Market Trends

🥣 Michelin starred chef Stéphane Décotterd offers a healthy trout recipe from Le Bistro at Maison Décotterd on Glion campus. The trout, sourced from Chamby, is steamed using a unique technique between two plates. The recipe serves 4, with ingredients like 250g fish stock, 250g full cream, 100g hazelnut kernels, and vegetable garnish including 1 broccoli and 1 small leek. Oven temperature is set to 160°C for roasting hazelnuts, and cooking time for trout is 4-5 minutes.

🌎 Ben McCormick, a features writer for The Insider, seized the chance to visit Casa Arsha, a sustainable retreat in Mexico run by Glion alumni Raisha Gargari and Arnaud Quiska. Traveling via British Airways Boeing 777 to Cancún International Airport, he then diverted from the usual tourist path to Mérida, Yucatán’s state capital, by boarding the new Tren Maya railway. Casa Arsha offers an escape from urban life and is evolving from an Airbnb model to a boutique hotel due to challenges in maintaining luxury service standards. The retreat is solar-powered with plans to install a wind turbine, and the owners are also expanding their landholdings in anticipation of growing tourist demand. Nearby attractions include seafood restaurants, a cenote, Mayan ruins, and the vibrant city of Mérida.

🌸 Sakura season celebrated in Japan signifies renewal, peace, and friendship, typically occurring between March and April. Tokyo's Ueno Park is a prime viewing location. The Hotel New Otani Tokyo offers proximity to cherry blossoms with a 400-year-old Japanese Garden. Amanemu resort in Ago Bay provides an exclusive onsen experience alongside cultural activities. Gora Kadan in Hakone offers traditional Japanese hospitality with hot springs and kaiseki meals. Sushi Shin by Miyakawa in the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo allows guests to interact with chefs and features ancient woodwork techniques. Wellness trends like head spas, exemplified by Hitotoki Head Spa, offer relaxation and treatments for head and soul. Hospitality careers in Japan require skills such as interpersonal communication, multicultural understanding, organizational proficiency, customer service excellence, and leadership abilities. Hospitality degrees from institutions like Glion can pave the way for success in the industry.

🏢 Luxury industry customers pay $15,000 for an Hermès bag for the feeling, not practicality. The luxury sector faces challenges with generational shifts, such as less brand loyalty among GenZ. To engage new consumers, luxury brands build communities and use storytelling. Hermès' HermèsFit gym toured internationally, including the US, Japan, Singapore, France, and China, blending fitness with fashion. Luxury brands also aim to enhance in-store and online customer experience to turn customers into brand ambassadors. Miriam Palà, with a decade of Customer Experience expertise, emphasizes empathy, shared corporate responsibility, and employee autonomy to succeed in Customer Experience strategies.

🌳 Oliver Heath collaborated with Forest Holidays, applying biophilic design at Glentress Forest to enhance the guest experience through a connection to nature. The Unfurl Collection features natural materials and layouts to promote well-being. Biophilic design, reflecting a location's ecological identity, aligns with the wellness trend in hospitality, a $651 billion market. This project, unique for its reflection of local ecology and B-Corp alignment, offers luxury hospitality insights on creating immersive nature-connected experiences.

📌 Leigh Silkunas, Founder and CEO of 1AX Consulting, was featured on the Hospitality Daily Podcast on Feb. 6, 2025. In the episode, she recounted her hospitality journey, from her early passion to her shift from revenue management to digital marketing. Silkunas highlighted the importance of mentorship, career development, and adapting to change. Her firm has supported over 500 hotels in enhancing their digital presence. The podcast episode offers insights for hospitality professionals looking to improve their skills and business approaches.

🏡 Mademoiselle Conciergerie doubled its portfolio value in 2024 by leveraging the eviivo property management system. Annual revenues soared from €470,000 in 2023 to over €1.2 million in 2024, with nearly 2,000 reservations. Direct bookings hit 40%, thanks to eviivo's financial insights. The company, founded in 2022, manages 25 luxury villas across a 250 km region in Languedoc-Roussillon, France. Co-founders Laetitia Denux and Erwann Deverdun offer bespoke stays, including services like private chefs and activities.

🏦 Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced the franchise agreement with Loughview Leisure Group for DoubleTree by Hilton Belfast City Ten Square. The hotel will undergo a multimillion refurbishment before opening later this year. Situated in Belfast's Linen Quarter, it's 11 minutes from George Best Belfast City Airport and 30 from Belfast International Airport. The property features 131 rooms and suites, several dining options including The Linen Bar, The Doffer, Jospers Steakhouse, and The Loft Lounge rooftop bar. Belfast houses over 1,000 international companies and saw £672 million from overseas tourism in 2023. This expansion follows other Hilton signings in Northern Ireland. Hilton Honors members get direct booking benefits.