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OTAs Are Funding the AI That Replaces Them, Hotels Watch the Wrong Clock, Two HN Interviews on Leading Differently
Monday opened with the most consequential distribution story of the week: Booking Holdings and Airbnb are each funding separate AI travel ventures as hedges, raising the prospect that hotels will soon rent visibility from the same parent that runs both the OTA and the assistant. Two HN interviews on crisis leadership and regenerative hospitality set the tone for a week that keeps asking what it means to lead well.
CEO Perspective: Industry Outlook Improves, But Pressure Remains
A CEO perspective from Otelier argues that while RevPAR forecasts improved at NYU 2026, inflation continues to outpace revenue growth, shifting operator focus from topline metrics to GOPPAR, NOI, and labor productivity.
By Rob Lawrence, CEO, Otelier
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Keep the Helicopter View: Bernold Schroeder on Leading Through Crisis
Kempinski veteran Bernold Schroeder shares lessons from leading through Covid and multiple Asian crises, including the value of helicopter thinking, overcommunication, and empathy over technical brilliance.
NEXT brings Swissôtel to Georgia's Black Sea Coast with Archi
Georgia’s two leading developers, NEXT and Archi, have presented the Swissôtel Kobuleti Beach Resort project on the Black Sea coast in Kobuleti.On June 3rd, an official event was held at the project site on the Black Sea coast, where the development vision of the new premium-class hotel-residential complex was presented, along with its significance in the context of the economic and tourism development of the Adjara region.The event was attended by the Prime Minister of Georgia, the Minister of Economy, the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, as well as the CEO of TBC Bank and the Vice President of Swissôtel. The guests also addressed the audience with speeches and congratulated the project founders on the launch of this large-scale development.A symbolic part of the event was the “Three Sails,” an architectural symbol of the three-tower concept that reflects the identity of the complex and the vision of Black Sea coastal development. The event concluded with a symbolic “capsule drop,” marking the official start of the project.Archi, NEXT, and the world-renowned hotel brand Swissôtel are jointly developing a multifunctional premium-class complex that combines hotel, residential, and investment apartments.As the founders note, the project represents a long-term vision that brings together international experience, local development potential, and premium hospitality standards.
490-Room Sheraton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Resort Completes Multi-Million Renovation of All Guest Rooms
Officials of the 490-room Sheraton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Resort today announced that the hotel completed a multi-million renovation of all guest rooms. Operated by HEI Hotel & Resorts, the hotel’s successful renovation concludes phase one of a two-phase process that will completely upgrade the hotel lobby, restaurant, market, convention space and pool area.
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View AllThe ROI of letting go: Why autonomy is Africa’s real hospitality differentiator
A Valor executive argues that empowering GMs to act as local entrepreneurs, rather than following rigid brand standards, is the key competitive differentiator for international hotel brands operating in Africa.
By Joep Schoof, Chief Operating Officer Africa, Valor Hospitality
The right to not have missed - Booking and Airbnb are buying a seat in agentic travel, and protecting the storefronts it erodes
Booking Holdings and Airbnb are each funding separate AI travel ventures as hedges, raising the risk that hotels will soon rent visibility from the same parent that runs both the OTA and the assistant.
By Markus Busch, Editor/Publisher, hospitality.today
Your Guests Are Not Looking for Satisfaction. They Are Looking for Safety.
The author argues that guest satisfaction scores fail to capture whether guests felt genuinely recognized, and that recognition, not service efficiency, is the true driver of repeat visits.
By Hideki Hayashi, Founder, Pulse Hospitality Group
Ancestral Superfoods From East to West Asia: Sustainable Nutrition for Asian Hospitality
A contributed piece for Hotel Yearbook 2026 explores seven ancestral superfoods across six Asian countries as a framework for building sustainable, health-focused F&B menus in Asian hospitality.
By Nico Dingemans, Founder and Managing Director, Hospitality in Health (HIH)
Your Hotel Is Not Behind on AI. It Is Watching the Wrong Clock.
A hotel operations veteran argues hoteliers should focus less on AI tools and more on clean data, open integrations, and AI discoverability before demand-side shifts erode visibility.
By Are Morch, Digital Transformation Coach for Hotels, Are Morch, Digital Transformation Coach
Supplier News
View allSmall Luxury Hotels of the World™ expands partnership with Mews
Mews expands its preferred PMS partnership with SLH from Europe to the Americas and APAC, giving access to 700+ member hotels; early adopter Opus XVI in Norway reported a 67% RevPAR increase within one year.
HEI Hotels & Resorts Supercharges Ancillary Revenue Streams with Canary Technologies
HEI Hotels & Resorts, which operates 100+ US properties, has deployed Canary Technologies' Dynamic Upsells to automate and personalize add-on offers across the guest journey.
Coral Sea Hotels Group elevates portfolio-wide guest experience with Shiji’s Daylight PMS
Coral Sea Hotels Group deploys Shiji's Daylight PMS across seven properties in Papua New Guinea, integrating with SiteMinder, Duetto, and Amadeus iHotelier for unified guest profiles and operational efficiency.
Luxury U.S. Hotel Group Increases Monthly Time Savings To More Than 3,000 Hours With RobosizeME Automation
A U.S. luxury hotel group using RobosizeME automation surpassed 3,000 hours saved per month across finance, reconciliation, and back-office functions, exceeding its 600-hour target by 5x.
From Sightseeing to Sleeping In: Inside the Sleepcation Phenomenon
Sleepcation, a trend placing rest and recovery at the center of travel, is gaining traction as operators explore practical changes like acoustics, lighting, and bedding to meet evolving guest wellness expectations.
Embroidery-Based Key Cards: Bringing Local Culture into Everyday Guest Experiences
GCSTIMES textile-based key cards embed RFID chips into structured embroidery, letting hotels use regional motifs, indigenous patterns, and artisan techniques as a guest touchpoint for cultural storytelling.
Connected, optimistic, human: a snapshot of hospitality's future from 750 hoteliers at Mews Unfold
A live poll of 750+ hoteliers at Mews Unfold 2026 found 80% excited about new technology, with broader Mews research showing 92% optimistic about hospitality's future.
HBX Group strengthens inclusive travel standards with Queer Destinations Committed distinction
HBX Group earned the Queer Destinations Committed distinction after rolling out an LGBTQ+ inclusion training programme with nearly 90% staff participation, building on its 2025 alliance with Queer Destinations.
Lipstick on Legacy: Aradhana Khowala on What Regeneration Really Means
Dr. Aradhana Khowala, CEO of Aptamind Partners, challenges the hospitality industry to move beyond sustainability theatre, arguing regeneration requires measurable outcomes, community benefit, and a systemic redesign, not new vocabulary.
Mexican Hospitality Summit 2026 Closes with More Than 400 Industry Professionals and Announces Expansion Across Latin America
The second Mexican Hospitality Summit drew 400+ professionals to Mérida and announced a 2027 rebrand as the Latin American Hospitality Summit, plus a new dedicated wellness tourism event.
ARDA Spring Conference Insights: Timeshare Industry Is Resilient and Evolving
The 2026 ARDA Spring Conference revealed the U.S. timeshare sector generates $10.7B annually with 80% occupancy, outpacing hotels, while AI adoption and major brand consolidations reshape the market.
By Donald C. Stephens Jr., Managing Director of HVS Orlando Consulting & Valuation, HVS
5 Ways Hotels Can Embed Sustainability into Day-To-Day Operations
AC Hotel Asheville Downtown shares how it moved sustainability from good intentions to measurable daily operations through data tracking, workflow integration, and leadership accountability.
By Brandon Miller, General Manager, McKibbon
Sustainable Travel Immersion at Its Peak with Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel
Owner Angie Clavijo details how Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel integrates regenerative farming, agrobiodiversity, and Andean cultural heritage into a luxury guest experience, with B Corp certification in final stages.
By Adam Mogelonsky and Larry Mogelonsky
AI Hospitality Alliance Announces Founding Advisory Board of Global Hospitality, Technology, AI, and Academic Leaders to Help Shape the Future of AI in Hospitality
The AI Hospitality Alliance has formed a 22-member inaugural Advisory Board spanning hotel brands, cloud infrastructure, payments, academia, and AI platforms to guide responsible AI adoption and standards across the industry.
Five Vendors Worth Watching at HITEC 2026
Infor Hospitality previews five HITEC 2026 vendors addressing hotel tech fragmentation, covering loyalty, owner relations, back-office automation, ancillary revenue, and AI-powered distribution.
By Alan Young, VP, Strategy | Hospitality, Infor
Where Opportunity Meets Capital: Why Saudi Arabia's Hospitality Opportunity Is Broader Than Tourism Alone
Ahead of FHS Saudi Arabia 2026, this analysis argues the Kingdom's hospitality growth is driven by economic diversification, talent mobility, and domestic demand, not tourism alone.
By Vincent Miccolis, Managing Director Middle East, Africa and Türkiye, The Ascott Limited
U.S. RevPAR Up 6.5%, Business Travel Hit a Record $538B, SiteMinder Bets on Infrastructure
Friday closed a strong week with U.S. hotel performance accelerating: RevPAR grew 6.5% in the week ending May 30, led by Las Vegas concert demand. GBTA confirmed U.S. business travel reached a record $538.5 billion in 2024. And hospitality.today argued that SiteMinder's move into the Mews operating system is a structural bet on becoming infrastructure, not an application.
Bordeaux 2025: Is it Time to Buy En Primeur Again?
Analysis of the 2025 Bordeaux En Primeur campaign finds pricing better aligned with market conditions than recent vintages, with the 2025 vintage ranking among the three best in 18 years by critic scores.
By Philippe Masset, Associate Professor, EHL