The rumors about the end of Google Search are highly exaggerated
Google's 2025 revenue grew 15% to $403B despite AI search rise, with traditional search still receiving 34 times more visits than AI platforms.
News
Commission-Free and Crushing It: The CRM Playbook in Hospitality
The article argues hotels need dedicated CRMs for prospecting since traditional sales systems only manage booked business, citing one property's $1.2M in direct group revenue from nurturing campaigns.
By Susan Tucker, Partner & COO, The Lure Agency, Lure Agency
Social, Search, and the Fight for Direct Bookings: A Conversation with Cendyn and HOSPITALITY X at ITB Berlin
Cendyn's CEO and HOSPITALITY X Co-Founder discuss how social media evolved from brand awareness to direct conversion channel at ITB Berlin.
Changing the Spark Plugs Won’t Start a Car That’s Out of Gas
Hotels waste marketing spend chasing demand instead of creating it, allowing OTAs and intermediaries to control traveler decisions from the start.
By Andrew Paul, Managing Director, Americas Great Resorts
Doug Kennedy’s Next Staff Training Webcast: Five Crucial Things Hotel Group & Event Salespeople Should Do With Every Inbound Lead
Kennedy's free 40-minute webcast focuses on lead response best practices for hotel sales teams in a challenging market.
Why Guests Abandon Direct Booking for OTAs, and How to Stop it!
The article explains how most hotel websites convert only 2% of visitors, losing guests to OTAs due to decision friction rather than traffic problems.
By Joao Trindade, VP of Marketing & Product, GuestCentric Systems
OpenAI just saved Booking.com
OpenAI's decision to scale back direct booking in ChatGPT benefits Booking.com by keeping AI platforms in discovery rather than transaction completion.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup: Strategic Sales Positioning for Hotels Beyond Host Cities
Hotels outside FIFA 2026 host cities can capture significant demand through early positioning as strategic bases for teams, corporations, and multi-city travelers.
By Muhammad Tanveer, Author - The Sales Leadership Brief (Linkedin Newsletter), The Sales Leadership Brief
Visit Hungary expands use of Amadeus Media Solutions to drive demand to the destination
The partnership delivered a 20% increase in bookings via travel agents year over year using targeted campaigns and comprehensive travel data.
Hotels Are Outperforming Brands at Storytelling — and Marketers Should Pay Attention
The shift to storytelling-driven hospitality reflects rising guest expectations for authentic, immersive experiences rooted in place and history.
By Dulani Porter, Partner, SPARK
Corporate Travel Policies Strengthen, Modernize and Embrace AI─While Opportunities Remain for Improving Accessibility, Policy Clarity and Compliance
GBTA-ALTOUR study of 168 travel managers reveals 32% report stricter policies today, with 64% interested in AI-generated policy explainers to improve compliance.
When Customer Experience Becomes Customer Transformation
The article argues businesses should help customers achieve aspirations rather than just deliver services, citing examples from fitness equipment to Disney parks.
By Shep Hyken, Customer Service and Experience Expert, Keynote Speaker and Bestselling Author, Shepard Presentations, LLC.
When Stories Shape Destinations: Book-Inspired Travel
Hotels are creating book-themed packages and programming as 55% of travelers consider literary-inspired trips, with brands like Loews adding curated reading lists.
If You’re Selling to Hotels, You’re Probably Doing It Wrong
Industry expert explains why vendors fail at hotel sales: they pitch to people without authority, lead with features over business problems, and ignore hospitality's complex decision hierarchy.
By Cory Falter, Partner, Lure Agency
A hotel juggling identity - marketing profiling, personalising and targeting for success
Bradley Spielman from Whittlebury Park explains how the hotel uses guest personas and targeted CRM data to market effectively across golf, spa, events, and motorsport audiences.
By Ryan Haynes, Director/Lead Consultant, Hoteliers' Voice Podcast/ Haynes MarComs Ltd
Start Your Screen-Free Guest Journeys with GCSTIMES Sustainable Key Cards
GCSTIMES promotes their sustainable key cards as part of hotels' digital detox programs that encourage guests to disconnect from devices.
World of Hyatt Updates Award Chart While Preserving the Transparency Members Expect
Hyatt expands its award chart from three to five redemption levels per category while maintaining fixed point thresholds instead of moving to dynamic pricing.
Why reputation management directly impacts your hotel’s visibility (and bookings)
Reviews directly influence Google and OTA ranking algorithms through volume, ratings, freshness and response activity, creating a cycle where better reputation drives more visibility and bookings.
By Femke Nollet, Content Specialist, Lighthouse
Phone Calls Are “The Last Mile” of Hotel Distribution
Hotels lose significant revenue when staff fail to convert phone inquiries into direct bookings, missing opportunities to avoid 10-25% OTA commissions.
By Doug Kennedy, President of the Kennedy Training Network, Kennedy Training Network (KTN)
Revenue on the line: Why the voice channel matters more than ever
Hospitality leaders discuss treating phone calls as revenue opportunities rather than cost centers, using unified guest data to boost direct booking conversion.
Karen Stephens, Chief Marketing Officer, Revinate, Inc.