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BLOGS & COMMENTARY
The Travel & Hospitality Industry in Review.
This space serves as a comprehensive resource, blending actionable commentary drawn from my consultancy work with the personal journey that informs it.
You will find in-depth articles covering critical areas such as strategic growth planning, effective operational scaling in high-value sectors, and best practices in high-impact mentorship.
Furthermore, I publish my candid views and opinions on emerging industry trends, alongside reflective pieces that trace my past experiences and the significant lessons learned throughout my career path.
Explore the full spectrum of content to gain both strategic tools for your business and personal insights for your leadership journey.
Mastering the Hospitality Boardroom: Interview Techniques for C-Suite Roles
There is a profound operational gulf between managing a premium luxury property and steering a global hospitality enterprise from the corporate C-suite. Yet, many highly successful Regional Directors, Chief Operating Officers, and senior executives fail to bridge this gap during the executive recruitment process. They walk into board-level interviews prepared to talk about operational survival. They discuss service delivery metrics, staff retention percentages, and property-l
Carlo Rappa
Jul 234 min read
The Executive Narrative: Rewriting Your Hospitality CV for Corporate Leadership
In the global travel, hospitality, and luxury sectors, there is a distinct, often frustrating glass ceiling that separates property-level management from corporate regional leadership. Many highly accomplished General Managers, Directors of Operations, and department heads find themselves stuck. They have spent decades successfully running complex, multi-million-pound assets, surviving brutal high-season operational pressures, and delivering flawless guest experiences. Yet, w
Carlo Rappa
Jun 254 min read
The Personal Brand in Luxury Hospitality: Networking Beyond the Lobby
In the global travel, hospitality, and luxury sectors, we often tell our teams that the asset is the star of the show. We focus millions of pounds on property architecture, destination marketing, slick API connectivity for bedbanks, and pristine luxury concierge fleets. But behind every successful luxury hotel group, high-performing Destination Management Company, or elite lifestyle brand, there is a human engine. And in a relationship-driven industry, your personal reputatio
Carlo Rappa
May 254 min read
Leadership Lab: Managing Cross-Cultural Teams in a Globalised Travel Market
The travel industry is, by its very nature, the most globalised sector on earth. On any given day, a travel professional might coordinate with an Operations team in Manila, a Sourcing partner in Milan, and a client based in Manhattan. While this diversity is our greatest strength, it also presents a unique leadership challenge. In the "Leadership Lab," we recognise that managing a cross-cultural team isn't just about speaking the same language; it is about navigating the sile
Carlo Rappa
Feb 113 min read
Success Built on Connection: Why Your 'Soft Skills' are Your Hardest Commercial Assets
In the high-stakes world of travel consultancy and global operations, we often obsess over "hard" metrics: load factors, RevPAR, and tech-stack integration. But after twenty years in the industry, I have come to a definitive conclusion: the most complex commercial problems are rarely solved by a spreadsheet. They are solved through the nuances of human interaction. In an increasingly automated world, your "soft skills"—empathy, active listening, and the ability to build genui
Carlo Rappa
Feb 62 min read
Navigating the Pivot: How to Transition into Senior Leadership in the Travel Industry
For many travel professionals, there comes a moment where the "day-to-day" excellence no longer feels like enough. You have mastered the mechanics of operations, the nuances of sales, or the complexities of sourcing, and you find yourself looking toward the boardroom. However, the step into senior leadership is rarely a straight climb; it is a strategic pivot. It requires shifting your focus from doing the work to architecting the environment where work happens. Transitioning
Carlo Rappa
Feb 33 min read
Your First 90 Days in a Senior Travel Role: Prioritising People, Product, and Profit
Congratulations! Stepping into a senior leadership role in the travel industry—whether in Strategy, Commercial, or Product—is a significant achievement. You are now positioned to make a profound impact on the direction of your company and the wider sector. However, the pressure to deliver results immediately can be immense. Based on my experience moving through diverse senior roles, the critical mistake new leaders make is jumping straight into fixing problems before fully un
Carlo Rappa
Nov 24, 20253 min read
The Future-Proof Traveller: Why Adaptability Is Your Most Valuable Asset
In my two decades navigating the travel industry—from the front lines of Operations to the strategic boardroom—I’ve witnessed constant, jarring change. We are an industry perpetually disrupted by technology, geopolitics, climate events, and shifting consumer expectations. The traditional career path, relying solely on deep expertise in one niche, is becoming a relic. Today, the most valuable asset you can possess isn't a prestigious title or a vast network; it's adaptability.
Carlo Rappa
Nov 10, 20252 min read
Building a 'Career Portfolio,' Not Just a CV: The Power of Side Projects
For two decades, I’ve watched careers in the travel industry flourish, and the key differentiator isn't always the title on a business card. The truly impactful professionals—the ones who become sought-after leaders and advisors—do more than just their day job. They build a Career Portfolio. A traditional CV is a list of job descriptions. A Career Portfolio, however, is a dynamic collection of evidence showcasing your expertise, values, and strategic impact beyond the confine
Carlo Rappa
Oct 27, 20253 min read
Selling the Dream: How to Master B2B Travel Sales
For those outside the industry, 'travel sales' might conjure images of booking cheap holidays. But within the business world, B2B travel sales—selling complex services to airlines, hotel groups, agencies, or corporations—is one of the most strategic, high-stakes commercial functions. In my experience across Sales and Partnership roles, I learned quickly that B2B travel sales isn't about closing a quick deal; it's about initiating a long-term partnership with purpose. You are
Carlo Rappa
Oct 13, 20253 min read
Beyond the Brochure: What Does a 'Product' Role Really Mean in Travel?
When most people think of a 'travel product,' they picture a glossy brochure showcasing a beach resort, a cruise ship, or a guided tour. And while those are the outputs, the role of a Product Manager in the travel industry is far more complex, strategic, and often technical. Having worked in roles from Operations to Strategy, I’ve learned that a great travel product manager is a triple-threat: a market analyst, a customer champion, and a master orchestrator of internal teams.
Carlo Rappa
Oct 10, 20253 min read
Decoding the Tech Stack: What Every Non-IT Travel Professional Should Know
As someone who has worked across Operations, Product, Sales, and Strategy, I can tell you the greatest strategic misstep I see travel professionals make is viewing technology as "the IT department's problem." In today’s travel landscape, technology isn't just a cost centre; it's the product. If you’re in Sales, you’re selling the reliability of a tech platform. If you’re in Product, you're designing with the limitations and opportunities of that tech in mind. To truly succeed
Carlo Rappa
Oct 3, 20253 min read
The Six Essential Skills Every Travel Pro Needs: Beyond Just Loving Travel
Ask anyone what you need to work in the travel industry, and they'll likely say, "A passion for travel." While a genuine enthusiasm for the world certainly helps, it’s not what drives results, negotiates contracts, or manages a crisis. The truth is, a career in travel is a serious business career. It operates at the intersection of logistics, technology, and global economics. Based on my two decades of experience, here are the six non-negotiable, in-demand business skills tha
Carlo Rappa
Sep 27, 20253 min read
From Ops to Strategy: My Two-Decade Road Trip Through the Travel Industry
For over two decades, I've had the privilege of living and breathing the travel industry. When I look back, my career hasn't been a straight path; it's been more like a scenic, often bumpy, road trip that’s taken me through Operations, Product, Sales, Sourcing, and Strategy. While each role had its own unique demands, the most important lesson I learned is that every ticket counter, call center queue, and supplier negotiation was a crucial building block for the strategic thi
Carlo Rappa
Sep 20, 20252 min read
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