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Automatic

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  • 1 min

Airbnb drops category search

🏠 Sep 26, 2025: Airbnb has retired its Category search, a 2022 feature, to focus on Homes, Experiences, and Services. This strategic shift aims to broaden its offerings beyond rentals. Rival platforms like Booking and Expedia did not adopt the feature, prioritizing traditional search methods for higher conversions. Although Airbnb intended to inspire flexible travel, the feature's practical utility was limited. Hosts reported mixed outcomes, with some experiencing fewer bookings or poor placement.
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  • 4 min

Beyond the Front Desk: How Cloud, Mobility, and AI Are Redefining Hospitality

📱 2025, hotel industry, tech convergence. Cloud technology, AI, and mobile tools revolutionize hospitality. Mobile devices, like iPads, replace fixed workstations, enhancing guest interactions. Cloud-based PMS and POS platforms become essential, ensuring accessibility and innovation. AI offers 10-20% efficiency gains but demands modern infrastructure. Prioritize cloud-based systems and empower staff with mobile tools. AI should enhance, not replace, personal service. Aim for improved guest experiences over cost-cutting. Luxury brands lead by example; focus on experiential differentiation.
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Clean data is the backbone of AI-driven hotel decisions

📰 Sep 25, 2025: In the travel industry's AI shift, poor-quality data threatens reliability and trust, costing firms up to 6% of annual revenue. With leisure travel set to triple by 2040, clean data is vital for automation. Missing data, like phone numbers or passports, disrupts operations and damages reputations. Companies like Umbrella Faces and PredictX are developing data tools, essential as AI becomes critical amid staffing shortages. Accurate data underpins hotel revenue, pricing, and AI credibility.
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Clean data is the backbone of AI-driven hotel decisions

🛫 Sep 25, 2025: In the travel industry's shift to agentic AI, data quality is crucial. Poor data costs companies up to 6% of annual revenue. With leisure travel set to triple by 2040, agencies need clean data for effective automation. Firms like Umbrella Faces and PredictX are tackling this with new tools. Operational risks include data gaps harming trust, while hotels face revenue issues from poor data. AI credibility hinges on overcoming data flow challenges.
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CTM expands hotel commerce platform into North America

💻 Sep 25, 2025, Corporate Travel Management (CTM) introduced its Sleep Space platform to North America, following its success in Australia and New Zealand. Since launch, Sleep Space has facilitated 900,000+ room nights with rates 13% below market levels. Integrated with CTM's Lightning tool, it promises reduced distribution costs for hotels and better rates for corporates. Sleep Space is set to connect with Concur by year-end, as part of CTM’s global growth strategy.
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CTM expands hotel commerce platform into North America

🏨 Sep 25, 2025: Corporate Travel Management introduces the Sleep Space hotel platform in North America, following its success in Australia and New Zealand. The platform has enabled over 900,000 room nights at rates 13% below market averages. Integrated with CTM’s Lightning tool, it will link with Concur by year-end. Sleep Space offers hotels lower distribution costs and corporates better rates and compliance, supporting CTM’s global expansion in corporate travel solutions.
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Tripadvisor on experiential travel trends in South Asia

🌏 Sep 25, 2025, Tripadvisor's Trendcast highlights five key trends transforming travel in South Asia. Millions of traveller reviews reveal a shift towards spiritual journeys featuring astrologer-led tours, wellness, and crystal therapies. Water-based activities become cultural hubs, while eco-conscious travellers prefer slow modes like trains and cycling. Agritourism evolves into educational experiences, and travellers focus on hyper-local exploration of 'nano' neighborhoods. Industry players offering authentic experiences are poised for growth.
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Tripadvisor on experiential travel trends in South Asia

🌎 Sep 25, 2025: Tripadvisor’s Trendcast identifies 14 global travel shifts, with five key trends for South Asia. Who? Travellers seeking deeper meaning. What? Spiritual travel, water as culture, slow journeys, food investigation, and hyper-local immersion. How? Through astrologer-led tours, bathhouses, scenic trains, agritourism, and exploration of nano neighbourhoods. Why? To foster social connection and authenticity. Where? South Asia focus. Hotels and operators should align with these shifts for sustainable growth.
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Marriott launches Series brand in the US

🏨 Sep 25, 2025, Marriott and Hawkins Way Capital are converting five Found Hotels in Chicago, Miami, Santa Monica, San Francisco, and San Diego to Series by Marriott. Rising construction costs drive this conversion-friendly model, maintaining boutique character while integrating with Marriott Bonvoy. This aligns with traveler demand for unique hotels and reflects competition from Hyatt and Hilton. Marriott eyes further U.S. expansion in urban and secondary cities within upscale segments.
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Marriott launches Series brand in the US

🏨 Sep 25, 2025, Marriott announced five property conversions in the U.S. under its new Series by Marriott brand, partnering with Hawkins Way Capital to rebrand Found Hotels in Chicago, Miami, Santa Monica, San Francisco, and San Diego. Marriott aims to provide flexible branding amidst rising construction costs. The brand offers boutique character while benefiting from Marriott Bonvoy. Competitors like Hyatt's Unscripted and Hilton's Curio respond similarly. Future expansion targets urban and secondary U.S. cities.
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