Tourism Leader Rossi Ralenkotter Loses Battle with Cancer
The man who helped create the iconic Las Vegas brand-ad campaign, “What Happens Here, Stays Here” has passed away after a 16-year battle with cancer.
News
Online Training Tools Are Boosting Productivity of Maintenance & Housekeeping Teams at Hotels
The hospitality industry is knee-deep in budgeting season, and there is no better time to begin equipping hotel teams with the right tools and knowledge to operate efficiently, deliver seamless guest experiences, and maintain brand consistency. One of the most essential components of workforce communication is the Learning Management System (LMS). Today’s technology providers are redefining the way hotel teams are continuously trained, and new, intuitive tools contained within modern LMSs are gaining traction across the industry.
By Drew Smith, Director of Training, Quore
Earning Professional Designations and Credentials: What, Why and How?
Education comes in many shapes and forms. The focus should be on the quality of the education and the value of what is being offered. Hospitality professionals that want to enhance their professionalism and build their educational resumes have numerous choices. In general, hospitality professionals are looking to receive certifications that support their education, advance their careers and increase potential opportunities in a dynamic and new industry landscape.
By Robert O’Halloran, Professor Director, School of Hospitality Leadership, East Carolina University
The Rise of the Co-CEO
There has been a recent flurry of announcements from the business press regarding the appointment of Co-CEOs. What was once an oddity is becoming more common place. A recent article by Barron’s Andy Serwer addresses this trend in the broader marketplace. I thought it would be interesting to look at how the hospitality industry is or is not embracing this movement. Of the 8,088 hotel, casino and restaurant companies we track at AETHOS, only 24 had a Co-CEO arrangement, representing less than 1% of the industry.
By Keith Kefgen, Managing Director & CEO, AETHOS Consulting Group
The Authenticity Paradox: When Being Real Means Being Responsive
"Just be yourself." It's the well-meaning advice that's launched a thousand leadership development programmes and probably twice as many LinkedIn posts. But here's the uncomfortable truth: most leaders who try to "be themselves" at work are actually stuck at a surprisingly unsophisticated stage of authenticity.
By Mike Hohnen, Trusted Advisor￨Coach￨Trainer￨Keynote Speaker, Plays Well With Others
Launch of Connecting Future Leaders in Greece – Interview with George, Aristea and Vasiliki Mamidaki
Bluegr Hotels & Resorts’ next generation joins HSMAI Europe’s Connecting Future Leaders – ahead of the programme’s launch in Greece
Quore to Unveil New Training Platform at The Hospitality Show in Denver
Quore, a leader in hotel operations management, will reveal its next-generation Learning Management System at The Hospitality Show in October. The event, to be held October 26 to 28 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, will give hotel owners and operators the tools they need to streamline operations and drive profitability.
Reading Between the Lines: What Hotel Companies Do Not Say About Gender Equality
There is a troubling disconnect in the hotel industry between public commitments and meaningful action on gender equality. Nearly every major hospitality brand now publishes impressive-sounding policies on diversity and inclusion but the reality behind the glossy corporate reports tells a different story.
By Jin Cao, Doctoral Researcher from the International Centre for Hospitality and Aviation Resilience Management (ICHARM), University of West London
Age Discrimination Against Veteran Hoteliers: The Brand Experience Paradox
People older than 50 make up less than a fifth of all hotel employees, revealing a stark underrepresentation of experienced workers in an industry that should value their expertise. Research from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management found that only 3.1% of hotels recruit people aged 65 years or over, despite the potential benefits these workers could bring to the industry.
By Nasir Zahir
AHLA Foundation Awards More Than $700,000 in Academic Scholarships to 246 Students Nationwide
AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of AHLA dedicated to supporting a strong hotel industry workforce, today announced the distribution of more than $710,000 in academic scholarships to 246 students at 64 schools across the country for the 2025–2026 academic year.
"In the flow" or "On the Flow" comments on work
People talk about “being in the flow” as if it’s some zen productivity state. That’s nice, but what I mean by flow is much more practical: things moving. From left to right, down the funnel, across the team. Progress happens because work doesn’t get stuck.
By Martin Soler, Partner, Soler & Associates
Immigration Policy and The Hospitality Workforce
When staffing shortages hit at peak season, it’s not just guest satisfaction that suffers — room inventory shrinks, and operations strain under pressure. Across U.S. hospitality, uncertain immigration policy is now a key factor shaping workforce strategy. Hotels are adapting with agility: amplifying internal talent pipelines, refining recruiting, and fortifying preparedness against potential enforcement disruptions.
By Alice Sherman, Chief Executive Officer, HVS
WTTC Report Shows Travel & Tourism Set to Support 91MN New Jobs by 2035
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today launches a landmark report, revealing that while the sector is on course to support one in three new jobs worldwide by 2035, demographic and structural shifts could create a workforce shortfall of more than 43MN people if left unaddressed.
IHG Hotels & Resorts launches ‘Masarona by IHG’ to cultivate Saudi Arabia’s next generation of hospitality leaders
IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced the launch of Masarona by IHG, a landmark talent development program designed to empower Saudi nationals to become the future leaders of the global hospitality industry. The program name, meaning “Our Pathway” in Arabic, reflects a shared commitment to creating exceptional career journeys for local talent in alignment with the Kingdom’s transformative Vision 2030.
Beyond “Wow,” “Unreasonable,” and “Outrageous: Train Your Team To Deliver Ordinarily Extraordinary Guest Service
As a conference speaker and hotel trainer, I’m always interested whenever I see the title of an article, book, or blog post that has anything to do with guest service, hospitality, or customer service in general.
By Doug Kennedy, President of the Kennedy Training Network, Kennedy Training Network (KTN)
Hotel Training Needs a Rethink: From Checklists to Commitment
Training in hospitality has never been only about tasks. It is about shaping culture, building belonging, and creating pride. In many hotels, however, the process still feels like a box-ticking exercise. New hires memorize scripts, click through online modules, and sign off on checklists. The process ends, but the learning and the loyalty never truly begin.
By Dr. Kijung Choi, Senior Lecturer in International Hotel Leadership, William Angliss Institute
Automation Readiness: A Practical Checklist for Hotel Leaders
Have you ever counted how many hours your teams spend each week copying data from one system to another, reconciling payments, or correcting reservation errors? Behind the warm welcome and seamless guest service that define hospitality, there is a less visible reality: hundreds of repetitive, time-consuming tasks that drain your staff’s energy.
By Stephen Burke, Founder and CEO, RobosizeME
AI in Hiring – The Case of Applicant Tracking Systems
In recent years, the increasing use of artificial intelligence has transformed many stages of the hiring process. Among these recruitment tools, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) have become particularly widespread, offering organizations a way to manage high numbers of applications more systematically. These systems are designed to streamline recruitment by filtering and ranking candidates, but their growing influence also raises considerations regarding their reliability and limitations for both recruiters and job seekers. Can all the qualities that make someone suitable for a role really be captured by such systems?
By Bertrand Audrin, Assistant Professor, EHL
Research Questions Regarding AI in HRM: Preparing for an AI-Powered Workplace
In a series of discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) in human resource management (HRM), we explored how AI has transformed the traditional HR functions and how HR professionals can remain irreplaceable in the age of AI. To help organizations and HR professionals prepare for the still-evolving AI-empowered workplace, academic research must not only address the relevant and timely research questions but also emphasize the need for responsible and ethical AI use that matters to our industry partners.
By Linchi Kwok
The Role of Coaching and Human Talent Management in Promoting Equity and Organizational Well-Being
The rules and socialization of norms within an organization function as establishing operations to sustain many cultural practices. Their description corresponds to contingencies that set an aversive condition, such as guilt, shame, the feeling of having made a mistake, or fear. These act as a type of control exercised by culture, whose termination reinforces rule compliance. Such contingencies must be easy to understand, since if they are created by the organization, they apply to all its members, who must behave appropriately so as not to interfere with the group’s cultural practices. Otherwise, unpleasant consequences arise for themselves and others. This ensures the maintenance of Organizational Culture and secures the survival of the organization.
By Diana Carolina Perez Cabas, Psychologist, Executive Coach, Magister in Human Resources and Organizational Development, SHG Universities Professor, HR Influencer Spain 2024, Swiss Hospitality Group Universities