
#273: Young Workers Avoid Hotels, Travel Goes Local, Best Western Enters Glamping | April Hospitality Hot Topics
From The Modern Hotelier by David Millili & Steve Carran
May 4, 2026 · 19 min
About this episode
The episode discusses trends in hospitality, focusing on attracting young workers, changes in travel behavior, and the rise of glamping.
In this episode of The Modern Hotelier: Hospitality Hot Topics , hosts Steve Carran and David Millili are joined by Jennifer Olson, the Director of Commercial National Accounts, SERVPRO Team Zubricki, for a wide-ranging conversation on the biggest trends shaping hospitality today. They dive into the growing concern around hospitality as a long-term career path for younger generations and discuss what the industry can do to attract and retain new talent. The conversation then shifts to the airline industry, unpacking the attempted American–United merger and what it signals about competition, consumer impact, and the future of air travel. The trio also explores shifting travel behaviors, including the rise in domestic travel driven by geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, and what that means for hotels needing to elevate guest experience. From there, they break down the growing popularity of glamping and how major hotel brands are entering the outdoor hospitality space. A timely, insightful episode packed with real-world hospitality trends, industry strategy, and behind-the-scenes stories you won’t want to miss. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why hospitality is…
People in this episode
Hosts: Steve Carran, David Millili
Guest: Jennifer Olson
Topics covered
- hospitality trends
- young workers
- airline industry
- domestic travel
- glamping
- guest experience
Keywords
- hospitality
- young talent
- airline merger
- domestic travel
- glamping
- guest experience
- travel trends
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: SERVPRO Team Zubricki, American Airlines, United Airlines
Places: domestic travel, geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, glamping
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