Hotel Industry News

PhocusWire's in-depth coverage of the hotel sector, featuring news, analysis, interviews, research and more on B&Bs, hotels, guesthouses and other property types.

The hotel sector is undergoing significant transformation, powered by new technologies, evolving guest expectations, and a renewed focus on direct booking and operational efficiency. PhocusWire delivers the latest hotel industry news, covering the strategies and innovations shaping the future of global hospitality.

Hotel chain developments, hospitality trends, and market shifts

Stay updated on how hotel brands are expanding, restructuring, and embracing digital platforms to elevate the guest experience. From contactless check-in and AI-powered pricing to loyalty evolution and branded residential offerings, our coverage tracks the industry’s response to changing demand and competitive pressure.

No, guests do not require human-provided services in hospitality
Opinion / Technology
No, guests do not require human-provided services in hospitality
By Max Starkov - hospitality consultant and strategist | January 4, 2022
Max Starkov makes a case that in five years, hotels will operate with about 50% of the staff they had in 2019 – and that’s not a bad thing.   Read More
sojern-pcw21-studio
News / Online
VIDEO: Sojern on diversity, sustainability and startups
By PhocusWire | December 23, 2021
PhocusWire chats to Sojern's Noreen Henry at The Phocuswright Conference 2021 about some of the bigger challenges facing the travel industry. Read More
Yatra sees revenue jump 70% in a year as India attempts COVID recovery
News / Online
Yatra sees revenue jump 70% in a year as India attempts COVID recovery
By Kevin May | December 22, 2021
The India-based company says it saw a considerable improvement across all its key performance indicators between July and September while the country attempted to rebuild following the devastating... Read More
jin-jiang-tencent-partnership
News / Technology
Jin Jiang partners with Tencent to spur hospitality innovation in China
By Mitra Sorrells | December 21, 2021
The hospitality and technology companies will work together to identify startups and to enable them to test their solutions in Jin Jiang%27s hotels. Read More
VIDEO: MogulRecruiter - Launch pitch at Phocuswright Conference 2021
Interview / Technology
VIDEO: MogulRecruiter - Launch pitch at Phocuswright Conference 2021
By PhocusWire | December 21, 2021
Mogul is a technology and data sciences company that provides talent, booking and management solutions for the service industry starting with hospitality. Read More
optii-solutions-opinion-2022
Opinion / Technology
Better tech and decision-making are hotel trends to watch for in 2022
By Katherine Grass - Optii Solutions | December 20, 2021
Here are two of the big shifts these changes have catalyzed within the hospitality sector and are likely to have an impact on how hotels run in 2022. Read More
Yanolja acquires Dable to boost hotel AI capabilities
News / Technology
Yanolja acquires Dable to boost hotel AI capabilities
By Yeoh Siew Hoon - WebinTravel | December 17, 2021
Yanolja's acquisition of Dable is part of its ambition to become the world's number one travel platform. Read More
guruhotel-preseed
News / Startups
GuruHotel raises $2.1M to help hotels drive direct bookings
By Mitra Sorrells | December 17, 2021
Founded in 2019, GuruHotel's platform enables hotels to build their websites and start selling rooms online in less than one hour. Read More
tripcom-q3-2021
News / Online
Trip.com Group revenue drops in Q3 but international flight bookings up
By Mitra Sorrells | December 15, 2021
Trip.com Group's revenue in Q3 2021 was $831 million, down 9% compared to the second quarter of this year.   Read More
VIDEO: Guesty on the rise of rentals and maintaining momentum
News / Distribution
VIDEO: Guesty on the rise of rentals and maintaining momentum
By PhocusWire | December 15, 2021
Guesty's Vered Raviv Schwarz joined us in the PhocusWire Studio at The Phocuswright Conference 2021 to discuss trends in alternative accommodation and where some of the opportunities and hurdles... Read More
Tracking travel startup investment trends in 2021
News / Startups
Tracking travel startup investment trends in 2021
By Linda Fox | December 15, 2021
Standout sectors attracting investment in 2021 include alternative accommodation and ground transportation while tours and activities, corporate travel and hotel tech startups are also getting some... Read More
VIDEO: Cendyn - Launch pitch at Phocuswright Conference 2021
Interview / Distribution
VIDEO: Cendyn - Launch pitch at Phocuswright Conference 2021
By PhocusWire | December 15, 2021
Starling is Cendyn’s next-generation customer data platform (CDP) that unites a hotel’s tech and millions of guest data points to foster more meaningful relationships with their guests. Read More
hotel-rategain-coronavirus-outlook
News / Distribution
VIDEO: RateGain on the new world for hotel tech and distribution
By PhocusWire | December 14, 2021
Alongside the logistical headache of organizing staff, mothballing properties and then trying to ressurect operations once more, many hotels have faced competition from rentals after their surge in... Read More
VIDEO: Xeniapp - Launch pitch at Phocuswright Conference 2021
Interview / Technology
VIDEO: Xeniapp - Launch pitch at Phocuswright Conference 2021
By PhocusWire | December 14, 2021
Xeniapp is building the infrastructure of travel for the Web 3.0 economy. We serve all of the constituents of travel on one software platform. Read More
Hyatt introduces room keys in Apple Wallet
News / Technology
Hyatt introduces room keys in Apple Wallet
By Donna M. Airoldi - BTN | December 10, 2021
The technology allows Hyatt loyalty members to unlock guest rooms by tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch. Read More
The Phocuswright Conference 2026