The Columns from our Hospitality Newsletter

💻 Quantum computing is revolutionizing security. Current supercomputers take months to crack a 10-character password; quantum computers could do it in seconds. This threatens encryption methods used in banking and government. While researchers are developing post-quantum cryptography (PQC), implementing it will be a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar process. The industry must prepare for an inevitable shift in digital security, as offensive quantum technology could soon outpace current defenses. Are you investing in this critical transition?

🌎 2025 saw 75,000 miles of travel, highlighting tech's impact—from NVIDIA's rise to Microsoft’s 50th anniversary. AI advanced from buzzword to digital assistant. Challenges included navigating "NoHo," "One Trick Ponies," and unfriendly airlines. Despite tech's prevalence, the focus stayed on enhancing human experiences. As the year ends, we celebrate the highs, near-misses, and chaos, questioning if tech truly betters life. Stay curious in this tech-driven world!

🏨 As we look toward 2026, the hospitality industry reflects on meaningful service moments. A hotel staff member compassionately adjusted standard procedures for a grieving guest, showing empathy over automation. Another luxury resort staff discreetly acknowledged a guest's milestone birthday with a thoughtful gesture, respecting their request for no fuss. These actions highlight the essential human element in hospitality and challenge the balance between technology and genuine human connection. Season’s greetings from Mark Fancourt.

💻 Hotel brands are evolving into digital entities, focusing on loyalty points and media buys, while operational expertise is left to owners. Brands become akin to OTAs, charging high fees without tangible service skills, risking the essence of hospitality. Owners face operational challenges and costs, questioning brand value. This shift prioritizes digital over genuine hospitality skills, prompting debate on whether it's evolution or a step back. Written by Mark Fancourt.

🍴 Massimo Bottura's three-Michelin-star restaurant epitomizes genuine hospitality with personal engagement and innovation. Over Thanksgiving weekend in Las Vegas, a high-end dining experience turned sour with a four-figure bill, a 22% mandatory tip, and poor service. At Wynn's Tower Suites, staff showed little hospitality to guests. The author criticizes Las Vegas's luxury posturing, asserting that true luxury transcends price, relying on grace and quality service beyond mere transactions.

📺 The new era of in-room TV has begun, transforming it into a monetized point-of-sale platform. Advertisements now offer one-click purchases directly from the screen, turning passive consumption into active commerce. This shift has significant implications for the hospitality industry, offering potential for increased revenue through real-time prompts and personalized data. However, the balance between enhancing guest experience and turning their sanctuary into a retail space is under scrutiny. The future of guest stays is poised for change.

💻 The article critiques the hypocrisy of revenue leaders promoting personalization while pushing rigid packages in hospitality. It argues packages, designed to simplify pricing, lack true personalization, which should empower customers to customize experiences digitally. Despite available technology, the industry clings to easily marketed packages, treating guests as statistical units. The author urges a shift to genuine self-directed choices, highlighting a gap in strategic vision. True personalization serves guests, contrasting packages serving operational convenience.

💻 Amazon vs. Perplexity: the battle for user interaction intensifies. Amazon accuses Perplexity's AI "Comet" tool of unauthorized access and degrading user experience. This AI bypasses Amazon's curated shopping model, threatening ad-driven revenue. In travel, AI could disrupt direct bookings and OTA control. It's a showdown between platform control and user autonomy, with implications for retail and hospitality industries. Prepare for AI's impact on transaction models or risk losing control in the digital economy.

The sound of Bill Hornbuckle admitting to the press that the pricing strategy was a mistake, that the $26 water and the $12 coffee were a “shame on us” moment,…

🌎 Global tourism is projected to grow by 10% this decade, surpassing a billion international arrivals and contributing $16 trillion to the global GDP by 2034. However, automation and rising living costs may reduce incomes, particularly affecting the middle class in developing countries. This could hinder leisure travel, with the tourism industry vulnerable to economic shifts. The anticipated growth might face challenges if disposable incomes decline, altering the industry's optimistic future narrative.