Follow Revinate without the noise. This hub gathers the latest news and product updates around Revinate’s guest data platform, CRM and direct-booking tools for hotels, curated from trusted sources. Stay on top of a leading name in hotel marketing and guest experience.
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HITEC 2026 Attracts Over 6,100 Attendees, Highlighting AI Accountability and Legal Liabilities in Hospitality Industry
19 June 2026📈 In 2026 at San Antonio’s Henry B. González Convention Center, HITEC hosted over 6,100 hospitality tech professionals and 400 exhibitors across 85,000 square feet. AI’s accountability in hospitality, highlighted by Air Canada’s chatbot liability case, dominated discussions. Hotels face potential legal issues with AI-driven systems, risking antitrust exposure. Meanwhile, Booking.com facilitated €691 billion in European economic activity in 2025, supporting 4.7 million jobs and generating €175 billion in wages. AI and digital engagement remain pivotal industry topics.
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Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol Set to Transform Hotel Booking with AI, Impacting Distribution Strategies for Hoteliers
19 June 2026🛌 In an episode of Hotel Moment, hosts Karen Stephens and Dylan Cole discuss the impact of Google’s expansion into hotel booking with its Universal Commerce Protocol. The next 12 months are crucial for hotel distribution. AI-powered search and agent-to-agent booking are transforming the landscape. Hotels must focus on AI discoverability, clean data, and direct booking strategies. Karen Stephens, with over 25 years in hospitality tech, leads Revinate’s marketing efforts and hosts the podcast.
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Google Expands Hotel Booking with Universal Commerce Protocol, Revolutionizing AI-Driven Hotel Discovery and Distribution
19 June 2026🛒 Hosts Karen Stephens and Dylan Cole explore Google’s expansion into hotel bookings through its Universal Commerce Protocol on ‘Hotel Moment.’ They discuss AI’s impact on hotel bookings and the upcoming 12 crucial months for hotel distribution. Key themes include AI-powered search, OTA roles, and strategies for hotels to enhance discoverability and trust. Karen, with 25 years in hospitality tech, has led Revinate’s marketing efforts, achieving a record-breaking booking quarter in Q4 2023.
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HITEC 2026 Highlights: Hotels Absorb Wage Pressure with 2.3% Efficiency Gains Without Increased Headcount in Q1.
18 June 2026📊 HITEC 2026 Day Three in San Antonio saw eight startups pitch innovations, and a closed-door round table with hotel CIOs highlighted disagreements on AI readiness. Q1 2026 labor data from Actabl found cost per occupied room rose 1.8%, while hours per room dropped 2.3%, showcasing efficiency gains. Design Hotels added 16 Palisociety properties across nine U.S. cities, expanding its North American presence by over 1,000 keys. The hospitality industry’s focus on human connection is reflected in evolving legal frameworks.
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Marriott Launches Ask Bonvoy AI for 283 Million Members, Signals Shift in Direct Booking Strategy
17 June 2026💻 Marriott announced the beta launch of Ask Bonvoy, a conversational AI tool for 283 million members, with a full rollout planned later in 2026. At HITEC 2026, held in San Antonio, the industry debated AI’s impact on costs, brand survival, and human roles, feeling both excited and unsettled. Zenzap CEO Guy Weiss highlighted risks of using WhatsApp for hotel ops, suggesting specific communication tools to reduce staff turnover by up to 50%. Revinate launched Ivy, enhancing guest communication efficiency.
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Revinate Unveils AI Platform Ivy at HITEC 2026; Trained on 1.1 Billion Guest Profiles for Enhanced Hotel Revenue
17 June 2026💻 HITEC 2026, San Antonio: Revinate unveils Ivy, an AI platform trained on 17 years of hospitality data and 1.1 billion guest profiles. It automates tasks, resolving 80% of routine guest inquiries and saving 30 hours monthly in call scoring. CEO Bryson Koehler emphasizes Ivy’s ability to enhance decision-making and streamline operations. By evolving Ivy, Revinate aims to shift focus from software management to strategic guest engagement, leveraging data for personalized communication and revenue growth. Booth 3418 showcases Ivy from…
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Revinate Launches AI-Powered Call Scoring and Chat Tools for Hospitality with 96% Accuracy Unveiled at HITEC 2026
17 June 2026📱 In July 2026, Revinate unveiled AI-powered capabilities at HITEC 2026 in San Antonio. Ivy, their AI, which draws from 17 years and 1.1 billion guest profiles, powers these tools. Call Scoring with Ivy automates call assessments, saving supervisors 30+ hours monthly. It boasts a 96% accuracy rate. Revinate Chat resolves 80% of guest inquiries, enhancing guest interaction and security. General availability for Call Scoring is July 2026, and Revinate Chat launches September 1, 2026.
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Wilhelm Luxem Discusses Integrating Technology to Enhance Service in Luxury Hotels on Hotel Moment Podcast
17 June 2026🏨 In a conversation on Hotel Moment, Wilhelm Luxem, with a 50-year career in luxury hospitality, emphasizes technology’s role in enhancing service. His approach includes a two-week training rule and addressing the demand for personalized experiences, aiming to maintain authentic human connections. Karen Stephens, Revinate’s Chief Marketing Officer with over 25 years in hospitality tech, hosts the podcast. In her current role, she led Revinate to its highest booking quarter in Q4 2023.
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AI in Hotel Venue Sales Boosts Conversion Rates by 11% with Faster Proposals and Mid-Funnel Follow-Up Tools
10 June 2026🏨 In 2025, over 80% of hotel operators expect growth from meetings and events according to JLL. AI tools improve hotel sales by increasing response speed and mid-funnel follow-up, with one hotel reporting an 11% conversion rate boost. The first three respondents to RFPs secure 90% of the business. However, AI misfires occur when replacing human judgment, highlighting the need for balance. Revenue and sales management form 30.7% of AI applications in hospitality, indicating widespread industry adoption.
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AI Search Reshapes Hotel Discovery: Starwood Hotels Focuses on Direct Bookings and Guest Loyalty in AI-Driven World
4 June 2026In this episode of Hotel Moment, Karen Stephens, Revinate’s Chief Marketing Officer, and Jarrett Tomback, Starwood Hotels’ VP of Digital Strategy and CRM, discuss AI’s impact on hotel discovery, direct bookings, and guest loyalty. They focus on creating data foundations that enhance visibility in an AI-driven world. Karen, with over 25 years in global hospitality technology, emphasizes that while data boosts recommendations, storytelling secures bookings. Jarrett highlights the importance of becoming a primary data source for AI platforms. 💻
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Top Luxury Hotels Should Focus on Revenue Growth Over Cost-Cutting to Enhance Brand and Guest Experience
1 June 2026🏨 In 2026, Dylan Cole and Karen Stephens discuss luxury hotel management challenges on the Hotel Moment podcast. Cost-cutting is a pitfall for luxury brands, say Dylan, Revinate’s Managing Director in Europe, and Robert-Jan Woltering, Managing Director at De L’Europe Amsterdam. The focus should be on maximizing top-line revenue rather than reducing expenses. Karen, with over 25 years in global hospitality technology, emphasizes strategic partnerships and brand growth. She led Revinate to its highest booking quarter in Q4 2023.
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AI Transforms Hotel Booking and Guest Engagement, Emphasizing Human Experience in New Era of Travel Discovery
27 May 2026🗺 In Q4 2023, Karen Stephens, CMO at Revinate, discusses with Aaron Miller, VP of CRM at Highgate, how AI is transforming hotel searches. As travelers use AI tools like ChatGPT, hotels are pivoting towards AI-driven discovery and personalization. Despite AI advancements, maintaining a personal guest experience remains crucial. Karen, with over 25 years in hospitality tech and 11 years at Revinate, emphasizes that successful hotels will harness AI for smarter, human-like guest experiences that promote direct bookings.
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Hotels Can Achieve Long-Term Revenue Growth by Adapting Strategies During Major Events Like FIFA, Says Expert
30 April 2026🏨 Adam Mogelonsky discusses how hotels can leverage global events like FIFA beyond short-term demand spikes. The focus is on building strategies for sustained revenue through direct booking optimization and data capture. Key points include mastering rate strategies, balancing refundable and non-refundable rates, and utilizing the voice channel for growth. Karen Stephens, Revinate’s CMO, with over 25 years in global hospitality technology, hosts the podcast. She emphasizes long-term growth and strategic partnerships.
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Capture and convert FIFA World Cup demand and win more direct revenue
29 April 2026This post was originally published on this site.Hosted by ’s Karen Stephens, Hotel Moment is a podcast series focused on the strategies, technologies, and trends shaping modern hospitality. In this
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Revinate and Casa de Campo Highlight Unified Guest Data’s Role in Boosting Hotel Repeat Revenue
28 April 2026📈 In 2026, leading hotels focus on unifying guest data to boost revenue and loyalty, as shared by Bailey Yeats (Revinate) and Gitti Hernandez (Casa de Campo) on Hotel Moment. They highlight the importance of a clean database to enhance guest recognition and create Ultra VIP segments. Karen Stephens, Revinate’s Chief Marketing Officer, leverages her 25 years in hospitality technology, having led the company to its highest booking quarter in Q4 2023.
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Hotel Competitor Analysis: Key Strategies for Pricing, Marketing, and Improving Guest Experiences
20 April 2026🏨 Hotel competitor analysis is key for strategic decisions in pricing, marketing, and services by evaluating rivals’ market positions. Essential metrics include ADR, RevPAR, and review scores. Effective analysis involves pricing strategies, guest experience, digital presence, and reputation monitoring. Tools like RateGain and STR aid in tracking competition. AI enhances competitor monitoring, with case studies showing up to 15% revenue increases. Common pitfalls include blindly copying competitors and ignoring indirect rivals like Airbnb.
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98% of Hotels Suffer Revenue Losses Due to Rate Misuse, Highlighting Critical Data Trust Issues in Industry
20 April 2026📈 In 2025, U.S. hotel occupancy is forecasted at 62.3%, with ADR growth at only 0.8%, and RevPAR slightly declining. According to Expedia Group, 98% of hoteliers lose revenue due to rate misuse, occurring almost every four days. 49% of hospitality professionals find data access difficult, and 40% cite disconnected systems as a key challenge. Labor costs are rising despite staffing efficiencies. Effective data management is crucial for addressing these issues.
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Fragmented Guest Data Limits Hotels’ Revenue Growth by Hindering Personalization and Effective Demand Conversion
27 March 2026📈 Mar 27, 2026, hotel marketing faces challenges not due to lack of tools, but because of fragmented guest data systems. Disconnected data impedes personalization and revenue growth by not forming a complete guest profile. Hotels underutilize existing data, leading to ineffective generic campaigns. Segmentation based on behavior can enhance conversion rates. Investing in AI without unified data is ineffective. Core channels like email and search remain crucial, and guest data influences hotels’ visibility in AI-driven searches.
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The 2026 Revinate Hospitality Benchmark report is live — with channel-level insights
12 March 2026The report analyzed 2.8 billion emails and 4.3 million calls globally, revealing newsletters achieve 33.6% open rates and cart abandonment campaigns convert at 5-6%.
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Storey Hotel Management Boosts Direct Bookings by 50% Using Email Microsegmentation and Timely Campaigns
3 March 2026📧 Jonathan Holcomb, VP at Storey Hotel Management Group, shared strategies to combat email fatigue affecting hotel marketing. In the Bay Area, Chicago, Anguilla, and Fiji, his team uses email microsegmentation, leveraging a CRM to create over 50 targeted marketing journeys. This approach personalizes emails based on guest data, improving open rates and conversions. Timing is crucial; effective campaigns involve sending emails at strategic intervals, considering guest context to maximize engagement and reduce cart abandonment.
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Recast: How technology is transforming hotel data security | with Matthijs Welle
19 February 2026Guest data is your hotel’s most valuable asset — and today’s attackers know it. That’s why this week on Hotel Moment, we revisit a conversation with Bryson Koehler, CEO of Revinate, and Matthijs Welle, CEO of Mews, to explain why data security is even more relevant in 2026.
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7 Proven Strategies to Boost Direct Bookings and Outpace OTAs in 2026
17 February 2026📅 In 2026, over two-thirds of travelers still use OTAs like Booking.com, but there’s a shift as one-third are open to AI travel assistants for bookings. Hotels need to leverage strategies to win direct bookings, focusing on personal connections and perks. Tactics include collecting data from OTA guests, engaging pre-check-in, using AI for visibility, offering unique perks, integrating AI agents for bookings, and leveraging guest reviews. Direct strategies must prioritize relationships, personalization, and value.
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The Customer is Always Right
9 February 2026🛠 In London, 1909, Harry Gordon Selfridge opened his innovative department store, introducing the “customer is always right” philosophy. This reshaped retail and hospitality, but caused employee burnout and financial abuse. By the 1980s, Ritz-Carlton adopted a similar model, risking operational collapse. Today, 42% of hotel managers comp stays to avoid bad reviews, costing up to $500,000 annually. Progressive hotels are now balancing guest experience with staff dignity, using tech to prevent manipulation.
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Hapi Announces Appointment of Jeff Bzdawka as Chief Executive Officer
5 February 2026📈 Jeff Bzdawka appointed CEO of Hapi in Miami, Florida, succeeding founder Luis Segredo, to lead the next growth stage. Bzdawka, Hapi’s president since October 2024, has 30+ years in hospitality. Segredo, founding Hapi in 2017, will now focus on strategy. Hapi supports over 15,000 hotels, enhancing tech integration. Bzdawka aims to scale responsibly and deliver real-time data solutions.
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Recast: Why regenerative tourism is the future of hospitality
29 January 2026🏨 Karen Stephens and Aradhana Khowala discuss the future of tourism on the Hotel Moment Podcast. Aradhana, with two decades of experience across 85 countries, emphasizes the shift from sustainability to regenerative tourism, advocating for industries to give back more than they take. She critiques current travel AI as “lipstick on legacy” and highlights the need for systemic change in tourism. Amid global instability, tourism faces challenges, with lost revenues and reduced bookings impacting local economies.
