All articles by Ky Nikitha
Ky Nikitha
EHMA is trending
A study by consultancy company Horwath HTL has identified new trends that are impacting the activities of hotel managers. Ezio A Indiani gets to grips with these figures.
Public relations
Operators are having to fundamentally rethink the ways they deliver hospitality within the midscale segment, placing an ever-greater emphasis upon design, technology and public spaces. Abi Millar meets the hotel leaders trying to do something new in what has traditionally been the least ambitious of hotel tiers.
Master of all trades
Arguably no role has undergone greater transformation over the course of the past decade than that of the hotel general manager, so how do the best practitioners in the business stay abreast of such a fast-changing landscape? Tim Gunn speaks to Toshiro Maruyama of Shirouma-so, The Beaumont’s Jannes Soerensen, and EHMA president and GM of Principe di Savoia Ezio A Indiani about the flexibility needed to succeed in some of the industry’s most particular positions.
Get a room
Modular construction methods significantly defray development costs for operators but have traditionally resulted in economy offerings on greenfield sites. Now, the assembly of the AC Hotel NoMad in the centre of Manhattan promises to make prefabrication an urban affair as well. Greg Noone talks to Rob Wagemans of design firm Concrete, architect Danny Forster and Marriott International’s Eric Jacobs about whether the time has come for large-scale modular projects in the heart of our major cities.
The focus to grow
Hakkasan Group has weathered the many recent storms in the global restaurant market. Operations vice-president Michael Neuner tells Tina Nielsen about his plans for developing the company and the importance of finding the right partners in order to deliver this vision.
Guest who
Operators now have access to more data than ever before, with analytics being put in place to enhance customer service, and optimise revenue and loyalty schemes. Will Moffitt investigates which hotels are harnessing this technology most efficiently and the costly impact, financial and operational, of getting your data strategy wrong.
Walk the talk
Last year, Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) proclaimed it wanted to become one of the top three hotel operators in the world. It seemed a wildly ambitious statement of intent, but events over the period since suggest the company is charting the right course. Andrea Valentino talks to Elie Younes, executive vice-president and CDO at Radisson Hospitality, about where new development is focused and how a new ownership model could push it up the hotel league table.
Just as well
The global wellness industry is now valued at over $4 trillion, with an increasing amount of focus and money being invested into hotels’ spa offerings. But, in an ever-more competitive marketplace, what are hotels and brands doing to differentiate their wellness offerings from their rivals and what trends are emerging on the horizon? Patrick Kingsland speaks to Rosewood’s Niamh O’Connell and Anna Bjurstam of Six Senses to find out.
Stars in our eyes
Ezio A Indiani, president of the European Hotel Managers Association (EHMA), reflects on a busy first few months in the role and highlights the exciting plans that have been set in motion.
Woman on the rise
Maram Kokandi is the first woman in Saudi Arabia to rise to the role of general manager, having been awarded the position at the Park Inn by Radisson Madinah Road, Jeddah.