Rethinking Wellbeing - Why It's More Than Spas & Luxury Hotels
Hospitality often treats wellbeing as a luxury spa experience, but Valentina Clergue of EHL argues it's so much more.
HN Originals
Beyond Greenwashing - Why Hospitality Needs Real Sustainability Strategies
Many hotels and travel companies embrace sustainability—but do they really know how to implement it? Carlos Martin-Rios, professor at EHL Hospitality Business School, warns that good intentions aren't enough.
Is social media a viable distribution channel in hospitality?
According to Skift’s State of Travel 2024, social media is the preferred online source for trip planning for 32% of travelers, ahead of official sites, Google, review sites, travel influencers, offline sources like friends and family, etc. Stelico Consulting Group survey found out that 76% of US luxury travelers selected a hotel brand, cruise line, or airline based on social media.
Hotel Yearbook 2025 Sustainability Tech Edition: A Summary
Here is a summary on what to expect from the Hotel Yearbook 2025 Sustainability Tech Edition.
HN Insiders: Sustainable Tech in Hospitality - A Conversation with Willy Legrand at ITB Berlin
Hospitality Net’s Simone Puorto caught up with Willy Legrand, Professor at IU International University of Applied Sciences, Germany, during our time at ITB Berlin, where sustainability was a hot topic. Willy is a well-known expert in the field and has played a big role in shaping the conversation around sustainable hospitality.
The HOTEL Yearbook 2025 Explores Sustainability Tech-Trends
Hotel Yearbook 2025 Sustainability Tech Edition Debuts at ITB, Bridging Technology and Eco-Innovation in Hospitality
David vs Goliath or how independents can beat the OTAs at their own marketing game
In 2024 Expedia spent on marketing $6.8 billion, which represents 49.6% of revenue, while Booking Holdings spent $7.3 billion which was 31% of revenue. These two mega OTAs spent on marketing a total of $14.1 billion. In total, last year the two mega OTAs spent on marketing $14.1 billion
I told you so…but who would listen?
Last year in February I published an article “The law of unintended - or is it intended? - consequences coming to a restaurant near you,” in which I argued that the new California law taking effect in April 2024, requiring fast-food chain restaurants to start paying a minimum of $20 an hour ($41,760 a year plus benefits), would affect adversely both consumers and restaurateurs alike:
Why acquiring an RMS should be a top priority for independents in 2025?
The primary goal of revenue management (RM) is to ensure that the property sells the right product to the right customer at the right time for the right price on the right channel.
Content Marketing - hotelier’s least utilized tool to increase direct bookings
Content marketing includes content and descriptions about the property, its amenities, services, calendar of events, destination, activities and attractions that are being delivered to targeted audiences through various communication and media channels. Typically, content marketing does not explicitly promote a price or discount, but is intended to stimulate interest in the hotel products and services.
Personal AI Agents and the Hospitality Industry: Are Hoteliers Ready?
In the wake of Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s recent assertion that their upcoming Gemini AI aims to become a “universal AI agent” useful in everyday life, hoteliers are asking a pivotal question: How can they prepare for personal AI agents that promise to transform the travel and hospitality landscape? Industry experts in Hospitality Net's World Panel foresee AI-driven agents that autonomously research, plan, and book trips—potentially changing the distribution game, altering the role of OTAs, and opening unprecedented direct channels for hotels. Yet, readiness across the sector varies, and the urgency to adapt has never been more pressing.
Food for thought: Loyalty programs and above-and-beyond customer service
Marriott just reported its 2024 financial results among which was important data about this global chain’s loyalty program Bonvoy. Bonvoy members grew 16% in 2024, reaching 228 million, generating 73% of US room nights and 66% of roomnights globally.
How to make Tripadvisor relevant again?
Recently, Tripadvisor fired more than 150 employees and contractors and reshuffled top management in an attempt to President Kristen Dalton announced internally that its chief technology officer and general manager of e-commerce will be leaving the company, according to a staff email obtained by Skift.
Meeting the Moment: How Sustainability Data Is Reshaping Corporate Travel
As the year 2025 unfolds, the business events sector—encompassing corporate travel, conferences, and other significant gatherings—finds itself at a critical juncture. The global imperative to address climate change and social equity has shifted market dynamics, compelling hotels and venues to provide ever more detailed sustainability data in response to corporate Requests for Proposals (RFPs). This “new normal” places higher expectations on hospitality providers to demonstrate robust environmental policies, socially responsible practices, and transparent reporting.
From Fragmentation to Future-Ready: How Hospitality Can Finally Embrace Next-Generation Tech
Hospitality is built on a foundation of service -an industry that prizes comfort, human connection, and memorable experiences above all else. Yet, when it comes to technology, hotels often stand accused of lagging behind. Many properties struggle with fragmented, outdated tech stacks that weigh down operations and hinder guest satisfaction. In a recent long-format HNtv INSIDERS discussion, Michael Cohen (Managing Partner at GAIN) and Matt Welle (CEO of Mews) explored why so many hoteliers feel stuck in legacy systems, and how new innovations—particularly AI—are helping them leapfrog into a more efficient, guest-centric future. Here are some of the conversation’s key takeaways and why they matter now more than ever.
Geo-Based Hotel Pricing: A Bold Revenue Strategy or an Ethical Quagmire?
A recent discussion on Hospitality Net’s World Panel has reignited the debate over whether differentiating hotel pricing based on a traveler’s geographic location is a prudent revenue management strategy or an ethically fraught practice. The conversation stems from research suggesting that several major OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) appear to offer higher rates to users in more affluent regions—most notably the San Francisco Bay Area—compared to those in less affluent cities like Phoenix or Kansas City. According to SFGate, the discrepancies can be dramatic, sometimes reaching $500 more per night for the very same room and dates.
Unveiling Hospitality’s Next Frontier: Highlights from a Conversation on “Alien Intelligence”
The hospitality industry has no shortage of buzzwords and revolutionary headlines—yet behind the chatter, some visionary thinkers are genuinely mapping out what the future might look like. Recently, futurist and publisher Simone Puorto sat down with consultant and strategist Adam Mogelonsky to discuss how artificial—or as they term it, “alien”—intelligence will radically impact every facet of hotel operations. Having listened closely, I’d like to share a few key insights from their conversation that no forward-thinking hotelier should overlook.
CU next year! Download Hospitality Net's 2025 Industry Calendar
As we step into 2025, the global hospitality industry continues to thrive, fueled by an unprecedented resurgence in face-to-face connections and collaboration. After the disruption of recent years, the industry has bounced back stronger than ever, with record-breaking attendance at events worldwide. Conferences, trade shows, and summits are once again the cornerstone of innovation and growth, enabling hoteliers, travel professionals, and industry leaders to exchange ideas, forge partnerships, and shape the future of hospitality. Recognizing the vital role of these gatherings, Hospitality Net is proud to introduce its 2025 Industry Calendar, a comprehensive guide to the year's most significant events.
Procurement Data in the Year of Data Centralization
Through numerous conversations with hotel tech executives, brand C-suites and owners over the course of 2024, when asked about what to prioritize on the technology front for 2025, the most common answer is simply, “Data.”
Reducing the Hidden Costs of Tail Spend in Hotel Procurement
For those not directly involved in purchasing decisions or analysis, the concept of ‘tail spend’ may be a foreign or seldom discussed term. For hotel procurement officers, it’s often the bane of their existence. That’s why we’re keenly interested in platforms and systems like Amazon Business that can help hotel teams mitigate the challenges of tail spend that purchasing managers contend with each and every day.