Innovation

📈 Hotel marketing teams preparing for the 2027 budget should focus on cost of acquisition instead of a percentage of revenue, especially with AI search and agentic booking on the rise. A 15:1 Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS) might signal weak growth. Cendyn, with 35,000 global customers in 150+ countries, helps hotels drive direct bookings, leveraging first-party data to improve visibility and revenue. Learn more at cendyn.com.

🏌️ Agilysys Golf, a top-tier golf management platform, is now used at 109 golf properties, including 39 of the Top 100 U.S. resort golf courses. As of August 27, 2026, the platform is deployed at premier locations like The Otesaga Resort Hotel. Users report a 20% increase in green fee revenue, a 6% rise in retail revenue, and a 12% reduction in third-party rounds. Agilysys enhances operations by integrating golf management with hospitality services.

🤖 In 2026, a study by Brown, Bhadury, and Bougoure found AI-designed products were positively evaluated when brands were linked to passion rather than profit. A 2026 study by Nguyen et al. revealed leaders with high political skill were perceived as more authentic. Les Roches, a Swiss institution founded in 1954, offers hospitality degrees and promotes innovation with a diverse student body. AI in hospitality aids service personalization, but its use reflects organizational values.

📈 42% of hoteliers report workplace technology as a friction source due to rushed training and complex interfaces. More than half of industry-wide pricing recommendations get overridden when systems are unexplained. Successful AI adoption requires gradual trust-building: starting with suggestions, then using guardrails, before full automation. Hackathons identify leaders for AI rollouts. LodgIQ emphasizes reasoning in recommendations to reduce overrides and enhance profitability. The tech is ready; the challenge is ensuring organizations structure their adoption process effectively.

🏖 August 27, Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea integrates the desert in design and wellness, offering experiences tied to Saudi culture and Nabataean heritage. Our Habitas AlUla provides immersive wellness and cultural experiences. At RESET Hotel, Joshua Tree, guests engage in digital detox through yoga and stargazing. By 2026, Desert Rock and Nujuma achieved DarkSky Certification, enhancing night sky experiences. Since 2011, GCSTIMES focuses on sustainable innovation, offering diverse products under brands like GCS and AUROkeys.