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/