OTAs and Google I/O
Google I/O's AI announcements signal a shift toward assembled, agentic travel planning that could upend how OTAs capture travel discovery and disrupt the top of the booking funnel.
By Martin Soler, Partner, Soler & Associates
News
AI Safety is About Smaller Permissions, Not Smarter Models
The author argues that AI safety failures stem from over-permissioned systems, not model intelligence, and urges hospitality operators to apply least-privilege access controls before deploying AI agents in production environments.
By Casey Sokach, Technology Lead, Partner Integrations and Security, Curacity
Are We Building for the Past or Future? Green Financing in Hotel Development and Investment — Cornell Research
Cornell CHR report from Climate Week NYC 2024 finds the hospitality sector lacks the data systems and financing structures needed to convert sustainability ambition into measurable financial benefit.
By Jeanne Varney, Lecturer, Cornell
Agentic AI Routes Through the OTAs, Hotels Use AI Without Strategy, Lighthouse Buys AI Visibility
Thursday brought a sharp reality check on agentic AI: Google's booking partner list runs straight through Booking.com and Expedia, not around them. A new h2c study found 86% of European hotel chains use AI but 80% have no formal strategy for it.
Why the wellness industry needs a new operating system
The authors argue that wellness must evolve from episodic spa experiences into continuous behavioral infrastructure, proposing a new "operating system" built on cognitive load management and adaptive environments.
By Alina M. Hernandez and Nigel Franklyn
European Travel Commission strengthens leadership and welcomes new industry members
ETC re-elected Miguel Sanz as President and named Arnar Már Ólafsson as Vice President at its General Meeting in Montenegro, while welcoming Booking.com, Feratel, GetYourGuide, and Skyscanner as associate members.
AAHOA Opposes AB 2721, Warns Bill Creates Legal Uncertainty and Operational Risk for California Hotels
AAHOA opposes California's AB 2721, which would require hotels to publicly disclose ICE and CBP reservations, citing legal liability, privacy concerns, and compliance burdens for small and independent owners.
Mexico leads North America in Travel & Tourism growth, spend and arrivals in 2025
WTTC's 2026 EIR data shows Mexico led North America in T&T GDP growth (1.8%), international arrivals (+6.1%), and visitor spending (+3.5%) in 2025, while the US and Canada both recorded spending declines.
Central & South America Travel & Tourism sector set to outpace global growth in 2026
WTTC's 2026 EIR forecasts Travel & Tourism GDP growth of 4.1% for Central and South America, ahead of the 3.2% global average, with international visitor spending up 7.8%.
AHLA Statement on Proposed Shut Down of Customs and Immigration Processing at Major Cities
AHLA opposes a DHS proposal to halt customs and immigration processing at international airports in major U.S. cities, warning of severe harm to travel, workers, and small businesses.
The Challenges Weighing On LGBTQ+ Business Travelers
Booking.com research across 13,000+ respondents finds 45% of LGBTQ+ business travelers have hidden their identity for safety, and 42% have turned down career opportunities due to inadequate employer protections.
AI in Hospitality: The Confidence Gap
A new h2c study finds 86% of European hotel chains use AI but 80% lack a formal strategy, with skills gaps and poor data infrastructure blocking meaningful outcomes.
By Terence Ronson, Founder & Managing Director, Pertlink Limited
Gen Z Checks In: The Rise of the Lifestyle Hotel
CBRE's report finds lifestyle hotels are underpenetrated in Asia Pacific but poised for growth, with Gen Z's rising spending power and preference for culture and design set to accelerate demand.
Nobody gets bypassed - Agentic commerce was supposed to route around the OTAs. Google's partner list routes straight through them
Google's agentic booking partners include Booking.com and Expedia, suggesting agentic AI adds a new distribution layer above OTAs rather than bypassing them, shifting who owns the traveler relationship.
By Markus Busch, Editor/Publisher, hospitality.today
NFC Tipping vs. QR Code Tipping: Which Is Better?
NFC tipping outperforms QR code tipping in friction reduction, portability, and security, with NTAG 424 DNA chip technology offering banking-grade authentication for hotel and service environments.
By Doron Dreyer, Co-Founder and CEO, GratifID
Mews Becomes an OS, Google Files Hotels Under Retail, One Group Grew Direct to 60%
Wednesday was dominated by Mews Unfold 2026, where the company launched five new products and declared itself a full hotel operating system. Google quietly filed lodging under its Universal Commerce Protocol alongside sneakers and groceries, raising structural questions about hotel distribution. And a Czech hotel group shared how it took direct bookings from near zero to 60% of revenue.
The 2026 Hotel Profit Story Will Be Won in the Space Between Demand and Discipline
Q1 2026 U.S. hotel data from ~5,000 properties shows ADR up 6%, RevPAR up 8.7%, and GOP margin up 4 points, but the Q2-Q4 forecast signals a revenue reset with RevPAR expected to fall 1.3%.
By Sarah McCay Tams, Head of Editorial, Actabl
Pope Leo Warns of Risks From A.I. in 42,300-Word Encyclical
Pope Leo XIV's 42,300-word encyclical calls for government regulation of AI companies, worker retraining, and safeguards to keep humans in control of decisions involving weapons and children's online safety.
Will guests trust AI with their travel plans?
Revinate CMO Karen Stephens and Highgate VP of CRM Aaron Miller discuss how hotels can adopt AI for search, discovery, and personalization without sacrificing the human connection guests expect.
Karen Stephens, Chief Marketing Officer, Revinate, Inc.
The One Word That Explains Why Some Companies Fail
Using a simple pretzel story, CX expert Shep Hyken argues that inconsistent service erodes customer confidence and trust, making consistency the single biggest driver of retention.
By Shep Hyken, Customer Service and Experience Expert, Keynote Speaker and Bestselling Author, Shepard Presentations, LLC.