Kerzner International CEO: Philippe Zuber – Destinations, Experience, & The Future of Hospitality

26:24And like you were saying earlier, they do a ski vacation.

26:28Philippe Zuber:They do a family vacation. They do a kind of end of the year kind of vacation as well. They do an adventurous destination. something crazy, something that they can talk to the audience something that the others have not done it and they're okay to do another type of activations which they let it a bit some inspiration to the moment so we've been already the leader on those repeating activations that they're coming very often you know like you festive in one and only Retira you October vacation in Dubai which they like to do all of those moments we have captured already a few those adventurous vacations we had nothing to offer now with one and only Gorilla Nest we have found a niche that we have something absolutely bespoke absolutely unique that we can offer to our audience same with Alpine Resort with now one and only Moon and Bassins we didn't have a ski resort now we do have a ski resort in our portfolio and the strategy here that we have on long term is to engage our clientele to have more one and only moment towards the year because one was not enough.

27:47Philippe Zuber:This is the reason as well that we have developed one and only private homes that now they can buy real estate amongst our property. They can enjoy for longer period the ecosystem and the whole lifestyle that one and only is offering to them. So those are the learning that we've been observing towards the interactions that we have with the guests. And now at least what we're looking as well is what other destination they would like to go. So one, which we have just recently announced, we're going to Fiji. Wow. One and only Fiji. Why Fiji? It's far. It's not on the bucket list of so many people.

28:32Philippe Zuber:But we believe this is untouched territory that pushed the boundaries of having something so unique, so adventurous, that really once-of-a-lifetime kind of experiences that could really be appealing to our audience. We did announce another new one and only, which we are currently developing, is one and only Hudson River in the US. So this is 45 minutes driving outside of Manathan. We could have come to New York itself. We could have done a one and only urban resort. We felt we did not have enough storytelling to be within the ecosystem of New York. And New York have already beautiful hotels and already have something and an ecosystem very, very unique.

29:25Philippe Zuber:So where does the brand one and only fits within this ecosystem? It actually fits into Hudson River. close to the CIA, Culinary Institute of America, close to the river in a place which is fully immersed by nature. And now people will say, I go to the US, I will enjoy New York, but then I will go to a destination that was not on the map. So we're absolutely convinced that that will talk to a global audience. So this is the way that we are defining the future, is to really creating unique location. but then while we have selected that then start the real work then start the journey of one and only and this is whereby I think we are different as well as an organization we're not cookie cutter and we're always starting on the white page why we are here what is the emotions that we want to provide for the guest how we have to then develop the master plan to deliver those emotions what is the storytelling and what is the brand emotions that are going to go along the customer journey and how much brand emotion you can create for a guest that's going to stay more than four nights.

30:42Philippe Zuber:So this is a lot of layers that you'll have to take into consideration within the brand markers of one and only and how to make sure that we are not developing a hotel, we're developing a destination. So this is ultimately the big difference. Absolutely. It was a bit long on my response, but it tells you that from hotel to destination, we see there's a big difference. Developing a destination takes longer time and what takes really a lot of efforts. And my team is amazing to that, is to creating the story into the destination.

31:22The Gstaad Guy:something you said early in your response was that one and only is for this sort of discerned customer that has a very high bar for what they expect and what they want in their stays and that bar naturally is always being raised and they always want the best of the best they're in many ways connoisseurs and their discernment is at a very high level but it is also changing over time. I think over the past five years, possibly fueled by the access to knowledge we now have and the ability to understand what value is better than ever, I think discernment happens within consumers faster than ever. I think people who are spending a lot on a beautiful experience or product can figure out whether that's worth it sooner than ever.

32:20The Gstaad Guy:They can see what else exists out there, see whether it's good value, and ultimately become more and more discernt quickly. And I've seen you taking these big destination bets, but also big bets on where you think the puck is going in terms of consumer demands. I think what you said about the Hudson River is absolutely true about being away from the city as a different experience. But I think it's also indicative of what many consumers want today, which is to be close enough to pop in and do what they have to do, but also far enough for a bit more nature exposure, privacy perhaps, and even a bigger priority on health and wellness versus indulgence.

33:10The Gstaad Guy:I think a new layer to discernment with the customers that you and I both study for very different reasons and very different ways, we both look at these types of consumers, is the health and wellness element where beyond the beautiful experience and enjoying the beautiful experience comes actually taking care of oneself. and that happens at a priority level even higher than the best wine or the nicest room it's actually what can i do this best for my body and that's a big bet you took with sire the hotel here in dubai it's sire or sire i never know with the french um which for those who don't know is effectively a longevity clinic and health and wellness center first maybe not clinic is the wrong word but i'll a longevity health and sports center first and then hotel second to me.

34:12The Gstaad Guy:I'd love to know more about that concept from you and how you try to be ahead of the hockey puck when it comes to understanding how that discernment with your customers is evolving very quickly.

34:27Philippe Zuber:No, I'd love to. And it's such an incredible journey, this SIRU. And how did we find out about this brand and what was the origin and the start of that? So first of all, same here. We've been observing our discerning one and only guests and customers. And what we've been seeing to this audience, successful people, you know, to stay into the one and only, they need to be fit. They need to be successful. They need to be good into the business and they need to be able to enjoy this lifestyle. We've seen so many of our guests using the gym in a much more intensive manner. So we have very clear statistics.

35:11Philippe Zuber:So 10 years ago, 20, 25 % were using the gym. And then suddenly we've seen these numbers going up, going up, going up, up to 50%, 60%. Wow. Using the gym, it means doing a stay, which, you know, an average of four nights, you're at least hitting the gym once. So that was not becoming just a kind of an amenities to look at. It was really something very, very important for our clientele. Of course, our gym were designed to have a lot of outdoor activities, to have things that is different than the gym that you have back home. But nevertheless, we've seen more engagements towards our gyms. That was the statement number one.

35:55Philippe Zuber:That was very, very interesting. It was interesting to see as well, but that's a global phenomenon that our clients were not interested on buffet food. They were not interested on those massive exposure of items. They were more à la carte, much more bespoke and much more in control. Those two elements, that's thanks to one and only, has been an observation. The second observation was to my colleagues at the office. and then I was I have this example which one of my colleagues said I have an opportunity for you to go to London next week would you mind to book your tickets I was used like 99 % of my experiences in my working time would say no problem go this person came to me one hour later and said Philippe can we have a word please next week is not good for me I have my paddle tournament

36:55Philippe Zuber:yeah but it's an important meeting you know everybody's waiting i i nominated you to attend this meeting in london it's very important yeah but i trained now for two months my three partners rely on me this is more important to me now wow okay then i have organized the meeting that can be postponed by a few days. She didn't want the tournament. But it doesn't matter. It was an indicator that suddenly, out of a career, out of a work, this particular moment was more important to that person. That was telling to me something as well, that the shift has changed. Your body, your asset becoming core.

37:40Philippe Zuber:Now, with this very clear statement, if you travel. So you're a fit person. You're going to the gym. You travel a lot. You know, as soon as you're traveling, all your customer journey in terms of fitness and lifestyle goes away because it's very difficult to maintain. You will be potentially going in a hotel. 99 % of the hotel gym are basement gym. 99 % of the air conditioning is far too cold. Most of the gym all around the world, I don't know why. I don't know what has been copied whom, but they just have a fridge with cold water inside and they have three apples and two bananas. It's so true.

38:27Philippe Zuber:So what does it tell you about the interest of the hospitality world about the asset of our client, which is their own body? So we say we have to do something out of it. and the beauty is that I had this concept already in my head back in the day but the COVID has been an accelerator so during the COVID time we put the whole team of Custer International and we say let's accelerate to really creating this brand Ciro so we've been the first one in the market with this particular hotel here to put fitness at the heart of your journey but we have decided that fitness is not only the same thing So we took the pillars of the biohacking, but we realized that biohacking is too much of the scientific word.

39:16Philippe Zuber:So what we're saying today is that you go and we're focusing on better sleep. Actually, we are hoteliers. This is what we should do, you know, to really offer good night's sleep. Better nutrition, better recovery, better fitness, and better mindfulness. And then anything better that you want to engage with, it is available. And we have proof point for all of those aspects of your lifestyle. So better sleep. You told me, okay, everybody wants to sleep better. Proof point. We design a mattresses which guarantee you 30 minutes of deep sleep over and above what you usually sleep. We design, we work with sleep therapists, with really professional people to have a mattress that controls during the night your body temperature.

40:12If you exceed three degrees, it impacts your urinal system

40:16Philippe Zuber:and then you have to wake up and you have to go to toilet. And if you have to go to toilet in the middle of the night in a hotel that you don't know, suddenly all your sense has to wake up and then, you know, you have to raise the lights, will I hurt my knees? and then to go with your sleep cycle, it's taking a kind of a long journey. And then you can miss the sleep cycle and you have to wake up and to do. Plus, if you have to deal with a jet lag, it's making things even more difficult. Yeah, absolutely. So these mattresses is unique to us and now you can track, you know, you have a lot of devices, 30 minutes deep sleep, longer than a previous night.

40:57Philippe Zuber:So that's one proof point. In terms of fitness, we have in this hotel 800 square meters of top of the class facility gyms, which we have done with the support of sports celebs. Really people that know what they're talking about. And if it's good for Ramla Ali, Olympic champion, if it's good for Novak Djokovic, if it's good for Olivier Giroud, it's good for me. because I'm not at that level, but they're so inspiring on what they do. So if they like it, and if I only can do 10 % of what they do, it's good for me. So that was our statement. We're not targeting high-end sports individuals. We're targeting whoever wants to really investing on the body.

41:48Philippe Zuber:So what we realize is targeting a clientele which is really business-driven, They want to be the better version of themselves. They want to find an ecosystem and a space. They talk to the body that while they're back home, they don't have to catch up, that they have learned a lot and that they really, really enjoy the soul journey. It's been amazing so far. We have a unique pipe now. We have a second one already in Montenegro. We've signed in one in Miami, in Mexico. We're going in Saudi, in Riyadh. We have one in development in Tokyo.

42:25The Gstaad Guy:Wow.

42:26Philippe Zuber:So, Sairou is expanding. And why it's expanding? It's because what the people want that. Yeah, absolutely. They absolutely want that. And we're learning so much. Yeah. And what was one of the biggest learning? I thought, let's develop this brand for my colleagues, you know, which are 25 years old, paddle champions, you know. But we realized that everyone is interested. Everybody wants to age well. Everybody wants to learn on how to be fitter, on how to use better your asset, which is your body. So now we have the best of the CEO coming to Saro, wants a bill. Then you talk to them and say, why have you selected this hotel?

43:06Philippe Zuber:And then they say, because it's the only one that do protein shake the way I want. They don't care about the concierge. They have the PA at home that can organize all the meeting, restaurant booking. They have the app that they're giving them a lot of flexibility. What matters to them is the body. What is available to make the body in the best function? The recovery to really do a distress massage, deep tissue massage, to have your ice bath in the morning, to have the infrared sauna. Because all of those are available within SIRO. So this whole ecosystem is just incredible because it just gives what you need.

43:50Philippe Zuber:We have a jet lag protocol. We have a nutrition process that you can have your protein check, but we have as well flexitarian food. So you say, I need 400 grams of protein. No problem. The chef knows how to do that. You wake up and for you to function in the morning, you need to do ginger shot. You have it. ask potentially any palace five star hotel in the world ask a ginger shot at six o 'clock in the breakfast test it

44:21The Gstaad Guy:some of them are trying to adapt but it's very different to make lead adaptions and to build with that intention I think through knowledge people can follow and desire intention at a much higher level so when we didn't understand our bodies in the same way and understand the ways we want to consume in the same way as we do today we were happier with a one-size-fits-all approach which was still luxurious like a nice five-star hotel but we're willing to compromise in five or six categories because we weren't fully aware of which category means the most to us either we're just oh it's all good enough i think now as you said particularly in in in my generation as well is health and and wellness and sports is important to us because of course it's undeniable that it's become also high status i spoke about this on an episode with brian johnson about to be in good shape and to be health first is also a cool thing to to talk about it's not just about me it's also about how society feels about it it's your business card it's in many ways a

45:35Philippe Zuber:business. It's true. People are looking at you and people know as well to build a body, you need to do a lot of efforts, you know. And then it means that you have self-discipline. It means that you are respectful of who you are as an individual, that you are willing to learn as well. You're consistent. And the beauty about SIRO is that we're not imposing anything, you know. It is not a retreat in a way that we're saying there's a program during four days, you have to eat that you want to have a glass of wine have your glass of wine you know how to mitigating this so you do whatever you want but whatever you want to do is available and it's not available just like it is there it's enhanced by absolutely incredible professional professional trainers that know exactly how they can help you out to it's your fitness journey we have a nutritionist on property.

46:32Philippe Zuber:I mean, this is as well something very unique that can help you out to have a catch-up. We have as well opportunity to do some tracking about some different elements. Of course, you have your weight but you can have your body mass. You can have a lot of things that help you out to have a reset and having support as well from our coach to do it. I do believe this is a massive learning for us at Kostner International. We're just at the beginning of an even more interesting journey into this concept of extending your wellness lifestyle while you're traveling. The point which I believe is even further important is anything that has to do with mindfulness, stress management.

47:17Philippe Zuber:This is out of the five pillars of the biohacking and the one that I have described. I think nutrition, everybody is aware. And it's a very complex ecosystem. But everybody knows that if you have too much sugar at the first time on the breakfast, you're going to have your glycemic peak and you're going to have some challenge and you're going to have a bit of a time to... Everybody is aware of that and that's a system by itself. But your body reacts so different than my body. So it's extremely personalized. Sleep is as well very unique, but now everybody realizes that it's so important and that you have to respect your body and you have to rest your body accordingly.

47:59Philippe Zuber:And you're only going to perform well if you rest well. This is something that gets into the mind of the new generation and the people have a kind of an understanding on that. Fitness, everybody knows. Now there's different technique. There's a lot of approach to that. mobility is another subject about the flexibility and the mobility this is movement this is something that people have to learn as well a lot to go there recovery is still something that people don't realize so I believe there's a lot of opportunity on the recovery space if you train two hours you have to recovery one hour people think that training is enough and that ignoring the power of the recovery space.

48:47Philippe Zuber:We have 800 square meter space of recovery, the best of the best of the therapist. This is still a learning curve. The total space, which I believe it's still to be developed, is the mindfulness. And it's everything that has to do with yoga, meditation, stress management, how to help people to be ready, how you can have brain food and how you can stimulate your brain before doing a meeting and so on this is still some opportunity that we have to develop but it's early stage but you see the potential

49:23The Gstaad Guy:absolutely and I assume this is something you're not just implementing at CSIRO for people with the full intention to opt into that experience but also something you're rolling out to your other properties around the world and putting more focus on Is that the case?

49:43Philippe Zuber:So it is the case, but it's a very complex shift to be made. What I can say and what I'm extremely proud is that the CSIRO shift that we made within our organization had a huge impact into the well-being of our colleagues. Amazing. And this is incredible that now we've seen more and more sports activity towards our hotel, more and more sports tournaments, more and more focus in the nutrition in our staff canteen around the world, and more and more conversation around sports. Sport is hard for so many people and it's really at the heart of so many people. So we help the conversation because we have put Sireau in the middle of this conversation.

50:30Philippe Zuber:So this, I'm so happy to see that. Now, how this can expand to the other brands, this is still something that we are working towards that. We are testing a lot of experiences amongst our hotel, about the brand, about longevity, about having a bit more scientific access to it. So we're working with Shono in Montenegro, for example. This is a medical spa. Here we have Clinique La Prairie, medical spa. We are extremely enthusiastic about the relationship and what we have been able to achieve. But we're still working how those two brands coexist within a one and only environment. This is still not done into the level that we wish to.

51:15Philippe Zuber:So it's still a work in progress. So does in Atlantis, the well-being and the longevity journey is a work in progress. but we want at Kostner to be the reference point when it comes to sports and longevity and SIRO is the opportunity because SIRO attracts the best of the best of the sport industry and they're extremely generous to share with us why they are such good sports individuals why they're performing so well why they're not failing at the time when they have to play the match point at the final and well they make it happen. And this particular time can be useful to all of us. Absolutely.

52:03Philippe Zuber:Because we all, in our life, at times we need to make a match point, you know, in a rendezvous, in a business meeting, closing a contract, making the right decision. And our belief is that business people, the target audience for CSIRO, are sometimes exposed to the same level of stress at a tennis player which have to do the final game, you know. We expose to so much. So we need to help them out. Because this is an interesting point. A lifetime of sports players is usually 15 years. Their career lasts 15 years. My career has to last 45 years. a business individual the career has to last 45 years so we need to look after our asset the way that sports individuals do look after their assets and to have a career of 15 years they have the support and this is real statistic of 4 people full time looking after them well how many people are looking after us when we have to do a career of 45 years Sayo.

53:50The Gstaad Guy:podcast. Speaking of the actual consumer and how that consumer's demands and interests are changing, I'd love to go back to the first property we spoke about today, which is the Montana property. In the US and in California in particular, I had heard people talk about Montana in the past. And it's typically a, at least the people I've been exposed to, are in tech and quite discerned. They've been around the world. They don't take many vacation days because they're working very hard, probably even more hours than they should be. And they love the occasional exposures to nature. So they have homes in Montana, lake houses as well, and they ski and enjoy the outdoors.

54:42The Gstaad Guy:But there hasn't been much infrastructure to support that. It's still quite barren and very much exposed to nature that hasn't been developed much. That's why they love it so much. I think the demand for that sort of escape and retreat is stronger now than ever. It's stronger post-COVID more than ever as well. For people to take vacations in nature versus in urban environments. people to take vacations where they're active versus inactive in the sun. I would love to know about the observations you've seen in consumers as well as the health and wellness that have led you to make decisions like Montana as well.

55:33Philippe Zuber:No, indeed, our chance is that we are talking from inception of the brand one and only and any customer property to a multi-generational audience. we've never been targeting couples only or children only we've been always making the statement that we are developing designing our hotel to being able to make the grandfather happy the parents happy the children happy the grandchildren happy and we always put core core in our principle that we want to be a family-driven destination. And that makes us very, very different, meaning we can have activities for a very large audience. And what is the core of that is the moment that you can share your experiences during the day.

56:30Philippe Zuber:So we always have started to really creating rooms, houses, suites that can cater a multi-generational audience because it's the sharing moment that is the heart of what we do and this is very very important because in montana we took exactly the same approach we say we have to have an active lifestyle activities because people want to go outdoor go skiing do alpine ski you know that alpine ski is not for everyone you know that's why people enjoy more after ski than alpine ski so we took that into consideration as well but for that particular purpose what we developed and what was a strong criteria for the selection of the hotel into Montana Big Sky it was as well Nordic ski so we have Nordic ski usually people which have a bit of fears of going kind of intensive ski they enjoy Nordic ski the Nordic ski trail are one of the best of the world so the combination to go into one place to say you can go and enjoy alpine ski and another group of people can enjoy nordic ski and then you meet after for the après ski in a curated place that we have developed only for that with the proper DJ, the right lighting the fantastic food this is those moments that we're good on creating and this is what one and only is so different and so unique and then you have that for the winter and you have that for the summer as well So you're totally right that now people are looking for more curated experiences, more personalized experiences.

58:10Philippe Zuber:Ten years ago, they were okay to lie by the bed, by the pool and to just read a book. Now they want at least having an availability to have five to six activities per day. Will they do it or not do it? It's not really what matters. is the fact that they need to be there and need to be heavily curated and very, very personalized, meaning adapted to you. Not an activity that you can book, but something that will be to you. So horseback riding, what does it mean to you? Do you want to wear a cowboy hat? How does cowboy hat should look like? Do you want to customize your cowboy hat? Do you want a feather?

58:55Philippe Zuber:do you want something that's very special do you want them to take it home after because you have spent time to customize and you want to customize your hat before you do the horse ride so this is all an experiences that you will be part of it so you will be invited to an atelier that you will be customize your cowboy hat that you will do something very bespoke to you those are the best of the best of the cowboy hat by the way they're really creating by a local factory that do with the best material. And then you have somebody that helps you out to customize. Like you do for the poubelle, like you do for all of those elements.

59:32Philippe Zuber:You really customize something that then becoming yours. And then suddenly, well, you will be horse riding. You will be another person. This is what we call curating experiences. And then we go even beyond that. Then after you have to have the setting, who you're going to travel with, what's the goal? you just want to take pictures of you on the horses or you want to really understand what is a cowboy experiences. So then what is then the coffee break that you're going to have towards these experiences? Are you going to the night with these experiences? What are you going to do after that? So we are really working hard from creating this entire customer journey and making sure that we're creating those moments.

1:00:20Philippe Zuber:And this is what I'm so proud about what we're doing. We're really here to creating experiences and creating memories is what we do. And this is what we find out is not only to one generation. We cannot say it's only the young generation that wants that. Everybody wants that. Everybody wants to have those moments to take it back home, but very sincere moment that they felt that it's very, very unique. and towards our audience for one and only what we can sense is that privacy is really really important exclusivity is really really important personalization is key and what they like the most it's outdoor activities so sometimes hoteliers spending too much time on designing the rooms while the guest only wants to be outside of the room so this is what we have really understood as an organization as well is say if you're going on vacation is to spend time outside.

1:01:19Philippe Zuber:That's why we are a resort-driven organization. Spending time outside is the most big luxury. Inside is your retreat. But potentially back home, you have a much better home than the rooms in Montana because this is your home. You have designed it. You have curated. You have decorated exactly the way you want. So we'll never be able to beat that. But designing a cowboy hat in your style, this we can make a difference.

1:01:49The Gstaad Guy:And I like that you back up those

1:01:54The Gstaad Guy:learnings about your customers with this data. Like you said about the gyms, how people are spending more time than ever in the gym. So let's adapt that. There's only a certain number of hours in the day. So I'm understanding now people are spending more time outside. People are spending more time active. So where are they spending spending less time. What is a part of the hotels and the people's trips that's becoming smaller?

1:02:20Philippe Zuber:Dining is less important. Of course, food and beverage, everybody's talking about. It's the language and we all have a restaurant to recommend. But the reality is they're spending less time. There's only one meal per day, which is really important for this audience. Breakfast? is the dinner. No, dinner is still those family time that they're enjoying and whatsoever. Right. So, but they don't mind to skip the lunch. They don't mind to have a very easy bite by the lunch and whatsoever, but they don't want the lunch which start taking three hours. Finish, you know, and they don't want the whole day eating.

1:02:58The Gstaad Guy:Yeah.

1:02:59Philippe Zuber:The breakfast is core to one and only. We're spending a lot of time to defining that that should be this critical moment. Why? Because when you go on vacation, you go to spend time and the conversation happens at breakfast. Those breakfast moments are the most sincere moments, you know, are the one that you are within your loved one, you can exchange. Your mind is waking up. It's really, really important. And then you spend the time with the family and everybody then get the activities. And the dinner or the aperitif is again, the time that you can regroup and then share memories and share stories.

1:03:37Philippe Zuber:But I will say outdoor activities, exactly like you say, sports is now really absolutely critical. Longevity and well-being. People enjoy more the spa, the facilities. Really now they love to go this cold plunge pool moment. You know, all of those. When people have a habit to do that, it's part of the culture and the routine to do those kind of things. Then spending time outside. and then what's really matter to them is sincere conversation with our colleagues. They want those moments. And this is as well the unique approach that they want this, the time. Because in vacation you have a time for conversation.

1:04:22Philippe Zuber:But they want that the colleagues as well available to them.

1:04:27The Gstaad Guy:Which means less time dining, less time, I assume, at the bars. Is that also a thing? I know a hotel bar was a big thing 10, 15 years ago, but I'm feeling like it's less of a big thing, at least as a consumer. Is that the case for properties in general as well?

1:04:49Philippe Zuber:You have a point. Although the bar is the ultimate anchor to creating this life and energy. At One and Only, we're saying that we want to create life and energy and we want hotels that don't feel boring. So you need to have that because it's a reassuring point that in case you're bored, in case you're enough of doing your gym and in case you don't have a conversation anymore, you're still there. And it's yours there. You know it's well done. You know that you have live music. You know that you can dance, lose yourself. You know that you can be yourself into this particular moment. And on vacation and the time that we're spending and that the guests having within our hotel, they want to lose themselves as well.

1:05:39Philippe Zuber:So they will not go to the bar every night, but they will still go to the bar and they still want to have this place to help them out to party and to do the thing. So I will not say it's less important. It's potentially not used every night, but it's still a critical space within our hotel. I want to take a step back to understand

1:06:03The Gstaad Guy:the consumer a bit more as well. Now more than ever, and it's going to continue to be the case, people are really inundated with optionality and things they can do in places they can go and see. Part of my decision process, or a big part of it, is usually research. Just trying to really understand what a destination or property has to offer. Is that in line with what I want and I'll make my call. Sometimes I'll actually ignore that entirely and just trust someone's word. And sometimes it could be based on hype even. I've heard a lot of people talk about a destination or a property and there's a FOMO factor of I need to see it for myself, even though I'm always talking online about don't have FOMO.

1:06:52The Gstaad Guy:But sometimes it's a real thing and I want to just go see what it's all about. For example, the gorillas in Rwanda. I haven't actually done any research on the property itself. All I know is that you can stay at a beautiful hotel and see gorillas in Rwanda. So I want to do it. I want to be part of that story. What does it take today, given there's so many options out there, to turn curiosity into intention and intention into a booking and then a booking into an amazing stay with so many options?

1:07:24Philippe Zuber:You have two schools. One, you go to statistics and you're trying to really understand and to go to your different market and your different audiences and you really try to do some survey and you get there. Our school at Kostar International is to spend maximum of energy of delivering the experiences when it gets consumed. Because we know that those guests will be coming our best promoters. and they will talk to the audience. And because of the target audience that we're talking to, again, the successful people, they're well introduced to the world, they have a lot of connection, and if they like, they're going to amplify the message.

1:08:06Philippe Zuber:And if we have touched their heart and if we have delivered these amazing experiences and everlasting memories, it's okay. They're going to talk about it and they're going to express to the network, look, these brands have fulfilled my expectation. And then you're creating this natural demand. This is what we're aiming to, and this is what we're pushing at. Now, the challenge that we have sometimes is that the people love it so much that they keep for themselves. Because they don't want the secret place to be more busy or to have more people to go there. So for that, we need to very specifically curate story and push the brand one and only.

1:08:52Philippe Zuber:And this is what one and only comes out because one and only is a very, very strong brand that has as well its own ecosystem and it's a brand that people trust. So we push out again the value of the brand one and only. What we're doing as an organization to support the development of this brand and what the brand gives you as adding value. One and only versus a competitor what is the adding value to stay in a one and only? What's the benefit to stay in a one and only? What is the proof point that we have in one and only? So we're spending a lot of time for explaining what one and only stand for and what is those guarantees that the guests would have if they go and stay in two and one and only.

1:09:36Philippe Zuber:But it's not that easy. And like you say, market are shifting. We as well here not to create trends. we're here for the long term but we need to be in we need to be in the conversation that's for sure and people keeping these destinations and properties a secret

1:09:59The Gstaad Guy:is a big part of actually a video I'm posting a video I posted recently saying when the happy few are no longer few they're no longer happy yeah that's so cool a classic land of luxury so they're always trying to find the next thing but luckily you're always making that next thing. I'm always fascinated by how long it takes to put together these beautiful projects and properties because Syro, for example, opened, I think, about a year ago. Correct. It feels like, okay, that's the perfect timing. This is when this is very relevant. But it takes five, sometimes 10 years to build a property. So you really need to have a lot of foresight to understand, okay, this is not a trend.

1:10:40The Gstaad Guy:This is actually a consumer shift. and this is a 10, 20, 50 year generational bet as you're saying. I assume these are things you've been thinking about and working on for again, 5, 10 years.

1:10:53Philippe Zuber:Montana was 8 years until the sign of the contract to now the opening, 8 years. I find that amazing

1:11:02The Gstaad Guy:because it's very relevant to where the culture of luxury and consumption is moving today but it was not the case eight years ago. So I assume you already have some bets you're making for the next eight years and I know you can't tell us which properties and destinations you're thinking of and you keep those naturally very private but can you tell us where you see consumption changing and where you see demands changing eight years from now and what you're looking for for eight years from now?

1:11:36Philippe Zuber:Yeah, we're seeing a lot of shift, you know, and specifically dictated by customer behavior. It's definitely that sustainability is not a buzzword anymore. And anything that we need to build in the future needs to have a strong, strong commitment. That being said, we had already that in the past, but it needs even to go a step ahead. And that has to be embedded from day one. And I'm really happy that now it's not a question anymore. It's not an option anymore. It's clear. So anything that we design is becoming core in anything that we do. So that's the first element. Second, I think the excitement that we had, you know, a room size.

1:12:22Philippe Zuber:What is a good room size when you go on vacation? When are you comfortable? And you will be happy about that one. So is it 40 square meters? Okay. 50, 60, 100, 120. How big you need to go?

1:12:36The Gstaad Guy:I have an answer.

1:12:38Philippe Zuber:Please tell me.

1:12:39The Gstaad Guy:It depends how good the destination is. If I'm in a city where I don't want to go outside or a place where I don't want to go outside, I want a big room so I can be indoors. But if you put me somewhere where I love the landscape and I love to be outside the hotel room, I don't mind sleeping in a shoebox.

1:12:57Philippe Zuber:That's our belief as well. As long as the outdoor living is out of this world, so the extended terrace and whatsoever, but now the future is not on size, square meters, is on high ceiling. Okay. So an average is 2 meter 40, too small. Yeah. I can, I can clean the tea wing. Yeah. But you think of it of a feeling that you have in a space where you have a four high meter ceiling versus the two meters. Two meters, you sense that you're just there for eating. Four meters, you have a luxury feeling. And it's the same croissant and it's the same eggs and it's the same waitresses coming to your table.

1:13:38Philippe Zuber:Same, same, same. It's true. Four meters making the big difference. Yeah. Now, how high is high? How you have to design that it's comfortable, not intimidating. Yeah. But height is definitely something. The world has standards that 240 is okay. No, not anymore. No. So, this is a future that we are pushing towards that. Another big element is functioning of a hotel and efficiency as well of circulations. Too many master plans and too many hotels are developed that becoming as much complex as a city. So to go to the restaurant is 35 minutes buggy. The guests don't want that anymore. They're okay if they bike, but if they really want to go to the journey on the arrival, they don't want.

1:14:31Philippe Zuber:So there's a lot of efforts to do on the efficiency for the circulation. So this is as well a huge shift that we are working currently, is how you optimize the circulation time. Give you another example. We have creating in our organization and that will be developed in the future. It's called Club One and it's combining in one space. Sports, kids club, mindfulness activities and teens club. All in one space. Why? Because if you go in a family, you don't want the tennis to be at one part of the resort that takes 20 minutes. Then you have to drop your son at the tennis. Then after you have to go to do your yoga.

1:15:10Philippe Zuber:And after you have to meet your wife at another place. So out of your vacation, 40 minutes will be lost in circulation time. This is really not the best usage of the time of our clients. And so it's really to optimizing circulations and finding different box of activities that simplify the customer journey. So this is as well a huge shift that we see that's happening. And then another big shift is food and beverage. The expectation on food and beverage is now sky high. And we are not talking about food and beverage anymore. We're talking about entertainment. We're talking about theaters. We're talking about the restaurant is a stage now.

1:16:01Philippe Zuber:And you'll have really to embrace that. So this is, again, the food is not a functional approach to food and beverage. It's becoming totally part of an experience. We really have to move to something different. And this is a kind of a big shift. So we discussed the shift on wellness and longevity. But we'll have to design the restaurant totally different. We'll have to design the outdoor activities totally different. And we believe as well that the quality, the comfort of the furnishers, we have a lot of to do and a lot of to influence. And now about the technology, the 3D printings, whatever we can do, there's a lot of opportunity to customize more and not doing something like, okay, because it's out of a catalog.

1:16:54Philippe Zuber:And then the last point, which is the most important point, is that the evolution will go into the relationship with the colleagues and the interaction with the staff and the training that the staff will have and the tools that the staff will have access to to serve the guests better. About exchanging, about WhatsApp, about anticipation. I'm always saying that luxury is anticipating guest needs, reading guest mind, being able to offer them something before they ask to, reading the habits before or instead of asking them, you know, you can easily. But then you need a lot of emotional intelligence.

1:17:33Philippe Zuber:You need a lot of refinement to not enter into the private space, but to respect who they are, knowing when you can have a conversation, knowing when they don't want a conversation. this is really really what makes a good experiences versus an average experiences so we believe we have extraordinary talents but it's about keeping the training the engagement attracting people to work within this industry this is just an enormous opportunity and we take that at core because human looking after human i feel it i feel it when i'm here as well the the

1:18:15The Gstaad Guy:level of the engagements with the team is it seems incredibly intentional it's just very very cocooning you feel like everyone's taking really good care of you you feel safe you feel cared for in a beautiful way and it's rare to get that feeling so it's a great thing something we always do on this podcast is a short game of à la poubelle versus fantastique where I ask the guests to share a couple of things they find to be à la poubelle in their industry in the world that surrounds them that they'd like to change and a couple of things they think are fantastique which they'd like to celebrate and see grow I know you've shared a few things that you love and you'd like to see grow.

1:19:03The Gstaad Guy:I'd love a few more. But starting with à la poubelle, what would you like to change about the world that surrounds you and throw à la poubelle?

1:19:13Philippe Zuber:I think hospitality lacks innovation à la poubelle. You know, we did really to, I'm taking this example to my team. I mean, make a difference 100 years ago. 100 years ago, how the cappuccino was served and how it's served today. 100 years ago, how was the automotive and the cars industry? The evolution has been just like crazy. The watches, we felt that the Swiss will never do innovative watches. Now see the industry 100 years ago and what the watches are providing today. Phone, industry, everything is just crazy. So this is absolutely incredible what the entire industry has evolved and the cappuccino is still served the same way.

1:20:02Philippe Zuber:So I do believe that we have to take innovation more at core and we need really to shake up the industry. So à la poubelle.

1:20:10The Gstaad Guy:À la poubelle to no innovation. I love it. What about Fantastique?

1:20:15Philippe Zuber:fantastic is the fact that so many young talent wants to join the hospitality industry because they found it that it's luxury yeah it's human you travel you expose to incredible people and we have so many talents that now knocking the door which they were not knocking the door before it was i sensed that many people were going to the hospitality by accident now they're coming by choice so this is really fantastic

1:20:45The Gstaad Guy:Love it Well Philippe, thank you so much for taking the time to share all these amazing insights I hope that those listening have at least had the chance to experience one of your lobbies let alone a stay with you at one of your beautiful resorts and hotels and I'm very excited to see all the amazing things you continue to do we've had the pleasure of collaborating before in your beautiful properties in Greece It was amazing It was really, really a lot of fun. For those who haven't seen the content, please just look up one and only Stad Guy and see how much fun we had. It was really a lot of fun.

1:21:19The Gstaad Guy:And again, thank you so much for being here. It's a pleasure. Thank you very much. Thank you. Very excited to see all the amazing things that come to light. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Stardguy podcast. If you're keen to learn more, please follow along by engaging with our social channels on Instagram, TikTok, Spotify, YouTube and Apple podcasts. And we look forward to seeing you next week. Merci beaucoup. A la prochaine and a big hug from the Stardguy.