Automatic - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 158

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Hotels walk the fine line between comforttech and tech overload

🛌 Sep 22, 2025: Hotels are upgrading tech, but 70% report guests prefer human interaction for check-ins. 56% feel tech pressure; practical upgrades like smart fans, customizable lighting, and fast Wi-Fi are favored over robots. Bathrooms lead with digital water controls and smart mirrors. Half of hotels offer tech walkthroughs due to guest confusion. Future innovations include AI concierges and voice-activated controls. Read more at [Hotel Management](https://www.hotelmanagement.net/tech/survey-smart-technology-leaves-guests-struggling).

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The hidden costs of hotel bookings

💸 Sep 22, 2025, hotel industry experts discussed the hidden costs of direct bookings. Marketing, loyalty perks, payroll, and third-party fees reduce profitability. Tools like Juyo Analytics and Kalibri Labs’ Hummingbird provide insights but lack precision. Traditional benchmarks like Net RevPAR are insufficient; new formulas are being tested. Loyalty costs and labor for sales teams are often underestimated. Google’s Performance Max campaigns are emerging as important strategies to challenge OTAs. Get detailed insights from HSMAI.

1 min

Business travel grows, but big firms cut back

📈 Sep 22, 2025, Deloitte's report reveals mixed trends in U.S. business travel spending. Nearly 75% of companies increased budgets by an average of 22% from 2024. Large firms cut spending by 35%, while only 6% of small firms reduced budgets. Rising costs concern 54% of managers, increasing by 6 points. Sustainability limits travel for nearly half of companies, with fewer employees traveling frequently. Strategic oversight of travel is rising at the C-suite level.

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North Americans plan record levels of international travel

🌎 Sep 22, 2025: U.S. and Canadian travelers are planning more international trips, with Americans averaging 2.8 and Canadians 2.2 trips over the next two years. Safety and political stability are now prioritized over cost. Ocean cruise interest has increased, particularly among younger travelers. "Bleisure" travel is trending, with 90% of Americans and 80% of Canadians extending business trips for leisure. Two-thirds of Americans will use travel advisors, while more travelers opt for premium class for flexibility.

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Travel, Europe’s overlooked economic powerhouse

🌎 Europe, Sep 22, 2025: Travel and tourism, projected by Oxford Economics to outpace finance and manufacturing from 2024-2029, are crucial for Europe's economy. With €400 billion in receipts, the sector rivals a mid-sized EU state's GDP. SMEs generate 81% of hospitality’s value and 85% of jobs. Yet, a digital divide threatens independent businesses. Policies should focus on upskilling and innovation to prevent industry bifurcation and leverage tourism’s strategic cultural and economic significance.

Expedia pivots abroad as US travel demand weakens

🗺 Sep 19, 2025: Expedia CEO Ariane Gorin shifts focus to Japan, Brazil, and Northern Europe due to a softening U.S. travel market. U.S. consumer revenue grew just 1% year-over-year, with a 7% drop in inbound travel. The WTTC projects a $12.5 billion loss in U.S. international visitor spending in 2025. Airlines and rivals like Airbnb and Booking are also targeting international markets. The U.S. may need years to recover pre-pandemic tourism levels without policy changes.

Expedia blames slow consumer growth on weak U.S. market

📈 Sep 19, 2025, at the Skift Global Forum, Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin highlighted challenges and growth areas. Who? Expedia's B2B grew 17% internationally, while B2C, including Vrbo, saw just 1% growth due to weak U.S. demand. What? Vrbo faced lower rates, shorter stays, and more cancellations. How? Facing loyalty program shifts and AI challenges, Expedia is focusing on international opportunities in Brazil, Northern Europe, UK, and Japan.

OpenAI sees AI agents as the new travel guides

🗺 Sep 19, 2025, travel industry: OpenAI chairman Bret Taylor highlights AI's transformative role, with digital agents evolving into travel planners. AI promises cost reductions and increased loyalty by offering personalized services. Significant opportunities exist for OTAs like Expedia and Airbnb, yet they risk being disrupted if they don't adapt. As AI tools like ChatGPT gain mainstream traction, brands must rapidly adjust to user expectations, paralleling the internet and smartphone revolutions.

Sabre challenges airline direct-booking promises

📈 Sep 19, 2025, Sabre Corporation challenges airlines over direct bookings for corporate travel. Sabre's analysis reveals aggregator platforms offer equal or lower fares in over 90% of searches, disputing airlines’ lowest-fare claims. Direct NDC connections limit program optimization and complicate servicing due to system fragmentation. Airlines throttle results during high demand, complicating scalability. The industry faces a divide as airlines push direct channels while Sabre supports aggregation for cost efficiency and service quality.

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Airbnb isn’t growing fast enough, says its CEO

📈 Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky plans to rejuvenate the company. By September 2025, Airbnb's growth slowed to 8-10% in Q3, missing the target of double-digit expansion. Chesky aims to expand by relaunching Experiences, adding boutique hotels with competitive 15.5% commission rates, and targeting growth in underpenetrated international markets. With 70% of business in just five markets, Airbnb seeks to diversify into a multi-business platform with 10-15 distinct offerings by 2026 and beyond.

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