SMACK Hospitality

The third episode of season three took us to Tyrol, Austria where we spoke to Florian Phleps, CEO of the Tirol Tourist Board. He talked to us about how he made it into the industry, coming from a law background, the development of Tyrol, how the crisis has changed not only his day to day job but the industry as a whole and what issues need to be addressed now and in the future. He also filled us in on how Tyrol as a tourism region differs from others and what challenges and chances arise as a result. Lastly, he spoke about the importance of sustainability management in the industry and how for example the “Clean Alpine Region” project already supports Tyrolean tourism regions in implementing measures in the areas of climate protection, sustainability and energy. Enjoy the show! Also check out this episodes sponsor "Seasonary" at www.seasonary.com and get a 15% discount on your first job post by using the code SMACK15!

Romantik Hotels und Restaurants AG The second episode of season 3 took us to the German Hotel Convention (Deutscher Hotelkongress 2021), hosted by the dfv Mediengruppe and ahgz. Thomas Edelkamp, Chairman of the Board at Romantik Hotels & Restaurants AG joined us during the event and told us about his career starting as a waiter, his 10 years abroad and what it was like to be FIFA’s Managing Director of accommodation services during the 2006 football world cup. We also learned what differentiates the Romantik Hotels & Restaurants from others, why guest loyalty works within the brand and what needs to be addressed in regards to finding and keep fresh talent in the industry. Enjoy the show! Also check out this episodes sponsor "Seasonary" at www.seasonary.com and get a 15% discount on your first job post by using the code SMACK15!

citizenM Welcome to season 3 of the SMACK Hospitality Podcast! To start the season in style, our season opener took place in Amsterdam and we spoke to Michael Levie of citizenM. Michael told us about the journey and hierarchy structure of citizenM and why it is totally different to other hotel companies. He also shared his experience on what it takes for a brand to establish itself, how important it is to have shared values amongst the team and how travel and education in the industry has evolved and will continue to do so. Share your thoughts with us in the comments and enjoy the show!

Concept and Brand Director @Zoku For the final episode of season 2 on SMACK Veerle Donders from Zoku came to join us on the show and told us all about her career to becoming Concept and Brand Director. From knowing at the age of 10 that hospitality was going to be her career choice, to doing things a little different throughout her studies, Veerle is the living proof that dream careers do happen. She let us in on the secret behind creating a successful concept and explained to us what it takes to roll out a concept in a new property. Enjoy the show.

General Manager @Hotel Europäischer Hof Heidelberg, : If you are looking for a true role-model in hospitality, Caroline von Kretschmann, Managing Director at Hotel Europäischer Hof Heidelberg, ranks as high as they come. With 1000 and 1 stories to tell, Caroline stood at the forefront of the German hoteliers and hospitality during the pandemic, speaking on behalf of the industry with politicians, national and international TV-stations. As if all that wasn’t impressive enough, she runs a forth-generation 5-star superior hotel, is a member of various unions and still manages to have lunch with both her parents every day at 1 pm, sharp! How do you not admire this woman and everything she does?! Enjoy the show.

CEO & Co-Founder @Bidroom In Episode 19 of season 2, we had the chance to sit down with Michael Ros, CEO & Co-founder of Bidroom, an OTC brand with the aim to enable fair travel, both for hotels and travellers. He shared his personal story and filled us in on how to successfully build early-stage startups, how he came up with the idea of the first membership-based marketplace that connects hotels and guests and how Bidroom differs from regular OTA’s. We also discussed future trends and changes, both in the industry and in customer preferences and spoke about the role of tech in the dynamic world of travel. Enjoy the show!

President & COO @Cloudbeds This episode takes us all the way to the West Coast of the United States, where Richard Castle, Co-Founder and COO of Cloudbeds, joined us to tell his and Adam Harris’ story of how the story behind Cloudbeds unfolded. From two guys, who had nothing to do with hospitality other than a passion for travelling, to an award winning international hotel tech company – what sounds much like a fairy-tale story, in fact involved some very clear strategies and ideas well ahead of their time. Richard let us in on how a funding series just days before the Covid-19 lockdown in the US went and how their business of was transformed in the last months and explained to us. Enjoy the show.

CEO @Six Senses Hotels, Resort & Spas A truly inspirational episode on the SMACK hospitality podcast leads us to Neil Jacobs, CEO of Six Senses Hotels & Resorts. Neil told us the amazing story behind the Six Senses brand, how it evolved from a local South-East Asian Resort Brand to a global hotel company with properties across the globe. We also got a sneak preview of the next destinations Six Senses is currently planning and learned why they are adding Six Senses Place, a members club concept inspired by Soho House, to their portfolio. Enjoy the show!

with Isabell Fuss Group Vice President Development @ Ruby Hotels Isabell Fuss, Group Vice President Development at Ruby Hotels joined us for a special episode to talk about something very different than her actual role at Ruby. Talking about New Work, a topic very dear to Isabell’s heart as a senior manager in the company, she shared some insights into what a modern company culture could look like and how it must be communicated. Beyond that Isabel explained to us how the product of Ruby Hotels will continue to develop in relation to the urban style they have developed. Enjoy the show.

CEO @ Kerten Hospitality Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality joined us for an in-depth talk on strategy and concepts, while letting us in on her thought process of some the corporate decisions she has taken. Beyond that Marloes shared her take on the role of women in hospitality and let us in her thoughts on effective sustainability in hospitality