TOP NEWS

🍔 Riccardo Giraudi, creator of restaurant brands such as Le Petit Beefbar and Beefbar, started his empire in 2005. With locations worldwide, including Monaco, Europe, the US, Asia, and Africa, he categorizes his establishments into 'modern luxury', 'heritage brands', 'hype and relaxed', 'casual cool', and 'fast casual'. Giraudi's Beefbar brand, which began in Monaco in 2005, now has around 36 venues globally with 20 more planned, including in Prague, T'bilisi, Bahrain, Marrakech, Strasbourg, and on ocean liners. By 2023, he aims to operate about 45 or 50 Beefbars. His first US Beefbar opened in April in New York's Tribeca, taking over the former Nobu site after two years of construction. In the UK, Le Petite Beefbar launched in late 2021 in Chelsea, London, and another in Edinburgh. Giraudi also has a partnership with Antinori for Cantinetta Antinori, with the latest opening in London's Knightsbridge. His future plans involve opening more brands, a second African Queen in Dubai, a Zeffirino in Istanbul, and expansion of his pizza brand Pizz’Aria in London.

🏨 At HITEC 2024, hotel tech trends like attribute-based selling (ABS), interfacing challenges, and GenAI use cases were highlighted. Jacob Messina of Stayntouch discussed how ABS automates inventory, enhancing hotel efficiency and profitability, while noting most industry systems aren't built for it. Mark Lewis-Brown of Zucchetti North America cited hesitation towards ABS due to potential reduced sales options and guest readiness. Interfacing issues were addressed by Laura Calin of Oracle Hospitality, who advocated for a unified platform to eliminate technology silos. AI innovations were also showcased, including Sabre's real-time customer support and IDeaS' conversational AI since 2018, indicating a shift towards more intuitive hotelier-software interactions.

🎓 Tammy K. Billings, recognized for opening the $2.5B LA LIVE entertainment district and leading the subway to run past midnight in LA. Contributed to Wisely, which sold to Olo for $187M, and developed CRM platforms at Ovation, Devour, Plein Air, and founded Aben. Known for mentorship and career placements, she received Hospitality Technology's Top Women in Restaurant Technology Innovator Award on March 13 at the 29th MURTEC in Las Vegas. Nominations for the 2025 awards open in mid-October.

🏦 Kepler International Hospitality Academy (KIHA) will launch its first Senior Executive Leadership Programme in Amsterdam in October 2024. This five-month course is designed for senior executives with over 10 years of experience in hospitality management. The Programme features three core themes and is divided into two stages: three five-day residential study modules in Amsterdam, Freiburg/Basel, and Kyoto, followed by a two-month leadership assignment. Each cohort is limited to 15 participants, with personalized mentorship and coaching throughout the program. Co-founders include Jannes Sörensen, Phillippe Krenzer, Jacob Mayne, and Ken Yokoyama. Applications are now open.

🏨 Quendoo, a direct bookings platform, will expand to the UK after securing €1 million in funding (June 2024) from Capital Investment Fund, affiliated with the Bulgarian Development Bank, and Vitosha Venture Partners. The company offers cloud-based tools for hotels and property managers to manage bookings, with features like Google Hotels integration and real-time availability. Quendoo charges a fee of 1.95% per booking without setup or subscription fees.

🏖️ Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai is a luxurious, family-friendly resort featuring spacious rooms, the Imperial Club Lounge, and Aquaventure—the Middle East's largest waterpark. With adrenaline-pumping slides like the Aquaconda, the child-friendly Splasher's Oasis, and the underwater AquaTrek Xtreme experience among vibrant fish and stingrays, it caters to all ages. Boasting over 20 dining options, including Seafire Steakhouse and Nobu for Japanese cuisine, the resort promises culinary delights for every palate. Beyond the resort, guests can explore Dubai's wonders, such as the Burj Khalifa. Atlantis, The Palm ensures a memorable family holiday with luxury, adventure, and excellent service.

🏆 France is preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, expecting 15 million attendees from July 26 to August 11. Paris hotels were 50% booked by February, and 16 million Americans traveled abroad from January through March—a record high. Deloitte reports travel plans after Labor Day rose from 12% in 2022 to 17% in 2024, with travel budgets increasing by 13%. Digital frontline workplace apps in the hospitality industry enhance operational efficiency, employee engagement, and service delivery during high-demand periods, including the Olympics.

💰 UK's Labour Party wins a majority in the General Election with 412 seats of the 650 available, Conservatives secure 120 seats, Liberal Democrats 71, SNP 9, Sinn Fein 7, and Others 28. Labour's victory was predicted by the exit poll released at 10pm BST on Thursday, forecasting a 170-seat majority. Twelve Tory cabinet ministers, including Liz Truss, lost their seats. Sir Keir Starmer, the incoming Prime Minister, addressed supporters in London, while outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took responsibility for the Conservative loss. Industry leaders react, calling for action on manifesto commitments and addressing business rates and housing issues.

📈 In June, the U.S. economy added 206,000 jobs, with unemployment at 4.1%, up from 4% in May. Leisure and hospitality saw only 7,000 new jobs, compared to May's 42,000. The restaurant industry's second quarter had the weakest job growth since Q4 2020, adding only 900 jobs. Despite a forecast of 525,000 seasonal jobs, full-service restaurants are still -4% below pre-pandemic levels. Job openings in restaurants and accommodations are below 800,000, signaling a potential market normalization.

🎬 Netflix to open two 'Netflix House' immersive entertainment venues in 2025, occupying over 100,000 square feet in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and Galleria Dallas. Business travel rebounds to $245 billion in 2023, despite 60% of companies cutting budgets and 96% implementing cost-control policies. New York's Little Island, a 2.4-acre public park, hosted over 200 free and 30 ticketed performances in 2022 and commissioned 44 city-based artists for 69 performances. Hospitality Design magazine calls for 2024 Boutique 18 nominations by August 5th, honoring 18 emerging hospitality designers with 5-10 years of experience.