Automatic

Revolut and Booking.com team up on travel payments

💳 Nov 17, 2025, Revolut partners with Booking.com to enable payments via Revolut Pay for accommodations and soon flights and cars. This collaboration offers faster checkouts, biometric security, and enhanced loyalty rewards with a temporary 10x RevPoints promotion. Around 9 million Revolut users already use Booking.com. Nearly 2 million are monthly active Revolut Pay users, making Booking.com Revolut's largest travel partner. Additionally, Booking.com adopts Revolut Business for operations, solidifying their B2B relationship.

View Post

Tripadvisor shifts toward a new core

📈 Nov 17, 2025: Tripadvisor is at a pivotal moment as Viator and TheFork—now contributing half of its revenue—drive growth. Viator has surpassed a GMV of over $4 billion, nearing $1 billion in revenue. TheFork boasts a network of over 30,000 restaurants. Management is focusing on these assets, expecting ~$85 million in cost synergies and improved EBITDA margins from 2026, signaling a shift from its traditional referral model.

View Post

Europe’s fall boom reshapes the continent’s travel rhythm

📅 Nov 17, 2025: Summer in Europe is becoming less appealing due to extreme heat and overtourism, pushing travelers to favor the fall. Record demand and higher hotel prices in September-November are noted, with increased bookings from the US to Europe. Older and luxury travelers are leading the shift. Popular cities like Florence and Rome are crowded throughout autumn, with October visitor levels often surpassing September. This trend extends the travel season into November and beyond.

View Post

U.S. tourism hit by continued steep drop in Canadian visitors

💸 Nov 17, 2025, U.S.: A 30% drop in Canadian visits has led to a $5.7B decline in U.S. tourism spending in 2025. Political tensions, trade policies, and new border rules deter Canadians. Tourism-dependent states face economic risks like reduced hotel occupancy and local tax revenue. The U.S. is approaching a $70B travel trade deficit. Efforts to attract Canadians include discounts, as Canadian spending in some towns drops nearly 40%.

View Post

View Post

2 min

Luxury stands its ground — but it is not immune

🏨 Nov 14, 2025: U.S. hotels face mixed fortunes. Economy and mid-scale segments struggle with RevPAR barely above zero, while luxury hotels see over 5% RevPAR growth through August 2025. Luxury ADRs are up 5% year-on-year, but demand from younger travelers and value shifts pose risks. Luxury-hotel growth forecasts show 4-5% CAGR in major regions, with investment favoring premium assets. Hoteliers must enhance brand value and manage costs amid a tightening market.

View Post

View Post

2 min

Airbnb widens its lead as hotels hit a 2025 slowdown

📈 Nov 14, 2025. Airbnb sees 13% Y/Y revenue growth in Q2 2025, while U.S. hosts face ~50–56% occupancy due to increased supply, particularly in suburban and rural areas. Short-term rentals (STRs) increase ADR by nearly 7% Y/Y and 24.9% over a longer period. U.S. hotel RevPAR growth is nearly stagnant at ~0.1%. Rising operational costs squeeze hotel margins. STRs thrive in suburban/rural areas, with urban regulations supporting hotel competition.

View Post

US short-term rentals end the year on a surge

📅 Nov 14, 2025, US short-term rental market sees strong December with RevPAR up 7% YoY and ADR 6% higher. November ADRs rise 5%, showing demand despite shorter stays. New England, Hawaii lead with 5% RevPAR gain; Rockies, Midwest at 4%, Southwest 3%, and Southeast -1%. December stay length drops 9%, booking windows tighten 5%. Managers use dynamic pricing, automation for last-minute bookings. Confidence returns as sector stabilizes into 2026.

View Post

Fixing group business

📅 Nov 14, 2025, the article highlights that while hotels have advanced in transient direct bookings, group sales remain outdated, relying on legacy systems and intermediaries. Existing technologies like digital ads and UX-led experiences could modernize group bookings, reducing commissions and acquisition costs, thereby improving profitability. Automation can enhance conversion rates by speeding up responses and streamlining workflows. Emphasizing direct bookings for groups could replicate the success seen in transient sales, offering hotels valuable first-party planner data.

View Post

OTA demand reshuffle accelerates

📊 Nov 14, 2025. Early 2025 data shows Expedia's room-night volume increased by nearly 12%, signaling stronger traveler acquisition. Meanwhile, Trip.com, Hotelbeds, and Despegar surged by over 35% each, impacting Booking.com, Agoda, and Vrbo negatively. This indicates a shift towards demand diversification, with travelers using multiple platforms. Hotels need to recalibrate channel mix, commissions, and source-market patterns in response to the evolving OTA landscape.

View Post

New hotel reservation scam spreads through major OTAs

🚨 Nov 14, 2025 - Travelers booking via Booking.com and Expedia are targeted by a phishing scam using compromised hotel accounts. Scammers send fake payment-verification requests, urging guests to verify payment to avoid cancellation. Attackers use a ClickFix attack to compromise hotel systems, deploy malware like PureRAT for remote access and credential theft. To stay safe, guests should verify payment requests directly with hotels using official contacts. Avoid trusting email or message requests for payment confirmation.

View Post