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91% of Hotel Chains Use AI but Only 28% Have a Strategy, Choice Hotels Acquires Harvest Hosts for $130M, Is Your Agency Selling You AI Pixie Dust?
Thursday opened October with h2c's study of 113 hotel chains finding 91% use AI but only 28% have a company-wide strategy, Choice Hotels acquiring RV travel membership platform Harvest Hosts for $130M, and Americas Great Resorts warning that screenshots and software subscriptions are not proof of AI marketing performance. Italy's H1 profit recipe, Hapi's guest identity launch, and six property announcements rounded out the session.
The on-trip experience: what guests remember – and how AI is helping hotels deliver it
Drawing on a survey of 6,000 travelers and 500 hoteliers, the article argues that AI and connected data systems are the key to closing the gap between guest personalization expectations and on-trip delivery.
By Peter Waters, Global Head of Product, Hospitality, Amadeus Hospitality
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Milan Market Spotlight - YE July 2026
Milan full-service branded hotels saw GOPPAR rise 34.2% to €118 PAR in YE July 2026, boosted by the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics which drove February RevPAR up 171.1% year on year.
By Francesco Calia and Davide Barbaro
Tony Nicastro on the Future of Hotel Fitness and Wellness
Marriott's Tony Nicastro explains how hotels are redesigning fitness spaces and adding recovery tools to match guests' home wellness routines.
Rachel Lenzner, Hospitality Business Development Manager, US/Americas, Matrix
Recast: Why clean hotel data will make or break AI
Revinate's Hotel Moment podcast features Triptease co-founder Charlie Osmond on why clean, connected guest data is the foundation for effective AI in hotel marketing and direct bookings.
Karen Stephens in conversation with Dylan Cole
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View AllBeyond the Top Line: Italy's Secret Profit Recipe
Italy leads Southern Europe in occupancy at 51.2% in H1 2026, with foreign traveller spend up 4.8% YoY in June, but the article shifts focus to what drives hotel profitability below the top line.
IHCL Signs A Gateway Hotel in Siliguri, West Bengal
Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality company, today announced the signing of a Gateway hotel in Siliguri, West Bengal. This is a greenfield project.
Radisson Hotel Group accelerates ambition for 100 Verified Net Zero hotels by 2030 with four new hotels in Stockholm and Copenhagen
Radisson Hotel Group adds four Radisson Blu properties in Stockholm and Copenhagen to its Verified Net Zero portfolio, bringing the total to nine hotels across the Nordics and UK toward a 2030 target of 100.
Oaks Hotels Opens in Kyoto with Debut of Oaks Vacation Club Kyoto Gojo
Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites, part of global hospitality group Minor Hotels, today opens its first properties in Japan, including Oaks Vacation Club Kyoto Gojo, marking the brand's arrival in the country and its extension to a second Asian country.
Oaks Hotels Opens in Kyoto with Debut of Oaks Vacation Club Kyoto Shijo
Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites, part of global hospitality group Minor Hotels, today opens its first properties in Japan, including Oaks Vacation Club Kyoto Shijo, marking the brand's arrival in the country and its extension to a second Asian country.
Supplier News
View allAvalora's VAIA is First AI Assistant to Complete HTNG Express PMS Integration
VAIA becomes the first AI assistant validated against the AHLA's HTNG Express PMS standard, enabling standardized connectivity with PMS platforms including Visual Matrix.
Hapi Eliminates the Guesswork by Connecting Guest Identity Across Hotel Systems
Hapi launched Guest Identity and Data Lakehouse to resolve fragmented guest records into a single golden profile across PMS, spa, loyalty, and other hotel systems in real time.
Mews launches Guest Messaging and Automations: GMs set the workflow, front desk staff get back to hosting
Mews launches native Guest Messaging and Automations tools, consolidating multi-channel guest communications into one thread and using AI to instantly resolve 80% of routine queries.
HFTP Names Inntelo AI as AI Partner, Deploying AI Agents for Members, Media and Events
HFTP has selected Inntelo AI as its official AI partner, deploying multilingual AI agents across its website, media titles, and HITEC to serve members, exhibitors, and attendees 24/7.
Inntelo AI and HFTP
New h2c Study: AI Adoption Is Widespread Among Hotel Chains, but Enterprise Readiness Remains Limited
h2c's 2026 study of 113 hotel chains finds 91% use AI, but only 28% have a company-wide strategy, with skills gaps and integration challenges cited as top barriers to scaling.
Sirma brings connected AI agents to hotel operations as h2c study signals hospitality’s next AI phase
h2c's AI Opportunity Study 2026, based on 122 responses from 113 hotel chains, finds 70% see proactive AI agents as a key innovation area, while skills gaps and integration challenges remain top adoption barriers.
Bonafide Appoints Tim Sullivan as Chief Growth Officer to Accelerate Growth in Agentic Commerce
Bonafide, an AI alignment platform for brands, names Tim Sullivan as CGO to scale its go-to-market strategy as agentic commerce reshapes how consumers interact with brands.
SoftBank Robotics Expands AI & Robotics Solutions for Foodservice in EMEA
SoftBank Robotics will showcase four AI-powered cooking and serving robots at EquipHotel 2026 in Paris, targeting EMEA hospitality operators facing labour shortages and rising costs.
Who Gives a Crap: What Toilet Paper Can Teach Us About Customer Experience
Using toilet paper brand Who Gives a Crap as a case study, the article outlines three CX lessons: convenience via subscriptions, social responsibility, and making ordinary products memorable.
By Shep Hyken, Customer Service and Experience Expert, Keynote Speaker and Bestselling Author, Shepard Presentations, LLC.
The Kayon Gangga Resort Opens in East Bali, Unveiling a New Luxury Sanctuary Rooted in Culture, Cuisine and Wellness
BALI, Indonesia - The Kayon Hotels & Resorts proudly announces the opening of The Kayon Gangga Resort, a new luxury sanctuary in Ababi, Karangasem, East Bali, offering travelers an immersive experience shaped by Authenticity, Culture, and Sanctuary.
Minor Hotels to Bring Minor Reserve Collection to the UK with Reimagining of London's Iconic Dukes
Minor Hotels, a global hotel owner and operator with more than 640 properties across 67 countries, has signed a management agreement to operate Dukes London at 35 St James's Place. The landmark property will join the newly launched Minor Reserve Collection, marking the luxury brand's debut in the UK.
Doug Kennedy’s Next Staff Training Webcast: The “3Ms” of Hospitality Leadership: Model, Mentor, Measure
Kennedy Training Network's free 40-minute webcast on Oct. 23 covers how leaders can model, mentor, and measure hospitality behaviors to drive authentic guest experiences and staff engagement.
FHS World to Return to Ras Al Khaimah in 2027
FHS World 2027 will be held at Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah in November, expecting 1,200 delegates including 250 investors from 60+ countries.
California Boutique Hotel Conference Debuts in 2027 with Appellation President Courtland Palmer as Keynote Speaker
The rebranded California Boutique Hotel Conference debuts April 12-14, 2027 in San Diego, with Appellation President Courtland Palmer headlining as keynote speaker.
HOSPA appoints Ryan Haynes as Head of Industry Engagement to lead National Hotel Marketing Conference
HOSPA appoints Ryan Haynes as Head of Industry Engagement to lead programme development for the National Hotel Marketing Conference 2027, scheduled for 27 May at Hilton at St George's Park.
DoubleTree by Hilton Singapore Robertson Quay Opens, Marking Brand’s Singapore Debut
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) has officially opened DoubleTree by Hilton Singapore Robertson Quay, marking the brand's debut in Singapore and introducing its signature warmth, comfortable hospitality and thoughtful touches to one of the city's most established riverside neighbourhoods.
Beyond the Peak: What the Australian Accommodation Barometer Reveals About Beating Seasonality
A survey of 250 Australian accommodation operators finds that digital travel platforms, flexible pricing, and event-driven travel are the top strategies for smoothing seasonal demand gaps.
By Todd Lacey, Regional Manager of Oceania, Booking.com
The Algorithm is in the Middle: Navigating the 2026 Intelligence-First Distribution Overhaul
Hotels must rebuild their data and API infrastructure to remain visible as AI agents replace traditional OTA search funnels, or risk algorithmic invisibility by 2026.
By Francesco Derchi, Associate Professor and Director of SPARK, Les Roches