Hospitality is a human powered industry, driven by connections, emotions and interactions. Never has there be a more vital moment to join together and share leadership in thought and creativity, hope for the future and celebration of the collective sense of community that this crisis has created. The AHC Reimagined was the first of its kind: a hybrid, with live interaction and a studio setting.

Through exceptional content we can be inspired, educated and unified as individuals, organisations and a sector. We’re re-visiting some of the outstanding programme content that has been created during Questex events of the past to remind us what we can look forward to in the future. Leo Johnson, Co-Presenter of Radio 4 "FutureProofing" and Disruption Lead at PwC talks about living and working in unstable times and outlines a framework for navigating any uncertain, or even unprecedented, paths ahead. We hope you enjoyed watching. For more content with purpose, visit www.hospitalityinsights.com

This week on In Focus Editor in Chief, Patrick Whyte, and Content Director, Julie Rey-Gore, are discussing two of the UK's most resilient brands, Travelodge and Thomas Cook.  "Two old and quite renowned brands that have been battered by the pandemic." Following quite a turbulent year both may now be making a comeback.

We explore the stories and people behind the hospitality news of investment, development and operations. Alexi Khajavi and Katherine Doggrell review just a few of the hot topics that you will find at The AHC Reimagined: Returning to Profitability; Distribution and OTAs with Adam Hamadache, Founder & CEO at DHM and The New UK Investment Landscape.  How can owners & operators wrestle back control of their distribution channels? When will we see transactions? You can hear more from Adam at The AHC Reimagined as well as many more leaders in the industry.  Register here to secure your place. 

How do you measure hotel performance in 2020 and beyond? A look at the year in hotel performance data, and what to expect from the coming months and the sector rebounds.

A group of hotel investors and owners active in the UK market joined a roundtable at the AHC Reimagined, where they discussed the challenges of recovery of the hotel sector, and how hotels will always remain an attractive asset class to investors.

“Guest safety and associate safety were the absolute priority and understanding what we needed to do to ensure their health and wellbeing” said Cameron Read, chief financial officer, Europe, Middle East & Africa reflecting on the initial response from Marriott International to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Alexi Khajavi and Katherine Doggrell review just a few of the hot topics that you will find at The AHC Reimagined: Returning to Profitability; Distribution and OTAs with Adam Hamadache, Founder & CEO at DHM and The New UK Investment Landscape.  How can owners & operators wrestle back control of their distribution channels? When will we see transactions? You can hear more from Adam at The AHC Reimagined as well as many more leaders in the industry.  Register here to secure your place.

There is only one thing certain right now - Uncertainty is the name of the game. Hospitality industry leaders will take stock, share their experiences and lessons learnt from managing the crisis, and discuss how to get back to delivering great hospitality in a new market. Hear from Peter Hancock, Chief Executive at Pride of Britain Hotels; Hubert Viriot, CEO at YOTEL and Deirdre Wells, CEO at Visit Kent.

At the AHC Reimagined on October 8th, delegates were able to participate in an interactive roundtable discussion focused on professional development opportunities. The conversation centred around identifying and securing one’s next career step.

Dr Neslyn Watson-Druée CBE is a remarkable person. Arriving in the UK at the age of 19 from Jamaica with 5 Ordinary Levels, she started her initial training as a nurse, overcame the obstacles of prejudice and discrimination as a young black woman to become a Senior Leader within the National Health Service. During The AHC 2019 she shared her incredible story with us all.

We explore the stories and people behind the hospitality news of investment, development and operations. This week Katherine Doggrell caught up with Adam Hamadache, Founder & CEO at DHM who will be hosting a roundtable at our upcoming The AHC Reimagined titled "Returning to Profitability". Adam & Katherine dive into the world of distribution with insight into how owners & operators can regain control of their distribution channels. Not to be missed! register here to secure your place and start networking.

As the hospitality market returns, how can hoteliers ensure their business become profitable again? How to innovate to drive operational efficiencies, as well as squeezing every ancillary revenue out of a property.  Julia Wyss, Associate Director of Hotel Investment Properties at CBRE Hotels moderates this panel of Susan Bland, Managing Director at RBH Hospitality Management; Al Karim Nathoo, Managing Director of 4C Hotel Group and Stuart Symes, VP Franchise Operations at Accor Northern Europe.

Don't miss a thing! We've pulled together a snapshot of the best from The AHC, a taster of the many hours of full sessions which are all available on demand here. Yes its been a difficult year for hospitality, the industry has been shaken like never before. We came together earlier this month in a broadcasting studio with some of the industry's finest, to hear how they have navigated through this changing environment with a cautious but optimistic view to the future. These leaders and innovators have demonstrated that there are opportunities to diversify, rebuild and review your business in preparation to come out the other side.  We've got you. We want to support the people who have supported us while the industry adapts. Find out about our solidarity package over here, where you can learn and be inspired by the content from our first virtual event. Hosted by Alexi Khajavi and Jonathan Langston, including guests such as Deirdre Wells, CEO at Visit Kent, Keith Barr, CEO at IHG, Michael Grove at HotStats and Thomas Emmanuel, Director at STR. 

The AHC Advisory Board assembled, for the second time this year, to discuss the world we now find ourselves in. Participants included representatives from independent owner/operators, international brands, extended stay, DMOs, developers, funders, landlords and advisors, and unsurprisingly the experiences of the last 127 days varied significantly.

Alexi Khajavi and Katherine Doggrell review just a few of the hot topics that you will find at The AHC Reimagined: Returning to Profitability; Distribution and OTAs and The New UK Investment Landscape.  How can owners & operators wrestle back control of their distribution channels? When will we see transactions? Register here to secure your place for our upcoming event.

Now the impact of COVID-19 has now been felt across the economy for months, how are investors' views on the market evolving? Do investment strategies remain unchanged? Will financing models evolve? Will new opportunities emerge from the crisis? How to invest in recovery?

We caught up with Keith Barr backstage at The AHC Reimagined to capture the sentiment of the event. Keith highlights the importance of the sector coming together as an industry, working together through this challenging time, inspiring growth and innovation throughout the supply chain and advocating to governments one voice and getting back to those record breaking occupancies seen before this crisis.  Don't miss Keith in the hot seat with BBC's chief correspondent Gavin Hewitt.

“Now is the time for people to prove that they are customer centric and win their guest back, long term, not short term” Diane Scott, Senior Hotel Consultant at Katten Muchin Rosenman told Hospitality Insights.

Ahead of his keynote at The AHC Reimagined, polar explorer and TED speaker Ben Saunders shares his thoughts on leadership, the importance of self-belief, and how 2020 is not that different from Antarctica.

As HotStats Managing Director Michael Grove's session discusses that while "UK open hotels have a lower labour cost than closed hotels in the US & Middle East" right now, is this sustainable?

Emily Newman caught up with John Ashcroft just after his session at The AHC Reimagined to chat about reconnecting with the sector. John discusses the importance of connection and exchanging information within the industry and how the world has adapted to a more digital approach. "You cannot get away from that person to person contact" which he sees as one of the key drivers of recovery for 2021. You can catch John's full session from The AHC Reimagined, the Economic Outlook, here.  John Ashcroft founder, CEO and author of The Saturday Economist presented a thorough overview of the economic outlook in the UK and also globally - all without the aid of a script or slides. We couldn't believe it either. Join us now to learn and be inspired. 

We reconnected with the AHC Advisory Board to discuss how they navigated through the chaos and the plans they are making for the future. Watch as we lean into our UK hospitality connections to hear the views and opinions of those who form the backbone of our AHC event. 

Who will be left out in the cold - the tenant the owner or the lender? This week Alexi Khajavi & Katherine Doggrell discuss the relationship of the lender, owner and tenant, one of the key topics at the upcoming AHC Reimagined event. Katherine catches up with Diane Scott, Senior Hotels Consultant at Katten Muchin Rosenman who will be moderating this session on the 8th October. Diane describes hospitality as one of the worst hit sectors right now which desperately needs Government support.  If you are keen to hear more from Diane and the team on this topic, register now to secure your place and start networking. 

The COVID crisis has put the relations between lender, owner and tenant under strain, possibly compromising the future of many hotels. Who will make the first move to help solve the situation? Will deferred payments help, or is government support the only solution and in what shape? Diane Scott, Senior Hotel Consultant at Katten moderates this session with CEO of Gullwing Hospitality, Lionel Benjamin and Stephen Welch, Senor Relationship Manager Hotel Finance at Bank Leumi UK plc. 

Simon French of Panamure Gordon & Co discusses the economic overview. 

Katten's Senior Hotel Consultant and AHC regular speaker Diane Scott, took us through how it felt to be back at The AHC. The importance of showing solidarity with the sector and how resilient it has been throughout the crisis, encouraging her peers to experience hotels and to "get the show back on the road".  If you haven't quite caught up with all of the content from The AHC Reimagined, Diane moderated the session "Ending the Standoff: Managing the Lender-Owner-Tenant Relationship" at The AHC Reimagined where asked all the right questions to Bank Leumi's Senior Relationship Manager of Hotel Finance, Stephen Welch and Gullwing Hospitality's CEO Lionel Benjamin including the risks and benefits of hybrid lease models from both perspectives. 

You are warmly invited to join us to reconnect with colleagues, peers and contacts across the UK Hospitality sector, absorb a rich programme of quality content and utilise meeting software, powered by AI, that facilitates 1:1 networking that is both meaningful and valuable. We look forward to your company at The AHC Reimagined and invite you to register here. If you’re still in any doubt, here’s Jonathan Langston, co-founder of The AHC and Emily Newman having a natter about why it’s going to be superb……

Join us this week as Alexi Khajavi & Katherine Doggrell discuss the relationship of the lender, owner and tenant, one of the key topics at the upcoming AHC Reimagined event. Katherine catches up with Diane Scott, Senior Hotels Consultant at Katten Muchin Rosenman who will be moderating this session on the 8th October.  If you are keen to hear more from Diane and the team on this topic, register now to secure your place and start networking.

Ben Harper, Group Managing Director at Watergate Bay Hotel in conversation with Emily Newman, Content & Communications Manager at AHC Reimagined, discussing being on the front line of hotel operations during the pandemic and the steps the business have taken to move forward with cautious optimism. 

Ravi Kathuria of Talash Hotels Group speaks with Alexi Khajavi

Michael Grove joined us after his presentation at The AHC Reimagined to tell us about what it was like being back at an event, reconnecting and networking with peers in the industry.  He highlights the importance of knowing your product and customer and using both your experience and the right data to get through the other side of this crisis  As Managing Director at HotStats, Michael presented the session "Mining the Data: Measuring Profitability". He took us though a realistic analysis of hotel performance in the UK and a look to the future. If you missed this you can watch it on demand now. 

Hands up who is utterly bored of Zoom? Begone the bookshelf backgrounds, dismiss the dodgy internet connections and eradicate the interruptions. We are thrilled to launch The AHC Reimagined. So what’s changed? Nothing has changed. The AHC Reimagined will still be an industry leading event with content that commits to help you learn, network and be inspired and provides networking and meeting opportunities to reunite and enhance your business. We look forward to your company at The AHC Reimagined and invite you to register here. If you’re still in any doubt, here’s Jonathan Langston, co-founder of The AHC and Emily Newman having a natter about why it’s going to be superb……

Katherine Doggrell discusses the relationship of the lender, owner and tenant, one of the key topics at the upcoming AHC Reimagined event with Diane Scott, Senior Hotels Consultant at Katten Muchin Rosenman. Diane describes hospitality as one of the worst hit sectors right now, where all parties are struggling and having difficult conversations, the industry desperately needs more Government support. If you are keen to hear more from Diane and the team on this topic, register now to secure your place and start networking at the AHC Reimagined. 

Polar explorer Ben Saunders’s incredible feats of endurance challenge conventional wisdom and prove what can be accomplished through ambition, passion, and a refusal to quit. Drawing from his experience, Ben gives an inspiring talk on recovery, thinking differently and looking at the essential tools to drive your team forward in difficult times.

Lionel Benjamin, CEO at Gullwing Hospitality remarks how fun it was to reconnect, in person, at The AHC Reimagined last month as well as the importance of getting back into hotels and leading by example that it is safe to do so. "Now is the time to really push staycations and explore the UK again". Lionel Joined Diane Scott and Stephen Welch for the session "Ending the Standoff: Managing the Lender-Owner-Tenant Relationship", which you can watch on demand here. Lionel discussed the hybrid lease model, supporting the owners and tenants with a more innovative and sustainable model as seen proposed to the Travelodge group

We explore the stories and people behind the hospitality news of investment, development and operations. The hospitality industry is moving at a pace we have never seen before which makes it more important than ever to come together, share information, and discuss the shape of the future. This week we welcome a member of our AHC Advisory Board Ben Harper, Managing Director from Watergate Bay and Another Space to discuss how they are operating with "measured caution but pushing forward with confidence."  And don't miss the latest video with Alexi Khajavi & Katherine Doggrell to get the latest developments from the hospitality global operators.  Have you registered for The AHC Reimagined event?

This week Alexi Khajavi and Katherine Doggrell discuss one of the hot topics to be covered at the upcoming AHC Reimagined, "Ending the Standoff: Managing the Lender-Owner-Tenant Relationship" and what lies beneath Airbnb's IPO filing. Subscribe here to get the full story. 

What can be said of the status of the UK hotel industry, and what questions still remain? Hospitality Insight's Editor in Chief, Katherine Doggrell, shares her opinions, crystal-ball predictions and nuggets of wisdom in a not-to-be-missed monologue.

What does reconnecting mean for the hospitality sector? That feeling of being in a room together, bouncing off each other's energy. The ability to share ideas and collaborate has accelerated during the crisis. Wyss foresees long term opportunities through maintaining that close collaboration and exploring all ideas across the wider team.  Julia Wyss, Associate Director of Hotel Investment Properties at CBRE Hotels moderated the panel "Returning to Profitability: Operational Efficiencies and New Revenue Opportunities" at The AHC Reimagined just a few weeks ago where she explored exactly what it has taken for operators to keep doors open during the crisis and that there is no such thing as a bad idea. If you haven't seen it yet, prepare to be inspired.  Julia was joined by her panel: Susan Bland, Managing Director at RBH Hospitality Management; Al Karim Nathoo, Managing Director of 4C Hotel Group and Stuart Symes, VP Franchise Operations at Accor Northern Europe. Watch the full session on demand here. 

Economist John Ashcroft shares his thoughts on economic recovery, governmental policy and the travel and real estate markets in the UK, ahead of his keynote in The AHC Reimagined.

Join Adam Hamadache on the 8th October to LEARN The Latest Digital Techniques For Driving Bookings Direct - A virtual roundtable to look at pricing technique and using Google and much more.

Are sustainability commitments going to be relegated to the back of investors and operators' concerns following the Covid crisis? This roundtable discusses sustainability initiatives, how to measure them, embedding ESG goals in investment proposals, associated costs and more.

We asked Deirdre what it was like to reconnect with her peers in hospitality at The AHC Reimagined last month. "Its the networking that you miss, as an industry we have been doing really well to stay connected but hats off to AHC for trying something different" and that as an industry we are very good at sharing ideas and best practice, and we can always learn from each other. "Keep calm and keep investing because next year it will be better!" Deirdre Wells, CEO of Visit Kent joined Peter Hancock, Chief Executive at Pride of Britain Hotels and Hubert Viriot, CEO at YOTEL for their session "Re-Thinking Hospitality to Shape a New Normal" at The AHC Reimagined last month. Not to be missed, you can view on demand here.

John Ashcroft is Founder, CEO and Author of The Saturday Economist. In a Q&A ahead of his keynote at The AHC Reimagined, he shares his thoughts on economic recovery, governmental policy and the travel and real estate markets in the UK. In this first extract, John discusses the economic landscape and the government’s response.

Polar explorer Ben Saunders’s incredible feats of endurance challenge conventional wisdom and prove what can be accomplished through ambition, passion, and a refusal to quit. Drawing from his experience, Ben will give an inspiring talk on recovery, thinking differently and getting difficult things done!  Not to be missed, register now. 

Adam Hamadache, CEO at DHM leads this roundtable providing insight into driving bookings direct, regaining control of their distribution channels and driving business forward. 

"A moment with Thomas Emanuel" as he takes us through how he remains optimistic and confident in the sector and why it was good to be back at an event. He comments that "people want to travel, they want to meet and that won't go away". He also adds that the crisis has provided an opportunity of recognition for it's overall contribution to the economy. We caught up with Thomas, Director at STR, after his session at The AHC Reimagined last month when he presented "Checking the Data: Hotel Performance and Forecasts". Don't forget you can still watch his session on demand over here.

John Ashcroft is Founder, CEO and Author of The Saturday Economist. In a Q&A ahead of his keynote in The AHC Reimagined, he shares his thoughts on economic recovery, governmental policy and the travel and real estate markets in the UK. In this second extract, John discusses the performance of the travel market and of the real estate market in the UK.

Your AHC Reimagined hosts, Alexi Khajavi and Jonathan Langston, are here to remind you who you can connect with at our event next week to Learn, Network and Be Inspired.

Serviced apartments and extended stay have fared better than hotels during the Covid-19 crisis, cementing their value in the hospitality market. This interactive session will look into the opportunities in the market.

We were lucky to catch a moment with Ben Harper after his session at The AHC Reimagined. Although he missed the live audience he said it was really good fun, good to be back at an event that he had missed hugely. "Now is the time to come together and help and support each other through it - this is a good forum as any to network and connect, we must keep talking." The future of lifestyle brands in the UK is very positive and the demand to travel remains.  Don't miss Ben's full session "In Conversation with a British Hotelier" with Emily Newman, available on demand now. 

John Ashcroft is Founder, CEO and Author of The Saturday Economist. In a Q&A ahead of his keynote in The AHC Reimagined, he shares his thoughts on economic recovery, governmental policy and the travel and real estate markets in the UK. In this final extract, John shares his views on the potential  economic outlook in the UK.

In this week's episode, Alexi Khajavi and Katherine Doggrell address job losses and diversity in the sector. Our guest this week is Chris Mumford, Founder of Cervus Leadership Consulting, who describes the outlook as pretty bleak right now but also sheds light on the opportunities that may lie within the road to recovery through empowering and repositioning the talent that remains.  Chris Mumford will be joining us on the 8th October hosting a Careers Roundtable where he will be discussing "How to (re)position yourself in the current environment". This interactive roundtable will look at tools and tips to assess your skills, position or reposition yourself for the next move in your hospitality career.  You can find out more and register here. 

How will hotels adapt, change and respond to a world where there are no certainties? Discuss COVID- and future-proof design trends. Sponsored by ICA

AHC Glasgow Roundtable Wrap Up

Peter Hancock explained what it was like to be back at our AHC event, The AHC Reimagined.  By nature the hospitality industry loves to network with each other and learn from each other. There is pent up demand to engage with people there has huge impact on a lot of people, there is still a wonderful opportunity to capitalise on the staycation market.  Have you seen Peter's session with Deirdre Wells and Hubert Viriot? If not, catch it on demand here. "Re-Thinking Hospitality to Shape a New Normal"

Supporting each other, providing great hospitality and promoting staycations: Peter Hancock, Chief Executive of Pride of Britain, shares his thoughts on the UK hotel market ahead of his participation to The AHC Reimagined on 8th October.

Alexi Khajavi and Katherine Doggrell address job losses and diversity in the sector this week. This week's guest Chris Mumford, Founder of Cervus Leadership Consulting, describes the outlook as pretty bleak right now but also sheds light on the opportunities that may lie within the road to recovery through empowering and repositioning the talent that remains.  You can catch Chris Mumford on the 8th October hosting a Careers Roundtable. Click here to find out more and register. 

An interactive session to discuss how to optimise management and franchise contracts to meet all stakeholders' needs, particularly in light of this year's experience of managing the Covid-19 crisis.

"Reshaping, regenerating, reinventing!" Alexi Khajavi & Jonathan Langston, reconnected with the industry on the 8th and 9th October in the shape of The AHC Reimagined to LEARN, NETWORK and BE INSPIRED as we have in previous years at The AHC. But this time in a new format: a virtual experience in a professional studio with virtual roundtables and a networking platform. Yes it has been "abysmal", but as the leaders in the industry look to the future, adapting to the new landscape, we seem to be heading in the right direction.

Visionary Hotelier, Claire White speaks at AHC 2019. 

Robert Alley, COO at Roomzzz Aparthotels joined Katherine Doggrell last week to discuss how the pandemic has affected their organisation and expansion plans.  An example of a company who have managed to retain some healthy occupancy levels and perhaps a bright spot during the difficult results season we are hearing about elsewhere. Roomzzz supported the NHS initiative during the height of the pandemic and went after the the extended stay side of their business. "The beauty of aparthotels is that we could do something that hotels couldn't, offer a solution which people still needed" averaging a 70% - 75% occupancy through lockdown and sustained these numbers ever since.  Robert foresees the extended stay sector to remain strong despite the loss of the leisure market due to lockdown restrictions.  The lease structure is something they have discussed with their landlord through open dialogue however he describes the need for a convergence of healthy lease models such as hybrid leases that work for all stakeholders. If you missed our weekly In Focus episode, catch up here now. 

Ian Burleigh, Executive Chairman of ICA Architects shares his thoughts on design and architecture trends in the UK hotel market ahead of his participation to The AHC Reimagined on 8th October.

IHG CEO Keith Barr shares his thoughts on hospitality and planning for the future of a radically different hospitality market with former BBC Chief Correspondent Gavin Hewitt, an expert in covering global shocks and leadership.

Chris Mumford, Founder of Cervus Leadership Consulting, describes the outlook as pretty bleak right now but also sheds light on the opportunities that may lie within the road to recovery through empowering and repositioning the talent that remains.

The Annual Hotel Conference (AHC) 2020 Advisory Board took place earlier this month, at the newly opened nhow Hotel, London. The 190-room hotel opened in summer 2019 under NH Hotel Group’s design and lifestyle brand and is the second property in the UK for the company. Under the theme ‘London Reloaded’, the design combines traditional British icons with unconventional contemporary elements.

The AHC Reimagined was the first of its kind: a hybrid, with live interaction and a studio setting. As the world changed, we adapted. We brought the industry together in a hybrid conference setting, elevating the virtual event through a polished studio experience.  The virtual program, featuring some of the industry’s top speakers including Keith Barr, CEO, IHG, Desmond Taljaard, Managing Director – Hotels, London & Regional Properties, Hubert Viriot, CEO, Yotel, and Peter Hancock, Chief Executive, Pride of Britain Hotels. The event was streamed to an audience of 650 hoteliers, investors, owners, operators, managers, designers, architects, consultants and more, alongside a series of topical breakout roundtables, 1:1 pre-scheduled meetings, impromptu networking, and a closing drinks reception with live music courtesy of a house band. Over 3,400 meeting and chat exchanges were made and 600 meetings took place. Find out how we brought the industry together to learn, network and be inspired in a reimagined way. 

LEARN, NETWORK, BE INSPIRED at The AHC Reimagined event with 30 respected industry speakers sharing knowledge and future plans from our professional broadcast studio. A chance for the industry to come together and enjoy outstanding content, to connect and meet new peers using our AI powered matchmaking, 1:1 video meetings, live session chat and virtual roundtables Connect with our sponsors in their virtual booths to see how they can help you achieve your business objectives. Register here to start scheduling your meetings now.

We hear from John Ashcroft, Founder, CEO, Author of The Saturday Economist.. What now? When shall we expect recovery, bounce or recession? What are the time frames? How will COVID and Brexit impact the already stressed economy?