Hotels and travel define the life passion of Bill Barnett, founder and managing director of hospitality consultancy firm C9 Hotelworks. At the beginning of my time in Asia, there was a defined lag in keeping up with global trends. As founder and managing director of C9 Hotelworks, what strategies have proven most effective in adapting hotel operations and development to meet evolving traveller expectations? What major trends and challenges do you anticipate will influence the future of the hospitality and travel industries in the Asia Pacific over the next decade? As a judge at the TDM Travel Excellence Awards 2024, what innovative aspects of travel and hospitality are you particularly interested in when evaluating the nominees?