EDITOR ’ S DIARY
WHAT WILL RELEVANCE LOOK LIKE after COVID ?
If – and it remains a big if – society is truly transforming the way it works , conducts business and plays , hoteliers must reinvent their products to engage nomads , bleisure guests , multigen travelers and next-gen travelers who are increasingly living and working on their terms . Engagement is going to be the key .
At the same time , you might want to consider how to best react to reports that 70,000-employee strong Salesforce is scaling back its office footprint and developing its own 75-acre , 140-room resort in California that will serve as a training , meeting and events venue . It will also serve as a retreat with opportunities for yoga ,
Editor In Chief hiking and other experiences .
Yes , 2022 might be a rebound year for the hotel world , but bigger picture you must consider news like Saleforce ’ s as well as the other consumer behavior shifts that have been accelerated due to the pandemic . Two such companies I am watching are Selina and Ennismore , both lifestyle players with a bit of an edge . Both are featured in this issue .
Selina is converting tired hotels into something a little left of center in great global locations that increase revenue on average 2.4 times without having to reach into its pocket for much more than pre-opening costs .
Selina Founder Rafael Museri and his team created technology that he says identifies the best distressed opportunities in a given market . Then , they go directly to those landlords , negotiate leases and close deals without brokers . Even better for Selina , about 90 % of the funding to convert properties comes from local real estate partners .
Selina also partners with local artisans , who embed a local cultural influence to create destinations that combine the comfort and style of a boutique hotel with coworking facilities and the social experiences of a retreat or festival . Museri says it drives significant increases in revenue aided by that local connection that drives 61 % of F & B revenue and generates strong social media engagement .
The other lifestyle mover to watch is multi-branded Ennismore , with a pipeline of more than 157 properties under brands that include SLS , Mondrian , 25hours , Mama Shelter , The Hoxton and TRIBE .
“ Lifestyle ecosystem ” is the word co-CEO Guarav Bhushan uses to describe positioning . Not unlike Selina , a combination of creative F & B , a hyper-locally infused environment and amenities such as co-work are what makes the platform special .
Certainly , Selina and Ennismore are not the only examples of forward-thinking approaches as more capital is moving into alternative lodging platforms . But as traditional hoteliers come out of this pandemic and before they get too busy maintaining the status quo , it is time for them to think about long-term relevance and the way they engage with guests .
EDITORIAL Jeff Weinstein Editor In Chief
Eylul Elmaghraby Editorial Coordinator
Kathakali Nandi Editorial writer
Ever Villapana Designer
Contributing Writers Jeanette Hurt , Megan Rowe , Juliana Shallcross ,
Alicia Sheber
PUBLISHING Ali Jahangiri CEO
Brian Levine Associate Publisher
Marie Ekberg Padilla Senior Editor
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Nakul Anand Executive Director , ITC Ltd ., Gurgaon , India
Stephen Bartolin President , Broadmoor Sea Island Co ., Colorado Springs , Colorado
Robert Hecker Managing Director , Horwath HTL Asia Pacific , Singapore
Ramsey Mankarious CEO , Cedar Capital Partners , London
Christopher Nassetta President and CEO , Hilton , McLean , Virginia
Monika Nerger Chief Information Officer , Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group , Atlanta
Susan Terry Vice President of Culinary and Food and Beverage Operations , Marcus Hotels & Resorts , Milwaukee , Wisconsin
Trevor Ward Managing Director , W Hospitality Group , Lagos , Nigeria
ADVERTISING Caroline de Donnea-Birkel
ADMINISTRATION Kristi Carlson
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