Innovation

💻 January 2026, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts released its Owner Trends Report. 🌐 Nearly 98% of hotel owners have adopted AI, with only 32% integrating it across operations. 🔍 73% seek more guidance, with 89% finding brand partnerships beneficial. 💡 AI aids operational (64%) and energy efficiency (54%). 🔮 90% of hoteliers are optimistic about 2026, while 79% plan expansion. 🚀 61% foresee easier financing, and 65% value loyalty programs for success.

💰 Worldwide, in 2026, Mews raised $300 million in Series D funding, valuing the company at $2.5 billion. Lead investor EQT Growth was joined by Atomico and HarbourVest Partners, along with existing backers like Kinnevik, Battery Ventures, and Tiger Global. The funds will be used to enhance AI capabilities and expand Mews Payments. Mews aims to revolutionize the hospitality industry by simplifying operations for hoteliers with advanced, AI-driven systems.

📅 2026 sees AI shift to operational use, with 66% of event professionals indicating AI lets them focus on high-value work. Trust is a key differentiator in a low-trust digital world, while personalization becomes attendee-led. Event costs are expected to rise 20% compared to 2025, prompting a focus on value. First-party data gains importance due to digital attribution challenges. Lastly, 48% of professionals are sourcing non-hotel venues, with restaurants at 45%.

🏨 Roomzzz, since 2006, now operates 11 aparthotels in 8 UK cities. To manage growing operational complexity, they chose RMS as their property management system after evaluating 20 providers. RMS offers real-time visibility, automates 40% of payments, saves up to 11 hours daily, and benefits 60% of long-stay guests with automated VAT drops. All 10 properties migrated in under a week. RMS Pay improves efficiency and guest experience by automating processes.

🏨 ChatGPT for hotels enhances search visibility by integrating listings, brand authority, and referrals. Key components include Local SEO (e.g., "Top hotels in Orlando"), brand consistency (e.g., "Show me rates"), and brand mentions (e.g., "Is IHG better?"). To succeed, hotels should balance listings with direct authority and referrals, effectively navigating the ecosystem influenced by Google Local data.

💸 A 2024 Deloitte report reveals that 75% of European hotel executives plan to invest in data analytics, with 20% piloting AI technology. AI-powered revenue management systems (RMS) optimize hotel pricing by analyzing real-time data and predicting demand. A Milan hotel doubled its revenue and achieved a top 10 TripAdvisor ranking using such a system. AI RMS continuously adjusts prices based on market conditions and demand, ensuring optimal occupancy and revenue without manual intervention.

💻 In the hospitality industry, continuity now relies on systems like PMS, CRM, and AI rather than long-serving employees. While technology retains guest data and operational patterns, it cannot replace human judgment or nuanced decision-making. This shift risks promoting leaders with less real-world experience, making organizations appear efficient but fragile. The challenge lies in nurturing leaders who can act wisely when systems falter. Efficiency should never compromise leadership depth.

📈 In a recent study with over 34,000 booking requests from a leisure hotel, conversion rates varied significantly based on demand conditions. Machine learning identified distinct demand clusters, with logistic regression revealing key conversion factors per cluster. Direct bookings boost net ADR yield by reducing intermediary costs. Hotels should leverage deep data and advanced analytics to tailor strategies for different guest profiles, maximizing conversion through pricing, marketing, and personalized messaging for direct channels.

🛠 Expedia's infrastructure supports 70,000+ businesses, including Chase Travel, which reported $11.3 billion sales in 2024. In Q1 2025, Expedia's B2B segment achieved a 22.8% EBITDA margin, outperforming its consumer segment at 11.1%. AI's rise could challenge Booking.com's visibility control while Expedia could become indispensable infrastructure. Expedia trades at 13-14x forward earnings vs. Booking's 19-21x. AI's impact on both is distinct: Booking risks losing travelers, while Expedia risks being invisible but essential.

💻 Jan 26, 2026, Sabre focuses its AI strategy on booking, servicing, and lifecycle execution in the travel sector. While Google handles initial discovery, Sabre operates in the complex stages like booking and post-trip workflows. Sabre's platform aims to be the AI execution backbone, emphasizing API-driven infrastructure and end-to-end trip management capabilities. The strategy anticipates multiple AI interfaces, with Sabre enhancing backend operations, not consumer-facing interactions. Sabre's platform will scale as agentic tools become more widespread.