Saudi Arabia unveils master plan for Rua Al Madinah project
Saudi Arabia has unveiled the master plan for its Rua Al Madinah Project which will be constructed in the area east of the Prophet’s Mosque.
read more
By type
Back to the land of the pharaohs
Egypt appears to be getting back on its feet after years of economic turmoil and social unrest, intensified by the pandemic…
read more
How to Annoy a Journalist and Waste Your Time with the Press
On joining a recent webinar where journalists shared their pet peeves with PRs, I took notice and reflected on my experience as a PR person pitching stories and content to the media.
read more
Robot-run hotels are here, but guests have mixed reviews
In 2015, Japan opened the world’s first all-robot-run hotel, and called it Henn na (or “Strange”) Hotel. The machine menagerie had a short run before management decided to change up its strategy in 2019, and replaced half the staff with humans…
read more
In Vino Veritas XCII: Don’t Forget Your Waitstaff
Many hotel restaurants do not have a sommelier. Or, if they do, there may be shifts where that position is not filled – midday lunches, for example…
read more
Best practices for effective hotel contact center management
Ever thought about how you could make your hotel contact center work better for you? The hotel contact center plays a key role in converting first-time guests into regular guests and encouraging repeat business from existing patrons…
read more
Ecolodges in the Middle East: The new big thing
While global interest in ecotourism has been growing at a rapid pace, inflation has also started to shape travel choices…
read more
SeaPods: Giving A New Meaning to Ocean Front Living
For three-and-a-half years, Grant Romundt – co-founder of Ocean Builders – lived in a floating home in Toronto.
read more
At Virtuoso, a microcosm of industry activity
The most colorful description of a company's experience during Covid was conveyed to me by Joss Kent, CEO of AndBeyond, whose safari lodge business' strategy is driven exclusively by its sustainability-related impact objectives…
read more
The hotel that inspired 'Dirty Dancing' has burned down
Somebody put Baby in a corner: the remains of an upstate New York hotel that inspired the movie "Dirty Dancing" have burned down, according to the local fire department…
read more
Tourism and the metaverse: towards a widespread use of virtual travel?
The metaverse can be defined as a set of virtual shared spaces that are indexed in the real world and accessible via 3D interaction…
read more
The importance of branding in the hospitality industry
If you have been working in the hospitality industry in the last few years, chances are you’ve been hearing catchphrases like “stay on brand” and “that’s very on brand” more and more often.
read more
What Can Hotels Learn from Short-Term Rental Technology Innovation?
Hotels are working within a world where change is at a pace never before experienced…
read more
Are we in a travel bubble or a new normal?
Is the industry in the midst of a busier-than-ever normal of travel or a bubble that will pop? That was the question posed during a Virtuoso Travel Week press conference, held in person in Las Vegas and virtually on Monday…
read more
Cultural Intelligence is The Bridge to Hospitality
A few weeks ago, I was in New York City, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. I felt the slightest sway, a barely perceptible give as I drove…
read more
Why Self-Service is Hospitality’s New Normal
The hospitality industry has gone through a transformational phase over the past three years…
read more
6 Ways to Use QR Codes. Seven suggestions for adding contactless tech to your hospitality business
QR codes may resemble little boxes of pixelated TV fuzz, but they’re actually high-tech tools that can help streamline your business practices and potentially increase sales.
read more
The Effects of Booking Abandonment Go Beyond Loss of Revenue
The travel industry is always in a state of flux. New technologies emerge, consumer travel habits change, and new trends emerge…
read more