All articles by Blatha
Blatha
Middle Eastern promise
The Israeli hotel market is going through something of a boom period, with performance hitting impressive levels in both city and resort destinations. Hotel Management International’s partners at STR break down the figures.
Break the system
In 2016, Shiva Foundation brought together a diverse group of hospitality players to create the Stop Slavery Hotel Industry Network, whose members collectively account for 6,000 properties in more than 100 countries and employ 220,000 people globally. Meenal Sachdev, founder and director of Shiva Foundation, outlines the story behind the network’s formation and highlights its ten recommendations for combatting modern slavery in the hospitality sector.
The finer details
Hans Koch discusses the importance of creating a hotel restaurant that can stand as its own unique endeavour, while maintaining the overall ambience of the wider establishment.
Into the breach
Marriott International has fallen victim to the second-largest data breach ever recorded. In this paradigm-shifting moment for the hospitality industry, Tim Gunn brings together what we know so far to assess what hoteliers need to learn from the hack and how they can balance data security with more traditional customer-facing goals.
Elie Younes: Bring it to fruition
Elie Younes, EVP and CDO of Radisson Hotel Group, is managing a new brand identity, corporate restructuring and marked changes in developmental strategy, mean he is a very busy man. Abi Millar meets the hotel exec to talk about a shift of focus back onto Europe, a renewed willingness to consider leases, what he is looking for in new development partners, and the importance of brand purity.
Reality check: AR technology
Augmented reality platforms have emerged as new marketing and operational tools in recent years, allowing hotels to preview and enhance their pre-existing selling points, and possibly offer whole new ones. But to what extent do these tools lean more towards gimmickry than utility, and what might the next generation of AR and VR solutions provide in terms of added value? Tim Gunn assesses how hotels can best augment their approaches.
Ports of call: hospitality growth in Portugal
Lisbon and Porto have experienced unprecedented hotel growth over the past decade. But how much longer can it last? Greg Noone talks to Gustavo Castro, the head of Colliers International’s office in Porto, and Jorge Rebelo de Almeida, the managing director of Portuguese hotel group Vila Galé, to find out more.
Simple genius: the perfect kitchen design
Hide was one of the most keenly awaited restaurant openings of the year, and its blend of fine dining with a relaxed atmosphere is just what star chef Ollie Dabbous intended. However, in order to realise his vision, getting the kitchen design right was a fundamental element. Jim Banks speaks to him and Ed Bircham, an associate member of the Foodservice Consultants Society International, about bringing to life a chef-led vision of simplicity, serenity and style.
A catalyst for change: women and hospitality
Although hotel companies have no problem attracting women, they are failing to provide the necessary support for them to progress to senior positions. Elly Earls meets Women in Hospitality 2020 chair Tea Colaianni; Marriott International’s president and managing director for Europe, Amy McPherson; Whitbread CEO Alison Brittain; and IHG’s VP for global talent, Louise Byrne, to find out what steps are being put in place to correct the balance.
Hitting new heights: airport hotels
There was a time when the airport hotel was a straightforward concept: a property focused on short-stay business guests looking for nothing more than the basics. But over the past few years, a number of operators have sought to draw in travellers through selling points beyond mere convenience. What should a 21st-century airport hotel look to achieve? Abi Millar asks David Marr, SVP and global head of full service brands at Hilton, citizenM CMO Robin Chadha and Yotel CEO Hubert Viriot.