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Hilton Says Human Leadership Beats AI for Engagement, IHG Launches ChatGPT Booking, China T&T Heads for $3.5T
Thursday closed the week with three stories that pull in different directions: Hilton's workplace research found that human-centred leadership outranks technology and perks as a driver of staff engagement, IHG launched a ChatGPT app across 7,000+ hotels, and WTTC confirmed China's travel and tourism sector is on course to become the world's largest by 2036. A fourth EHL HumanX interview and a Paris social enterprise story rounded out a strong week of HN originals.
Tell the Arrival Story: Help Guests Picture Their First Impression
Practical guide for branded hotel teams on using organic social media to document the arrival experience with simple mobile video content, helping future guests visualize their stay before booking.
By DJ Vallauri, Founder & CEO, Lodging Interactive
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Lotte Hotels & Resorts and Highgate Announce Strategic Partnership Across the Americas and Asia
Highgate will take over management of the 909-room Lotte New York Palace Hotel in June 2026, anchoring a broader partnership covering hotel operations, global distribution, AI technology, and talent exchange across the Americas and Asia.
Turtle Beach Debuts in Barbados, Bringing a Fresh Take on Elevated Caribbean Escapes to Tribute Portfolio’s All Inclusive Footprint
Turtle Beach, Barbados, A Tribute Portfolio All‑Inclusive Resort, has officially opened along the island’s lively South Coast, introducing a vibrant new chapter for all‑inclusive travel in the Caribbean. As part of Marriott International’s growing all‑inclusive portfolio, the resort offers a spirited take on beachfront living, where authentic Barbadian culture, thoughtful design, and effortless experiences come together.
Remington Hospitality Expands Managed Portfolio with New Belize Resort
Remington Hospitality takes over management of Aruna Resort Villas in Ambergris Caye, Belize, as part of its strategy to grow its independent and boutique portfolio across the CALA region.
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View AllHilton Unveils New Workplace Research Showing That Even as AI Is Reshaping Work, the Real Advantage Is Human
Hilton's 2026 Trends Report, drawing on Ipsos and Morning Consult surveys of 2,000+ U.S. workers, finds human-centered leadership, mentorship, and purpose outrank perks and technology as drivers of engagement and retention.
Swapping lobby lines for revenue climbs: fixing the front desk
Mews CEO Matt Welle outlines how cloud-native PMS, mobile housekeeping apps, online check-in, and lobby kiosks can eliminate front desk queues while adding measurable ancillary revenue.
When Two Worn-Out Systems Meet: Maria Haggo on the Neuroscience of Hospitality
Maria Haggo, brain health strategist and ex-hotelier, argues that staff burnout and dysregulated nervous systems directly undermine guest experience, and that psychological safety is a practical fix.
Independent Hotels Face a Revenue Management Paradox
Independent hotels often can't afford pricing errors, and modern RMS platforms now cost a fraction of enterprise pricing, with setup fees of $7K-$10K and interfaces designed for small, non-specialist teams.
By Samuel Johnson, Head of Operations, LodgIQ™
Meliá Restructures Its Operations in Cuba Following Risk Assessment and Current Context Review
Meliá exits management and brand licensing for 15 Cuban hotels, citing deteriorating geopolitical, legal, and energy conditions, with most properties already non-operational.
Supplier News
View allConnected, 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.
CHMWarnick Expands Proph+IT Platform with New Performance Analytics and Select-Service Capabilities
CHMWarnick's Proph+IT platform gains a Performance Quadrants Dashboard for portfolio-wide visualization and a new Select module for select-service assets, covering 22,000 rooms and $12B in managed value.
Actabl Hires Global Hotel Engineering Leader as SVP of AI Asset Management
Actabl appoints Rob Bahl, former Marriott Global VP of Engineering, as SVP of AI Asset Management to lead AI-driven asset and operational strategy across its platform.
Integrated Payments Have Become Essential Infrastructure for Modern Hospitality
Payments have evolved from a back-office function to core hotel infrastructure, with integrated systems now essential for operational efficiency, security, and meeting guest expectations across every touchpoint.
Shiji and Omniboost form Strategic Partnership to Simplify Hospitality Data Integrations for Hotels Worldwide
Shiji's Daylight PMS will connect with Omniboost's data platform to automate POS and accounting integrations, reducing manual reconciliation for hotels across more than 10,000 existing integrations worldwide.
TRYBE and Infor Partner to Deliver Connected Hospitality and Leisure Experiences
TRYBE's spa and leisure management platform integrates with Infor's PMS to centralize guest profiles, reduce manual processes, and connect room, spa, and activity charges across hotels and resorts.
HIA Named Acumatica's Official Hospitality Partner, Cementing Its Position as the Definitive ERP Solution for the Hotel Industry
Acumatica has officially designated HIA as its hospitality industry partner, featuring HIA on a co-branded page for hotel owners and operators seeking unified finance, operations, and reporting tools.
The hotel with no staff gave me better hospitality. Here’s why that matters.
Drawing on interviews with 38 leaders across 13 countries, the author argues hotels must build a hospitality strategy first and use technology to enable it, not the reverse.
By Jessica Gillingham, Founder and CEO of Abode Worldwide and a co-host of Pillow Talk Sessions Podcast, Abode Worldwide
How to win direct bookings with AI search
Starwood Hotels' VP of Digital Strategy discusses how hotels can optimize for AI-driven search discovery, build data foundations as the source of truth for LLMs, and convert AI recommendations into direct bookings.
Karen Stephens, Chief Marketing Officer, Revinate, Inc.
The Three Most Important Customer Service Suggestions I Tell Every CEO
Three universal CX principles for leaders: treat service as a company-wide philosophy, train all staff on their role in the experience, and actively map and manage every customer touchpoint.
By Shep Hyken, Customer Service and Experience Expert, Keynote Speaker and Bestselling Author, Shepard Presentations, LLC.
WTTC Announces the Global Priorities Approved by its Executive Council to Unlock Growth and Drive Transformation in Travel & Tourism Forward
WTTC's Executive Council approved eight strategic priorities covering digital journeys, sustainability, AI, connectivity, and workforce, shaped by 200+ CEO interviews.
The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) Calls for a New, Broader Framework to Measure the True Value of Caribbean Tourism
CHTA proposes a three-part measurement framework tracking economic retention, workforce investment, and environmental impact to better capture tourism's true value to Caribbean economies.
The Hospitality Show Opens Registration for Industry Event Focused on Hotel Operations and Performance Optimization
The Hospitality Show, produced by Questex and AHLA, returns November 2–4, 2026 at Miami Beach Convention Center with speakers from Hilton, Accor, and Davidson Hospitality Group.
Ascott and DOJI Group Announce Inaugural Partnership with Signing of Diamond Crown Westlake by The Crest Collection
The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the lodging business unit wholly owned by CapitaLand Investment (CLI), announced today the upcoming debut of Diamond Crown Westlake by The Crest Collection in Tay Ho, Hanoi, Vietnam. The property marks a first-time collaboration between Ascott and DOJI Group, one of Vietnam’s Top 5 largest private enterprises and a pioneer in the gold, silver, and gemstone industry, with a strong presence in luxury real estate, high-end hospitality, and resort services. A flagship project for Vietnam region, Diamond Crown Westlake by The Crest Collection will sit as a new benchmark for luxury hospitality in the region as the city grows in appeal as a destination for the global-minded luxury traveller seeking culturally immersive and design-led hospitality experiences, and is poised to become a distinctive lifestyle-led luxury development that immerses guests in the culturally rich destination of Hanoi.
Hilton Announces Florida Keys Expansion Plans with Hilton Key West Resort & Marina, Now Accepting Reservations
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the signing and upcoming conversion of Ocean’s Edge Resort & Marina to Hilton Key West Resort & Marina, expanding Hilton’s presence in the Florida Keys. The waterfront resort, located on Stock Island at the eastern edge of Key West, Florida with direct marina access, is now accepting reservations for stays beginning July 1, 2026. The property is owned by Sunstone Hotel Investors and will be managed by Hilton.
The Untitled Nashville Hotel at Bankers Alley, Tapestry Collection by Hilton Debuts in Music City
Designed to capture the rich culture and lively spirit of Music City, The Untitled Nashville Hotel at Bankers Alley, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, debuts today as an epicenter of art, music and cuisine in Nashville’s budding Bankers Alley District. Following a multi-million-dollar transformation by ownership RLJ Lodging Trust and rebrand to Tapestry Collection by Hilton, The Untitled Nashville Hotel at Bankers Alley introduces refreshed interiors, curated meeting and event spaces, creative amenities and a “write your own story” experience where every guest is the artist shaping the unique narrative of their stay - all set within the historic 1900s era Gray & Dudley Hardware Co. building. The boutique hotel’s art-forward reimagination arrives in tandem with an overarching revitalization of the iconic Second Avenue Historic District, bridging the city’s robust creative arts and entertainment scenes for a reinvigorated destination that introduces guests to the true cultural character of Nashville.
Leonardo Hotels digitalises offer processes in Convention Sales
Leonardo Hotels Central Europe rolled out the Proposales cloud quotation tool across all properties in early 2026, cutting offer processing time by 50% and lifting booking rates by 12%.