Wellness in Hospitality, Music Tourism, HITEC & HSMAI

The Modern Hotelier #74: Wellness in Hospitality, Music Tourism, HITEC & HSMAI === David Millili [00:00:02]: Welcome to the Modern Hotelier. Both hosts were honored as top 100 influential people in hospitality. We're bringing you interviews with industry experts, thought leaders, and innovators who are shaping the future of hospitality. Whether you're a seasoned hotel professional or just stepping into the industry, our goal is to provide you with insights, knowledge, and trends that will empower you, the modern hotelier. Steve Carran [00:00:29]: Welcome back to another episode of Hospitality Hot Topics. This is where we go over what happened in the past month in the hospitality industry. David, so the first thing I want to talk about is the wellness side of the industry. It is booming. We are seeing it being the fastest growing market in the hospitality area. Have you seen this? What are you what are you seeing in the wellness side? David Millili [00:00:55]: Yeah. I mean, what I'm seeing is, I mean, there's there's some of the, you know, true and tried, you know, more spa and more just health eating wise. What I'm starting to see more of, and I think we'd like to see more of, is how does it tie into technology? Because then you actually get given results. You know, I just joined the gym that gives me a a wristband. And as I go to machines, it actually tracks what you're doing, and it tells me my bio age, and it tells me the what age strength and things of that nature. So I'd like to see how there's a little bit more of a blend in the kind of the wellness diet, you know, sleeping into the technology and monitoring those type of things. Steve Carran [00:01:31]: Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. I think this is a trend that we're seeing. Right? Obviously, people wanna are traveling for experiences. But, you know, these younger generations are focused so much on their well-being, you know, going to these retreats where they have yoga, you know, those juices and, you know, great food as well. So I think we're just going to see this grow. And it's kind of funny. Steve Carran [00:01:53]: United States is leading the way with these wellness retreats. So I think we're just going to see more and more of these pop up in the U. S, and I think this is going to be a trend that we're going to we're going to see really come to life here over the next couple of years. David Millili [00:02:06]: This next month is perfect for you since you're a Swifty, but the music tourism is one of the biggest travel trends. So what are your thoughts on the tie ins now and how music and travel are kinda, you know, becoming 1? Steve Carran [00:02:18]: Yeah. I mean, I so this is actually crazy. I was reading an article that hotel prices for Taylor's European tour in one of the cities. The ADR dropped $840 after she left. So, I mean, travel has become more expensive. Flights are more expensive. You know, hotels, luxury especially, are going up. So people are this is their vacation. Steve Carran [00:02:40]: This is their big trip, and these are leisure trips where they are ready to spend money. They're spending, you know, 100, maybe 1,000 of dollars on a Taylor Swift ticket. They want a luxury experience to go with that. They're not really too, I guess, concerned about spending money on food and beverage or other experiences since they're spending so much already. So I mean, we saw it in the U. S. When Taylor was going around, how much it boosted the city's economy when she was going. So I think this is cool. Steve Carran [00:03:08]: We're going to see, I think, a lot more of this as well with, music festivals. And I hear some other big names are going to go on tour as well. Beyonce, I know you're a big fan. I'm sure you'll catch a show when she comes to Phoenix. So what do you think? David Millili [00:03:22]: Yeah. So for me at Logic, you know, we're at our core revenue management platform. We bring up the Taylor Swift effect on most of our demos. So obviously it's something that hotels are noticing people are looking for. But for me, hey, look, whether it's music or sports, if it's going to have more people travel, I love it. I think it's great. So if it's driving people to travel and if it's got Americans going to Europe to see Taylor Swift, which you know, we don't travel as well as the Europeans coming to the States or the Caribbean. Like, to me, this is this is great. David Millili [00:03:54]: If it's getting especially the younger generation to go out and see the world, then I'm all for it. Steve Carran [00:03:59]: Absolutely. I agree. And kind of to that with the hotel industry, one thing we've been talking about is the staffing shortages that we have been still been having this year. On a good note, AHL put out a report that hotels added 700 jobs in May, but 76 percent of hotels are still experiencing staffing shortages. What are we gonna do to get over this hump of staffing shortages? And do you see that happening this year, David? David Millili [00:04:28]: Yeah. I don't. And but I what I do know in the articles that we were looking at is that, obviously, the good news is that also the wages are increasing. I do think that can be somewhat misleading because I think the wages were behind and hotel staff was were being underpaid. So I'm hopeful that there'll be more, for lack of better term, studies or white papers coming out on how really the better paying of employees, a better wage will increase more people to be attracted back into hospitality because, again, you know, some of these jobs were not very good paying jobs and difficult jobs. So I think if the industry wakes up and kind of make sure that they realize as the rates go up, they can afford to pay the staff a little bit more. I think we'll see more and more people coming back in and hopefully that, you know, 700 to 7000 by by next year. Steve Carran [00:05:16]: I agree. I think wages is a part of that. I also think it's almost the thought process of joining the hospitality. People don't view it as a career. It's, you know, when you think of hospitality, you think of working at a Hotelier, at a front desk, or something like that. So I think it's kind of shifting that thought as well. And then also, everybody wants to, you know, work from home or have a hybrid work environment. Our industry just is not as flexible. Steve Carran [00:05:39]: I understand you can't work from home at the front desk. I I totally get that. But those jobs, maybe in marketing, sales, finance, whatever it might be that you're not guest facing all the time, maybe that can be a hybrid work environment. You know, Sage is doing some really cool things now where they have a 4 day flex week. So something comes up on a Wednesday, you can take off that Wednesday and make it up. So I think wages is one thing, and I totally agree they were a little low to begin with, so can be misleading. But we also need to be a little bit more flexible and provide these great working environments. So this younger generation is really excited to come work in hospitality. Steve Carran [00:06:15]: And, your your buddy Anthony Mel Curry, I see him, you know, promoting the industry and talk about how much more fun and flexible it is from the traditional 9 to 5. So need more people like Anthony out there promoting the industry. David Millili [00:06:27]: Yeah. I agree. Make it a career, not just a job. Steve Carran [00:06:29]: You got it. David Millili [00:06:30]: So marketing people love to do things to try to create attention. So what are your thoughts on the 18 76 burger experience? Steve Carran [00:06:40]: So this burger, it sounds cool, but I don't know if I want it all together. So it's a 5 Wagyu topped with golden oyster caviar, temperate king crab, asparagus, white truffle brie, and some type of sauce that I cannot pronounce on a gold leaf bun. Then you get a fancy cigar, some whiskey, champagne, and a customized cowboy hat, and this is all for $1,876, and it's at the Montage Deer Valley in Utah. I probably am not gonna spend about $1900 on this. I'm not the biggest whiskey guy, and I think my favorite part about this would be the the customized cowboy hat. I love it. But I mean, I the Wagyu Burger sounds fantastic along with King Crab Legs. I mean I mean, it sounds fantastic, but I don't know if I'll be ordering it next time. Steve Carran [00:07:35]: Next time I'm there. What about you? David Millili [00:07:37]: Yeah. It made me hungry, but it made me think about, you know, going back to we'll give Anthony 2 plugs. I mean, he had the $10,000 martini, which was really a martini with a engagement ring in it or a diamond. I don't recall exactly the Mark Hotel. Very funny. Used to have a newspaper ad. This is what I am where basically they said, you know, they were selling a 2 $299 T shirt that included a hotel room. So for me, you know, the 18/76 burger, it's another one of those for somebody who's got the money you can spend, who wants attention, who wants the social media side of it. David Millili [00:08:11]: But, you know, look, marketing people are clever at coming up with things like this. And this one was a pretty, pretty unique, especially when it's got a sauce you can't even pronounce. Steve Carran [00:08:18]: Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, it fits well for Utah. Right? A little bit more rustic. You get the cowboy, the Wagyu, things like that. So, I mean, I'm all about it. If I if I was a millionaire, I definitely, definitely go for it. But, we'll see. Steve Carran [00:08:31]: We'll see. So I'm really excited about this. We're filming this on Friday 21st. On Sunday, both of us are headed out to Charlotte for high-tech and the HSMI Commercial Strategy Conference. David, what predictions do you have for this year's high-tech and what are you most looking forward to? David Millili [00:08:50]: So my first prediction will be if you ask anybody who's been going to high-tech that this will be the best high-tech in over a decade. Steve Carran [00:08:58]: Really? David Millili [00:08:59]: It could have been last year, but there was competing shows. There was weather issues, if you recall. So a lot of people were trying to be bicoastal and go from Toronto to Las Vegas. I think it's also showing a shift in our industry. The HSMAI Rock Conference, which had 2 separate days of marketing and revenue management, has now combined them into the Commercial Strategy Conference. So all those things will be intertwined, which is where the industry is heading with better communication between the revenue managers, the marketing and sales teams. So for me, I think this is gonna be the best one in a decade, and I'm a little partial, but I think the gain of a gain event at the baseball stadium is gonna be something that everybody's talking about. Steve Carran [00:09:40]: I agree. I agree. I'm very excited. I feel like everybody is not gonna be over AI, but sick of hearing about AI and take a break from talking about it for a week after the show. I'm sure that will be a hot topic. I've never been to the HSMA side of things. This is my 1st year going. I'm very excited. Steve Carran [00:10:00]: But talking with people that are going to high-tech this year, you're right. There is a buzz. People are really excited to be there. And I don't know if it's, you know, people working remote more and looking to see these familiar faces, but everybody is so excited to go. So you're right. The buzz around this show is is totally, I think, a lot more than previous years. So it'll be great. And the Gaine event, holy smokes. Steve Carran [00:10:24]: This is this is gonna be a really fun time. Obviously, we're gonna be doing a recording there in the press box, so should be a really fun time. So anything else you got to add about high-tech or HSMAI or anything else that happened this month that you want to talk about, David? David Millili [00:10:41]: No, that's it. And I think I'm sometimes a critic of high-tech moving around, but I think this is a year where it's going to help because Charlotte's one of those unique places that there's not a lot of hospitality headquartered there or it's not one of the larger US cities. So it's also kind of this cool destination that people I think are a lot of people I talk to, it's like first time I'm going to Charlotte. So is that little bit of excitement of exploring a new city. So that's cool. Steve Carran [00:11:04]: Around high-tech, there is a lot of acquisitions or movements. Any big news, you know, people are announcing it at high-tech. Any predictions on that end as far as any acquisitions or big news that you've heard around so far? David Millili [00:11:19]: I've heard, you know, I can't disclose companies. There's a couple well known companies that are for sale. I don't know if those transactions will happen at high-tech. But again, I think with start of with some of the high-tech being back and this being, you know, in my opinion, what will be the best high-tech in over a decade? I think there's going to be 1 or 2 kind of shockers that you're going to be like, oh, wow. I can't believe so and so got acquired or I didn't know so and so was for sale or wow. That makes sense. Or how how is that gonna work together? So I think we'll probably get hit with something, at least 1. Steve Carran [00:11:49]: I agree. I feel like every well, the past 7, 8 years I've been going, I mean, there's always always one big one that that everybody is talking about. So excited to hear what it is, but excited to see you in at High-tech. We'll be doing live interviews there. So looking forward to see everybody at High-tech, and safe travels as well. David Millili [00:12:07]: Alright. Take care, guys. Steve Carran [00:12:10]: You made it to the end of the Modern Hotelier. Thanks for listening. The Modern Hotelier is produced by Make More Media. Make sure to like and subscribe if you're listening on YouTube or subscribe wherever you get your podcast. If you know a guest or sponsor that would be a good fit, feel free to email us at hello at the modern hotelier.com. 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