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Kevin King’s Global Impact on Hospitality Tech Celebrated with 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award
ChatGPT Ads – live 'in the coming weeks' Only on the free / lowest plan – so all of your overly-excited marketing folks will have to downgrade or use a secondary account. OpenAI are pretty clear… | Christian Watts
📰 ChatGPT Ads are set to go live in the coming weeks, exclusively on the free or lowest plan. OpenAI assures users that responses will remain unaffected by ads. Marketing teams might need to downgrade or use secondary accounts to access this feature. Ads will be seamlessly integrated above or below organic AI results. Expect a surge of interest from marketers eager to test this new ad feature as soon as it launches.
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People are straight-up copying our OTA infographic — remixing it, reposting it, sometimes without a single tag or credit. No link back. No mention of 10 Minutes Hotel. Just taking the data and… | 10 Minutes Hotel
📊 10 Minutes Hotel's infographic on OTA data is being copied and shared without credit. The original dataset, valued in the thousands, is now available for free in a Google Sheet. They're launching a remix challenge: modify the data, change aesthetics, and add insights. Participants must tag "10 Minutes Hotel" and comment or DM with "Remixed!" The goal is to create the most vibrant OTA discussion on LinkedIn. Dataset link: https://lnkd.in/eTgybsYa.
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#ai #traveltech #distribution #hotelindustry #hedna #futureoftravel | Louis-Hippolyte Bouchayer
🌎 69% of travelers research before booking, and 73% of intent goes through search engines and OTAs. AI accounts for ~15% of travel discovery, with +250% YoY growth. Despite its influence, AI's ROI remains unclear. Traci M. from HEDNA highlighted that AI reveals intent contrasts like vibe vs. budget, yet the industry struggles to manage this complexity. Technology complements humans, enhancing rather than replacing them. Traci at Priceline effectively explained this AI and distribution narrative.
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AI platforms are eating Booking's cake. For some time now, it has been clear that some change will come to hotel distribution. AI is going to be disruptive to the current OTA paradigm. But how?… | Martin Soler
🚀 AI platforms are challenging Booking's dominance. OTAs have mature data, but AI-enhanced conversational search offers better user experience for travel bookings. OTAs may develop AI chat systems or become backend providers, while AIs could evolve into metasearch platforms. Google’s model shows AIs might avoid cancellations and refunds. GDS could supply data if they modernize. AI bots might create a gig economy for personal travel assistants. Despite AI's rise, OTAs still provide risk management in this stable market.
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Georgia Leaders Unite With Hospitality Industry to Advance Human Trafficking Prevention Efforts
👮 Georgia's Attorney General Chris Carr, State Senator Shawn Still, and hotel industry leaders gathered at the Georgia State House to combat human trafficking, focusing on the hospitality sector's role. They highlighted the importance of standardized training for hotel staff to identify trafficking signs. The American Hotel & Lodging Association and the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association emphasized partnerships and training expansion, aligning the travel ecosystem against trafficking. Georgia aims to lead nationally in prevention through coordination and vigilance.
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Crestline Adds Hotel Spero, Vignette Collection by IHG, to Its Portfolio
🏨 Crestline Hotels & Resorts, who? announced management of Hotel Spero in San Francisco, California. when? Hotel Spero, with 236 guestrooms, where? is located in Union Square. Originally built in the 1920s, what? it features Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. The hotel offers 3,000 square feet for events, how? and has a 24/7 fitness center. Crestline now manages nine hotels in California. The hotel's restaurant will undergo transformation, with a new concept to be introduced soon.
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JLL Secures Acquisition Financing for Home2 Suites Fort Worth Cultural District
🏨 JLL Capital Markets secured acquisition financing for the Home2 Suites Fort Worth Cultural District, a 162-key hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. The borrower is a joint venture between Ad Astra Capital and TMGOC Ventures. The property, managed by Lexima Lodging, was built in 2020 and offers amenities like a 630-square-foot meeting space, outdoor pool, and 24-hour fitness center. It features structured parking for 162 guests and 20 additional covered spaces.
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La Concha Key West, Autograph Collection, Celebrates 100th Anniversary Following Renovation
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Remington Hospitality celebrated the 100th anniversary of La Concha Key West, Autograph Collection, on January 22, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. The hotel, a key landmark since 1926, underwent a recent renovation to align with Marriott’s standards while preserving its 1920s style. The centennial event featured a time capsule ceremony and cocktail demonstrations. A partnership with Reef Relief supports local coral reef conservation.
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Hotel Il Pellicano appoints new general manager
🏨 Pellicano Hotels Group appointed Edward Leenders as the new general manager of Hotel Il Pellicano in Porto Ercole, Italy. Leenders, from the Netherlands, brings over 25 years in hospitality, with roles at Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria, Hotel De L’Europe, and 10 years with Rocco Forte Hotels. Educated at Hotel School The Hague and Cornell University, he has global experience, including the US, Europe, the Middle East, and the Indian Ocean.
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