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NDM Hospitality Selects Canary Technologies as its Guest Management System

NDM Hospitality Selects Canary Technologies as its Guest Management System

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Canary Technologies, the award-winning global leader in hotel guest management technology, today announced that NDM Hospitality has selected Canary’s Guest Management System to support its growing portfolio and deliver frictionless service to modern travelers. Established in 2011, NDM Hospitality is a family-owned company at the intersection of travel, real estate, dining, and entertainment. Managing a dynamic portfolio, the company is recognized for its innovation, high standards and ability to anticipate evolving guest expectations across branded and independent properties. With a focus on creating unforgettable, family-centered experiences, NDM continues to expand its impact across hospitality and beyond. NDM Hospitality has consistently been ahead of the curve in creating unforgettable guest experiences. With Canary, they can streamline operations, automate guest communication and secure every transaction — delivering the modern service today’s travelers expect while empowering staff to focus on what matters most. DJ Singh, VP of Global Sales at Canary Technologies With Canary, NDM Hospitality is modernizing the guest journey from check-in to checkout. Canary’s Guest Management System streamlines operations and enables real-time communication in over 100 languages through AI-powered messaging. It also secures transactions to protect guest data and reduce fraud, while surfacing relevant upsell offers that drive revenue, elevating the experience for both guests and staff. “Everything we do at NDM is designed to create lasting memories for our guests,” said Nicholas Falcone, CEO of NDM Hospitality. “Canary allows us to deliver on that mission while modernizing how we operate and engage with travelers across our portfolio.”
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WTTC’s “Cruising for Impact” Report Highlights the Positive Impact of Cruise Tourism for Communities Worldwide

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today launched its latest report, Cruising for Impact, highlighting the positive impact that cruise tourism delivers for communities and destinations around the world. The report shows how cruise tourism acts as a powerful driver of opportunity, supporting local livelihoods, strengthening communities, and creating long-term value in coastal and port destinations. Alongside these positive impacts, the industry contributed US$98.5 billion to global GDP and generated US$199 billion in total economic output, supported 1.8 million jobs, and delivered US$60.1 billion in wages in 2024, underlining its scale and global reach. A key finding, based on data from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), highlights that over 60% of cruise passengers return to destinations they first discovered via cruise, demonstrating how the sector not only connects travellers to new places, but helps sustain long-term tourism demand and ongoing benefits for local communities. The report also highlights the depth of cruise tourism’s integration with local economies, with over 1.4 million jobs supported onshore. It further shows that for every 20 cruise passengers, one full-time job is supported globally, directly linking visitor demand to livelihoods across destinations. WTTC’s research reveals US$93 billion in direct cruise-related spending, much of which flows into local businesses, supporting entrepreneurs, small enterprises, and tourism micro-economies in port and coastal destinations worldwide. Through seven core pillars, the report outlines how cruise tourism contributes to positive social outcomes, including job creation and skills development, diversity and inclusion, community enrichment, cultural preservation, infrastructure development, environmental innovation, and health and crisis response. The report also highlights how cruise tourism is creating positive outcomes through strong collaboration between destinations, communities, and industry partners, helping to ensure that growth is inclusive, sustainable, and delivers long-term value for the places it touches. With cruise passenger capacity projected to grow by 19% between 2022 and 2028, the sector is expected to play an even greater role in supporting communities and destinations worldwide. Cruise tourism brings real and lasting positive benefits to communities around the world. When travellers discover a destination through cruising and choose to return, they create ongoing opportunities for local businesses, support jobs, and contribute to the long-term vitality of those communities. This report highlights the powerful positive impact of cruise tourism, showing how it connects people, supports livelihoods, and creates shared value for destinations around the world Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC WTTC supports governments, destinations and industry leaders in ensuring cruise tourism is fully integrated into national development strategies, with a focus on local sourcing, skills development, and community partnership. By aligning growth with long-term social value, the report concludes that cruise tourism can play an even greater role in supporting inclusive, resilient, and thriving communities worldwide.
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Rethinking value creation in travel through the perspective of Mauricio Prieto

In the travel industry, scale, visibility, and product breadth have traditionally been used as proxies for value. Yet, as the sector matures and customer expectations evolve, these indicators are increasingly insufficient to explain performance or long-term differentiation. Mauricio Prieto , founder of Travel Tech Essentialist and co-founder of eDreams, brings a different lens. Drawing on his experience building one of Europe’s largest online travel agencies and his ongoing work with operators and investors, his perspective centers on how value is actually created, measured, and sustained across the travel ecosystem. This conversation explores how decision-making, trust, operational execution, and customer understanding are redefining competitive advantage in travel. Takeaways Value in travel is created by reducing uncertainty and enabling confident decisions Brand alone is not a durable source of loyalty; outcomes and reliability matter more The industry is shifting from interface ownership to control of the decision layer AI’s most meaningful impact will be in coordination and decision-making, not features Competitive advantage is increasingly determined by execution after acquisition Competitive advantage is increasingly determined by execution after acquisition Value creation in travel After building one of Europe’s largest OTAs, what does the industry still get wrong about how value is created in travel? The industry still confuses activity with value creation. Value in travel is created when you reduce risk and increase confidence at the moment of decision, not by adding more features, content, or traffic. In that context, frictionless is often overestimated. The right kind of friction builds trust. Clear policies, transparent trade-offs, or even a callback at the right moment can signal reliability and help travelers make better decisions. Most players still overinvest in inspiration and surface-level UX, and underinvest in what actually drives outcomes: pricing accuracy, inventory reliability, and exceeding expectations. Delivering what was promised makes you average. Going beyond is what makes you memorable. Value in travel is created when you reduce risk and increase confidence at the moment of decision. Mauricio Prieto, founder of Travel Tech Essentialist and co-founder of eDreams Where OTAs misjudge their role Where do you think OTAs are overestimating their value today, and where are they actually underestimating it? OTAs sometimes underestimate how important brand reliability and product delight are throughout the traveler journey, not only at booking time. When things go wrong (delays, cancellations, disruptions), travelers want someone to rely on. Delight comes from how those moments are handled, not just when everything works. At the same time, OTAs overestimate brand as a source of true loyalty. Most users are loyal to the outcome: the best option with the least risk. In that context, frictionless is often overestimated; the right kind of friction can actually build trust and credibility. Their real moat is consistently making better decisions for the traveler and standing behind them when it matters. Another overestimation is structural. For twenty years, whoever owned the interface owned the customer. OTAs built their entire model on that assumption. AI is breaking it. The discovery layer, the comparison layer, and the transaction
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New Study: LA Hotels Power City’s Economy, As New Council Policies Increase Operational Pressure

Los Angeles - The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today released a report showcasing the vital role hotels play in Los Angeles’ economy while raising concerns about the hospitality industry’s ability to sustain jobs, investment, and tax revenue amid the impact of recent city council policies and rising operational costs. Hotels are central to LA’s economic strength, but restrictive policies are preventing the city from increasing hotel employment and tax revenue. The report finds that hotels across Los Angeles are facing increasing financial and operational pressure as rising labor and operating costs outpace revenue growth, noting that development is slowing, investment is shifting to other markets, hotels are layoff staff and reducing hours and some hotels have closed or delayed expansion plans. Los Angeles hotel stakeholders' detail widespread concern about the city’s investment climate, according to the new report: 97% say repealing recent labor regulations will make LA a more attractive market. 88% say they have reduced staffing or hours in the past year as a result of city council policies. 80% say LA is not a good place for long-term hotel investment. 0% say LA’s hotel investment environment is very favorable. Los Angeles is not hospitable to the hospitality industry. Hotels are a major economic engine for Los Angeles – creating jobs, supporting small businesses, and raising critical tax revenue for local services. But the current policy environment is making it increasingly difficult for hotels to operate, invest, and create more jobs in the city. Unless there is a greater willingness to support the business community and ensure a thriving hotel industry, many more jobs will be lost and many more businesses will close, causing a significant ripple effect across the community Rosanna Maietta, President & CEO of AHLA AHLA is concerned that recent policies passed by the Los Angeles City Council – including significant wage mandates and restrictive operational requirements – are increasing costs without flexibility to reflect market conditions and demand levels. The LA hospitality market has never fully recovered to its pre-pandemic peak of 84% occupancy and the 2.8 million monthly room nights in demand. The report finds these policies are contributing to reduced hiring and fewer hours for workers, delayed or canceled hotel investment and development, and reduced airline operations and restaurant closures. Impacts of Reduced Investment As Los Angeles prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics, hotels are struggling to keep up with rising operating costs coupled with falling demand. 86% of Los Angeles hotel owners and operators rank rising labor costs as the top challenge. In the last year, 88% of hotels have undergone layoffs or hour reductions for workforce, 59% have reduced overtime availability, and 59% have closed or limited employee benefits or amenities. Hotel properties attribute these staffing changes to many factors, including increased labor costs (93%), increased operating costs (91%), reduced demand and room cancellations (58%), and the broader economic environment (55%). Call to Amend Policies and Support Industry Stability AHLA is calling on the
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New Study: 2026 World Cup Set to Spark Longer Stays, Higher Spending—If America Gets Ready

WASHINGTON - New research released by the U.S. Travel Association reveals the 2026 FIFA World Cup's extraordinary potential to deliver major economic gains for communities across the country, but warns that safety concerns, policy perceptions and entry barriers could limit America's ability to fully capitalize on the opportunity. The numbers are striking. International World Cup visitors expect to spend more than $5,000 per person; 1.7 times more than typical international trips to the U.S. One in three intend to stay longer than two weeks. And more than 80% are open to visiting destinations beyond the largest gateway cities, unlocking economic opportunity in communities across the country. This research shows visitors aren't just coming for the matches, they are coming to experience America. Being prepared and welcoming is not just good for visitors. It strengthens our economy, supports 15 million jobs and reinforces the values we share as a nation Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association The study analyzes the travel intentions of soccer fans across 10 key markets including North America, Europe and Latin America. The findings make one thing clear: 2026 World Cup visitors will stay longer, spend more and explore far beyond the stadiums, if America gets the conditions right. That is not guaranteed. Safety has emerged as a top concern among potential visitors, a signal that the massive $600 million invested in homeland security for the games is critically important. Approximately one-third of respondents cited concerns over two proposed policies that the administration has not implemented—with 34% citing concerns regarding increased visa application fees and 32% citing proposed social media requirements for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application. Addressing these misperceptions through clear communication about visa and entry processes, historically low crime rates, and a unified welcome from industry and government will be critical to converting interest into arrivals. “In sports, you don't show up to the championship unprepared. The 2026 World Cup is America's championship moment—the largest sporting event in history, on our soil, with the world watching," Freeman added. “The demand is there. The fans are coming. Now it's time for Washington to make sure we are ready to win.” The findings position the 2026 World Cup as far more than a global sporting event, underscoring travel's role as a powerful driver of economic growth and cultural connection, with benefits that will extend well beyond the final whistle. With the tournament weeks away, the U.S. Travel Association is calling on Congress and the administration to act on the policies that will determine whether America captures this moment fully: restoring Brand USA funding, resolving entry barriers and ensuring the travel system operates at full strength for the millions of visitors about to arrive. ### About the Research: The study was conducted by GSIQ Tourism Insights on behalf of the U.S. Travel Association and is based on more than 9,500 respondents across 10 key markets including the United States, Europe and Latin America.
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U.S. hotel results for week ending 4 April

ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. hotel industry reported negative year-over-year comparisons because of the Easter holiday calendar shift, according to CoStar ’s latest data through 4 April. CoStar is a leading global provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the property markets. 29 March through 4 April 2026 (percentage change from comparable week in 2025): Occupancy: 60.6% (-5.0%) Average daily rate (ADR): US$160.21 (-0.1%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): US$97.02 (-5.1%) Among the Top 25 Markets, Anaheim reported the largest increases in occupancy (+12.5% to 75.5%) and RevPAR (+25.8% to US$164.96). Miami posted the highest rise in ADR (+24.7% to US$325.48) and the second-largest lift in RevPAR (+23.8% to US$263.60). The steepest RevPAR declines were seen in Las Vegas (-34.2% to US$123.89) and New Orleans (-23.2% to US$97.52). Overall, 20 of the Top 25 Markets saw a dip in RevPAR. For more information about the company and its products and services, please visit costargroup.com . Additional Performance Data CoStar’s world-leading hotel performance sample comprises 94,000 properties and 12 million rooms around the globe. Members of the media should refer to the contacts listed below for additional data requests.
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How Luxury Hotels Are Expanding Into Yachts and Airlines To Grow Their Brands

The luxury hospitality industry continues to evolve and expand into new areas. As the industry gets more competitive and saturated, brands are forced to keep the attention and intrigue of their guests and to differentiate themselves. Increasingly, luxury hotels are introducing experiences that span the sea and the sky from The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, the Four Seasons Private Jet, and The Aman’s Project Sauna to name a few. These projects are not only an extension of the brand, but they are also challenging what it means to deliver top luxury hospitality in the modern age. With expectations and the demand for personalized custom experiences at an all-time high, the bar has never been set higher. The Concept of “Experiential Hospitality” Today, travelers are seeking more than just a destination or an accommodation. They are seeking experiences. Hotels are being forced to adapt their experiences to deliver more to their guests beyond a traditional hotel experience. By offering yacht and jet experiences, luxury brands can achieve more by creating an end-to-end journey for their guests in addition to providing accommodations. For example, Evrima is the Ritz Carlton’s yacht collection which launched in 2022. There are 149 branded rooms, each with a private terrace to the sea. The ship also offers fine dining options and multiple programs, from roof deck yoga to live music at sunset for guests. Four Seasons is offering custom itineraries aboard it’s Airbus 321, which flies guests to a collection of properties. The itineraries are curated to complement one another, whether the guest may be looking for a relaxing beach vacation, winter stay, or more adventurous trip with hiking and activities. For example, one of the more adventurous itineraries is a three-week trip across Kyoto, Marrakech, and Serengeti among another places. The journey starts at the first flight and concludes at the end of the final stop of the tour. From each point in between, guests can stay in Four Seasons properties, travel aboard a luxury jet, and even network among like-minded travels. Strategic and Financial Rationale Clearly, the concept of “experiential hospitality” is exciting, but it is also important to understand the strategic and financial implications of it. From a business perspective, expanding into yachts and airlines has three big advantages: brand differentiation, diversification, and lifetime value growth. The industry is filled with so many brands and independent hotels promising five-star service and accommodation from Four Seasons, Ritz, Carlton, Mandarin, Rosewood, Peninsula, Waldorf Astoria, Belmond, Six Senses, Auberge, Bulgari, and countless others. These brands have all pushed each other to deliver the best service, but it has become increasingly difficult for each individual hotel to differentiate from anything other than location as the standard is so consistently high across the board. By entering new verticals, brands like Ritz Calton, Four Seasons, and Aman can capture the attention of luxury travelers and be seen as industry leaders with a highly exclusive “brand halo.” These brands are doing something that the others are not, which is beginning to set
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Foodservice Sector Sees 0.2% Price Decline in February, Easing Pressure from Late 2025 Inflation Spikes

📈 Foodservice prices dipped by 0.2% in February, according to NIQ and Prestige Purchasing. This builds on January's price stabilisation, offering relief to the hospitality industry after 2025's inflation surge. February's decline was notably influenced by reduced costs in key categories such as milk, cheese, and eggs, attributed to improved supply from Europe.
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The Future of Hospitality Is Not More Human Interaction — It Is More Selective Human Value

It is an attractive idea. It sounds reassuring, balanced, and consistent with the service ethos of the hotel industry. It is also increasingly incomplete. The more honest reality is that if artificial intelligence succeeds in reducing administrative burden, predicting guest needs, streamlining workflows, and eliminating routine service interactions, then hotels will not automatically use the recovered time for more human contact. In many cases, they will reallocate that time, further compress labor, redesign roles, or reduce headcount altogether. That is not cynicism. It is economics. And in today’s market, economics matter more than sentiment. The operating environment has changed. Hotels are under pressure from every direction. Labor costs continue to rise. Reliable labor is harder to attract and harder to retain. Room rates are not always keeping pace with inflation and operating costs. Many markets are saturated with brands competing for similar demand pools. In some locations, demand is uneven or simply not as strong as forecasts suggest. Against that backdrop, the traditional labor model becomes increasingly difficult to sustain. For a long time, hospitality has used people to compensate for broken processes, disconnected systems, weak forecasting, manual workarounds, and service designs that rely too heavily on human effort. In a world of tighter margins and labor scarcity, that model starts to fail. This is where AI becomes structurally important. Not because it is fashionable or creates marketing headlines, but because it offers the possibility of removing the hidden operational drag that hotels have tolerated for too long. The wrong question The industry often asks: if AI gives staff time back, how can they spend more time with guests? That is the wrong question. The better question is: if AI reduces the need for routine human intervention, where does human labor still create enough value to justify its cost? That is a much tougher question, because it forces operators, owners, and brands to confront a reality many would rather soften with more romantic language. The future of hospitality is not about preserving human interaction everywhere. It is about identifying where human interaction still matters enough to be worth paying for. Not all guests want more human contact This is another truth the industry sometimes avoids. Many guests do not want more interaction. They want less friction. They want mobile check-in, digital keys, accurate billing, fast service recovery, immediate answers, minimal waiting, and fewer unnecessary touchpoints. Many are perfectly happy to interact with a screen, an app, a kiosk, or an automated workflow as long as the experience is simple, reliable, and fast. In fact, for a growing segment of travelers, excessive human interaction is not a premium. It is a burden. That does not mean human service is obsolete. It means the industry must stop assuming that more staff contact automatically equals better hospitality. For many guests, the better experience is not more attention. It is easier. What AI really does When AI is applied well, it tends to do four things. First , it removes repetitive effort. It helps
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