TOP NEWS

🥂 North America's 50 Best Bars list was announced on April 29 during an awards ceremony at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver. Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City retained its top ranking, with Superbueno in New York City following in second place. The list featured 26 bars from the United States, 14 from Mexico, eight from Canada, and two from the Caribbean. Sip & Guzzle in New York, opening in January 2024, debuted at number five. New York had the most bars on the list with 11, while Mexico City was next with nine. The top 10 included Jewel of the South in New Orleans (fourth), Overstory in New York (sixth), and Kumiko in Chicago (tenth). The ranking also highlighted the rise of Mirate in Los Angeles, climbing 34 spots to rank 12th. The 50 Best organization, based in London, has been ranking top restaurants since 2002 and top bars since 2009, with the North American bars edition starting in 2022.

💾 Founded in 2015, Tokeet offers a user-centric platform for short-term and mid-term rental managers worldwide. CEO Kwesi Steele, experienced with IBM, DoubleClick, and Google, created Tokeet to tackle inefficiencies in vacation rental management. The company's integrated tools include channel management, dynamic pricing, AI-driven automation, and direct booking websites. Tokeet operates with a lean team of 50 people and avoids major VC funding to stay user-aligned. It supports over 60,000 properties across 95+ countries, enabling clients like Upstreet in Athens and The City Concierge in Lisbon to achieve significant growth and operational efficiency. The platform centralizes property management tasks, interfaces with major booking platforms, and uses AI to streamline operations. Plans include expanding in the mid-term rental segment, enhancing AI capabilities, and forming strategic partnerships. Tokeet emphasizes adaptability and automation in the hospitality industry.

🏥 Hospitality leaders from across Europe convened at HOTREC's 90th General Assembly in Oslo, hosted by NHO Reiseliv. The event addressed the challenges of 2 million hospitality SMEs, focusing on reducing regulatory burdens and costs. CGA by NielsenIQ highlighted consumer trends towards quality and experiences, emphasizing the necessity of supportive EU policies. HOTREC will hold its 91st General Assembly in Cyprus this autumn. Contact: Jasper Dober, Media & Communications Manager, HOTREC.

🏡 Hospitality leaders met at HOTREC's 90th General Assembly in Oslo, hosted by NHO Reiseliv. The focus was on supporting the 2 million hospitality SMEs in Europe. Key discussions included the need for EU policies to reduce regulatory burdens and costs, as well as the importance of sustainability, digitalisation, and authenticity in consumer trends. Calls were made for practical tools and financial support to help businesses with green and digital transitions. HOTREC will meet again in Cyprus for its 91st General Assembly this autumn.

🏥 Hospitality leaders gathered in Oslo for HOTREC’s 90th General Assembly, reflecting on solutions for Europe’s 2 million hospitality SMEs. Alexandros Vassilikos emphasized the need for EU policies to lessen regulatory burdens and costs. Marie Audren called for practical tools and financial support for SMEs facing rapid regulatory changes. The assembly addressed consumer trends, AI implications, sustainability, and digitalisation. HOTREC will meet again in Cyprus for the 91st General Assembly this autumn.

🏩 Claudia Infante, Chief Data Officer at Margaritaville, explains the difference between hospitality and lodging on April 29, 2025. Emphasizing the business benefits of investing in genuine hospitality services, she encourages applying the insights to enhance operations and customer experiences.

🥕 Saladplate, part of Informa Markets, serves as an official content hub for the Hospitality, Food and Beverage industry. It offers weekly news updates, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-monthly e-magazine, plus access to a supplier directory of over 10,000 brands, and registration for more than 35 international trade events.

🏨 AI revolutionizes the hospitality industry, automating and enhancing tasks in Marketing, Sales, and Revenue Management. AI adoption rates exceed 70% globally, yet up to three-quarters of businesses struggle to scale value from AI investments. The focus shifts from incremental efficiency to strategic transformation, requiring a move from routine tasks to strategic thinking and human skills. The emergence of Integrated Commercial Leaders orchestrates Marketing as Brand Experience Architects, Sales as Strategic Growth Partners, and Revenue Management as Commercial Strategists. The future-ready commercial team relies on a robust Hotel Business Intelligence System and a leadership mindset that views AI as an enabler of human potential.

💰 Customer experience platforms for hotels facilitate feedback collection during pre-arrival, stay, and post-departure, aiming to improve services based on guest preferences and pain points. These platforms analyze feedback for marketing, highlight guest-praised features (e.g., exceptional service, prime location), and address common concerns. Proactive review management enhances reputation and conversion rates. Additionally, personalized offers for past guests drive repeat bookings and loyalty, ultimately contributing to revenue growth through direct bookings.

🏥 On April 25, 2025, Matthias Huettebraeuker interviews Stijn Oyen, Managing Director at Design Hotels, discussing the transformation of luxury hospitality by "community capital.