Key takeaways from Destination AI 2026 in Washington D.C., where 500 hospitality leaders signaled a shift from AI experimentation to live operational deployment across hotel distribution.
A self-audit of 84 published pieces across 2026 yields a four-play Q4 framework: count AI costs on the P&L, own your machine-readable property data, prepare for agentic booking, and protect human touchpoints.
A personal leadership essay arguing that hospitality managers who drift from the floor lose credibility, using the film Boiling Point as a lens on distracted leadership and eroding standards.
Drawing on Ibarra's competency trap, this piece argues that being repeatedly picked for the same task locks capable professionals into a cycle that stalls growth, and that both individuals and managers share responsibility for breaking it.
Bargello's F&B director reflects on earning a second consecutive Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, detailing how independence from hotel brand mandates, low-production wine sourcing, and community-focused service shaped the program.
Key themes from The Lodging Conference 2026 include strong industry optimism for 2027, a clear preference for conversions over new builds, and growing concern about AI's impact on hotel distribution.
A hotel asset manager breaks down HMA negotiation tactics, highlighting fee structures, performance tests, termination rights, and technology clauses that protect owner leverage.
AI-driven zero-click search and the erosion of tracking infrastructure are making it harder for hotels to trace the path from guest discovery to booking.
Gilad Berenstein, founder of Utrip and investor at Brook Bay Capital, outlines practical AI use cases for hoteliers, from daily habit-building to agentic concierge systems and AI-led guest discovery.
IRIS argues hotels can reclaim F&B revenue lost to delivery apps by adopting mobile ordering platforms, citing a 30%+ revenue uplift and an InterContinental New Orleans case study as evidence.
Maestro PMS argues that hoteliers should use the holiday season to build long-term guest relationships by connecting departmental data, rather than focusing solely on seasonal room revenue.
A four-layer performance framework moves hotels beyond RevPAR to connect commercial results with operating profit, EBITDA, CapEx, and return on invested capital.
An experienced hospitality professional argues that operational expertise must be embedded in hotel development decisions from the outset, not consulted after design, budget, and strategy are already set.
A hotel expert witness case study explaining why lost revenue rarely equals economic damages, and how proper BI claims require operational context, avoided expenses, and market benchmarking.
Opinion piece arguing that employee judgment, not policies alone, drives better service outcomes, using a hotel check-in story to illustrate training and empowerment gaps.
The author argues that as automation becomes the default in hospitality, choosing human staff over machines may redefine luxury, proposing a framework of technocentric, hybrid, and anthropocentric hotel models.
Exely outlines the revenue management gaps most common in independent hotels and compares three solutions: in-house hire, RMS implementation, and outsourced support.
A 40-year hotel valuation veteran explains why the profit line used to calculate incentive management fees matters more than the percentage, and how an owner's priority provision resolves the GOP vs. net income standoff.
Newport Hospitality Group's VP argues that fall hotel revenue strategy should shift from room-count targets to total guest value, using group events, ancillary services, and cross-departmental collaboration.
An F&B operator's outlook for fall 2026 and into 2027, covering coffee as an all-day revenue driver, craft beer and bourbon programming, comfort food trends, and how hotels can attract locals not just overnight guests.