#121: Looking for REAL Innovation in Hospitality with Bashar Wali & Eric Jafari

In a world where traditional hotel experiences are becoming obsolete, how can the hospitality industry transform from merely providing a place to stay into a platform for genuine human connection and personal transformation? In this episode, Steve Carran speaks with Bashar Wali and Eric Jafari as they challenge the status quo of hotel innovation. Moving far beyond traditional wellness concepts, they explore how the next generation is redefining hospitality through community, belonging, and transformative experiences.Key Topics include:The death of conventional hotel modelsHow Gen Z and Millennials are reimagining wellness as a social, communal experienceWhy hotels must shift from transactional services to creating genuine human connectionsLessons from innovative retail concepts like Erewhon and GoopThe critical importance of making guests feel they truly belongDrawing from personal experiences and industry insights, Wali and Jafari argue that the future of hotels isn't about amenities, but about creating tribes, cultivating culture, and helping guests feel they matter in an increasingly disconnected world.Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn pageThe Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More MediaLinks:Bashar Wali on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/basharwali/Practice Hospitality: https://www.practicehospitality.com/Eric Jafari on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericjafari/?originalSubdomain=ukAENDRE Limited: https://www.aendregroup.com/For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/121Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...Connect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil...