FNA 209: The Drinking Labbe
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Ryan Labbe owns and operates numerous restaurants in bars in Vegas including Rosina Cocktail Lounge at Venetian, voted one of the “best bars in Las Vegas” by Condé Nast Traveler. Glenn, Craig and Doctor Producer Suzanne ruin it all during tonight's weekend kickoff Happy Hour. How this
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How Travel + Leisure Co Builds Loyalty With Margaritaville and Sports Illustrated
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Travel + Leisure Co turns Margaritaville and Sports Illustrated into something owners feel after the trip ends: access, events, and reasons to come back. At the ARDA Spring Conference, I talked with Louis Acosta, SVP Sports, Entertainment, Event Marketing and Sales at Travel + Leisure Co, about how the company uses brand DNA to build demand—and why that matters when budgets tighten. 🏝️ Margaritaville Vacation Club leans hard into the experience at Rio Mar, then points to Orlando as the next move 🏟️ Sports Illustrated Resorts uses sports + culinary events to keep the brand...
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Westgate Resorts: The Experience Strategy Driving Demand
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More than 40% of Westgate’s new timeshare buyers are millennials. I talked with Jared Saft, COO of Westgate Resorts, at ARDA’s Spring Conference in Las Vegas about why younger buyers want space, kitchens, and togetherness—and how Westgate drives demand with differentiated experiences. 👥 Buyer shift: Jared says millennials make up 40%+ of new buyers 🏠 Product fit: kitchens, multiple bedrooms, multiple TVs, and space for groups 🎢 Experience strategy: Chuck E. Cheese, a mystery fun house theme park, and a Florida dude ranch with glamping 🏟️ Group demand matters: Westgate fills...
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The Procurement Playbook Behind Luxury Guest Experience
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Luxury guests feel the difference in the details, and procurement decides many of those details. I talked with Denis Klurfeld, SVP of Procurement for Luxury & Lifestyle at Accor, about how procurement shapes the luxury guest experience, balances standards with local authenticity, and protects long-term owner value. 🛏️ He treats sleep as non-negotiable because it anchors the brand promise 🍽️ He gives properties more flexibility in culinary and amenities so hotels keep local authenticity 🧩 He builds frameworks instead of constraints: standards build trust, local choices build...
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Revenue-Share Digital Signage: Add Sponsor Income Without Upfront Spend
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During the recently held AAHOACON, I talked with Andrew Russo from AAHOA and Tony Hodgins, Regional General Manager with Legends Global, which operates the Pennsylvania Convention Center, about their digital signage partnership with Xpodigital. 🖥️ Revenue share puts the screens in place without upfront capital, then pays out from sold sponsor inventory ⏱️ AAHOA added a sponsor two days before the show and still got them on the screens 🚶 Screens drive foot traffic by placing sponsor brands at key entry points 🧑💻 Zachary Italian from Xpodigital stays on site full-time to...
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Timeshare Buyers Shift Younger: 73% Are Gen Z and Millennials
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Jason Gamel, President and CEO of ARDA, says vacation ownership holds up because owners lock in costs and plan differently than hotel-only travelers. I talked with Jason at ARDA’s spring conference in Las Vegas about tech, buyer trends, and what investors should watch in timeshare right now. 🤖 Jason says the conference puts a big spotlight on tech and where different companies sit in their AI journey 🧳 My “oh wow” moment: more space and a kitchen changes the entire trip for groups and families 📈 Jason points to strong occupancy, including a Marriott Vacations Worldwide outlook...
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Mohegan Sun Marketing: How a Casino Resort Personalizes Loyalty Fast
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During the recently held DUETTO PERFORM, I interviewed Jesse Sturges, Director of Strategic Marketing at Mohegan Sun, about how one of the world’s largest casino resorts uses loyalty, influencers, and faster recognition to connect guests to tailored experiences. 🎸 Mohegan Sun marks 30 years at the property and 25 years for the arena, with Metallica booked for two nights 📣 Jesse uses influencers as a real growth lever, including slot influencers from New England and Vegas 🧠 Jesse focuses on motivation: who guests follow, what they respond to, and how to connect them to tailored...
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86K New Rooms vs 350K Renovations: What Hotel Suppliers Need to Know
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Renovations and conversions are about to outpace new builds by a lot — and that changes who suppliers should sell to. Glenn Haussman talks with Bruce Ford, SVP at Lodging Econometrics, in Las Vegas while Choice Hotels International’s convention and HD Expo run in the same building. 🔁 Transactions drive conversions: trading hotels unlocks renovation + repositioning decisions 🏗️ Bruce puts numbers on it: about 86,000 new rooms vs about 350,000 renovated rooms this year 🏦 Expensive debt keeps new builds tough, while cash-flowing hotels still finance better 🧾 PIPs push...
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Choice Drops Elite Status to 5 Nights: What Owners Gain
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Choice’s loyalty refresh goes the opposite direction of most programs: easier to earn, easier to reach status, easier to redeem. During Choice Hotels International’s 70th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, I talked with Noha Abdalla, Chief Marketing Officer at Choice Hotels, about the Choice Privileges refresh, the Keegan-Michael Key campaign, and why owners should care. 🎭 Keegan-Michael Key helps Choice break through generic hotel marketing 💳 Choice Privileges changes: second + third stay bonuses, first elite tier at 5 nights (down from 10), plus a new Titanium top tier 🏈 Passion...
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Choice Hotels Controls 50% of Extended Stay New Builds: What That Means
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, Vice President & Segment Lead, Extended Stay at , says extended stay leads new hotel development right now, while conversions let owners move faster than new builds. I talked with Matt in Las Vegas about what Choice has in the pipeline, why conversions matter right now, and why he thinks extended stay still has a long runway. 🏗️ 2026 milestones: Choice expects the 600th extended stay to debut, the 300th , and the 30th 🏨 Choice share: Matt says Choice flags 50% of extended stay hotels under construction (WoodSpring + Everhome) ⏱️ Conversion window: roughly 3–6 months...
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