The Columns

The other day, I saw some industry analysis suggesting that loyalty is about recognition. I had to suppress a laugh, mostly out of weary familiarity. The thing is, loyalty always…

Every year I start a journal.And every year I quit after three days. Brian Eno used to do the same, I think. Or maybe it was someone else. I can’t…

The other day I spent time with a few of the truly serious humans in the world of networking and security last week. I always find discussions with these industry…

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…

I was looking back at my 2025 travel stats—75,000 miles and a fair few gray hairs—and realized that our weekly chats have covered almost as much ground as my favorite…

As the faithful know, my role for this particularly valuable industry news platform, is to critically appraise the state of industry. To challenge the status quo. To call out our…

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…

This one has me jerkin’ back ‘n forth on the potential outcomes of a new frontier, a “Brave New World” for hospitality, as Aldous Huxley might have put it. I’ve…

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…

The opportunity I had recently to watch a program on Massimo Bottura (who happens to quietly resemble our own Monsieur Soler) and his sheer, unadulterated joy for the hospitality industry…