Our day at Mews Unfold 2026
Davy and Jill reflect on Mews Unfold 2026 in Amsterdam, weighing AI's promise to free staff for human connection against the industry's oldest unsolved frustration: recognising returning guests at check-in.
News
Technification Is Accelerating Commoditization
The author argues that replacing human touchpoints with technology risks commoditizing hotels, leaving price as the only differentiator, and urges a "humanification" approach that blends automation with genuine guest interaction.
By Doug Kennedy, President of the Kennedy Training Network, Kennedy Training Network (KTN)
Beyond the final whistle: how mega sporting events transform cities
Budapest's hosting of the UEFA Champions League Final is examined through the lens of sports tourism strategy, with the 2024 London final generating €91M in GVA and 77,000 international visitors as a benchmark.
By László Bene and Balázs Füredi
If Search and Display Had a Baby: Why Demand Gen is the New Hybrid You Actually Want
A practical breakdown of Google's Demand Gen campaigns vs. Paid Search and Display, covering placements, targeting, creatives, and when to use each in a hotel marketing mix.
By Kylie Chen, Director of Paid Strategy, Cogwheel Marketing & Analytics
The Hotel F&B Transformation Roadmap
Inspired by an AWS and Shiji whitepaper, the roadmap outlines five key F&B trends and six technology strategies, including cloud POS, mobile ordering, and real-time analytics, to help hotels improve margins and guest satisfaction.
AHLA & AHLA Foundation Now Accepting Nominations for Hotel Industry Awards
AHLA and AHLA Foundation are accepting nominations for the General Managers of the Year Awards and Stars of the Industry Awards, with winners announced at events in Miami Beach and Los Angeles.
AH&LA and AHLA Foundation
Skyscanner Rebrands "Hotels" to "Stays" to Reflect 3.5M Accommodation Options
Skyscanner renames its Hotels tab to "Stays," reflecting a portfolio of 3.5M properties including hostels, campsites, and unique options, driven by Gen Z and Millennial demand for experience-led accommodation.
The Hotels Leading the Industry in 2026: Trends, Brands & Why They're Winning
A 2026 industry overview identifies luxury, lifestyle, wellness, extended stay, tech-forward, and adaptive reuse hotels as the six leading segments, with revenue forecast to reach $940B.
By Nasir Zahir, Founder and President, NZ Hospitality
Maximizing Project Value Through Design
Rising construction costs and evolving guest priorities are pushing luxury hospitality developers toward strategic, experience-led design that balances aspiration with financial efficiency across all price points.
Accor Accelerates Franchise Growth and Strengthens Partnerships at the 2026 Pacific Franchise Conference
Accor gathered 270+ franchise partners and owners in Sydney to discuss growth strategy, investment trends, AI-driven efficiencies, and loyalty, covering its 420+ Pacific properties.
Not One Size Fits All: How Travelers Are Actually Using AI to Plan Trips — Cornell Research
Cornell survey of 1,029 U.S. travelers finds AI ranks 4th in travel planning tools, with accuracy concerns cited by 60%+ as the top barrier, and adoption motivations varying sharply across Budget, Premium, Aspirational, and Luxury segments.
By Young Jang and Chris K. Anderson
Placement, not commission - Google built a hotel checkout it takes no cut of and, that's exactly the point
Google's commission-free Universal Cart is a placement play: by owning the AI surface where travel decisions are made, Google charges for consideration rather than transactions, shifting auction dynamics against hotels and OTAs alike.
By Markus Busch, Editor/Publisher, hospitality.today
HFTP Reinforces HITEC Show Rules to Protect Exhibitors and Sponsors
HFTP is cracking down on suitcasing and unauthorized events at HITEC 2026, warning that violators will be banned from the premises and publicly identified.
OTAs and Google I/O
Google I/O's AI announcements signal a shift toward assembled, agentic travel planning that could upend how OTAs capture travel discovery and disrupt the top of the booking funnel.
By Martin Soler, Partner, Soler & Associates
AI Safety is About Smaller Permissions, Not Smarter Models
The author argues that AI safety failures stem from over-permissioned systems, not model intelligence, and urges hospitality operators to apply least-privilege access controls before deploying AI agents in production environments.
By Casey Sokach, Technology Lead, Partner Integrations and Security, Curacity
Are We Building for the Past or Future? Green Financing in Hotel Development and Investment — Cornell Research
Cornell CHR report from Climate Week NYC 2024 finds the hospitality sector lacks the data systems and financing structures needed to convert sustainability ambition into measurable financial benefit.
By Jeanne Varney, Lecturer, Cornell
Agentic AI Routes Through the OTAs, Hotels Use AI Without Strategy, Lighthouse Buys AI Visibility
Thursday brought a sharp reality check on agentic AI: Google's booking partner list runs straight through Booking.com and Expedia, not around them. A new h2c study found 86% of European hotel chains use AI but 80% have no formal strategy for it.
Why the wellness industry needs a new operating system
The authors argue that wellness must evolve from episodic spa experiences into continuous behavioral infrastructure, proposing a new "operating system" built on cognitive load management and adaptive environments.
By Alina M. Hernandez and Nigel Franklyn
European Travel Commission strengthens leadership and welcomes new industry members
ETC re-elected Miguel Sanz as President and named Arnar Már Ólafsson as Vice President at its General Meeting in Montenegro, while welcoming Booking.com, Feratel, GetYourGuide, and Skyscanner as associate members.
AAHOA Opposes AB 2721, Warns Bill Creates Legal Uncertainty and Operational Risk for California Hotels
AAHOA opposes California's AB 2721, which would require hotels to publicly disclose ICE and CBP reservations, citing legal liability, privacy concerns, and compliance burdens for small and independent owners.