Unpacking Travel: Hospitality Talks with Amadeus

In this episode, explore in great detail with David Axelrod what it takes to personalize a modern guest experience, the things you need to listen to, and how to approach your guests where they are. David is an all-around expert on personalization, dedicating his career to writing best-selling books, designing bespoke luxury experiences, and consulting with various companies to improve personalization. We highly recommend checking out his book on how to create and inspire amazing travel experiences.

In this episode we speak with Tammy Pahel, Chief Wellness Officer at Alchemy Resorts about the growing impact of wellness on travel, how to use wellness to personalize experiences in the ways travelers want, and how leaders can use wellness strategies to improve the staff experience. We also dive into the various initiatives going on at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort and the success gained from an all-in focus on wellness. To learn more about Carillon and other Alchemy Wellness resorts, check out their website here.

In this episode, we talk with Scott Lamont, CEO of EDSA, an organization that specializes in urban design, landscape architecture, and design planning for the hotel and other global industries. We explore why hotels aren’t maximizing their use of physical space in this post-pandemic world, and then break down why it’s so important to re-think the use of places such as staff offices and public areas in order to improve staff and guest wellbeing. Scott provides some expert advice as to what hotels can do right now to maximize their physical spaces and improve the wellbeing of staff and guests.

In this episode, we have a chat with Cheryl Durst, CEO of the International Interior Design Association. First, we discuss a few practical ways in which hoteliers can use design strategies to improve staff and guest experiences. We then learn about the power of having purpose when making design choices for team spaces and guest rooms; investment strategies a hotel might use when considering a design update; and the impacts – some surprising – that a design choice may have on a hotel, including in staff operations. We finish off our conversation on the topic of how hoteliers can benefit from using a "design mindset" when seeking to improve hotel operations and elevate the overall staff and guest experience.  If you like what Cheryl has to say, she also hosts her own Skill Set podcast you should check out for more personal and business tips and tricks!

In part two of a new miniseries with Atrium Hospitality we explore how to improve guest satisfaction by putting your core values into action. If you haven't heard our first episode with Atrium, click here and take a listen. So what does it take to actually work smarter and not harder?  What advice can be given to hoteliers that also want to work smarter and not harder?  Take a listen to hear Atrium's answers along with what it takes to truly live out your company's core values.

In part one of a new miniseries with Atrium Hospitality we explore how to improve guest satisfaction. So how has Atrium Hospitality become #1 in customer satisfaction from J.D. Power among third party hotel management companies? That question is quite easy to answer.  Atrium treats their company's core values as much more than a HR poster on their office walls. So how did they put their core values into action? It takes a lot more than you may think.  Take a listen to see what it takes to truly live out your company's core values, and learn how Atrium has come to master theirs.

In this episode with Katie Moro and John Hach, we dive into detail about what areas of market data and intelligence truly allow a hotel to thrive without needing to guess what its future demand is looking like.  We debate the critical needs of what our industry has to act on to do better when sourcing, aggregating, and exposing market data for hoteliers. We then lastly discuss a framework for where the future of market intelligence is going. Have a listen if you are questioning your own market data and if it's good enough for you.

In this episode, we chat with Peter Altmann, Head of Mobility and Insurance at Amadeus, about travel in regard to sustainable mobility. Why are travelers focusing on sustainability with mobility, and what does "sustainable mobility" really mean?  What opportunities does this priority present to hotel and travel suppliers, and what can the industry do better to give travelers the info they actually need to make the most informed and sustainable travel decisions?  We answer those questions and a few more.  Take a listen and find out how to empower travelers to be more sustainable during their trips.

In this episode, we break down our forward-looking, on-the-books market data for the fall season with our resident market experts Katie Moro and John Hach. We take a look at what hotel demand is actually looking like in the coming months, and what hoteliers need to be prepared for.  What is market performance stacking up to previous years, what do hoteliers need to be acting on now to remain resilient, and what should the industry focus on to be profitable as we move through the rest of this year and beyond?  Listen in to find out. If you want to see the data for yourself, you can get global and regional reports at our complimentary Market Insights Portal.

In the last of our miniseries with Taylor Scott, we break apart the fundamentals of what the hospitality industry needs to start, stop, and continue doing to improve staff retention. We are at an inflection point with the staff experience in our industry where staff have different expectations about what their employers should prioritize to support them. Taylor walks us through realistic steps on how to identify what your staff truly need, and how to put your strategies into action. Take a listen and learn how to improve the experience and culture among your teams. You can also check out his book, Lead with Hospitality, if you want to dive head first into improving your life as a hotelier.