Rephonic
Artwork for This Week in Hospitality

This Week in Hospitality

thisweekinhospitality
Airbnb
Independent Hotels
Artificial Intelligence
Hilton
Hospitality Industry
Hyatt
Expedia
AI In Hospitality
Sonder
Journey
Loyalty Programs
Otas
Accor
Room Price Genie
Marriott International
Tiktok
Direct Booking
Hospitality
AI In Travel
Discovery

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes52Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Business NewsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for This Week in Hospitality

Latest Episodes

This Week’s Guest:

Shawn Cioto - Vice President of Operations, Dovetail + Co

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-cioto-914264b/

Your Host:

Zach Busekrus - Journey

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/

Instagram: ww... more

YouTube

On this week’s This Week in Hospitality, Zach Busekrus, Ben Wolff, and Edwin Kramer dig into hospitality’s search for consistency, growth, and better economics. Scott Eddy is away in Italy, so the trio gets straight to the news.

Airbnb appears ready... more

YouTube

This Week’s Guest:

Dina Belon-Sayre - President, Staypineapple Hotels

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dinabelon/

Explore Staypineapple Hotels: www.staypineapple.com/

Your Host:

Zach Busekrus - Journey

LinkedIn: www.linkedi... more

YouTube

Scott is in Sicily, so Zach, Ben Wolff and Edwin Kramer take the docket. Edwin checks in from a new boutique hotel on Spain's Costa Blanca, and Ben is fresh from the glamping show.

The first story: Hilton's CIO says AI assistants have put online tra... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Dina Belon-Sayre
President of Staypineapple Hotels
Staypineapple Hotels
Episode: Empower Your People: Staypineapple's Dina Belon-Sayre on Personality-Driven Hotels and the AI Threat to Independents
Jennifer Barnwell
President of Curator Hotel & Resort Collection
Curator Hotel & Resort Collection
Episode: The Third Way: Curator's Jennifer Barnwell on Cost Savings, Robots and the Next Chapter for Hotel Collections
Heidi Zimmer
Founder of Wild Rice Retreat, real estate developer
Wild Rice Retreat
Episode: Nourishment, Expression, Movement: Heidi Zimmer on Building Wild Rice Retreat on the Shores of Lake Superior
Blake Danner
Hospitality executive, former COO at AKA Hotels & Hotel Residences
AKA Hotels & Hotel Residences
Episode: From Ian Schrager to AKA — Blake Danner on the Loyalty Lie, Brand Differentiation, and Staying Small
Drew Bridges
Principal/CEO at JMI Realty
JMI Realty
Episode: Buying Hotels Off Bad Yelp Reviews & The Boutique Hotel Brand Obituary
Alice Sherman
CEO of HVS Executive Search
HVS Executive Search
Episode: Google Buys Spirit’s Data, Timeshares Are Cool Now, and Alice Sherman on the Future of Hiring in Hospitality
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

Hosts

Ben Wolff
Founder behind Onera and Oasi, noted for design-forward, experiential hospitality within luxury, nature-driven experiences.
Scott Eddy
Hospitality voice, global keynote speaker, digital strategist and content creator with deep experience with luxury brands and travel startups.
Edwin Kramer
Hospitality executive with luxury brand background, proven operational leader in Five-Star properties across continents.
Zach Busekrus
Co-host, Journey advisor and founder; creator of Behind the Stays; growth strategist with a focus on independent brands and loyalty ecosystems.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 11 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
    Spain3 months 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 Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Great for non-traditional operators; insights translate across sectors beyond hospitality.
Strong guest lineups from independent brands and travel tech—worth a listen for sponsors and guests alike.
Energetic hosts deliver actionable hospitality insights with a founder-friendly lens.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

From Ian Schrager to AKA — Blake Danner on the Loyalty Lie, Brand Differentiation, and Staying Small
Q: If I gave you a million dollars to improve one AKA property without spending on renovations or rooms, where would the money go?
Blake responds that the investment would go into people—recruitment, training, and programs that enable staff to deliver exceptional hospitality, arguing that people are the core asset of the business.
From Ian Schrager to AKA — Blake Danner on the Loyalty Lie, Brand Differentiation, and Staying Small
Q: What question you got for Blake on his history, his perspective on the current state of affairs in the industry?
The question introduces the guest's background and invites a broad reflection on the industry, setting up a discussion on AKA's approach to growth, talent, and differentiation.
Google Buys Spirit’s Data, Timeshares Are Cool Now, and Alice Sherman on the Future of Hiring in Hospitality
Q: Are you seeing more CEOs or C-suite roles emerging in independent luxury hospitality, and how does that affect recruitment and retention?
Yes, there is a trend toward CEO-style or C-suite titles for independent properties or small collections, reflecting a shift to ownership-minded leadership and a desire to clearly delineate strategic responsibility. This supports retention by signaling career progression and strategic influence beyond a single property.
Google Buys Spirit’s Data, Timeshares Are Cool Now, and Alice Sherman on the Future of Hiring in Hospitality
Q: Shifting a little bit to hiring, talent, leadership and below, how can independent hotel brands best attract top talent beyond competitive compensation?
Independent brands should highlight speed of decision-making, direct impact, ongoing growth paths, and a strong cultural fit. Emphasizing ownership-like opportunities, tailored development plans, and opportunities to influence operations can attract talent more effectively than traditional corporate hierarchies.
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.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Week in Hospitality

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

Weekly, fast-paced discussions center on the evolving hospitality ecosystem, with a focus on independent hotels, boutique brands, loyalty platforms, and technology-enabled distribution. The show consistently covers ownership dynamics, brand strategy, and the role of data and AI in guest experiences, often tying global trends to tangible implications for owners, operators, and growth-focused brands. Notably, the format blends candid operator anecdotes, strategic takeaways, and practical sponsorship opportunities—making it valuable for founders, operators, marketers, and investors aiming to understand where independent hospitality is headed and how to position a brand or property for growth.

Where can I find podcast stats for This Week in Hospitality?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for This Week in Hospitality. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to This Week in Hospitality and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does This Week in Hospitality get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for This Week in Hospitality, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for This Week in Hospitality?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for This Week in Hospitality, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does This Week in Hospitality have?

To see how many followers or subscribers This Week in Hospitality has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

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. Founders
3. Modern Wisdom
4. The Gstaad Guy Podcast
5. The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

How many episodes of This Week in Hospitality are there?

This Week in Hospitality launched a year ago and published 52 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?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for This Week in Hospitality?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for This Week in Hospitality from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for This Week in Hospitality?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of This Week in Hospitality. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on This Week in Hospitality?

Recent guests on This Week in Hospitality include:

1. Dina Belon-Sayre
2. Jennifer Barnwell
3. Heidi Zimmer
4. Blake Danner
5. Drew Bridges
6. Alice Sherman
7. Sarah Kopit
8. Eivind Myhre

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days