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70% of Consumers Abandon AI Because It Forgot Them, Milan GOPPAR Up 34% on the Winter Olympics, What Tech Vendors Actually Want from Hotel Clients
Friday brought Pertlink on Twilio data showing 70% of APAC consumers abandon AI interactions due to lost context and a Guest Memory Layer as the fix, Cushman and Wakefield finding Milan GOPPAR up 34.2% on Winter Olympics demand with February RevPAR up 171%, and a World Panel viewpoint on what tech vendors actually need from hotel clients to deliver. U.S. RevPAR up 14.2% on a calendar shift, Latin America business travel at $67.7B, and five property announcements closed the week.
Despite P(doom), Hoteliers Are All In on AI
Recap of the Destination AI Summit in Washington D.C., where hoteliers, owners, and tech leaders discussed AI's role in automating back-office functions, redefining hotel jobs, and reshaping booking distribution.
By Jason Freed, Head of Content & Communications, Otelier
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Women in Hospitality Take Center Stage at AAHOA's 5th Annual HerOwnership Conference in Nashville
AAHOA's 5th HerOwnership Conference in Nashville gathered women hotel owners for sessions on operations, financing, AI, and portfolio growth, with keynote from South Asian Trailblazers founder Simi Shah.
When Making the Right Decision isn’t Enough in Restaurant Leadership
The article examines how humanistic leadership in gourmet restaurants can balance the "customer is always right" doctrine with staff wellbeing, exploring menu reduction and compassionate communication as practical tools.
By Stefano Borzillo and Patrick Ogheard
Choice Hotels International Announces Retirement of Chief Human Resources Officer Patrick Cimerola
Choice Hotels CHRO Patrick Cimerola will retire at end of 2026 after 25 years; a successor search is underway and he will serve as special advisor during the transition.
Recent Appointments
View AllU.S. hotel results for week ending 26 September
U.S. hotel performance for the week of 20-26 September 2026 showed RevPAR up 14.2% year over year, boosted by a favorable Rosh Hashanah calendar shift.
Latin America Business Travel Spending Forecast to Reach $67.7 Billion USD in 2026 as Growth Accelerates Amid Ongoing Economic Pressures
GBTA forecasts Latin America business travel spending at $67.7B in 2026, led by Brazil at $35.8B, with growth slowing to 3.3% in 2027 amid economic and geopolitical pressures.
AHLA Congratulates Keith Sonderling on Confirmation as Secretary of U.S. Department of Labor
AHLA welcomes Keith Sonderling as U.S. Secretary of Labor, citing shared priorities including H-2B visa reform and joint-employer standards affecting hotel franchisees and small business owners.
Hale Hōkūala Kauaʻi Debuts as Curio Collection by Hilton’s First Hawaiʻi Resort
Today, Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced the opening of Hale Hōkūala Kauaʻi, Curio Collection by Hilton, a 210-room lifestyle resort. Marking Curio Collection by Hilton’s debut in Hawaiʻi, the property brings the brand’s focus on individually remarkable hotels and memorable stays to one of the world’s most sought-after island destinations. Overlooking Nāwiliwili Bay and neighboring Kalapakī Beach, Hale Hōkūala introduces travelers to the island through contemporary design, destination-driven dining, cultural programming and outdoor recreation.
Leonardo Hotels acquires three hotels in Munich, Hanover and Braunschweig
Leonardo Hotels adds 735 rooms across Germany by acquiring three former Revo hotels in Munich, Hanover, and Braunschweig, marking its first presence in Braunschweig.
Supplier News
View allLowen Hospitality Cuts Monthly Close Time by Over 30% and Achieves Near Real-Time P&L with HIA ERP
Lowen Hospitality's 10-property DFW portfolio cut monthly close time by 30%+ and achieved daily P&L visibility after deploying HIA's ERP accounting platform in 2024.
Avalora'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.
Ahoi, Hamburg! The Hoxton to open its second German hotel in summer 2027
The Hoxton is heading to Hamburg. Opening in summer 2027, The Hoxton, Hamburg will be the brand's second hotel in Germany and third in the German-speaking region, following Berlin and Vienna. Founded in London in 2006 and celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, The Hoxton is known for its neighbourhood-rooted approach and community-led programming. The upcoming Hamburg debut marks the next step in the brand's European growth, with openings also planned in Oslo and Madrid next year.
Can AI Really Make Your Hotel Paid Ads Perform Better?
Article examines whether AI tools can meaningfully improve paid advertising performance for hotels.
By Savina Karaivanova, Marketing & Product Strategist, Userguest
Minor Hotels Accelerates Colbert Collection Growth with Dubai Islands Signing
Minor Hotels has announced the signing of Ampersand Beach House as part of Colbert Collection, an 111-key boutique lifestyle hotel that will mark the first purpose-built Colbert Collection property and the brand’s debut on Dubai Islands.
Forget Me Not
Twilio's 2026 APAC research finds 70% of consumers have abandoned AI interactions due to lost context, exposing hotels' fragmented guest data infrastructure as the root cause and proposing a governed Guest Memory Layer as the fix.
By Terence Ronson, Founder & Managing Director, Pertlink Limited
Hyatt Centric Sapporo Officially Opens in the Heart of Hokkaido’s Capital
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced the opening of Hyatt Centric Sapporo, marking the first Hyatt Centric hotel in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Located in the heart of Hokkaido's capital Sapporo, the hotel offers an easy starting point for discovering the city's neighborhoods and the wider island, with local expertise woven into the stay.
The American Vacation Is Proving Surprisingly Resilient
MMGY's 2026 Portrait of American Travelers Fall Edition finds expected leisure spending rose to $5,655 with widening generational gaps: Boomers plan to spend 4x more than Gen Z travelers.
Fairmont New Orleans Opens Bookings Ahead of November 2nd Debut
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, a global luxury brand part of Accor, has today announced reservations from November 2nd are now live, ahead of its much-anticipated opening. As Fairmont’s newest property, Fairmont New Orleans will be the brand’s 19th property in the USA. Located in New Orleans’ Central Business District, just steps from the French Quarter and Ceasars Superdome, the hotel’s opening marks the much-anticipated grand return of the iconic luxury brand to the Crescent City following two decades.
Navigating The 2026 Hospitality CISO Landscape
A benchmark of 200+ security leaders reveals AI is now the top CISO friction point in 2026, with budgets growing modestly and AI governance becoming a core part of the hospitality security role.
By Suzie Squier, President of the Retail & Hospitality ISAC (RH-ISAC), Retail & Hospitality ISAC
High Season Hotel Strategy: How to Protect Profitability as Demand Peaks
Exely outlines pre-peak revenue checks covering channel strategy, price parity, direct booking conversion, upselling, and loyalty to protect hotel margins during high-demand periods.
By Anna Belash, Chief Marketing Officer, Exely