Automatic

💻 Most hotel sales approaches are outdated as of 2015. Sales leaders must blend human expertise with machine intelligence, embracing "hybrid intelligence." Predictive algorithms can adjust rates 600 times daily, but human insight remains crucial. A sales team increased response rates by 34% in eight weeks by flagging at-risk accounts. Future leaders will excel in empathy, speed, and judgment, with a focus on data literacy and AI integration. Adapt or risk being replaced by tech-fluent competitors.

📊 In 2026, hotels will revolutionize guest experience through HyperCommerce, integrating Property Management Systems with AI-driven tools to enhance booking conversions and personalize experiences. Booking engines will become central to guest interaction, doubling conversion rates. Direct channels will serve as commercial hubs, with experience merchandising boosting revenue by 5-10% and average booking value by 20%. Hotels will reinvest 20-25% OTA margins into owned demand, emphasizing monthly strategies over daily rate reactions, and using emotion as a key performance metric.

🤖 40% of US employers are using AI in recruitment, as reported by SHRM. AI optimizes HR tasks like candidate engagement and wellness check-ins. It requires human oversight to avoid errors, akin to a "brilliant seven-year-old" according to expert Paul Carney. SHRM suggests a 4-step prompt process: Specify, Hypothesize, Refine, Measure. AI prompts should include role, request, context, format, audience, style, and length. Ensure vendors use AI ethically. Transparency in AI's workplace role is culturally important.

📝 GCSTIMES has been innovating since 2011, focusing on sustainable development. This year, they expanded their wooden key card collection to include animal designs for family and pet-friendly resorts. These cards, now emotional keepsakes, enhance guest experiences and foster loyalty. GCSTIMES operates in five countries, including the US and France, with services in over 140 countries, supporting 100,000 hospitality groups in sustainable initiatives. Their products promote cultural heritage and sustainability worldwide.

🏨 Nov 7, 2025, Singapore: At WiT Singapore 2025, leaders from COMO Hotels, Booking.com, and Trip.com shifted focus from "direct vs. indirect" booking to enhancing guest experience. Trip.com empowers with AI and 24/7 service. Booking.com values tech-driven empathy with 350M reviews, while COMO highlights the need for data integration and emotional loyalty. The industry prioritizes reducing friction and enhancing retention over acquisition, advocating for measuring "return on emotional investment" over traditional metrics.

💰 Nov 7, 2025, Airbnb's Q3 report shows nearly 50% of Experiences bookings lacked accommodations. In Paris, 70% of Airbnb Originals are locals. Hotel listings are tested in Los Angeles, New York, and Madrid to address rental restrictions. Q3 revenue rose 10% to $4.1 billion, with a $2 billion adjusted EBITDA. CEO Brian Chesky anticipates services becoming a major revenue source in 3-5 years, alongside AI personalization and strategic hotel integrations.