Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Years ago, while managing food and beverage at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, the narrator was approached by a prominent leader in Louis Vuitton about creating a restaurant concept, an idea initially dismissed. Later, as President of Louis Vuitton in China, the concept resurfaced but faced skepticism due to retail economics. As e-commerce grew, traditional stores…

The hospitality industry is increasingly focused on naming travel trends, such as Hilton’s “hushpitality” from its 2026 Trends Report. Despite new travel terms, the industry faces staffing issues, with 65% of hotels short-staffed in 2024. Guest-services hours per room decreased in 2025, impacting service quality. J.D. Power’s 2026 study shows guest satisfaction improves with better…

The McKinsey & Company article highlights a shift in the airline industry where affluent vacationers are increasingly opting for premium cabin seats, traditionally favored by corporate travelers. This trend is significantly boosting airline profitability. The article underscores the growing impact of premium leisure travel on airline economics, reflecting a broader change in consumer preferences and…

Marriott experienced a decline in corporate room nights last quarter, while room rates increased, resulting in revenue growth through rate hikes. Corporate revenue rose by 4% for Host Hotels, primarily driven by rate increases. In contrast, Hilton saw growth in both occupancy and rate. Projections for higher room nights were made when travel was increasing,…

On August 13, 2026, Agoda launched a chat assistant on its app’s room-selection page, designed to simplify booking by recommending rooms based on user preferences. The assistant, which highlights a “Best pick,” remains opaque about its selection criteria. While similar to Expedia’s machine-learning recommendations launched in 2023, which shifted bookings by 4.1% to premium rooms,…