Google's agentic booking partners include Booking.com and Expedia, suggesting agentic AI adds a new distribution layer above OTAs rather than bypassing them, shifting who owns the traveler relationship.
NFC tipping outperforms QR code tipping in friction reduction, portability, and security, with NTAG 424 DNA chip technology offering banking-grade authentication for hotel and service environments.
Wednesday was dominated by Mews Unfold 2026, where the company launched five new products and declared itself a full hotel operating system. Google quietly filed lodging under its Universal Commerce Protocol alongside sneakers and groceries, raising structural questions about hotel distribution. And a Czech hotel group shared how it took direct bookings from near zero to 60% of revenue.
Q1 2026 U.S. hotel data from ~5,000 properties shows ADR up 6%, RevPAR up 8.7%, and GOP margin up 4 points, but the Q2-Q4 forecast signals a revenue reset with RevPAR expected to fall 1.3%.
Pope Leo XIV's 42,300-word encyclical calls for government regulation of AI companies, worker retraining, and safeguards to keep humans in control of decisions involving weapons and children's online safety.
Revinate CMO Karen Stephens and Highgate VP of CRM Aaron Miller discuss how hotels can adopt AI for search, discovery, and personalization without sacrificing the human connection guests expect.
Using a simple pretzel story, CX expert Shep Hyken argues that inconsistent service erodes customer confidence and trust, making consistency the single biggest driver of retention.
WITT has certified five new properties across Vietnam, Indonesia, and Nepal, bringing its global total to nearly 200 as the Asia-Pacific wellness tourism market heads toward $204B by 2026.
CBRE Hotels SVP Nicole Nguyen outlines three trends shaping Canada's 2026 summer hotel season: FIFA World Cup demand, rising domestic and international tourism, and record new supply crossing the 1.5% mark.
A practical guide for hoteliers on using long-tail keywords, structured data, and FAQ content to improve visibility in AI-powered generative search and drive direct bookings.
Accor surpasses 150 franchise hotels in Australia and New Zealand, marking the Pacific as its largest and fastest-growing franchise network, with the greet brand set to launch in the region.
Orea Hotels CEO Gorjan Lazarov shares how the Czech group grew direct bookings from near zero to 60% of revenue by combining brand investment, data infrastructure, and technology-driven guest experience.
HVS rounds up six European hotel transactions, including Select Group's UK golf resort portfolio buy, two Spanish deals involving Zetland Capital, and acquisitions in Finland, Italy, and Austria.
Opinion piece arguing Southeast Asia hoteliers can cut OTA dependency from 65-70% to 35-40% within 18 months using AI chatbots, behavioural triggers, and direct-rate advantages now available for under $50/month.
Hotels must shift from selling rooms to curating experiences, creating revenue streams that don't depend on occupancy through experience marketplaces and destination expertise.
Google's Universal Commerce Protocol now lists hotel booking as a retail vertical alongside Nike and Walmart, raising structural questions about whether lodging's complex cancellation, pricing, and merchant-of-record rules can survive a retail-shaped commerce rail.
The author argues hotels don't have a data shortage but a signal interpretation problem, with GMs overwhelmed by metrics that lack the intelligence layer needed to drive daily decisions.
HFTP and RX will launch HITEC Paris on November 5, 2026, co-located with EquipHotel Paris at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, targeting European hospitality technology professionals.
Tuesday brought a sharp World Panel debate on whether AI search will redirect bookings to hotels or consolidate OTA power further, a detailed look at Mexico's outperforming domestic hotel market, and a clear-eyed read on Q1 2026 public lodging earnings. U.S. RevPAR hit $117.93 in the week ending May 16, while AI booking channels are already delivering measurable direct revenue lifts for early movers.
Mews Founder Richard Valtr previews Unfold 2026, a 700-hotelier event in Amsterdam on May 27, focused on redefining the hotel operating model around AI, finance automation, and connected ecosystems.