In this episode, Gilda Perez-Alvarado, Chief Executive Officer of Orient Express and Group Chief Strategy Officer at Accor, reveals how luxury leaders are successfully preserving legacy brands in today’s rapidly evolving world. She provides an inside look at the strategic partnership between Orient Express and global luxury powerhouse LVMH, exploring why history, authenticity, and meticulous craftsmanship are essential ingredients for thriving amidst uncertainty.

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
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If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

Gilda Perez-Alvarado, Chief Executive Officer of Orient Express and Group Chief Strategy Officer at Accor, takes us behind the scenes of the iconic brand's revival in this episode recorded Friday, April 11, 2025 - exploring how they're reinventing luxury hospitality. Discover the strategy behind their ambitious launch of Orient Express’s first hotel, train, and yacht—and learn what the new 'art of travel' truly means.

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
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• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
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If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Jan Freitag, National Director, Hospitality Analytics at CoStar Group, shares insights on the impact of tariffs on the US hotel industry, the importance of actionable data, and strategies for navigating uncertain times.

Links:

• "Tell Me More" Podcast by Jan Freitag & Isaac Collazo: Apple Podcasts or Spotify 
• Jan's recent episode on No Vacancy News
• Jan's episode on the Hotel Moment podcast
• Hotel Data Conference
• I-92/APIS Dataset from the U.S. Department of Commerce

More conversations about the economy and the state of the hotel industry:

• Hospitality’s Early Warning Signs: What the Data Reveals About the Economy Ahead - Jamie Lane, AirDNA
• Tariffs, Unfolding Travel Trends, and San Francisco’s Comeback - Zach Demuth, JLL

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

Today, Hospitality Daily transforms into your personal sonic retreat as we present our first-ever musical special: "Dream Resort: A Mediterranean Escape," created by Clay Bassford and our friends at Bespoke Sound.

Leave behind the daily challenges of hospitality and immerse yourself in the fantasy resort experience you work so hard to create for others. Our specially curated 53-minute musical journey transports you to an idyllic Mediterranean paradise—from the gentle morning waves greeting your arrival to the tranquil evening ambiance as stars emerge over the sea.

No industry insights this time. No trends to analyze. Just pure, unadulterated escapism through a carefully crafted playlist that tells the story of the perfect resort day. Interwoven with natural soundscapes and guided by playful narration, this episode invites you to remember why you fell in love with hospitality in the first place.

Headphones recommended. Permission to daydream granted.

Check out the full playlist here on Spotify

Once you're done listening to this, check my conversations with Clay here: How To Use Music To Elevate Your Guest Experience 

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Suzie Thompson, Vice President of Commercial at Red Carnation Hotels, shares her insights on careers in hospitality and how they celebrate excellence.

This episode is hosted by our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith, founder of MorningStar GX. 

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Suzie Thompson, Vice President of Commercial at Red Carnation Hotels, shares how she is preparing for an AI-driven world.

This episode is hosted by our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith, founder of MorningStar GX. 

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Suzie Thompson, Vice President of Commercial at Red Carnation Hotels, shares insights into how her teams blend data, culture, and creativity to deliver exceptional guest experiences.

This episode is hosted by our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith, founder of MorningStar GX. 

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie shares some top takeaways from his latest research, including how 87% of hospitality professionals participating in the study already use AI to improve efficiency, creativity, and guest experience. Listen now for practical examples, underutilized AI opportunities, and actionable insights you can use in your hotel or hospitality business.

Also see:

• AI 2027 Project
• What AI Might Bring Hotels in 2025 - Martin Soler
• America's Chief AI Officer for Travel Shares Advice for 2025 - Janette Roush, Brand USA
• Less Ringing, More Hospitality: AI-Powered PBX To Give Our Teams More Time for Guests - Steven Marais, Noble House Hotels & Resorts
• AI & Hotel Tech Bets For Our People-First Approach - Dina Belon, Staypineapple Hotels
• The Future of Hotel Management: Automation, AI, and Innovation - Sloan Dean, Remington Hospitality
• AI's Impact On Our Business - Ernest Lee, citizenM
• How AI Helps Me Run More Profitable Hotels - Sean Murphy, The Bower
• 50 Days, 50 Concepts: Rethinking Experiential Hospitality with Generative AI - Dylan Barahona

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Zach Demuth, the Global Head of Hotels Research at JLL, shares what he sees happening in the hotel and hospitality ecosystem, including tariffs, travel trends, and San Francisco's comeback.

See insights and research from JLL here

See coverage of JLL's San Francisco research on Hotel Management and Hotel Investment Today.

Check out our other conversations:

• Why The Hotel Industry is at a Pivotal Moment (December 2024)
• Research: Top Hospitality Trends to Watch (February 2024)
• Luxury Hospitality Trends, Opportunities, and Innovation (June 2023)

Listen to Josiah's other conversations about San Francisco here.

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Jamie Lane, Chief Economist at AirDNA, reveals how data provides crucial early warnings for broader trends—and what hospitality professionals can do about it.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How hospitality’s approach to data has shifted—from historical analysis to predictive insights.
• Why short-term rental bookings provide an early glimpse into hotel demand.
• The connection between short-term rentals and hotel markets.
• What niche short-term rental growth signals for hospitality investors.
• How economic uncertainty impacts consumer booking behavior and spending.
• The critical influence of the "wealth effect" on travelers’ decisions.
• Practical ways to leverage data for operational agility and better decision-making in uncertain times.

Resources mentioned:

• AirDNA Market Insights
• Jamie’s STR Data Lab Podcast
• Economic Policy Uncertainty Index

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Control What You Can: How Top Hoteliers Are Navigating Chaos in 2025 (Hunter Hotel Investment Conference Insights)
• Why Real-Time Operations Will Define Success in Hospitality - Josiah Mackenzie & Wil Slickers

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands