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You Sell the Room, the Channel Takes the Upsell, Put AI on the P&L Not the Slide Deck, Madrid's F1 Debut Left Hotel Rooms Empty at Record ADR
Monday opened with hospitality.today on OTAs and AI agents capturing upsell margin using guest data before hotels communicate, Pertlink's framework for moving AI cost from hours-saved to named P&L lines, and Les Roches on how Madrid's F1 debut drew 350,000 fans but hit only 70% occupancy due to wholesale allotments blocking revenue. Minor Hotels' Life Longevity brand launch, Marriott's eight-hotel Netherlands deal, and eight property openings rounded out the session.
Sleep is a host's right too.
A short-term rental host of 10+ years argues that platforms' always-on expectations, dispute deadlines, and response metrics extract personal time from independent operators with no shift coverage or labor protections.
By Arturo Blas
Latest
GBTA Foundation Announces 2026 WINiT Top 50 Honorees in Business Travel
GBTA Foundation named 50 honorees across five categories for the 2026 WINiT program, representing 36 companies, 16 countries, with recognition at the GBTA WINiT Summit in Dallas on Oct. 27.
Minor Hotels Launches Life Longevity, One Wellness Brand for Every Season of Life
Minor Hotels launches Life Longevity, a multi-format wellness brand spanning resort, urban and residential settings, with its first urban site opening at The St. Regis Bangkok this autumn.
Marriott International Signs Landmark Agreement to Add Eight Hotels in the Netherlands
Marriott and Townhouse Hotels signed a deal to affiliate eight Dutch properties with Series by Marriott and Tribute Portfolio, marking the first Series by Marriott entry into the Netherlands.
Recent Appointments
View AllGeneral Management
Nijad Fares has been appointed as General Manager at 1 Hotel Seattle
Operations & Strategy
Amro Talaat has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer UAE & Egypt at Gewan Hotels
Operations & Strategy
Moutaz Nazzal has been promoted to Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Gewan Hotels
Red Roof Ignites Next Era of Growth: Elevated Guest Experience and Increased Value for Franchise Owners
Red Roof's annual brand conference outlined upgrades to Red Roof PLUS+, a revamped RediRewards loyalty program, AI-powered digital platform, LED lighting rollout, and expansion into Canada and the western US.
Choice Hotels International Opens 600th Extended Stay Property, Reinforcing Its Segment Leadership
Choice Hotels' 600th extended stay property is Everhome Suites Denver Airport, as the company reports 13% net room growth YoY in Q2 2026 and nearly 30,000 rooms in its development pipeline.
The Inventory Illusion - Why 350,000 Race Fans Left Madrid Hotel Rooms Empty
Madrid's F1 debut drew 350,000 fans but hotels hit only ~70% occupancy, exposing how wholesale allotments, late cut-offs, and rigid rate floors blocked revenue capture despite record ADR.
By Julia Krebs, Senior Lecturer and Hospitality Consultant, Les Roches-Marbella
Not Done Weekly - Destination AI Summit Recap!
Survey of 107 hotel leaders finds 63% use AI regularly but only 12.6% have a scaled strategy, 35% don't measure ROI, and less than 6% record AI savings in the P&L.
By Sloan Dean, Founder & CEO, AIHG
Is Grey the New White in Hotel Towels?
Grey towels can reduce replacement rates by 20-30% in boutique hotels and short-term rentals, offsetting their 10-15% higher upfront cost through longer service life and lower laundry expenses.
By Camilo Sosa, E-commerce Manager, Hotel Items (A & S Suppliers, Inc.)
Supplier News
View allLobby and Crewfare win Global Startup Pitch People’s Choice Awards at WiT Singapore 2026
Lobby AI and Crewfare won the People's Choice Awards at the WiT Singapore Global Startup Pitch, and will present at The Phocuswright Conference in Fort Lauderdale in November.
Lobby and Phocuswire
Hospitality Procurement Innovator Reeco Adds Dallas Venture Capital as Strategic Investor to Accelerate Growth Across Hospitality
Reeco, an AI-powered procure-to-pay platform live at nearly 1,000 North American hotels, secured a strategic investment from Dallas Venture Capital to expand its network and accelerate growth.
Lowen 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.
HFTP Announces 2026 Paragon Award Recipient – Raymond Martz
HFTP named Raymond Martz, co-president and CFO of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, as the 2026 Paragon Award recipient for his leadership in hospitality finance and co-chairing the USALI 12th Edition revision.
Historic Hotel in Denmark Completes Major Renovation
Following an extensive renovation, Four Points Flex Køge is now ready to welcome guests with modernised rooms, new studio apartments with private kitchen facilities, and a new lounge that serves as the hotel’s central gathering point.
ITC Hotels Signs Storii Sanjay Dubri, Unlocking a New Wildlife Destination in Central India
ITC Hotels Limited has announced the signing of a management contract for Storii by ITC Hotels, Sanjay Dubri. The 30-key boutique retreat in Madhya Pradesh is set amidst the wilderness of Sanjay Dubri National Park in Sidhi district, with this stay Storii by ITC Hotels’ further expands its presence across emerging leisure destinations.
The Hidden Cost of Disconnected Hotel Operations
Fragmented hotel tech forces staff to manually bridge system gaps, creating a hidden labor cost that connected platforms like FCS1 claim can cut task response times by up to 40%.
By Rob Schneider, Freelance Hotel Investment Journalist, FCS Solutions
Whitbread Acquires Two Future Inns Hotels, Adding 292 Rooms in Bristol and Plymouth
Whitbread acquires two Future Inns properties in Bristol and Plymouth for 292 rooms, with conversion to Premier Inn format targeted for completion by mid-December 2026.
AAHOA Welcomes Governor Newsom's Veto of California Hotel Guest Disclosure Bill
AAHOA successfully lobbied California Governor Newsom to veto AB 2721, a bill that would have required hotels to publicly disclose when federal immigration agencies had reservations at their properties.
Solutions to Managing Stress in Restaurants and Beyond
The article outlines a four-quadrant leadership framework for restaurant managers, arguing that balancing decision quality with human-centered framing drives retention, engagement, and performance in high-pressure kitchens.
By Stefano Borzillo and Patrick Ogheard
Hotel-Level Workforce Management: Reducing Wage Spend, Improving Guest Service and Reflecting Priorities
The article argues that effective hotel workforce management goes beyond cutting wages, driving four scorecard gains: lower labor costs, better guest service, higher employee engagement, and increased revenue.
By Brian Schoettes, Workforce Management Expert, Cayuga Hospitality Consultants
WTTC and ICC Unite to Strengthen the Voice and Growth of Millions of Travel & Tourism SMEs Worldwide
WTTC and ICC signed an MOU to support SMEs across travel and tourism, targeting regulatory, financial, digital, and mobility barriers affecting the 85%+ of sector businesses that are small enterprises.
Tempo by Hilton Lifestyle Brand to Debut in Germany with Hotel at MUNICH ARENA
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the signing of the 199-room Tempo by Hilton Munich Airport Arena, which will open on the MUNICH ARENA campus in 2029, alongside the arena itself.