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This Week in Hospitality

thisweekinhospitality
Airbnb
Independent Hotels
Hilton
Hyatt
AI In Hospitality
Hospitality Industry
Sonder
Expedia
Otas
Accor
Marriott International
Tiktok
Direct Booking
AI In Travel
Journey
Hospitality
Loyalty Programs
Discovery
Virgin Hotels
Sonder Holdings

Every Friday morning, This Week in Hospitality brings you the most important stories, insights, and innovations shaping the global hospitality industry — distilled and discussed by people who actually build within it.

Hosted by Ben Wolff, Scott Eddy, Edwin Kramer, and Zach Busekrus, this weekly conversation is crafted for the founders, operators, and dreamers creating the next generation of hospi... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes40Founded10 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Business NewsNews

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Artwork for This Week in Hospitality

Latest Episodes

Airbnb just partnered with TripAdvisor to bring 425,000 experiences onto its platform — a move that signals Brian Chesky isn't just dabbling in experiences anymore, he's building a second business inside the first. The crew breaks down what this mean... more

This week we're joined by Sarah Kopit, Editor-in-Chief of Skift — the publication that fuels basically every episode of this show — and she came ready.

We open on the story all of hospitality shared this week: Aman's brand-new, $6,000-a-night Amanva... more

YouTube

Sonder is back — sort of. Eight months after going bankrupt and stranding guests mid-stay, the brand name has been bought by a Vancouver affiliate firm that paid for one thing: search equity. The buildings are gone. The trademarks and 70+ domains rem... more

YouTube

Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta went on record defending the brand's 28-property portfolio — and the panel has thoughts. Is the multi-brand arms race really about guests, or is it just an elaborate play for developers and distribution?

Edwin makes the cas... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Sarah Kopit
Chief Editor at Skift
Skift
Episode: Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit on The Great Hotel Owner Squeeze, Aman's YouTuber Fiasco, & Marriott's Owner Concession
Eivind Myhre
Head of comms and marketing at Norwegian Air
Norwegian Air
Episode: How Norwegian Air Went Viral for Losing, Should Airbnb and Ennismore Hook Up? and the Slow Death of Organic Discovery on Vrbo
James McBride
CEO of NIHI Hotels
NIHI Hotels
Episode: Ideas, Stories, and Hot Takes with James McBride, Co-Founder & CEO of NIHI Hotels
Sean O'Neill
Hospitality editor, Skift
Skift
Episode: Pali Society Goes Bonvoy, Hilton's Incubating 5 New Brands, and Hot Takes with Skift's Hospitality Editor, Sean O'Neil
Francis Davidson
Co-founder of Sonder, founder of Odessia
Odessia
Episode: Sonder's Founder is Back, Hyatt's New Growth Strategy, The Human Concierge Book, and L.E/Miami Recap
Noah Brodsky
CEO, Under Canvas (leadership transition context)
Under Canvas
Episode: The World Cup Bust, Spirit's Collapse, Priceline is Back, and Aman's Move in the Texas Hill Country
Bashar Wali
Hospitality entrepreneur and author, guest on the show
Independent hotels / hospitality thought leader
Episode: Hospitality’s Muddy Middle Is Breaking — With Bashar Wali
Bernard Bomenberger
Founder of Six Senses and Discover Collection
Discover Collection
Episode: The Hotel Owner Squeeze, Six Senses Founder's Comeback, Wyndham's Grandma Gambit, and Coachella's Dirty Secret
Ian Schrager
Renowned hotelier and founder of Public Hotels
Public Hotels (brand) / Highgate (partner)
Episode: Schrager’s Hotel Reset, Accor launches in ChatGPT, Disney’s Broader Hotel Play?

Hosts

Scott Eddy
Global hospitality voice, keynote speaker, digital strategist, and content creator with deep experience in luxury brands and traveler loyalty.
Ben Wolff
Founder or leader in experiential hospitality brands, with roles in Onera and Journey ecosystem, focused on storytelling, design, and guest immersion.
Edwin Kramer
Hospitality executive with luxury hotel background, operating at the intersection of service excellence and organizational leadership.
Zach Busekrus
Co-founder of Journey, loyalty-platform founder, and host of Behind the Stays; focused on independent hotel storytelling and guest loyalty.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 5 ratings
  • Trendy and entertaining

    I love tuning in every Friday to listen to this team of hospitality experts. They each contribute in their own way and make the podcast entertaining and full of cool information. I learn something new every episode. Keep it up guys! Loving it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    adristexmex
    Spain15 days ago
  • Really worth a listen!

    This isn’t my normal field and came across the podcast by happenstance. I found the information and their perspective interesting to listen to. Appreciated the different points of view.. Definitely translates to other fields, in my opinion. My background is luxury retail, but transitioned into banking with quite a bit of travel. So much of the information could be useful and make you think outside the box in a business development perspective. Good listening - I’m looking forward to next one!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Eternally Learning
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fresh takes on AI and distribution for independents are valuable for sponsors and guests alike.
Great real-world perspectives on loyalty and independent hotels.
The discussion style is energetic and opinionated, which resonates with executive audiences.
Able to translate complex tech trends into actionable strategies for owners.
Strong practitioner insights from operators and founders.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit on The Great Hotel Owner Squeeze, Aman's YouTuber Fiasco, & Marriott's Owner Concession
Q: What role do banks and credit card networks play in the evolving brand-owner relationship?
Banks and card networks are central as the financing lever and the source of guest data and bookings; changes in how these networks allocate data and revenue can directly affect an owner's ability to compete and finance their property independently.
Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit on The Great Hotel Owner Squeeze, Aman's YouTuber Fiasco, & Marriott's Owner Concession
Q: Why do owners feel compelled to consider deflagging, and what are the main risks and costs involved?
Owners cite control over branding, higher potential profit, and fewer brand-imposed constraints as key motivators, but they worry about financing, loan covenants, and the need to invest in independent marketing and loyalty platforms.
Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit on The Great Hotel Owner Squeeze, Aman's YouTuber Fiasco, & Marriott's Owner Concession
Q: What story or reporting moment changed Kopit's view of hospitality or travel the most, and why?
Kopit notes that深 her understanding deepened around the stark contrast in experience between mid-scale/economy owners and luxury properties, and how financing and loyalty dynamics influence outcomes, which fundamentally reshaped her view of the industry's structure and power balance.
Ideas, Stories, and Hot Takes with James McBride, Co-Founder & CEO of NIHI Hotels
Q: Is an owner-operated model still feasible for independents, and how should the leadership team be structured to maximize success?
Yes, but it depends on location, demand, and leadership. You need the right leadership talent who can both operate and market the property. Marketing and PR are essential for independence, and you should hire leadership with marketing mindset while retaining operational excellence; you also need to balance capital needs with a clear vision and strong partnerships.
Ideas, Stories, and Hot Takes with James McBride, Co-Founder & CEO of NIHI Hotels
Q: James, given your experience across multiple luxury brands, what are the right dynamics between owner, operator, and brand for a new independent project to be successful?
The ownership should be highly selective with leadership that truly understands both product and marketing. You need a hands-on GM who can translate brand standards into daily experience, while maintaining control over storytelling, guest experience, and high-touch service; the structure must allow for strong marketing and operational alignment without sacrificing the soul of the property.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Week in Hospitality

What is This Week in Hospitality about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A roundtable-style show focused on hospitality, branding, distribution, and technology as they affect independent hotels, boutique brands, and experiential travel. Across episodes, the group analyzes AI's impact on discovery and loyalty, platform dynamics (OTAs, social channels, and AI agents), brand strategy, and owner-operator economics, often highlighting how independent properties can compete without surrendering soul or leverage. Guests range from founders and operators to industry leaders offering practical perspectives on leadership, loyalty platforms, and community-driven hospitality. A notable throughline is advocating for storytelling, human-centric service, and authentic guest experiences in a tech-enabled landscape, with frequen... more

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How many listeners does This Week in Hospitality get?

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Which podcasts are similar to This Week in Hospitality?

These podcasts share a similar audience with This Week in Hospitality:

1. Behind the Stays
2. The Outdoor Hospitality Podcast
3. The Modern Hotelier
4. Modern Wisdom
5. The Hotel Investor Playbook

How many episodes of This Week in Hospitality are there?

This Week in Hospitality launched 10 months ago and published 40 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact This Week in Hospitality?

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What guests have appeared on This Week in Hospitality?

Recent guests on This Week in Hospitality include:

1. Sarah Kopit
2. Eivind Myhre
3. James McBride
4. Sean O'Neill
5. Francis Davidson
6. Noah Brodsky
7. Bashar Wali
8. Bernard Bomenberger

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