🤑 Marriott's $175M Tech Glow Up

Insider Highlights

• Marriott’s $175M tech upgrade and 4% RevPAR growth

• “Junk fees” act passes the Senate

• IHG eyes independent hotels as growth opportunity

• What OpenAI’s Operator means for travel booking

• 🛠️ 6 Tech tools you should try

• 🎧 Podcast: Hear how Minor Hotels’ CCO transformed their revenue management strategy with Duetto

3 TOP NEWS STORIES

1. Marriott’s $175M Tech Investment Contributes to Strong Full Year Results

Marriott’s latest earnings call highlights not only global RevPAR growth of 4%, but also a $175 million investment in technology, focusing on AI, cloud-based systems, and enhanced digital experiences. With mobile app improvements, IoT-enabled smart rooms, and data-driven personalization, the hospitality giant is doubling down on tech to improve guest experiences and streamline operations.

🎯 Why it matters: As traveler expectations shift, hotels that embrace digital transformation will gain a competitive edge. From AI-powered pricing to seamless contactless check-ins, technology is redefining the guest journey.

🔑 Key takeaway: Hotel executives should prioritize technology upgrades, cybersecurity measures, and AI-driven personalization to stay relevant in an evolving market. Investing in the right tools now will future-proof operations and enhance guest loyalty. Read More →

2. Deloitte Drops 2025 Travel Outlook Report

Deloitte’s latest travel outlook report forecasts steady industry growth through 2025, with evolving traveler preferences shaping demand. Key trends include a shift toward sustainable travel, greater reliance on AI-powered trip planning, and an increased focus on experiential travel. While business travel recovery continues, leisure remains the dominant force driving hotel demand.

🎯 Why it matters: AI-driven trip planning is rapidly transforming how travelers book hotels, with GenAI adoption doubling year-over-year and 4 in 10 AI users booking accommodations based on recommendations. As hotels balance automation with human touchpoints, those that embrace personalization, AI-powered upselling, and tech-driven guest engagement will capture the most value.

🔑 Key takeaway: Hotels need to integrate with AI-driven travel platforms, personalize guest experiences using AI-powered CRMs, and implement attribute-based room selling to stay competitive as GenAI reshapes booking behaviors. Additionally, they can capture high-value travelers by offering flexible work-friendly stays, optimizing marketing for growing inbound markets like India, and leveraging real-time guest data to drive upsells and ancillary revenue. Read More →

3. New Data Shows 31% of Hotels Experience Cyber Breaches

A new report warns that hotels remain prime targets for cyberattacks, with vulnerabilities in guest data protection, payment systems, and third-party integrations putting properties at risk. As hacking tactics grow more sophisticated, the industry must strengthen its cybersecurity posture to protect sensitive information and maintain guest trust.

🎯 Why it matters: A major data breach can result in financial losses, reputational damage, and legal consequences. Hotels must be proactive in securing their technology infrastructure, particularly as AI-driven fraud and ransomware attacks increase.

🔑 Key takeaway: Hotel executives should prioritize cybersecurity investments, including staff training, multi-factor authentication, and AI-powered threat detection. With growing risks, staying ahead of cyber threats is critical to safeguarding both business operations and guest trust. Read More →

PRESENTED BY ROH

Hotel Sales & Payments: One Platform, Zero Hassle

Struggling with outdated sales processes and fragmented payment systems? ROH's Sales and Payments Management Platform empowers hotels to streamline operations and boost profitability.

• ✅ Automated Workflows: Efficiently transition group bookings from sales to service to finance, enhancing productivity across departments.

  ✅ Integrated Payments Processing: Manage payments seamlessly with a unified, feature-rich interface, reducing manual tracking.

  ✅ Real-Time Data Insights: Access up-to-date revenue and cash forecasts, enabling informed decision-making.

With ROH, properties can centralize sales, payments, and finance in one intuitive platform.

👉 Transform your hotel's payments and finances today

AROUND THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

What’s Happening in Hospitality this Week

📊 Expedia’s Q4 revenue climbs as gross bookings rise 13%, driven by steady demand.

🤖 Trivago bets on AI-powered ads to reduce dependence on Google for traffic.

💰 G6 Hospitality parent Oyo invests $10M in tech upgrades

⭐️ Can Tripadvisor become relevant again?

🏨 IHG CEO looks to independent hotels for strategic, tech-enabled expansion.

✈️ OpenAI’s Operator can plan trips better and faster than legacy tools like rigid OTA filters and metasearch.

🔍 Google tests AI-powered search mode, offering direct answers and a streamlined experience.

🏢 Hotel brands continue to embrace asset-light models for reduced financial risk.

⚖️ Hotel Fees Transparency Act passes, requiring clearer pricing disclosures for consumers.

🏗️ U.S. hotel construction rebounds, but remains below pre-pandemic levels.

💳 Buy Now, Pay Later fuels travel spending by easing budget constraints, and nearly half of Gen Z uses it.

🤣 A funny take on what hotel KPIs really mean.

TOOLS & TACTICS

⚒️ 6 Hotel Tech Tools You’ve Gotta Try

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

✅ Canary Technologies: Simplify guest management with innovative digital solutions.

✅ Everguest: Improve the guest experience with valuable feedback insights.

✅ Cloudbeds: Simplify hotel operations and boost bookings.

✅ MeetingPackage: Simplify MICE bookings and boost event revenue.

✅ Unifocus: Optimize hotel staff schedules to boost productivity.

HOTELIER SPOTLIGHT
🎙 Minor Hotels' Chief Commercial Officer on Automating 2 Million Daily Rate Changes

How can a hotel chain leverage cutting-edge technology to redefine revenue management and enhance guest experience? In this episode, Fernando Vives, Chief Commercial Officer at Minor Hotels, reveals the transformative strategies that are setting his organization apart in the competitive hospitality landscape.

Key Takeaways:

• Discover how Minor Hotels utilizes a proprietary forecasting system to automate pricing and optimize revenue management across over 400 properties in Europe and the Americas.

• Learn about the strategic partnership with Duetto that has enabled Minor Hotels to implement dynamic pricing and open pricing models, allowing for unprecedented flexibility and responsiveness to market demand.

• Understand the importance of a customer-centric approach in hospitality, and how technology can augment human capabilities to enhance guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.

👉🏼 Check out the interview on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Want to advertise with us?

⭐️ Become a premium member, join the best companies in the industry (here)

🎯 Set up a PPC campaign to drive high-intent traffic from our homepage and category pages straight to your website in under 3-minutes (here)

💌 Sponsor this newsletter (here) or a dedicated eblast (here) to our 100k subscribers

👀  Run a site takeover campaign (here) to drive downloads of your lead magnet