🏨 How to Profit from Shorter Booking Windows

Manual payments are costing hotels up to 6% of monthly revenue—new research from Sertifi by Flywire reveals what’s holding operators back and how to fix it.

Flywire’s new hotel payment report uncovers how outdated workflows and fragmented systems are eroding profitability—and what operators can do to turn things around with automation, security, and smart integration.

👉 Read the full report to learn how top hotels are protecting revenue and empowering staff

Independent hoteliers in the U.K. are reporting that last-minute bookings are becoming the norm, with leisure guests waiting to book until days, rather than weeks or months, before arrival. This shift has forced operators to be more flexible in staffing, inventory management, and rate strategies, as well as rethink traditional forecasting models.

🎯 Why it matters: The surge in short-lead bookings creates both risk and opportunity. Hotels face challenges in predicting labor needs and optimizing pricing, but those able to respond in real time with the right offers can capture incremental revenue from late-deciding travelers.

🔑 Key takeaway: Hotel leaders should lean on dynamic pricing tools and real-time data to adapt quickly. But agility also requires on-the-ground flexibility, from staff scheduling to service delivery. The winners will be those who balance technology-driven responsiveness with operational nimbleness. Read More →

Tripadvisor CEO Matt Goldberg says SEO isn’t dead, but it’s evolving into “generative search optimization” as AI reshapes how travelers discover and book trips. At a recent conference, Goldberg emphasized that Tripadvisor’s trusted brand, real traveler reviews, and direct channels (Tripadvisor, Viator, and TheFork) remain critical assets. The company is leaning heavily into partnerships with major LLM players (signing five deals in the past six months!) and doubling down on user-generated content to ensure visibility in AI-first search environments.

🎯 Why it matters: As Google and AI platforms shift toward zero-click and multimodal search, hotels can expect OTAs and travel platforms to compete more aggressively for high-intent traffic. Tripadvisor’s strategy shows how brand trust, verified content, and smart AI integrations are becoming new levers of distribution power.

🔑 Key takeaway: For hotel leaders, the lesson is twofold: optimize your property’s digital presence for AI-driven discovery, and recognize that trusted review platforms like Tripadvisor may play an even bigger role in funneling demand. Partnering with or at least actively managing your reputation on these platforms will be essential as generative search begins to reshape traveler booking behavior. Read More →

New Skift data finds that while AI dominates hotel tech conversations, the real opportunity lies in modernizing core infrastructure: PMS, RMS, mobile integrations, and cybersecurity. Currently, 63% of hotel tech budgets go toward maintaining outdated systems, many of which aren’t AI-ready or capable of complex data integration. The research shows that AI’s biggest impact isn’t in futuristic robots, but in behind-the-scenes use cases like predictive maintenance, dynamic pricing, and automated issue resolution.

🎯 Why it matters: New tech won’t deliver if the foundations are broken. Hotels risk wasting capital on AI tools that can’t integrate with legacy systems, limiting personalization and creating operational friction. Modernization is essential not just for efficiency, but for enabling the human connections that define great service.

🔑 Key takeaway: Hotel leaders should treat tech strategy as a tiered roadmap: shore up the basics first, then layer on differentiators, while monitoring nascent innovations. Success depends on integration, culture, and alignment with clear use cases, not tech for tech’s sake. The biggest risk isn’t moving too slowly on AI hype; it’s failing to modernize the systems that unlock revenue growth and guest loyalty. Read More →

✅ Sertifi: Simplify hotel check-ins and payments with secure digital solutions.

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

✅ ROH: Automate sales and finance to save time and capture more revenue.

✅ Tripleseat: Manage hotel group bookings, catering and event sales with AI.

✅ Vouchercart: Turn gift vouchers into prepaid revenue across rooms, dining, and spa.

✅ Shiji: Cloud-based PMS with fully integrated unified guest profiles.

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

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

🤖 Mandarin Oriental turns to tech to deliver seamless, personalized guest experiences.

🇯🇵 Seibu Prince Hotels acquires Ace Group for $90 million

🇪🇺 Tripadvisor, Booking, and Expedia sign EU’s review code, pledging stricter action against fake content.

🕵️‍♂️ The FTC opens a probe into AI chatbot companions from OpenAI, Meta, and others over safety and privacy.

💼 Expedia, Booking, and Hopper battle in B2B as the focus shifts to powering booking portals for banks, airlines, and loyalty programs.

📊 Inflation hits its fastest pace of 2025 (2.9%) while job growth slows.

✊ Houston hotel workers extend a historic strike while hotel associations blast LA’s $30 wage law

📉 More U.S. hotel submarkets post RevPAR declines

🔌 New study finds that hotels could unlock over 6% in incremental revenue as real-time connectivity replaces manual updates across tech stacks.

📲 The Devon Hotel sees 70% of spa revenue booked online after a shift to all-in-one booking tech.

🎯 AI tools cut hotel marketing costs but risk shrinking reach as agents intercept brand ads.

🇨🇳 TikTok’s U.S. fate once again tests data sovereignty tensions with China.

💳 American Express debuts new travel booking app with features like wishlists and digital “passport” stamps.

📉 New report finds that AI slashes customer acquisition cost (CAC) on Google Ads by up to 19%.

⚙️ Hospitality leaders call for tech stacks built with algorithms, not just integrations, to personalize guest journeys at scale.

In this episode, Adam Harris, co-founder and CEO of Cloudbeds, reveals how innovative tech solutions are reshaping the guest experience and operational efficiency in hotels worldwide.

Key Takeaways:

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

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