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.
Market on the top
With 2019 having come to a close, our partners at the industry leaders in hospitality analytics, STR, highlight six European hotel markets that experienced performance growth in 2019, and look at the some of the reasons behind the numbers.
Manage to success
In the current hotel environment, general managers are expected to take on many roles front of house as well as in the back office. Ezio A Indiani shares his ideas on what makes a hotel general manager.
Generation bliss
Reams of materials have been produced outlining how hoteliers can better appeal to the dominant millennial demographic, but little of the conversation has surrounded what this generation is demanding from the spa and wellness space. How does one entice younger guests through wellness and how big a selling point can it be? Abi Millar talks to Irene Forte, group project and wellness director for Rocco Forte Hotels, and Simona Migliniene, project manager at spa and wellness consultants The E77 Company, to find out more.
Lobby for change
Transforming the check-in experience and designing more dynamic social spaces is a focus across all segments of the hotel industry. While some are swapping the traditional front desk for apps and tablets, others are focusing on getting guests out of their rooms and bringing in a more local clientele. Will Moffitt discusses the vital ingredients that go into making the lobby a destination in its own right with Hasan Yigit, vice-president of Jaz in the City, Jérémie Trigano, CEO of Mama Shelter, and Jay Stein, CEO of Dream Hotel Group.
Attention on tech
Hotels used to be known for in-room tech, with features that were unimaginable in the home. Now, it is the hotel industry that has to catch up, as technology becomes integrated into our everyday lives and needs an upgrade at an unparalleled rate. With connectivity key, Abi Millar speaks to Joshua Sloser, senior vice-president of digital product and innovation at Hilton, to discover what operators are doing to harness guest-owned technology in-room and if there are still areas with the ability to wow.