New AI Advisory Board Turns Talk Into Action
HSMAI Europe's AI Advisory Board, chaired by TrustYou CEO Benjamin Jost, is translating AI hype into practical guidance on discovery, content strategy, direct booking, and hospitality tech architecture.
News
EHL HumanX: Three Voices on What Technology Can't Replace, UK Labour Costs Outpace Revenue, Pricepoint Raises $6.6M
Wednesday brought the strongest editorial day of the week. Three HN interviews from EHL HumanX in Lausanne converged on one argument: technology is useful, but the moments that define hospitality are human ones. UK hotels posted revenue growth in Q1 but labour costs rose at nearly double the rate. And Pricepoint closed a $6.6 million seed round to automate hotel pricing in real time.
I Don't Design Spaces, I Design Portraits: Adam Tihany on Emotion, Control and Turning His Back on Technology
Legendary designer Adam Tihany argues emotion in hospitality spaces comes from control and storytelling, and dismisses technology at the table as harmful to genuine warmth and luxury.
Hospitality Got Too Comfortable: EHL's Achim Schmitt on Decline, Talent and the Limits of Technology
EHL Dean Achim Schmitt argues hospitality's decades of comfort-driven complacency left it unprepared on talent and innovation, with retention, human connection, and competency-based education as the path forward.
UK Hotels: Q1 Revenue Growth Isn’t Outpacing Costs
UK hotels posted 2% TRevPAR growth in Q1 2026, but labour costs rose at nearly double that rate, compressing profit margins and widening the gap between revenue gains and operating expenses.
Cendyn’s AI + SEO Course Series: Owning the future of hotel search
Cendyn outlines how hotels can adapt their content strategy for AI-powered search through Generative Engine Optimization, focusing on structure, authority, and traveler intent to drive direct bookings.
Front desk teams don’t have to be your switchboard
Holiday Inn Kenilworth deployed Eccobell's AI voice agent, cutting reception calls by over 80% in the first week, with upsell commissions now exceeding the technology's cost.
By Ryan Haynes, Director/Lead Consultant, Hoteliers' Voice Podcast/ Haynes MarComs Ltd
These Extraordinary Hotels Just Secured Our Elite CNT Triple Crown Status—Here's How They Earned the Title
Condé Nast Traveler launches its Triple Crown, a curated list of hotels that have won all three major CNT awards: Hot List, Gold List, and Readers' Choice, spanning nearly four decades of recognition.
The Lux Collective Enters Rwanda with Landmark Ultra-Luxury Tourism Circuit Partnership
The Lux Collective partners with Cleo Capital Group to launch a five-resort ultra-luxury circuit across Rwanda under the LUX* and SALT brands, with Phase 1 rebranding two properties from mid-2026 and three greenfield resorts opening in 2028.
The Uber Hotel
An opinion piece arguing that frictionless, tech-enabled check-in is the new gold standard for business hotels, drawing a direct parallel to the Uber ride experience.
By Manuel Kuckenberger, Hospitality systems consultant, Manuel Kuckenberger e.U.
OTH Hotels Resorts Expands Portfolio with Addition of Three East Coast Properties
OTH Hotels Resorts adds 498 guestrooms across three East Coast properties: Hotel Troy in New Jersey and two Holiday Inn hotels in Maryland.
When National AI Security Becomes a Hospitality Imperative
A white paper translating the White House's June 2026 AI Executive Order into operational priorities for hotels, covering cybersecurity exposure, AI governance, vendor strategy, and data sovereignty.
By Terence Ronson, Founder & Managing Director, Pertlink Limited
HVS Asia Pacific Hospitality Newsletter - Week Ending 29 May 2026
HVS weekly roundup covers four Asia Pacific hotel transactions: a SGD360M Singapore divestment, a KRW210B Seoul acquisition, a JPY5.49B Okinawa deal, and a AUD28.3M Perth purchase.
From Vision to Impact: Two Years Supporting the Longevity of the World’s Oceans
Novotel's second Ocean Impact Report details progress across 600+ hotels, including 92% single-use plastic compliance, 1,600+ chefs trained, and active WWF marine conservation projects.
Top 5 Work Communication Apps for Hospitality Teams
A roundup of five work communication apps for hospitality teams, with Zenzap positioned as the top pick for mobile-first, secure, and hospitality-specific team chat.
By Rebecca Lazar, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Zenzap
How independent hotels should weigh corporate consortia this season
Independent hotels weighing corporate distribution face a choice between fee-based TMC programs with real volume and commission-only consortia; Amex GBT's new Preferred Extras Lite tier now opens a lower-cost entry point at the top.
By Markus Busch, Editor/Publisher, hospitality.today
Saudi Hotels Do Not Need More AI Tools. They Need a Demand Operating Model.
The author argues Saudi hotels must build a structured demand operating model across segmentation, forecasting, channel profitability, and decision governance before AI tools can deliver meaningful commercial impact.
By Dr. Tong Yin, Founder of InsightBridge Global LLC and a doctoral researcher, InsightBridge Global LLC
When Numbers Aren't Enough: Accor Deputy CEO Jean-Jacques Morin on Leadership
Accor Deputy CEO Jean-Jacques Morin, speaking at EHL HumanX in Lausanne, argues that human relationships trump data in hospitality and that AI should augment, not replace, the people behind the brand.
CEO of LARC Returns: 2026 Outlook in a K-Shaped Economy
LARC CEO Ryan Sloan breaks down Q1's surprise +3.8% RevPAR, a 23M-person swing in U.S. inbound travel, World Cup room-blocking fallout, and the markets to watch through 2026.
Sloan Dean in conversation with Ryan Meliker
Why a Hotel Market Analysis Is the Heart of Every Hotel Appraisal: A Repeatable, Step-by-Step Method for Doing One Right
The article argues that segment-level competitive indices, not penetration rates, are the correct method for allocating hotel demand in appraisals, and presents a full replicable protocol for doing so.
By Stephen Rushmore, Hotel Valuation Expert and Founder of HVS, Hotel Valuation Software