In this episode, Steve and David are joined by guest host Mercedes Blanco from The Hotels Network. They discuss various trending topics in the hospitality industry for July, including the rumor of Hyatt acquiring Standard Hotels, an extensive computer outage affecting multiple industries including hospitality and travel, the rise of 'bleisure' (business and leisure travel), and the growing importance of automated technology in hotels. In this episode, we discuss: The potential acquisition of Standard Hotels by Hyatt, exploring the ongoing trend of brand consolidation in the hospitality industryRecent major computer outages affecting airlines and hotels, and the importance of cybersecurity in the travel sectorThe rise of 'bleisure' travel and how industry professionals are taking advantage of business trips for leisureTravelers' preferences for automated technology in hotels and finding the right balance between tech and human touchAn innovative hotel summer camp program introducing high school students to hospitality careersGoogle's surprising U-turn on phasing out third-party cookies and its implications for the industryTune in for expert insights, lively discussion, and the latest trends shaping the hospitality landscape. Subscribe to Mint Pillow:https://content.mintpillow.co/mint-pillow-newsletter-sign-up/?cid=66a0b7a44acaa Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn pageThe Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More Media Links:Rumor: Hyatt acquiring StandardComputer OutageBleisure travel on the rise80% of travelers prefer automated tech Hospitality Summer CampGoogle u-turn on cookies  For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/86Follow 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...