Checkin' In – The Hospitality & Tourism Podcast

Send us Fan MailCheckin In Hospitality & Tourism Podcast – Episode 7Destination Marketing Meets Big DataRecorded live on Wednesday, April 29th at 11:00 AMThis episode is a deeper look at how data is actually shaping tourism strategy today and what it means for hospitality leaders on the ground.This episode features:Ktimene Axetell, CEO of ArrivalistAn economist and seasoned MarTech leader with 25 years of experience, Ktimene leads Arrivalist’s strategy and product evolution, helping position the platform as a leader in visitor intelligence, media attribution, and behavior analytics. Her background includes leadership roles with Sony Pictures Digital, Napster, IAC Advertising Solutions, and Epsilon, along with hands on destination experience with Amelia Island CVB where she earned the HSMAI Platinum Award in Sustainability. Her work bridges global media, tourism strategy, and real world application of data in destination marketing.Jacob Pewitt Yancey, Head of Analytics at ArrivalistFormer Director of Consumer Insights & Analytics at VISIT FLORIDA, Jacob led the team responsible for measuring marketing performance, shaping statewide tourism strategy, and tracking the overall health of Florida’s tourism economy. An economist by training, his background spans multiple Florida state agencies, with a focus on turning complex data into clear, actionable insights that decision makers can actually use.Together, we will get into:How destination marketing is evolving with real behavioral data, not assumptionsWhat tourism demand actually looks like right now and where it is shiftingHow operators and destinations should be thinking about attribution and ROIWhere marketing dollars are working and where they are being wastedWhat hospitality leaders should be paying attention to over the next 12 to 24 monthsThis will be a practical, grounded conversation for hotel, resort, and tourism leaders who want a clearer view of what is actually driving demand and how to adjust strategy accordingly.You can follow Peter Ricci at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterriccihospitality/You can follow Jeremy Nichols at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycnichols/https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyNichols

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 6 of Checkin' In: The Hospitality and Tourism Podcast, hosts Jeremy Nichols and Dr. Peter Ricci sit down with respected voices in the private club world to unpack an industry that most people never see from the inside.Joining us are Michael McCarthy ECM, CEO and General Manager of Addison Reserve Country Club in Delray Beach, one of the top-ranked country clubs in the nation and the world, and Kelly Grabowsky, CCM, Managing Director of the Florida Chapter of the Club Management Association of America, the largest CMAA chapter in the country representing over 1,100 members across 360-plus clubs statewide.Together, they pull back the curtain on what the private club industry actually looks like, from country clubs and golf clubs to yacht clubs, tennis clubs, military clubs, city clubs, and equity communities. The landscape is wider than most people realize, and the career paths within it are more distinct, more intentional, and more rewarding than many give them credit for.We also get into the bigger picture: how is the club industry responding to the same forces reshaping hospitality broadly? Revenue optimization, technology, flexible staffing, shifting member expectations, and generational change in leadership are all in play. This is an industry that has historically operated on tradition, and it is navigating real pressure to evolve without losing what makes it unique.If you work in hospitality, manage a club, are considering a career in the private club space, or simply want a sharper understanding of how this industry operates, this is a conversation worth your time.You can follow Peter Ricci at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterriccihospitality/You can follow Jeremy Nichols at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycnichols/https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyNichols

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Check'in In, Peter Ricci and I bring together a senior level hotel HR panel to talk about where people strategy is headed in 2026 and beyond.Joining us:• Caroline Warren, Chief People Officer at Pyramid Global Hospitality• David Klein, SVP Global Talent & Organizational Development at Universal Destinations & Experiences• Lexy Coley, Corporate Director of Talent Development at Omni Hotels & Resorts• Michael Wiszowaty, Senior Manager University Relations & Recruiting at Marriott InternationalThis is a conversation with leaders operating at true scale across global brands, management companies, and iconic destinations. Between them, they oversee talent acquisition, leadership development, succession planning, culture, and organizational strategy, impacting thousands of employees.We will be discussing what hotel HR looks like right now, what is changing, and what operators, owners, and executives need to be thinking about as we move deeper into 2026.If you care about leadership pipelines, retention, development, culture, and building real talent infrastructure in hospitality, this one is for you.You can follow Peter Ricci at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterriccihospitality/You can follow Jeremy Nichols at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycnichols/https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyNichols

Send us Fan MailCheck'in In with the State of Food and BeverageIn this episode, Peter Ricci and Jeremy Nichols sit down with two senior leaders shaping the future of hospitality to get a clear, grounded take on where Food and Beverage stands today and where it is headed next.Joining the conversation are Sam Bakhshandehpour, Global CEO of José Andrés Group, and Sarah King, Chief People Officer at Darden. Together, they share real world insight on operating pressure, talent strategy, culture, growth, and what leaders need to be thinking about as we move into 2026.This is an honest, executive-level conversation about what is working, what is broken, and what smart operators should be doing right now.You can follow Peter Ricci at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterriccihospitality/You can follow Jeremy Nichols at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycnichols/https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyNichols

Send us Fan MailJeremy Nichols and Dr. Peter Ricci hosted a live panel featuring five rising hospitality leaders who offered a direct, unfiltered look at what their generation sees, expects, and wants from this industry. These students are already gaining real experience across hotels, resorts, events, private clubs, and large-scale operations, and they brought a level of honesty operators rarely get to hear.For anyone leading teams, hiring, or focused on retention, this conversation delivered a clear advantage. The panel dug into culture, growth paths, leadership, work-life balance, and what genuinely attracts Gen Z to hospitality. Their perspective challenged assumptions and helped shed light on how to build workplaces where this generation actually wants to stay.Our panel:Sophia McDonnell, FAU Events, resort, convention center, and private club experience https://lnkd.in/eyhh22wdJoaquin Dorazio, Palm Beach State College Operations, The Boca Raton https://lnkd.in/eq38Abm8Nicole Jaimes, FIU Events, SOBE Food and Wine Festival https://lnkd.in/epjER3HDTaylor Sackella, UCF Rosen Operations and HR at JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton Orlando https://lnkd.in/eEyRJwJZDailany Echeverria, FSU Dedman School of Hospitality Operations https://lnkd.in/eMuKBmvTThis episode was a valuable discussion for anyone looking to recruit more effectively, retain stronger teams, and understand the mindset of the next generation before they shape the industry without your input. The insights from this group made the session one of our most impactful to date.You can follow Peter Ricci at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterriccihospitality/You can follow Jeremy Nichols at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycnichols/https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyNichols

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Checkin’ In, we sit down with Glenn Haussman, one of the hospitality industry’s most recognizable voices. Glenn is the host of No Vacancy, named the number one hospitality podcast from 2021 through 2024, and the International Hospitality Institute’s number one Social Media Influencer in Hospitality. He was also selected among the Top 50 Most Inspirational People in Global Hospitality in 2024 and 2025.We dig into what leaders should really pay attention to right now, how media shapes investment and operations decisions, and why great storytelling still wins. Glenn shares lessons from interviewing public company CEOs and game-changing operators on No Vacancy Live, plus what he is seeing across No Vacancy News Today and Friday Night Audit. We touch on his award-winning work during the Covid crisis, teaching at NYU, and the mindset that keeps him consistently ahead of the curve. And most importantly, the landscape of our industry in 2025-2026.Find Glenn at [email protected] and follow him at @TravelingGlenn.You can follow Peter Ricci at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterriccihospitality/You can follow Jeremy Nichols at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycnichols/https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyNichols

Send us Fan MailThis live episode features David Kong, former President & CEO of BWH Hotel Group and Founder of DEI Advisors. David shares what authentic leadership looks like today, how culture drives performance, and why mentorship and inclusion aren’t just ideals; they’re competitive advantages.This conversation was streamed live.Hosted by Dr. Peter Ricci and Jeremy NicholsYou can follow Peter Ricci at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterriccihospitality/You can follow Jeremy Nichols at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycnichols/https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyNichols