TOP NEWS

🏨 Hotel general managers (GMs) often focus on enhancing guest experiences and ongoing refurbishing but can fall into a "Groundhog Day Syndrome," missing opportunities for deeper exploration and innovation. Curiosity in GMs can drive improvements across operations, leveraging technology, AI, and business intelligence platforms for better guest attraction, experience, and revenue optimization. Lack of curiosity may lead to outdated practices, unoptimized revenue strategies, lost market share, and high staff turnover. Encouraging a culture of curiosity and innovation involves mentorship, learning new skills, and experimenting with new ideas. Embracing curiosity can result in higher profitability and better guest experiences.

📣 Hotels need to optimize their digital presence to maximize Return on Ad Spend. Audits should assess social media activity, review volume and recency, content quality, and tone of voice consistency. Travelers read 10-15 reviews, favoring those under three months old. High-quality images and engaging storytelling are essential, and brand personality guides should direct tone across all communication channels. Integrating social media, review management, and guest storytelling can convert initial interest into bookings.

🎤 The American pop icon's return to Singapore in May 2025, her first in 13 years and sole Asian stop, sparked a 14% increase in Singapore hotel searches, with APAC travelers leading and the UK ranking 4th. Australian fans' searches rose about 14% from 2024, while Singaporeans saw a near 10% uptick in local demand for accommodations.

📌 During the 2025 Hunter Hotel Investment Conference at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, hospitality industry leaders discussed an uncertain market. Factors include the economy, a potential recession, and hotel development. CBRE's Vice Chairman Robert J. Webster highlighted unprecedented shifts in interest rates over the past three years. JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group's President Daniel C. Peek noted a slowdown and emphasized focusing on corporate and consumer confidence. Peachtree Group CEO Greg Friedman warned of recession-induced volatility making 2025 challenging. Experts advised hoteliers to be proactive with lenders and patient amidst market turbulence.

🏨 San Diego-based Cloudbeds' podcast "The Turndown" enters its third season with VP of Partnerships Sebastien Leitner hosting. The season features global hospitality leaders like Richard Kessler, Lori Kiel, and Bashar Wali, discussing challenges and innovations for 2025, such as AI and automation, commercial strategies, and leadership. Thousands have downloaded previous seasons, and the new season begins with Richard Kessler, a 50-year industry veteran. Episodes are available on major streaming platforms and the Cloudbeds website.

🏨 AI is revolutionizing the hospitality industry, with hoteliers embracing AI-driven innovations to stay competitive. The video series "Own Your Hotel’s AI Shift," launched in October 2024, features insights on AI integration in hotel strategies and operations. Experts underline the importance of AI literacy, with Michael J. Goldrich emphasizing consistency in generative AI use. Florencia Cueto spotlights AI's role in personalization and operational efficiency. Ira Vouk and Shane O'Flaherty discuss selecting valuable AI solutions and the future of AI agents in enhancing guest interactions. The series offers a blueprint for using AI to boost hotel strategy and performance.

🏩 Sara Masterson, President of Olympia Hospitality, was featured on March 19, 2025, sharing her insights on hospitality leadership with host Nancy Mend. The discussion was part of the Hospitality Daily Podcast, providing perspectives on growth and leadership within the industry. The episode, along with others, is available on the Hospitality Daily Podcast website and other platforms hosting the series.