Dr. Ellen Madeker – Airbnb | Balancing acts: tourism regulations, politics & female leadership

This was a first! As you might know by now, we had the pleasure of teaming up with YHS and hosting the very first SMACK Live! #podcast event with Patrick Mendes, CEO at ACCOR for Premium, Midscale & Economy in Europe and North Africa. Patrick shared a lot of insights with Fritz and the students at EHL about his career path (which he actually started off by quitting #hospitality and the #hotelbusiness), and the possibilities the ACCOR world has to offer but especially the “PME” – Premium, Midscale and Economy sector, which seems to be generally, slightly underrated. He talked about his personal experience in Latin America and about heartfelt topics that he likes to personally support such as #diversity and #inclusion. The adventures he witnessed in #hoteldevelopment from the West to the East and of course also about what’s cooking at ACCOR’s development these days, as well as #paris2024 and #loyaltyprograms. Patrick lifted the secrets about ACCOR’s vast structure of brands and regions and answered a gazillion questions from the students during a live Q&A and in individual chats after the recording. Do listen closely to what he says about #worklifebalance, especially if you are aiming for a #clevel position! Best now, if you tune in to the episode yourself! Enjoy the show!

𝐎𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲! From the toast and marmalade mise en place at her parent's hotel on the Scottish coast to creating a female-influenced, bar- & restaurant empire with multiple locations in London is a very short version of describing Jillian MacLean’s career path. Jillian, founder of Drake & Morgan, and Pat had an inspiring chat about how hospitality is the ultimate playground to dream big and to give everybody a chance to succeed. Jillian saw a market gap and jumped right on it. She and her sister set the stage for a series of bars and restaurants across London, all celebrating the fabulous side of life. Their product is powered by women, with drinks, dishes, and designs tailored to up-to-date trends that ladies love. And as Jillian puts it: “At the end of the day, what is hospitality? It's a fun industry. It's drinks and food and looking after people.” Grab a seat and a cocktail and enjoy the show!

Who has united 530 hotels, resorts, and eight kick-ass brands under one roof? 🏩 William Heinecke, aka Bill, Founder & Chairman of Minor Hotels and Fritz broke down the evolving world of hospitality at last year's FHS in Abu Dhabi. They talked about newly rising #traveldestinations like Saudi Arabia, bucket list trips, and the growing importance of the #foodindustry. 🥗 Bill’s mission: Authentic #hotel experiences, honoring the country’s cultures and traditions, and choosing destinations off the beaten path with the effort to recognize each location’s beauty and heritage. All inspired by his inborn passion for the industry, his love for unfamiliar locations in #hoteldevelopment, and his vision for the multi-hotel-brand chain’s future.👣 Enjoy the Show!

Josiah Mackenzie, Host of Hospitality Daily, and Florian held a Double Trouble Super Trooper podcast episode, co-hosting and exchanging their passion and inspiration for hospitality. They are telling stories about the early beginnings of SMACK and the Hospitality Daily podcast. Inspired by the many conversations they have had with some of the greatest minds in the industry, they explored the latest technology and their favorite brand concepts, while comparing some of the similarities and differences between Europe and the U.S. in the world of hospitality. From traveling with budget airlines through the hostels of Europe to creating a daily inspiration for hospitality enthusiasts, Josiah listened to a gut feeling he had, saw the opportunities the industry has to offer, and created Hospitality Daily in the process. His fundamental belief that “Hospitality roots in the sense of place” has driven the success of the format, shining a spotlight on all sides of the industry. Rethinking space and technology, fostering a sense of community, and focusing on reconnecting people with the spirit of hospitality, are just a few examples of why the two would not trade their life in hospitality for any other profession. Enjoy the show!

Yes, you can do things differently! Even in the hotel business. Listen to 2024’s first smack episode and learn from YOTEL CEO Hubert Viriot how the brand has established a new status quo in the travel business over the past decade. YOTEL has been rocking its own way from the beginning, by focusing on highly tech-savvy customers and the future of traveling, instead of sticking to beaten paths. Some of its milestones: being the first non-luxury brand in an eternity to construct a new property in New York and making hourly hotel bookings sexy again. Hubert has not only seen this baby grow, but is said to be majorly responsible for pushing YOTEL from a unique airport hotel to a global player.

Winter wonderland vibes coming your way! 🏰 🌟 Gabriela Schmidle, Founder and CEO of mts vienna (Marketing Tourism Synergy Vienna) and organizer of the Schloss Schönbrunn Christmas Market in Vienna, joined Pat for a jolly chat about the business side of these unique events.

What happens when Airbnb meets hotel management? Well, confessions were made by Dr. Ellen Madeker Head of Public Policy for Germany, Austria & Switzerland (DACH) & Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) at Airbnb and Phil during a live podcast recording at the Berlin Travel Festival. A lot has changed in the apartment rental business and sharing economy in the last couple of years and some of that is thanks to Airbnb, which has given a face to a formerly often overlooked part of the hospitality industry and offered a new economic lifeline to a bunch of people.

Attention please: “Hospitality Rising” That’s the title of Mark McCulloch’s campaign, which is addressing the painful topic of #staffshortage in the UK hospitality scene in an unseen way. And one thing is for sure: This is a game-changer in how employment in #hospitality is seen, not just in the UK, but potentially everywhere. If you want to know how to convert one in three GenZlers to potential hospitality-fans you better tune in to this SMACK episode.

This episode will leave you hungry for more! 😋 Emma Banks Vice President, F&B Strategy & Development Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Hilton joined us for an episode of SMACK at the recent Future Hospitality Summit in Abu Dhabi hosted by the Bench to tell us her story. Fritz and Emma discussed the gourmet plate of all hospitality topics: F&D. Wait, F&D?! Yes, Food & Drinks as Emma rightfully calls it. Let’s be honest: has anyone ever used the word “beverage” in a normal context? Emma and Fritz talked about the most important meal of the day, breakfast and its impact on customer satisfaction. Emma’s love and hate relationship for buffets, and how to generate an ethical and fiscal win for hotel owners and customers by reducing food waste with the help of AI. 🗑 She explained that food waste makes up an incredible one-third of global carbon emissions – and we couldn’t agree more with her and her team that The future of hospitality is sustainability, not only in terms of food waste and plastic reduction, but also in terms of sourcing locally and responsibly. Her love for #hospitality clearly showed as she talked about her own career path, including what went wrong with the original plan of becoming a criminal pathologist, and the possibilities that the industry offers for those in love with F&D. As Emma said: If you want a career full of color, hospitality is for you! 🫵 😁 Enjoy the show!

Do you ever run out of battery? This man surely doesn’t! We are proud to welcome Dr. Jeffrey O - Chairman of the Directors Board at St. Justine, President of the International Hospitality Institute, coach, mentor, writer, and simply put: One of the most influential people in #hospitality.