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Valpas becomes the first hotel certification to go live inside an AI travel assistant – 350 certified hotels across 25 countries are now searchable and directly bookable through ChatGPT New Phocuswright research reveals that seven in ten travellers scan for cleanliness and bed bug safety before booking – from reading reviews to prompting AI (full study launching June 2026) Valpas , the platform for bed bug-safe travel, has launched its official App in the ChatGPT Apps ecosystem , becoming the first hotel certification provider to make verified hotel safety data directly accessible within an AI travel assistant. Through the Valpas App, travellers can now search and access more than 300 Valpas-certified hotels, covering over 30,000 rooms across 80+ destinations worldwide. The App enables users to find and navigate to bed bug-safe hotels using natural language prompts, with direct links to the hotels’ own booking channels. This creates a reliable way to access verified hotel safety data within AI-driven trip planning. Instead of relying on reviews or assumptions, travellers can use structured, continuously verified certification data at the moment they are choosing where to stay. At Valpas, we let travellers book knowing their hotel is genuinely bed bug-safe, by certifying properties across 80+ destinations and pushing that verified, real-time proof directly into the AI systems where the booking decision now happens. AI can only recommend what it can verify. We built the infrastructure that makes it verifiable. Martim Gois, Co-Founder and CEO of Valpas Beyond the App, AI-driven hotel search is evolving quickly. As more structured data becomes available, ChatGPT increasingly surfaces relevant, verifiable results directly within conversations. In certain contexts and destinations, this already includes Valpas-certified hotels, reflecting a broader shift toward AI-assisted travel discovery based on trustworthy data. The launch comes as traveller behaviour continues to shift toward AI-assisted planning, with users increasingly checking for cleanliness and safety signals before booking. Until now, that demand has been difficult to serve in a consistent, verifiable way. Valpas provides hotels with patented in-room technology that prevents bed bug infestations without pesticides. It provides a continuous, room-level proof of safety that can be surfaced across booking and travel platforms. The certification methodology has been independently verified by Bureau Veritas, placing bed bug safety on the same audit-grade footing as fire safety or water quality. Valpas developed the ChatGPT integration in collaboration with ListoAI based in London.

DALLAS, TX — Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) has announced a new partnership with the Military Esports League (the MEL), establishing the global hospitality group as the league's Official Hospitality Partner. This collaboration marks a first-of-its-kind union between a military gaming league and a worldwide luxury hospitality network — one designed to raise the bar for how esports events feel, function, and welcome the people who serve. ALHI has regularly highlighted our Armed Forces in our Beyond the Meeting Room thought leadership, as we have always had great admiration for the men and women who serve for each and every American. Being selected as a partner of the Military Esports League is not only exciting but also truly an honor for us as an organization. We continue to grow our ALHI brand in the Esports community as a trusted advisor and partner to this important, growing segment of our industry. Michael Dominguez, President and CEO of ALHI Both organizations aligned on a simple idea: the moments around the competition matter just as much as the competition itself. For the MEL, whose players include active-duty service members and veterans from all six branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as retired and active Generals, Admirals, and Gold Star Gamer Kids, hospitality isn't just logistics; it's part of the story. For active-duty service members, veterans, and military families who participate in the MEL, the partnership unlocks a new level of care and consistency at every event. According to Neil Johnson, VP, Esports Sales & Consulting Services of ALHI, "This partnership between ALHI and the Military Esports League is deeply personal to me. As a military dependent of a Marine who served our country in active duty for 30 years, I've seen firsthand the sacrifice, resilience, and community that define the U.S. military. At the same time, I believe our service members, veterans, and their families deserve experiences that reflect that commitment — experiences that truly level up how we gather, compete, and connect. By pairing MEL's mission-driven esports ecosystem with the atmosphere and ambiance, and world-class hospitality that ALHI's luxury hotels are known for, we're elevating events beyond the competition itself and creating environments that honor service, inspire excellence, and make every attendee feel valued." About the Military Esports League The Military Esports League (The MEL) is the premier military gaming festival, uniting service members, veterans, gamers, creators, and fans from around the globe. The MEL hosts large-scale competitive events, live experiences, and community programming that celebrate the skill, teamwork, and dedication of the military gaming community. For more information, visit militaryesportsleague.com .

The hospitality industry is facing a quiet, but defining, moment. For decades, it has mastered the art of comfort, experience, and escape. It has refined service into precision and scaled global standards of excellence. We are now operating in a reality shaped by climate instability, digital saturation, cognitive overload, and a deepening disconnection from natural systems. Guests are arriving not just tired - but fragmented. Seeking today’s new luxury: recovery and recalibration. Perhaps, the question we now need to ask is: How do we support the human being - within this new context? From Service Model to Living System Hospitality has historically been designed as a service model, to deliver, satisfy, repeat. Even wellness, in many cases, follows this logic: treatments and experiences that guests consume during a stay – assuming that wellbeing can be delivered in moments. In reality, human beings are dynamic systems, continuously responding to their environment. Fundamentally this means the built environment, and the property where it sits, consistently shapes how your guest sleeps, feels, recovers, and functions—every second of the stay. Hospitality as the Missing Layer in the Longevity Market At its core, hospitality has always shaped how people live—through environment, rhythm, and experience. The very origin of the word hospes reflects a reciprocal relationship of care between host and guest. Today, that role expands significantly, and signals where hospitality can step into stewardship. {{cta id="14"}} While the rise of longevity hubs signals where the market is heading, with its tech-driven and lifestyle interventions to extend health span, it also exposes a fundamental gap. Because while these models promote living longer, their outcomes are not determined by what happens inside the hub alone, but by what happens after. Lifestyle behaviors such as sleep, movement, stress regulation, and nutrition are what ultimately determine whether results last. And this is where most models struggle. Behavior needs more than intervention alone, it changes through environment, and repetition – and this is the domain Hospitality precisely operates. It is no longer just delivering services. It is designing lived environments – and experiences in spaces that shape daily rhythms, reduce friction, and reinforce behavior over time. This reframes hospitality entirely. More than adjacent to longevity, Hospitality has the structure and pipeline for scalable, repeatable, and sustainable curated environments that prime the individual for positive lifestyle change . For operators and investors alike, the implication is clear: the future of value creation will go beyond the intervention – and depend on environments to ensure it endures. The intersection of Nature and Technology Hospitality now sits between two powerful systems: The biosphere—nature, biological intelligence, ecosystems The technosphere—AI, digital environment infrastructure Guests move between these constantly, and often without balance – where too much technology creates overstimulation, and too little creates friction. If Nature principles are superficial, it becomes aesthetic rather than restorative. The role of hospitality is to curate creating coherence, and gently nudge behaviour, where: The sleeping room is a Recovery Environment – think sensorial design. Nature as functional, beyond decorative

Hotels are tired of paying "rent" on their own guests. The hospitality industry is experiencing a quiet but powerful shift. While Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) remain an important part of the distribution ecosystem, an increasing number of travelers who begin their journey on OTA platforms ultimately choose to book directly with the hotel online. This emerging behavior signals a booking renaissance: a chance for hotels to stop being passive participants in the guest journey and start owning the relationship. That presents a significant opportunity for hotels to reclaim revenue, strengthen guest relationships, and reduce OTA dependency without abandoning third-party channels altogether. Recent industry data reinforces this shift. According to SiteMinder’s Hotel Booking Trends report, direct bookings continue to outperform in value, generating more than 60% higher revenue per reservation than OTA bookings while steadily increasing in importance for hoteliers. At the same time, research into traveler pricing behavior reveals that guests are often motivated to book directly after initial OTA discovery. A 2025 BookBetterDirect study analyzing hotel rates across 15 countries and 30 destinations found that direct bookings offered better prices in nearly 60% of cases, underscoring why many travelers ultimately choose to complete their reservation directly with the hotel. The question is no longer whether direct hotel bookings matter, but “How can hotels consistently increase direct bookings in a competitive, digitally crowded marketplace?” The answer lies in removing the "friction" that drives guests back to third-party sites. As travelers increasingly use AI-powered search and tools to discover and evaluate travel options, hotels must also ensure their digital presence is optimized for this emerging layer of decision-making that can directly influence more direct bookings. To win, hotels must offer more than just a lower price; they must offer experience differentiation. Today’s guests expect more than transactional booking experiences; they expect relevance, recognition, and reward. This is where an all-in-one property-management system (PMS) becomes a strategic growth driver, rather than just an operational tool. The "Single Image" Advantage Unlike interfaced systems that rely on delayed data "syncs" between disparate databases, a modern, unified PMS serves as a Single Image Database. It acts as the central hub of hotel operations, capturing rich guest data across every touchpoint, from booking and check-in to on-property interactions and post-stay engagement. When this data is unified in real-time, it ensures that a guest’s preferences are visible to the front desk, marketing, and the booking engine simultaneously, eliminating the data lag that leads to broken guest experiences. Guests are far more likely to book directly with the hotel when they feel well-known and valued. Using PMS data to boost direct bookings allows hotels to tailor offers based on guest history, preferences, and behaviors. A returning guest might receive a targeted email offering their preferred room type with a loyalty discount. A spa enthusiast might see a bundled package that includes treatments aligned with their past stays. These moments of relevance are what transform browsing into booking. Equally important are hotel guest loyalty programs that are seamlessly integrated

Danbury, Conn. - Meyer Jabara Hotels , a leading hotel ownership and management company, is seeing strong momentum and optimism following its annual Executive Session, where more than 120 general managers and directors of sales gathered in a casual setting to align on strategy, performance, and innovation. During the four-day “Impactful Leadership” event, onsite polling revealed that more than two-thirds of attendees said they are bullish on the year ahead—a signal of industry confidence and organizational strength. It’s a wonderful indicator of where we are as an industry and as a company. Our teams are energized, focused, and optimistic about what’s ahead for both the industry and our company Justin Jabara, president of Meyer Jabara Hotels A central theme of the conference was the growing role of Artificial Intelligence. Sessions focused on how AI delivers tangible benefits across property operations, commercial strategy, and corporate infrastructure. “At its core, AI is giving our teams more time to focus on the work that drives results, such as engaging with guests, supporting associates, and making faster, better-informed decisions,” Jabara said. “That’s where we’re seeing the most immediate and meaningful impact.” At the property level, AI-powered tools are helping general managers better structure their day with real-time operational and market insights, enabling faster, more informed decisions. For sales teams, AI is streamlining prospecting and reducing research time, allowing teams to focus more on relationship-building and revenue generation. “We’re seeing solicitation time reduced significantly, which gives our sales teams more capacity to focus on high-value activities like building relationships and closing business,” Jabara added. “For G.M.s, spending more time with guests and associates means more impactful leadership and less turnover.” AI and the Guest Experience MJH also highlighted AI’s expanding influence at the guest level, particularly through emerging concepts such as “agentic” hotel distribution, as well as at the corporate level, where investments in systems and infrastructure are improving efficiency and scalability across the organization. A presentation from Brad Brewer, Chief AI Officer of Agentic Hospitality, outlined the growing role of “Agentic Hotel Distribution” and its implications for ownership, visibility, and direct revenue. “As travelers increasingly shift from traditional search to AI-powered, conversational discovery, hotels must ensure their systems are structured to be visible and bookable within those environments,” Brewer said. “Rather than relying on third-party intermediaries, agentic distribution enables hotels to connect directly to AI-driven platforms, capture guest intent in real time and convert those interactions into direct bookings while maintaining control of pricing, inventory and guest relationships.” For management companies like Meyer Jabara Hotels, this shift represents a meaningful opportunity to strengthen direct channels, reduce reliance on high-cost intermediaries, and build longer-term guest relationships. “As distribution evolves, owning the guest journey becomes even more important,” Jabara said. “Emerging AI-driven distribution models have the potential to help hotels connect with guests earlier in their decision-making process and convert that demand directly.” A Look Ahead Meyer Jabara Hotels is preparing for continued growth, with new additions to its portfolio expected to be announced over the

The best chance of getting a job after university comes not just from what you know, but also from who you know, according to global hospitality recruiters. New research from Regent’s University London , the international, industry-connected university based in the heart of London, has shown that 58% of recruiters prefer to hire hospitality graduates who have been referred by people they know over those applying cold. One of the biggest factors driving this is the increased perceived risk around hiring graduates. 22% of recruiters believe hospitality graduates are work shy with no self-awareness, and a quarter believe they are not prepared for the realities of working in the industry, leaving businesses cautious when it comes to recruiting. Hiring someone they know helps alleviate these concerns, with 44% saying they trust candidates they have a connection to more and 38% believing it reduces risk. Recruiters are also more inclined to hire hospitality graduates who have had the opportunity to build networks during their university years. A quarter believe the quality of career services or alumni networking events at their university is the most important factor when considering a candidate for a graduate role in hospitality. A further 17% say applicants are most likely to be successful if their university offered the opportunity to connect with industry partners, whilst two fifths say those who took part in on-the-job work experience during their studies have a better chance of making the cut. Not only does a strong network give graduates the best chance of employment, but hospitality recruiters also believe that it helps them thrive in the workplace. 68% of recruiters said those who attend networking opportunities are better prepared for the world of work – highlighting the fact that ‘soft skills’ like communication are now seen as vital. And, it’s not just a passing phase. Hospitality recruiters think this trend will continue affecting how they hire in the future, with 15% claiming that having existing professional networks will be increasingly important for graduate employability over the next five years. The graduate job market is more competitive than ever, so it’s crucial that institutions prepare candidates for the realities of modern business to give them the best possible chances of securing the roles in hospitality they deserve. While good grades and theoretical knowledge remain important to prove competence, strong networks and practical experience play an equally significant role in helping graduates to stand out. At Regent’s, we’re proud to support our Luxury Hospitality Management students with industry placements and direct access to global organisations and industry leaders. Establishing these valuable connections, alongside developing a clear understanding of how businesses operate, prepares students for the workplace and enables them to thrive in their chosen careers Geoff Smith, Vice-Chancellor and CEO of Regent’s University London Discover how Regent’s University London prioritises industry connections at the centre of its unique approach to learning.

Why strategic pivots matter now Static plans won’t survive in 2026. Economic volatility, geopolitical shifts and AI innovation are reshaping technology leadership, demanding leaders to pivot fast and decisively. According to Gartner’s 2026 CIO and Technology Executive Survey, 94% of CIOs expect major changes to their plans and outcomes within the next 24 months, yet only 48% of digital initiatives meet or exceed business targets. The differentiator? Mastering what Gartner calls the A.R.T. pillars — Agile realignment, Risk readiness and Tenacity. How CIOs can win in 2026 Success will be about making bold, informed pivots. Here’s how the A.R.T. framework helps leaders thrive in such uncertainty. Agile realignment: Pivot at the speed of change Annual or quarterly planning cycles are obsolete. Only 18% of CIOs embrace dynamic, off-cycle reprioritization today, yet those who do are 24% more likely to be top performers. Agility means: Reprioritize dynamically: Continuously assess resource allocation and discontinue underperforming initiatives. Scenario plan boldly: Anticipate disruptions and act decisively. Build coalitions: Secure cross-functional support to overcome resistance and enable rapid pivots when market conditions shift. Leaders must make tough calls mid-flight and communicate the “why” clearly to keep stakeholders aligned. Risk readiness: Navigate geopolitical and vendor complexity Geopolitical turbulence and digital sovereignty laws are reshaping sourcing strategies. CIOs who proactively manage these risks are 51% more likely to outperform, yet only 28% do. Risk-readiness requires: Geo-strategic sourcing: Pivot from globally agnostic vendor strategies to regional mixes that balance compliance and scale. Strengthen on-site support: Ensure vendor presence in key regions to reduce operational risk. Embed risk scenarios: Make risk planning a core part of technology planning to safeguard continuity. Think beyond cybersecurity. Risk-readiness now includes tariffs , sovereignty laws and vendor nations — factors that can disrupt operations overnight. Tenacity: Drive financial outcomes from technology Cost pressures remain intense: 57% of CIOs face pressure to improve productivity and 52% to reduce costs. CIOs who relentlessly pursue financial outcomes from technology initiatives — especially AI — are 25% more likely to excel, yet only 33% consistently do so. Tenacity means: Be radically outcome-focused: Prioritize initiatives that deliver measurable financial impact and secure C-suite alignment. Translate gains into money: Move beyond efficiency to cost savings and revenue growth. Leverage AI-sourcing: Use AI to bring work in-house, which can cut costs by 5% to 30%. Three strategic pivots to watch Beyond the A.R.T. framework, CIOs must prepare for three major shifts: From GenAI pilots to AI (in any of its forms) ROI: Move from experimentation to measurable outcomes. From globally agnostic to geo-strategically aligned sourcing: Adapt to data and AI sovereignty and compliance realities. From calendar-based to trigger-based decision-making: Respond to signals, not schedules.

Executive Summary The hospitality industry has spent decades - and billions - engineering friction out of the guest journey. The result is the emergence of the “Invisible Hotel”: a hyper-efficient, AI-enabled environment where guests move seamlessly from arrival to room without interruption. While operationally elegant, this model introduces a critical commercial risk: the erosion of emotional connection at the exact moment where loyalty, pricing power, and brand differentiation are formed. The evidence is clear. Guest perception - and by extension, lifetime value - is largely determined within the first 60 seconds of arrival. When that moment is fully automated, the guest feels processed rather than welcomed. The consequence is “invisible churn”: no complaints, no friction - just no return. The next phase of competitive advantage will not be defined by who has the most advanced technology stack, but by who best orchestrates the human experience within it. AI must transition from a replacement strategy to an augmentation strategy - elevating human roles into high-impact, precision-driven experience creators. The Strategic Misstep: Optimizing the Wrong Outcome For years, hospitality leaders have equated efficiency with excellence. Reduced wait times, contactless check-ins, and automated workflows have been viewed as indicators of innovation. However, efficiency is now universally accessible. The same platforms, algorithms, and integrations are available across brands. In this environment, operational excellence is no longer a differentiator - it is the baseline. The unintended consequence is profound: The more friction you remove, the fewer opportunities remain to create emotional engagement The more standardized the journey becomes, the more interchangeable your brand appears The more you rely on automation, the more you risk commoditizing your offering In short, by optimizing for efficiency, many organizations have inadvertently optimized away their competitive advantage. The 60-Second Window: Where Value Is Created or Destroyed Contrary to traditional thinking, guest loyalty is not built over the duration of a stay. It is decided almost immediately upon arrival. Within the first minute, a guest subconsciously evaluates: Am I recognized? Am I valued? Do I belong here? If the answer is no - if the experience feels automated, transactional, or impersonal - the relationship is effectively over before it begins. Recovery efforts later in the stay (complimentary items, service gestures) are reactive and rarely sufficient to rebuild that initial emotional deficit. This is not a service issue. It is a revenue issue. Organizations that fail to capture this moment experience: Lower repeat booking intent Reduced lifetime customer value Increased dependence on price-based competition Conversely, those that deliver a precise, human-centered arrival experience unlock disproportionate returns in loyalty and pricing power. From Tech Stack to Human Value Stack The industry is now undergoing a structural shift - from a technology-centric operating model to a human-centric value model. AI is highly effective at eliminating repetitive, low-value tasks: Identity verification Payment processing Room assignment Workflow coordination This creates a strategic opportunity: redeploy human capital away from administrative execution and toward experience creation. In this new paradigm: Technology handles the predictable Humans handle the meaningful

The recent U.S. Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics (LE) reveals that Dallas continues to lead all U.S. markets with 184 projects/22,861 rooms in its hotel construction pipeline at the close of the first quarter. Following Dallas is Atlanta with 158 projects/17,524 rooms, then Phoenix with 123 projects/16,111 rooms, Nashville with 120 projects/16,740 rooms, and Austin with 117 projects/13,850 rooms. U.S. markets with the greatest number of projects already under construction at Q1 are Dallas with 37 projects/4,111 rooms, Phoenix with 36 projects/5,096 rooms, and New York with 26 projects/4,636 rooms. Miami follows with 24 projects/5,317 rooms, and Atlanta has 20 projects/2,008 rooms under construction. Phoenix stands out with particularly strong momentum, posting year-over-year gains of 19% in projects and 11% in rooms under construction. Dallas also has the most projects scheduled to start within the next 12 months (SN12), with 68 projects/7,909 rooms. Following Dallas are Atlanta with 61 projects/6,748 rooms, Austin with 56 projects/6,097 rooms, the Inland Empire with 47 projects/4,939 rooms, and Nashville with 46 projects/6,583 rooms. In the SN12 project stage, Austin recorded an increase of 19% in projects and 14% in rooms year-over-year. At the end of Q1, Dallas again leads the U.S. with the largest number of projects in early planning at 79 projects/10,841 rooms. Atlanta follows with 77 projects/8,768 rooms, then Nashville with 57 projects/7,993 rooms, the Inland Empire with 54 projects/5,266 rooms, and Phoenix with 52 projects/6,957 rooms. Phoenix had notable growth in this project stage, with year-over-year increases of 13% in projects and 28% in rooms. In the top 50 U.S. markets, a total of 75 new projects, accounting for 12,137 rooms, were announced during 2026's first quarter. The leading markets for new project announcements include Phoenix with 9 projects/901 rooms and Tampa with 6 projects/694 rooms. New York, Nashville, Chicago, Atlanta, Inland Empire, and Indianapolis each recorded four new project announcements. Renovation and brand conversion activity remained robust throughout the United States at Q1. Houston leads with the largest count of combined renovation and conversion projects at 35 projects/5,336 rooms. Dallas, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. each follow with 31 projects, accounting for 5,430 rooms, 3,836 rooms, and 3,757 rooms, respectively. San Antonio has 30 projects/2,881 rooms under renovation or conversion at the close of the first quarter. In the 2026 forecast for new hotel openings, Phoenix tops the list with 27 hotels/3,640 rooms, followed by New York with 21 new hotels/3,458 rooms, Dallas with 20 new hotels/2,328 rooms, and both Austin and the Inland Empire should each have 12 new hotel openings, accounting for 1,693 rooms and 1,024 rooms, respectively. In the 2027 forecast, LE analysts expect Dallas to lead new hotel openings with 27 new hotels/2,484 rooms, followed by Atlanta with 24 new hotels/2,199 rooms, then Phoenix with 17 new hotels/2,076 rooms. Indianapolis and the Inland Empire round out the top markets with 16 forecasted new hotel openings each, accounting for 2,246 and 1,410 rooms, respectively.

M&G Real Estate acquires Travelodge Barcelona Poblenou in Spain London-based real estate investment company M&G Real Estate , through its M&G European Property Fund , has acquired the 250-room Travelodge Barcelona Poblenou in Spain for a reported price of approximately €50 million (€200,000 per room). The property is situated in the 22@ Innovation District which forms part of the Sant Marti precint, located some 3 kms north-east of Barcelona’s historic centre. The hotel includes a breakfast restaurant and café and is operated by Travelodge Hoteles España, SL under a long-term lease agreement, with 12 years and 4 months remaining on the lease. Millemont acquires Crowne Plaza hotels in Reading East and Marlow, UK London-based property investment firm Millemont Capital Partners has acquired the four-star, 174-room Crowne Plaza Reading East and the four-star, 168-room Crowne Plaza Marlow in the UK . Both properties are located near motorways, some 24 kilometres apart, some 30 minutes drive west of London Heathrow Airport. Both hotels underwent refurbishment in recent years and include a restaurant, bar, several meeting rooms and a spa with swimming pool. British operator Troo Hospitality will operate both hotels. Montagnettes acquires Excelsior Chamonix Hôtel & Spa inthe French Alps French family-owned owner-operator Montagnettes has acquired the four-star, 79-room Excelsior Chamonix Hôtel & Spa in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc , France , from an undisclosed institutional investor. The property is situated in eastern France close to the borders with Switzerland and Italy, at the base of Mont Blanc. The hotel includes a restaurant, bar, spa with pool, and a meeting room. Montagnettes plans to renovate the hotel. Square Group acquires Best Western Plus 61 Paris Nation from Eternam Swiss real estate investment company Square Group has acquired the four-star, 48-room Best Western Plus 61 Paris Nation in France from French investment firm Eternam . The hotel includes a breakfast restaurant and is situated in Paris’ eastern 12 th district, a 10-minute walk east of Place de la Nation and some 5 kms east of Notre Dame Cathedral. This acquisition brings Square Group’s Paris hotel portfolio to three properties, after also acquiring the Hotel du Mont-Louis in the 11 th district in late 2025, and the Ibis Styles Paris Jardine de la Villette in the 19 th district in 2024.