Innovation

📶 June 2026, Plano, Texas: Enseo's whitepaper, "The Power of Connections, II," highlights luxury hotels' need to move from manual processes to integrated systems for a seamless guest experience. Insights from hospitality leaders emphasize technology's role in personalization and efficiency, especially when guests pay $1,000 a night. Enseo leaders, Brian Gurley and David Goldstone, and Peter Kressaty from LW Hospitality Advisors stress the importance of connected systems for maintaining guest satisfaction and loyalty.

🏨 In 2026, the hospitality industry focuses on competitive distribution channel management to boost bookings and revenue. Hoteliers must understand and leverage various online distribution channels to succeed. This strategy is crucial to staying competitive in the digital age, as outlined in RateGain's "Ultimate Guide to Hotel Distribution Channels 2026.

📈 40% of travelers utilize AI for trip planning, with 60% of the travel industry testing AI strategies. Hoteliers should adopt Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) akin to SEO for AI-powered searches. Core elements include rich content, conversational keywords, positive reviews, and continuous updates. This strategy enhances bookings, average daily rates, upselling, reputation, and loyalty. GEO is an evolution, not a revolution, benefiting early adopters with AI-driven traffic.

📈 Over 35 DMO chiefs in the Matador AI Council discuss AI strategy focusing on change management and culture. Key themes include updating the organizational chart, involving entire teams, and increasing CEOs' AI competency. The Matador/2050 City AI Roadmap aids departments in maximizing AI use. Staff prefer tools like ChatGPT over Microsoft 365 Copilot. CEOs who actively adopt and communicate AI strategies see a higher adoption rate, reaching 79% with managerial support.

📈 At HITEC week, attendees are advised to ask vendors key questions to evaluate AI technologies. Questions include: How accurate is it? Who's using it in production? How is accountability managed? What is the blast radius without human oversight? Details on data access, retention, and system training are also crucial. Investigate deployment costs and the AI's response to uncertainty. Assess long-term ownership and data usage in training models. Shortlist vendors who address these questions well.

Booth 2821, HITEC, Texas – June 15, 2026 – Access Hospitality has launched Access Evo, a new AI-powered intelligence layer that connects CRS, CRM, RMS and Booking Engine data into a single operating…

HITEC, Booth 3634, Texas – 15th June 2026 – RMS, a leading global hospitality technology platform, has partnered with SUNY Niagara’s Hospitality Management Program to provide students with hands-on experience using industry-leading property management…