With mobile devices now central to how we bank, browse, and interact, it’s no surprise that guest expectations are evolving fast - and technology is evolving even faster. Hoteliers need solutions that do more than just keep up - they need solutions that stay ahead.
Key Takeaway: Your GEO should build on top of your SEO strategy.
Three members of our leadership team from Cogwheel attended The HSMAI Commercial Strategy Conference in Indianapolis in June 2025. The conference was dominated by three major themes: artificial intelligence’s impact on marketing, the realignment of commercial strategy through data storytelling, and the growing need for authenticity in audience segmentation. Each insight reflects not only where the hospitality industry is headed but also what hotel marketers and revenue teams must do now to remain competitive.
Since Cogwheel first participated in the pitch at E20X in 2022, the Cogwheel team has made it a tradition to follow the promising startups showcased each year. E20X (Entrepreneur 20X), hosted during HITEC, is known for spotlighting the most innovative solutions in hospitality tech, and 2025’s competition didn’t disappoint.
Last week’s cart abandonment recovery playbook outlined strategies that you could deploy at your properties. But as any hotelier will tell you, there's a difference between theory and reality — especially when you're trying to hit your targets as quickly as possible. Or, you're trying to convince the owners that a new initiative is worth the investment.
In today’s digital world, your potential guests are just a click away, but so is every other hotel. With travelers being bombarded by distractions across the web, your hotel display ads need more than just beautiful photos and a catchy tagline. They need to perform.
Hotel cart abandonment recovery isn’t just about recapturing lost revenue — it’s about creating moments of connection with your guests that ultimately bring them back to book direct with you.
At the HSMAI Commercial Strategy Conference on June 17, Stephanie Smith of Cogwheel tried to change mindsets about how backwards most hotel marketing budgets are created.
MMGY Global, the world’s leading integrated marketing and communications firm specializing in travel, tourism and hospitality, announced today the acquisition of Think Strawberries (TS), a premier travel representation and marketing brand. Headquartered in India with a robust presence across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, TS will now operate as MMGY Think Strawberries, marking MMGY Global’s official entry into South Asia and the Middle East – two of the fastest-growing outbound travel markets worldwide.
Tambourine, a leading provider of hospitality marketing technology and an Oracle partner, today announced Reserv by Tambourine is available on Oracle Cloud Marketplace and can be deployed on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and integrates with OPERA Cloud Property Management System (PMS) via the Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform (OHIP). Oracle Cloud Marketplace is a centralized repository of enterprise applications offered by Oracle and Oracle partners.
Ready to unlock your creativity with laser engraving? Check out this quick demo of the GCSTIMES K9 Desktop Laser Engraver in action! No more complicated setups or steep learning curves. Designed for busy hospitality teams, we show you just how easy it is to start engraving, from importing your design on our free app to bringing it to life on wooden key cards, gifts, and more.
For high-value guests, exclusivity is expected; emotional resonance is what delights. We introduce Glintspot city-themed wooden gift boxes offering an immersive narrative that resonates with discerning VIPs.
MyResorts, a boutique hospitality group in South Africa, has implemented RateTiger Channel Manager to simplify its OTA management and enhance rate and inventory distribution across multiple sales channels. The hotel selected RateTiger to centralize control over its online sales and reduce the time spent on manual updates while ensuring rate parity and real-time availability across all connected platforms.
Triptease, leaders in hotel marketing technology and pioneers of the Direct Booking Movement, today announced major updates to its Data Marketing Platform (DMP) and website personalization products as part of the company’s ongoing drive to level the playing field between hotels and Online Travel Agents (OTAs). These foundational enhancements will enable hotels to win more valuable guests through integrated multi-channel marketing campaigns, powered by a unique hotel-specific dataset and AI-driven intelligent targeting.
In today's competitive landscape, the goal isn't just to be busy, it's to be profitable. As a commercial leader, you're focused on the big picture: optimizing revenue, driving direct bookings to reduce acquisition costs, and building a brand that commands market share.
Duetto (“Duetto” or the “Company”), a leading provider of revenue management software for the hospitality industry, today announced a strategic leadership transition as the Company enters a new phase of growth and innovation.
The following is an excerpt taken from the latest edition of SiteMinder’s “Revenue Management: A Deeper Conversation” series:
Occasions like large-scale conventions and trade shows aren't just about hotels; they drive powerful demand surges that ripple across restaurants and many other services.
Too many hotel loyalty programs fall flat—and the data proves it. Only half of hotel chains even offer a loyalty or rewards program, and those that do generate less than a third of total revenue from them.
Duetto, the leading provider of revenue management software for the hospitality industry, today announced the launch of The Revenue & Profit Operating System (RP-OS): the first platform designed to bring together all revenue and profit tools in one place.