Innovation

🛀 2025: hotels faced intense margin pressure, with The Americas' flow-through rates dropping to 18%. Labor and operating costs surged while booking behaviors shifted. Despite RevPAR increases, profitability declined, revealing its limitations as a metric. The industry needed a shift towards performance engineering, a discipline embedding profit-led operations. This requires four shifts: expanding datasets, aligning team mindsets, connecting actions to insights, and employing the right technology. The new approach focuses on GOPPAR for total profitability, not just revenue.

🏨 Elegant Hotels of the World® rebrands, aiming for global scale and commercial discipline. Launched by HotelREZ, the brand introduces a new website boosting visibility and demand generation. The expanded portfolio includes hotels like The Lakes by YOO (Cotswolds) and TreeHouse Villas Koh Yao (Thailand). Their approach caters to travelers seeking unique experiences, with plans for a Masterpiece tier of five-star properties. The brand supports independent hotels' profitability and growth globally.

📈 Marriott and Blacksand will open 10 hotels in Saudi Arabia by 2030, creating over 6,000 jobs, 60% for Saudi nationals. Lighthouse research reveals 82% of AI hotel recommendations rely on OTAs and media. The WTTC's Hotel Sustainability Basics, adopted by over 8,000 hotels, will transition to third-party certification. San Francisco's hotel economic impact is projected to reach $12 billion by 2025, supporting nearly 50,000 jobs and $2 billion in tax revenue.

🏟 Evermore Orlando Resort, partnering with Harvard-trained social scientist Kasley Killam, pioneers a travel shift focusing on relational wellness, emphasizing meaningful connections over individualism. This collaboration, marking a first for luxury hospitality, addresses global loneliness—a concern affecting nearly 1 in 6 according to a 2025 WHO report. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General labeled it a public health crisis. Killam's expertise will shape strategies to foster guest connections, redefining modern luxury in travel.

📈 Expedia Group's research with Censuswide surveyed 1,500 hotel decision-makers across six markets, revealing that 81% of fully connected properties reported improved occupancy, ADR, or RevPAR versus 52% using basic connectivity. Fully connected properties are 1.6 times more likely to see revenue improvements. Moreover, 83% believe connectivity boosts the bottom line, compared to 55% with basic and 26% unconnected. Connectivity reduces manual work, with 81% noting less friction, emphasized by automation handling rates, bookings, and reconciliation.

📊 In June 2026, at HITEC in San Antonio, Maestro PMS engaged with hospitality leaders about evolving tech needs. Key themes included frustration with fragmented tech, the demand for simplified tech stacks, and workforce challenges due to labor shortages. Attendees showed interest in AI applications for operational improvements. Maestro's integration within the Fullsteam ecosystem was positively received, emphasizing the need for unified platforms for personalized guest experiences and streamlined operations.

🚗 Amble, a new mobility company from Portugal, founded by José António Uva, Julian Hoenig, Michael Tropper, and Adrien Roose, plans to launch the Amble One, an electric buggy, by 2027. The vehicle is street-legal in the US and EU, with a starting price of €20,000/$25,000. Initial sales target hospitality clients, with personal vehicles following in 2028. The Amble One features a modular platform, cork steering wheel, and is designed for short-range mobility.

📈 Maestro PMS experienced a successful HITEC 2026 in San Antonio, connecting with hospitality industry professionals to discuss technology needs. Attendees sought integrated platforms for unified guest data and operational efficiency. Key concerns included fragmented tech environments, tech stack simplification, workforce challenges, and AI applications. Maestro's role in the Fullsteam ecosystem was positively received, emphasizing broader integration and innovation. The event highlighted demand for technology that personalizes guest experiences while streamlining operations.

📅 [Paris, 25 June 2026] – The Originals Human Hotels & Resorts, France's largest hotel cooperative, chooses Mews as a preferred property management system. Starting today, over 320 hotels can contract with Mews directly, benefiting from exclusive promotions and pricing. Since 2021, 14 hotels have used Mews, improving guest interaction by reducing desk time. Mews offers a French-friendly PMS with over 1,000 integrations and solutions like POS and Payments to enhance revenue and operations.

📖 PIHE at Cornell University celebrated its 20th anniversary. Over two decades, it has supported student entrepreneurs through its Entrepreneur in Residence program and a three-pillar approach: Education, Engagement, and Experiential Learning. Key events include Hackathon, Pitch Deck, and Business Plan competitions. PIHE aims to prepare future hospitality leaders by fostering creativity and innovation.