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Thomas Krooswijk Appointed as New General Manager of Four Seasons Hotels Istanbul

📍 Canada, February 25, 2026: Thomas Krooswijk, born in France and raised in Africa and the Middle East, is now General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus and Sultanahmet. With a career starting at The Pierre, NYC in 2001, he has led globally, including roles at Beverly Wilshire, LA, and Four Seasons Resort Marrakech. He aims to blend Istanbul's rich heritage with modern luxury, fostering creativity and genuine connections.
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#kering #luxury | Jacques-Olivier CHAUVIN | 20 comments

🏦 Kering plans to close over 100 stores by 2026, primarily affecting Gucci. This decision follows the "Phoenix Directive" from two months ago, advocating for an exit from Gucci outlets. The closures aren't due to underperformance but rather to protect brand integrity from discounted sales. The strategy is viewed as a survival measure rather than a rescue. Fouad Elkoreichi suggests that Kering needs sovereign capital, possibly from Saudi Arabia or Abu Dhabi, to regain financial stability and avoid vulnerability.
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There’s an undeniable mystique about Orient Express: Agatha Christie set a murder on it; James Bond escaped it. It’s more than just the eponymous train after Accor acquired 50% of the brand from… | David Eisen

🚄 In 2017, Accor acquired 50% of the Orient Express brand from Groupe SNCF. Six years later, Accor’s chairman & CEO, Sebastien Bazin, appointed Gilda Perez-Alvarado as chief strategy officer and CEO of Orient Express. Perez-Alvarado is steering the brand into new ventures, including trains, hotels, and yachts. Recently, discussions in Los Angeles highlighted her intense passion for hospitality, ignited early on, continuing to drive Orient Express forward.
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Booking.com took Airbnb’s homes. Airbnb took Booking’s employees to take their hotels. Booking Holdings: $26.9B revenue in 2025. Airbnb: $12.2B revenue in 2025. Until now, they were two completely… | Ashkhen Gevondyan

🏠 Booking.com and Airbnb are converging in the travel industry. By 2025, Booking's revenue will reach $26.9B, and Airbnb's $12.2B. Booking.com's home listings total 8.6M, close to Airbnb's 9M. From 2019 to 2025, Booking.com will increase its share in Airbnb's home market from 25% to 36%. Cities like New York, Barcelona, and Paris are imposing regulations that impact Airbnb's short-term rentals. Airbnb hired Lou Zameryka, a former 20-year Booking.com executive, to lead its hotel expansion.
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TikTok Introduces Local Feed for Small Businesses | Tim van der Wiel posted on the topic | LinkedIn

📲 TikTok has launched a Local Feed, transforming how small businesses connect with users. This new feature benefits local establishments like restaurants and gyms by providing a dedicated tab for visibility, countering the previous preference for large advertisers. For Gen Z, TikTok replaces traditional search methods, acting as a platform for discovering local services. This shift, noted by Tim van der Wiel, highlights TikTok's growing influence in local commerce and user behavior. #TikTokShop #eCommerce
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#itbberlin #hoteltech #berlin #hospitality #revenuemanagement #guestexperience #hotelautomation | Nicolas Vorsteher

🏨 Berlin hotels achieved their best year with 30.6 million overnight stays and an ADR of €187. Despite a 12.6% payroll increase and a 7.9% revenue rise, only 16 cents per new euro reached the profit line, indicating a systems issue. Automation, not staffing, drove success. Upper Upscale hotels captured 73% of new supply. Attend ITB Berlin from March 3-5 at Hall 7.1C, Stand 116 to explore effective strategies. Coffee’s on the house! ☕
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❌ Every night, restaurants and hotels lose money the moment guests walk out the door. Not because the experience wasn’t good. But because the relationship stops there. Meanwhile, e-commerce brands… | Alice POLACK

🍴 Hospitality often loses customer engagement post-visit, unlike e-commerce, which excels in anticipation, automation, and follow-up. To enhance loyalty, hospitality should adopt a three-step approach: think like e-commerce before, during, and after visits; shift from mass marketing to editorial intimacy using guest data for personalized communication; and transition to conversational marketing via WhatsApp and direct messages. Implementing automation, personalisation, and conversational tools can transform guest loyalty into emotional continuity.
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Your staff already knows what’s confusing your guests. Nobody asks them. Ask your team two questions: 1. “What’s the one thing guests ask that you wish they already knew?” 2. “What’s something you… | Kay Walten | 13 comments

📑 Two key questions reveal what confuses guests. Ask your team: 1) What do guests ask that they should already know? 2) What do you do that's not in any handbook? Sort answers into three columns. Column 1: Guests lack prior info like checkout times. Column 2: Space or process causes confusion like signage. Column 3: Promised amenities not matching reality. Start with Column 1 for quick fixes. The "Napkin Test" is an easy, no-cost way to improve guest experience.
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For the last fifteen years, the smartest money chased software, but I think we’re about to see smart money shift to hospitality. Here’s why: As AI flattens digital differentiation and tech becomes… | Zach Busekrus | 10 comments

🏨 Accor announced the expansion of Orient Express, emphasizing experience over software. LVMH became a strategic partner, shifting focus to brand equity through trains, yachts, and historic properties. As AI commoditizes tech, immersive brands gain importance. The move signals a shift toward narrative-rich hospitality experiences. Accor’s strategy is highlighted in a discussion by Ben Wolff, Scott Eddy, and Edwin Kramer on "This Week in Hospitality.
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