By Max Starkov
AI Search: Direct Channel or OTAs? Google's Agentic Shift Redraws the Map, U.S. Q1 Hotel Profits Strong
A new viewpoint asks the question the past month of coverage has been circling: will AI search benefit hotels' direct channel or the OTAs. It lands the same day as an analysis of Google's I/O 2026 agentic overhaul, built on Gemini 3.5 Flash and autonomous agents, which argues Google's anti-middleman architecture routes high-intent travelers directly to brand.com. Hospitality Net's HumanX Summit Day Two coverage from EHL Lausanne captures where the summit's consensus broke down. U.S. hotels posted a strong Q1 2026 with RevPAR up 8.7% and GOP margins up 4 points, but operator forecasts for the rest of the year are turning cautious.
Scrappy Always Wins: Why Hospitality’s Future Belongs to the Nimble
Newport Hospitality Group's president reflects on a leadership retreat session arguing that nimble, adaptable operators outperform larger rivals by focusing on controllable factors and rejecting industry status quo.
By Andrew Carey, Chief Executive Officer, Newport Hospitality Group
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Inside the Wellness Experience at Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge
Four Seasons Tower Bridge upgraded its fitness facilities with Matrix Onyx equipment, creating design harmony with the spa and adding features like Facility Concierge for guest services.
Humanizing Hospitality: Why Choosing a Technology Partner with Heart Brings Many Happy Returns
As the 2026 tradeshow season opens, the article argues that hotel technology must be evaluated on how well it supports frontline staff, with multilingual interfaces, mobile-first workflows, and vendor partnership as key criteria.
By Scott Schaedle, Chief Executive Officer, Quore
Hospitality: AI Is Not Your Enemy, It’s Your Next Team Member
A Hotelios Consulting perspective arguing hoteliers should treat AI as an operational team member, citing tools like Access Evo and Happy Hotel as examples of automated pricing and revenue optimisation in practice.
By Felix Mercer, Hotelios Consulting, Access Hospitality
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View AllSix Dimensions to Evaluate When Choosing an RMS
A practical framework covering six evaluation criteria for RMS selection: integration quality, pricing logic transparency, usability, support, forecasting, and total cost of ownership.
By Hrishikesh Bapat, Head of Product, LodgIQ™
Willow Joins WorldHotels Crafted Collection on Sweden’s Southern Coast
WorldHotels, a global brand of independent luxury and lifestyle hotels within the BWH® Hotels portfolio, today announces the addition of Willow in Trelleborg, Sweden, to its WorldHotels™ Crafted collection. Rising sixteen stories above Sweden’s southernmost city, Willow offers a striking example of beauty from the inside out—where bold exterior architecture gives way to an interior experience defined by craftsmanship, warmth and refined design.
How Gen Z and Millennials Are Reshaping Sustainable Travel
Expedia Group survey of 7,000 travelers finds 91% of Gen Z factored environmental or social concerns into travel plans in the past year, with 94% willing to travel off-peak to reduce crowding.
Evok Collection announces the opening of Nolinski Golfe de Saint-Tropez - April 2027
Evok Collection announces the opening of Nolinski Golfe de Saint-Tropez in Gassin in April 2027. For the first time, Nolinski is venturing beyond an urban setting. Following Paris and Venice, the brand arrives in Gassin, on the doorstep of Saint‐Tropez, in an iconic location: the former Mas de Chastelas, set within three hectares of landscaped gardens.
Moxy Hotels Checks Into Hungary With Opening of Moxy Budapest Downtown
Moxy Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of over 30 extraordinary hotel brands, has debuted in Hungary with the opening of Moxy Budapest Downtown. Located on lively Kazinczy Street in one of Budapest’s most energetic neighbourhoods, the hotel brings Moxy Hotels’ playful, experience‑driven hospitality to the city, offering a bold new base for curious, social‑minded travellers.
Supplier News
View allCloudbeds Introduces Ask Signals, a Conversational AI Interface Built on Unified Hotel Data
Cloudbeds' Ask Signals lets hotel teams query operational, guest, and revenue data via natural language, built on its unified Signals platform rather than siloed systems.
IRIS heads to HITEC San Antonio to unveil new mobile ordering innovations and hospitality integrations
IRIS will demo new POS integrations with Toast, InfoGenesis and Simphony, plus Adyen and Shift4 payment gateways, and a redesigned mobile-first interface at HITEC San Antonio, June 15-18, 2026.
HotelTechReport Surpasses 80,000 Verified Hotel Software Reviews, Deepening the Largest Independent Dataset in Hospitality Technology
HotelTechReport has crossed 81,972 verified reviews and now powers an AI Tech Stack Advisor built with Booking.com, helping hoteliers make data-backed software purchasing decisions.
HotelData.com Q1 2026 Hotel Profitability Report Signals Strong Start to Year for U.S. Hotels, But Forecasts Grow More Cautious for the Remainder of 2026
U.S. hotels posted strong Q1 2026 gains with ADR up 6%, RevPAR up 8.7%, and GOP margin rising 4 points, but operator forecasts for Q2-Q4 point to softer pricing and declining RevPAR.
Innspire and EHVA.ai Announce Strategic Partnership to Deliver True Global Operational Autonomy
Innspire will resell EHVA.ai's voice AI platform across its global hotel portfolio, enabling 24/7 automated call handling alongside existing SMS, WhatsApp, and in-app messaging tools via a single dashboard.
Emerging Travel Group broadens partnerships with SynXis
ETG has expanded its SynXis CRS integration to include independent hotels, enabling automated rate and availability sync and access to 110,000+ travel professionals via RateHawk and ZenHotels.
Global Hotel Sales Leaders Say Lead Quality is the Top Barrier to Growth in 2026
Amadeus surveyed 315+ hotel and venue sales leaders globally, finding lead quality and rising competition are the top barriers to growth, while 86% already use AI for proposals and prospecting.
Shiji sets new benchmark with 100+ hotel PMS rollout for a single group completed in two months
Shiji deployed its cloud-based Daylight PMS across 100+ hotels for a single group in just two months, averaging seven properties per day across six structured go-live waves.
Unpack ’26 Summer Travel Trends: Domestic Demand Rises and Hotel Prices Drop in Popular International Destinations
Expedia Group's Unpack '26 Summer report finds domestic travel surging 77% YoY in social conversation, while hotel rates in popular European, Asian, and South American destinations drop nearly 25%.
CASE STUDY: Resort Leadership Breakdown & Revenue Decline
BRN Solutions restructured leadership, outsourced revenue management, and redesigned the sales and wedding strategy at an independent resort, delivering a $1.4M performance swing within five months.
By Rick Blackburn, Founder of brn solutions, Cayuga Hospitality Consultants
Canada hotels post fourth straight month of performance growth
Canada's hotels saw April 2026 RevPAR rise 7.3% year over year to CAD128.19, with Toronto leading major markets and Newfoundland and Labrador topping provincial gains.
Sips of Sustainability: Tackling Climate Costs from Farm to Table - Cornell Research
Cornell CHR report from a 2025 Climate Week NYC roundtable finds the beverage industry is treating sustainability as operational survival, with packaging and transport often exceeding farming emissions.
Hilton Signs Umfolozi River Hotel, KwaZulu Natal, Tapestry Collection by Hilton in South Africa
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the signing of Umfolozi River Hotel, KwaZulu Natal, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, in partnership with Umfolozi Hotel and Spa (Pty) Ltd. Expected to open in 2028, the hotel marks the brand's second Tapestry Collection signing in South Africa within the last year, demonstrating Hilton's continued growth across key leisure destinations in the country. The signing took place during Africa's Travel Indaba in Durban with representatives from Hilton, Umfolozi Hotel and Spa (Pty) Ltd, and Valor Hospitality Partners.
HumanX Summit 2026, Day Two: Where the Agreement Ended
A recap of HumanX Summit 2026 Day Two, covering staff retention, burnout, guest experience design, regenerative tourism metrics, and one speaker's outright rejection of AI in restaurants.
Hilton Accelerates Lifestyle Portfolio Growth in the Caribbean and Latin America with the Signing of Almare Beach Resort Las Terrenas, Curio by Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the signing of Almare Beach Resort Las Terrenas, Curio by Hilton. Slated to open in 2028, the resort will be located in Las Terrenas, a picturesque destination on the Dominican Republic's Samaná Peninsula, celebrated for its white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, and relaxed Caribbean vibe. The property is owned by DACC Investment Blu SRL.
An Examination of AI in Travel Planning Across Traveler Spending Segments - Cornell Research
Cornell survey of 1,029 U.S. travelers finds AI adoption varies significantly by spending tier, with accuracy concerns cited by 60%+ as the top barrier across all segments.
By Chris K. Anderson and Young Jang
voco brand continues growth momentum with new Phuket signing
IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has today announced a management agreement with Phuket HA 2 Co., Ltd, a leading real estate developer in Thailand for voco Phuket Patong, marking the rapid expansion of the brand in Thailand following the brand debut in Bangkok last year, and four in the pipeline signed in quick succession.
VERTU Hospitality announces the installation of Vertu Interactive, its new technology solution dedicated to the hospitality sector, at The Hotel Brussels
VERTU Hospitality launches Vertu Interactive, a cloud-based digital signage platform branded as SignTouch, with its first major deployment at THE HOTEL Brussels, a 400-room Pandox Group property.