What makes a great hotel feel effortless? As hospitality strategist, architect, and owner's representative Vito F. Lotta explains, it's rarely the obvious design decisions. The best hotels succeed because thousands of invisible choices work together to create an emotional experience (while balancing operational realities).

Even seemingly mundane decisions ... shower doors, elevator placement, storage rooms, lighting, and soundproofing ... are a balancing act for both guest and owner. In this episode we talk:

• The psychology of hotel arrivals and first impressions
• The hidden operational side of hotel design
• The changing role of the lobby bar
• Can the guest room bathroom be saved?
• Authentic materials vs. practical alternatives
• Why hotel room phones still exist
• How creative teams overcome stale thinking
• Finding the "spark" in hospitality projects

In just two weeks, the GBTA | Global Business Travel Association 2026 Convention kicks off in Chicago, bringing together thousands of leaders shaping the future of business travel.

Ahead of the event, Jeff Borman and Matt Brown sat down with Katharine Farrell, Vice President, Americas at GBTA, to talk about what's happening in the industry.

While AI is dominating the headlines, travel managers are navigating geopolitical uncertainty, evolving traveler expectations, tighter budgets, duty of care, and a rapidly changing technology landscape.

In this episode:

🛎️ The big themes at GBTA 2026.

🛎️ Why travel managers are more strategic than ever.

🛎️ How AI is actually being used inside corporate travel programs today.

🛎️ The unique challenges facing small and mid-market organizations.

🛎️ Whether the traditional RFP still has a place in an AI-first world.

Daniel Kuperschmid has spent his career helping people discover exceptional places, first through three decades with Hyatt Hotels and now as President and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority.

Daniel joins No Show to explore what it really takes to steward one of America's most visited destinations, balancing tourism, local communities, government, infrastructure, and long-term city building. We get into:

• Why and how San Diego is evolving its reputation.
• Where the majority of visitors are coming from.
• A tourism ecosystem that has to account for dollars coming in but also for the quality of life of the people who live and work in San Diego.
• The future of the San Diego Convention Center, environmental and social concerns, and the role of Measure C.
• Classy hidden neighborhoods, restaurants, and cultural gems every visitor should experience.
• The power of Comic-Con!