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The World Cup Moved Group Demand Instead of Blocking It, Is SEO Hospitality's Most Overrated Discipline, Only 10% Feel Ready for AI
Tuesday reframed July's numbers. CoStar's analysts point out that the strongest performances came from cities that hosted no World Cup matches at all, with Chicago up 16%, Detroit up 17% and San Diego up 11% on RevPAR, because groups that would have met in Boston or Philadelphia moved to avoid tournament traffic. The tournament redirected group demand rather than suppressing it, and July was the second consecutive month of ADR growth above inflation at 8.2%. The World Panel asked whether SEO is hospitality's most overrated discipline, arguing that travellers rarely discover hotels through generic search. Lighthouse launched embedded specialist teams to fix AI adoption, citing its own survey finding that only 10% of hospitality leaders feel fully prepared while 67% expect major impact.
Hotel Tech Companies Need to Spend More Time at Investment Conferences
The author argues hotel tech vendors should attend investment conferences like IHIF to understand what drives CEOs and institutional owners, shifting focus from incremental software upgrades to anticipating where entirely new travel demand is emerging.
By Adam Mogelonsky and Larry Mogelonsky
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Omni Hotels & Resorts Doubles Meal Donations for Every Stay During Hunger Action Month
Omni's Say Goodnight to Hunger campaign doubles meal donations through September, with the program surpassing 30 million meals donated to Feeding America since its 2016 launch.
A Savannah Riverfront Icon Enters Its Next Expression as Hotel Orielle
Remaining a member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, Hotel Orielle is Inspired by the Art of Noticing, Inviting Travelers to Experience Savannah Through a More Thoughtful Lens.
Introducing Saint Roch: A New Alpine Retreat from Maisons Pariente to Open in Courchevel 1850
French family collection, Maisons Pariente, unveils its fifth address in Courchevel 1850.
Recent Appointments
View AllNow Open: Nobu Hotel Madrid
A new luxury destination for Madrid, combining world-renowned Nobu dining, elevated design, and a deep connection to the city’s cultural scene.
The Turndown Service
Terence Ronson cross-examines AI warnings from Bill Gates and Pope Leo XIV alongside China's robot culture to assess what AI means for hospitality's workforce, ethics, and human-first identity.
Terence Ronson, Founder & Managing Director, Pertlink Limited
The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026 Announces The Extended 51-100 List
The World's 50 Best Hotels reveals its 51-100 extended list ahead of the full 2026 ranking ceremony in Paris on 15 September, spanning 23 territories across Asia, Europe, North America, and beyond.
IHG Hotels & Resorts builds on one million meal milestone as Stay for Good returns this September
IHG's Stay for Good campaign returns across 59 hotels in Australia and New Zealand in September 2026, donating $1 per room night to OzHarvest and KiwiHarvest after surpassing one million meals delivered.
Quest checks into Dickson, more than doubling its Canberra footprint
Quest Apartment Hotels has today opened Quest Canberra Dickson, more than doubling the brand’s accommodation footprint in the nation’s capital.
Supplier News
View allWould You Learn Something on Vacation? Meet the Skillcation
A growing segment of travelers, 47% of surveyed Americans per IHG/Talker Research, want trips centered on learning skills like cooking, pottery, or sailing, blending personal development with destination culture.
Aromar Hotels & Restaurants Selects Cloudbeds for Next Phase of Growth and Modernization
Aromar Hotels & Restaurants, a 60-year-old family group on Spain's Costa Brava, will deploy Cloudbeds across its three properties for PMS, digital check-in, AI chatbot, and guest communications.
Lighthouse Launches Ernest Crews to Get Hotel Commercial Teams Running on AI in as Little as 30 Days
Lighthouse's Ernest Crews embed AI and tech specialists within hotel commercial teams for 30-60 days to deploy its Ernest AI teammate, addressing low adoption rates cited in its 2026 survey.
Highline Hospitality Partners Extends Analytics Platform with Otelier
Highline Hospitality Partners, with 21 hotels and $1.7B in assets under management, will use Otelier to centralize financial and operational data across its portfolio and accelerate its in-house AI development.
SOCIETIES Geneva will bring together leaders from the Swiss hospitality industry at Le Château de Bonmont on September 28, 2026
Influence Society hosts a free, invite-only half-day event for Swiss hoteliers in the Geneva area, focusing on AI, data, and digital marketing's impact on hotel visibility and guest relationships.
What Role Does a Hotel Key Card Play in Operational Flow?
This piece breaks down how hotel key cards function as operational interfaces connecting internal system changes to guest-facing outcomes across check-in, upgrades, and service recovery.
Duetto honors the life and legacy of Founder Marco Benvenuti.
Marco Benvenuti, who co-founded Duetto in 2010 and helped redefine hotel revenue management with Open Pricing, has passed away after a three-year battle with cancer.
Chatrium Residence Riverside Bangkok Advances Luxury Long-Stay Hospitality with Shiji Daylight PMS
Shiji's Daylight PMS, including a specialized Apartment Module for extended stays and flexible billing, has gone live at Chatrium Residence Riverside Bangkok with SUN Accounting System integration.
HSMAI Europe launching New Weekly Video Podcast
HSMAI Europe is launching a weekly video podcast on AI and hospitality strategy, inviting up to three Founding Partners and select AI Content Partners to co-create the platform.
Community Cannot Be Built From a Distance
HSMAI Europe outlines a packed autumn schedule spanning six cities across five countries, with Commercial Strategy Week set for InterContinental London Park Lane in January 2027.
By Ingunn Hofseth, President & CEO, HSMAI (Europe)
Courtyard by Marriott Atlanta Windy Hill/Ballpark Reopens Following $6 Million Top-to-Bottom Renovation
Fully transformed hotel one mile from Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta is now taking reservations for fall baseball, business travel, meetings and group stays.
HSMAI Foundation Announces 2026 Mike Dimond Student Career Success Scholarship Recipients
HSMAI Foundation names four hospitality students as 2026 Mike Dimond Scholarship recipients, each receiving a $2,000 grant, conference access, and mentorship from an industry executive.
Bigger Budgets, Smarter Trips: South East Asia’s Next Travel Growth Wave
Hilton's South East Asia Pulse Check of 3,000 travelers finds 59% plan to spend more per trip, with Gen Z and Millennials driving frequency and spending growth across six regional markets.
A New Expression of Alpine Living: PCPD and Hyatt Unveil ONE HANAZONO VILLAS in Niseko, Japan
Set in the heart of Niseko, Japan’s renowned ski destination, within the celebrated Hanazono landscape, Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited (“PCPD,” SEHK: 00432) and Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced ONE HANAZONO VILLAS, a curated collection of 13 private residences that will become the first Park Hyatt-branded villas in Japan. Bringing together the architectural vision of Kengo Kuma, interiors by André Fu and service by the Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono team, the development introduces a new expression of refined alpine living shaped by privacy, design and effortless immersion in the natural landscape.
Business Travelers Reveal the Lengths They’ll Go to for a Little Downtime
Hyatt survey of 2,000 U.S. business travelers finds 90% rely on their hotel room as the only true off-clock space during work trips, used to promote its 700+ property Essentials portfolio and limited-time loyalty bonus point offers.
IHG Hotels & Resorts signs Garner Hotel Ahmedabad Motera with United Hospitality Management India
The signing adds to the Garner’s rapidly growing pipeline in India while further strengthening IHG’s partnership with United Hospitality Management India.
Emirates Environmental Group Launches “Emirates Hospitality Sustainability Alliance”
EEG launched the Emirates Hospitality Sustainability Alliance (EHSA) in Sharjah to unite UAE hospitality operators around collective sustainability action, knowledge sharing, and a future sector-specific sustainability standard.