Editorial

Dear Insiders,

Slowly, very slowly, new opportunities and new trends are emerging from the corona disaster. Or rather, good, old values are solidifying again. These are the buzzwords which inform and permeate our topics today.

Susanne Stauss' research on new or old resort operators, for example, has shown that national or regional families still have the best hand in this segment. Big brands and franchises in particular still have a hard time in Europe, at least in the German speaking regions. We have known since the second part of our series that the much touted run by investors on the resort industry is not the reality. In part three today, successful operators who have already grown into small groups say that no institutional investor has come knocking on their door yet. And that’s a good thing: with each passing month, they raise the bar on quality. Unlike city hotels, resorts can only be pressed on to an Excel sheet to a limited extent.

"We are moving from a value chain to a value appreciation chain," says a new member of the new think tank Union der Wirtschaft. In Berlin on Monday, roughly 70 participants discussed the lessons learned from the corona pandemic with Germany's tourism coordinator Claudia Müller and the major political parties. hospitalityInside was the exclusive media presence. With such organisation as well as with the direct dialogue format it offers, the Union currently has a good chance of finally getting the sector heard in politics. Within a year, it has gained over 100 members and 39 associations as partners, with the hospitality and food industries as its strongest pillars.

The message from this, also for established hotel associations, is: The balance is shifting as courage towards lobbying work is growing. And the opportunities to change things for the better are there, even in a divided, jealous Germany. Talk to each other, across segments, give voice to your strengths. Then politicians begin to listen better.

The new Meeting and EventBarometer 2021/2022, which was presented yesterday for Germany, also sends positive trend signals. There are many signs that the business travel and MICE market is recovering. Hybrid is increasing massively, but service is also in demand again.

International travel is also picking up steam, as the WTTC figures show. At the same time, the UNWTO has excluded Russia from its circle.

The new EU rules to combat illegal content on social media are rated as the toughest regulation against the global tech giants. The tougher Digital Market Act were passed last Saturday.

A new wind is blowing, it feels as if sheer will and values suddenly mean something again. Nevertheless, the pipelines continue to grow, investment vehicles are pouring millions into high-tech, pan-European operator models. And the Q1 balance sheets of the stock market listed chain hotel companies also reflect adherence to agreed strategies. But the general tone betrays change.

If you want to hear these tones when it comes to sustainability, I draw your attention again today to our HITT Think Tank at the end of June! More at www.hitt.world.

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com 

Dear Insiders,

The tulips are in bloom, the sun is smiling, but most hoteliers don't share the happy mood. Even when Easter business is booming, skyrocketing energy costs and inflation cast long shadows. "By 2023 at the latest, higher costs will come hammering down on all hoteliers," Otto Lindner says, Chairman of the German Hotel Association, responding to my many questions today about the state of the industry. He admits that it is very difficult to explain the increase or even the elimination of the €54 million aid cap to politicians. And so 15-20 larger hotel groups continue to worry. He also criticizes the attitude of owners/investors and the wild west methods evident up to 2019.

The hotel industry has to endure the heat. Pressure is also increasingly coming from lean, and fully digitised limited service concepts such as Numa or Limehome. These are increasingly beginning to tread on the toes of classic hotels, Anett Gregorius says, referring to the new Serviced Apartment Report for Germany, available from next week. Our insiders are already reading the first figures and trends today! In the - supposed - long-stay segment itself, competition is now developing for short-stay.

And what's next for the resorts? In the second instalment of our resort series this week, just in time for the Easter break, we dispel profit hunters of their illusions: Serious investors are few and far between, and the segment does not offer enough products for funds. Resorts are a black box! This is another reason why there is no boom, at best a flat wave on the Baltic Sea.

The bow wave before our event ship, on the other hand, is impressive. Pushing through the water, with a knowledge-thirsty crowd of 50 people in its interior, the discussions will firmly focus on all things sustainable on 27/28 June: Green finance, increasing the value of sustainable real estate, nudging, supply chain and franchise, reduced emissions from new and existing buildings, architecture and design - and last but not least, the social components of ESG goals. We are expecting positive commitments from our final impulse generators shortly. Here is the direct link to the current programme.

Today, we introduce you to our HITT sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible: Accor, Arabella Hospitality, Bette, Drees & Sommer, Expo Real, LHC, Uniper and Hotelschool The Hague. They are passionate about sustainability in their companies and value our quality- and content-focused format, where you get to talk directly, openly and honestly with top-class experts and industry peers. Sustainability knows no competition! The future can only be mastered together. www.hitt.world

We'll be back in the office from 25 April, preparing hot topics for you again on 29 April, including Part 3 of our Resort Series. From the end of April, industry appointments will also start piling up again, so I hope to see some of you again in Berlin.

The hospitalityInside team wishes you a Happy Easter!

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com 

Dear Insiders,

Is the resort hotel boom just hype? Perhaps just a replacement in the dreams of greedy investors who have not recovered from the business hotel shock? Today, we start a three-part series on resorts in German-speaking Europe, with performance figures from experts first. Desire and the reality are some distance apart. In hotelier-speak, that means: A Holiday Inn Express between Freiburg and Europapark is not a resort. Providing hot water doesn't quite make you a spa hotel.

Wishful thinking and self-deception are also out of place when it comes to "green" business travel. So it was worth listening to a webinar featuring VDR, TravelPerk, Enterprise Car Rental and ClimatePartner. They speak from the standpoint of corporate customers and see: Over the past two years, sustainability has moved into the top 3 claims against hotels in the RFP process. CO2 becomes the key currency. And everyone would benefit if the hotel industry developed a uniform "green RevPAR." Who will start?

More beds for Ukraine please! In a web talk, seven hotel initiatives presented themselves to the media; they have all built - virtually overnight - booking platforms exclusively for refugees and urgently need further help from hotel colleagues. Demand is pushing everyone to their limits: Hundreds of thousands of people are looking for a bed every day, but there are at most ten percent on offer. Under the name "Open Door", the seven now want to bundle their activities and increase them even more. We're posting this report on our page 1 so you can share it with colleagues.

The war in Ukraine does not prevent most travellers from travelling, but does affect their planning, with most booking last minute. With inflation and energy costs, travel budgets are probably shrinking now, too. The flying trend is on the wane. Details from the latest Travel Compass, as well as from other travel analyses from the past week.

Certainly, the corona crisis is moving further into the background the faster energy costs shoot up. Figures from the latest association survey in Germany show the extent of the chokehold. The pandemic has clearly receded in the wake of this new threat. Incidentally, the German Ethics Council this week settled accounts with the German government's corona mismanagement: Its 161-page report doesn't hold back. We also found references to the hotel and tourism industry in it.

The Serviced Apartment market continues to boom, the British editors of market reports for Europe cheer - speaking quite generally and without being too fine-grained about country differences. I have to comment on that for a minute. There is nothing to add to the first annual financial statement issued by the operator Munich Hotel Partners, which went public last year and has since ventured ever larger expansion steps.

As always, we also bring you interesting personalia, lots of news from the real estate and brand world - and last but not least, today another announcement regarding out HITT Think Tank in June: Glenn Mandziuk, the new CEO of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance as of 1 May, will deliver the keynote address.

He himself knows the hotel industry from his parents' business, but in the meantime he has also become acquainted with the tourism world from a destination and sustainability perspective. Get to know this far-sighted expert personally and discuss with him. Our impulse providers are selected personalities whose voice counts in the industry. You can also find this article on our homepage! And find more information about the program and prices on www.hitt.world.

I wish you all a great read. 

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com 

Dear Insiders,

Senior management of the Chinese Huazhu Group were in Frankfurt this entire week. Their visit to hotel subsidiary Deutsche Hospitality ended yesterday with the dismissal of CEO Marcus Bernhardt. From my point of view, this is a short-sighted act, but it is not new: Asians have a hard time dealing with lease commitments, don't like unions, and instead focus on full-throttle growth.

And corona has had no impact on these expectations. To announce at the end of 2020, in the first year of corona, of all times, that the target is to grow by 700 hotels by 2025 is a clear indication of megalomania. Now it's pure loss of face for Huazhu. Bernhardt, who didn't start until November 2020, has become the sacrificial pawn in this game. His successor will be Oliver Bonke, most recently CEO of Shangri-La Hotels. Perhaps he understands Chinese.

Following the announced change of CEO at Lindner Hotels, I spoke briefly with the new incumbent Arno Schwalie and the remaining Frank Lindner.

More amusing and light-hearted are our other topics today: Sarah Douag made a last-minute visit to Expo 2020 in Dubai, which ended yesterday. She made it through "only" 25 of 192 pavilions in the whole four days though - and gushes about this peaceful landscape of innovation in technology and sustainability from all around the world she saw. She experienced hawks with photovoltaic wings, watched children interacting with bumblebee robots on wheels, and admired the largest 360-degree screen ever created for projections on a dome 70 meters high and 150 meters wide.

The sales manager, who was desperate for WiFi during her workation at a holiday club in Mauritius, was also amazed. Sylvie Konzack now sheds light on the mistakes and pitfalls that turn bleisure into frustration. It's not as easy as the chains would like it to be!

We were in Hamburg on Tuesday and enjoyed the day with 20 HITT guests. In an in-depth workshop with our HITT partner Drees & Sommer they learned how real estate will change. Conrad Hilton's motto "location, location, location" is definitely over; in the future, it will be function, networking and location. This article, which presents only a fraction of our workshop, will be available on our page 1 for all to see. We will continue to discuss real estate change at our HITT on 27/28 June in Berlin. 

Also: Learn more about nudging! The growing search for "green" accommodation offers a mega opportunity to meet the guest's needs. We introduce Dr. Crispian Tarrant, Founder & Managing Director of the BVA BDRC Group, today as another impulse generator at our Think Tank at the end of June! Read here. Have you registered to participate yet? www.hitt.world

Another project is also gaining momentum: the joint stand at Expo Real in October! The registrations for the "World of Hospitality" so far indicate a lively autumn trade fair. However, most options for co-exhibitors are still available. The early booking period has been extended until 8 April. Details here.

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com 

Dear Insiders,

The Easter season is approaching, staff members are urgently needed. The current lack of professionals is setting the creative heads in motion: Via a campaign, the operator MPH from Munich is looking for pensionists who fancy hotels. The association Zuercher Hotelier Verein launched a lateral recruit programme... We collected examples for "express employees". With spontaneous realisation or a certificate after several months of training. I am very curious about the outcomes of these efforts.

In Germany, Dehoga updated the guidelines for its qualified jobs in the hotel industry and gastronomy. The go-ahead will be in August.

Motel One extended its well-being package for employees this year, at the short-time compensation and with re-deployed incentives. Despite massive losses last year, which only led to a "black zero" due to state aids, HR is key for the further rigorous expansion. "Currently, we are a leaseholder in demand," says co-CEO Stefan Lenze – and not only in Germany. In the background, the budget design group is testing trends. The balance sheet figures from the press release are always one thing; the other are the details in direct talks with the management…

Despite and against all odds, the winter season 2021/22 in the German-speaking region surpassed most expectations. The "white gold" has returned, as sports equipment producers rejoice. However, destinations and tourism businesses are staggering in the ups and downs of the restrictions.

Energy prices: Austria has found a regulation to relieve its hotels. A new guideline about sustainable culinary art reveals the sins of food waste and provides best practice. While others have designed flying taxis and a hybrid bicycle-car. And many others, agreements for new hotels. And others have reached the top of new businesses.

The world progresses, adapts. The country needs new people and more courage! Not only in the industry.

Have a good week.
Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com 

Dear Insiders,

A medium-range rocket launched from Kaliningrad would take just 4.5 minutes to reach Berlin. Since reading this, corona no longer seems so important. And I'm not alone here. Many people meanwhile think this too. The war in Ukraine is affecting the whole economy, and tourism and the hotel industry in particular. The question mark now stands over the previously anticipated summer boom. The signs are still contrary: Does the fear of war increase or decrease the desire to travel?

The hospitality sector, itself in distress, has opened thousands of hotel doors to refugees from Ukraine, and has done so for free. This can only be praised! Looked at positively, this gesture creates an international social glue that can be very valuable for society general as well as for the employment situation in tourism in particular.

On Sunday, Germany will relax the corona rules - at a moment when new infections are skyrocketing. Vaccination helps to ensure symptoms are milder, as we all know, but not always. This means every hotelier, restaurateur and citizen must take greater responsibility for their own actions. The appeal to everybody should be to voluntarily wear the mask just a little longer. It does not hurt and helps. Only 35% of the Ukrainian refugees have been vaccinated; after their experiences at home, we must now do all the more to help protect these "travellers". After all, the husbands, brothers and fathers of the refugee women and children are currently also protecting us here in Europe.

These pictures already illustrate the great social responsibility that is often mentioned in discussions about sustainability. The middle letter of ESG, S for Social, is currently the most important, the first creates the framework for future interaction. That's why today I can only praise the fact that a panel discussion at the digital ITB managed to break the mega-topic down to a pragmatic level.

Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin criticised emissions trading, saying: We must stop compensating and instead contribute to positive value! A luxury hotelier reported how he convinces his owners of "green investments", and Wolfgang Neumann from the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance - which increasingly links hotel groups with partners from project development and real estate - passionately advocated simply starting with initial measures in everyday life. This is how the small things lead to the big! Today we are making this article public, accessible to all.

But intellectual support from universities and business schools is also needed. There, students line up to learn more about ESG & Co. But the institutions themselves are moving at a snail's pace. Bärbel Schwertfeger asked questions of various universities and business schools. Pretty much everywhere, a comprehensive integrated approach is lacking. The Hotelschool The Hague is the most committed.

Beyond Green, the young sustainability brand of Preferred Hotels and Beyond Green Travel, also aims to make each individual hotel a local sustainability champion. 30 lodges, hotels and resorts worldwide are already part of it and submit to an audit. Founder Costas Christ and his CEO explained how it all worked to me. Some questions are still open.

I just know: At our HITT on 27/28 June, we will delve significantly deeper into the world of sustainability, help refine strategies, and discuss them in terms of implementation. We presented the first impulse generators with great expertise last week already. The next will be introduced shortly. The current status of the programme and speakers can be found at www.hitt.world.

By the way, people keep asking me, why our Think Tank is held in English. Quite simply: Otherwise, we limit ourselves in the selection of speakers and guests. And: Sustainability, bundled in the three letters ESG, is an absolutely transnational topic and needs collaboration without borders for a humane future. See above.

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com 

Dear Insiders,

War in Ukraine has meanwhile pushed corona into the background and tends to be driving the desire to travel. At least, that's how travel researchers see it in a 50-year retrospective: Tragedies far from home have never changed the basic travel behaviour - only the destination. And this war will only become relevant, the researchers continue, if it spills outside the borders of Ukraine...

This sounds cynical in view of the daily images of bombs and despair. But the figures from travel analysts are clear: Despite massive increases in energy prices as a result of the war, German desire to travel still remains unabated. They even accept the drastically increased hotel prices without so much as a grumble. And despite all the camping, glamping and serviced apartment booms, hotels remain the No. 1 accommodation, figures make clear. Fred Fettner has turned the dry figures of the travel analyses into an exciting and detailed trend report.

Meanwhile, Austrians are looking for new solutions for profitable tourism after the corona malaise. Hoteliers' equity has collapsed, so they can hardly invest in innovation. This is not the only reason why tourism professionals are now calling for a "scrapping premium" for around 60,000 dead beds on the market: This refers to hotels that have not been operating economically for a long time, but still hang around because of tax hurdles, dragging down rates as they do.

These are pithy, but very true words for markets that are no longer able to rid themselves of extra ballast. The Balearic Islands lead the way and are rigorously cleaning up: By law, they are forcing changes in the hotel and tourism industry over the next few years. The new rules include trivial things such as a requirement that hotel beds can be easily lifted in future, rules on the introduction of professional wellness hotels, and major strategies such as reining in resorts that have grown far too fast. But there is only one goal: Sustainability and quality improvement everywhere - until 2028! Rápido por favor!

Hyperdynamics in sustainability reigns everywhere, you might think. The British - and others - are now punishing greenwashing by law. And our Sustainability News shows what individual initiatives can set in motion. This and more in today's edition.

And the "more" today includes our own Think Tank, which will again take place physically in Berlin on June 27/28. It is designed to provide CEOs with orientation for their sustainability strategy. Today, we introduce you to the first four impulse generators - inspiring experts who are already willing to share their knowledge and discuss detailed questions off the record with you - in a small group: Ross Petar / Global Valuation Advisor of JLL, Anthony Williams and Thomas Kraubitz, two tourism, sustainability and climate specialists from global engineering firm Buro Happold, and Patrick Lüth, architect and partner of Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta, who built the world's first hotel with a positive energy balance.

And what are these experts talking about specifically? About how a sustainable hotel adds value, how to set up new buildings and conversions for the benefit of all stakeholders, and the social function of architecture and design for the benefit of all guests. We will present more speakers and topics shortly.

You don't have to wait for the names of our sponsors for HITT 2022: We are pleased that the 5th edition of our Think Tank is once again meeting with much appreciation. Already confirmed are Accor as the main sponsor, Arabella Hospitality as part of the Schörghuber group of companies, the international project management company Drees & Sommer, Europe's leading investment fair Expo Real, the cross-segment recruitment company LHC, the energy company Uniper and the Hotelschool The Hague!

Full details on the current status of the programme, the expertise of the impulse providers and the sponsors can be found on our page 1 today and at www.hitt.world.


Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com 

Dear Insiders,

War in Europe. Many hotels in Ukraine are still holding the fort, accommodating the last tourists and an increasing number of media, aid organisations and peacekeepers. Staff operate from basements and underground garages, and the chains' EMEA headquarters provide permanent support via Whatsapp. GPS continues to function. However, headquarters also have to support their colleagues in Russia, where employees are unable to leave due to the closed airspace.

The responses from Accor, IHG, Kempinski, Marriott, Radisson, Wyndham and from Mogotel in Latvia gently hint at what is in truth bitter and, after corona, is an exception burden for everyone. Paul Moxness, former head of security for the Radisson Group, one of the most renowned security experts for the hotel industry anywhere and networked all the way to the UN, explains how hotels should behave in such times. His video may take away some hoteliers' fear of the crisis.

The consequences for tourism in Europe are already becoming clear from the figures: Italy expects the 4.5 million or so overnight stays made by Russians in 2019 could turn into fewer than 500,000. And in Germany, Russians still accounted for €2.2 billion worth of tourist revenue in 2019. Flight bookings to Russia collapsed on 25 February: For every booking for Russia, there were six cancellations.

Fortunately, German hotels at least purchase virtually no goods from Ukraine, so there are no further gaps in the supply chains here. Here corona is still leaving its mark, and brutally lays bare all the weaknesses of the industry. "The hotel industry must buy differently in the future!" says Progros Managing Director Jochen Oehler bluntly. "The purchase price is no longer the decisive factor!" adds his colleague Tommi Huuhtanen.

On a more positive note: Under the current, increasing cost pressure, hotels are finally demanding digital and fully automated processes! The insight has grown. Yet German hoteliers can still pick up speed, especially in sustainable purchasing.

All the same, hoteliers will never become as fast as ski jumpers. That's why we're letting Manuel Fettner from Austria tell the story today. The 36-year-old "oldie" was the sensation in Team Austria: He came back from the Beijing Olympics with gold and silver - and now finally had time to celebrate here. His father is bursting with pride, of course, but you wouldn't know it from the text written by my colleague - our Austria correspondent Fred Fettner.  This gives us a small glimpse into the famous "bubble" and we are amazed at how unexcited sports professionals see everything. A wonderful, light read in these gruesome days.

By the way, as of today, more and more corona restrictions are falling in Germany and Italy. We are also looking into this, as well as the news in the market and in the digital world.

So until next Friday, hopefully in a more peaceful world!

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 

Your opinion? maria[at]hospitalityInside.com 

Dear Insiders,

Russia's attack on the Ukraine hits Europe and particularly Germany in a difficult moment: exhausted and financially weakened by corona, with no strong statesmen and without an alternative energy concept. With high energy prices, Russia will have a stranglehold over its Western neighbours for quite some time. For energy-intensive operations such as hotels, this is one more pain. Nonetheless, we should all hope that peace will last in Europe. Without peace all is nothing.

Against all odds, corona opens up new opportunities. For example, when it comes Branded Residences - the chic condominiums with rentals through the hotel. In the US, residences have backed financing already since the 1980s, and those who display the Four Seasons or Kempinski brand on their roof today, are allowed to demand 30-40% more as a premium product. While luxury has been the main trend so far, now the midscale segment is becoming all the more interesting – especially in Europe, and even in resort destinations. Macy Marvel analyses the business field.

With the "green" wave, initial OTA platforms are now being created making it possible to book more or less certified hotels. We introduce to you EcoHotels and Faircations and say: the whole thing is not perfect yet. And Booking.com with its own green programme continues to be amused.

I no longer smiled when media recently published the totally absurd Happiness Index. We'll do the same now, but Baerbel Schwertfeger – a psychologist herself – dealt with the inventors, the wording and the content. And even interviewed a professor. My conclusion: even in times of extreme lack of human resources, you don't have to believe and do everything.

I consider the appeal by UNWTO and WHO to finally lift all travel restrictions particularly refreshing! This is nothing but stressful and harms the economy! Finally, someone speaks in plain language. Only Germany did not hear it: the negative industry figures tell their own tale.

In Europe, the hotel pipeline has shrunk by 11 percent, while buyers are switching from city hotels to resorts on the transaction market, and Marriott, the world's largest hotel group, is pushing its leisure business with full speed this year. Similarly, the world's largest franchisor Wyndham learned from a loyalty survey that travellers would like to know more about what a "sustainable" trip looks like ... Knowing that holds great potential!

The 2021 balance sheets of Accor, Choice and IHG this week show: tourism is starting to recover – and this recovery will continue. If the powerful men of this world allow us to do so.

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief 
 

Dear Insiders,

Europe is beginning to loosen up and free itself from corona. The Swiss emerged into the sun again on Thursday, Austrians will feel its warmth from 3 March. The Germans, on the other hand, will have to wait until 20 March. Berlin's politicians have been behind the curve for more than two years. Déjà vu! Why should Germany also be interested in generating sales or giving tourism and the hotel industry an additional three weeks of turnover?

Well, to be fair: Italy will not relax its restrictions until 31 March. But that country has a different story. It annoys me that apparently no one in Berlin realizes that the large medium-sized hotel groups still stand on the precipice - despite "caring aid packages". Two weeks ago, we reported on the reasons for this. Today, in mid-February, three weeks sooner or later of sales means millions in profit or loss for these LMEs.

The German hotel industry is the top underperformer of all European hotel markets, STR found in its 2021 analysis. "And that will continue," STR Managing Director Robin Rossmann forecasts. Once again it becomes clear: The lockdowns and quasi-lockdowns were too long, the restrictions too extreme, the recovery periods too short.

And now, with the expected steep increase in bookings from 20 March and despite joy about this date, the next problem is rapidly approaching: employee shortages. This issue will not be solved so quickly, neither in this nor in the next season. Each company must take a strategic approach and engage in ruthless self-criticism. The more temperamental among you should not read the analysis of the renowned Swiss behavioural economist Gerhard Fehr about the industry today.

He carefully describes the vicious circle in which service companies find themselves today. Soberly, with good arguments, he points to the only real success factor of a company: the qualified employee. If you can't find one, you have to cut back on service, drop in quality and profit - and eventually close down. Just like that, and the companies only have themselves to blame.

Booking.com should also seek advice from behavioural economists. The OTA just laid off 2,700 employees and is outsourcing its customer service. Sarah Douag brings you the background details. Once again, it's all about maximising profits on the backs of the workers. At the same time, the Italian Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating two former Booking.com CFOs for evading €153 million in VAT related to vacation rentals.

So, enough of the negative lines now: Against all odds, 2021 also brought positive news, as Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Wyndham and Airbnb reported in their annual financial statements. Things carry on! By the way, in other news from Marriott: Bill Marriott is now officially handing over the baton, also to his son David.

And now to the future, which has only one goal: Building, operating and managing hotels sustainably - and giving tourism a new, better perspective. On 27/28 June the 5th HospitalityInside Think Tank will take place! The event will be held in Berlin - and we are back on the ship, in an absolutely inspiring maritime atmosphere and as a pure presence event!

Join us again as we set sail again under the banner "Take the ESG Road to more Value: Net Zero Ambitions and Social Structures." Secure one and a half days of brand-new "Insides" in sustainability with many facets - exclusive, face2face with a limited number of participants and top impulse generators. You can find more about the event under this link and on www.hitt.world.

Yours, Maria Pütz-Willems
editor-in-chief