Author: Admin

As we enter 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse, hospitality stands at the starting gate of a decisive race. In the Chinese zodiac, the Horse symbolizes speed, endurance, and forward momentum. Add the element of Fire, and the energy intensifies – bold, visible, catalytic. This is not a year for standing in the paddock. It is a year for movement.

Often referred to as the “Pearl of the Ionian,” Taormina has long occupied a distinctive place in the imagination of international travellers. Since the nineteenth century, when it became an essential stop on the Grand Tour, the town has attracted writers, artists, and European aristocracy in search of beauty, inspiration, and refined leisure. Figures such as Oscar Wilde, D. H. Lawrence, and later Elizabeth Taylor and Greta Garbo, found in Taormina a discreet retreat overlooking the Ionian Sea, suspended between Mount Etna and the Mediterranean.

In the year that Meliá Hotels International celebrates its 70th anniversary, the company is taking a decisive step in the evolution of its brand portfolio with the relaunch of SOL by Meliá—its first major holiday brand and one of the most emblematic in its history. The announcement comes to life with the reopening of Sol Arona Tenerife, the first hotel fully redesigned under the new brand concept, setting the tone for a new generation of hotels created for unforgettable holidays.

With the perfunctory New Year’s resolutions soon approaching, everyone is looking to starting fresh in 2026. For the hotel world, the appropriate adage is: “As one does at home, one will soon from their chosen travel accommodations.”

Sloan Dean interviews David Kong, former long tenured CEO of Best Western, about his post retirement focus and the leadership lessons he wants to leave behind. Kong explains that after stepping down he launched the It’s Personal Stories podcast to give back to hospitality by amplifying the career journeys of successful leaders, especially to address the persistent lack of women and diverse representation in senior leadership. He reflects candidly on his own experience as an immigrant and one of the first Asian American CEOs of a major hotel company, describing how cultural expectations and unconscious bias can limit opportunity, even when talent is widely distributed. The conversation then shifts to how Kong avoided complacency during 17+ years as CEO by continuously reinventing Best Western, driving quality upgrades, segmenting the core brand into clear tiers, and expanding into new segments and brand types. He offers a nuanced view on “too many brands,” arguing that brand proliferat…

Minor Hotels has also signed a management agreement with MK Group for Adriatic Istria Resort in Savudrija, marking the group’s debut in Croatia and further strengthening its presence along the Adriatic. The property will come under Minor Hotels management from 12 February 2026 and will reopen for the 2026 season in late March, before undergoing a full refurbishment.

Minor Hotels, a leading global hotel owner and operator, has signed a management agreement with MK Group for Hotel Palace Portorož in Slovenia, marking the group’s debut in the country and expansion along Europe’s Adriatic coast. From 12 February 2026, the property will be operated by Minor Hotels and will reopen for the 2026 season in late March, ahead of an extensive refurbishment.

In this “Not Done” episode, Sloan Dean reconnects with former colleague Jason Reader, now COO of Davidson Hospitality, to discuss Jason’s move from Remington, Davidson’s post recapitalisation operating focus, and the realities of leading large hotel portfolios through a tough budgeting cycle. Jason describes joining Davidson as a culture and opportunity decision rather than an active job search, and he frames 2026 as challenging but potentially better than current sentiment, citing encouraging group pace. They explore how third party hotel management has become increasingly commoditised, why racing to the lowest fee undermines talent and performance, and how Davidson differentiates through discipline, vertical specialisation, and above property support, particularly in food and beverage. The conversation also covers leadership philosophy (psychological safety over fear and micromanagement), practical margin expansion through total revenue and ROI projects, and a measured view of AI as…

I am not a construction guy. I know some construction content from a managerial perspective but enough to either get me into trouble or keep me out of it. From a business perspective not every hospitality decision maker is a construction and or renovation expert. However, I suggest that managers, general managers, and departmental division heads would benefit from some knowledge of construction practices.

A shift in awareness is underway in Brussels: tourism must now be treated as a fully fledged public policy area, on par with mobility, industry or energy, rather than as a mere lever of attractiveness or a peripheral issue.