TOP NEWS

🏨 In 2025, private equity firms dominate hotel asset acquisitions with strategies like buying distressed assets and repositioning them for stronger returns at exit. They invest with a horizon of 6-10 years. The hotel industry is shifting to accommodate experiential group travel and corporate events, where urban hotels excel, especially with unique characteristics. Non-urban resorts outperform expectations, attracting boutique and high-end retreat demand. Deal volumes are influenced by high interest rates, economic uncertainty, and remote work trends. Catalysts like easing interest rates and improved financing conditions could revive transactions. Family offices and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are becoming significant in the market, often with longer-term investment horizons and less reliance on debt. Interest grows in select-service hotels for their lean operations and luxury hotels for their premium returns and long-term appreciation. Monitoring these trends is key for stakeholders in the evolving hospitality sector.

📝 In the hotel industry, the trend is leaning towards all-in-one solution providers to streamline services, buying power, and integration despite not always offering the best features individually. Discussions reveal that hotel technology still faces challenges with integration. Elsewhere, Sesame’s voice AI shows promise with human-like interactions but lacks purpose, particularly in tasks like hotel room booking. Key insights also highlight the importance of system design over graphic design in multi-product company rebranding, suggesting that true solutions are often simple and unflashy, and that internal buy-in is crucial.

🏡 SiteMinder's 2025 Changing Traveller Report identifies the 'everything traveller,' focusing on accommodation preferences and behaviors. Luxury hotel guests, willing to pay for enhanced experiences and convenience, plan to increase travel budgets, with 59% spending more than the previous year. Event travel is a key growth area, with 68% traveling for events like family celebrations (34%), music (34%), or sports (23%). Millennials lead upscale bookings at 21%, with high-end room must-haves being views (55%) and quality bedding (53%). Add-on preferences include breakfast (51%) and airport transfers (34%). Spa treatments and gourmet experiences rank high (43%), with 45% working during trips. Despite cost-consciousness, 27% state rising costs don't affect their plans. James Bishop, SiteMinder's VP, highlights the 'save to spend' approach, with 59% favoring package deals. Digital savvy luxury travelers expect online efficiency, starting searches on search engines (31%) and OTAs (21%), preferring third-party booking platforms (49%). AI use is anticipated for 52% during accommodation exploration and 43% for pre-arrival communication. Luxury hotels are urged to enhance digital experiences to attract these guests and capitalize on a market with significant millennial influence.

🍽 🍴 Christine has over 21 years of experience in hospitality tech, focusing on standalone food and beverage spaces and now food and beverage tech in hotels. As Director of Solutions Engineering at Shiji Group, she bridges technology with industry challenges. Shiji Group offers end-to-end hospitality technology solutions, enhancing guest experiences from pre-stay to post-stay. They tackle common industry issues like labor force challenges and aim to streamline operations. Christine emphasizes the importance of technology in improving efficiency and guest services, such as through mobile ordering applications which can result in significant revenue increases, like a 17% profit increase observed in some properties. Shiji also explores the potential of leveraging existing kitchen operations beyond traditional restaurant hours to boost on-property guest spending and counteract the convenience of food delivery apps.

🏨 Hong Kong-based Langham Hospitality Group, with its flagship hotel in London since 1865, operates 32 hotels across four brands and has over 40 hotels and residences in operation or development worldwide. They aim to expand their portfolio to 100 properties by 2040, including anticipated openings in Bangkok (2026) and Venice’s Murano Island (2027). The CEO, Bob van den Oord, discussed the future of luxury hotels, noting the evolution towards ultraluxury and lifestyle luxury. Langham has set a goal for a net-zero environmental impact by 2045 and is trialing an AI temperature control system in Hong Kong. They also launched Ying’nFlo for Gen Z, offering affordable rooms with shared spaces. The Langham, Venice, is set to open on Murano Island in 2027. The group is exploring AI technology, including an AI butler system and dynamic pricing models, while emphasizing the importance of the human touch in hospitality.

🌍 As of Mar 13, 2025, the travel industry has shifted towards sustainability, well-being, and personalization, reflecting travelers' consciousness about their impact and demand for immersive experiences. Mindful travel, post-pandemic boom, social travel, blended trips, sustainability challenges, wellness focus, pandemic lessons, and tech innovations mark the industry's evolution. Travelers prefer slow travel, community connections, flexible options, and wellness itineraries while the industry grapples with balancing sustainability and overtourism, and invests in greener technology and efficient automation.

💸 On Mar 13, 2025, the Advantage Travel Partnership with Travelogix released the 8th Global Business Travel Review analyzing 33.7 million bookings (2019-2024) worth £16.5 billion. Transactions grew by 15.5% in 2024, yet June saw a decline; average transaction value fell to £399.81 from £429.35. Economy class bookings rose to 79.81%, trip duration decreased by 33% to 4.62 days, and sustainability concerns increased economy bookings due to lower carbon emissions.

🏡 Influence Society, based in Paris, France, unveils Societies Quarterly, a 30-page visual report for hoteliers focusing on design and innovation in hospitality, to be published quarterly. The report aims to inspire exceptional guest experiences by blending luxury, design, and technology. Sébastien Félix, the founder and CEO, emphasizes it as a source of inspiration rather than a rulebook, guiding hoteliers to anticipate industry trends by also examining influences from outside hospitality. The first edition includes insights on AI, NFTs, and luxury trends, drawing inspirations from brands like Nike, Hublot, and Aston Martin. Download the first edition at [Influence Society](https://www.influence-society.com/2025-societies-quaterly-1).

📦 The Hotel Yearbook Annual Edition 2025 examines the transformation of the global hospitality industry, focusing on evolving guest expectations, new operating models, rapid technological change, and increased competition. It offers insights from experts to help hoteliers understand industry dynamics and provides best practices and emerging trends for success in the future.