All articles by Ky Nikitha
Ky Nikitha
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.
A world of good
As doyenne of the wellness space and the founder of ESPA, Susan Harmsworth couldn’t be better placed to talk us through the spa and wellness trends affecting hotels in the months and years to come. She speaks to Elly Earls about what operators should be looking out for and what the wellness destination resort of the future will look like.
Plastic not accepted
Across the industry, hotels are committing to single-use plastic reduction by providing bulk-sized, refillable guest amenities. Natalie Healey speaks to Karin Sheppard of IHG and Marriott International’s Hemma Varma, to explore the role shifting guest expectations is playing in driving sustainable solutions and the challenges that come with implementing big changes across a global footprint.
A touch of France
Chef Thomas Keller has been in the business for four decades, and this year celebrates 25 years at flagship California-based restaurant The French Laundry. He tells Tina Nielsen that his love for the profession and a sense of duty mean it will be some time before he hangs up his apron.
Behind the kitchen door
As hotel restaurants are changing, kitchens have to keep up. Andrea Valentino talks to Sascha Triemer, vice-president of food and beverage at Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai, and Frank Wagner, chair of FCSI Germany-Austria, about how a hotel kitchen is designed, how much influence chefs have over development and the importance of keeping on trend as restaurants change.
The circle of lifestyle
Following the acquisition of Morgans Hotel Group in 2016, and entering into a strategic partnership with Accor in 2018, sbe founder Sam Nazarian has some big plans for growing in the global lifestyle space. He speaks to Phin Foster about ambitions for Europe, his unique proposition for development partners and why he wants to control the entire hospitality experience.
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.