Hospitalitynet

SAN FRANCISCO – 17 February 2026 – Sojern, the leading digital marketing platform built for hospitality and recently acquired by RateGain, today announced the launch of its “State of Destination Marketing 2026” report, examining how destination marketing organizations (DMOs) are navigating economic pressure, rising performance expectations, and accelerating AI-driven change across the travel industry.

In 2025, residents across Chicago’s South Side earned more than $15.1 million by hosting visitors in their homes1—income that approximately 60 percent of hosts say helped them stay in their homes and manage the city’s rising cost of living. Nearly 20 percent of hosts report that earnings helped them avoid eviction or foreclosure.2

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) today announces the launch of its new premium collection brand, Noted Collection, with initial discussions already underway with multiple owners, including several with portfolios of hotels, for potential addition into IHG’s system.

LodgIQ, the AI-driven revenue management and commercial strategy platform for the hospitality industry, today announced a new partnership with Quinta da Amendoeira, a boutique farmhouse-style hospitality property near the historic city of Évora in Portugal’s Alentejo region. This collaboration will leverage LodgIQ’s AI-driven revenue intelligence, which not only delivers pricing and demand recommendations but also explains the underlying rationale behind each insight, supporting more confident and transparent decision-making.

Luxury hotels have always been associated with the grandeur of glittering chandeliers, lavish rooms, opulent lobbies and overly attentive service. Yet, today’s most affluent travelers are seeking something far subtler and understated, commonly referred to as quiet luxury hospitality. In the hotel industry, quiet luxury has come to mean seamless service, simple yet high-quality materials and cuisine crafted from local ingredients in discrete locations. While quiet luxury has become a trending topic, its meaning and application in hospitality are still evolving and call for a deeper understanding.

French owner-operator Dunamis Hospitality, together with French investment firm Eternam, has acquired a portfolio of nine budget hotels (630 rooms) in the north west of France. The transaction was structured as a club deal through a French Professional Private Equity Fund (FPCI). The properties are primarily operated under the Ibis Budget and Ibis Styles brands and are located in the Normandy and Hauts-de-France regions (Deauville, Cabourg, Le Havre, Rouen, Fécamp, Abbeville, Berck-sur-Mer, Le Tréport). Dunamis and Eternam plan to renovate the hotels to enhance both the customer experience and energy performance.

Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is pleased to announce the 2026 recipients of the Robert A. Gilbert Award for Career Achievement in Commercial Strategy, honoring leaders whose careers have shaped hospitality sales, marketing, distribution, and revenue optimization through enduring leadership, innovation, and advocacy across the commercial disciplines.

Cocoon & Eckelmann Hotels, the Munich-based lifestyle hotel group, today announced it will fully migrate its combined portfolio to Apaleo’s open and API-first property management platform.

RobosizeME, a leading provider of workflow automation solutions purpose‑built for hotel groups, today announced the appointment of Mike Kistner as Chief of Staff. The addition of the seasoned hospitality technology executive reinforces the company’s commitment to operational excellence and strategic growth as demand increases for automation across hotel operations.

Labour costs are rising faster than revenue in many markets, and hotel operators are being squeezed. From statutory wage increases and national insurance obligations to evolving overtime rules and inflationary pressures, the cost of maintaining staff is becoming a structural business challenge.