Marketing

📖 Regula Luescher, a leader in urban re-invention in Zurich and Berlin, emphasized that authenticity cannot be fabricated. The current hospitality narrative prioritizes storytelling over tangible experiences, creating disillusionment. This "reverse iceberg" approach focuses on superficial narratives rather than substance. To truly engage, understanding and designing for actual needs is essential. Instead of just telling stories, spaces should genuinely reflect and resonate with the people and moments they are designed for.

📲 TikTok has launched a Local Feed, transforming how small businesses connect with users. This new feature benefits local establishments like restaurants and gyms by providing a dedicated tab for visibility, countering the previous preference for large advertisers. For Gen Z, TikTok replaces traditional search methods, acting as a platform for discovering local services. This shift, noted by Tim van der Wiel, highlights TikTok's growing influence in local commerce and user behavior. #TikTokShop #eCommerce

🌱 Savoyen launched “Spring Deal Days 2026” with a 25% discount, creating momentum with vibrant visuals. Penta Hotels used an interactive Easter egg hunt to engage visitors, increasing website interaction. Regina offered a curated “Parisian Spring Getaway” package, focusing on value beyond price. Hôtel Inn Design used geo-targeting for tailored offers to U.S. visitors, enhancing relevance. Guest House introduced a mobile Inliner to deliver seasonal value at decision points, blending offers into the booking experience naturally.

🏨 In hospitality, performance marketing often focuses on optimizing the bottom of the funnel with tighter targeting, better bids, and smarter retargeting. However, the creative aspects often remain static, with ads featuring generic images of empty rooms and discounts. Despite investing thousands of dollars, the creative magnetism is rarely questioned. Effective marketing requires video and photography that resonate emotionally and copy that connects with travelers, as emotion drives purchasing decisions in hospitality.

📝 AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini rely on OTA listings for hotel information. Outdated or generic descriptions on platforms like Booking.com or Expedia affect a property's online reputation and booking potential. This week, property managers are advised to review their listings, correcting inaccuracies and vague descriptions. Inaccurate details lead to missed bookings, as AI uses these listings to provide answers to potential guests. Regular updates could take about 45 minutes across platforms.

💸 OpenAI is charging $60 per 1,000 ad views on ChatGPT—three times Meta's typical rate of $20. Ads will roll out soon for free and Go-tier users, excluding under-18s and sensitive topics. Advertisers will receive basic metrics, lacking conversion data provided by Google and Meta. This strategy highlights OpenAI's confidence in ChatGPT's unique ad value, despite limited analytics. The move tests if AI-powered conversations justify higher costs with less data transparency due to privacy commitments.

💸 Google AI's instant checkout is now live, featuring "Buy" buttons directly in the conversation, similar to ChatGPT's experience. Etsy and Wayfair are currently live, with Shopify, Target, and Walmart joining soon. Announced a month ago at NRF in NYC, it uses the open UPC protocol developed with Shopify and others, aiming for a more flexible solution than the ACP protocol. AI Mode on Google and Chrome will enhance visibility, potentially succeeding where Buy on Google struggled.

📶 Ads in ChatGPT appear at the bottom of responses, labeled "Sponsored," with options to hide or report. These ads, available for a small user set in the US, are decided in the ChatGPT backend, not client-side like on Facebook or Google. They don't influence answers, and user data shared with advertisers is minimal. Ads can appear side by side, similar to Amazon's sponsored products, and refreshing the conversation retains the same ads.

📈 Eduardo Bosch outlines Louvre Hotels Group's strategic plan developments since Federico Gonzalez Tejera's initiation over two and a half years ago. Actions include enhancing relations with shareholder Jin Jiang and launching a multi-million euro PR campaign in France. The group is strengthening ties with franchise partners and aims to expand in the economy and midscale hotel segments.