May, 2023

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4 Things to Know About the Future of the U.S. Hotel Market

Hotel News Resource

Hotels still face many challenges, including the ongoing talent shortage and the slow return of large business meetings and events - the bread and butter for many urban properties. However, leisure travelers, especially those taking drive vacations or traveling domestically, and trends in remote work, continue to fuel growth.

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Choice Hotels Explores Buying Wyndham: Report

Skift Blog

Skift Take: It's unclear if talks between the two largest U.S. operators of non-luxury hotels are earnest. But even the idea that Choice Hotels is interested in a merger speaks volumes about how the sector is becoming a scale game.

Scale 348
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10 smart hotel cost control ideas to save money

eHotelier

Cost can always be reduced, but how does this multi-facted issue impact your day-to-day operations and how will it reflect on your guest experience? Here are ways to turn cost issues into a competitive advantage.

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New Management Company Aperture Brings Growth Plans Into Focus

Lodging

Intent on considerably expanding its third-party management portfolio and positioning itself for growth through a potential acquisition, Banyan Tree Management recently relaunched as Aperture Hotels. Led by President/CEO Charles Oswald, Atlanta, Georgia-based Aperture Hotels represents what he describes a “whole new company.” For over a year, Oswald held the same position for Banyan Tree Management, which had served as the management arm for Banyan Investment Group and its portfolio of 15 proper

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Smart Tools & Strong Teams: A People-First Approach to AI in Sales

Speaker: Matt Sunshine, CEO at The Center for Sales Strategy

AI isn’t replacing salespeople—it’s empowering them. The most forward-thinking sales organizations are using AI to enhance human performance rather than eliminate it. From coaching and messaging to prospecting and pipeline accountability, artificial intelligence is giving managers and SDRs the new tools they need to work smarter, sell better, and close more.

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The Ultimate Personal Touch

Hotel Management

Accor has launched Handwritten Collection, a portfolio of hotels that offer an intimate and stylish experience. The Handwritten Collection portfolio is expected to reach more than 250 hotels by 2030. Accor is growing it’s hotel portfolio with the addition of a new brand – Handwritten Collection – a global portfolio of bespoke hotels offering an intimate and stylish hospitality experience.

Branding 264
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Saudi Tourism Promotes Its All-Season Appeal With New Campaign

Skift Blog

Skift Take: When you are a destination as ambitious as Saudi Arabia with an aim to attract 100 million annual visitors by 2030, you have to emphasize year-round appeal to avoid missing out on travelers.

Tourism 352

More Trending

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Interview: Airbnb CEO On How Its Service Will Radically Change With AI, By Next Year

Skift Blog

Skift Take: The AI-driven Airbnb is coming, so watch its trajectory of launches later this year and mid next year. Chesky promises it will be a whole different service by next year.

Services 345
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A Growing Influencer Class Attracts a Larger Piece of Destination Marketing

Skift Blog

Skift Take: As the social media influencer industry evolves and matures, destination marketing organizations are, in turn, taking them seriously as agents in their efforts to grow visitation.

Market 341
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Booking Holdings Sees Next-Gen AI as Advancing the Connected Trip

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Any changes the next wave of artificial intelligence might bring will not be instantaneous. Booking Holdings has time to act to sustain its current position in online travel.

Travel 339
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The Artificial Intelligence Driving Travel Innovations

Skift Blog

Skift Take: AI news drove headlines this week, from Expedia, to Google, and even to Skift. Click through for a summary of the top stories.

Travel 332
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How to Coach Reps on Overcoming Sales Objections with Confidence

Speaker: Brendan Sweeney, VP of Global Sales and David Phelan, Account Executive

In a world where buyers are more informed and objections are more nuanced, confidence isn't optional—it’s a competitive advantage. In high-stakes conversations, knowing how to handle pushback can make or break the deal. Join industry experts Brendan Sweeney and David Phelan for a behind-the-scenes look at how teams are transforming sales coaching with real-time feedback, objection-handling role plays, and pre-call preparation that actually sticks.

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Interview: Expedia CEO on How Its AI Rollouts Would Be Impossible for Prior Regimes

Skift Blog

Skift Take: First-mover advantage from online travel companies in generative AI might not hold up over the long-term. The chessboard may get overturned. Still, getting out there first doesn't hurt.

Travel 329
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Small Meetings and Blended Trips Propel Business Travel Comeback

Skift Blog

Skift Take: While it’s still too early to say when business travel could make a full recovery, smaller businesses drove some important trends in the first quarter.

Business 326
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Tourism Boards Expect New Marketing Insights From Google Analytics Update

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Tourism boards are always trying to keep up with how visitors are finding and interacting their content. The Google Analytics update should make this easier. Hopefully, they can actually capitalize on the new information.

Tourism 326
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Singapore Airlines Posts First Full-Year Profit in 3 Years

Skift Blog

Skift Take: China's reopening should inject more momentum into Singapore Airlines' financials.

Tourism 324
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Welcome to the Future of Hospitality: Smart Rooms Start Here

Speaker: Jady West, VP of Hospitality & Chris Bennett, Head of Sales & Engineering

The modern hotel room is no longer just a place to stay—it’s an experience to remember. Today’s guests expect seamless 5G connectivity, personalized comfort, and high-tech convenience. From AI-powered smart room controls to in-room entertainment and app-based services, technology is redefining hospitality from the inside out. In this new session featuring industry pros Jady West and Chris Bennett, we’ll explore how high-speed, high-bandwidth connectivity powers the innovations that are enabling

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Is Uber + Hopper the Perfect Fintech Travel App?

Skift Blog

Skift Take: This is potentially a big win for Hopper — if it turns out that Uber's UK rideshare customers will want to book flights in the Uber app. Uber is trying to prove that use case.

Travel 322
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Expedia CEO Calls Out Rival Agoda: How They Get Those Cheap Prices

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Apple doesn't let Best Buy discount iPhones, and hoteliers don't want online travel agencies like Agoda to undercut their rates. A win for the hotel industry would be a loss for travelers.

Travel 318
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New Google Tools Using Generative AI Are Relevant to Travel Sector

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Google may be behind OpenAi regarding generative AI, but it's getting closer to catching up. Interestingly, it used a few travel-relevant examples when demonstrating its latest batch of capabilities.

Travel 318
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Unleashing AI: The Potential for Hospitality Brands

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Hospitality brands stand to benefit from both the creative possibilities and the efficiency that AI will bring. Here's how to start thinking about it now.

Branding 312
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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

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Marriott To Include Resort Fees In Total Prices, Breaking New Ground in Lawsuit Settlement

Skift Blog

Skift Take: We wish hotel companies and online travel agencies were as innovative in providing much-touted personalization as they are in inventing extra fees customers struggle to avoid.

Resorts 313
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Hawaiian Airlines Unveils 787 Dreamliner Design Details

Skift Blog

Skift Take: The 787-9 Dreamliner, the new flagship aircraft for Hawaiian Airlines, offers a multitude of intricately designed features to honor Hawaiian history.

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Why Every Hotel Company Wants an Extended Stay Brand Now

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Forget spas and cocktail bars. Indoor kitchens are the must-have perk at U.S. hotels now. Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and Wyndham are smart to bet that the long-stay trend will be here for the long term.

Branding 307
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How Jumeirah Is Going Beyond Points to Elevate the Guest Experience

Skift Blog

Skift Take: As guest expectations evolve with a renewed appetite for meaningful experiences, traditional loyalty programs are no longer cutting it. Jumeirah Group is rising to the occasion with Jumeirah One, its loyalty program that offers bespoke, unforgettable moments and strikes an emotional chord with members.

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Don't Let AI Pass You By: The New Era of Personalized Sales Coaching & Development

Speaker: Brendan Sweeney, VP of Sales & Devyn Blume, Sr. Account Executive

Are you curious about how artificial intelligence is reshaping sales coaching, learning, and development? Join Brendan Sweeney and Devyn Blume of Allego for an engaging new webinar exploring AI's transformative role in sales coaching and performance improvement! Brendan and Devyn will share actionable insights and strategies for integrating AI into coaching and development - ensuring personalized, effective, and scalable training!

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Data Shows Rebound in Asia Pacific as Travel Destination

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Guess who's back, back again? It's "Eastward Ho!" for global travelers, as the latest Skyscanner data makes clear.

Travel 307
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IHG CEO Keith Barr Steps Down

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Under Barr, IHG shook off years of brand cobwebs and expanded its portfolio. Like Barr, Maalouf comes into the CEO role with years of brand experience that can serve him well.

Branding 307
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Sabre Is Cutting 15 Percent of Its Workforce, Roughly 1,100 Jobs

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Big tech companies everywhere have been dropping staff, and now it's Sabre's turn. This may also be a result of a permanently changed travel industry post-pandemic and Sabre's effort to keep up.

Travel 307
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Tourism Is on the Ballot in Spain’s Local Elections

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Tourists love Spain, but the feeling isn't necessarily mutual with locals, as growing anti-tourism sentiment and the impact of mass tourism on their lifestyle becomes a hot topic for political candidates.

Tourism 303
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Diving into Diversity: Decoding the Foundations of Inclusion in Hospitality Talent Acquisition

Speaker: Lauren Fernandez - CEO & Founder, Full Course

Companies all over the world, including Marriot International and Hilton Worldwide, are aware of the value of including DEI in their talent acquisition strategy. However, despite these initiatives, there is still plenty that the hospitality sector can do to promote DEI. When comparing the hospitality industries in India, Iraq, the UK, and the US, you will see that there is a consistent underrepresentation of persons from different ethnic, gender, and disability origins across all levels of the i

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Hotels Go Local in Empowering Communities Through Art and Culture

Skift Blog

Skift Take: As hotels have increasingly realized travelers are seeking destination-specific experiences, major brands in the industry will continue to play up the local angle to their offerings, which could be an enormous boon for their bottom lines.

Hotels 303
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Egypt Sees Potential in Highly Competitive Medical Tourism Industry

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Egypt believes it's well-positioned to take advantage of the surging interest in medical tourism, but it needs to make treatment more affordable in the face of increasing competition.

Tourism 301
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Soho House Wants Members to Buy Extras in Path to Unlocking Profits

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Know what's cool? Have cool people join your member's clubs. Know what's even cooler? Having members buy your high-margin upsells, like food and skincare products.

Upsell 301
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Google Travel Eliminated Trip Summary Feature

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Google Travel just got a tiny bit less sticky because Gmail users could easily find their past, present and upcoming trips there all in one place. The feature became a victim of bigger and more important priorities.

Travel 301
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New Research-Backed Strategies to Empower Managers as Culture & Engagement Leaders

Speaker: Beth Sunshine, SVP, Up Your Culture

When culture isn’t consistently lived out across the organization, engagement suffers—and it often starts with a disconnect at the top. In this session, Beth Sunshine, SVP of Up Your Culture at The Center for Sales Strategy, will reveal how HR and executive leaders can close the gap between vision and execution by equipping frontline and mid-level managers to become culture carriers.