SMACK Hospitality

Our recap episode! Hey there, Hospitality Fans! We missed you… and didn’t want to wait until Season 5 starts in September, so we sat our 4 hosts down together and sent them on a trip down memory lane. It’s been 4 years already – yeah, that’s right: 4 years since SMACK first started. Pat, Flo, Phil, and Fritz reminisced in a bit of nostalgia and a lot of laughter going through the past 4 seasons of their favorite SMACK moments thus far. From how everything started, in times when Phil was still in a suit, and our mother ship wasn’t called Studio49 yet. By the way: We swear we’ve worked on the microphone situation by now. Join us on this journey as we rewind the last 4 podcast seasons and get a healthy dose of "wait-did-they-actually-do-that”-moments, stay tuned for the highest highs and lowest lows of SMACK history. As always: Enjoy the show!

Director of Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Hyatt Corporation Back with another podcast episode you simply don’t want to miss. Join us on a heartfelt journey as Phil sits down with Ronisha Goodwin, the Director of Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Hyatt Corporation, at the Proud Experience conference in Los Angeles. Prepare to be moved by Ronisha's inspiring story of discovering her passion for hospitality through a TV show and her mission to foster inclusivity and belonging for Hyatt's guests, colleagues and partners worldwide. Together Phil and Ronisha embark on a captivating exploration of diversity in the United States and Germany, shedding light on the much-needed progress within the hospitalityindustry, the role of mentors, and the evolution of Human Resources, from tracking diversity to challenging discriminatory environments in the workplace and embracing flexibility. Wrapping up the episode, Phil grants Ronisha a wish, for which Ronisha envisions a future that is driven by the realization that race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, and immigration status are not things that need to divide us and in which we know that we can all rise together. Enjoy the show!

Group Director of Spa & Wellness at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Here’s one very inspiring SMACK podcast episode. Pat had the chance to chat with Jeremy McCarthy, Group Director of Spa & Wellness at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and they cruised through a bunch of topics, that will make you feel well - from innovation in Spas to positivepsychology and general life advice. What does a day at work of someone look like, who is responsible for all the good stuff? Jeremy McCarthy oversees the strategy and marketing of wellness-, spa-, and fitness offers, as well as kids’ clubs, water sports, and activities of the 36 hotels and resorts of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. He is also majorly involved in the design and development of new projects worldwide. Jeremy and Patrizia had a chat about the difference between wellness and well-being, and discussed what positive psychology has in common with spa- and wellness institutions. They explored how the past couple of years and technology have changed the spa industry and what is the best way to guide guests through today’s wellness experiences, while slaloming between the necessary digital connection and its greatly desired absence. Jeremy and Patrizia also got to the root of what differentiates Mandarin Oriental from other luxury brands, as well as Jeremy’s personal path through the world of well-being. Don’t miss his advice on lifelong learning, the up-and-coming spa destinations, and last but not least how to propose perfectly to your significant other. Enjoy the show!

Tourism Program Manager @U.S. National Park Service Donald Leadbetter, the Tourism Program Manager at the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) based in Washington D.C. joined us on the show and talked us through his passion for national parks, tourism and nature. Patrizia and Donald dove into the specific tasks that Donald carries out as a Tourism Program Manager, which include researching and creating memorable experiences for visitors, as well as making strategic decisions for the NPS. The two of them discussed the history of the NPS, which has been responsible for managing lands, parks, historic sites and waters for over 100 years. Donald explained how he leads the development of new units and communities within the NPS, as well as the challenge of managing access to certain areas of national parks for tourists and avoiding over-tourism in the process. Before he left, Donald shared his wish for people to reflect on the importance of nature more frequently and we couldn’t agree more. Enjoy the show!

President & Managing Director for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa Take a deep dive into the world of hospitality with Dimitris Manikis, the President & Managing Director for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as he shares his insights on the future of business and corporate travel, sustainability, and building brands that leave a lasting legacy. From his personal story of falling in love with the industry to his vision for uniting people through travel, this podcast episode is a must-listen! Dimitris and Florian had fun discussing their meeting at ITB Berlin 2023 and their shared fascination for the hospitality industry. Dimitris emphasized the importance of conscious travel and the advantages of being able to work from anywhere. Dimitris and Florian discussed franchising challenges and the importance of trust among business owners and employees, as he stressed the need for keeping relevancy in mind when developing brands and embracing new trends to meet the evolving needs of travellers. They discussed sustainability, emphasizing the importance of leaving a better world for future generations through sustainable hospitality. Lastly, they talked about the need to employ younger generations in ways that show respect and provide learning opportunities from an early stage in school, university, and internships. In his closing remarks, Dimitris talked about his personal outlook on finishing his hospitality career with more travellers andfulfilling the purpose of uniting people in hospitality. Enjoy the show!

CEO of TUI Cruises Have you ever been on a cruise ship? No?! If you need some convincing, this podcast episode featuring @Wybcke Meier, the CEO of @TUI Cruises, will tell you all you want to know about the cruise world. Wybcke spoke to @Philip about how TUI cruises came together and told us how traveling on a #cruise works with the incredible size of the ships and the number of passengers on board. She also explained how people experience cruises and activities on shore, as some plan them themselves and others use cruise offers. Wybcke also highlighted that the crew members are the most significant part of the business, as they play the most important part in making each cruise work and the experiences unique. As Phil and Wybcke discussed sustainability and ways to reduce our carbon footprint, she also mentioned the upcoming latest addition to the TUI Cruises-fleet, which will be much more environmentally friendly than previous ships. Last but not least, she also let us in on the secrets surrounding her family’s bakery and her favorite thing in her day-to-day life as CEO: working with the best team to improve the cruise experience for guests. Enjoy the show.

Exhibition Director of the ITB Berlin After 3 years of absence, the ITB Berlin, the world’s largest exhibition event for the hospitality industry, will be back in full throttle this year. We know you are as excited as we are, so here is a little personal service for you from us. Deborah Rothe, the Exhibition Director of the ITB Berlin, joined us on the podcast and we asked her what to expect from ITB Berlin 2023 and how it will differ from the last live ITB Berlin event back in 2019. Deborah told us about her career path to becoming the new exhibition director just weeks prior to this year’s event and the most memorable exhibitor stand from the years she has been involved with the ITB. Needless to say we asked her about the infamous afterparties that take place throughout the city during the week of ITB and Deborah shared the craziest moment of her career in working on exhibitions related to the ITB with us. Enjoy the show.

President of Nikki Beach’s Hotels & Resorts Missing the beach? So are we, so we brought somebody to the podcast that knows all about beaches, hotels and hospitality. Alexander Schneider, president of Nikki Beach’s Hotels & Resorts division came to visit us and told us the touching story of how the name “Nikki Beach” came about, the company’s transition from beaches and F&B to hotels and what a true “Nikki Beach experience” for guests is all about. Alex and Fritz discussed the evolution of Nikki Beach, where Alex would like to open other locations and why city locations are very much an option for the brand. The two of them also debated about the change in tourism and travel, the social responsibilities in developing new destinations, as well as the importance of creating a positive workspace. Lastly, Alex let us in on the hype around one of the hottest (quite literally!) destinations in hospitality development at the moment and told us about his most memorable travel moment. Enjoy the show!

Founder of 25hours Hotels Christoph Hoffmann, Founder of the 25hours Hotels, came to visit us on the show and talked to us about his path into hospitality and founding 25hours Hotels, their success, his way of thinking in concept & design to create a certain atmosphere with food & beverages, staying local and his future plans with Bikini Island & Mountain Hotels. The successful hotelier, who started in a wine shop, explained to Philip how his past experiences in gastronomy developed his interest in hospitality. From #NewYork, to #Jerusalem, to #Hamburg and working in Sales & Marketing at Kempinski’s Atlantic Hotel, he decided that he wanted to do something of his own. That’s where the story of the famous 25hours Hotels commenced, starting one of the most successful stories in recent hotel history. Christoph told us about the meaning of concept and atmosphere in the design of his hotels as well as the importance of well-thought-out F&B Outlets. He also explained to us why he is very optimistic in the partnership with Ennismore and Accor and told us about his latest project, the development of Bikini Island & Mountain Hotels. Needless to say, we couldn’t let Christoph go without asking some of our usual questions about his favourite books, most memorable vacation destinations, podcast recommendations and more. Enjoy the show!

CEO of Nordic Choice Hotels Torgeir Silseth, the CEO of Nordic Choice Hotels, joined us on the podcast after the Nordic Hotel Conference in Copenhagen and talked to us about the Conference itself, including his participation in the talk “The Battle of the Giants”, how he got to Nordic Choice Hotels, their challenges and what’s coming in the near future. Patrizia and Torgeir talked about his way into hospitality and the industry, as well as his journey to becoming a General Manager and ultimately a CEO. Torgeir let us in on the growth of Nordic Choice Hotels, from being a small chain that grew into a hotel group with more than 200 hotels in Scandinavia and the circumstances of expanding in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Lithuania. Since the NHC in Copenhagen had been postponed due to the pandemic, Torgeir also shared with us the importance of keeping the culture intact during times like these – prioritising open and transparent but also welcoming communication towards your employees since the situation was hard on both parties. To round off the podcast, Pat and Torgeir discussed the bright future ahead of us in the hospitality industry. Enjoy the show!