How can hotels, especially independent and boutique properties, build effective marketing strategies that drive bookings, maximize revenue, and stand out in a competitive market?

In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Jody Merl, Founder and President of Innovative Travel Marketing, to dive into her incredible journey from aspiring actress to hospitality marketing powerhouse.

Jody shares insights from her decades of experience working with luxury hotels, launching campaigns for JetBlue and iconic properties like the Paramount Hotel, and building long-term client relationships that have stood the test of time. She also reveals what separates successful hotel marketing campaigns from those that fall flat and offers actionable advice for hotel operators and marketing professionals.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The story behind launching JetBlue with a $2M radio campaign funded entirely through trade
• How to fill gaps in hotel marketing and maximize underutilized inventory
• What are the key strategies for aligning marketing campaigns with long-term business goals
• The importance of integrated, multi-channel campaigns across digital, print, and PR
• Why is the landscape of hospitality marketing evolving from traditional advertising to targeted digital campaigns

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/I6vpIq8JcBs

Links:
Jody on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodymerl/
Innovative Travel Marketing: https://www.innovativetravelmarketing.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/263

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

In this special episode, recorded live at the Hunter Conference in Atlanta, host David Millili sits down with Peter Wenzell, CEO of Wenzell and Fisher Hospitality Group. Peter shares his journey into hospitality, inspired by his father’s work in airport concessions, and how that early exposure to travel and hotels shaped his career path.

The conversation dives into one of the hospitality industry’s biggest challenges today—staffing. Peter explains how Wenzell and Fisher’s hotel task force services help hotels quickly fill operational gaps, from unexpected staff resignations to temporary leave coverage, ensuring properties continue running smoothly.

They also discuss the evolving workforce landscape, why hotels must get creative with employee retention and incentives, and how the industry can compete with employers offering higher wages. Peter shares his perspective on the growing role of technology and AI in hospitality, emphasizing the importance of balancing innovation with the human connection that defines great hospitality.

In this episode, you’ll learn more about:

• How Peter Wenzell got his start in the hospitality industry
• What hotel task force services are and how they solve staffing gaps
• The biggest staffing challenges hotels are facing today
• Strategies hoteliers can use to retain and motivate employees
• Why networking and industry events like the Hunter Conference matter in hospitality

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ltHaV05Elo8

Links:
Peter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-wenzell-b11b9414b/
Wenzell & Fisher Hospitality Group: https://www.wenzellfisherhg.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/262

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

David Millili sits down with Brian Popelmayer of Lockton Companies at the Hunter Conference in Atlanta to discuss one of the biggest challenges facing the hospitality industry today: rising hotel insurance costs.

In this episode, Brian shares insights from more than 23 years in the insurance industry, including how the hotel insurance marketplace has evolved, why liability insurance costs are rising, and what hotel owners and management companies must do to protect their balance sheets.

Brian also breaks down emerging risks in hospitality such as human trafficking, sexual misconduct liability, environmental exposures, mold, and Legionella claims, and explains how hoteliers can secure the right coverage in an increasingly complex insurance market.

If you’re a hotel owner, operator, asset manager, or hospitality professional, this episode will give you a clear look at the risks shaping the industry and practical strategies to manage insurance costs while protecting your business.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Brian Popelmayer got into the hospitality insurance industry
• Why hotel insurance costs have risen from 1.2% to nearly 2% of operating revenue
• How hotel owners can secure better insurance coverage
• The positive trends in the property insurance market

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DUIM79T4FuY

Links:
Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianpopelmayer/
Lockton: https://www.global.lockton.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/261

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.