A judge for HSMAI Commercial Awards Asia Pacific 2026 shares what separates winning submissions: evidence of durable systems over individual heroics, honest friction, and outcome-linked metrics.
Niyama Private Islands is proud to announce the highly anticipated reveal of it’s final chapter in its year-long evolution, its reimagined beach and overwater pavilions – playgrounds beyond compare for multigenerational getaways and celebrations of the surreal.
IHG Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a first look at Kimpton Suntaya Bali Ubud, set to debut later this year as the luxury lifestyle brand’s highly anticipated arrival in Indonesia. Designed as an extension of Bali’s creative energy, the hotel will embody Kimpton’s signature approach to human hospitality, intuitive service, and design-forward spaces that invite curiosity and connection.
Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta visits Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan to prepare wontons with F&B Director Mandela Zhu, whose family has a three-generation connection to Hilton.
Songtsam Resorts, the renowned collection of experiential luxury lodges and retreats located across Tibet and Yunnan Province, China, is pleased to announce the opening of Songtsam Linka Kunming, the brand’s 20th property and first-ever urban, nature-inspired “Linka” hotel, reminiscent of the traditional Tibetan concept of a nature or garden retreat. Marking a significant milestone for the hospitality group since its founding in 2000, the new address invites travelers to enjoy quiet, reflective stays with convenient access to the myriad cultural and urban experiences of Yunnan’s vibrant capital city.
Hospitality’s growing role as a talent pipeline for luxury retail, private healthcare, wealth management and the wider experience economy reflects not a failure to produce people, but the opposite: the industry develops highly transferable capabilities that many other sectors now actively seek.
The hospitality industry and its education arm have been fighting the battle for business credibility for many years. We “hospitality” has typically been seen as offering jobs on the way to something better, a specialty function that anyone can do.
This is proof that human connection - critical to a guest experience in a hotel or resort - is everlasting. Neither AI nor Covid 19 can take down the power of the "emotional human touch" of welcoming people into our establishments.
IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, today announced the signing of Holiday Inn Express Krabi Ao Nang, a 158-key conversion property in partnership with Chok Deesuk Co., Ltd., further expanding the company’s presence in one of Thailand’s most sought-after leisure destinations.
Meliá Hotels International is proud to unveil the forthcoming Ocaria Retreat Mui Ne, Member of Melia Collection, a newly built, five‑star seaside sanctuary set to become the very first Meliá Collection property in Vietnam. More than a new opening, this project represents a meaningful evolution for the company: the arrival of its fifth brand in the country, strengthening Meliá’s leadership and its vision for continued, purposeful growth in one of Asia’s most promising travel landscapes.
World-renowned luxury hospitality brand, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, part of the leading hospitality group Accor, in partnership with J -Will Partners Co., Ltd. today announced the development of Fairmont Niseko, Japan, a new 165-key Fairmont property slated to open in early 2028.
IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), developer, owner and asset manager Pro-invest Group and operator Connect Hospitality today announce the opening of voco Queenstown, marking the completion of the repositioning of the former Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown into IHG's premium upscale voco brand.
Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand's leading hotel operator, today announced the launch of Centara Reserve Krabi, the second property under its award-winning luxury Reserve brand, scheduled to open in December 2026 following a multi-billion-baht development. The opening represents the next chapter of the company's long-term premium growth strategy, strengthening its position in the luxury hospitality sector while supporting Krabi's emergence as one of Asia's most desirable quiet luxury destinations.
Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India's largest hospitality company, today announced the signing of Tree of Life Kanadukathan in Chettinad, Tamil Nadu. The brownfield project involves the conversion of an existing heritage-style Chettiar property.
IHG Hotels & Resorts officially opened Kimpton Nine Trees Shanghai on June 30, 2026, an addition to the hospitality company’s Lifestyle & Luxury portfolio. As the second Kimpton hotel in Shanghai, the property is located in Fengxian, a livable eco-district in South Shanghai, surrounded by expansive woodlands and lush urban greenery. Blending forward-thinking wellness concepts with Kimpton’s distinctive philosophy of vibrant hospitality, the hotel introduces the first large-scale lifestyle and wellness destination in Fengxian, designed to attract Shanghai residents, as well as travelers from the region and around the world.
Kerala's Ayurveda-led wellness economy offers a working model of regenerative hospitality, but unequal benefit distribution and fragile knowledge transmission limit its regenerative claim.
No. The question bundles several things under "Google search marketing." Ads, Hotel Ads, Business Profile and YouTube sit alongside organic, and zero-click only erodes one slice of that, informational organic clicks.Booking intent is transactional and local, the query types least touched by AI Overviews: under 10% of commercial searches trigger one.
The zero-click phenomenon on Google is a fact. So, how can hoteliers benefit from it? What does it mean for hotel marketing? The answer is very simple: If there are no clicks, Google Hotel Ads and Google Ads become FREE BRAND MARKETING for the hotel since Google charges CPC only if someone clicks on your sponsored listings (Google Ads or Google Hotel Ads).The moral of the story?
Should hoteliers abandon Google search marketing because of zero-click search? All of the structural evidence suggests not. This is still the foundational architecture of online content as we enter the next generation of search—or AI Search, as I coin it.Whether consumers use an AI-powered browser layout or a native generative application, they are initially looking for frictionless information.
IHG signed 24 new Holiday Inn hotels across Greater China at a Beijing owner forum, bringing the brand's regional pipeline to 106 hotels alongside 168 already open.
The Grand Saddles Lodge will open this spring, bringing beautiful private villas, exceptional dining and restorative wellness to the heart of Mount White.
The brand’s first hotel in Hokkaido brings its smart, next-generation design to Japan for the first time, in the heart of Sapporo’s most vibrant district.
Jin Jiang International Hotels and Radisson Hotel Group announce the grand opening of Radisson Collection Hotel, Hi-Tech Zone Chengdu, the brand's flagship debut in Southwest China. Marking a significant milestone in Radisson Collection's regional expansion, the hotel is located within the Cloud Yunduan Tower of the Business & Innovation Centre for China-Europe Cooperation (CCEC), offering a refined blend of contemporary European sophistication and the rich cultural heritage of Sichuan. Guided by the brand philosophy of "Welcome to the Exceptional," the hotel is designed to serve global business travelers, international organization representatives and discerning guests seeking a stay defined by art, culture and a strong sense of place.
X Hospitality used Cloudbeds' open API to build a front desk-free, mobile-first operation at The Blue Hotel Bondi, a model now replicated across 40+ staff and multiple properties in Australia.