Innovation

📈 BCG and NYU's Tisch Center report 37% of travelers use AI for trip planning, projected to reach 58% by 2026. 84% of travelers book based on AI recommendations. Structured data, via Schema.org, is crucial for AI systems to recommend properties. Forbes Travel Guide notes 80% of AI-driven discovery is influenced by reputation. Direct bookings via AI are rising, with 56% going to property websites. Implementing structured data is affordable, but essential for visibility and revenue.

💻 Over two decades, hotel websites were central to online bookings, but this is changing. AI assistants like ChatGPT and Gemini enable real-time conversations, challenging the website's role. Hotels must adapt by integrating AI with booking engines, using a shared knowledge base. Hotels should structure data, upgrade booking engines for conversation, deploy AI assistants, and connect to external agents via MCP. Continuous monitoring ensures improved guest interaction, offering a competitive edge over OTAs in direct sales.

📈 OpenAI paused native checkout in ChatGPT after integrating a dozen merchants out of millions. Critics deemed travel too complex for AI, but OpenAI is regrouping to implement overlooked essentials, like a sales tax system. While checkout is paused, discovery and recommendation thrive, with 50 million shopping queries daily. AI-referred retail traffic converted 31% better than non-AI traffic last holiday season. OpenAI isn't retreating, just refining for future success.

🌊 Coastal Assembly, PBC, based on 9 years of MIT research, has revolutionized land creation using AI and ocean currents. In 6 months, they grew 90 feet of new beach at the JW Marriott Maldives and created an entire island at the Taj Exotica, adding over 800 cubic meters of land. This technology leverages AI-optimized structures to combat coastal erosion, benefiting locations like the Maldives, Fiji, and the Caribbean by ensuring their tourism-dependent beaches remain intact.

💻 London, 23 March 2026: Independent Accommodation Day (24 March) highlights the adoption of AI by independent accommodation providers to enhance efficiency. PwC forecasts 1.5% RevPAR growth and 1.2% occupancy growth in the UK hotel sector for 2026. A survey of 1,485 European hotels reveals 41% of independents use AI, with 16% planning adoption. Meanwhile, 78% of hotel chains use AI, yet only 7% have a company-wide strategy. AI helps independents maintain personalized guest experiences.

💻 Operto launched the GEO Consultant, an AI tool for hotels in Vancouver, Canada. The tool evaluates hotel visibility on AI platforms, providing insights within minutes. Users can enter their website and preferred prompts to receive a visibility indicator, GEO score, and improvement suggestions. Part of Operto ONE’s Distribution AI team, it aims to enhance online presence and direct bookings. CEO Tim Major emphasizes its role in understanding AI-driven visibility.