Big chain hotels might have big wallets, but boutique and independent hotels have agility and creativity. They have the freedom to easily pivot their marketing strategies, and they are able to build unique, more engaging stories that are harder to tell at scale. They focus on attracting a profitable segment of customers and are exceptionally good at wowing their guests.
Question for Our Revenue Management Expert Panel What analysis should hotels use to evaluate pricing relative to perceived value and that of competitors? How might this influence their market positioning strategy? (Question by Mariska van Heemskerk) Our Revenue Management Expert Panel Mariska van Heemskerk - Owner, Revenue Management Works Massimiliano Terzulli -
Question for Our Hotel Marketing Expert Panel What marketing strategies can hotels use to drive more group bookings, both directly and through 3rd party channels? (Question by Cory Falter) Our Marketing Expert Panel Max Starkov - Adjunct Professor Hospitality Technology, New York University Moriya Rockman - Chief of Marketing, Smiling House Luxury
Videos are an undeniably powerful marketing tool, especially for the hotel and travel industry. After all, they can capture the attention of the audience much quicker than text and have the power to generate extremely high traffic to your website. No wonder video marketing has taken the Internet by storm. This effective tool is so versatile that you can use
Personalization has become one of the most discussed concepts in hospitality. Hotels are under pressure to deliver tailored guest experiences, yet many struggle to implement personalization effectively. The missing step is often segmentation. Before hotels attempt to personalize every interaction, they must understand who their guests are and which groups matter most to the business. Clear segmentation helps hotels communicate
The hospitality industry is evolving rapidly, with shifting guest expectations and unpredictable market conditions challenging traditional approaches. Hotels can no longer rely solely on historical data or manual strategies to remain competitive. Artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful tool that helps hoteliers respond faster, personalize guest experiences, and optimize revenue decisions in real time. By integrating AI into daily
For decades, hotels have relied on familiar benchmarks like occupancy and ADR to guide performance. These metrics still matter, but they no longer tell the full story. In a digital, experience-led hospitality landscape, revenue goes far beyond rooms – and your strategy should too. In this article, we explore what shapes revenue today, from automation and guest behavior to space
Food and beverage (F&B) services are the lifeblood of the hospitality industry. A good meal is one of the cornerstones of the human experience and colors every other element of a guest's day. Food and beverage services help differentiate you from the competition, provide a steady revenue stream, increase guest loyalty, act as a marketing tool, and generally enhance almost
AI in hotels describes the use of artificial intelligence technology in the hotel industry. This technology is increasingly used to automate processes, analyze vast amounts of data, and deliver next-level personalization. Modern AI technology has become a significant benefit for the industry as it deals with challenges like labor shortages and rising costs. AI can also be used to reduce
Hospitality businesses have a direct and often significant impact on the natural environment. They’re responsible for boosting tourism, and while increased visitor numbers do support socioeconomic growth, they can have a harmful impact on the environment too. If you’re a hospitality professional, it’s important to do your bit to make the industry as a whole more eco-friendly. With the help
The vacation rental market has matured significantly, yet many operators continue to rely on occupancy rates as their primary measure of success. While high occupancy is essential, it tells only part of the financial story. True profitability demands a wider lens, one that accounts for ancillary income, operational efficiency, and the strategic value of guest experience. For property managers willing
Artificial intelligence is already reshaping hospitality, yet many hotels remain stuck between experimentation and real impact. Promises of automation, smarter revenue decisions, and seamless guest experiences often clash with uncertainty around integration and strategy. In 2026, Model Context Protocol (MCP) marks a turning point by connecting AI tools directly to live hotel systems and data. In this article, you’ll learn
For decades, hotel brands represented stability, scale, and security. Affiliation offered global distribution, loyalty programs, technology systems, and operational guidance that independent owners struggled to replicate. But the hospitality landscape has changed. Access to demand, modern technology, and digital marketing tools is no longer exclusive to brand ecosystems. At the same time, rising fees and tighter margins are forcing owners
AI agents for hotels represent the next evolution of artificial intelligence in hospitality. Unlike traditional AI tools or chatbots that respond to prompts, AI agents can analyze data, make decisions, and take action across departments automatically. This will enable hotels to contend with staffing challenges and continue to meet and exceed guest expectations. In this article, you’ll learn what AI
Lightning‑fast data analysis, conversational deep dives into performance trends, and drastically reduced reporting workloads. AI promises hospitality leaders unprecedented speed and efficiency. It’s no wonder the industry is buzzing with excitement. Yet in today’s AI gold‑rush environment—full of hype, noise, and fear‑of‑missing‑out messaging—the risk of missteps has never been higher. Emerging technologies always carry risk, but hotels can mitigate it
Managing revenue across multiple properties is complex. When different PMS systems, inconsistent data, and slow reporting are added to the mix, clarity disappears quickly. Revenue teams spend more time reconciling numbers than shaping strategy, and forecast confidence begins to erode. In multi-PMS environments, trust in data becomes the real bottleneck. This article shows how a multi-property hotel operator turned fragmented
Independent hotels today operate in a demanding environment shaped by rising guest expectations, labor shortages, and tighter operating margins. Managing reservations alone is no longer enough. Teams must coordinate room status, housekeeping, payments, guest communication, and reporting across every stage of the stay. Without efficient systems, small operational delays can quickly turn into service issues or lost revenue. This is
Hotel sustainability is often associated with energy-saving lighting or water conservation. However, the technology running behind the scenes also consumes large amounts of power. Servers, network devices, and outdated IT systems can quietly increase energy use and operating costs. As hotels adopt more digital tools, improving technology efficiency becomes essential. Smarter infrastructure, cloud systems, and better network planning can reduce