Catégorie : Strategy

Airbnb, traditionally a home-sharing platform, has expanded to include thousands of boutique and independent hotels in its app as part of its May Summer Release, which launched in July 2026 across 20 cities. This shift is part of CEO Brian Chesky’s vision to create an “everything-app,” offering services from home bookings to car rentals. Hotels…

In July 2026, Kayak for Business introduced AI booking support, including a natural-language trip-building chatbot. This move comes after Kayak’s founders, Steve Hafner and Paul English, left to develop Lola, a new AI travel startup with Booking Holdings, which had taken a $457 million write-down on Kayak. The transition reflects a shift from consumer metasearch…

In Searcy, Arkansas, hotel owner Gary Patel rebranded his property from a Choice franchise to the Magnolia on April 1, 2026. Despite 18 years of operation with 579 reviews and a 4.4 rating, Patel lost access to this Google page because Choice, not Patel, controlled it. Google’s policy supports the brand’s ownership of the page,…

The article by Markus Busch, dated July 22, 2026, discusses the shift from static to dynamic wholesale rates in revenue management systems, highlighting the risks and benefits. Static rates, frozen since last winter, can harm profits if left unchanged. Dynamic rates, facilitated by real-time, two-way connectivity between property and wholesaler systems, adjust based on demand.…

Boston Consulting Group (BCG) surveyed over 9,000 shoppers in nine countries, illustrating that consumers now use AI for shopping, trusting its confident recommendations over traditional search lists. This shift benefits Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) with extensive data about hotels, as AI relies on comprehensive information to suggest options. The challenge is not just appearing in…

At the Sabre hackathon in Mountain View on July 18, 2026, winning teams used phone calls to solve travel-related issues that websites don’t address, such as early check-ins and unique requests. The top projects, dia.loc, FixTrip, and Terra, showcased AI agents calling businesses directly. This highlights a trend where offline coordination via phone becomes crucial…

At a closed-door session on July 20, 2026, in San Antonio during HITEC, tech leaders from major hotel groups like Radisson, Wyndham, and Choice, along with CEOs of leading PMS companies, discussed challenges faced by large hotel brands. The session revealed that split budgets, franchisee dependencies, and complex data ownership slow technological advancements. Key insights…

Chris Nassetta, CEO of Hilton, aims to leverage next-gen AI to enhance Hilton’s interactions with its 250 million Honors loyalty members. By using AI to create “micro-servings” of personalized offers, Hilton seeks to strengthen guest retention through its app and digital channels. However, this strategy does not influence undecided travelers who rely on public data,…

OpenAI has introduced product carousels to ChatGPT ads, similar to Google Shopping, showcasing products from a retailer’s feed side-by-side. Currently, it’s single-retailer, but the system is ready for multiple retailers and competitive products. The move aligns with OpenAI’s $2.5 billion ad revenue target for 2026, aiming to capture Q4 holiday shopping. There’s potential to expand…