Automatic - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 11

Google's AI Mode Allows Reservations with OTAs as Merchants of Record, Ensuring Customer Data Retention

📅 Sep 14, 2026: Google's UCP for Lodging ensures the Merchant of Record keeps customer relationships. Since Sep 1, U.S. travelers can book hotels via AI Mode using Google Pay with 10 launch partners. Choice and Hilton differ in approach: Choice retains the transaction, while Hilton redirects to its website. Integration specifics remain unclear, costs unknown, and guest data ownership limited. Joining Google's waitlist is free, with details awaited.

Level 2 and 3 Genius Members Now Account for Over 50% of Booking.com Room Nights, Increasing Year-over-Year

📈 On September 14, 2026, Booking.com reported Level 2 and 3 Genius members booked over 50% of room nights, up from the previous year. These members make up more than 30% of active customers, securing discounts of up to 20%. Level 2 and 3 require 5 and 15 bookings over two years, respectively. Discounts range from 10-20%, impacting hotel earnings, with €200 nights resulting in reduced earnings: €144.50 for Level 2 and €136 for Level 3.

2 min

Meta's Muse Integrates Duffel API for US Users to Manage Travel with Access to 500+ Airlines

🗺️ Muse users in the US can now search, book, and manage travel via Duffel's integration. Duffel's API connects with 500+ airlines, offering real-time prices and 24/7 support. Industry experts predict agentic AI will handle nearly a third of international reservations by 2030. Duffel recently surpassed a $1 billion TTV run rate due to increased demand from AI platforms. Muse, Meta's personal AI agent, is available on iOS, Android, and muse.ai.

3 min

OpenAI's Advertising Business Expected to Reach $1 Billion Annually, Marriott Begins Testing the Platform

📰 Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano revealed on September 9, 2026, that the company is testing OpenAI's advertising platform to enhance hotel visibility for travelers. OpenAI's ad business, launched in February 2026, is projected to reach $1 billion annually, with tens of thousands of advertisers from over 40 countries. Since May, businesses in Europe can directly buy ad space without intermediaries. Marriott's initiative demonstrates a shift in AI-driven hotel bookings and advertising.

3 min

Meta's AI Agent Muse Uses Expedia for Hotel Searches, Pays Duffel for Over 1,500 Flight Searches Per Booking

🗺 Meta's AI agent, Muse, launched on September 8, 2026, can book travel and compares hotel options on Expedia without cost. It found a New York hotel for November 1-2 for $410, noting bed type limitations. For flights, Meta pays Duffel: $0.005 per search beyond 1,500, $3 per order, 1% of order value, and $2 per paid extra. Duffel allows 15,000 free searches for ten bookings. OTA pages provide all info, bypassing hotels' direct sites.

5 min

AI-Driven Hotel Searches Rarely Direct to Hotel Websites; Only 10% of 695 Searches Did So, Study Finds

📈 Sep 11, 2026 – A study by Tharro shows AI assistants rarely cite hotel websites, with under 10% in 695 unbranded searches. Trust in AI-generated results stands at 17-20% across the UK, France, and Germany. 58% of travelers verify information on a property's site. A New York hotel search showed Expedia quoted $627 with taxes/fees, whereas hotels often show rates without fees, causing disparity. Phocuswright states human interaction builds trust more than algorithms.

3 min

New EU Rules Enforce Proof for Environmental Claims, Impacting Booking.com Listings and Hotel Websites from September 27

🌱 **What? When? Where? How?** New EU rules on environmental claims start on September 27, 2026, affecting all EU countries without a grace period. The Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive, formally Directive (EU) 2024/825, bans generic terms like "eco-friendly" unless backed by evidence. Booking.com preemptively removed its Travel Sustainable badge from over half a million listings in March 2024. Fines can reach up to 4% of turnover, but enforcement varies by country. Hotels must substantiate claims or face potential legal actions.

3 min

Navan Acquires BoomPop to Enhance Corporate Event Planning, Reducing Booking Costs by 30% for Clients

📅 Navan acquired BoomPop on September 9, 2026, enhancing its event booking capabilities with technology offering an average 30% cost reduction. Founded in 2023, BoomPop has managed events for 250,000 attendees at companies like Amazon and Google. The acquisition follows a February partnership, automating event planning processes. This marks Navan's move into capturing corporate spend outside managed channels. The acquisition complements its transient travel services, despite unanswered questions about venue marketplace participation.

3 min

Vrbo Introduces Same-Day Booking and Flexible Cancellation Policies to Compete with Hotels in Leisure Markets

🏡 Vrbo announced global updates on September 1, 2026, allowing same-day bookings and introducing two flexible cancellation policies: a full refund up to five days before arrival and a full refund up to the day before arrival. These changes aim to match hotel flexibility and potentially increase bookings fivefold, according to Expedia’s data. Additionally, a new sponsored placement auction charges fees upon completed bookings. Non-refundable rates and Vrbo inventory in Expedia packages remain pending.

3 min

Google Restricts Hotel Search Features in EU, Removing Live Pricing and Date Filters to Comply with Regulations

📈 On September 9, 2026, Google altered its European search page due to the EU's Digital Markets Act compliance, affecting hotel, flight, and restaurant searches. By September 30, hotels in Europe must self-feed rates into Google's Hotel Center. Previously live features, like pricing and date filters, were removed, impacting user experience. The EU fined Google €460 million in July, citing a 30% drop in direct booking clicks. European users lose visibility options compared to US counterparts.

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