Bonjour from the Cote d'Azur, Round-Up Readers!

Welp, I've really switched off this week and turns out, I'm not alone. The Wall Street Journal reports that after forgoing paid time off for years, U.S. employees are vacationing more than they have in over a decade. This is great news for the travel industry! So, if you've missed seeing new posts from hertelier, I'll be back next week refreshed and with exciting new content for you.

Just a few notes from the road: after a wonderful week staying with friends in glam St. Tropez, we checked into a Moxy in La Ciotat, a charming fishing town about 30 minutes from Marseille. A big shout to Marriott for creating the Moxy brand, which I chose after staying at one in Bristol (UK). The hotel has a super fun vibe, with foosball and darts games in the lobby/restaurant area, colorful and clean decor with humorous touches. I picked the hotel partly because of the reasonable rate and knowing that it would have air conditioning (booked during the European heat wave). While the location is about a 25 minute walk from town, we are happy here! The staff has been great, the rooms are a good size and parking is easy.

We've spent the last two days exploring a bit of the stunning Calanques National Park and towns along the Cote d'Azur––Cassis, Bandol and today we head to Marseille, where we will try the Mama Shelter, part of Accor. Lots to love––beautiful scenery, fun markets, great seafood and ice cream!

Now, let’s get on to the news…and some of the most popular stories from hertelier that you may have missed.

 Business, Women, and Random Trends:
 

• FDA approves first postpartum depression pill in the US Exciting progress to help as one in seven new mothers suffers from mood and anxiety disorders after giving birth. Wall Street Journal takes a deeper dive with "The Tragedy of Being a New Mom in America", saying for many new mothers, help is hard to find.
   

• Women Hold a Third of S&P 500 Boards Seats With Gains in June Female directors rose to 33.3% of board seats in June, this is a new record according to Bloomberg.
   

• Women Know Exactly What They’re Doing When They Use ‘Weak Language’ Highly regarded business author and professor Adam Grant offers a new (and exciting!) take on the use of "weak language" that it conveys interpersonal sensitivity — interest in other people’s perspectives — and that’s why it’s powerful. Read more in the New York Times.
   

• Passed over for another business opportunity? It may be because of your accent New survey of business travelers by SAP showed more people felt their accents played a bigger role in their work travel opportunities than their physical appearance, ethnicity or sexual orientation, read more in CNBC.
   

• Sheryl Sandberg wants to prepare girls for the harsh realities of work: ‘One day you’re going to be in a meeting and some man is going to talk over you’ so she has started a leadership training program for girls. Read more in Fortune.
   

•  Stop Multitasking. No, Really — Just Stop It. Really interesting opinion piece in the New York Times by time management expert Oliver Burkeman about why we think multi-tasking works, but doesn't.
   

• Google it? People now are searching with TikTok or Reddit. How users discover information on the internet is changing reports the Washington Post.

Travel & Hospitality:
 

• You’ve heard of a staycation. How about a “laycation”? Wall Street Journal takes a look at the expectations and realities of sex on vacation.
   

•  Tinned fish is the best travel gift says the Washington Post. So relatable as my daughter brought me back a beautiful tin of Ortiz tuna from a market in Valencia! In France, I’ve been busy sniffing and buying beautiful lavender and citrus soaps for friends. What do you buy as gifts on holiday?
   

• Booking Holdings CEO on blowout Q2 earnings: Not seeing any signs of travel demand slowdown Glenn Fogel, Booking Holdings CEO, was on CNBC ‘Squawk Box’ to discuss the company’s quarterly earnings results, with earnings coming in at 30% above expectations and revenue nearly 6% above expectations, the state of travel demand, and more
   

• U.S. Hotels Continue Job Growth but at Reduced Levels Although U.S. hotels are still adding jobs, they are still far away from hitting pre-pandemic employment levels, reports Skift.

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. 

• Over 350 Interviews Reveal the Top 7 Leadership Skills Women Share a favorite with best lessons from leaders we've interviewed.
   

• How to Work Smarter...Not Harder! One of the most popular articles by contributor Nancy Mendelson.
   

• Streamline Your Email Inbox: Conquer Clutter with this 3 Step Zero-Inbox Strategy In the spirit of summer catch up, discover the game-changing zero-inbox approach to conquer email overload and unlock peak productivity by Stacy Silver. Let's make "You've Got Mail" fun again!!

Don't forget: if you love reading the Round-Up, please forward this email to a friend or colleague! They can see all the past issues and sign up by clicking here.

Thank you for reading! Have a great week!

Em