This Week in Hospitality

This week, the crew kicks things off with the $100 fee hike for international visitors to U.S. national parks and what it means for gateway towns, hotel owners, and the broader appeal of “America’s best idea.” Will higher fees thin crowds, crush small operators, or just change how and where travelers spend? From there, we zoom out to the rebirth of human-led travel planning as luxury travelers get paralyzed by endless options and start seeking out high-touch, in-person advisors and “travel boutiques” instead of yet another AI-generated itinerary. Finally, we dig into the corporate wellness boom: why companies are swapping fluorescent-lit ballrooms for nature-immersed retreats, cold plunges, and sleep-optimized stays—and how savvy hotels are repositioning themselves as performance and reset hubs, not just places to crash. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at alliance.journey.com. Key Topics & Timestamps Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 16:14 — Story #1: $100 fee hike for international visitors to U.S. national parks 28:18 — Story #2: The Return of the Travel Agency? Why Luxury Escapes’ High-End Boutiques Are Booming 38:46 — Best Social Media Posts of the Week 56:24 — Story #3: Corporate Wellness Travel Going Mainstream 47:20 — "Spice of the Week" Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/    Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/   Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uniquestaysguy/   Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

A big week of structural shifts in travel and hospitality. Capital One moves to acquire Hopper’s installed software and hire key hotel and engineering teams — signaling a deeper push into owning the traveler journey. The team explores the LuxUrban collapse which predates the Sondor fall out but has an eerily similar story. And Google announces that hotel and flight bookings are coming directly into AI Mode, collapsing research and booking into a single conversational experience. We break down what these moves mean for distribution, loyalty, hotel operators, and the future relationship between brands, banks, and big tech. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at alliance.journey.com. Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 03:10 — Story #1: Capital One Set to Acquire Hopper Travel Software 15:22 — Story #2: Yet Another Hospitality Company Files For Bankruptcy: LuxUrban 30:34 — Story #3: Hotel and flight bookings are coming to Google's AI Mode 44:30 — "Spice of the Week" Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/    Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/   Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uniquestaysguy/   Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

In this episode of This Week in Hospitality, Zach Busekrus sits down with Scott Eddy, Ben Wolff, and Edwin Kramer to break down three major stories reshaping the travel and hospitality world. From Chase’s surprising 2026 travel and dining predictions, to Virgin Hotels’ sudden CEO transition, to Hilton’s sweeping overhaul of its Honors loyalty program — this week offers big questions, bold moves, and signals that could redefine strategy across the industry. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at alliance.journey.com. Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 03:27 — Story #1: Chase Travel/Dining Predictions + Sapphire Reserve Events for 2026 20:13 — Story #2: Virgin Hotels' search for new CEO is underway 34:50 — Story #3: Hilton Overhauls Loyalty Program 47:51 — "Spice of the Week" Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/    Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/   Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uniquestaysguy/   Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

In this episode of This Week in Hospitality, Zach Busekrus sits down with Scott Eddy, Ben Wolff, and Edwin Kramer to unpack three major stories dominating the travel and hospitality world. From Sonder’s dramatic collapse following Marriott’s termination, to Hilton’s launch of the Outset Collection, to Airbnb’s bold embrace of hotels — this was one of the most consequential weeks the industry has seen in years. The team brings perspectives spanning global travel, hotel development, luxury operations, and hospitality tech. Fast-paced, unfiltered, and deeply informed — this is the weekly breakdown every hotelier, operator, developer, and investor should be listening to. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at alliance.journey.com. Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Introductions & why this podcast exists 09:12 — Story #1: Sonder × Marriott partnership collapses 17:08 — Ben’s take: STR brand value & commodity product problem 23:45 — Marriott, scale, loyalty, and future brand strategy 25:47 — Story #2: Hilton launches The Outset Collection 33:50 — Owner perspective: data, flag strategies, ROI trade-offs 39:01 — Independents vs. major flags: the next 10 years 42:11 — Story #3: Airbnb officially welcomes hotels 45:42 — Airbnb’s evolution into a hospitality ecosystem 50:51 — Does Airbnb need a total rebrand? 54:00 — “Back to hospitality roots” debate 54:53 — Wrap-up & what’s coming next Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/    Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/   Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uniquestaysguy/   Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

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 hospitality brands. You’ll get more than just headlines — you’ll get perspective. Each episode breaks down the week’s most compelling hospitality stories and explores what they really mean for independent hotel owners, boutique brands, and experiential travel entrepreneurs. From brand strategy and design trends to tech disruption and capital markets, This Week in Hospitality keeps you informed, inspired, and ready for what’s next. So grab your morning coffee, and catch up on the stories that matter — before your guests check in. New episodes every Friday morning. Ben Wolff Ben Wolff is the visionary founder behind Onera, a trailblazing landscape hotel brand in the Texas Hill Country, and Oasi, a next-generation management company pioneering experiential hospitality. Known for pushing the boundaries of design, wellness, and guest immersion, Ben has become a leading voice in the evolution of high-end, nature-driven travel experiences. His work sits at the intersection of architecture, emotion, and environment — redefining what modern luxury feels like in the wild. Scott Eddy Scott Eddy is one of the world’s most recognized hospitality voices — a global keynote speaker, digital strategist, and content creator who has partnered with hundreds of luxury hotel brands, tourism boards, and travel startups. Named among the top travel influencers worldwide, Scott brings a rare blend of brand storytelling expertise, social strategy, and on-the-ground hospitality experience, offering a panoramic view of how digital connection drives modern guest loyalty. Edwin Kramer A hospitality executive with a pedigree forged at the world’s leading luxury hotels, Edwin has held senior leadership roles with brands like Four Seasons, EDITION, and W Hotels across multiple continents. Known for operational excellence and cultural leadership, Edwin has built and managed five-star teams that deliver some of the most lauded guest experiences in the industry. Today, he brings that global lens to the conversations shaping hospitality’s future — where service, innovation, and storytelling converge. Zach Busekrus Zach is on the founding team of Journey, a next-generation loyalty and storytelling platform empowering independent hotels and vacation rental brands to compete globally without losing their soul. He’s also the creator and host of Behind the Stays, one of the fastest-growing podcasts in hospitality, where he’s interviewed the visionaries behind some of the world’s most creative stays. With a decade in growth strategy and marketing, Zach brings a founder’s curiosity and contagious optimism to every conversation — always championing the builders shaping the future of independent hospitality. This Week in Hospitality is brought to you by Journey — an AI-powered loyalty platform redefining the future of how the world's top independent hospitality brands engage with their guests. Learn more at Journey.com.