Marketing

💳 Accor and H World Group announced a partnership last week, connecting their loyalty and booking platforms across China, Europe, and the Middle East. This agreement gives access to a combined 430 million members. Initially, it involves around 240 hotels with select benefits. The long-term aim is to integrate their entire hotel portfolios. Success depends on how many members book with the partner's platform. Accor's Deputy CEO Jean-Jacques Morin and H World's Chief Strategy Officer Jihong He emphasized gradual collaboration expansion.

🏨 2026, Expedia reports that 80% of travelers use an OTA during their booking journey, despite often finalizing elsewhere. Direct booking proves more profitable with acquisition costs 5 to 8 times lower than OTA commissions, typically 15-25%. The critical moment occurs when travelers shift from OTAs to hotel websites, where missing information or technical issues risk losing them back to familiar OTAs. Understanding traveler profiles is crucial for optimizing hotel website conversions.

🏨 Pullman Hotels & Resorts unveiled a global campaign at Pullman xChange Paris, following its first event in Dubai. The event at Pullman Paris Montparnasse and Pullman Paris Bercy hosted 150 attendees including media, influencers, and creatives like Monika Jiang and Laura François. The brand, established in 1859, embraces human connection and creativity, aiming to redefine hospitality. The campaign, filmed in Dubai and Bangkok, emphasizes cultural exchange rather than traditional hospitality.

🏨 Who? Hotel industry. When? Ongoing. Where? Globally, through hotel websites or apps. What? A hotel booking engine is specialized software enabling direct room bookings. How? By allowing customers to search for and book rooms based on various criteria, enhancing convenience for users.