Marketing

📣 A marketing speaker at ad:tech in Japan argues that “performance marketing” and “brand marketing” undermine credibility with CEOs. The author calls separating short- and long-term marketing the No. 1 reason boards make poor marketing investment decisions. They recommend “direct response” instead of “performance marketing,” arguing that all marketing affects brands and must deliver results. Their most-read Marketing Week and Nikkei articles this year addressed these labels; no supporting statistics or specific dates are provided.

✈ Capital One Travel, launched in 2021, is expanding beyond bookings with personalized trip support and destination experiences. At Skift Global Forum in New York, head Sarah Moore said a company survey found more than 70% of travelers consider events or live experiences. Offerings include a cardholder-exclusive culinary trip with José Andrés in Asturias, Spain. A dedicated app launched within the past year supports the company’s goal of helping cardholders throughout their journeys.

🏨 Bespoke Hotels has selected Aven Hospitality’s SynXis platform for 58 UK properties comprising 3,350 rooms, according to an announcement from London. The agreement includes central reservations, booking technology, distribution, digital marketing, retailing and corporate booking tools to boost direct bookings, streamline operations and generate revenue through upgrades and experiences. Aven, formerly Sabre Hospitality, serves more than 35,000 hotels across 190+ countries, with SynXis connecting over 600 integrations.

✈ Emerging Travel Group announced its expanded Marketing Hub in London on November 2, 2026, connecting travel advertisers with hundreds of media providers and channels. Using first-party travel insights, it targets consumer and business audiences across social, display, video, connected TV, digital outdoor and audio. Its reach includes over 110,000 travel professionals in 180 countries. ETG will showcase the offering at WTM London, November 3–5, 2026.

🍽 Earl Enterprises’ Chief Sales & Marketing Officer revealed at the MURTEC Executive Summit that voice AI doubled banquet leads. The executive also explained why traditional marketing calendars fail and described group dining as restaurant technology’s final frontier.

🎾 Hilton, Marriott, Accor and Hyatt are turning hotels into sports backdrops through partnerships with federations and tournaments. Hilton and Marriott film pre-match rituals at their properties, Accor transforms a palace hotel with Grand Slam colours, and Hyatt records a podcast featuring women tennis players.

🏨 Pic PR launched PressStays.com on Thursday, 29 October, connecting over 50 hotels with 500 vetted journalists and influencers. Introductory hotel membership costs £299 plus VAT monthly per property; approved media join free. Hotels arrange hosted stays in exchange for potential exposure, without extra influencer fees. Editorial coverage remains independent and unguaranteed. Built on nearly 15 years of hospitality PR experience, the platform averaged five new media applications daily during final testing.

📨 Based on an analysis of 2 million emails from 48 hotels, the "Inside the hotel inbox 2026" report reveals that speedy replies don't guarantee higher booking rates. Only 2% of unanswered offers received a follow-up, representing a potential €3.7 million in bookings. The research, covering leisure and business stays, excludes groups and events. Founded in 2024, Altek AI helps automate and enhance hotel communications, improving response times and personalization while preserving hospitality's human touch.

📈 October 2026, Phoenix, Arizona—BWH Hotels launched WorldHotels, integrating 4,000 hotels and 18 brands under a single loyalty program with 70 million members. This transformation aims to unify and enhance global recognition, featuring a streamlined loyalty system with three membership tiers. Key strategic changes include a new digital platform, investing over 10,000 hours in insights, and a unified WorldHotels Collection across six categories, including Luxury and Residences, preserving individuality while expanding global reach.

✈ MakeMyTrip, India's largest online travel agency, reported $2.7 billion in gross bookings for Q2, up 21% year-over-year. Adjusted operating profit reached $46.2 million. Non-air businesses contributed 63.2% to bookings, up from 61.5%. Domestic air departures fell 7%, international 4%, while fares increased 25%-30%. MakeMyTrip holds over 30% of domestic air-ticketing. Hotels and packages constitute 40% of the business, with stand-alone hotel room nights up 18.6% and domestic room nights up over 20%.