Analysis from MBA CREF conference shows debt markets dominating hospitality finance, with lenders cautious but available for stabilized assets despite higher borrowing costs.
UCP feels like a real inflection point, not an overnight takeover. It's the missing plumbing that shifts behavior from "Google this" and clicking through links to simply talking to an AI that finds the right hotel and books it on the spot, right in the research moment. That changes the funnel entirely: discovery, decision, payment, and confirmation can happen in one conversational flow. For hotels that move early, this means fewer steps, better conversion, and a much more direct relationship with the guest.
Google UCP may be the door to a "post booking engine" industry, for both human and non-human bookers. More than a rupture, however, it formalizes a shift that is already underway. UCP, in fact, introduces a shared transactional language that allows AI agents, platforms, merchants, and payment providers to operate inside the same conversational space. Discovery, decision-making, checkout, and even post-purchase actions (such as leaving a review, requesting a change, or seeking support) can all happen within AI interfaces like Google AI Mode or Gemini, without forcing the user to jump between websites or apps.
Hotel franchise owner Tina Patel testified before Congress supporting the American Franchise Act, which would establish a joint employer definition to protect the franchise model.
The delay prevents tariff increases on furniture and cabinetry that account for 15-20% of hotel renovation costs, affecting small business owners' capital planning.
HVS analysis shows GOP margins declining across all property types as wage inflation and brand standards outpace ADR growth, requiring active asset management to protect profitability in 2026.
This is a pivotal shift. The issue is no longer which channels we use, but who controls the guest narrative and the data behind it. Hotels will not win by fighting OTAs on scale or ad spend. We win by aligning revenue, marketing, and sales around a single guest intelligence strategy using data to drive relevance, not just reach.
OpenAI, Google and Perplexity will reshape this landscape again. Nobody knows how exactly but 2 years from now the picture will be very different.
Stop playing the OTA game—change the game with the product. Yes, third parties are taking control of search, booking flows, and traveler data—but copying their playbook won't reclaim the guest relationship. If you try to "out-CRM" Expedia or "out-loyalty" Airbnb, you're choosing a scale game you can't win.
I feel Airbnb's move does not create a new problem — it exposes an existing one.
Hotels don't need another mega OTA, rather, they need partners who create real value. Airbnb's shift into hotels is less innovation and more defense. With Booking.com dominating STR volume and commissions rising, Airbnb is simply repositioning to stay competitive.
To be fair, one could argue Airbnb has already been functioning as an OTA for years. It facilitates transactions, controls the marketplace, shapes pricing behavior, and now they are onboarding more hotels and aligning its commission structure.
I believe we're at the point where it really doesn't matter anymore how many OTAs we have. It's gotten so bad for hotels that it almost can't get any worse — and it barely matters which one of them is draining our margins or taking over our guests.
Hospitality America outlines a four-pillar revenue strategy targeting 20-45% ADR increases across 16 host cities, with emphasis on rate integrity and spillover market capture.
The combined company now manages 50+ properties across New England to the Midwest, including premium Marriott and Hilton-branded hotels.
The shift from revenue growth to profit optimization isn’t just about changing metrics—it’s changing how hotels think about performance. With rising costs across labor, energy, and distribution, a strong RevPAR doesn’t guarantee a strong bottom line. Being busy isn’t the same as being profitable.
Revenue management isn't just yielding prices. In fact, the difference between yield management and revenue management is precisely that revenue management doesn't stop at room revenue and captures all revenue streams.
Brilliantly articulated. This is exactly where the conversation needs to be moving forward. The era of chasing topline numbers is over, today's commercial leaders are being judged by flow-through intelligence, not occupancy percentages.
We've been having these conversations for about 20 years now. A lot has been said and published on this topic, including my own articles, podcast episodes, webinars, and even dedicated chapters in my last two books. The answer, at least to me, is obvious: until RMS providers build true profit optimization capabilities into their products (which requires proper data flow for the missing pieces of the equation), we're not going to move forward.
The ambitious vision for Total Profit Optimization is not a destination we are equipped to reach today. It's not a pipedream, but a strategic challenge demanding a phased, constructive approach. The core issue is a structural disconnect stemming from the historical focus on Rooms: The Talent Evolution: We currently possess excellent Rooms Optimizers, whose skill sets were sharpened by focused toolsets and market dynamics.
The shift toward experience-based booking is absolutely transforming the game. AI can finally solve the paradox of choice. Hotels can now showcase everything they offer but in a way that's targeted and relevant. Don't sell me a romantic getaway when I'm traveling alone.
There is a massive industry gap here. Full stop. Discussion about this capability in the industry is topical. Those in a position to enable it are few, if even thinking about it. Packages are a clumsy solution to the underlying problem of being able to successfully deliver rooms digitally.
If the game has shifted...so must our KPIs. Today's revenue leaders must zoom out and focus on TRevPAR, capturing not just what happens in the room, but around it. Whether you're luxury or budget, you can take advantage of experiential revenue, something that thanks to digitalization, every hotel can play (and not only ultra-luxury resorts).
More than 30 industry associations representing hotels across the country today sent a letter to the leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate urging them to end the government shutdown.
The volume of U.S. hotel rooms under construction decreased year over year for a ninth consecutive month, according to CoStar’s September 2025 data. CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the property markets.
According to a new economic impact report conducted by Oxford Economics, Denver's hospitality industry continues to serve as a powerful engine for growth and opportunity. The report details the Denver hotel industry's far-reaching economic impact, finding that hotels generate nearly $7 billion in economic activity, support 34,000 jobs, and contribute $1.1 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue.
Per the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), there are two appraisal report formats: the restricted appraisal report and the standard appraisal report. But what’s the difference between these two report types, and how do you choose the right type for you?
Millennials and Gen Z are inheriting a world where everything costs more. Housing, food, even free time come at a higher price. There's less money left for travel, so when they do travel, it has to matter. They're careful with budgets, but when they spend, they spend with purpose. They'll trade frequency for depth, choosing one meaningful trip over several forgettable ones.