Industry podcast hits South Yorkshire and County Durham to tackle the future of hospitality as the 2026 tour concludes
South Yorkshire hoteliers tackle critical regional issues, including the true profitability of the staycation market, impending holiday taxes, rising utility costs, and automation strategies. Dan Vine, Kenwood Hall Hotel, Regional GM of Vine Hotels urges the industry to support each other to help meet the demands of today’s guests.
County Durham edition to address the region’s hospitality talent pipeline, guest acquisition costs, and the practical application of AI. Daniel Rich, GM of Redworth Hotel, emphasises the focus on collaboration and education to improve the sector as an educational career.
Hoteliers’ Voice, the premier UK podcast for hospitality professionals, is set to conclude its 2026 nationwide Roundtable Roadshow dates with two high-impact events in the North of England. Following a string of sell-out sessions across the Midlands and South, the roadshow heads to South Yorkshire and County Durham this September to navigate the evolving landscape of hospitality and staycation tourism.
Kenwood Hall Hotel plays host to the South Yorkshire edition in partnership with Vine Hotels on Tuesday 8th September, 9am – 2pm. Anticipated to be one of the largest events in the series to date, the roundtable will bring together senior hospitality leaders to discuss critical regional issues, including the role of tourist boards and councils in destination promotion and the questionable profitability of the UK staycation market. Panelists will also tackle the operational pressures of rising utility costs and explore practical, bottom-line benefits of automation.
Dan Vine, Regional GM of Vine Hotels said;
“One of the things about our industry is we don’t talk enough and our industry’s changed so much in recent years. This is a chance to share best practices and understand how we can all team up to deal with the challenges the industry poses, like; Has the staycation market actually benefited us? How can we deal with ever increasing costs like utilities and food? How are we using automation for things like payroll controls? How can we support each other and match the demands of our guests?”
The tour then travels to the Redworth Hall Hotel of the Cairn Group to host the County Durham Edition on Thursday 10th September, 9am – 2pm. A key focus of this session will be the hospitality talent pipeline, featuring contributions from local colleges on encouraging a new generation into the sector. Industry experts will also delve into guest acquisition costs, managing increasingly short booking lead times, and the appropriate application of AI to enhance – rather than hinder – the guest experience.
Daniel Rich, GM, Redworth Hall Hotel said:
“I’m looking forward to talking about education and hospitality and how we work together to improve the sector as an educational career. We’ll have people from the local colleges and hospitality community to talk about how we can get new staff into the industry. We’ll also have our graduate students joining us to share their experiences. It’s important to understand the regional challenge and our market place – the staycation market has been strong but how can we work together and collaborate?”
“In connecting people regionally, we are creating a nationwide movement for positive change,” says Ryan Haynes, Director and Podcast Host. “These final stops in the North are vital for addressing the specific challenges faced by regional operators, from engaging new talent to balancing technology with authentic service. It’s been a learning journey as we discover different initiatives across the country from engaging with schools with hospitality, to building formidable experiences, to how to handle guest safety in the wake of the Travelodge incident.”
The Roadshow is backed by HOSPA (the Hospitality Professionals Association) and features Hospitality Action as its official charity partner. The events are made possible through the support of Platinum Sponsor Oracle, alongside supporting (Gold) Focus on Hospitality by Focus Group and Rory’s Travel Club, as well as (Silver) Net Affinity, Studio Moren, and KeyStep.
Attendance remains free for hotel and hospitality operators. Interested parties are encouraged to book early and enquire via the Hoteliers’ Voice website to secure a seat at these final intimate sessions. Highlights from the sessions will be published on Hoteliers’ Voice podcast across Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.