Hoteliers’ Voice

LIVE from Everyman Cinema Broadgate, HOSPA in partnership with Next Wave Hospitality. This panel session sponsored by Focus on Hospitality explores how AI has dominated hospitality conversations over the last 18 months. This session cuts through the hype and focuses on what actually drives performance.
What are the real blockers inside hotels today?
What foundations need to be in place before innovation can deliver value?
How do operators make smarter investment decisions that improve guest experience, support teams, and create commercial return?

Because high-performing hotels are rarely powered by the newest tool. They are powered by getting the basics right, then scaling intelligently. This session brings together operators and industry experts to explore the end-to-end hotel journey, from design and infrastructure through to guest experience, revenue performance, and post-stay feedback and loyalty.
Speakers:
Arik Fletcher, Fraction vCTO, Focus Group
Kevin Edwards, CEO, Hospitality Technology Advisory
Gavin A., VP of Information Technology & Innovation, Yotel
Samuel Actford, Group IT Manager, Exclusive Collection

Design meets experience: Join a live recording of the Hoteliers’ Voice podcast from HT360 Hospitality Leaders Forum, exploring how hospitality spaces are being reshaped and reframed as a result of technology, digitalisation and staffing challenges to elevate guest experience while improving commercial performance. This session will dive into how technology is forcing a rethink on the approach to interiors, architecture and design of public spaces to maximise revenue in F&B and multi-use areas, while creating environments guests genuinely want to spend time in.
Hosted by Ryan Haynes and Scot Turner (Auden Hospitality), with guests Alessandra Leoni (Focus on Hospitality), Paul Wells (Studio Moren), Prem Jethwa-Odedra (Biteluxe), hear real-world insights on how space planning, interior design and smart technology come together to unlock value, optimise operations and future-proof hospitality businesses

Learn how independent hotels can increase direct bookings and reduce reliance on online travel agencies (OTAs) with Sleeping Bear Hotels and Formula. Discover actionable strategies that can help direct bookings thrive in a competitive market.
In today’s competitive hotel landscape, many independent hotels struggle with high reliance on online travel agencies (OTAs) for bookings. This reliance cutz into profits significantly, often leading to frustration for hotel owners.

With Tudor Hopkins, founder, Sleeping Bear Hotels and Adam Hamadache, CEO and Founder, Formula – digital growth agency for hotels we explore how Sleeping Bear Hotels successfully reduced their OTA dependency and increased direct bookings.

Understanding the Impact of OTA Reliance. Sleeping Bear Hotels, highlights that when he took over, the hotel was generating 60% of its bookings through OTAs. This reliance not only affected profit margins but also reduced the ability to engage directly with guests.
High OTA commissions severely impact profitability. By shifting focus to direct bookings, hotels can keep more revenue in-house and build stronger relationships with guests.
Tudor’s journey started with a shift in business model, removing unprofitable services and focusing solely on room bookings. He streamlined operations, which allowed for better pricing strategies and increased occupancy rates.
The Role of Partnerships in Driving Revenue. Sleeping Bear Hotels took an innovative approach by partnering with local restaurants and attractions.

Recorded live from HOSPA edinburgh event Next Wave Hospitality: Tech Transformation that delivers sponsored by Focus on Hospitality with
Mike Baxtor, House of Gods
Barry Makin, GM, Cromlix Hotel
Lorraine Garvie, Head of Commercial Operations, Crieff Hydro

We get their take on the changes in hospitality and guest experiences, what it will take to stand out and how they’re addressing tech and digital transformation.
We ask
How are hospitality perceptions shifting for your business?
Where is the role of AI and automation both in operations and guest experience?
With IT infrastructure changing quickly, where's your focus?
Where's the line of digitalised guest journeys to human?

We’re on Fistral Beach in Newquay for something special. In this episode of Hoteliers’ Voice, I get an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of The Headland Hotel with Kai Sinkevicius, Assistant Operations Manager, as we explore what five-star hospitality really looks like on the Cornish coast.
From the grand lobby and recently refurbished restaurant to the cottages, spa and Aqua Club, this is a story about heritage, reinvestment and the power of family values. But more than that, it’s about people. Kai's journey from porter at 18 to senior leadership, and the pride shared by long-serving team members, says everything about the culture being built here.
What We Explore
- From Porter to Leader: How rotational training, mentorship and industry qualifications are shaping the next generation of hospitality talent.
- Sustainability in Action: Why EarthCheck silver, local sourcing and conscious refurbishment are embedded in daily decision making.
- Community at the Core: How family ownership, long service and local partnerships create loyalty that guests can feel.
We walk through rooms transformed during lockdown, a ballroom reupholstered by a local seamstress, and suites designed to frame uninterrupted Atlantic views. We talk about levelling the seasonality curve in Cornwall, investing year-round, and building experiences that keep guests returning for weddings, birthdays and multi-generational stays.
There’s also a strong message about perception. Hospitality is too often seen as a fallback career, yet here is a business investing in young people, visiting schools and championing the industry as a genuine profession. With over 450 years of combined service celebrated at one long-service dinner, it’s clear that loyalty runs deep.
The Headland blends heritage with evolution. It embraces sustainability without losing soul. It nurtures talent instead of waiting for it to appear. And standing on that coastline, looking out over the Atlantic, you can feel that this is more than just a hotel. It’s a community.
Hoteliers' Voice is one of FeedSpot's top Hospitality Podcasts and is produced by Urban Podcasts.