Market Trends

🎉 Montreal-based studio Ménard Dworkind designed the interior for Le Red Tiger, a Vietnamese restaurant in Montreal's Shop Angus district, accommodating over 100 guests. The restaurant's second location features a lively spirit reminiscent of its original 2015 establishment in the Village neighbourhood. The design includes blue and white mosaic tile floors with yellow accents, exposed chrome ductwork, vintage touches, an open kitchen, and a community table made from British Columbia fir. The space utilizes multiple types of seating and strong accent colours, characteristic of Ménard Dworkind's restaurant designs.

🏡 Holloway Li reimagined the Puro hotel in Poznań, Poland to integrate natural materials, contemporary furnishings, and locally sourced art, creating "a layering of history". The redesign highlights Poznań's cultural and craft heritage, with the hotel first opening in 2014. The reception features a desk of burnt red glazed tiles on limestone, a rug inspired by Old Market Square, and a brass partition linking to early 20th-century high-speed trains. The lounge includes T4 armchairs from Holloway Li and Fogia's sofas. The guest rooms showcase a green datum with timber beading and gradient shower glass inspired by Polish glassware. Suites have limestone tables and fabric headboards with green-tiled bathrooms. The hotel's curated art collection highlights local artists, many from Poznań University. Holloway Li, founded by Alex Holloway and Na Li in 2018, has also designed spaces with a 1970s flair. Photography by PION Studio.

🏦 Guillaume Benezech, Senior Director of Global Brand Management and Marketing for The Ritz-Carlton and Ritz-Carlton Reserve, discussed his luxury hospitality career, leadership style, and career transitions on Dec. 27, 2024. The episode included a State of Hotel Industry Survey link for insights on hospitality challenges, priorities, and opportunities. Music for the show was produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands.

🏠 Brintons, a heritage carpet brand, launched the Design Discoveries carpet collection in collaboration with the V&A in November 2024, inspired by French artist Emile-Allain Séguy's work. Available for commercial clients, the collection features six designs, with customization options through Brintons Design Studio Online. Jodie Hatton and Amelia Calver highlighted the collection's modern reinterpretation of Séguy's Art Deco style and natural motifs, designed by Brintons' global team.

🏨 In 2024, Dezeen featured hotels including a 12th-century monastery in Italy's Umbria transformed by Archiloop into a boutique hotel, and Tokyo's Hotel Rakuragu by Kooo Architects, built on a mere 83.5 square meters. Casa Yuma by TAAC and Sara Skalli in Mexico showcased chukum for sustainable design. Palazzo Talia in Italy, renovated by Studiolucaguadagnino, combined historic and modern elements. More Architecture's Floating Hotel in China offered nature-immersed stays, while Studio Gang's Populus in Denver, USA, claimed to be the first carbon-positive hotel. Nicemakers refreshed a century-old Swiss chalet, The Brecon, with mid-century modern touches. Manna in Greece, by K-Studio and Monogon, transformed an abandoned sanatorium into a wellness retreat. Policronica crafted Paris' Hotel Elysée Montmartre with locally-sourced eucalyptus wood. Lastly, Rosewood São Paulo in Brazil by Jean Nouvel with Philippe Starck interiors, boasted a 25-story lattice-covered tower with Brazilian materials and integrated nature.

🏠 Carlowrie Residences, launching in 2025, will extend Carlowrie Castle's luxury hospitality to private homes across Scotland, offering bespoke services including Michelin-trained chef-prepared meals and personalized itineraries. With Scotland's tourism on the rise, this venture by Andrew Marshall, CEO of Carlowrie Castle, promises to enhance the travel experience and local economy. Carlowrie Castle, part of the Carlowrie Group employing over 350 people, became the first castle globally to earn B Corp certification in 2024 and has been highly acclaimed internationally.

🏩 Global hospitality leader and former CEO of The Viceroy Hotel Group, Bill Walshe, discussed generosity in hospitality on Dec. 24, 2024. The episode, part of the Hospitality Daily Podcast, aims to provide insights and actionable ideas for the industry. Listeners are encouraged to take the "State of Hotel Industry Survey" to understand current challenges and opportunities. Music for the show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound.

📝 On December 23, 2024, Maria Navarro is featured discussing "What It’s Like Providing Hospitality During the Holidays." The Hospitality Daily Podcast, hosted by Josiah Mackenzie, showcases industry leaders sharing insights on delighting guests and successful business operations. Episodes are available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, covering topics like hotel tech, leadership, and guest experiences. The podcast encourages learning to delight people, make money, and thrive in the hospitality business.

📊 Survey results on 21 Specific Travel Tech Predictions for 2025 reveal industry expectations vs. desires. Top expected changes: Asian OTA acquisition, cruise residences, India/SE Asia funding. Top desired changes: empathy pricing, inverse bidding, memorable insurance. Exception is 'tourist-free zones' with 33% likelihood and 39% want, suggesting industry alignment. 31% predict AI replacing customer service, but only 13% favor it. Predictions highlight a shift towards human-centric desires contrasted with structural/technological expectations. Industry leans towards addressing over-tourism and values human experience over consolidation and tech disruption.