HN Originals

HN TV
Press Release Technology

AI, Chat Agents, and the Race to Digital Transformation in Hospitality

AI is no longer just a buzzword—it's transforming hospitality at a rapid pace, and Cendyn's Michael Bennett believes the biggest AI breakthroughs are already here. Speaking at ITB, Bennett highlighted AI-powered call centers and contextual chat agents as two of the most impactful innovations, boosting efficiency while reducing labor costs.Through Cendyn's partnership with Poly AI, hotels can now fully automate voice reservations, allowing human agents to focus on high-value guest interactions.

By Michael Bennett and Simone Puorto
HN Original
Opinion Article

How HSMAI Uses Hospitality Net Membership to Advance the Voice of Hospitality Sales & Marketing

For more than 25 years, Hospitality Net has been at the center of the global hotel and hospitality industry. Over this time, it has built a unique and trusted ecosystem where professionals come to share knowledge, insights, and perspectives. As a neutral and independent platform, Hospitality Net is respected by industry leaders worldwide for providing reliable information and a space where diverse voices in hospitality can be heard.

By Henri Roelings, Founder, Hospitality Net
HN Original
Opinion Article Sales & Marketing

Food for thought: is hotel website SEO dead?

There have been a lot of headlines that traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is dead due to the rise of AI Search via the generative AI platforms. Some experts herald the end of Google's monopoly on search and claim that traditional SEO practices are obsolete. Others believe that SEO based on best practices is required not only for increased revenues from the direct online channel, but to ensure good positioning of the hotel website in AI search results as well.

By Max Starkov, Hospitality & travel technologist and digital strategist, Hospitality Net
HN TV
Press Release Technology

AI Beyond Chatbots - How Cendyn is Automating Hospitality's Future

AI in hospitality isn't just about chatbots—it's about automation, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making. At ITB, Chris Egan of Cendyn emphasized that the most impactful AI applications are often behind the scenes, streamlining revenue management, marketing optimization, and business intelligence. Instead of just enhancing guest experiences, Cendyn is using AI to cut routine tasks, speed up decision-making, and maximize profitability.

By Chris Egan and Simone Puorto
HN TV
Press Release Technology

Beyond the Buzzword - How Oracle Hospitality is Using AI to Solve Real Problems

AI dominates hospitality discussions, but Oracle Hospitality's Tanya Pratt is cutting through the noise, focusing on AI's real business impact—enhancing efficiency, reducing friction, and empowering frontline staff. At ITB, Pratt shared Oracle's practical AI applications, including content automation, real-time support via conversational AI, and machine learning-driven revenue optimization.

Tanya PrattSimone Puorto
By Tanya Pratt and Simone Puorto
HN TV
Press Release Technology

Shiji's Hospitality Tech Evolution - Modular, Flexible, and Built for Real-World Operations

The hospitality industry thrives on evolution, and Shiji is embracing that change with a modular, service-oriented approach to hotel technology. At ITB, Kevin King, CEO of Shiji International, shared how the company has shifted away from enterprise-heavy, all-in-one models to offer flexible solutions that let hotels choose the tools they need—without unnecessary complexity.

By Simone Puorto and Kevin King
HN TV
Interview Technology

Redefining Hospitality with AI, Automation, and a Holistic Tech Ecosystem

Mews isn’t just a PMS (Property Management System)—it’s a hospitality cloud that is transforming the way hotels operate, enhance guest experiences, and optimize revenue. With a bold vision for the future, CEO Matt Welle shares how Mews is reshaping hotel technology by integrating AI, automation, and dynamic pricing into every aspect of hospitality management.

Matthijs Welle in conversation with Simone Puorto
HN TV
Press Release Sales & Marketing

The Future of Revenue Management - Moving Beyond Room Rates

The hospitality industry has long been fixated on room rates as the primary driver of revenue. But Thomas Landen, CMO at RoomPriceGenie, believes it's time to rethink revenue management as part of a broader commercial strategy. Speaking at ITB Berlin, Landen challenged the traditional, siloed approach and emphasized the need for hotels to integrate pricing with marketing, upsells, and dynamic asset utilization.

By Thomas Landen and Simone Puorto
HN TV
Opinion Article Technology

ITB Rewind: How AI is Shaping the Future of Hospitality

At this year’s ITB, Hospitality Net took to the show floor to ask a big question as part of the Hospitality Net World Panel Viewpoint: What is the single biggest impact AI will have on hospitality? We gathered insights from 20 industry leaders who shared their thoughts on how AI is transforming guest experiences, revenue management, operations, and the very fabric of hospitality itself.

By Henri Roelings, Founder, Hospitality Net
HN Original
Opinion Article Sales & Marketing

How to overcome revenue managers’ aversion to the direct online channel?

Recently, a revenue manager reacted to my LinkedIn post about independent hoteliers’ overdependence on the OTAs by stating Even with the best intentions, money and talent, there's no way independents can beat the big OTA's in search and make money. There's no scheme where they can get a positive ROI on investing search. Google has been trying to break up the OTA monopoly on search for years, but never succeeded.

By Max Starkov, Hospitality & travel technologist and digital strategist, Hospitality Net