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
