Expert Views (15)
View all Answers
Soneva's Neil Gallagher on Bare Luxury and What Stays When the SOPs Go, dormakaba Acquires Alliants, EU AI Act Is Now Changing What Hotels Can Show
Wednesday brought the Boardroom Reboot's conversation with Soneva CEO Neil Gallagher on Bare Luxury, emotional intelligence over service scripts, and expansion into Africa and ski markets following KSL Capital's 2025 stake, dormakaba's acquisition of UK-based guest experience platform Alliants to merge physical access with digital engagement, and Influence Society's breakdown of the EU AI Act Article 50 obligations now in force for hotels using AI-generated visuals, chatbots, and video. Shakira's Madrid residency pushing ADR 20%, Cloudbeds' native RMS launch, and 12 property announcements rounded out the session.
Google’s Latest Search Changes Could Reshape the Direct Booking Battle
Google's DMA-driven search changes have already cut free direct booking clicks by up to 30% for some European hotels, prompting a broader rethink of channel mix, acquisition costs, and guest data strategy.
By Debbie Miller, Digital Marketing and Communications Professional and member of Cayuga Hospitality Consultants, Cayuga Hospitality Consultants
Latest
The Zetter Collection Expands into Europe, Debuting The Zetter 717 Amsterdam
The Zetter Collection announces plans to expand beyond the UK for the first time with the opening of The Zetter 717 Amsterdam in Early 2027. Occupying a historic canal house on Prinsengracht in Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed Canal District, the boutique 24 bedroom, five-star property will bring The Zetter’s distinctive, characterful approach to one of the city’s most recognisable neighbourhoods.
Banyan Group Announces Acquisition of Newmark Hotels & Reserves, Adding 26 Hotels, Lodges, and Reserves Across Seven African Countries
Banyan Group acquires a majority stake in Africa-focused Newmark Hotels & Reserves, adding 26 properties across 7 countries and expanding its global portfolio to nearly 130 hotels.
Banyan Group and Newmark
Fat Badger Group returns to BWH Hotels GB with seven Yorkshire properties
Seven Fat Badger Group hotels in Yorkshire rejoin BWH Hotels GB under the BW Premier Collection brand, gaining global distribution, loyalty access, and revenue support while retaining their individual identities.
Recent Appointments
View AllByrknes Ocean Resort to Open in 2027, Joining Nordic Hotels & Resorts
A new hotel and leisure complex, Byrknes Ocean Resort, is currently under construction in Norway. At the mouth of the Sognefjord, the coming 77-room resort will open up a stretch of coastline to the world, complete with dining, meetings and wellbeing. The hotel is scheduled for completion in autumn 2027.
Recast: Building relationships through reservations: Insights from The Broadmoor
The Broadmoor's reservations manager explains how proactive follow-up calls to guests who didn't book generated nearly $1M in direct revenue over three months.
Karen Stephens, Chief Marketing Officer, Revinate, Inc.
What Black Friday 2025 told us about direct demand, and how to prepare for 2026
Analysis of 1,982 hotels shows those running a dedicated Black Friday campaign grew direct revenue 60.5% vs. 4.4% for non-participants, with the gap driven by booking engine conversion, not traffic.
By Paige Lopez, Content marketer, Lighthouse
Radisson Hotel Group’s global career festival returns with a focus on career mobility and AI in hospitality
Career Fest 2026, taking place throughout October across 100+ countries, builds on a 2025 edition with 12,000+ registrations, focusing on career mobility, AI skills, and leadership development for Radisson's 75,000+ employees.
Minor Hotels Signs Avani+ Hanoi in the Vietnamese Capital
Minor Hotels, a leading global hotel owner and operator, has signed a management agreement with Trading Construction Works Organization to operate Avani+ Hanoi, a 310-key hotel in Hanoi’s Bach Mai Ward.
Supplier News
View allApaleo and IDeaS Announce Expanded Integration With Advanced Revenue Controls
The expanded integration connects Apaleo's API-first PMS with IDeaS' AI-powered platform, automating two-way data flows for pricing, forecasting, overbooking, LOS, and LRV decisions in real time.
IDeaS and Apaleo GmbH
Shakira’s Madrid residency drives hotel bookings up 15% and prices up 20%
SiteMinder data shows Shakira's 12-night Madrid residency has pushed hotel bookings up 14.8% and ADR to €339, a 19.7% increase, with domestic bookings surging 65% year over year.
Stayntouch Earns Hotel Tech Report’s Highest Level of Global Customer Support Certification
Stayntouch achieved a perfect 34/34 score for Level 4 Global Customer Support Certification from Hotel Tech Report, covering 24/7 multilingual support, onboarding, and NPS tracking.
IDS Next Celebrates Over 25 Years of Partnership with ITC Hotels
IDS Next marks 25+ years powering ITC Hotels' operations with its cloud-native, AI-enabled ERP platform covering front and back-end, wellness, and sales and catering functions.
IDS NEXT and ITC Hotels
Hapi and Upgrade Partner to Help Hotels Deploy Modern Payment Options at Scale with Flex Pay
Hapi and Upgrade's Flex Pay integration automates BNPL payment processing across reservation systems and PMS platforms, already live across thousands of hotels and billed as the first above-property payment automation in a global hotel chain.
Outdoor travel stays strong in 2026 as AI enters trip planning
RMS survey of 1,500 campers across the US, UK, Australia and NZ finds 66% plan to camp more in 2026, with online search now the top discovery channel and AI tools used by 14% for trip research.
Otel Launches Otel Academy, a Webinar Series that Cuts Through the AI Noise for Hotels.
Otel AI launches a free webinar series for hoteliers, with the first 41-minute episode featuring former Accor Group CTO Floor Bleeker on building a practical AI strategy.
Cloudbeds launches RMS with deeper hotel intelligence built on unified data
Cloudbeds launches a native RMS powered by its Signals unified data layer, combining competitor rates, booking pace, and channel behavior with automated rate execution via its PMS.
Kempinski Residences brings the Good Life to Waterfront Living with The Creek Dubai in partnership with Swiss Property
Kempinski Group, Europe’s oldest luxury hospitality company, today announced the launch of Kempinski Residences The Creek, featuring 279 luxury apartments surrounded by natural landscapes, offering a serene lifestyle complemented by premium amenities and exquisite services.
Outset Collection by Hilton Set for EMEA Debut
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the signing of a franchise agreement with Arte Hoteles for the first Outset Collection by Hilton property in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Expected to open later this year, Casa Verbena Madrid, Outset Collection by Hilton, will bring the brand’s soulful approach to independent hospitality to the heart of Spain’s capital, offering travellers a stay shaped by local story and individuality.
Colliers U.S. Hospitality Brand Performance Comparison Report - H1 2026
Colliers' H1 2026 U.S. report shows luxury and upper-upscale brands posting 4–8% RevPAR gains while midscale and economy segments remain under pressure from budget travelers and excess supply.
Meriwether Companies Debuts Multimillion-Dollar Transformation of La Valle Coastal Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California
Meriwether Companies, a U.S. private resort real estate development firm, announces the transformation completion of La Valle Coastal Club, the 225-acre private club and resort in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., ushering in a new era for the landmark property formerly known as Morgan Run.
Cambridge House, Auberge Collection, A New Landmark in the Heart of London, is Now Accepting Reservations
Reuben Brothers and Auberge Collection, the award-winning portfolio of one-of-a-kind luxury hotels, resorts, and residences, is pleased to announce that Cambridge House, Auberge Collection is now accepting bookings ahead of its 1st February 2027 opening.
When Hotels Become Storytellers: Two Journeys Through the Legacies of South India
Two South Indian hotels, the Royal Orchid Metropole in Mysore and Hoysala Village in Hassan, illustrate how embedding living local ritual and dynastic history into the guest experience creates meaning that outlasts any amenity.
By Taran Patel and Chirag Patel
Under Canvas to Open First New Mexico Camp in Santa Fe in 2027
Today, Under Canvas, the leader in upscale, outdoor hospitality, announced that Under Canvas Santa Fe will open in April of 2027, marking the brand’s first location in New Mexico and its 18th property within the portfolio. Set across 640 acres of rolling high desert outside Santa Fe, the new camp offers a richly immersive way to experience the region—blending the city’s celebrated art, culture and cuisine with sweeping landscapes, outdoor adventure and vast open skies. The debut of Under Canvas Santa Fe also marks several firsts for the brand: the introduction of saunas, a dedicated event tent and cabins alongside its signature canvas tents – all designed to complement the high-desert landscape and elevate the guest experience.
Banyan Group Unveils Ubuyu, a Banyan Tree Escape, Marking Its First-Ever Safari Experience and Second Banyan Tree Escape Worldwide
Banyan Group ("Banyan Tree Holdings Limited" or the "Group" – SGX: B58), an independent global hospitality company, unveils its first safari experience with Ubuyu, a Banyan Tree Escape, an intimate safari retreat deep in the heart of Tanzania's Ruaha National Park. Now open to guests, Ubuyu offers travellers a rare opportunity to experience one of East Africa's most untouched wilderness areas, celebrated for its raw beauty and remarkable biodiversity.
Regent Hotels & Resorts to debut in French Polynesia with signing of Regent Bora Bora
IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has signed an agreement with long-standing partner Pacific Beachcomber to transform InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa into Regent Bora Bora. The resort closed on 1 June 2026 for extensive renovations and, following a significant transformation, will reopen as Regent Bora Bora in late 2027. The resort will mark Regent Hotels & Resorts’ debut in French Polynesia, one of the world’s most celebrated island destinations.
NoMad Hilton Singapore Plans for Late 2026 Opening
Bookings are now live for NoMad Hilton Singapore, which is set to open in late 2026, marking the brand’s debut in Asia Pacific. Positioned to meet growing demand for elevated, experience-driven stays, the hotel will reflect NoMad’s refined yet eclectic vision of luxury hospitality, with a focus on sophisticated design, world-class dining, and immersive cultural programming.