Dear Round-Up Readers,

Welp, I can't believe it's been one year since the start of Russia's stupid and heartbreaking war on Ukraine.

• If you're wondering about the impact globally, read Eight Ways the Russia-Ukraine War Changed the World from the WSJ, which cites increased food and energy prices, invigorated NATO, altered military doctrine, and revived American influence abroad among the key changes.

• The human impact is devastating, the London Ukranian Club is in our neighborhood and the streets surrounding have been adorned with stuffed animal memorials including names and ages of children killed in the conflict, and there was a big protest outside the Russian Embassy. NBC News offers a moving account of the year in photos.

• Want to help the 18 million people estimated to have been affected by the war? Here are 8 Charities and Humanitarian organizations.

Despite the conflict and coming off the shadow of COVID, travel is booming. Hotel companies have posted banner earnings.

hertelier also celebrated a big milestone this week––the site surpassed 100,000 sessions!

Definitely a week of mixed emotions, now let’s get on to other news...

 
Business, Women, and Random Trends: 

• Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem: How Thieves Can Take Over in Minutes Putting this article up top because as an iPhone user, it freaked me out. According to the WSJ, there has been a rise in phone thefts where thieves secretly observe you putting in your passcode, steal your phone, and then proceed to lock you out of your Apple account and loot your connected cards and bank account. Read, please! If you don't have WSJ access, email me.
   

• Senior-level women are calling it quits after decades climbing the career ladder. Interesting take from CNBC inspired by the CEO of YouTube, Susan Wojcicki stepping down, as well as politicians Nicola Sturgeon and Jacinda Ahern. Are women doing this more than men, or is there just more scrutiny of women as there are fewer of them in such powerful positions?
   

• "Not in her prime" CNN host Don Lemon enraged women everywhere when he said that GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley was not "in her prime." He later apologized. Read more in the Washington Post
   

• Four-day week liked by UK employers in world's largest trial. While it's not surprising that people would rather work four days than five, what is surprising is that companies are for it too! Apparently, employees were equally productive and it reduces turnover. Ninety-two percent of the companies from the trial are sticking with the shortened work week.
   

• Spain says "Si!" to Equality A bunch of laws shepherded by Equality Minister Irene Montero are leveling rights––new legislation expands abortion and transgender rights for teens and makes Spain the first country in Europe to guarantee paid menstrual leave for workers. The legislative victory comes amid a backlash to another of Montero's efforts, Spain's "only yes means yes" consent law. Read more on NPR.
   

• Teen Girls Experiencing Record Levels of Sadness and Suicide Risk, CDC Says Sadly, teens reported increasing experiences of violence and suicidal thoughts, and girls fared worse than boys. Read more on PBS.
   

• 5 Things the Smartest People Do That Make Them Super Productive (Without Destroying Their Health). Hustle culture is believed to make you super productive. Nothing could be further from the truth according to Inc.
   

• Rethinking ‘Productivity’ At Work: Four Questions Every High-Performing Woman Needs To Ask Speaking of productivity, Randi Braun, author of the forthcoming book "Something Major: The New Playbook for Women at Work" (2023), offers 4 questions you can ask yourself as it relates to productivity...and help you redefine success. Read more in Forbes.
   

• How To Sneak Exercise Into Your Busy Day This article on LinkedIn by Alexis Haselberger caught my attention because she references a study of hotel housekeepers who actually improved their health metrics just by reframing what they do for work as exercise. Yes, housekeeping is physically demanding but by just shifting their thinking they lost weight, reduced their blood pressure, and BMI. Amazing!
   

• Royal Rundown: Tina Brown interview. Having been in the US last week, I realized that just by living in London people assume I know the scoop on the Royals. I don't, but Tina Brown does, so read this in Bustle!

Travel & Hospitality news:
 

• Earnings Season: Publicly traded hotel stocks Marriott, Wyndham, and Choice beat earnings estimates––in some cases significantly. In case you needed any more evidence travel is back! Here in Europe, Accor and IHG also grew RevPAR since 2019, showing strong gains and forecasting continued growth.
   

• The Trends Boutique Hotels Need to Watch in 2023 Great interview in Skift with the Queens of boutique lodging...Frances and Airela Kiradjian, founders of BLLA.
   

• 30 travel trends for 2023 Yes, we covered a bunch of hospitality predictions last month, but a favorite travel writer of mine, Juliet Kinsman, put together a very good edit with a sustainability slant on Weeva.
   

• Healthy Guest, Happy Guest: How F&B keys wellness in hotels. A great read in Hotels about how wellness trends are influencing menu options with specific examples from brands.
   

• One Minute Management Tips: a Fish Always Rots from the Head Love this new advice series on LinkedIn by Caroline Benard Global SVP Midscale & Economy Brands at Accor, where she draws on her own experience leading hotels. In this post, she reflects on managerial setbacks and her role in them.

On hertelier this week:

Big welcome to our new subscribers! The story in Forbes, How Women Are Changing The Hotel Industry, keeps bringing new readers! Super excited to have you here. 
 

• New Study Reveals Massive Gender Imbalance in Hotel & Leisure Sector A new study of public data from 23 hotel companies by Aptamind Partners and WTTC reveals a BIG gender gap in the hotel sector. Despite the marginal growth of women in hotel senior management, there are zero female CEOs or chairs at the world’s largest hotel groups (though there are women leading several smaller hotel companies–yay!). Women have a long way to go for equality in leadership, click here to learn how we can affect change.
   

• Don’t let the Perfect be the Enemy of the Good Is trying to be "perfect" holding you back? Columnist Nancy Mendelson unpacks and offers advice!
   

• The Cool New Job Perk that Encourages Slow Travel Looking for an employee benefit that matters to people and the planet? Or an opportunity to become a marketing partner promoting slow travel? Climate Perks has got you sorted! We chat with manager Hannah Bland.
   

• Inspiring Pair: Roseline & Roselaine Bien-Aime We've been celebrating Black women making history in hospitality in February/Black History Month (though we try to do this all year!) We double down with this interview of twins who got their start at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

Listen UP! Podcasts to Download NOW

Two pods on motherhood and purpose for you this week that aren't just for moms:

• The Unsustainability of American Motherhood, Fast Company's Kate Davis talks with Jessica Grose, New York Times opinion writer, about her new book “Screaming on the inside: the Unsustainability of American Motherhood”
   

• What are you here for? QVC host & 7-figure entrepreneur Kim Gravel speaks about being depressed as a SAHM and then finding her purpose with Mom's Exit interview host, Kim Rittberg. I really enjoyed this conversation.

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Thank you for reading! Have a great week!

Em