The Columns

💻 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?

I’m often asked whether AI-assisted reviews are the latest semantic apocalypse for travel. I see it more modestly: they mark the end of a long-standing taboo — the one that…

🌎 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.

There’s a moment in The Trial when Josef K. realizes that the real nightmare isn’t the court itself—it’s the bureaucracy. Trenord took that insight and turned it into a user…

💻 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.

I’ve seen contracts set at 12%. TWELVE.For pushing a button, bidding on the hotel’s own name, and then never touching bids or copy again. If it weren’t real, it’d almost…

🍴 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.

I get a message from a prospect who wants to start working with me, but their current web agency is demanding an outrageous fee just to exit the contract. Second…

Back in ’99, Google swore it would never run ads. “No ads,” they said, with the wide-eyed innocence of people who still believed the web could remain a pristine commons—an…