Content of this week’s podcast:This episode of Le Portee podcast, hosted by Jeremy and Michael (Mish), delves into various topics relevant to the hospitality industry and beyond. Here's a summary of the main points discussed:* Introduction: Jeremy and Michael introduce the podcast, emphasizing their focus on global events, academic insights, and software developments relevant to the hospitality industry.* Airbnb Experience: Jeremy shares his recent, somewhat disappointing experience with Airbnb, highlighting issues like impersonal service, automated check-ins, and inflexible host policies. This discussion reflects broader concerns about the evolving nature of hospitality services like Airbnb.* Sleep Tourism: Michael introduces the concept of sleep tourism, where hotels offer packages designed to enhance guests' sleep quality. This new trend caters to the growing demand for better sleep experiences, with hotels around the world adopting innovative approaches to attract guests seeking restful escapes.* Taylor Swift's Exclusive Singapore Concert: The hosts discuss the controversy surrounding Taylor Swift's decision to perform exclusively in Singapore, skipping other Southeast Asian cities. They explore the implications of such exclusivity deals on fan access to culture and entertainment, questioning the fairness and potential trend of privatizing cultural events.* Hilton's Expansion: Hilton's strategic acquisitions and growth plans are highlighted, including the purchase of the Graduate hotel brand and ambitious expansion in India. These moves are part of Hilton's broader strategy to diversify its portfolio and capitalize on emerging markets.* Starlink and Cruise Ships: Jeremy discusses the introduction of Starlink internet service on cruise ships, addressing a long-standing complaint about slow internet at sea. This development promises to significantly improve connectivity for both guests and crew, enhancing the overall cruise experience.* Academic Insights on Grand Hotels: The hosts critique an academic paper that investigates why people choose to stay in grand hotels. They question the methodology and findings of the paper, suggesting that guest perspectives might differ from those of hotel employees. Get full access to Le Portee - Hospitality News at www.leportee.com/subscribe

* Introduction of Yvonne Heß: Mirjam introduces Yvonne as a highly accomplished finance professional, highlighting her transition from banking to leasing and her role at NUMA.* Yvonne's Career Path: Yvonne shares her accidental entry into banking, her fascination with the financial industry beyond basic banking operations, and her decade-long experience at UniCredit Group and a savings bank in Germany. She then discusses her move to leasing and her eventual role at NUMA.* Women in Finance: Yvonne touches on the surprise and shock many express upon learning about the scarcity of women in the finance sector. She emphasizes the importance of managing expectations and the unique selling proposition (USP) in finance.* Navigating Gender Dynamics: Yvonne discusses the necessity of balancing feminine and masculine traits in the finance industry, sharing personal strategies for success and the challenges faced by women in male-dominated meetings.* The Importance of Storytelling: The conversation shifts to the critical role of storytelling in finance, with Yvonne explaining how it aids in translating complex financial concepts for clients and stakeholders.* Client Relationships and Financing: Yvonne and the hosts discuss the nuances of building relationships with investors, the importance of understanding and communicating business models, and the specifics of obtaining loans and financing.* Banker and Client Dynamics: The dialogue covers the dynamics between bankers and clients, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, understanding the banker's perspective, and the role of storytelling in securing financing.* Market Trends and Banking Industry Insights: Yvonne provides her perspective on the current state of the banking industry, the impact of market trends on financing, and the future of real estate financing.* Advice for Young Professionals: Yvonne offers advice to young career starters, especially women, encouraging them to believe in themselves and persevere through challenges.* Recommended Reading: Yvonne recommends "The Big Five for Life" as a must-read book, explaining how it influenced her personal and professional decisions. She also mentions the importance of staying ahead of the news, suggesting that by the time news is printed, it's already old. Get full access to Le Portee - Hospitality News at www.leportee.com/subscribe

Content:* Discussion on a Manila luxury resort's innovative attraction to compete with Macau's gambling industry.* Analysis of Accor's financial results, comparing current performance with past data.* Report on strikes affecting Paris landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, in light of upcoming Olympics.* Overview of customer loyalty in the hospitality industry, highlighting a low return rate compared to other sectors.* Exploration of co-branding in the cruise industry, featuring a partnership between Regent Seven Seas and Aston Martin's Formula One team.* Examination of the growth and ratings of short-term rentals versus hotels in various cities.* Guest Satisfaction Ratings Decline Across All Accommodation Types* The Unique Appeal of Airbnb and Short-term Rentals Diminished:The full newsletter with sources is available on leportee.com Otherwise our podcast is available where ever you get your podcasts!You can find out more about our current guest over here.To support us, you can donate over at paypal.me/LePortee Get full access to Le Portee - Hospitality News at www.leportee.com/subscribe

Content:1:18 - Career Longevity at CitizenM: Edouard attributes his long tenure at CitizenM to the company's support for his growth and opportunities for advancement.3:33 - Introduction of Edouard and his Role: Edouard has overseen about 10 CitizenM hotel openings in the last year and is now focusing on a major project in Boston.10:56 - Innovation in Hotel Openings: Edouard helped innovate the hotel opening process, focusing on efficiency and overcoming challenges like COVID-19 impacts and modular construction advantages.14:14 - Shift to Construction and Development Focus: After years of focusing on hotel openings, Edouard is now learning about construction, aiming to reduce development timelines and costs.18:56 - Adoption of Lean Six Sigma for Efficiency: CitizenM is exploring Lean Six Sigma to improve construction efficiency and address challenges in convincing partners to adopt new methods.26:23 - CitizenM's Ownership and Operation Model: While primarily owning its properties, CitizenM also explores leases and management agreements to expand its presence.31:21 - Edouard's Reflections on Pre-Opening Challenges: Sharing stories of adaptive problem-solving during hotel openings, Edouard highlights the importance of flexibility and creativity in his role.41:44 - CitizenM's Staffing and Guest Experience Philosophy: Edouard discusses the balancing act of staffing levels to enhance guest experiences, emphasizing the value of personal interactions over automation.49:44 - Adapting to Technology and Innovation: CitizenM's rapid adoption of new technologies, like changing PMS systems across all hotels within weeks, showcases its commitment to innovation and efficiency.You can find out more about our current guest over here.To support us, you can donate over at paypal.me/LePortee Get full access to Le Portee - Hospitality News at www.leportee.com/subscribe

TLDL: Too Long Didn’t ListenIn follow-ups, the European Travel Commission highlights safety and affordability as key factors for international travelers in 2024 🌍✈️💰, while Paris prepares for the Summer Olympics with high hotel bookings but significant room vacancies 🇫🇷🏨🥇.In industry news, Europe leads in hotel sustainability reporting 🌱🏨, Soho House considers privatization amid financial scrutiny 💼💰, and staffing shortages persist in the hospitality sector 👥🏨. China sees a shift towards adventure-based travel 🇨🇳🌄, and Naples (US) attracts a younger demographic through sports-focused initiatives 🇮🇹🏟️.Meanwhile, outside factors impact the industry, with U.S. states like Tennessee emerging as economic powerhouses 🇺🇸💼, and sub-Saharan Africa grappling with a housing crisis 🌍🏘️.Academically, a study explores millennial preferences for job retention factors 📚💼, and in tips, Tin Inn-Hotels gain popularity for their sustainable container-based design 🌿🏨, and the travel industry shares lessons from early adoption of generative AI technology 🤖📊.To support us, subscribe over at leportee.com or donate over at paypal.me/LePortee Get full access to Le Portee - Hospitality News at www.leportee.com/subscribe

Podcast text The full newsletter with sources is available over at leportee.com. This Podcast can also be found over at: Spotify → Pocketcasts → https://pca.st/m08x5zfp Apple Podcasts → To support us, you can donate over at paypal.me/LePortee Get full access to Le Portee - Hospitality News at www.leportee.com/subscribe

The full newsletter with sources is available here. This Podcast can be found over at: Spotify → HerePocketcasts → https://pca.st/m08x5zfp Apple Podcasts → HereYoutube → To support us, you can donate over at paypal.me/LePortee Get full access to Le Portee - Hospitality News at www.leportee.com/subscribe

TLDR: Too Long Didn’t ReadIn the follow-up section, there's a report on the travel habits of Gen Z and Millennials, highlighting their preference for Instagram as the top social media platform 📸🌍, their focus on adventure and outdoor activities 🏞️🌄, and their willingness to spend more on travel 💰✈️. In the main hospitality news, the US ranks 17th in attractiveness among global destinations due to safety, government leadership, and visa rule issues 🇺🇸🌐. Hilton and IHG are expanding in China 🏨🇨🇳, while political decisions in Maldives are causing a loss of Indian tourists 🏝️🇲🇻🇮🇳. The rise of the middle-class travel market is noted, with many hotel brands targeting this segment 🌐💼. In externalities, Taiwan's election results could have implications for geopolitical conflicts 🗳️🇹🇼🌏. In academia, a study from Ghana emphasizes the correlation between HR practices and hotel revenue 📚🏨💰.Finally, a digital hotel operations report by h2c provides insights into industry trends like digital check-in and CRM adoption 📊🏨💻.0. News snippetsNot important enough to expand on, but worth hearing aboutIf you are a fan of the White Lotus show, it was recently announced that season 3 will be filmed in Thailand | DEHOGA, a major German Hospitality Sector association asked its members about the increase of taxes on the F&B. Results. Operators are not happy!0.5 Follow upWhere we follow up on news from previous weeksNew Gen Z and Millenial trendsAnother report on Gen Z and Millennials’ behaviour is out. Where they book, what they book and why they book. Results are slightly different to those from last year and can be seen here. Number 1 Social Media platform is Instagram (1 fifth of the total market share). The number 1 reason to travel is “Adventure and Outdoor Activities”. Around 60% of people book hotels and the rest is distributed amongst vacation rentals and other forms of accommodation. Finally, both Gen Z and Millennials are expected to spend more, 59% of Gen Z and 65% of Millennials. Must be all that money they are currently earning.Choice and Wyndham Part 3Remember Choice trying to acquire Wyndham? Well, now it's an information war. Wyndham has released a report claiming Choice acquiring them would go against anti-trust laws (creating a quasi-monopoly) and Choice is now releasing a presentation disputing that. 4 Points they don’t agree with are: There are 9 other competitors in the market, therefore it ain’t a monopoly, the acquisition would decrease costs for franchises, guests would get a bigger offer as part of their loyalty programs, Choice expects the commence the process on the 11th of January. The employees of Wyndham are probably convinced too and hyped about the upcoming hostile acquisition.1. Main Hospitality NewsCore news related to the industryThe US scores 17th in attractiveness among top destinations worldwide.The US is 17 out of 18 top destinations worldwide for global travellers. According to a recent report by Euromonitor International. Reasons for it falling behind are a low safety index, Government leadership and strict customs and visa rules. At least those are the indicators by which the US has scored low and are used to build up the total score. Despite all the above, the land of the free still is number 3 in the world share of inbound visitors even though that has decreased by 0.1%. France was number 1 and Spain number 2. See the full list and how other markets performed over here.Hilton and IHG are capturing the Chinese market.Hilton has opened its 600th hundred hotel in China with its entire brand portfolio, while IHG is on their 700th. IHG on the other hand has 12 of their 19 brands in there. Both are trying to open up in several regions. Hilton has even been named “Best Workplace in Greater China” 4 years in a row. Different sub-brands are testing different models. From Management and franchise to Master Leases. Different brands, different strategies. These numbers, however, do not come even close to Chinese brands like Jin Jiang which has over 10 thousand hotels open. All top 10 hotel chains in China are indeed Chinese. Indeed almost everywhere you look in the greater Asian continent, Western chains are growing comparatively slow compared to the local players. Nonetheless, Accor for example was petting itself on the back with 62 signings across Singapore, the Philippines and India or a total of 14.8 thousand keys in one year. Given that India has a total of 105 thousand rooms operated by major hotel chains (old data from 2017), this is a pretty significant growth. Indication of the huge potential India has for various hotel chains, while China (even though a bigger economy as of now) is mostly operated by local players.Maldives losing 10% of travellers due to politicsOn the topic of India, Maldives was hooked on Indian tourists, making it 10% of the total market share. A pretty significant dependence, when 30% of your GDP comes from tourism. That has likely been lost now due to a political move from its current president Mohamed Muizzu, where the campaign was “India Out”, betting on the Chinese market. This turned out to be a wrong bet since the Chinese travel market has yet to pick up from COVID-19. Finally, Prime Minister Modi made a series of posts in Lakshadweep, a destination similar to Maldives, which has caused an instant drain of bookings from Maldives to the Indian alternative. Several Indian OTAs are now even suspending their Maldives segments and removing any related content. Next time when you make a political move, consider that a major share of your GDP is tourism, hence making enemies on the global market is perhaps not the best for your economy.Middle-class guests are the future?At least most major hotel brands seem to think so. Middle-class demand is likely to increase by another 700 million participants. Mostly sourced from China, India and other regions. With it, hotel chains are investing in appropriate brands to host that demand. Express Four Points by Sheraton, Garner by IHG, Hyatt Studios and more. Hence, the expectation is that most properties developed in the upcoming decades will be mid-scale properties, despite their lower profit margins (at least previously, since digital-only concepts seem to improve that). But are these new market participants interested in the big brands or can new players take over the lead here?2. ExternalitiesEconimics, finance, geopolitics. All have an impact on the hospitality sector.Taiwan votes against Mainland ChinaThese 3 hot geopolitical topics can be described as current or potential conflicts: Israel, Ukraine and guess who? Taiwan. The 2 that are already taking place are impacting the world economy whether you want it or not. Taiwan, being the majority producer of electrical chips is on that list as well. This week the party that is a non-Chinese “separatist” has won (DPP) the Taiwan elections. Why are they not pro-Mainland China? Mainly because China denounced their political Leader Lai Ching-te. And so the show continues. With China pressuring Taiwan into submission and Taiwan playing a sort of diplomatic game. Let’s hope there won’t be 3rd hot conflict this year.Gaza Status Quo“The Economist” has recently released an article breaking down the status quo of Gaza in connection with the availability of food, medicine and other supplies. A neutral take on the situation, that is otherwise hard to judge. Read about it here.3. AcademiaScientific papers related to the topics above. For those who want to know for sure ;)HR practices have a direct correlation with hotel revenueA recent paper all the way from Ghana has looked at how Human Resource practices impact the bottom line, specifically what measures are most effective. From the obvious results like competitive hiring, training initiatives and technology integration, the study goes into the previously said topic and lists other strategic HR practices and their impact on revenue. Most importantly, a direct correlation between these and a revenue increase is shown, hence maybe do not ignore your HR next time and give it a bit of professional love!5. Tips & Tricks Tools & SaaSAny new software you can use? Industry tricks you missed?Digital Hotel Operations Reporth2c has surveyed various hotel operators and created a digital hotel operations study for 2023. This report serves well when trying to compare yourself with the industry. For starters, only 34% of chains offer digital check-in and not many more are planning to offer an increase in the offering. The main concern is an increase of the total digital cost system by 14%, the concern is especially elevated due to inflation as a whole. Internal CRM and recording online direct booking have been growing and are currently offered by 54% of participants, while 76% were going to offer it. Meaning if you don’t have CRM yet, you are below average at this point. Get full access to Le Portee - Hospitality News at www.leportee.com/subscribe

The full newsletter with sources is available here.This Podcast can be found over at:Spotify → HerePocketcasts → HereApple Podcasts → HereTo support us, you can donate over at paypal.me/LePortee Get full access to Le Portee - Hospitality News at www.leportee.com/subscribe

Podcast text The full newsletter with sources is available here. This podcast can be found over at: Spotify → HerePocketcasts → https://pca.st/m08x5zfp Apple Podcasts → HereTo support us, you can donate over at paypal.me/LePortee Get full access to Le Portee - Hospitality News at www.leportee.com/subscribe