Kate Nicholls OBE, CEO of UK Hospitality, chats with Robin Trimingham, The Innovative Hotelier Podcast Host regarding overcoming the challenges of attracting younger workers to the hospitality industry in the UK.

Citing statistics from a survey conducted earlier this year, Nicholls reveals that the hotel job vacancy rate has increased from 5% pre-pandemic to 10% largely because the hospitality industry is not viewed as a stable long-term career choice and discusses the national PR campaign that has been launched to reset how the nation views the industry. She also offers insights into the sort of workplace environment that hoteliers will need to offer in order to attract and retain younger talent and why this is crucial to keeping pace with the anticipated growth in tourism.

Max Starkov, NYU Professor and Hospitality & Online Travel Tech Consultant chats with Robin Trimingham, The Innovative Hotelier Podcast Host regarding recent trends in OTA travel bookings in the hospitality sector and the importance of demystifying the confusion regarding the perceived high cost of direct bookings.

In this insightful discussion Max touches on the fact that while hoteliers cut spending on technology and marketing by an average of 50% during the pandemic, OTAs actually increased spending on marketing and technology during the same time period and now have comprehensive loyalty programs – making it even more important for independent and boutique properties establish a well-balanced distribution strategy that leverages OTAs and direct booking channels to their best advantage. While the cost of customer acquisition for direct bookings is traditionally considered to be high, Max explains why they are actually good value and essential to a successful broad based distribution strategy.

Brendon Granger, Hotel Technology Expert and Founder of Technology 4 Hotels chats with Robin Trimingham, The Innovative Hotelier Podcast Host about the increased use of new technology, robots and the Internet of Things (IOT) throughout the hospitality industry.

In as much as the global health crisis of the past two years has brought hardship to the hospitality industry, it has also encouraged the development of technological innovations that can drive cost savings, increase RevPar, and most importantly enhance guest experience. Listen now to learn more about mobile check-in, sophisticated guest room management systems with in-room occupancy sensors, and web app QR codes that are transforming the guest experience and providing hoteliers with new sources of data to further customize the services and incentives that they offer to travelers.

Are Morch - Hotel Consultant and Digital Transformation Coach chats with Robin Trimingham, The Innovative Hotelier Podcast Host regarding the urgent need for digital transformation within the hospitality sector to enable people, processes, digital programs and devices to work in harmony to achieve cost savings and better guest experience.

Stressing the importance of taking the time to affect a “people transformation” prior to introducing new technology, Are explains why reassuring employees that the introduction of tech will empower them to provide a better guest experience is key to the success of any hospitality digital transformation, and discusses the ways in which new tech can enable hotels to enter new markets, gather data about traveler behaviors and streamline the booking process.

Marloes Knippenberg CEO of  Kerten Hospitality,  which has  11 brands ranging from hotels and residences to stand-alone food and beverage spaces, sits down for an interview with Jeff Weinstein, to discuss the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge and how he infuses both luxury and lifestyle into Kerten Hospitality’s projects in addition to his philosophy on where to locate his properties.

More specifically, Knippenberg discusses strategies to encourage women and the next generation to join the hospitality industry. Kerton also reveals that he is working on an application that would help visitors discover new places.

Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, Saudi Arabia and Vice Chairman of The Forbes Travel Guide chats with Robin Trimingham, The Innovative Hotelier Podcast Host providing key insights into the various micro and macro lessons that have been learned during the past two years regarding sustainability and how interdependent we all are on each other.

Focusing on the ways in which the attributes of a luxury traveler (and what they value) have changed, Jerry illustrates how this is transforming the manner in which The Forbes Travel Guide assess and rates properties. He also discusses how he is incorporating what has been learned into the development of Diriyah as UNESCO World Heritage site, and how this might serve as a template for creating a luxury travel experience in other destinations.

Leo Ghitis, owner of a fast growing brand of international ultra-luxury eco conscious hotels, is making news not only because of his obsessive approach to customer service, but because they take eco consciousness and community impact to the next level, they’re literally building a rain forest for goodness sakes!

In this interview, Leo discusses the ultra-luxury eco conscious business model, how an Ivy League educated developer stumbled into becoming a hotelier, how his company is promoting nature, sustainability and community restoration not only for the societal benefits but also as a financial winner, and how he has navigated some of the crazy logistical challenges to developing and operating a cutting edge model in a world of supply chain limitations and pandemic responses. 

Cian Duggan, a mechanical engineer and Founder & Director of UK based consulting firm Carbon Intelligence chats with Robin Trimingham, The Innovative Hotelier Podcast Host regarding the various ways that hoteliers are achieving cost savings and positively impacting their brand reputation by developing and implementing a Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy.

Focusing on the need to “do more with less” in order to meet new carbon reporting requirements brought about by a variety of mandatory and voluntary ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) initiatives, Cian discusses the extent to which global brands are leveraging their purchasing power to effect carbon emission reductions within their supply chains – driving game-changing transformation well beyond their own properties. 

Adele Gutman, renowned hospitality, culture and guest experience consultant chats with Robin Trimingham, The Innovative Hotelier Podcast Host regarding what initially led her to start looking at Guest Experience as a way to drive revenue by uncovering opportunities for micro-innovations that delight future guests and inspire brand enhancing reviews.

The conversation focuses on the importance of understanding what your Net Promoter Score (NPS) is saying about how guests “feel” about your brand and how loyal they are to your property. Stressing the importance of building a culture of trust, openness, and collaboration among team members in every department, Adele explains why empowering and inspiring employees at all levels to view serving guests as their “mission” is the most effective way improve Net Promoter Scores - positively influencing brand perception, occupancy levels, and revenue.

Join the Innovative Hotelier Podcast for in-depth discussions with leading hospitality professionals covering the latest developments, innovations and best practices in the hospitality industry.