Miscellaneous

📈 American architecture studio SOM has designed eight trading floors for JPMorganChase's headquarters at 270 Park Avenue, Midtown Manhattan, opened in October 2025. The trading environment spans 500,000 square feet for 4,000 traders, featuring two-storey suites with a double-height atrium. The skyscraper, designed by Foster & Partners, stands at 1,388 feet, making it the sixth tallest building in NYC. The all-electric tower integrates natural light, circadian lighting, and custom sit-stand desks.

📝 Global guest satisfaction reached 86.7% in 2025 based on 40 million reviews from 12,000 hotels, revealing a 0.5 percentage point increase since 2024. Middle East (+0.8 pp), North America (+0.7 pp), and Asia (+0.6 pp) saw notable improvement. 5-star hotels achieved a GRI of 90.4%, though growth slowed. Google reviews rose 15.7%, while HolidayCheck increased 14.0%. Asia led with a GRI of 89.4%, followed by Central America at 87.1%.

📈 Aligning strategy, structure, culture, and accountability for superior customer experience is key to gaining a competitive advantage. Organizations must decentralize decision-making, empower frontline employees, and focus on customer experience as a primary value source. A well-focused strategy prioritizes a single value, aligning structure, culture, and operations. Regularly rethinking strategies helps adapt to changes, remove ambiguities, and sustain growth. Leadership should ensure every decision considers customer impact, acting as Chief Experience Officers.

✈️ Ryanair is the 5th largest carrier worldwide by passenger numbers last year, with double the passengers of easyJet and nearly the combined total of British Airways and Air France-KLM. Despite criticism, Ryanair thrives by delivering low-fare air travel effectively. The business model isn't everything; execution matters, and Ryanair excels in this aspect within the airline industry. #airtravel #airlines #airlineindustry

🏨 Miami — Nominations for the ALIS CALA Rising Star Award are open, recognizing young leaders in hospitality in the Caribbean and Latin America. Candidates must be 35 or younger, born after April 20, 1991, and have a minimum of two years of local experience. Deadline: February 27, 2026. ALIS CALA will be held on April 28-30, 2026, in Coral Gables, Florida. Over 550 delegates from 35+ countries attended the previous event. Northstar Travel Group and The BHN Group organize the conference.

🗺️ GlobalData reports a 5% decline in global travel and tourism deals in 2025 versus 2024, citing economic uncertainties. The Asia-Pacific region saw a 4% decrease, while Europe faced a 17% drop. North America increased by 8%. In contrast, venture financing and private equity deals decreased by 21% and 28% respectively. M&A activity remained stable. Despite challenges, localized opportunities persist across regions like the US and Canada, while India, China, Spain, and Germany saw declines.

📝 Barcelona, Spain, 2025: Shiji's Guest Experience Benchmark Report reveals global guest satisfaction at 86.7%, based on 40 million reviews across 12,000 hotels. Year-over-year GRI rose by 0.5 percentage points, driven by 3-star (0.6 pp) and 4-star (0.5 pp) hotels. Regional highlights: Middle East (+0.8 pp), North America (+0.7 pp), Asia (+0.6 pp). Google reviews surged 15.7%. Asia leads with a GRI of 89.4%. The report aids hotels in tracking and enhancing performance.

📅 Ravi Patel, former AAHOA chairman (1992-93), passed away. He was a founding member and chairman of SREE Hotels. Ravi began his hospitality career in 1980 in Florence, SC, transforming a motel into a successful EconoLodge. He lived in Charlotte, NC, and built over 30 hotels. Patel was key in AAHOA’s early days, focusing on empowering hoteliers. AAHOA celebrates his legacy and extends condolences to his family and the SREE Hotels community.

🌍 Helen, Lucas (almost 3), Ezra (1), and I are enjoying a unique experience in the Chihuahua mountains. Despite its disadvantages, like harsh lighting, this place enriches our lives, highlighting the value of relationships and service to others. Our agrarian roots influence our journey, reinforcing my dedication to revealing how places shape people. Being here underscores our wealth in experiences, not material possessions, and inspires us to appreciate life's simple, yet profound, lessons.