Former CTO for the CIA, Bob Flores, Announced as a Keynote Speaker for the 2025 HFTP/Hospitality Upgrade CIO Summit

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) and Hospitality Upgrade are thrilled to announce Bob Flores, former chief technology officer (CTO) for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), as the keynote speaker for the upcoming and highly-anticipated CIO Summit. Following his CIA career, Flores founded Applicology, Inc. and is a visionary leader at the intersection of cybersecurity, intelligence, and advanced technology.

How User-Generated Content Can Help Your Hotel (With Examples)

People love to share their lives online, and just as much, they enjoy watching the lives of others. Think about how many times a day the average person checks social media, watches stories, or shares a post of their own. We pay attention to what people say in the digital space, from their jaw-dropping sunset pics to scathing reviews, to that poor pet whose face is broadcast on social media every morning for the world to see. For the hotel industry, this is an incredible opportunity to showcase your property through the eyes of your guests.

STR Weekly Insights – 20-26 July 2025

After two weeks of significant declines, it was a mostly flat week for the U.S. hotel industry with revenue per available room (RevPAR) down a 0.8%. Demand improved marginally, but, with a 0.9% increase in room supply, occupancy was down 0.2 percentage points (ppts). Occupancy has consistently declined faster than ADR this summer. Average daily rate (ADR) was flat (-0.1%), marking a four-week stretch of stalled rate growth for the country.

Edinburgh Market Pulse 2025 – Leading the Way from the North

Edinburgh is the economic, cultural and political capital of Scotland and is considered one of the UK’s primary powerhouses. This reputation has fuelled significant population growth over the past decade, with the Edinburgh metropolitan area reaching nearly 559,000 residents in 2024, a 12.0% increase since 2014. A compact city steeped in history, with notable cityscapes and exceptional views, Edinburgh is a renowned weekend-break destination with an international airport recording strong passenger growth and fast rail links on the East Coast Mainline branch. As the second most visited city in the UK after London, Edinburgh’s appeal lies in its cultural vibrancy and strategic location. Moreover, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe continues to be a global cultural highlight. In 2024, the festival sold approximately 2.6 million tickets (compared to 2.5 million in 2023), reaffirming its status as the largest annual arts festival in the world.

CSMD Disease

I first diagnosed CSMD at Hotel Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada where I held the position of hotel manager in the early 2000’s. I call it “conference services managers’ disease” because this position seems to develop this disease more often than other leadership roles in hospitality. However, it’s important to point out CSMD is not limited to just CSM’s, as other leaders can also develop this debilitating disease and if you’re a CSM you are not predisposed to developing CSMD, you just might have a greater risk.

The Clock is Ticking

Many hotels are innovating faster than ever. They are embracing AI‑driven pricing, hybrid spaces, and even membership models. Paradoxically, others feel “stuck in time”, running on instinct rather than on data. I see this almost every week: properties with no revenue management system, no proper financial models, and no standardized controls. Some of these hotels have great locations. Some even provide a decent service. But behind the scenes, they’re operating like it’s 1995 and their bottom line reflects it. And at the end of the day, those who don’t evolve become little more than opportunities for competitors ready to grow.

Greek Hospitality Industry Performance 2025 Q2

International arrivals at Greek airports increased 6.3% in YTD June 2025/24, reaching 12 million. The top 10 airports accounted for 95% of all international arrivals, with Athens alone representing 46%. However, 31% of the below presented international arrivals for Athens were Greek residents based on data of Athens International Airport.