Automatic - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 7

3 min

SAP Concur Introduces Hotel Sorting by Emissions Using Thrust Carbon Data, Impacting Corporate Travel Choices

📈 Oct 2, 2026: SAP Concur integrates Thrust Carbon to rank hotels by emissions in its booking tool. Advito's sustainability index uses data from 45 hotel companies covering 31,872 hotels. Only about 30,000 of the world's 880,000 hotels use the HCMI carbon method. The EU mandates large companies to report emissions from 2027, using estimates initially. Radisson in Manchester uses rooftop heat pumps for emissions data. The free HCMI tool converts utility bills into per-room carbon figures.

3 min

Tripadvisor's Hotel Revenue Drops 23% in Q2 Due to Decline in Free Search Traffic; Bookings Expected to Fall Further

📈 Tripadvisor's hotel revenue dropped 23% in Q2 2026 to $117.9 million due to decreased free search traffic. Marketing costs increased as Tripadvisor paid for visitors. Hotel metasearch usage fell from 71% in 2013 to 44% in 2023; 83% now use Google. Tripadvisor expects a further 20-23% Q3 decline. While hotel clicks are costlier, reviews remain influential. Viator bookings grew 10%. Tripadvisor's split between hotels and OTAs remains unclear.

5 min

Expedia Expands Rapid Activities API, Acquires Tiqets and CarTrawler to Enhance Travel Experience Offering

📅 Oct 2, 2026: Expedia launched a beta for its Rapid Activities API, allowing partners to sell museum tickets and tours. Expedia acquired Tiqets and CarTrawler in 2026 to expand offerings beyond lodging. Booking.com integrates hotel bookings with Air India, aiming for a Connected Trip. Airbnb adds car hire and grocery delivery. Marriott's Bonvoy Tours started in 2017. Expedia's tours will open to all partners in early 2027, offering a comprehensive travel experience. 77% of travelers prefer booking on a single platform.

5 min

Booking Holdings Launches Lola, an AI Travel Assistant, Offering Members Up to 15% Hotel Rate Discounts

💻 Sep 30, 2026: Booking Holdings launched Lola, an AI assistant that books hotels, tables, and tickets through chat, with membership fees up to $25/month. Members save up to 15% on hotel rates via Booking.com and partners. Created over five months by Kayak co-founders, it offers three membership tiers: Free, Plus ($5/month), and VIP ($25/month). Lola earns from membership fees and commissions from hotels, with VIP discounts reaching 21% at places like The Plymouth South Beach.

3 min

Booking.com Removes "Competitive" Price Labels in EEA Following European Commission Regulation Changes

💸 Sep 30, 2026: In the EEA, Booking.com removed "competitive" labels from its extranet, following the EU's Digital Markets Act. This change impacts hotels in the EU, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. Prices on external sites are now informational, not affecting eligibility for Booking Sponsored Benefit. The parity clauses were banned across the EEA since November 2024. Switzerland, the UK, and the US remain unaffected by these changes.

5 min

94% of Travel Agents Prioritize GDS Rate Parity, with Exclusive GDS Offers as Top Booking Incentive

📊 Sep 30, 2026, travel agents prioritize GDS rate parity, with 94% deeming it crucial. A survey by Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport reveals 57% book based on GDS-only offers. 73% favor packages with added benefits like breakfast (27%) and Wi-Fi (19%). "Commission" influences 53% of agents. 90% of agents receive client requests for specific brands, impacting bookings. Over half use AI tools; 47% believe AI could enhance hotel recommendations.

2 min

Virtuoso's 2026 Hotel Bookings Surge 24.5%, Led by 37% Growth in Rooms Over $1,500 a Night

📈 Virtuoso's travel advisors achieved a 24.5% increase in hotel sales in 2026, with rooms over $1,500 a night growing 37%. This growth splits into higher rates, longer stays, and more bookings. In June, the average nightly rate at Virtuoso's preferred hotels was $1,983. Signature Travel Network also reported record sales, with same-store sales rising over 10%. Phocuswright forecasts travel agencies to account for 26% of US travel spending in 2026, up from 21% in 2022.

4 min

ChatGPT and Google Display Hotel Prices from OTAs, Undermining Direct Rate Control by Hotels

💵 September 30, 2026, worldwide: ChatGPT retrieves hotel prices primarily from OTAs like Booking.com and Expedia, shown in over 46% of 240 queries. It cites these sources only 11% of the time. Google, since September 30, requires hotels to send their rates if they wish to advertise. In Europe, Google's changes from September 8 result in separate blocks for hotels/resellers, while in the U.S., Google's AI books through ten partners, excluding independents.

0 min

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2 min

KAYAK Cofounders Launch Lola.com, an AI Travel Assistant, Offering Free Membership and Optional Paid Plans

🏖️ Cofounders of KAYAK, Steve Hafner and a former partner, launched a new startup, Lola.com, today. Lola is an AI assistant for travel experiences, leveraging Booking Holdings' vast platform with over one billion room nights booked annually. Users create free accounts for personalized recommendations, with optional paid plans offering perks from partners like OpenTable and SeatGeek. In 2004, they initially wanted the name Lola for KAYAK but couldn't afford the domain.

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