Innovation

📈 Booking Holdings and Airbnb are investing in AI travel ventures to adapt to evolving travel technology. This strategic move impacts hotels, as these platforms could control both booking engines and AI-driven travel assistants. Dr. Aradhana Khowala emphasizes genuine sustainability in hospitality, while Bernold Schroeder advocates for resilient leadership. The EU sustainability law takes effect in September. The focus for hotels should be on clean data and open integrations to effectively implement AI tools, as poorly managed data will hinder progress.

💻 IHG Hotels & Resorts has launched an IHG app within ChatGPT, allowing users to explore over 7,000 hotels in 100+ countries. The app provides real-time availability, pricing, and amenities, directing users to IHG's direct booking channels. Soon, IHG.com and the IHG One Rewards app will feature AI-powered conversational search for easier hotel discovery and booking. Chief Product & Technology Officer Jolie Fleming emphasizes AI’s role in enhancing guest experiences, with over one million guests staying nightly worldwide.

💻 In October 2025, Eleven, an AHLA member based in Las Vegas, Nevada, acquired Stella Networks from Bright Star Pty Ltd. Stella, a hospitality network orchestration platform, automates network management for hotels and is SOC 2 compliant. This acquisition enhances Eleven’s ability to manage network infrastructures, offering hotel brands streamlined operations and compliance. The financial terms remain undisclosed.

🛫 Expedia aims to become the ultimate travel companion by integrating AI and partnering with Uber, Meta, and TikTok, as discussed at a recent event in Las Vegas. Despite previous attempts in 2015, the focus is now on cross-channel strategies to enhance user experience. The hotel sector remains cautious, leveraging loyalty programs amid low trust in AI. Meanwhile, direct booking remains key, as travelers prioritize cost-efficiency over convenience, marking a shift from traditional travel agents.

📅 [London, 8 June 2026] – Mews has expanded its role as the preferred property management system for Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) beyond Europe into the Americas and APAC. SLH comprises over 700 luxury hotels across 90+ countries. Since 2023, more than 50 SLH properties have integrated Mews, with Opus XVI in Norway reporting a 67% RevPAR increase and a 34% ADR rise. This expansion aims to enhance personalized guest experiences and streamline hotel operations globally.

💸 HEI Hotels & Resorts, managing over 100 U.S. properties, has adopted Canary Technologies' Dynamic Upsells to boost revenue and guest satisfaction. This tech enables upsell offers from pre-arrival to departure, enhancing guest personalization without complicating operations. Jeremy See, Chief Commercial Officer at HEI, and DJ Singh, Canary's VP of Global Sales, emphasize its efficiency. By automating add-ons, HEI aims to drive ancillary revenue and improve guest experiences.

🍱 In 2026, the Hotel Yearbook proposes a National Food & Beverage Strategy emphasizing sustainable gastronomy through ten key principles. Asia Sustainable Travel explores health-focused F&B experiences, showcasing seven ancestral superfoods from six Asian countries: kombu (Japan), bamboo shoots (China), holy basil (Thailand), ulam raja and heirloom beets (Malaysia), amaranth (India), and extra virgin olive oil (Jordan). Michelin-starred Chef Hiroyuki Saotome highlights kombu's essential role in Kaiseki cuisine, sourced from Rishiri Island, Hokkaido.

📅 Hoteliers are worried about AI integration in their operations. While many fear they're behind, their skepticism is often justified. Existing systems at IHG and Sheraton manage well without AI disruptions. The industry's focus should be on demand-side changes, which influence how travelers select hotels. There's no immediate operational crisis; instead, the concern lies in adapting to shifting consumer behavior and technology trends, not in replacing functioning systems hastily.

📰 Coral Sea Hotels Group, on June 08, 2026, in Sydney, Australia, chose Shiji’s Daylight PMS for its seven properties, including the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The cloud-based platform centralizes guest profiles, improves operational efficiency, and enhances personalized services. Integrated solutions like Infrasys POS and SiteMinder optimize operations and revenue management. Shiji supports emerging market leaders with secure, guest-focused technology, enabling seamless guest experiences and data-driven decisions.

🛑 June 8, 2026, Wilmington, Delaware – A U.S. luxury hotel group saves over 3,000 operational hours monthly through RobosizeME’s AI-enabled workflow automation, far exceeding their initial 600-hour target. Implemented automations streamline finance, reconciliation, and back-office tasks, covering areas like commission reconciliation and purchase order processing. The initiative enhances efficiency with a leaner team while maintaining service standards. RobosizeME will showcase more projects during HITEC 2026.