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Revenue Managers Are Being Asked to Do a Different Job And a New Community Is Emerging Around It

A new online community for hotel revenue managers, called The PickUp , has recently launched with a simple premise: the role of the revenue manager is changing quickly, and many people doing the work are trying to keep up in isolation. That may feel familiar. In conversations with revenue leaders, a common theme keeps coming up: the past few years haven’t just been busy, they’ve changed the shape of the job. Pricing is still at the center, but it no longer feels like the whole role. Distribution strategy, segmentation, and positioning have always been part of revenue management. What’s different now is how central they’ve become. More of the work is happening upstream, before a guest ever evaluates a rate. That shift is being accelerated by changes in how travelers search and make decisions. AI-driven discovery, conversational search, and recommendation platforms are starting to influence which properties even make it into consideration. In that environment, pricing still matters, but it’s no longer the main lever driving performance. As a result, the role is expanding beyond reacting to demand and toward influencing how demand is created and captured. In practice, that often means revenue leaders are spending more time in conversations that used to sit outside the function by working more closely with marketing, distribution, and brand to understand how decisions connect. At the same time, technology is rapidly improving the mechanics of pricing itself. AI-driven systems can now analyze demand signals at scale, adjust rates dynamically, and continuously learn from booking behavior. For many revenue managers, this creates both opportunity and a degree of uncertainty. If systems are getting better at executing pricing decisions, where does that leave the human role? The answer seems to lie in areas that are harder to automate: context, judgment, prioritization, and cross-functional thinking. Not just deciding what the price should be, but understanding how pricing fits into a broader strategy for capturing and converting demand. This is where the role begins to evolve in a more meaningful way. The modern revenue manager is not just optimizing price, but helping shape how a property competes across a connected system of signals, including pricing, distribution, content, and positioning. Despite how quickly this shift is happening, there has been no central place for revenue leaders to consistently talk about it. Most conversations still happen in fragments across LinkedIn groups, subreddits, conferences, or small peer groups. Helpful in the moment, but hard to build on over time. The emergence of communities like The PickUp reflects a growing need for something more consistent. A place where revenue managers, general managers, and pricing leaders can share ideas, compare approaches, and learn from each other as the role continues to evolve. Not because the industry lacks expertise, but because the pace of change has made it harder to navigate alone. The core question is no longer just what price will convert. It is increasingly about how a property shows up, how it is chosen, and how demand is shaped before price
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Applications open for 2026 Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards

The European Travel Commission (ETC) has once again joined forces with the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN) , Europa Nostra and the Network of European Regions for Competitive and Sustainable Tourism (NECSTouR) to launch the 2026 edition of the Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism Awards . Now in its ninth year, the initiative continues to spotlight innovative approaches to sustainable cultural tourism across Europe. This year’s theme, “Sustainable Tourism Strategy and Culture Compass for Europe: Synergies for Regenerative, Smart and Resilient Cultural Tourism” , reflects a growing focus on building destinations that are not only sustainable but also adaptive and forward-looking. Applications are open to a wide range of stakeholders, including national, regional and local authorities, tourism boards and associations, destination management organisations, museums, interpretation centres, cultural routes, festivals and cultural NGOs. Eligible applicants are invited to present tangible results and achievements in sustainable cultural tourism development. Candidates may submit their applications under one of the following categories: Resilience in sustainable cultural tourism destinations , including natural heritage, green transition, and climate action. Creative Tourism and Co-Created Cultural Tourism Experiences. Digitalisation in smart tourism cultural heritage and creativity aspects, enhancing visitor experiences . Transnational thematic tourism products involving culture and heritage , including European Cultural Routes and European Heritage Label networks, cross-border and multi-destination tourism initiatives involving at least 2 countries. Active, Slow and Accessible Cultural Tourism – Walking, Cycling and Hiking Tourism around Culture and Heritage. Regenerative Cultural Tourism & Heritage Led Destination Regeneration – Regenerative Tourism Synergies with Culture and Heritage. The winners will be announced during the Awards Ceremony, taking place as part of the 19th International Conference for Cultural Tourism, organised by ECTN from 23 to 26 September 2026 on Skiathos island, in the Thessalia Region of Greece. The deadline for applications is 15 May 2026 . Further information on the 2026 Awards is available at this link .
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Is hotel marketing broken? Why siloed data won’t drive more revenue

Hotel marketers aren’t short on data. But they are short on connected data. And that’s why more emails, more campaigns, and more signals aren’t boosting revenue. In this episode of Hotel Moment, Revinate CMO Karen Stephens chats with Evan Crawford of Pyramid Global Hospitality to show how siloed guest profiles are quietly sabotaging your results. They dive into how connecting your data unlocks real personalization, why segmentation turns noise into revenue, and how AI only works when your foundation is solid. The lesson is simple: Stop guessing. Start connecting. Turning disconnected data into a unified strategy will position your hotel to drive more revenue, stronger engagement, and experiences guests actually notice. Listen now and turn your data into your superpower. Meet your host Karen Stephens As Chief Marketing Officer at Revinate, Karen is focused on driving long-term growth by building Revinate’s brand equity, product marketing, and customer acquisition strategies. Her deep connections with hospitality industry leaders play a key role in crafting strategic partnerships. Karen has more than 25 years of expertise in global hospitality technology and online distribution — including managing global accounts in travel and hospitality organizations such as Travelocity and lastminute.com As the host of The Hotel Moment podcast, she interviews top players in the hospitality industry. Karen has been with Revinate for over 11 years, leading our global GTM teams. Her most recent transition was from Chief Revenue Officer, where she led the team in their highest booking quarter to date in Q4 2023. Watch the video Transcript [00:00:00] Evan Crawford: We have so much data available to us, but that doesn’t mean we should just spray and pray and just send mass marketing to people all the time. It should just be crafted in a thoughtful way to make sure that the customer actually wants to act on the message we’re sending them. [00:00:21] Intro: Welcome to the Hotel Moment Podcast, presented by Revinate, the podcast where we discuss how hotel technology shapes every moment of the hotelier’s experience. Tune in for our guest episodes where we explore the cutting-edge technology transforming the hospitality industry and hear from experts and visionaries shaping the future of guest experiences. Alongside our conversations with guests, we have episodes for you, hosted by Revinator Brenna Turpin, on resources available to you all. These resource-packed episodes have granular advice on overcoming industry and operational challenges so you can emerge as a hotel superhero. Whether you’re a hotelier or a tech enthusiast, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in and discover how we can elevate hospitality together. [00:01:06] Karen Stephens:Hello and welcome to the Hotel Moment Podcast. I’m your host, Karen Stephens, the Chief Marketing Officer of Revinate. And today we are thrilled to have Evan Crawford, Vice President of Marketing at Pyramid Global Hospitality, back on the podcast. The first time Evan was on was two years ago when we were live at our NAVIGATE conference in Miami. This year, NAVIGATE is taking place in Phoenix, and yes, Evan
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ChatGPT is the new front door for hotel discovery. Here’s what that actually means.

The AI conversation in hospitality has become filled with a whole lot of noise. “AI will transform guest experience”. “AI will revolutionize revenue management.”“AI will change everything.” You've heard all the pitches. You've sat through all the webinars. You’ve had your fill of yet another thought leadership piece. Most of these conversations are missing the point. AI already changed something real. Not on a roadmap, but right now, in the way travelers find and book hotels. But first, let me take you back twenty years to explain why that matters. The moment most hoteliers wish they'd paid attention In 2003, Google wasn't a strategy. It was a website where tech people looked things up. Then it became how every traveler in the world found hotels. The hotels that figured out SEO early held their positions for years. Not because they were the best hotels. Because they moved first and the algorithm learned to trust them. The ones that waited on the sidelines found themselves paying OTAs to reach guests who would have booked direct if they'd had the chance. Twenty years later, many still are. That story is repeating itself, but exponentially faster. What's actually happening in ChatGPT Travelers are using ChatGPT to find hotels. Not as a novelty, but as a first option. ChatGPT has 900 million users, a platform 133 times larger than the iPhone App Store at launch in 2008. AI-driven travel search is already growing 50% faster than traditional search. Two thirds of travelers have used AI in some part of trip planning ( Booking.com , 2025). 1 in 3 are using it to actually book (Adyen, 2025). But here's the part most people gloss over. When a traveler searches Google, they get a list of links. They do the filtering, and the hotelier still has a say in what a potential guest sees. When a traveler asks an AI for a hotel recommendation, the AI decides for them. There is no page two. There are no maps. There is just a recommendation that reads like advice from someone who knows what they're talking about (someone they trust). The question is whether your hotel is the one being recommended. Right now, for most hotels, it simply isn't. Booking.com and Expedia were live in the ChatGPT App Directory on day one. Their inventory has been in those conversations from the start. They didn't wait to see how things developed, they moved first. If your hotel doesn't have a direct presence, AI will represent you however it can. Scraped from OTA listings you didn't write. Assembled from sources you can't update. Filtered through a platform with no interest in telling your story well. You've been here before. What changed on March 4, 2026 On March 4, Lighthouse launched The Hotels Network app, the first direct booking app for hotels inside ChatGPT. It's live in the ChatGPT App Directory right now. Open ChatGPT, go to Apps, search "hotel." It's the first result. Here's how it works. A traveler asks
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The U.S. Hotel Industry is: Stable? Wobbly? Tilt! A “Current State Diagnostic”

Although, depending on the day, the prognosis could read, “Tilt! Wobble, stable”, it’s a matter of perspective. My perspective comes from the “hotel consultancy” sphere. You know, the souls who “borrow your watch to tell you what time it is.” As the course of world events unfolds, I cannot tell what diagnosis will prevail. I can tell you what you do now will either prepare you well, or fate will deal with you as it will. Oddly, this is not a thinly veiled article of self-promotion. I promise. It is a non-empirical, nondenominational depiction of a way to think in times like these. To be clear, consultancies like HVS, McKinsey & Company, and Cayuga Hospitality provide excellent services — no doubt. But this isn’t about them, it’s about you . One of the core things I do for clients is called a “Current State Diagnostic”, which I describe this way. Current State Diagnostic “From The Biltmore to The Broadmoor, an exclusive Naples retreat or isolated surf resort in Bali, all great successful hotel properties require meticulous attention as investments and environments. It is valuable to gain an objective perspective that cuts to the heart of the matter. Valley of the Moon Partners can craft a “white paper” document, quickly defining the challenges of a struggling asset or one aspiring to greater things. A “Diagnostic” appropriate for hotel owners, investors, or the currently active Management company can reveal challenges or growing success. Fresh insights into the composite financial state of a hotel property , the level of operational execution , and customer experience are a reality check, good or bad for key stakeholders.” A bit flowery, but you get the idea. And this is where you come in. Every hotel property has good and bad years. A review of the Star market share, P&L, and variance of marketing spend to room nights gained might tell you a certain story, but it might not get to “the heart of the matter.” You can only get that by listening intently to your people , on the ground, in the field, engaged in the day to day, every day. That is exactly what I do. Beyond the Numbers It is critical to crunch all the data, know the hard numbers, and reflect on what the market is telling you about your share of it, but real-time interviews of staff are a compelling reality check. Corporate brand leaders, asset managers, regional directors, market managers, and especially General Managers can all engage in this “free” pool of information. This applies to any size hotel, any location, any day. Luxury, Upper-scale, Mid-scale, economy, resort, retreat, residence — all the same resource. This is not an associate opinion survey, it’s about what is actually happening every day with our guests, our processes, and our policies. What you might find will almost always surprise you and may not always delight you. You have to take the time and that is hard. I recently returned from one such engagement where,
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From Front Desk to Digital: How 95% Automated Hotels Are Changing the Game

In today’s hospitality landscape, self-service check-in is no longer a novelty- it’s an expectation. Guests want speed, autonomy, and simplicity from the moment they arrive. At the same time, hotel operators are under increasing pressure to reduce costs, manage staff shortages, and improve operational efficiency. While many solutions focus primarily on software, the reality on the ground is different: true transformation in hospitality begins with reliable, purpose-built hardware combined with seamless system integration . This is where a new generation of kiosk solutions—like those developed by kiosk.eu —are changing the conversation. Self-Service Is Expected- But Execution Matters Industry data consistently shows that a majority of guests prefer self-service options when available. The appeal is clear: no queues, no delays, and full control over the check-in process. However, many hotels struggle with implementation. Why? Because self-service is not just about adding software it’s about delivering a fully integrated, physical touchpoint that works flawlessly in real-world environments. A kiosk is not just a screen. It is: A payment terminal A key encoder A document verification system A 24/7 operational interface Without robust hardware and reliable integrations, even the best software falls short. The Shift Toward Hardware-Led Guest Journeys Forward-thinking hotels are now prioritizing hardware-first solutions that are designed specifically for hospitality environments—not adapted from retail or generic use cases. Purpose-built kiosks deliver: Consistent performance in high-traffic environments Integrated peripherals (payment, keycard, ID scanning) Secure and compliant guest data handling Minimal maintenance and downtime This approach ensures that the guest journey is not only digital but also dependable and scalable . Seamless PMS Integration: The Real Backbone of Automation No kiosk solution can succeed without deep integration into a hotel’s Property Management System (PMS). Modern kiosks must connect effortlessly with the world’s leading PMS platforms to enable: Real-time reservation retrieval Automated guest data synchronization Instant room assignment Secure payment processing Keycard encoding and access control kiosk.eu solutions are designed with integration at their core , ensuring compatibility with a wide range of global PMS providers. The result? A frictionless flow from booking to room access—without manual intervention. Reducing Operational Pressure Without Reducing Service One of the biggest misconceptions about automation is that it replaces human interaction. In reality, it redefines it . By automating repetitive front desk tasks such as: Check-in processing Payment handling ID verification Hotels can free up staff to focus on what truly matters: Personalized guest interactions Problem-solving Upselling high-value services This shift leads to better service—not less service . Unlocking Revenue at the Point of Arrival The check-in moment is one of the most powerful opportunities to generate additional revenue. With kiosk-based check-in, hotels can: Offer room upgrades Promote early check-in options Present add-ons like breakfast, parking, or experiences Unlike traditional front desk interactions, kiosks allow guests to explore options at their own pace—resulting in higher conversion rates and increased ancillary revenue . Speed, Simplicity, and Scalability A well-designed kiosk solution enables guests to complete check-in in just a few minutes, with: Quick reservation search Intuitive step-by-step guidance Integrated
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Apaleo launches AI Copilot to ease operational pressure on hotel teams

MUNICH, 26 March, 2026 – Apaleo , the API-first property management platform for hospitality businesses, has launched Apaleo Copilot , a new agentic layer embedded in the platform that simplifies hotel operations. With a lightweight chat interface, staff can ask Apaleo Copilot to handle complex tasks, such as checking arrivals, extending stays, planning housekeeping, resolving overbookings, and assigning rooms, without having to switch between multiple systems or applications. Built on Apaleo’s open, API-first architecture, Apaleo Copilot takes a scalable approach to AI adoption in hospitality. Rather than introducing a separate tool or isolated assistant, it provides a shared agentic infrastructure that can be shaped to fit how each business already operates. Hospitality businesses can upload plain-text standard operating procedures (SOPs) and internal process documentation to train the infrastructure on their existing ways of working. This enables Apaleo Copilot to understand the context behind each request and autonomously follow the hotel’s established processes in the background. Because the same infrastructure can be adapted to different operating models, Apaleo Copilot can support a wide range of hospitality businesses, from individual properties to groups and brands. Designed as a flexible, trainable agent, Apaleo Copilot will become more adaptable to each property over time. Businesses will be able to train it on their own processes and standards, tailored to a specific property, group, or brand. Third-party apps and agents will also be able to connect to Apaleo Copilot, enabling agent-to-agent (A2A) communication and bringing hoteliers closer to running a truly autonomous hotel. The launch comes as hospitality businesses face growing pressure to do more with lean teams while adapting to new AI expectations. A study by NYU and BCG found that only 2.9% of full-time employees in travel and tourism possess AI skills, compared with 21% in tech and media. Separately, BCG’s 2025 global “AI at Work” survey found that regular AI use among frontline employees has stalled at 51%, but rises significantly when workers have the right tools. Against this backdrop, Apaleo is taking a more practical approach to AI adoption. With Apaleo Copilot, AI is embedded directly into the workflows hotel teams already use, helping staff more efficiently utilise and navigate different systems across their tech stack through one interface. Its natural language design makes it intuitive for non-technical staff. Use cases available today Apaleo Copilot supports a range of complex, multi-step operational tasks, including: Extending reservation Handles OTA and direct booking extensions based on availability, checks pricing, and reassigns rooms where needed. Smart room assignment Reviews reservations, identifies available rooms, groups related stays, such as families and groups, considers guest preferences, and distributes rooms efficiently across the property. It can also flag rooms still requiring housekeeping. Resolving overbooking Checks reservations for a given property and date, identifies overbooked room categories, and automatically upgrades reservations based on rules such as prioritising the shortest stays. Housekeeping report Provides an overview of room status, including clean, dirty, vacant, and occupied rooms, with a detailed breakdown of rooms that need cleaning or maintenance. It can
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How AI is Pushing Past Hotel Guest Personas

For years, hotel guest personas have been a standard tool in hotel marketing. In this article, we will explain the limitations of the traditional way of creating and using personas. We will introduce how AI can help hotel build more personalized experience and service to their guests based on deep data. Personas appear in strategy decks, CRM systems and campaign briefs as proof that a hotel “knows its guests”. Typically, they are built as a traditional marketing persona, i.e. a simplified profile that turns customer data into a story about preferences, motivations and likely behaviors. In a slower-moving environment, that approach helped teams align and act. In the age of AI, however, it has become a limitation. The central problem with personas is that they were designed to reduce complexity, while AI in the hospitality industry creates value by learning from complexity. As hotels invest in AI for a plethora of tasks (e.g., pricing, forecasting, conversion optimization and guest experience personalization) many are discovering that the main barrier is not the algorithm but the mental model behind the data. AI has plenty of processing power but can fail when it is trained on flattened representations of guest behavior. In essence, hotels are applying advanced technology on top of outdated assumptions. Personas remove the variation, context, causality and real-time signals AI needs in order to be precise and adaptive. Personas are Outdated The first issue is that personas are built on averages , while AI works on individual-level variation. A persona is an aggregate profile, in other words a “typical guest” created by compressing many observations into a single narrative. That may simplify internal communication, but it comes at the cost of accuracy. Yet, AI creates value from differences that include slight variations between similar guests, changes with the same guest over time or reactions to small contextual shifts. Two guests assigned to the same persona may respond very differently to a rate increase, a cancellation rule, a loyalty benefit or an upgrade offer. More importantly, the same guest may react differently from one trip to the next even on business trips, for example. When hotels train AI on averaged assumptions, they blunt the precision the technology is meant to deliver. Averages make management conversations easier, but they often hide the signals AI needs to support better decisions. Decisions Depend on Contextual Factors This averaging problem leads to a second, distinct limitation. Personas also assume guest behavior is set in stone. However, even a well-built persona struggles in hospitality because guest decisions are often dynamic . Hotels serve guests before booking, during booking, during the stay and even after departure. A room night is shaped by travel purpose (business, leisure or bleisure labels hardly suffice), travel distance, trip duration, reimbursement rules, urgency, budget pressure, trip companion, cancellation risk, visible alternatives, and many other situational factors. These variables do not operate in isolation; they interact. An Exhausted Guest is a Captive Customer A simple example illustrates how guest behavior shifts depending on
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