willems, Co-founder of Bottle Up. Bart left the media industry to challenge single-use bottled water and introduce a plant-based, reusable alternative for hospitality. Today, Bottle Up works with...

Transform your team without big budgets: practical talent development that actually sticks. Discover how frontline managers become the real multipliers of growth. Guest: Marcel Petzold, Director of Talent Development and HR Shared Services at Marriott International, Fiji. Marcel brings operational and regional experience building human-centered L&D that reduces turnover and raises engagement....

Stop guessing your next growth move in hospitality. Hear how Tarji Carter turned a nontraditional hotel career into a franchise-building engine. Tarji Carter, founder of The Franchise Player, brings 20+ years in hospitality and franchising and created the Franchise Game conference. She shares practical, actionable guidance for managers and leaders. - Decide if franchise ownership fits your goals a...

Handle high expectations without losing the team or the guest. Yaron Jansen explains how to lead luxury operations so service stays exceptional under pressure. Host Emma Wunderink speaks with Yaron Jansen, Director of Operations at De l'Europe, who brings nearly two decades of luxury hospitality experience and oversees a historic Amsterdam property recently awarded three Michelin keys. He rose...