All articles by Ky Nikitha
Ky Nikitha
Thought for food
With its 94th iteration taking place in 2020, Internorga is firmly established as one of the must-attend events on the annual conference calendar. The event’s project director, Matthias Balz, speaks to Hotel Management International about what he calls a “special event” heavy on insight, great networking and new ideas for hospitality.
Are we there yet?
On 6 November, some of the biggest names in the European hotel scene gathered in London for Deloitte’s 31st European Hotel Industry Conference. Hotel Management International was in attendance to hear delegates debate exactly where we sit in the economic cycle and where opportunity for hotel developers in 2020 might lie.
Guest Smarts
Assessment of the potential impact AI will have in the hospitality industry has mainly been confined to the back office, with comparatively little attention on how it can improve the guest experience. Greg Noone talks to Chris Silcock, chief commercial officer at Hilton, about how the operator is using machine-learning algorithms to become more responsive to its customers before, during and after their stay.
Best-laid plans
As Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) moves into the third year of its ambitious five-year plan, Elie Younes, executive vice-president and chief development officer, explains why market responsiveness is so important and why, for Younes and his team, hotel owners must be positioned at the very heart of everything they do.
2020 vision
As the industry steps into 2020, Emily Wilson, marketing manager at HTNG, casts a spotlight on the state of hospitality technology and where the focus should be in this bright new decade.
A question of sustainability
In October 2019, more than 40 delegates gathered at the Iris Ceramica Group’s London Gallery for a Hotel Management International Dining Club focused on sustainable hotel development and design. A panel featuring Kempinski’s PJ Gilbert, architect Dexter Moren and Giovanni Manfredi of Aermont highlighted the viewpoints and priorities of operators, architects and developers.
Market leader
A serial entrepreneur, investor and media commentator, Jeremy Jauncey founded Beautiful Destinations and has grown it into the world’s largest social media travel community. He is committed to redefining travel marketing in a digitally connected era by working with organisations ranging from national tourism boards to major multinational hotel brands. Speaking at Deloitte’s European Hotel Investment Conference, Jauncey covered the opportunity within social media marketing.
Come on in
In the age of the global nomad, small lifestyle concepts and big global players are making moves to try and harness the potential of co-working within their portfolios, but what impact is that having upon the manner that public spaces are conceived and designed? Abi Millar speaks to the Rockwell Group’s Greg Keffer and Stephane Bensimon, CEO of WOJO, to find out.
Up on the rooftop
A growing number of urban hotels are offering both guests and local clientele outdoor, pan-seasonal rooftop and outdoor spaces in which to wine, dine and mingle. Representing a new area of revenue generation, the al fresco trend could be here to stay, as Ross Davies reports.
Holidays repackaged
The recent demise of Thomas Cook has raised questions about the fate of the organised travel business, particularly the package holiday. With consumers increasingly comfortable booking every facet of their trip themselves, tour operators need to up their game. James Harper sits with Simon Lynch, sales director at Scott Dunn, to investigate what it is doing to face down those challenges.