TOP NEWS

📈 CEOs, CMOs, and CFOs must align to reignite growth. Fortune 100 executive teams grew by 50% from 2020-2022, but single customer-focused executives see 2.3x more growth than fragmented roles. Marketing budgets fell to 7.7% of revenue, down from 9.1%. Only 66% of Fortune 500 companies have CMOs, marking a drop since 2023. To drive growth, companies should empower CMOs as strategic leaders and enhance marketing-CFO collaboration for effective measurement systems.

📚 Palladium Hotel Group, a family-run company, operates 40+ hotels across 8 destinations, recently expanding into the UAE. They prioritize guest experience, integrating it into operations for innovation and swift adaptation. Utilizing semantic analysis, they turn feedback into actionable insights. Personalized guest journey maps are co-created with local teams. Technology supports but doesn't replace the human touch. The focus is on turning guests into loyal fans, valuing internal teams, and maintaining a data-driven, human-centric approach.

📈 Sally Bunnell, founder and CEO of NaviSavi, speaks at the TravelTech Show 2025 in London. She joins a panel about the future of travel tech, moderated by Charlotte Lamp Davies. The event includes over 100 tech suppliers and features discussions on AI, geopolitics, and sustainability. NaviSavi, recognized for innovation, won awards at events in Lisbon and Seville. Bunnell, a 2020 PhocusWright Young Industry Leader, spoke at 20+ events globally this year.

🍴 Multi-unit restaurant operators can explore cutting-edge tech at the Point B Restaurant Technology Innovation Center in Chicago. Opened by Point B, it offers a fully integrated ecosystem with platforms like commerce, kitchen displays, and AI, aiding brands in enhancing guest and employee experiences. Rich Faltot emphasizes its role in fostering confidence and innovation. Whataburger's Jerry Philips praises the comprehensive tech display. The center features live testing environments and tailored workshops for operational challenges.

📑 The State of Distribution 2025 report, from NYU SPS Tisch Center's HI Hub, RateGain, and HEDNA, surveys 700 hotel brands and 21,000+ properties in 310 cities. AI adoption is nascent; hotels prioritize system integration and talent development over AI investment. 80% of hotels spend up to two days weekly on manual reporting. Independent hotels test new tech, while larger chains consolidate systems. The study emphasizes technology readiness and integration to adapt to rising traveler expectations.

💻 BETHESDA, Maryland—In May 2025, Stayntouch partnered with First Hospitality to implement Stayntouch PMS in its independent hotels. The system offers 100% uptime, response times 30% faster than legacy systems, mobile-first design, intuitive interface for quicker training, and open API for tech integration. Nick Johnson praised its flexibility and guest-centric approach. Priya Rajamani highlighted the efficient transition and enhanced team performance, emphasizing the human touch in hospitality.

🍷 On May 28th, at The Roof Gardens in London, Kylie Minogue celebrated her 57th birthday and the fifth anniversary of Kylie Minogue Wines, which has sold over 20 million bottles globally. A limited-edition Côtes de Provence rosé was unveiled. The event featured a performance with The Blessed Madonna in The Spanish Gardens. The rosé is crafted at Notre-Dame des Anges, with aromas of watermelon and lemon blossom, offering a crisp, balanced palate.

💰 New York led the U.S. luxury hotel market over the past decade, with $10.1 billion in transactions and 38 deals. California's Montage Laguna Beach set a record in 2015 at $1.45 million per key. By 2025, Q1 hotel transactions hit $4.6 billion, up 23.1% from 2024. Limited supply growth at 0.7% annually supports market strength. Hotel loan maturities of $145 billion over 2025-2026 could accelerate sales.

💸 Hotels worldwide benefit from Mews’ integrated systems. Automated room charging eliminates F&B revenue leaks, enabling seamless guest experiences. QR code ordering and mobile payments enhance efficiency, while unified dashboards provide financial visibility. Staff productivity rises with mobile ordering, leading to better service. Digital tipping increases revenue by 5.7%, earning €3 more per bill on average. Real-time data synchronization and zero-friction payments streamline operations. An analysis of 60 hotels in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland supports these findings.