The $2B deal allows Hyatt to maintain management of 13 Caribbean resorts while shedding real estate ownership, with Hurricane Melissa forcing seven Jamaica properties to close until Q4 2026.
The article reflects on how revenue management evolved from a functional role to a survival skill, while highlighting the persistent challenge of human alignment over technology.
HVS analysis shows GOP margins declining across all property types as wage inflation and brand standards outpace ADR growth, requiring active asset management to protect profitability in 2026.
This is a pivotal shift. The issue is no longer which channels we use, but who controls the guest narrative and the data behind it. Hotels will not win by fighting OTAs on scale or ad spend. We win by aligning revenue, marketing, and sales around a single guest intelligence strategy using data to drive relevance, not just reach.
OpenAI, Google and Perplexity will reshape this landscape again. Nobody knows how exactly but 2 years from now the picture will be very different.
Stop playing the OTA game—change the game with the product. Yes, third parties are taking control of search, booking flows, and traveler data—but copying their playbook won't reclaim the guest relationship. If you try to "out-CRM" Expedia or "out-loyalty" Airbnb, you're choosing a scale game you can't win.
Two Lighthouse experts share how shorter booking windows and increased rate sensitivity require more agile pricing strategies and data-driven decisions.
Bartnick argues that moments of uncertainty and doubt are essential to effective revenue management, distinguishing reactive panic from strategic pause.
Analysis explores whether increasing ESG compliance requirements are driving hotel companies to exit public markets, citing recent hospitality sector delistings.
A finance-focused podcast series uses AI technology to transform written hotel financial guidance into audio discussions.
The deal expands Expedia's activities portfolio through Tiqets' curated museum and attraction platform, with closing expected in Q1 2026.
The €75 million from Cheyne Strategic Value Credit follows a record year of 3,500 new units signed across major European cities.
Banks like Capital One are leveraging payment control and AI to challenge traditional travel distribution channels and OTAs.
Bartnick argues revenue managers have always used pattern recognition, data synthesis, and predictive modeling like AI systems do today.
CBRE's inaugural index ranks 66 European destinations on market fundamentals and economic factors to guide hotel investment decisions.
KKR provided €300m debt financing for Tristan's €400m+ easyHotel acquisition, secured by 48 hotels with 4,700 rooms across 11 European countries.
The guide explains how to calculate and manage flow through metrics to measure how much additional revenue converts to profit across hotel departments.
I feel Airbnb's move does not create a new problem — it exposes an existing one.
Hotels don't need another mega OTA, rather, they need partners who create real value. Airbnb's shift into hotels is less innovation and more defense. With Booking.com dominating STR volume and commissions rising, Airbnb is simply repositioning to stay competitive.
To be fair, one could argue Airbnb has already been functioning as an OTA for years. It facilitates transactions, controls the marketplace, shapes pricing behavior, and now they are onboarding more hotels and aligning its commission structure.
I believe we're at the point where it really doesn't matter anymore how many OTAs we have. It's gotten so bad for hotels that it almost can't get any worse — and it barely matters which one of them is draining our margins or taking over our guests.
Bartnick argues effective revenue managers must balance firm commercial decisions with diplomatic communication to maximize profits while maintaining team relationships.
The guide outlines pricing optimization, distribution balance, and incremental revenue tactics specifically for independent properties using data-driven approaches.
Industry panel explores practical strategies for hotels to generate additional revenue through retail, video marketing, wellness products, and experiential amenities.