Next Gen in Lodging by CoStar News Hotels

In this year's annual Pride Month episode, Kimpton Hotel Wilshire General Manager Justin Henry joins host Chris Henry to discuss how Los Angeles' Kimpton properties thrived amid Pride events and how his own identity informs his travel expectations and experiences.

On the latest episode of the "Next Gen in Lodging" podcast, host Davonne Reaves chats with the people behind the Hospitality Creator Summit.

"Next Gen in Lodging" co-host Omari Head speaks to Gabrielle Johnson, manager of development planning and feasibility at Marriott International, on the latest episode of the podcast.

On the latest episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, host Davonne Reaves was joined by Rachel Vandenberg, a hotel owner and executive leadership coach who founded Accelerate Women Leaders in Travel, a professional development retreat in April for women in travel and Karie Brittano, co-CEO of Brittano Group, who's currently renovating a historic hotel as a part of Choice Hotel's SOAR (Supporting Ownership Access and Representation) program.

On the latest episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, hosts Chris Henry and Davonne Reaves were joined by Latino Restaurant Association's Lilly Rocha to discuss how the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency's raids have affected the hotel and restaurant industries.

In the last Next Gen in Lodging podcast episode of the year, the show's hosts Omari Head, Davonne Reaves and Chris Henry look back at this year and make their 2026 predictions.

In the latest episode of the Next Gen in Lodging Podcast, Calvin Stovall Jr. discusses his new book, "Hidden Hospitality: Untold Stories of Black Hotel, Motel, and Resort Owners from the Pioneer Days to the Civil Rights Era."

On the latest episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, Brian Barker, NYU professor and executive director of Ahead, discussed how his two programs aim to educate and grow careers in the hospitality industry.

Massimo Caruso joins host Chris Henry on the latest episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast to discuss his life and career in the hotel industry.

Ramel Lee, managing partner at RD Lee Capital Partners, shares his hotel fund raise strategy on the recent episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast. 

In this Next Gen in Lodging podcast episode, Eternal Companies Damon Healey explains how he first got interested in hospitality early in his career and later became a hotel owner himself.

In this Pride Month episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, host Chris Henry and guests Erich Schwartzel, author and reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and Shawn Hoctor, chief financial officer for Life Properties International, discuss how the hotel industry has remained more committed to inclusion than other sectors.

In this Next Gen in Lodging podcast episode, the winners of this year's She Has a Deal college pitch contest talk about their winning project and their thoughts about joining the hospitality industry.

On this month's episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, hosts Chris Henry and Omari Head chat about the future of hospitality in higher education.

Crown Hospitality Consulting's Amanda Chivers and ABD Creative's Amy Draheim joined the Next Gen in Lodging podcast to discuss leading in the hospitality industry as a woman.

Next Gen in Lodging hosts Davonne Reaves and Omari Head remind hoteliers to not let the current political climate effect diversity, equity and inclusion in the hospitality industry.

Bruce and Kameko Burdine joined the Next Gen in Lodging podcast to discuss how they got into hotel ownership after starting with short-term rentals.

Wanderland's Alicia Zur-Szpiro and Saar Shai joined the Next Gen in Lodging podcast to talk about the inspiration behind their hospitality consultancy and how to market to the younger generations.

Kingsbury Financial's Tommy Beyer joined the Next Gen in Lodging podcast to discuss how networking through professional organizations helped him early on in his career in the hospitality industry.

Choice Hotels International's Ken Townsend, Jacquelyn Peterson and Marcus Thomas join host Omari Head to discuss how their company's SOAR program has sought to expand the pool of hotel owners to underrepresented groups like those who are black, Hispanic, native Americans, women or veterans.

On this episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, host Chris Henry speaks with Mauna Kea Beach Hotel's Kansas Henderson and Club Med's Sebastien Favre about how hotels can play a role in the prevention of overtourism.

In this episode of Next Gen in Lodging, host Davonne Reeves celebrates Black Business Month in a candid conversation with Dr. Amina James and Acquania Escarne, two of the partners in AJA Investments, about the lessons they learned and barriers they broke growing from passive hotel investors to general partners. 

On this episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, hosts Davonne Reaves and Omari Head recapped their experiences and takeaways from the recent National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers conference in Miami.

Host Davonne Reaves sits down with Kylie Chen from Twenty Four Seven Hotels, Jason Pirock from Springboard Hospitality and Christos Perakis from Zoottle to uncover the tactics and innovations driving success in hotel marketing, from leveraging digital platforms to harnessing the power of artificial intelligence. 

Next Gen in Lodging host Chris Henry speaks with developers Dave Jacoby and Will Moncrief on how they were able to get funding for their recent projects amid a tough lending environment.

In this episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, host Davonne Reaves talks with guests Ntxhi Song, a hotel broker, and Rachel Vandenberg, a hotel owner and leadership coach, about their unique journeys, challenges and triumphs as women in hospitality. 

In recognition of Black History Month, the latest episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast features a conversation with one of the most influential educators in hospitality at an historically black college or university. Guest Dr. Erinn Tucker Oluwole, chair of the hospitality and tourism management program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and host and hotel broker Omari Head share their insights, experiences, and visions for the future of diversity and inclusion in lodging.

NextGen In Lodging host Christopher Henry, CEO of Majestic Hospitality, guides an exploration of the intricate interplay between global affairs and the enchanting world of travel. Henry and guests Gus Gleiter and Leslie Boggess engage in a thought-provoking discussion on the impact of various global phenomena on travel experiences. The conversation delved into the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, unraveling how it reshaped travel norms, safety protocols and the essence of wanderlust. Civil unrests and geopolitical tensions were also in the spotlight, as the podcast explored their ramifications on travel patterns. The ripple effects of political instability, protests and diplomatic shifts were scrutinized, offering a comprehensive understanding of how global affairs directly influence the choices and behaviors of modern travelers. The podcast ventured into the aftermath of natural disasters that have shaken the world in recent years. From hurricanes to earthquakes, understand how these events have not only disrupted travel logistics but also spurred a reconsideration of sustainable and resilient travel practices.

In the latest episode of the Next Gen in Lodging Podcast, on the Hotel News Now Podcast Network, hosts Davonne Reaves, Omari Head and Chris Henry reflect on the past year and share their expectations for what's to come. 

In the latest episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, host Omari Head talks with co-host Davonne Reaves about Vesterr, her crowdfunding platform for commercial real estate investment, with a focus on hospitality, and how it is enabling hotel ownership particularly among aspiring Black hoteliers.

In the latest episode of the "Next Gen in Lodging" podcast, guest Daymain Smith, a founder and CEO of Atlanta, Georgia-based third-party hotel management firm Synergy Hospitality Group, shares insights into the challenges of hotel management and staffing with "Next Gen in Lodging" host Omari Head. 

In this episode of NextGen in Lodging, host Davonne Reaves talks with two marketing experts who are redefining the hotel industry marketing game. They discuss the evolution of hotel launches, from traditional methods to cutting-edge tactics that driving bookings.The guests share real-life case studies and success stories, shedding light on how data-driven insights are being used to tailor marketing campaigns to specific target demographics. Listeners will also gain insights into the importance of sustainability and conscious consumerism in the hotel industry, and how these values are being woven into marketing strategies.

In the latest episode of the Next Gen in Lodging Podcast, host Chris Henry reconnects with old friends Maxwell Terheggen and Harrison Hinton-Hardin to talk about shifting food-and-beverage trends in hospitality. Terheggen, now executive chef at Duck and Waffle in London, previously led menus for hotel operator Soho House. Hinton-Hardin, a guest services manager at Pacifica Hotels, has a background in and passion for wine.

In this episode, host Davonne Reaves has a conversation with Wyndham Hotels’ CJ Carr and Duke Ventures’ Amina Gilyard James on “Millennial Women Making History in Hospitality.”

In this episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, host Omari Head talks with Damon Lawrence, founder of Homage Hospitality and Stay Homage, a boutique hotel brand that celebrates Black culture. To mark Black History Month, the conversation centers on what Black culture contributes to the economy, particularly in the lodging space. Thanks for listening and visit Hotel News Now for the latest industry news every day.

In this episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, host Chris Henry has a conversation with guests Firas Turkmani, a director in capital advisory firm Ackman-Ziff’s hospitality division; and Adam Suleman, a principal at Equinox Hospitality, on the challenges of securing financing to buy, develop and renovate hotels through property improvement plans.

In the latest episode of the Next Gen in Lodging podcast, host Omari Head sits down at the Hotel Revival Baltimore with General Manager Donte Johnson and Jason Bass, the hotel’s director of culture and impact. The trio discuss how diversity, equity and inclusion is baked into the culture at the hotel – from the small things, like sourcing products for the hotel’s gift shop, to making guests feel seen and cared for, and hiring staff whose own diverse backgrounds, experience and culture help to make those decisions seamless.

Next Gen in Lodging Podcast host Davonne Reaves talks with Kyle Allison, general manager of the Reading Country Club and host of his own Hospitality MD Podcast; and Loren Brown, founder of consultancy Reimagine Hospitality, about operating hotels "in the trenches" during the COVID-19 pandemic, what motivates them to continue their careers in hospitality, and how the industry can recruit and retain a workforce.

Co-hosts Davonne Reaves, Chris Henry, and Omari Head lay the groundwork on what to expect from Next Gen in Lodging as part of the Hotel News Now family.