As part of Revfine's “Hospitality Influencers” series, they recently featured an interview with our Founder, Juanjo Rodriguez. This series spotlights the future of hospitality by engaging in conversations with visionary individuals who are actively molding the industry’s landscape. These thought leaders share their personal journeys and offer insights into the industry’s outlook, its challenges, opportunities, and innovations. The original interview can be found on Revfine, a hospitality and travel industry knowledge platform, and here are a few excerpts from the conversation:  

Juanjo founded his first company over 20 years ago — a startup created in the initial phase of the internet. Three years later, he started a marketing agency catering to online and offline projects. After more than a decade, he was eager to take on challenges and projects where technology could play a more significant role and have a larger impact. This is when his journey in hospitality began. He aimed to address existing challenges for hoteliers and to redefine standards, driven by a vision of creating a more seamless and customer-centric experience. This goal led to The Hotels Network’s (THN) suite of personalization options, which Rodriguez explains are “enabling hoteliers to serve the end user directly, reducing the reliance on third-party intermediaries, such as OTAs or tour operators.” 

In today’s ever-evolving landscape, the hospitality industry faces significant challenges. One pressing issue mentioned by Rodriguez is how to meet evolving consumer expectations in the digital age, where personalization and sustainability are paramount. The other challenge is the industry’s need to adapt swiftly to unforeseen disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This highlights the importance of adaptability and resilience in the sector.

Rodriguez emphasizes that bring data-driven and focusing on the client is crucial, as understanding and meeting customer needs is at the core of THN’s success. As explained by Rodriguez, “Our interactions with hoteliers have shaped our trajectory and deepened our understanding of their needs and challenges.” Additionally, continuous learning and networking are emphasized, as they can significantly contribute to thriving in the dynamic hospitality industry.

The interview gives insights into how Juanjo's career in hospitality began, the story behind founding THN, how to stay up to date with the latest industry trends, his thoughts on technology’s future impact on hospitality and more. Rodriguez explains, “We draw inspiration from things happening elsewhere, in a different space, such as e-commerce or fintech, and then look for ways to translate those concepts into the context of the travel and hospitality industry," giving hoteliers a clear idea of the innovation they can expect from THN in the future.

Interested in learning more? Find the full interview on Revfine.