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.

Hotels want to capitalize on the direct trend - but for how long?
News / Online
Hotels want to capitalize on the direct trend - but for how long?
By Linda Fox | March 8, 2021
Hotel giants are looking to push their loyalty schemes to continue any advantage in direct bookings built up over the pandemic. Read More
Why is it taking so long for travel tech to get women to the top?
Opinion / Technology
Why is it taking so long for travel tech to get women to the top?
By Lisa Barker - IBS Software | March 8, 2021
We all know there is an issue, but as there is a general lack of appetite to engage in the debate - a trend that cannot continue. Read More
phocuswire-pulse-recovery-playbook-hospitality
News / Technology
VIDEO: Optii’s Katherine Grass on the playbook for recovery in hospitality
By Jill Menze | March 8, 2021
Speaking during PhocusWire's inaugural Pulse event, Optii CEO Katherine Grass says flexibility is the name of the game in 2021. Read More
RESEARCH: Latin America travel market - state of a region's recovery
News / Online
RESEARCH: Latin America travel market - state of a region's recovery
By PhocusWire | March 5, 2021
The market has suffered as much as most around the world but some countries are predicting a return to pre-pandemic levels as early as 2023. Read More
How-i-got-here-avi-brosh-palisociety
Interview / Online
How I Got Here, episode 54 - Avi Brosh of Palisociety
By PhocusWire | March 4, 2021
Avi Brosh's move into the hotel sector from real estate was not driven by a desire to create identikit properties at either the budget or upmarket end of the sector, as he tells Mozio's David Litwak and... Read More
Trip.com Group sees out 2020 with revenues halved, domestic leading recovery
News / Online
Trip.com Group sees out 2020 with revenues halved, domestic leading recovery
By Kevin May | March 4, 2021
The company says the fourth quarter of 2020, when revenues were down 40% on 2019, reflected a narrowing of the declines from a pandemic-hit year as domestic travel continued its strong recovery. Read More
Sitecore acquires travel personalization platform Boxever
News / Technology
Sitecore acquires travel personalization platform Boxever
By Kevin May | March 3, 2021
Boxever was created in 2011 and built a digital optimization platform to use a brand's user data and combine it with artificial intelligence techniques to provide customer up-sell and cross-sell... Read More
Sustainability must be a priority for business travel in 2021
Opinion / Distribution
Sustainability must be a priority for business travel in 2021
By Avi Meir - TravelPerk | March 2, 2021
Momentum built for thinking about a more sustainable level of corporate travel in the years leading up to 2020 must not stall in 2021. Read More
Expedia Group and Booking Holdings slashed marketing by $6B in 2020 (but Airbnb now makes an entrance)
News / Online
Expedia Group and Booking Holdings slashed marketing by $6B in 2020 (but Airbnb now makes an entrance)
By Kevin May | March 2, 2021
The body check on marketing spend by the two giants of online travel in 2020 ends a run of gradually slowing increases in prior years. Read More
STARTUP STAGE: Odyssey Travel App wants to democratize access to luxury travel
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Odyssey Travel App wants to democratize access to luxury travel
By Jill Menze | March 2, 2021
Odyssey Travel App is a premium travel platform that aims to democratize access to luxury hotels, car rental and other travel services directly from the provider to the user. Read More
terry-jones-pulse
News / Technology
VIDEO: Terry Jones on health passports, standards and restoring consumer confidence
By Mitra Sorrells | March 2, 2021
Travel industry veteran Terry Jones discusses the need for collaboration and communication as the industry rolls out digital health passports and other solutions to restart travel. Read More
VIDEO: Safer and seamless travel - a medical perspective
News / Technology
VIDEO: Safer and seamless travel - a medical perspective
By PhocusWire | March 1, 2021
In the interview we discuss vaccines, antibody testing and, crucially for the travel industry, the challenges and process that different segments are having to consider as they bring back travelers to... Read More
How Big Data can drive hotel value and loyalty
Opinion / Technology
How Big Data can drive hotel value and loyalty
By Laurent Idrac - Hapi | March 1, 2021
Hotels may know about their guests pre‐stay and post‐stay, but they’re often missing out on the most important part of the journey: personalizing the experience while on property. Read More
Why you need to reimagine your revenue strategy - with forward looking data
From Our Partners / Distribution
Why you need to reimagine your revenue strategy - with forward looking data
By Gino Engels - OTA Insight | March 1, 2021
The number of variables impacting decisions today is making it difficult to accurately predict and stimulate demand, but forward looking data offers the best opportunity to anticipate the inevitable... Read More
Amadeus ends 2020 with large losses and 61% drop in revenue
News / Distribution
Amadeus ends 2020 with large losses and 61% drop in revenue
By Linda Fox | February 26, 2021
The distribution giant says that while there was a slight improvement in air traffic in the final quarter of the year, the pandemic continued to severely impact travel. Read More
The Phocuswright Conference 2026