Too many brands, too little differentiation. Veteran hotel CEO Stephan Vanden Auweele writes about it and offers his views on how brands could stay current despite ever-changing needs of customers
Category: EXPERT VIEW
How to Supercharge Direct Bookings as Recovery Continues
Hotel marketers lose out on the chance to seize more direct bookings in a recovering market if they don’t heed new booking trends. Sojern’s managing director APAC, Lina Ang, shows how they can be more strategic
Timeshare’s moment in Asia is here but industry must tread ‘mindfully’
Realizing the region’s true potential for timeshare requires a mindful approach, as the building blocks for the sector to thrive are not yet set in stone. Barry Robinson, who heads Wyndham Destinations expansion in Asia, explains the why’s and how’s
Six Ethical Questions to ask When Using AI in Hotel Operations
AI will become fundamental to the daily operations of hospitality businesses but there are thorny questions. EHL Hospitality Business School’s associate professor Reza Etemad-Sajadi lists six that you should be asking
Most Hotels Aren’t fit to Offer Wellness, Says Travel Expert Turned Fitness Consultant
A former travel specialist tells what it’s like to be feted by hotel partners and says the industry can’t be serious about wellness unless it changes its way
Hotel Business Models Have Evolved, why not Hotel Management Agreements?
The time has come for a hotel management agreement that is more equitable in deliverables and risk sharing, says Stephan Vanden Auweele. The former chief hospitality group officer of Asset World Corp has sat on both sides of the owner-operator fence in his 25-year career in Asia, the Middle East and Europe
How to Avoid Lost in Translation When Reaching out to Domestic Travelers in Local Languages
Fresh respect for domestic markets means providing content in local languages is an astute move. But if done in a hasty or lax manner, the intended messaging could get Lost in Translation, to borrow the title of the 2003 romantic comedy drama film. Hotels-Asia talks to an expert, Joanne Chan of IPPWORLD about how chains can avoid the pitfalls
Which Chains Will Emerge Smelling Like Roses to Owners Post-Covid?
Answer: The ones who are open to realistic adjustments of the hotel management agreement in the face of a harsh environment, writes Darryl Agon, an expert who has a long experience with both sides
How Hotels can Adopt Artificial Intelligence Without Losing the Human Touch
Automation is not necessarily the answer to the industry’s labor shortage. The question is, “What needs to be automated?”, says expert in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Koo Ping Shung