The importance of empathy in mental health concerns and substance abuse disorder (Print Ad; Bar Business Magazine, June 2022) Written by Gabriel Huntting for Daniela Luzi Tudor Even before COVID-19, you'd be hard-pressed not to find the word "empathy" floating around your LinkedIn or on a business-focused social media account. Empathy is a vital, ubiquitous component of customer service, but establishing ethos is never simple — it's actually far more nuanced and complicated

"Fresh" off a traumatic holiday travel season, plenty of flyers are reflecting on airlines' latest nose-dive. After my own prolonged customer service experience ( albeit an entertaining one) I reflected on air travel's idyllic past, its debilitated present, and what basic steps can be taken to navigate its seemingly nightmarish future. by GABRIEL HUNTTING It's the day before Christmas, and I'm stuck on the phone with a particularly unique Delta customer service representativ

Pandemic be damned, for the past year international party-goers have anointed Tulum as the unofficial party-capital of the COVID-19 era, but for less-hedonistic travelers, this unique, once-charming Mexican beach town is nothing more than another overpriced disaster. What makes Tulum so polarizing, how did this happen so quickly, and is it worth your visit? By GABRIEL HUNTTING Let's not kid ourselves-- Tulum is a blast. Tulum is also, at times, "utterly terrible." These two

Rushed reopenings, emboldened patrons, and industry-wide staffing shortages have left hospitality operators reeling during this initial wave of recovery. Are we witnessing the last lingering symptoms of operational atrophy, or are these new complications here to stay? Guests are back--but where are all the workers? According to a recent article in the New York Times, some of the potential issues ins store for recovering hospitality businesses may have already arrived. Witho

As airline travel begins to rumble towards a rebound, and as more travelers ditch cabin fever for cabin seats, a hopeful, profitable season of tourism seems imminent for a desperate hospitality sector. While hotels and restaurants are eager to welcome guests after a year-long layover, will they be ready? Empty airports? Empty seats? Not anymore. According to a recent article from Entrepreneur , the TSA is reporting its highest screening numbers in a year, indicating a swift r

The movement to increase the federal minimum wage has dominated airwaves of late after finally arriving on Capitol Hill. This is long overdue as federal policy plays catch-up with cities and states that have already put such progress in motion. Leadership in favor of the measure point towards corporate financial abuse to justify workers’ pay bump, while opposition has cited small businesses to squash the amendment, particularly bars and restaurants still stinging from COVID-

We've known for a long time that emerging forms of customer social engagement and feedback can positively impact service, but when hospitality operators are spread thin, how can we prioritize a vital element of guest service? In recent panel hosted by the renown Cornell Center for Hospitality research , faculty and industry experts from Best Western Hotels and Medallia spoke towards the importance of research-backed survey strategies within customer social engagement initiati

Despite all COVID-19's devastation of the hospitality industry, according to a report by Paytronix Systems Inc., U.S. consumers spent a whopping $769B ordering food in 2020, and as a recent article from hospitalitytech.com indicates , guests enrolled in loyalty programs spent twice as much on takeout, reaffirming the vital role of off-premise ordering and guest engagement initiatives in this new digital era of bar and restaurant operations. Among a number of insightful statis

When our CEO, Tom Dillon, called me to officially offer a leadership position at Jetson, admittedly my first feeling was of apprehension. There I was, a career food and beverage operator operator (and all-around hospitality junky), sizing up the task of leading a budding startup in an unknown field (technology). Living in San Francisco didn’t help much either. Having launched a hospitality venture of my own after relocating to the hub of technology and innovation, much like

Packing for long-term trips can be a nightmare. But with our help, you'll pack light and look damn good.

Prior to COVID-19, there wasn't a more talked-about destination than Bali. After multiple visits and hosting a few large group trips in this Indonesian paradise, here are some observations to feed your FOMO and push you towards Indonesia. Prior to COVID, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more popular travel destination blowing up your social media feed than Bali. It’s an exotic, trendy escape full of a certain flavor of beauty personified by the people you’ll meet there. No, no

The whirlwind of Bolivia is as treacherous as it is beautiful. It'll push you to your limits, demolish your sense of security, and extend your adrenaline from one absurd activity to the next. After a quick conversation withe a "role model" of mine, I'd heard all I needed to hear, booking a bus from Peru to its southeastern neighbor. Bolivia is about thinking less and doing more, so here are the best (or maybe worst?) things you should do there. im·pet·u·ous adjective acting o

Our favorite beginner-to-intermediate hike in Bali is the perfect kind of breathtaking. As Mount Batur gets busier and busier, here's guyd we created for some of our Now and Never groups before they embarked. Rainy Season? Not up here. You won’t have a tough time staying stimulated in Ubud, but some of the best attractions are located just outside of town; rolling rows of rice patties and ancient Buddhist sites that’ll make you feel like you finally made it on “Legends of the

Every picture you can find of Sparty (Spa+Party) Budapest, a wild rave set in an ancient Hungarian bathhouse, barely touches the surface of our wildest night in Budapest. Book with caution, thank us later. Yeah, it's like that. (Photo from http://www.bathsbudapest.com/) Budapest may not seem like the sexiest pick for a vacation, but the gorgeous capital of Hungary has become an increasingly popular, value-driven destination for travelers looking to get their tourist fix by da

Exploring Hanoi for the first time can feel like you’ve been warped into a hazardous game of human "Frogger." But once you get the hang of Vietnamese jaywalking, this beautiful city with a complicated past will challenge you as a traveller and change you as a person. By Gabriel Huntting For any right-minded traveler , the beeping, zooming legions of Hanoi's motorbikes can turn crossing the street into a harrowing dose of daily trauma. There are so many, the city is attempting