The Columns

🏠 Departments operate in silos, causing fragmentation in customer experiences. Revenue management, marketing, and sales each focus on separate metrics and technologies. This disjointed approach leads to brand failures when customer needs aren't seamlessly met. Although technology can connect these systems, organizational resistance and silo mentality hinder progress. True competitive advantage comes from integrating these systems, enabling holistic decision-making and proactive customer service. Mark Fancourt emphasizes breaking down barriers for a unified, efficient experience.

I’ve never been a foodie. I don’t worship chefs, and I feel zero awe when someone presents a dish like it’s some sacred relic. I eat like a kid, and…

The word “Experiences” has been cheapened. It’s plastered on every brochure, website, and PowerPoint slide, a lazy substitute for actually delivering something memorable. I see it and I’m left wondering,…

Bordeaux. Forty-two degrees in the shade. I stumble upon a café proudly calling itself “Earth-friendly” because it doesn’t use air conditioning. As if forcing people to sweat through their shirts…

⏱ Who? Mark Fancourt. When? Contemporary era. Where? Hospitality industry. What? Critique of time management and technology's impact. How? Industry focuses on efficiency, sacrificing slower, meaningful experiences. Real-time systems enhance optimization but increase pressure. Old hotels offered unhurried luxury, emphasizing human interaction. Real luxury may be in savoring unmeasured moments. Time-saving technologies risk devaluing experiences. Why? To emphasize the importance of appreciating time beyond efficiency.

📅 Google is displaying verified guest reviews for a yet-to-open hotel, despite no one having stayed there. Reviews include predictions, such as the highly anticipated Marriott opening in Italy scheduled for summer 2025. These "previews" contain five-star ratings, highlighting the algorithm's role in converting inquiries into ratings. This phenomenon underlines how digital systems process information, irrespective of context or accuracy.

🌐 Real-time language translation represents a significant technological milestone. Google’s early translation device transformed conversations and is now embedded in everyday tech like phones and laptops. This breakthrough, a result of decades of work by engineers, linguists, and researchers using trillions of data points, democratizes communication. It empowers global connections, supports small businesses, and transcends language barriers. This innovation, fostering connection and empathy, highlights the positive impact of technology on human interaction.

Not long ago, I clashed with a client. They wanted to rename their boutique hotel with a “catchy” name suggested by an agency still stuck in the era of glossy…

🏨 Hospitality distribution teams, once robust, are shrinking despite untapped opportunities in digital services. While room bookings via OTAs and GDSs are optimized, high-value products like dining, spas, and events remain analog. This leaves billions in revenue untouched. The industry must invest more in digital transformation to offer an integrated marketplace for the entire guest experience, rather than stop at room inventory. Current efforts resemble celebrating a partial success with much left to achieve.

Have you ever watched a hotel receptionist scanning your passport and wondered: “Right, but where exactly does this stuff end up?” I have. Always. Then I usually get distracted by…