🧾 Hotels betting on DIY AI are losing (here’s proof)

1️⃣ How does ChatGPT decide which hotels to show guests?
We’ll break down exactly how large language models like ChatGPT curate hotel recommendations—and what factors make a hotel pop up or disappear in AI-driven search results.

2️⃣ What kind of data actually influences my hotel’s visibility?
You’ll learn which sources—reviews, listings, keywords, and more—matter most when AI tools choose which hotels to recommend to potential guests.

3️⃣ What can I do right now to improve my hotel’s ranking in AI search?
We’ll walk you through practical, proven strategies to boost your visibility and increase bookings in this new era of AI-powered travel planning.

🚨 Guests are already using AI to pick hotels. Make sure they find yours.

👉🏼 Save your spot to boost your hotel’s presence in AI search

We covered Tiktok’s new affiliate program for travel last week but this week the story gets even juicier. Booking.com has launched a hotel booking feature directly within the TikTok app in the U.S. When a creator posts a video about a hotel, users can click through a location tag to view hotel details and ultimately book via Booking.com’s mobile site. The initiative also includes influencer partnerships where creators earn commissions by tagging hotels.

🎯 Why it matters: This marks a shift in hotel distribution strategy—moving from search engines to social-first platforms where users are actively discovering travel inspiration. Booking.com is betting big on this trend, with social media ad spend up 25% year over year.

🔑 Key takeaway: Hotel operators should brace for increased OTA influence on TikTok and evaluate how their properties are showcased by creators. Now’s the time to assess how influencer partnerships and short-form video can impact both brand visibility and bookings. Read More →

A new MIT report finds that only 5% of generative AI projects deliver fast revenue growth, with the rest stalling due to flawed enterprise integration. The study shows that success hinges less on AI model quality and more on organizational learning, smart vendor partnerships, and focused use cases.

🎯 Why it matters: As AI becomes central to corporate strategy, the gap between AI winners and losers is widening. Companies betting big on in-house builds are falling behind, while nimble startups and partnership-driven models lead in measurable gains.

🔑 Key takeaway: For hotel operators, the lesson is clear: don’t try to build AI tools from scratch. Invest in vendor solutions that solve a specific operational pain point—especially in back-office automation—and ensure they integrate deeply into workflows. Empower department heads, not just IT, to lead AI adoption. Join the conversation →

Kasa, a property management firm for boutique hotels and apartment-style stays, secured $40 million to boost its proprietary tech and AI systems. The company now operates 85+ properties and surpassed $100 million in annual bookings, doubling its business in a year.

🎯 Why it matters: As AI reshapes hospitality, Kasa positions itself as a scalable operating system for independent hotels, traditionally shut out from tech investments made by large brands. With backing from real estate giants and Silver Lake Waterman, it's gaining serious momentum. The neo-hotel fad is over with the flame out of names you’re more familiar with than Kasa like Stay Alfred, Sonder, Life House and Selina - but Kasa is here to stay.

🔑 Key takeaway: Independent hoteliers should watch Kasa closely—its pitch is better margins and smoother operations through smarter tech, not more staff. As labor costs rise and guest expectations climb, adopting lighter, AI-powered systems like Kasa’s could become a competitive necessity. Hear our exclusive interview with Kasa’s CEO →

✅ Mara Solutions: Grow AI search visibility with modern reputation management tools.

✅ Actabl: Turn powerful BI data into actionable insights that maximize profits.

✅ Hireology: Find and hire reliable staff faster to fill key hotel roles.

✅ Otelier: Optimize hotel budgets and forecasts with precise, data-driven insights.

✅ Canary Technologies: Powerful but simple AI powered digital guest journey platform.

✅ Tripleseat: Manage group bookings, tracks leads, and simplify event communications.

✅ MeetingPackage: Simplify MICE bookings and boost event revenue.

1️⃣ JLL H1 2025: record hotel RevPAR, $4.6B in deals, global investors pile in

🦄 Here’s why the next unicorn might not hire anyone

🥞 From Hilton to Aman: Why hotels are ditching buffets for bespoke breakfasts

📖 How to protect your hotel against cyber threats

🔥 Hotels face rising Fire Safety Risks: digital tools offer a lifeline

🕵 Trusting an unverified AI agent is like handing your keys to a drunk graduate

🗑️ AI Could cut food waste by 30%—so why aren’t hotel operators using it?

📲 No more app-digging: Pixel 10 AI pulls up Hotels for travelers

🤯 Hyatt gets roasted by guests on Reddit for Way Experience partnership

🧾 74% of bars say handheld POS speeds service, 59% boost tabs

🔐 Public ChatGPT on guest data? A privacy disaster waiting to happen

💎 Luxury retail labels move from pop-ups to hotel boutiques

👩‍🦽‍➡️ ADA Rules on Interview Questions: What Hotel Hiring Managers Can’t Ask

Can rethinking something as fundamental as market segmentation unlock new performance gains in hotels? Joe Pettigrew, Group Chief Commercial Officer at L+R Hotels—one of the world’s largest privately held hotel investment and operating groups—thinks so.

🎧 Tune in to hear how one of the industry’s most sophisticated ownership groups is thinking about technology

👉🏼 Check out the interview on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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