TOP NEWS

📺 By 2026, 53% of travelers show increased interest in set-jetting, traveling to destinations featured in movies or TV shows. Among Gen Z and Millennials, 81% say entertainment influences their travel choices. Examples include visiting Paris after "Emily in Paris" or New Zealand for "The Lord of the Rings." Hotels near filming locations can capitalize on this trend by offering themed packages and experiences, aligning with pop-culture trends to attract younger travelers and boost bookings.

🛫 PhocusWire’s report for RateHawk, based on a survey of 1,300 professionals, highlights ten trends shaping the travel industry. 57% view AI positively, and nearly 50% are open to AI handling tasks like payment follow-up. Challenges include regulatory changes (27%), financial instability (23%), and customer responsiveness (24%). Inflation, geopolitical issues, and post-pandemic behaviors influence travel, with 11.6 trillion contributed to global GDP. The paper emphasizes diversifying risk, enhancing connectivity, and maintaining human advisory value.

📅 On April 28, 2026, Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel stated partnerships with OpenAI and Google to ensure visibility in AI discovery. Expedia’s CEO Ariane Gorin, on May 8, 2026, emphasized OTAs' role in booking and potential in paid advertising. AI-referred travelers convert 28% less than others, favoring OTAs for bookings. Sensor Tower reports ChatGPT's market share under 50%, with Gemini at 27.7%. Hotels build eligibility infrastructure while OTAs capture revenue.

🏠 Riyadh, 22-24 June 2026: The Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia 2026 welcomes over 150 speakers to the Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah. HRH Prince Turki AlFaisal and Mahmoud Abdulhadi highlighted Saudi Arabia's rapid tourism growth, marking 10 years of Vision 2030 progress. Major events like Riyadh Expo 2030 and FIFA World Cup 2034 will attract global visitors. Hosted by Al Khozama Investment, FHS features networking, investment talks, and awards, enhancing KSA's hospitality sector.

🍳 Michel Roux, a renowned chef, joins Langham Hospitality Group's "Your Story. Our Legacy" campaign in January 2025. His 30-year leadership at Le Gavroche earned it three Michelin stars. Roux has shaped The Langham, London's culinary scene for a decade, blending French techniques with British ingredients. He highlights favorite London spots like Trinity, Miel, and La Fromagerie. The campaign celebrates Langham's 160-year legacy, featuring figures like Ayanga, Joshua Bell, and Dannii Minogue.

📱 Jun 23, 2026, at HITEC: Amadeus launches Performance Manager – AI Search, enabling hotels to buy their way into AI-driven recommendations. In early pilots, 44.7% of AI-driven visitors reached the booking engine, compared to 25.9% from organic search. Discoverability in AI search now comes with a price, marking a shift from organic visibility. This monetization offers Amadeus revenue from both facilitating bookings and charging hotels for AI search presence.

📈 In the hospitality sector, Cloudbeds enables operators to integrate systems via its Open API, connecting over 450 marketplace partners globally. Vacatia, managing nearly 60 resorts and 500,000 owners, leverages Cloudbeds for a cohesive hotel and timeshare operation, enhancing inventory protection and distribution. In major migrations, they transitioned over 4,800 rooms in Orlando and Las Vegas. Grupo Catedral, with 500+ rooms, utilizes Cloudbeds for flexible expansion and custom operational tools.

🏠 Marriott International, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, signed a groundbreaking agreement with Fitwel to enhance wellness across its residential portfolio. In March, The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Chicago achieved a two-star Fitwel Certification with features like a roof garden. Marriott aims to achieve Fitwel certification at multiple residential properties by year-end. Fitwel, created by the CDC and GSA, promotes building health. Marriott's Global HQ, opened in 2022, earned a three-star Fitwel certification.

💻 Austria, Vienna, June 22, 2026 – JUFA Hotels partners with Shiji and Amadeus to upgrade technology across 60+ properties in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein by year-end 2026. The integration of Shiji’s Daylight PMS and Amadeus iHotelier aims to centralize operations, enhance guest experiences, and support JUFA's growth. Shiji boasts a portfolio for 91,000 hotels globally, while Amadeus offers advanced AI-driven travel solutions, supporting JUFA's digital transformation.

🏨 Hotel buyers are valuing properties based on guest data quality, according to PwC's US Deals report, published on June 22, 2026. Hotels with clean, AI-ready data command premiums, while those without face reduced bids. Premium tiers, including luxury and upscale, accounted for 73% of hotel deals in the last six months despite slowed overall activity. The report underscores the importance of managing guest data for valuation, as AI-assisted booking channels become increasingly relevant.