Adrian Zecha's Azuma Farm Koiwai launch is used as a lens to examine the 50-year structural rise of agriluxury, driven by guest demand for calm and simplicity in an overstimulated world.
A CDR World Panel opinion piece argues hospitality leaders must deliberately build cultures that elevate human potential as AI absorbs transactional tasks, citing IKEA's reskilling model as a benchmark.
Friday closed a strong week with Lighthouse data showing AI referral traffic to hotel websites surging more than 50% after ChatGPT expanded outbound links, a pointed warning that AI-generated hotel tech market maps are distorting purchasing decisions, and CoStar weekly data showing U.S. RevPAR up 9.6% driven by FIFA World Cup demand in Miami and San Francisco. Two HITEC floor conversations with Shiji and Cendyn and a string of Asia Pacific pipeline signings rounded out the session.
We didn't go to HITEC 2026 for the demos. We went for the conversations. We sat down with exhibitors right there on the show floor. No script, no prepared questions, just one starting point: tell us what you do, in plain language. This is where it went with Natalie Kimball, VP of Strategic Account Management for Horizon Distribution and Iceportal Content at Shiji.
Using Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo as a case study, the piece argues that heritage hotels compete not on amenities alone but on their ability to turn history, location, and culture into a distinctive, irreplicable guest identity.
AI-generated hotel tech market maps look convincing but contain serious errors, and as presentation quality improves, distinguishing confidence from correctness becomes harder.
Terence Ronson looks ahead to 2031, when frictionless automation will have made most hotels equally smart, equally efficient, and equally forgettable — and argues that the competitive differentiator will be a new role he calls the Human Experience Orchestrator. Part behavioral psychologist, part operational commander, the HXO is the person who reads the AI's outputs and then decides, with genuine human judgment, what to actually do with them.
Aparium Hotel Group's SVP of Brand and Marketing argues emotional connection and "reading the room" remain irreplaceable by AI, sharing how lifestyle hotels build authentic, neighborhood-rooted guest experiences.
Lighthouse data shows AI referral traffic to hotel websites surged over 50% in weeks after ChatGPT expanded outbound links, with independent hotels best positioned to capture commission-free direct bookings.
U.S. hotel ADR rose 9.2% and RevPAR climbed 9.6% for the week of 21-27 June 2026, with Miami and San Francisco seeing outsized gains driven by FIFA World Cup matches.
Hilton Garden Inn Cancun Airport GM Cecilia Betancourt shares how PMS platforms, digital check-in, and connected systems help hotels personalize service without replacing human connection.
The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the lodging business unit wholly owned by CapitaLand Investment (CLI), has announced the signing of Oakwood Thao Dien Ho Chi Minh City, as it continues to expand its presence across Vietnam's high-growth destinations.
The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the lodging business unit wholly owned by CapitaLand Investment (CLI), has announced the signing of Somerset Non Nuoc Da Nang Resort, as it continues to expand its presence across Vietnam's high-growth destinations.
The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the lodging business unit wholly owned by CapitaLand Investment (CLI), has signed Citadines Quy Nhon Resort, marking its first footprint in this emerging coastal city as it continues to expand its presence across Vietnam's high-growth destinations.
HARRIS Hotel & Conventions Sunshine Penang officially opens its doors today, marking the debut of the HARRIS brand in Malaysia and introducing a vibrant new hospitality, meetings and lifestyle destination in the heart of Ayer Itam.
In partnership with Verso Projects, a riverside renaissance at Shafston House will introduce Capella’s private residential expression to Brisbane in 2029.
ITC Hotels Limited announced the signing of a management agreement for Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels Salasar, a 145-key hotel set amidst one of Indias’s most revered spiritual destinations. Designed on a 6-acre site, the proposed hotel is envisioned to introduce a distinctive new destination that celebrates the region's rich cultural heritage while catering to the growing demand for pilgrimage tourism, destination weddings, social events, and experiential leisure travel.
The author argues that HITEC 2026 overlooked a key market gap: back-office AI that reduces overhead and drives margins, while vendors focused almost entirely on guest-facing tools.
We didn't go to HITEC 2026 for the demos. We went for the conversations. We sat down with exhibitors right there on the show floor. No script, no prepared questions, just one starting point: tell us what you do, in plain language. This is where it went with Cendyn's CEO Michael Bennett, Chief Marketing Officer Nicki Graham, and EVP of Product Kevin Duncan.
The 196+ forum Munich and Hospitality Pioneers launch the 10th Hospitality UPGRADE Award, seeking European start-ups with smart, sustainable hotel solutions, with finals at Hotel Bayerischer Hof on October 7.