Innovation

🌐 February 25 – March 1, 2026, at FIL Building, Lisbon, LodgIQ will showcase AI Wizard at BTL. LodgIQ supports Portuguese groups like AP Hotels & Resorts, growing in Portugal with advanced revenue solutions. AI Wizard combines analytics and generative AI, offering clarity and prioritized actions for hoteliers. CEO Vincent Ramelli highlights clear decision-making over dashboards. In Pavilion 3F11, attendees can see demonstrations on how AI strengthens commercial performance.

📊 Kipp Bodnar, CMO of HubSpot, shared insights on AEO (AI Engine Optimization). In one year, HubSpot's AI search traffic grew 15x, with conversion rates 5x higher than Google, sometimes reaching 13x. Notably, 60% of AI citations don't derive from top Google results. Bodnar recommends a six-step approach: Grade, Restructure, Separate, Open Up, Tool Up, and Rethink Attribution, to leverage AEO effectively. This strategy offers a strong advantage for early adopters in AI search optimization.

🏨 Who? Multi-property hotel groups. When? Current challenges and solutions. Where? Across portfolios, globally. What? Traditional revenue management systems fall short when scaled to multiple properties, leading to issues like revenue silos and inconsistent performance. How? Implementing a unified Revenue & Profit Operating System (RP-OS) like Duetto's can centralize pricing, forecasting, and decision-making, enhancing portfolio performance. RIMC Hotels & Resorts Group achieved a 28% increase in RevPAR using this approach. This system allows smaller teams to manage larger portfolios efficiently.

📷 Reve AI's new tool, launched on February 10, 2026, revolutionizes hotel imagery by allowing users to manipulate objects in AI-generated images. This innovation enables creative teams to test various room setups without reshooting, affecting marketing strategies by offering family, business, and festive layouts from one image. Hotels can now experiment with interior concepts before renovations, enhancing visual marketing through refined and optimized spaces.

📈 Google and Microsoft, in a significant move for the travel and hospitality industries, are introducing WebMCP to the Chrome 146 Dev channel. This emerging W3C standard allows AI agents to interact with websites without browsing, enhancing customer support, eCommerce, and travel booking. Executives are advised to anticipate competitors leveraging this advancement for a strategic advantage. Explore the GitHub repository for more details: [link](https://lnkd.in/gbG5RrXV).

💻 Airbnb is revolutionizing travel by hiring Meta's former AI head, Ahmad Al-Dahle, as CTO for a platform overhaul. With AI-driven personalization, Airbnb plans to offer tailored travel experiences, reducing fraud by 40% and enabling dynamic pricing. Unlike hotels like Marriott or Hilton, which offer fixed inventory and standard packages, Airbnb's AI adapts to demand and user preferences, offering personalized coordination for events like family reunions. This change challenges traditional hotels to adapt quickly.

📈 February 2026, PriceLabs announced the launch of Listing Optimizer, an AI-powered tool for short-term rental listings, enhancing visibility and conversion. It analyzes titles, descriptions, photos, and amenities to provide data-backed recommendations for estate agencies and hosts. The tool leverages PriceLabs' data to improve listings, aiming to increase bookings and revenue. It offers tailored recommendations for local markets, addressing competitive pressures on platforms like Airbnb.

📰 OpenAI has started running ads in ChatGPT. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, previously called this a "last resort." Hotels could be affected as ads might feature sponsored hotels rather than the best options. AI is evolving rapidly, impacting traditional hotel distribution channels. Hotels with robust commerce infrastructure will adapt, while those with outdated systems might face new financial challenges. This shift mirrors the online travel agency (OTA) model, with AI as a powerful new medium.

🏨 2026, America: Celebrating its 250th anniversary and hosting the FIFA World Cup, the U.S. hospitality industry, led by AHLA’s new board chair Liam Brown, expects a demand surge. Marriott International’s Liam aims to enhance owner-brand relationships and promote hospitality careers. Challenges like rising costs and AI impacts persist, while franchising remains a growth model. AHLA will intensify efforts against human trafficking, advocate policy-wise, and focus on workforce development, emphasizing leadership and opportunity expansion within hospitality.

📊 Who? Reserv by Tambourine. When? Announced today. Where? Globally for hotel booking partners. What? Launched Reserv Analytics—a real-time AI-enabled reporting dashboard. How? By offering channel-segmented performance analysis and custom alerts. Why? To empower hoteliers with instant access to key metrics, aiding faster decisions. Recent enhancements include Reserv Encore and Oracle Cloud availability. Reserv Analytics is a complimentary upgrade for all clients. Tambourine has over 30 years of experience in hotel reservation technology.