Hotel upselling, all in one place. This hub gathers the latest news, strategies and technology to help hotels grow revenue per guest, curated by 10 Minutes News. Follow the smartest ways to upsell and cross-sell.
-
The Psychology of Revenue Leakage: Why Your Guests Want to Spend More And Why Your Hotel Won’t Let Them
20 July 2026The Invisible Problem A guest arrives at a coastal property in Southern Spain. She booked the room for the beach, but she would have booked the spa too… if she’d known it existed before day two of her stay. The spa was running at 31% utilization. Not because guests didn’t want spa treatments. Because the information was buried. By the time most guests discovered the spa, they’d already made plans. The window had closed. This is revenue leakage. And it…
-
Hotels See 30% Increase in Average Order Spend with Mobile Ordering, Enhancing Guest Experience and Revenue
17 July 2026📱 Digital mobile ordering boosts hotel F&B operations by enhancing service efficiency and increasing revenue. Guests spend an average of 30% more per order with digital menus, accessing QR codes for seamless ordering anywhere in the hotel. This integrated system minimizes order errors, ensures menu accuracy, and offers multi-lingual options, improving guest satisfaction and loyalty. By reducing friction, hotels can better compete with third-party apps and maintain brand consistency across multiple properties.
-
Hilton Embraces AI to Enhance Hospitality, Focusing on Guest Experience and Staff Empowerment, Not Replacement
17 July 2026💻 In 2023, Hilton launched the AI Planner, a digital concierge powered by generative AI, enhancing guest experience through curated recommendations. AI handles repetitive tasks, giving hospitality staff more time for personalized service. The partnership with Be My Eyes uses AI for accessibility, improving stays for visually impaired guests. Conrad New York Downtown employs AI for demand forecasting and feedback analysis, optimizing operations. Successful AI integration relies on staff understanding and using AI to complement human touch in hospitality.
-
Hospitality Mentorship Evolves with Digital Tools, Cross-Department Exposure, and New Training Strategies in Major Hotel Chains
6 July 2026📖 In the hospitality sector, mentorship has evolved with digital tools and cross-department exposure. Marriott uses a “buddy system” for onboarding, while Hilton’s digital platform supports mentor-mentee relationships across properties. Reverse mentoring highlights skills from younger staff. Four Seasons promotes cross-departmental rotations, and Accor’s program emphasizes inclusive hospitality. Mentorship now includes structured onboarding, digital engagement, and focuses on soft skills, diversity, and clear goal-setting to prepare employees for leadership roles.
-
Amadeus Unveils AI-Powered Interconnected Platform to Transform Hospitality Distribution and Revenue Management
6 July 2026🏨 Amadeus, a key player in travel technology, is transforming its offerings with an AI-powered platform to address the fragmented hospitality sector. The new platform, DAIS, aggregates data across five layers, including demand, operational, and guest profile data. Notable systems like ACRS and iHotelier are now interconnected, allowing hoteliers to manage bookings and availability seamlessly. This transformation aims to enhance personalization and address challenges in guest experience and data management.
-
Google Integrates Premium On-Water Activities into Travel Ecosystem, Enhancing Discoverability and Ancillary Revenue for Hotels
3 July 2026🏖️ Travelers increasingly utilize digital platforms like Google for planning premium on-water activities, traditionally absent from these ecosystems. As a response, hospitality businesses are integrating experiences into mainstream travel distribution, enhancing ancillary revenue. Barcelona exemplifies this shift, offering yacht charters to attract luxury travelers. Modern booking platforms simplify partnerships with local operators, fueling this transition. As a result, experiences are now crucial to hospitality distribution strategies, driving personalized, memorable guest stays.
-
Flexible Check-in and Check-out Options Boost Guest Satisfaction and Revenue, With 67% Preferring Self-Check-in
2 July 2026📅 In 2025, 67% of guests globally prefer flexible check-in/out via smart locks or apps. Hotels using dynamic timing report a 186% increase in usage yearly and 22% revenue growth. For business travelers, 48-hour notice for early arrivals is common. Flexible options like early check-in and late check-out enhance guest satisfaction and increase occupancy. Data shows flexible operations reduce service complaints by 37%, with room readiness and ancillary revenue as key metrics.
-
Free Webcast Offers Hotel Sales Prospecting Tips, Sponsored by Travel Outlook and Track Hospitality Software
1 July 2026📰 Doug Kennedy’s next webcast on July 24 at Noon ET offers 40 minutes of sales training, focusing on proactive prospecting and overcoming inbox distractions. Learn to retarget lost business, seek referrals, and utilize CRM tools. Complimentary registration is available thanks to sponsors Travel Outlook and Track Hospitality Software. Upcoming sessions on August 21 and September 25 will explore humanification in tech and upselling strategies. Recordings are accessible on KTN’s YouTube and Spotify channels.
-
New Research Reveals Only 11% of Hotels Use Advanced AI for Bookings and Dynamic Pricing, Highlighting Industry Lag
22 June 2026💻 Eighty percent of hotel chains use AI, focusing on chatbots and automated marketing. However, only 11% have true AI agents for bookings and dynamic pricing. Aven Hospitality’s white paper notes a shift towards AI-mediated discovery, influencing visibility and direct bookings. Forty-four percent of travelers use AI search as their main travel insight source. Hotels must adapt their infrastructure for AI, prioritizing data organization to remain competitive in the changing landscape.
-
TRYBE Launches Overnight Booking Engine for Spa Packages, Enhancing Guest Experience and Revenue Potential
17 June 2026📅 In 2025, TRYBE software’s average upsell value was £266. TRYBE has launched TRYBE Overnights, a booking engine for spa-inclusive packages, offering an all-in-one solution for guest bookings. Integrated with Guestline, Mews, Resdiary, and Sevenrooms, it simplifies operations and enhances guest experiences. The new feature aims to boost revenue and operational efficiency. Opera Cloud integration is expected later this year. Matthew Wallace Jnr from Cairndale Hotel supports the initiative for its seamless guest journey benefits.
-
Airline Earnings Calls Reveal Shift Towards Ancillary Revenue, Fuel Costs, and Geopolitics from 2022 to 2026
11 June 2026✈️ Airline management attention shifts from traditional strategies to emerging concerns post-COVID. Analysis of 17 earnings calls from 2022-2026 reveals Premium & Loyalty topics grew by 30%, Ancillary & Distribution by 190%, Fuel by 76%, and Geopolitics by 55%. Classic themes like Network Planning (17.5% mentions) and Fleet topics (16%) still dominate. Despite AI’s potential, it only accounted for 1.6% of mentions due to limited immediate commercial impact.
-
From 120 Companies to Nearly 300: What the Evolution of Hotel Technology Tells Us
10 June 2026Every year, the release of Shiji Horizon Distribution’s Hotel Distribution Technology Chart sparks conversations across the hospitality technology industry. What has become one of the most recognizable visualizations in hotel tech is much more than a directory of vendors. It is a snapshot of how hotels operate, sell, market, and engage with guests in an increasingly connected world. The latest 2026 edition is particularly striking when compared to one of the earliest versions of the chart, published by Snapshot in…
-
Travel Industry Shifts Focus to Value Over Price as Hidden Fees Erode Consumer Trust
9 June 2026🛅 Jun 9, 2026, travelers scrutinize hidden fees and value over price. Hotels face pressure as guests focus on total experience, not just rates. Key issues: resort fees, parking charges, and premium Wi-Fi attract attention. Removing amenities while increasing prices damages trust. Transparency and value-focused marketing are critical. Boutique hotels benefit from offering simple, inclusive experiences. Guest expectations evolve, demanding price alignment with experience, influencing booking choices.
-
Meta’s New AI Agent Could Turn WhatsApp Into the Hospitality Industry’s Next Booking Channel
5 June 2026For years, the hospitality industry has been experimenting with conversational commerce. Chatbots have appeared on hotel websites, AI concierges have been added to mobile apps, and startups have raised millions promising to let guests book rooms through messaging platforms. The vision has always been compelling: instead of navigating websites, comparing room types, and filling out booking forms, travelers would simply have a conversation. At Meta’s Conversations conference in London, that vision moved significantly closer to reality. The company unveiled its…
-
Luxury Travel Experiences Strong RevPAR Growth Amid Resilient Consumer Spending and Narrowing Buyer-Seller Gap
5 June 2026📈 NYU IHIF saw optimism fueled by strong RevPAR and revenue growth. Despite transaction activity lagging, the buyer/seller gap narrows. Middle-class travel is rising, with consumers opting for driving over flying due to cost. Luxury travel faces minimal price resistance, attracting significant investment interest. Geopolitical uncertainty affects hotel capital deployment, but the credit market is improving. Major brands like Hyatt and IHG focus on Asia for development. Effective brand conversions need strategic market alignment and planning to boost returns.
-
Hotel Industry Faces Financial Strain Amid Rising Costs and Unfavorable Lease Clauses, AI Offers Potential Relief
4 June 2026🏨 Sircle Hotels, managing the W Hotel Amsterdam, faces financial strain, unable to meet rental obligations. Revo Hospitality in Germany declared bankruptcy. The hotel sector struggles with rising labor costs, supply chain disruptions, and inflation. The Netherlands will raise hotel VAT from 9% to 21% by 2026. A typical 150-room hotel with €10M revenue could boost GOP by over €700K through a 5% revenue increase and 3% cost reduction via AI, enhancing margins by 19-25%.
-
Innspire to Introduce New Guest Journey Platform and InnSmart TV Solution at HITEC 2026 in San Antonio
3 June 2026📱 June 3, 2026, Washington, D.C.: Hoteliers from over 60 countries are heading to San Antonio for HITEC 2026, June 15-18. Innspire, a leader in hospitality tech, will showcase innovations at Booth #3042 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Key highlights include the Guest Journey platform and new Guest Flows feature, enhancing guest engagement and hotel operations. InnSmart TV will also be previewed, supporting Google Cast, Apple AirPlay 2, and Chromecast, streamlining in-room services.
-
UK Hotels Face Profit Margin Squeeze in Q1 2026 as Labor Costs Rise 5% Against 2% Revenue Growth
2 June 2026🏨 UK hotels in Q1 2026 face a margin squeeze with TRevPAR up 2%, but labor costs rising by 5%. London F&B profit margins are below 14%, and utilities show a mixed trend with water costs up by 10-20% in some areas. While the UK sees stable performance, global growth is uneven: Europe profits grew 12% YoY, while the Middle East saw a 96% GOPPAR drop due to geopolitical issues.
-
Hospitality Industry Adopts AI Rapidly as Token Costs Introduce New Metric: Token Cost Per Guest (TCPG)
1 June 2026📰 Hospitality embraces AI rapidly, utilizing it in guest messaging, translation, upselling, and more, which incurs costs measured in tokens. These costs resemble past OTA commissions, now tracked by a proposed metric called TCPG (Token Cost Per Guest ©). As AI becomes integral by January 2026, TCPG will guide operational efficiency and budgeting, similar to RevPAR and ADR. Hospitality’s focus shifts to evaluating AI’s guest service cost and value, discussing these at HITEC 2026.
-
Experience-Led Hotels Need Cohesive Tech Strategies to Enhance Guest Journeys and Maximize Revenue Opportunities
29 May 2026💻 The debate on hospitality technology focuses on all-in-one platforms vs. best-of-breed stacks. For experience-led hotels, coherent tech ecosystems are crucial to enhance guest experiences and maximize revenue. A BCG and NYU report states only 2.9% of full-time employees in travel and tourism possess tech skills like AI fluency, compared to 21% in tech and media. Support from tech partners is vital for effective implementation and performance improvement. Essential questions guide tech choices for revenue and service accountability.
-
Boutique Hotels Can Boost Revenue with Low-Cost Wellness Initiatives, Generating Up to $30,000 Quarterly
29 May 2026📊 In 2025, Knight Frank reported a 6% increase in leisure revenue per occupied room in UK hotels due to wellness initiatives. Major Wellness hotels achieve 108% higher TRevPAR than those without wellness features. Pre-arrival emails can boost conversion by 10.6%, as shown by Oaky’s data. Social wellness events can earn $30,000 quarterly. Sleep tourism demand soars, with packages priced $60-$110. Nature-based activities grow, costing $65-$200 per session. Effective wellness offers can transform revenue streams for boutique hotels.
-
Frontline Employees Key to Driving Revenue in Hospitality Despite Hotel Automation Surge, Study Finds
25 May 2026🛌 The hospitality industry leverages tech like mobile check-ins and AI but overlooks frontline employees’ value. Humans create emotional connections, boosting revenue. Hotels struggle with inconsistent results from email and app promotions due to lack of guest engagement and operational support. Frontline Performance Group (FPG) aims to enhance human interactions by offering coaching and technological tools, fostering natural, non-transactional commercial conversations. Operational support is key to harnessing frontline employees’ potential and improving guest experience.
-
Booking Holdings and Expedia Control 60% of Global Online Travel; Facing $530 Million Fine in Spain for Anti-Competitive Practices
22 May 2026🛫 In 2025, Booking Holdings generated $26.9 billion, and, together with Expedia, they control 60% of the global online travel market. Hotel commission fees increased from 10% to 15-30%. Spain seeks a $530 million fine for anti-competitive practices, and a pan-European class action in 2025 involves 10,000 hotels against Booking.com. Despite these issues, innovation lags behind, with the industry maintaining outdated systems while startups like Navia offer simpler booking solutions.
-
Article Advocates Rethinking Central Reservation Systems for AI-Driven Hospitality Future, Not Just Replacing Them
22 May 2026🏨 In April 2026, Skift reported that AI systems by Amazon, Meta, and Google are diversifying travel planning, making standard CRS outdated as they can’t support AI-mediated real-time offers. The article emphasizes the need for a commercial engine to replace the CRS, focusing on modular technology and granular data for AI integration. By 2030, 30% of travel bookings will be AI-executed, stressing urgency for hotels to adapt or risk disappearing from AI-driven channels.
-
Mirai Upgrades Booking Engine for Hostels, Improving Direct Sales with Adapted Features and AI Integration
20 May 2026🏨 Hostels face challenges with direct booking due to systems not adapting well to bed-based models. Mirai has enhanced its booking engine for hostels, offering flexible options, including private rooms and shared dorms. Over 35% of bookings involve more than one bed, with 8% being groups of more than 5 people. The engine supports 100+ languages and integrates with AI assistants. Mirai syncs with metasearch engines, ensuring accurate pricing and reducing reliance on intermediaries.
