Driftwood announces Carlos Rodriguez Jr. as CEO - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers

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Driftwood announces Carlos Rodriguez Jr. as CEO

🏠 Carlos Rodriguez Jr. has been appointed CEO of Driftwood Capital, succeeding his father, Carlos Rodriguez Sr., who co-founded the firm in 2015 and will continue as executive chairman. Over the past decade, Driftwood Capital has expanded significantly, managing approximately $3.5 billion in hospitality assets and over 80 hotels. The firm has more than $1 billion in projects under development and has participated in over $2 billion in loan originations.

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Confirmed -> ChatGPT Checkouts to Take 4% Cut of Shopify Merchant Sales Remember, Google and Bing will not take a cut. Advantage Google (again): "Merchants’ products will be available for purchase… | Glenn Gabe

💸 Shopify merchants will incur a 4% fee on sales via ChatGPT’s checkout. Meanwhile, Google and Microsoft chatbot checkouts remain fee-free. This decision could potentially impact merchants' preferences for AI checkout tools. Additionally, this 4% fee is in addition to standard Shopify transaction fees, including payment processing costs.

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#hospitality #revenuemanagement #otastrategy #hoteloperations #distributionstrategy #hotelleadership #adr #occupancy #revpar | Suresh Kumar Sharma

📊 Booking.com boasts the highest booking volume but suffers from a high cancellation ratio. It's ideal for base volume generation and new hotel visibility. Expedia excels in higher ADR with fewer cancellations, suitable for quality revenues and business segments. Agoda, strong in Asia, provides fast last-minute pickups but lower ADR, perfect for distressed inventory. Choose Booking.com for volume, Expedia for revenue quality, and Agoda for last-minute optimization. OTAs should complement your revenue strategy, not compete.

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HEI Assumes Management of Four Marriott-Branded Hotels in Orlando, Florida

🏨 HEI Hotels & Resorts acquired four Marriott-branded properties in Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, Florida, with 1,590 rooms total. The portfolio includes the Sheraton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Resort and three Marriott Orlando Village hotels. The Sheraton, with 490 rooms, is undergoing renovations, featuring 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Nearby attractions include Disney and Universal parks. HEI aims to enhance performance and value through strategic management with L&R Hotels.

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Hunter Advisors Brokers Sale of Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel

🏨 Hunter Advisors facilitated the sale of the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel, a 408-room establishment in Columbus, Ohio, from JW Marriott Family Enterprises to Whitestone Companies. The 22-story hotel includes 23,810 square feet of meeting space across 18 rooms. The deal, brokered by Robert Taylor and Sophia Pittaluga, highlights Columbus's economic and demand potential. Whitestone's acquisition marks their third investment in Columbus within the past 10 months, emphasizing their focus on upper-upscale urban hotels.

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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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Kerten Hospitality signs Casadora Resort in Morocco

🏠 Kerten Hospitality is developing Casadora Resort by Cloud 7 Hotels in El Jadida, Morocco, with Groupe Ramos. The resort will feature 156 hotel rooms, 140 branded ryads, and 60 fractional ownership ryads. It includes diverse amenities like dining venues, wellness centers, and kids' clubs. André Ramos emphasizes sustainable development while CEO Marloes Knippenberg highlights the resort's unique blend of living, culture, and community. The project is part of Kerten Hospitality's Moroccan expansion.

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Guided by Remington, La Concha Key West hits century mark

🏨 Remington Hospitality celebrated the 100th anniversary of La Concha Key West, Autograph Collection on Duval Street, Key West, Florida, originally opened in 1926. The hotel underwent renovations to meet Marriott’s Autograph Collection standards while preserving its architecture. The centennial featured an event with a time capsule ceremony and community involvement. La Concha also partnered with Reef Relief for coral conservation efforts. CEO Ben Perelmuter emphasized the hotel's historical value and commitment to delivering long-term returns.

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