Innovation

🛢 $600 per night at a Marriott in Menlo Park offers a tech-centric, compact room designed by Royal Caribbean. Self-service features include check-in kiosks and card key activation, prioritizing cost efficiency over user experience. After 7 hours of flying and a 60-minute drive, privacy concerns arise as guests snap photos of their IDs. The design maximizes room count to boost profits, but raises questions about user-friendly design considerations on this Wednesday morning.

📈 Jan 16, 2026 - AI-driven Google Ads shift focus in hotel marketing from price-led messages to value messaging, prioritizing experience, quality, and trust. Clear communication now outweighs discounts, driving guest confidence and conversion. Hotels benefit from richer, informative websites, while human oversight guides AI tools. Automation improves safety, reducing brand risks in campaigns. Successful strategies emphasize relevance over price competition. Source: [WordStream](https://www.wordstream.com/blog/2026-google-ads-trends).

🚀 Google’s AI Commerce Protocol is shifting discovery and commerce towards AI-driven models, emphasizing messaging, pricing, and trust signals over traditional web pages. Lenny Rachitsky’s insights from 320 podcast episodes highlight specific strategies for travel tech, such as targeting narrow use cases and integrating community into products. Meanwhile, Google announced the Universal Commerce Protocol to standardize AI agent interactions with retailers. McKinsey has engaged a creator economy advisor, underscoring the growing importance of creators in strategic distribution.

📱 RMS and Salto have teamed up to integrate Salto's cloud-based access control with RMS’s hospitality platform, benefiting over 7,000 businesses globally. This initiative allows operators to issue digital mobile keys directly via the RMS reservation screen. Guests can use smartphones to access rooms, gyms, pools, and parking, enhancing security and convenience. Adam Seskis, RMS CEO, and Michael Cianfaglione from Salto Systems highlight improved guest experiences and operational efficiencies through this partnership.

💸 "who? when? where? what? how?" In 2025, U.S. hotel bookings through online travel agencies (OTAs) account for about 20%, equating to 325,000 daily reservations. GenAI adoption in travel planning is expected to reach 24% this holiday season, up from 16% in 2024 and 8% in 2023. Millennials and Gen Z are leading this trend, with 31% and 30% usage, respectively. The future impact of AI on OTAs and hotel brands remains debated, with potential shifts in booking patterns and loyalty programs.

💸 Marketplaces face challenges from LLMs like ChatGPT, which could disrupt customer acquisition and engagement, especially in sectors with fragmented, heterogeneous supply. Expedia and TripAdvisor may struggle, while DoorDash and Uber are less affected. Key factors include supply aggregation difficulty, marketplace management, transaction frequency, and purchase consideration. E-commerce giants like Amazon hold leverage against LLMs. To remain competitive, marketplaces should enhance AI search, manage supply, and avoid customer experience degradation. High market share offers leverage against LLMs.

💻 In 2026, AI-powered, staffless hotels may become a reality, as Ulrich Pillau, CEO of Apaleo, shares insights on Pillow Talk Sessions with Jessica Gillingham. Apaleo, based in Munich, is revolutionizing hospitality with open, API-first platforms, contrasting legacy brands with agile, digital-first players. Key focuses include AI integration, hybrid hospitality, and leadership mindset. To compete, legacy brands must adopt open systems and tech flexibility, especially in midscale and economy segments. The future thrives on interoperability and real-time guest responsiveness.

🏨 Global Asset Solutions expanded globally in 2025, appointing key leaders like David Ordoñez and Leanne Reddie. Assets managed rose 35% to USD 6.6 billion in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. The firm advised on over USD 27 billion since 2007, reopening its Singapore office and merging with Perception Hospitality. New services include M&A advisory and strategic consulting. The firm advanced projects in Paris, Venice, and Australia's Gold Coast, launching over 60 leadership pieces and a redesigned website.

📱 Barceló Hotel Group, H10 Hotels, Palladium Hotel Group, and Vincci Hoteles are early adopters of STAY's Corporate App. This app, launched by STAY, enables hotel groups to manage and personalize the guest experience directly through a branded mobile channel, enhancing direct bookings and loyalty. With integration to existing systems, hotel groups retain control over content and configuration. STAY is utilized by more than 1,300 properties worldwide to streamline operations and boost revenue.