Follow Booking.com without the noise. This hub gathers the latest news, product changes and policy moves around the world’s largest accommodation platform (Booking Holdings, NASDAQ: BKNG), curated by 10 Minutes News. Essential reading for any hotelier who works with the OTA giant.
-
ChatGPT Quotes Booking.com Rates Over Hotel Direct Prices, Highlighting AI-Driven Pricing Asymmetry in Hospitality
30 September 2026💰 In September, Booking.com set guest prices below hotel rates, with AI quoting OTA rates over hotel rates. Non-room revenue grew 35% in 2026, while room revenue rose 6.5%. AI favors hotels with bookable experiences. Mews was chosen by Accor for F&B tech across 850+ properties. Marriott reached 300 hotels in Mexico, with 76 more planned. WTTC’s Global Summit in Malta featured 100+ speakers on key industry topics. Key appointments include Andrea Vanni as CFO and Amar Lalvani as Chief…
-
European Commission Highlights Booking.com’s Voluntary Measures Under Digital Markets Act, Removing Price Parity Clauses by 2024
30 September 2026💸 On September 28, the European Commission released a fact sheet on Booking.com’s compliance with the Digital Markets Act. By November 14, 2024, Booking.com, a gatekeeper from May 2024, will allow hotels to offer different prices on other channels, including direct sites. Parity clauses vanished in 2024. Greece, Italy, and Spain continue related investigations, with Spain’s €413.24 million fine on hold. Changes affect programs like Genius and Booking Sponsored Benefit, enhancing transparency and performance data access.
-
Citybox Hotels Plans Major Expansion, Doubling Revenue with Six New Properties, Including Tromsø’s Largest Hotel
30 September 2026🏨 Eivind Hjulstad, CEO of Citybox Hotels, shared insights from Bergen, Norway, about the chain’s growth since 2006 to nine properties across six countries. By 2027, Citybox aims to double its footprint, including a 351-room hotel in Tromsø, the largest in northern Norway. Citybox’s budget model leverages Scandinavian design and self-service check-in, achieving staff costs around 15% of revenue. The strategy resists industry norms, targeting cost-effective, value-conscious travelers. This surge anticipates a doubling of revenue from 500 million NOK.
-
Non-Room Revenue in Hotels Grows 35% in 2026, Driven by AI and Enhanced Guest Experience Offerings
30 September 2026💸 In 2026, hotels focusing on non-room products saw a 35% revenue growth, contrasting with a 6.5% increase in room sales, according to Turneo data. This shift is driven by consumer demand for experiences, enhanced technology, and AI integration. Over 60% of guests engage with non-room offers pre-arrival, and AI tools are increasingly aiding trip planning. By 2027, the focus will be on making the entire hotel catalogue AI-accessible and capturing more of the guest’s travel spend.
-
ChatGPT and Google Prioritize OTA Prices, Impacting Independent Hotels’ Visibility and Pricing Control
30 September 2026📱 ChatGPT, on June 25, examined 240 hotel price queries, reading OTA sites like Booking.com and Expedia 46% of the time, yet linking to them only 11%. Booking.com held 62.57% of US ad space in July. Google, requiring hotels to provide price feeds, stops its auto-rate identification on September 30. In the EU, Google’s search results now separate reseller prices from hotel prices. Late August saw Google introducing bookings via AI Mode using 10 partners, excluding independents.
-
KAYAK co-founders launch booking solution and loyalty programme Lola
30 September 2026This article was written by Travolution. Click here to read the original article Steve Hafner hasn’t stayed idle for long. The former KAYAK chief executive has unveiled Lola, which he describes as an AI-powered discovery and booking platform. By backing the rollout, Booking Holdings is putting more weight behind its “Connected Trip” strategy. Lola takes the form of an AI interface that learns users’ preferences and surfaces real-time availability and prices for a range of services in one place. Beyond…
-
Booking Holdings Launches Lola, an AI Travel Assistant, Offering Members Up to 15% Hotel Rate Discounts
30 September 2026💻 Sep 30, 2026: Booking Holdings launched Lola, an AI assistant that books hotels, tables, and tickets through chat, with membership fees up to $25/month. Members save up to 15% on hotel rates via Booking.com and partners. Created over five months by Kayak co-founders, it offers three membership tiers: Free, Plus ($5/month), and VIP ($25/month). Lola earns from membership fees and commissions from hotels, with VIP discounts reaching 21% at places like The Plymouth South Beach.
-
94% of Travel Agents Prioritize GDS Rate Parity, with Exclusive GDS Offers as Top Booking Incentive
30 September 2026📊 Sep 30, 2026, travel agents prioritize GDS rate parity, with 94% deeming it crucial. A survey by Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport reveals 57% book based on GDS-only offers. 73% favor packages with added benefits like breakfast (27%) and Wi-Fi (19%). “Commission” influences 53% of agents. 90% of agents receive client requests for specific brands, impacting bookings. Over half use AI tools; 47% believe AI could enhance hotel recommendations.
-
ChatGPT and Google Display Hotel Prices from OTAs, Undermining Direct Rate Control by Hotels
30 September 2026💵 September 30, 2026, worldwide: ChatGPT retrieves hotel prices primarily from OTAs like Booking.com and Expedia, shown in over 46% of 240 queries. It cites these sources only 11% of the time. Google, since September 30, requires hotels to send their rates if they wish to advertise. In Europe, Google’s changes from September 8 result in separate blocks for hotels/resellers, while in the U.S., Google’s AI books through ten partners, excluding independents.
-
Booking.com Removes “Competitive” Price Labels in EEA Following European Commission Regulation Changes
30 September 2026💸 Sep 30, 2026: In the EEA, Booking.com removed “competitive” labels from its extranet, following the EU’s Digital Markets Act. This change impacts hotels in the EU, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. Prices on external sites are now informational, not affecting eligibility for Booking Sponsored Benefit. The parity clauses were banned across the EEA since November 2024. Switzerland, the UK, and the US remain unaffected by these changes.
-
Royal Caribbean Acquires 50% Stake in Sandals and Beaches Resorts for $3 Billion, Deal Closes in 2027
28 September 2026🚀 Royal Caribbean announced a $3 billion acquisition of a 50% stake in Sandals and Beaches Resorts, expected to close by early 2027, integrating cruise and resort experiences. Booking.com’s merchant model impacts hotel rates, with 20% of prices displayed lower than intended. A mapped catalogue of 109 hotel AI use cases reveals most hotels utilize fewer than ten AI solutions. In Q1 2026, U.S. hotel transaction volume reached $5.6 billion, a 14.4% increase, while European summer demand remained strong despite…
-
Booking.com’s Payment Model Allows Discounted Rates Without Hotel Agreement, Affecting 65% of European Hotels
28 September 2026💰 In September, HOTREC’s study revealed 51% of 1,882 European hotels reported OTAs selling rooms below their own rates. Booking Holdings’ payment service encompasses 72% of bookings as of early 2026. Radisson, with over 1,600 hotels, adjusts direct rates to match cheaper OTA listings. Booking.com dominates, capturing 66.1% of OTA bookings, while independent hotels face challenges with Booking.com’s extensive reach and pricing control, often leading to Booking.com setting room prices.
-
Austria’s hotels have taken Booking.com to Brussels. Four of their five complaints are in the contract you signed.
28 September 2026This article was written by Hospitality Today. Click here to read the original article Austria’s hotel association asked the European Commission to find Booking.com in breach of the Digital Markets Act over five practices, from uncapped payment fees to suspension without warning, and four of them are written into the platform’s standard terms. Sep 28, 2026 by Markus Busch Driving the news. The Austrian Hotel Association, the ÖHV, filed a complaint against Booking.com with the European Commission on September 23.…
-
Your uncharged Booking.com cards become Booking’s revenue after a year.
28 September 2026This article was written by Hospitality Today. Click here to read the original article Booking.com’s partner rules give you 365 days after check-out to charge each virtual card. After that, the unused balance becomes its revenue. Expedia’s cards expire at 180. Sep 28, 2026 by Markus Busch A Sunday check-out. A couple leaves after three nights. They booked on Booking.com and paid in advance, so the desk charges the virtual card on the reservation and prints the folio. The card…
-
51% of European Hotels Report OTAs Underselling Their Rates, With 65% Using Booking.com’s Payment Service
28 September 2026🏨 Sep 28, 2026: In Europe, 51% of hotels report OTAs selling rooms below hotel rates, up from 40% two years ago. Booking.com, used by 65% of hotels for payments, leads with 66.1% of OTA bookings. Booking Sponsored Benefit lowers rates, impacting revenue management. By early 2026, 72% of Booking Holding’s bookings used its payment service. Independent hotels manually monitor OTA prices, while large chains automate rate matching with systems like Radisson’s.
-
Airbnb Plans to Launch Its Own AI Agent by 2027, Says CEO Brian Chesky at Skift Event
25 September 2026💻 Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, views AI as an existential risk but plans to launch an AI agent in 2027. At a Skift event, he emphasized a visual, comparative travel experience, not limited to chatbots. Two AI strategies exist: one where personal AI agents dominate discovery and booking, and one where platforms remain central. Companies like Expedia and OnSeason favor the first, while Booking.com leans towards the second. Airbnb’s approach may redefine industry dynamics by 2027.
-
Revinate Report Reveals 92% Failure in Capturing Guest Details in Luxury Hotel Calls, Urges AI-Human Balance
25 September 2026📞 Karen Stephens, CMO of Revinate, highlights hotels’ potential revenue from reservations teams through AI and human collaboration. Revinate’s 2026 report shows 92% of calls to luxury hotels failed to capture guest details, with front desks underperforming compared to central reservations offices. AI excels at simple queries, but 95% of AI deployments fail to improve profits due to inadequate handoffs. Only 41.9% of calls are monitored, highlighting the need for better call handling and strategic planning.
-
Booking Holdings Shares Drop 9% Due to AI Competition Concerns, Highlighted by Meta’s Muse Launch
25 September 2026📈 Shares of Booking Holdings fell 3.9% on September 22 and about 5% more the next day, due to Meta’s Muse AI agent, launched September 8, which compares prices and books travel. Booking.com relies on independent hotels and small rentals for 90% of revenue. Analysts argue AI will challenge OTAs by accessing member-only discounts, while Wall Street counters that signing these properties manually is difficult for AI. Booking Holdings was trading 29% below its August high by late September.
-
Accor rolls out ALL Concierge globally, its AI assistant from hotel choice through to post-stay
24 September 2026This article was written by HospitalityOn. Click here to read the original article Unveiled September 23 at an online press conference, ALL Concierge is available in 11 languages on ALL.com as well as on WhatsApp and iMessage, and will roll out gradually within the ALL Accor app through the end of the year. The assistant suggests hotels and destinations, summarizes guest reviews, and directs users toward booking. During a stay, it answers questions about hotel services and can hand the…
-
AI Assistants Can Spread Outdated Information About Hotels, Highlighting the Need for Real-Time Guest Feedback
23 September 2026📖 AI-generated hotel descriptions can lead to misinformation, as they might be outdated. A guest might arrive expecting amenities that no longer exist, like a spa being open daily when it’s closed on Tuesdays. Addressing this, hotels should ask guests at check-in what they were told and correct inaccuracies. This helps manage expectations and improve service. By understanding what guests value, hotels can enhance marketing materials, though they can’t directly update AI-generated content.
-
Uber Offers 20% Hotel Discounts to Uber One Members by Returning Its Margin, Funded by Participating Hotels
23 September 2026💸 Sep 23, 2026, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announces at the Skift Global Forum in New York that Uber breaks even on hotel bookings, returning profits as benefits to Uber One members. Hotels offer 20% discounts via a rotating list of 10,000+ properties, with 10% in Uber credits. This strategy aims to boost $9.99 memberships. Similar offers from Revolut and Airbnb show hotels as promotional tools, leaving most savings for members rather than hotels.
-
Kayak for Business Processes 45,000 Event Bookings via Amadeus-Connected Events Tool Since January Pilot
23 September 2026🗺️ Sep 23, 2026, Kayak for Business reports 45,000 event attendees booked via its Events tool, connected to the GDS through Amadeus. Since July, all Kayak for Business users globally have this tool. Attendees book independently from a global marketplace, with no group rate or block setup included. Navan acquired BoomPop for up to $95 million on September 9. Hotels must ensure accurate GDS rates and consider booking tools in contracts to manage room blocks effectively.
-
Booking.com Listings May Lack Crucial Accessibility Details for Guests with Disabilities, Fora Report Highlights
23 September 2026🛌 Sep 23, 2026, by Markus Busch: Fora’s report reveals 56% of US consumers plan multigenerational trips with accessibility needs in the next three years. Booking.com’s listings lack detailed accessibility info, urging direct hotel contact. 31% of Fora advisors report clients facing accessibility issues upon arrival. US law mandates detailed accessibility descriptions for third-party bookings since 2012. Clear, detailed info on hotel websites can secure bookings, avoiding costly cancellations and negative reviews.
-
Front Desk Should Ask Guests About Pre-Arrival Property Descriptions to Address Outdated or Incorrect Information
23 September 2026📋 Sep 23, 2026, hotel check-ins reveal discrepancies between AI-generated property descriptions and reality. Guests arrive with outdated or incorrect information, such as a closed dining room or spa hours, due to unupdated sources. Staff can mitigate issues by asking guests, “What had you heard about us before you came?” to gather actionable feedback and improve services. Even small insights, like knowing courtyard rooms are a selling point, can be valuable for future marketing strategies.
-
Agilysys Expands Technology Ecosystem at Angel of the Winds Casino, Boosting Bookings and Improving Guest Experience
22 September 2026🚀 September 22, 2026, Arlington, WA: Angel of the Winds Casino Resort upgraded its tech with Agilysys. The resort, featuring a 125-room hotel, 6 restaurants, and 5 bars, saw increased bookings and reduced check-in lines via self-service kiosks. Agilysys’ systems enhanced guest experience by supporting F&B orders from anywhere, with improved POS speed and efficiency. Staff training required just one day, and guests can now view six months of availability online.
