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.
News
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.
ITB Berlin 2026: Hotel booking lead time increases 14% compared to last year, according to RateGain’s data
Berlin hotel bookings for ITB 2026 show travelers planning 84.75 days ahead versus 74.4 days last year, with ADR rising to €146.86.
This is How Your Customers Think About Your Customer Service in 2026
Survey of 2,000 US consumers reveals 42% experienced more bad service in 2026 than previous years, with 66% willing to switch companies over poor service.
By Shep Hyken, Customer Service and Experience Expert, Keynote Speaker and Bestselling Author, Shepard Presentations, LLC.
A visit from an A-list celebrity to a hotel can send demand soaring by as much as 142%
Simonstone Hall in Yorkshire saw 142% demand spike after hosting A-list cast, with owner Jake Dinsdale sharing insights on leveraging celebrity stays.
Hoteliers' Voice - Whittlebury Park on profiling, personalisation and targeting the right market
Bradley Spillman discusses how Whittlebury Park uses data and digital tools to market three distinct business lines while expanding into new segments like families.
Ryan Haynes, Director/Lead Consultant, Hoteliers' Voice Podcast/ Haynes MarComs Ltd
New Jumeirah Campaign Illuminates the Beauty of Arabian Hospitality in Cinematic Tribute
The 90-second film features Emirati poet Shamma Al Bastaki and director Emmanuel Adjei, using light as a metaphor across Jumeirah's global portfolio.
The Mille Club: Potato Chip Pricing Lessons
For those who have not followed our writing, the Mille Club refers to properties with rates over one thousand dollars, pounds or euros, with the ‘mille’ picked up from the Italian language. The Mille Club’s premise is that guests at this level are looking for an incredible experience rather than mere accommodations. Instead, hoteliers’ offerings compete for guests independent of location, making comp sets typically geographically derived moot. With great rate comes great expectations…
By Larry Mogelonsky and Adam Mogelonsky