Innovation

🗺️ Participants in a 2026 study rated AI recommendations 4.1/5 for accuracy, with only 5% distrusting them. ChatGPT dominated AI tool use at 47%, followed by Google Gemini (22%) and Google AI Mode (20%). Key findings highlight structured content and reviews' impact on AI recommendations. AI featured in 56% of travel journeys in early 2026, up from 33% in 2025. The transition from AI research to booking remains difficult, with most booking handoffs losing crucial details.

💻 78% of hospitality firms use AI, with 89% planning expansion, yet only 6% have a full AI strategy. While 58% measure AI ROI, only 27% do so consistently. The 2026 Hotel Operations Index shows 91% rely on manual reporting, with just 11% having integrated tech stacks. Most run over seven platforms per property. For AI to deliver, consistent operational knowledge is crucial, aiming to enhance back-end operations to improve guest experiences.

💻 In March 2025, Google launched AI Mode, illustrating complex data retrieval and processing methods. AI systems can name luxury hotels and cite sources, but the causal mechanism behind their selections remains hidden. AI visibility is akin to an inverse problem where outputs are observable, but their causes aren't uniquely reconstructable. Citations provide provenance, not proof, of selection. A better AI visibility testing protocol is needed, focusing on selection and citation, controlling variables, and recognizing variability and non-uniqueness in responses.

🛠 Cal Poly Pomona, FIU, Howard University, and UNLV are transforming hospitality education. At FIU, partnerships like the Bacardi Center evolve into innovation hubs. Wyndham Hotels collaborates with universities on AI projects, with a recent intern saving costs by using AI for sustainability. The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation gave $25M to the University of Utah for hospitality leadership. Cal Poly Pomona fosters interdisciplinary research, notably a sensory-inclusive hospitality initiative with Texas A&M.

💸 Accor has expanded its food & beverage tech deployment with Mews POS across 850+ properties in over 20 countries. This initiative enhances operational efficiency, cost optimization, and real-time reporting. Chief Distribution Officer Jean Noel Lau Keng Lun highlighted F&B as a vital revenue and loyalty driver. The program includes a curated panel of solutions, with Mews POS offering quick deployment and adaptability with an Open API, integrating deeply into Accor's Loyalty ecosystem.

📈 Americas Great Resorts analyzed 1,177 AI-generated hotel recommendation responses, noting 6,110 hotel mentions across ten destinations and four engines: ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, and Copilot. In 95.8% of 379 tested groups, the hotel lineup changed at least once. Google Travel links appeared in 270 of 296 Gemini responses, often directing users to Google instead of the hotel website. AGR offers a free AI Visibility Audit for independent luxury hotels to identify and correct visibility issues.

📋 September 2023 saw the conclusion of "Good Morning Hospitality, Hotels Edition" after three years and 150 episodes, as hosts Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk discussed AI in hotels and Royal Caribbean's 50% stake in Sandals Resorts. AI's role in hotels included Hyatt's digital twin for strategic decisions and IHG's voice agents managing 40% of queries. The podcast will evolve into a broader lodging show, airing Wednesdays at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET, featuring more Skift reporters.

💳 HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions) launched the "Cancel for Any Reason" (CFAR) flexible payment solution with Aven Hospitality's Booking Engine, offering global hoteliers enhanced cancellation options. New data shows 87% of travelers value cancellation flexibility, and 62% would add CFAR at checkout. The integration requires no extra work from hotels and maintains existing rates and policies. CFAR boasts a 95% satisfaction rate and over 80% repeat purchase rate, handling 98% of cancellations self-serve.

📈 [Paris – 30th September 2026] Mews expands its F&B technology for Accor's hotel portfolio. Mews POS, active in 850+ properties across 20+ countries, enhances Accor's revenue by streamlining F&B operations. Jean Noel Lau Keng Lun, Accor's Chief Distribution Officer, emphasizes its role in guest loyalty. Richard Valtr, Mews Founder, highlights adaptability to local needs. Mews, powering 15,000 customers in 85 countries, was named Best PMS (2024-2026) and Best POS (2026).

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