Automatic - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 138

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It was great to be at Skift Global Forum last month in conversation with Dennis Schaal to discuss where Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) has come from and where we’re headed. Generative AI is changing… | Glenn Fogel | 16 comments

💻 Last month, Skift Global Forum hosted a discussion between Booking Holdings and Dennis Schaal about the transformative impact of generative AI on travel planning and booking. Early AI implementations have enhanced customer experiences, pushing the “Connected Trip” concept from vision to reality. Booking Holdings aims to optimize supplier relationships, like hotels and car rentals, by leveraging AI for personalized marketing and seamless travel adjustments, aiming to surpass competitors with superior service offerings.

1 min

About Travel Ads | TikTok Ads Manager

✈️ Travel Ads, powered by Smart+, are TikTok's catalog-based solutions for travel advertisers, promoting hotels, flights, and destinations. TikTok supports three travel catalog types: Flights, Hotels, and Destination (beta). Creative formats include Single Video, Catalog Video, and Catalog Carousel. These ads utilize TikTok's travel intent model to target high-intent audiences, enhancing engagement and performance.

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Why travel is doing AI wrong

✈️ Since 2013, Emerging Travel Group, operating RateHawk, Roundtrip, and ZenHotels, connects 330 suppliers, 220,000 properties, 450 airlines, and 20+ transfer suppliers. However, amendability remains a challenge, with few suppliers enabling changes via API. Manual changes can cost up to $30. The travel industry's outdated systems hinder amendments. AI is a promising solution as smart middleware to streamline operations, offering scalable improvements. Companies should leverage AI to improve the travel sector's efficiency.

1 min

ChatGPT opens to third-party apps — and travel brands are first in line

💻 Oct 7, 2025, OpenAI launched an app ecosystem for ChatGPT, integrating third-party apps like Expedia and Booking.com for seamless travel planning. Users can search, plan, and book trips directly in-chat, without extra app downloads. The app ecosystem includes partners like Spotify and Zillow. The platform uses a new Apps SDK and Model Context Protocol. Monetization strategies remain unclear, but features like Instant Checkout suggest future payment options.

1 min

The shift away from brands to third-party managers

🏨 Oct 7, 2025, hotel industry: Only 20% of hotels remain under brand management, down from 50% two decades ago. Third-party managers excel in efficiency, especially in hotels with 300–700 rooms. A Palm Springs hotel increased NOI from $19M to $25M post-management switch. Third-party fees are 2-5% higher but boost property value. Brands may offer $40-50M incentives, while third-parties offer $4-5M. High-end hotels remain brand-managed for quality assurance. Investors leverage data to align operator interests.

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Hotels remain the top lodging choice for holiday travelers

🛫 Half of U.S. adults plan leisure trips and one-third of employed adults plan business trips by year-end 2025. 44% of leisure and 63% of business travelers choose hotels, preferring midscale or higher-end options. 34% intend to travel for Thanksgiving and 37% for Christmas. Economic challenges and the government shutdown, impacting TSA and air traffic controllers, threaten travel plans. Despite uncertainty, Americans maintain trust in hotels.

1 min

Airbnb faces headwinds as travel demand plateaus

🛫 Oct 7, 2025, Airbnb faces challenges with slower international travel and rising hotel competition. 2Q25 revenue increased by 13% to $3.1 billion, yet room-night growth decelerates. Data indicates weakened U.S. inbound trips from Europe, impacting long-haul stays. Travelers opt for last-minute hotel bookings, favoring Expedia and Booking Holdings. Despite strong cash flow and buybacks, Airbnb's high valuation raises concerns about its growth sustainability amidst a cooling travel market.

1 min

Amex GBT and SAP Concur launch unified travel and expense platform

💼 Oct 7, 2025, Amex GBT and SAP Concur announced a strategic alliance to create an AI-powered platform named *Complete*. The platform will unify travel booking, expense management, and payments, offering personalization through data from millions of trips. *Complete* will launch in late 2025, with new features released quarterly in 2026. While simplifying corporate travel, it could restrict flexibility for users preferring open systems. Egencia clients will benefit from direct integration with Concur Expense.

1 min

Accor bets on paid loyalty as travel subscriptions take off

🏨 Oct 7, 2025, Accor Plus CEO Emilie Couton highlights the future of hotel loyalty with the ALL Accor+ Explorer subscription. This model offers instant rewards over points, in a market projected to surpass US$2 trillion by 2034. Accor Plus’ 450,000 members spend 2.3 times more and stay five times longer. The future focuses on AI personalization and community, transforming loyalty into a lifestyle platform.

Travelers turn to biometrics for smoother journeys

🚀 Oct 6, 2025, a global Amadeus study reveals a 64% year-over-year increase in AI adoption among travelers seeking reduced friction through AI tools. Though 64% are willing to pay for AI assistants, 25% experience outdated AI data. Biometrics are preferred by 69% for faster airport transit, with 66% favoring at-home baggage collection. Despite tech reliance, 90% of travelers still face stress, with emotional connections remaining key travel motivators. Learn more

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