Opinion Articles

Opinion Article Operations & Strategy

February 13, 2020

Some Notes on Crafting the Perfect Hotel Event

Is there really such a thing as a perfect event that's held at a hotel? You know, the one that brides dream of or the one that corporate meeting planners hoping to make their mark lust after? For the past few years, I've been following numerous properties on LinkedIn, and standing out from the pack is Forbes five-star, The Lanesborough in London, England, a member of the Oetker Collection.

By Larry Mogelonsky, Partner, Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited

London, United Kingdom

February 12, 2020

Coronavirus: What Impact on the Swiss Hotel Industry

A novel coronavirus (formally known as 2019-nCoV) has sprung up over the last few weeks, with its epidemic center in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province (China). Little is known about this virus, but we do know that has an incubation period of 2 to 14 days and a mortality rate of 2.07%, according to CNN. While urgent research is being carried out, authorities are taking steps to contain the spread of the virus by closing air traffic from China, cancelling package tours to and from the country and placing people in quarantine. These very necessary measures intended to protect people and lives come, however, at a cost.

By Giuliano Bianchi, Co-director of Quantitas Institute and Associate Professor of Economics, EHL

Opinion Article Operations & Strategy

February 7, 2020

In Search of Hotel Excellence: Ashford Castle

If you're up for the excursion, Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland is well worth it. Situated near the western coast of the island, the property is about a three-hour drive along the highway from Dublin Airport. My advice is to take the journey through the illustrious countryside to visit this simply spectacular National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World.

By Larry Mogelonsky, Partner, Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited

County Mayo, Ireland

February 4, 2020

The Deed Is Done: What's next after Brexit?

The deed is done. Brexit is begun. The United Kingdom is no longer a member state of the European Union (EU). And how did we recognize this historic moment? With the false chiming of Big Ben. So perhaps I could beg forgiveness and paraphrase a stanza in WH Auden's poem, Funeral Blues.

By Julian Walker, Head of External Market Communications and PR, CWT

United Kingdom

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January 9, 2020

Tough Year Ahead for UK Hoteliers With Key Issues to Tackle

HVS identifies five key issues that hotels need to consider moving into the new decade, including the fact that travellers are now expecting a more personal service, the issue of corporate responsibility and the importance of attracting and retaining good staff.

By Russell Kett, Chairman at HVS - London Office, HVS

United Kingdom

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December 17, 2019

In Focus - Skiathos

The Sporades are an island complex along the east coast of Central Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea, in the Aegean Sea. They consist of 24 islands, four of which are permanently inhabited, namely Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros. Skiathos is the westernmost island in the Sporades group, east of the Pelion peninsula in Magnesia on the mainland, and west of the island of Skopelos.

By Pavlos Papadimitriou and Manos Tavladorakis

Skiathos, Greece

November 29, 2019

20 years of the Worldwide Hospitality Awards

Those who live there today continue to enjoy lodgings and dining that belong to a centuries-old tradition. It was the beginning of hospitality in Europe. Later, with the development of economic exchanges throughout the old continent, inns and hotels flourished.

By Georges Panayotis, President & Founder of MKG Group & Hospitality ON, Hospitality ON

Paris, France

October 30, 2019

In Focus: Corfu, Greece

The region of the Ionian Islands consists of the islands in the Ionian Sea on the western coast of Greece. Since they have long been subject to influences from Western Europe, the Ionian Islands form a separate historic and cultural unit than that of continental Greece. The region is divided administratively into four prefectures (Corfu, Lefkada, Kefallinia and Zakinthos) and comprises the islands of Kerkira (Corfu), Zakinthos, Cephalonia (Kefallinia), Lefkada, Ithaca (Ithaki), Paxi, and a number of smaller islands. The Ionian Islands are the sunniest part of Greece, but the southerly winds bring abundant rainfall.

By Pavlos Papadimitriou and Manos Tavladorakis

Corfu, Greece

September 18, 2019

Amid Brexit Fatigue, Hoteliers Converge in Manchester to Talk UK Market

It's wild times in the UK. At least that's the perception of this here Yankee. Regardless of politics, ever since Jan. 20, 2017, the U.S. has been on a rambunctious ride of its own, and now, with the appointment of Boris Johnson as UK prime minister on July 24, 2019, the UK has gotten to join in the rollicking fun, as the calendar moves closer to Oct. 31, the day the UK is slated to leave the EU bloc.

By David Eisen, Content Director, Media, Questex

United Kingdom

September 2, 2019

Paris Hotel Market – A Rocky Start to the Year

Since our previous article in April 2018, the business environment in France has experienced positive change with a decrease in unemployment rate and an increase in purchasing power, following the 'gilets jaunes' disruption. The Economist Intelligence Unit forecasts modest GDP growth to pick up to around 1.5% for the foreseeable future. In terms of tourism, Paris enjoys an exceptionally well-balanced mix of business and leisure demand, which allows the City of Lights to have both a broad seasonality and strong average rate. Paris has remained, alongside London, one of the two most desirable destinations for hotel investment for more than a decade.

By Sophie Perret and Dayk Balyozyan

Paris, France

August 14, 2019

Creating a Forecasting Model for Swiss Hotels: What’s in it for Hoteliers?

Researchers at Ecole hôteliere de Lausanne in Switzerland are developing a forecasting model to predict guest stays at Swiss hotels but how useful will the model be for hoteliers?

By Stuart Pallister, Head of Academic Editorial Content, EHL

Opinion Article Human Resources

July 18, 2019

Hospitality Management: What are Millennials Looking for in Their First Job?

My thesis set out to answer these questions, based on a sample of 525 graduating students from four Swiss hotel management schools: EHL, Les Roches, Glion and SHL (Schweizerische Hotelfachschule Luzern). Specific emphasis was placed on the Employer Branding aspects which employers can offer in order to appeal to the young graduates.

By Alexandra Marinova, B.Sc. in International Hospitality Management, graduated from EHL, EHL

July 11, 2019

Amsterdam Hotel Market – Rate Growth Paves the Way

Amsterdam is in the province of North Holland, in the heart of the Randstad, Europe's sixth-largest metropolitan area. The city of Amsterdam is the capital and the largest city in the Netherlands, with a population of just over 850,000 recorded in 2018. While Amsterdam is known globally for its historic canals, art museums (Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum), red-light district and 'coffee' shops, it is also a significant European financial centre. Approximately 2,000 foreign companies have established offices in the Amsterdam metropolitan area, and more than 200 of these companies have headquarters in the city. The Dutch capital is consistently ranked among the best cities in which to live and has become an increasingly popular gateway destination thanks to its excellent connectivity via Schiphol Airport, the port of Amsterdam and high-speed rail services such as Eurostar.

By Sophie Perret and Mattia Cavenati

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

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June 25, 2019

In Focus: Chania City, Greece

Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica. The largest city, and the island’s capital, is Heraklio. The island is currently the most popular destination in Greece in terms of international visitation. Administratively, it is divided into four prefectures (namely Chania, Rethymno, Heraklio, and Lassithi) while major cities and tourism destinations are Heraklio, Chania, Agios Nikolaos, Rethymno, Sitia, Ierapetra, Malia, Hersonissos, Elounda, and Kissamos.

By Nana Boussia and Pavlos Papadimitriou

Chania City, Greece

Opinion Article Operations & Strategy

June 13, 2019

"Hotels have an extraordinary advantage over OTAs." - DBS Paris 2019 Day One Wrap-Up

After months of anticipation, the Direct Booking Summit EMEA opened its doors this morning - and if the first day is anything to go by, this could very well be the best event yet. Hundreds of innovation leaders gathered in the heart of Paris for the biggest event in hospitality, with 25 influential figures within the industry presenting keynotes, panels and debates across a wide range of fascinating topics. With many common themes including cultivating brand loyalty, optimizing the customer experience and the importance of prioritizing long-term success, there was an abundance of valuable, engaging and practical advice for hoteliers to apply to their own organizations.

By Rob Funnell, Content & Product Marketing Executive, Triptease

Paris, France

June 5, 2019

Succession Planning in Family-Owned Hotels

Succession planning plays an important role for any entrepreneur and has become a central strategic component for company owners and managers. A recent study on Swiss small and mid-sized enterprises (SME) by a large Swiss bank highlights the importance of this topic. According to this study, 3/4 of managers have spent time and effort on succession planning. This is not surprising considering that some 70'000 to 80'000 SMEs will face a generational change in the upcoming years in Switzerland alone. This step is not only important for each individual company, but also for the Swiss economy as a whole as these companies account for about 400'000 employees.

By Dr Jean-Philippe Weisskopf, Associate Professor, EHL

Opinion Article Human Resources

June 4, 2019

Innovative Pedagogy: What is The Future of Higher Education?

The purpose of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) events is to understand, improve, and share teaching and learning practices across disciplines and schools to prepare a new generation of lifelong learners. Following this philosophy, the first international SoTL conference hosted at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) was entitled "Reflecting-in and Reflecting-on Teaching and Learning through Research". For two days earlier this year, 27 participants from 13 different schools attended workshops and shared best practices.

By Laura Zizka, Assistant Professor, EHL

Opinion Article Human Resources

May 27, 2019

Student Entrepreneurs: Getting to the Root of the Problem!

Entrepreneurship is en vogue! Not a day passes by without reading or hearing about how entrepreneurship supports most European countries' GDP growth, the groundbreaking innovations that entrepreneurial ventures bring about, or the importance of getting more young people excited about launching their own startup.

By Nicole Hinrichs, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, EHL