She Didn't Choose Your Hotel, the Philippines Launched a Tourism AI with No DOT Data, Build Resort Sales Teams from the Inside
Monday opened the week with hospitality.today's argument that Google AI Mode is eliminating the research phase where guests actively choose hotels and replacing it with a single AI-surfaced option they accept, Pertlink's open letter to the Philippines' tourism secretary on a government AI assistant already answering tourist queries with no connection to official data, and The Sales Leadership Brief on why destination resorts should grow commercial talent from within rather than recruit externally. Chinese Golden Week bookings up 123%, housekeeping as the most undervalued hotel department, and three property announcements opened the session.
Tourism-Friendly Isn't Business-Friendly: Where Hospitality Business Really Thrives!
A research-informed opinion piece ranks 10 favourable and 10 challenging countries for hospitality operators, arguing tax rates alone are poor predictors of where a business will thrive.
Latest
An open letter to Hon. Dita Angara-Mathay, Secretary, Department of Tourism, Philippines
The Philippines' DICT launched AI assistant "Kuya A" inside the eGovPH Superapp for 40-60M users, already answering tourism queries with no connection to DOT's data or accreditation registry.
HVS Asia Pacific Hospitality Newsletter - Week Ending 18 September 2026
HVS weekly roundup covers four major Asia-Pacific hotel deals: CLI's HKD2.3B ibis Hong Kong acquisition, Star Asia's Japan transactions, Banyan Group's ZAR756M Newmark Hotels stake, and Megaworld's new hospitality group launch.
The New Kämp Spa, Where Finnish Rituals Meet Cutting-Edge Science, Is Now Open
A wholly reimagined Kämp Spa has opened as part of the renewal of Hotel Kämp. As of August 2026, the 1,200-square-meter spa welcomes guests and members to a wellbeing landscape that pairs Finnish heritage with next-generation technology.
Recent Appointments
View AllWhitbread begins construction work on new Vauxhall Premier Inn
Whitbread PLC, the owner of Premier Inn, has appointed a main contractor for delivering a new Premier Inn hotel in Vauxhall, London.
Four Seasons Hotel Singapore Introduces New Three-Bedroom Premier Suite with a Private Entrance for a Greater Sense of Privacy and Independence
Four Seasons Hotel Singapore unveils its newly launched Three-Bedroom Premier Suite, a generous residential style retreat designed for families and friends seeking the comfort, flexibility and thoughtful service of a home away from home in the heart of Singapore.
Gastronomy: Definition, Meaning, Careers & Why It Matters Today
An educational overview of gastronomy as an interdisciplinary field, covering its definition, history, differences from culinary arts, and career paths in hospitality and food.
Golden Week 2026 Fuels Extended Breaks and New Travel Routes: Trip.com Group Reveals Rising Destinations and Regional Trends
Trip.com Group data shows Chinese Golden Week 2026 bookings surging, with 123% YoY growth in 7+ night stays, 84% rise in multi-destination trips, and strong long-haul demand to Europe, Australia, and the US.
The Invisible Engine: Why Hotel Housekeeping Is the Hardest Job in the Hotel
Housekeeping accounts for up to 35% of hotel labor costs and is the top driver of guest satisfaction, yet remains chronically underfunded, understaffed, and undervalued by most ownership groups.
Supplier News
View allLaundris Helps Hotel Operators Save Time and Cut Costs With New AI-Powered Assistant
Laundris launched an AI assistant that lets hotel operators query linen inventory data in plain language, delivering instant custom reports and charts at no additional cost to subscribers.
Anana launches AI Workspace for Hospitality Commercial Teams
Anana captures demand intelligence from guest calls, chats, and emails before they become bookings, surfacing structured commercial insights for hotel teams through a five-component AI workspace.
Calistoga Spa Hot Springs switches to Mews after 20–years on the same system
Calistoga Spa Hot Springs replaced a 20-year-old system with Mews PMS and RMS, achieving 50% online check-in adoption aided by on-site staff onboarding.
Unlocking Longevity: When the Key Card is an Invitation to Move
The piece argues hotels can foster longevity through self-initiated movement by repurposing the key card as a symbolic invitation to explore destinations on foot, by bike, or on the slopes.
Apaleo has announced a partnership with EHL Hospitality Business School
Apaleo becomes the first official industry partner for EHL's Human-Centered Digitalization specialisation, embedding guest speakers, site visits, and capstone projects into the Master's in Hospitality Management.
Folio Partners with M3 to Deliver a Connected Procure-to-Pay Experience for Hotel Finance Teams
Folio and M3 have launched a bi-directional integration connecting procurement, invoice automation, and accounting, with hotels able to go live within 24 hours of M3 provisioning access.
HotelData.com H1 2026 Labor Report Shows Improved Productivity as Demand and Wages Rose
Based on ~5,000 U.S. hotels, HPOR fell 3.1% (Full Service) and 3.5% (Select Service) in H1 2026 year over year, helping drive GOP margins up 3.6 points despite rising wages.
Apaleo 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.
She didn't choose your hotel. She accepted it.
Google's AI Mode compresses the OTA research session that drove the billboard effect, threatening the core mechanism behind direct booking conversion and guest loyalty strategies.
AI Changes How a Hotel Learns, Decides, and Creates Demand
A strategic opinion piece arguing that AI's real value for hotels lies in surfacing hidden demand signals across the guest journey, not just automating tasks, with readiness assessed across leadership, data, team skills, and governance.
No Townies
A hospitality manager reflects on growing up beside a storied Canadian resort hotel, and how early encounters with its exclusive world sparked a four-decade career in the industry.
Future Hospitality Summit Honours Visionary Leadership in Shaping the Future of Tourism and Hospitality
FHS World 2026 names UAE Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri and Emirates President Sir Tim Clark as this year's FHS Leadership and Lifetime Achievement Award winners.
Personalized Wellness Stays as a Shining Star with OUTRIGGER Maldives Maasfushivaru
OUTRIGGER Maldives Maafushivaru GM John Allanson outlines how the 81-villa resort has built structured wellness programs, including holistic fitness and healing retreat packages in 3-, 5-, and 7-night formats.
Building High-Performance Sales Teams in Experiential Resorts
The author argues that destination resorts should build sales teams from within, identifying guest-facing staff with commercial instinct and developing them through structured apprenticeships rather than costly, high-turnover external hires.
HSMAI DC’s DMV Commercial Leadership Forum Will Address How Integrated Hospitality Organizations Can Drive Performance
HSMAI DC's DMV Commercial Leadership Forum on Oct. 7 at MGM National Harbor will cover AI application, commercial alignment, and next-gen leadership for hospitality sales, marketing, and revenue professionals.
Loews Hotels & Co Launches Active Stays by Loews Hotels
Loews Hotels launches Active Stays, a portfolio-wide wellness program with in-room workouts, destination movement experiences, and recovery options, rolling out across all U.S. properties from September 9.
The Future of Wellness and Longevity in Tourism and Hospitality Investment
Industry experts assess wellness and longevity as an emerging hospitality asset class, citing data showing wellness hotels generate double the TRevPAR and longevity travel projected to reach $44bn by 2030.
Chinese AI Booked 800% More Rooms at Spring Festival, U.S. RevPAR Streak Ends After 21 Weeks, Tech Friction Costs More Than Licensing
Friday brought Pertlink's account of Fliggy's AI booking skill live inside Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Honor phone stores with Chinese AI hotel bookings up 800% at Spring Festival, CoStar data showing U.S. RevPAR fell 6.2% in the week ending September 12 as the Labor Day calendar shift ended a 21-week growth streak, and Shiji's argument that hotel technology's true cost is fragmented workflows draining staff time rather than licensing. Highgate and Eternam entering Greece, 1 Hotel Austin opening, and YOTEL's Thailand debut rounded out the week.