Radisson Hotel Group is proud to announce the opening of Radisson Blu Hotel, Riyadh Al Sahafa, further strengthening its presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Located in the lively Sahafa District, the new hotel blends modern luxury with Saudi hospitality and marks another step forward in the Group's strategic expansion, with over 50 hotels now in operation and under development across the Kingdom.
Four Seasons, the world's leading luxury hospitality and branded residential company, and ALAIN, a leading Abu Dhabi-based asset management company, announce a new standalone beachfront residential offering in the UAE, Four Seasons Private Residences Abu Dhabi at Saadiyat Beach, set to welcome homeowners in 2029.
Seamless Data: The Truth About Why Your Organization Isn't There Yet In the dynamic landscape of hospitality, the growing momentum towards unified hotel technology and seamless data flow across departments and guest touchpoints is undeniable.
The idea of crafting experiences around a centralized, real-time guest profile represents more than a technical upgrade; it signals a paradigm shift. We are moving from an analog conception of hospitality to a computational one, where data no longer serves the experience but is the experience.
The rumors about the inevitable end of the "traditional" search engines like Google at the hands of AI Search are highly exaggerated. According to latest data by SEMrush, based on the last 12 months, people interact with search engines 34 TIMES more often than with AI search.
This is ongoing learning, as LLMs continue to learn. But GEO is built on top of SEO. It has to get its knowledge from somewhere. It means UCG (ie reviews) is more important, specific content is more important and understanding your target market is more important.
I work with many hoteliers and when it comes to the topic of online discovery, the first question I ask is: have you tried to search for your property, or lodging in your area, on different AI tools lately? It's quite surprising how so few have done it.
The speed of change is extraordinary! This rapid shift to AI summaries and conversational search marks a critical turning point for hotel content. Simple keyword-stuffing is ending; AI thrives on deep context and relationships, not raw data.
Hard Rock International announces today it is working with HR Hotel FZ LLC, a joint venture company between Malta-based db Group and RAK Hospitality Holding (RAKHH), to bring Hard Rock Hotel & Residences Ras Al Khaimah to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This branded mixed-use development project is slated to open in 2028.
IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world's leading hotel companies, has announced the signing of a management agreement for voco Al Mouj Muscat, a 251-key beachfront resort set to open in Q4 2025. Alongside Golden Group Holding, the deal marks the first signing of the voco brand in the Sultanate of Oman, further expanding IHG's premium portfolio across the Middle East.
A new chapter in Qatar's luxury lifestyle story begins as Rosewood Doha officially opens its doors at the forefront of Lusail. Much more than a hotel, it is a destination of experience, meaning, and memory—inviting guests to explore the intersection of Qatar's storied heritage and its dynamic present.
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced the signing of Diyar Ajwa, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, in partnership with Al Musbah Group - marking the debut of the lifestyle Tapestry Collection brand in Saudi Arabia. Expected to open later in 2025, the new signing reinforces Hilton's continued expansion in the Kingdom and adds to its growing presence in one of the world's most significant religious tourism destinations. With this addition, Hilton remains on track to reach its milestone of 100 hotels trading and in the pipeline across Saudi Arabia.
Absolute Hotel Services Middle East & Africa (AHS MEA) is proud to announce the signing of a landmark hotel and branded residences management agreement with EGYGAB Developments for its lifestyle resort project Masaya, located in Sidi Abdelrahman on Egypt's North Coast. The agreement introduces U Hotels, one of AHS's signature lifestyle brands, to one of the region's fastest-growing resort destinations.
IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world's leading hotel companies, has announced the signing of Crowne Plaza Madinah Al Haramain, a 383-key hotel in partnership with Arbah Tayba Real Estate Company. Slated to open in 2026, the hotel will be managed by IHG and will further strengthen the company's premium portfolio in one of Saudi Arabia's most significant religious and cultural destinations.
Located along the pristine shores of Obhur Bay, Rixos Obhur Jeddah ushers in a bold new chapter of experiential travel, enhancing Jeddah's position as a global leisure and tourism hub. As the first Rixos property in the Kingdom, the resort introduces the brand's renowned "all-inclusive, all-exclusive" concept to Saudi Arabia, setting a new benchmark for immersive, inclusive, and family-centric stays. Combining contemporary refinement with the warmth of traditional Arabian hospitality, Rixos Obhur Jeddah presents a vibrant offering where every element, from dining and wellness to entertainment and children's activities, is carefully curated and seamlessly included.
A new "Hygge" themed hotel is set to open in Dubai within the next two years. A project by Dubai-based real estate and property developer Kleindienst Group, the new property is named after the Scandinavian philosophy of hygge - a concept that's Danish in origin, with the word conveying a sense of contentment, simplicity, and the quiet joy of everyday life. The hotel will be located within The Heart of Europe on Dubai's World Islands, and is scheduled to open in the first half of 2027.
After two decades of watching hospitality tech rise, stumble, evolve, and occasionally reinvent itself, I have learned to spot when change is more than just a new buzzword. Right now feels like one of those moments. Not a flashy revolution, but a quiet recalibration. One that is redefining how technology is funded, built, and deployed across the industry. From capital discipline to platform thinking, we are entering an era where substance finally matters more than sizzle. And if we pay attention, this shift could set the tone for the next generation of hospitality innovation.
Our work with clients on personalization is rooted in the fundamental view that we've always aimed to better match what we have to offer with what a guest truly desires. This is particularly crucial when a property offers a diverse range of products beyond just rooms, where strategic personalization can genuinely elevate the guest's enjoyment by more accurately aligning offerings with their individual preferences.
Let's be blunt: most hotels haven't even reached personalization, let alone hyperpersonalization. And while Booking.com, Netflix, and Amazon are masters of knowing what you want before you do, many hotels still worship the PMS like it's the digital holy grail.
After half a century in hospitality, one truth endures: this industry doesn’t stand still. It evolves. Slowly at times, all at once at others. What was once a business built on bricks, beds, and brand loyalty is now a high-stakes game of capital flows, margin compression, and digital transformation. The fundamentals remain: service, trust, and consistency. But everything around them is shifting. If the last decade taught us how to survive disruption, the next one will ask us to lead through it. That begins by rethinking what hotels are, who they serve, and how every square foot and every line of code can drive performance.
Mention PMS migration and most hotel executives will pause. It’s not hesitation without reason. Shifting core systems takes time, coordination, and no small amount of budget. It impacts every layer of your operation, from the front office and housekeeping to finance, IT, and beyond. But while the disruption is real, the real risk lies in waiting too long. In a fast-moving tech landscape, staying still doesn’t keep you safe. It just means you’re falling behind without even noticing.
Luxury isn’t loud. It doesn’t announce itself in flashing features or complicated tech. True luxury in hospitality whispers through anticipation, intuition, and the kind of personal touches that make a guest feel not just welcomed, but understood. It’s not about the opulence of the building or the buzzwords on the website. It’s about how effortlessly everything unfolds. Behind the scenes, there’s powerful technology doing the heavy lifting. But on the surface, what the guest experiences is something far more human: calm, confidence, care. In this article, we’ll explore how the best luxury properties use invisible systems to create unforgettable, seamless moments. Moments where service feels less like service and more like being seen.
There’s no shortage of hype around AI right now. Everyone’s talking, posting, paneling. But here’s the thing: most of it misses the point. If you’re in hospitality, the question isn’t whether AI matters, it’s how you make it matter for your business. Not in some distant future, robots running the lobby kind of way, but in the here and now. In the everyday moments where performance is won or lost. Because while the spotlight stays fixed on shiny AI travel assistants and chatbots with witty comebacks, the real advantage, the one that moves the needle, is quietly waiting behind the scenes.
In hospitality today, what matters most cannot always be seen on a checklist. The guest experience has become the defining product, shaped not just by the room or the view but by every moment of interaction and ease. A warm greeting, a seamless digital check-in, a timely response to a simple request. These are now the hallmarks of value. As expectations rise, so does the need to measure what truly moves the guest. This is where guest experience benchmarking steps in, not just as a performance tool but as a strategic lens for building loyalty, trust and lasting impressions.
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