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.

hoist-acquires-hotelengine
News / Technology
Hoist Group acquires HotelEngine booking platform
By Linda Fox | October 14, 2019
Hoist also acquired Locatel in 2014 and Swisscom Hospitality in 2015. The company runs a number of products including property management systems, in-room tech, smart locks and WiFi services. Read More
southeast asia part 2 investors entrepreneurs
News / Startups
Southeast Asia, part 2: Investors, entrepreneurs look to specialized solutions in complex region
By Mitra Sorrells | October 14, 2019
For the second piece in our series on Southeast Asia we hear from some of the region's most active investors and entrepreneurs. Read More
Hilton CEO: It's "not a competition" in travel industry to address climate change
News / Online
Hilton CEO: It's "not a competition" in travel industry to address climate change
By Jill Menze | October 14, 2019
Speaking at the World Travel and Tourism Council's Climate & Environment Action Forum, the Hilton boss said the industry must work together to have a positive impact on the environment. Read More
The Phocuswright Conference 2019 preview - Google's time has come
News / Online
The Phocuswright Conference 2019 preview - Google's time has come
By PhocusWire | October 11, 2019
The "super app" concept is not particularly new but it's clearly now part of the Google agenda for travel and a myriad of other services that have an impact on the lives of its users. Read More
age of convergence
Opinion / Technology
Travel brands, take note: The Age of Convergence is here
By Klaus Kohlmayr - IDeaS | October 11, 2019
The Age of Convergence isn’t a pie‐in‐the‐sky idea or something that may happen in the future. Convergence is already happening every day, and it’s a part of our daily lives, even if we can’t see it. Read More
Bringing science and control to airline retail
From Our Partners / Distribution
Bringing science and control to airline retail
By Stanislava Yordanova - PROS | October 10, 2019
In the next decade we should expect the disruption of the airline industry to continue to accelerate; however, it is the digital-first carriers that will lead the market. Read More
How I Got Here, episode 8 - Stuart Crighton of Cleartrip
Interview / Online
How I Got Here, episode 8 - Stuart Crighton of Cleartrip
By Kevin May | October 10, 2019
Cleartrip launched in India but now has half its business in the Middle East - co-founder and CEO Stuart Crighton joins David Litwak and Kevin May for the latest episode of How I Got Here to share the... Read More
OYO 1.5b series f 10b valuation
News / Online
OYO founder funnels $700M into new $1.5B round, valuing company at $10B
By Mitra Sorrells | October 7, 2019
India-based hospitality company OYO Hotels & Homes will use its latest funding round – a $1.5 billion Series F – to expand its vacation rentals business in Europe and to grow its overall presence in the... Read More
What billions of GDS data signals tell us about traveler booking behavior
From Our Partners / Online
What billions of GDS data signals tell us about traveler booking behavior
By Robert Brown - Travelport | October 7, 2019
The report investigates the six dominant traveler personas that make up global travel bookings – solo travelers, families, business travelers, couples, weekenders, and groups. Read More
Q&A: Western Union on a complex but manageable world of currencies and payments
From Our Partners / Technology
Q&A: Western Union on a complex but manageable world of currencies and payments
By PhocusWire | October 7, 2019
PhocusWire spoke to Jonathan Lee, Western Union's director for enterprise payment partnerships, to learn more about its analysis and views on the world of currencies and payments in the travel industry. Read More
southeast asia part 1 overview
News / Online
Southeast Asia, part 1: How low-cost options, mobile reliance are driving travel transformation
By Mitra Sorrells | October 7, 2019
We begin our monthlong exploration of travel in Southeast Asia with an overview of the market. Read More
The influencer marketing metrics travel brands are missing
Opinion / Online
The influencer marketing metrics travel brands are missing
By Rachel Jean-Firchau - Nativo | October 4, 2019
Influencers aren’t publishers, they’re people. While they might have incredible reach, most are focused on awareness and storytelling, not on driving bookings or conversions. Read More
Bold and evergreen: The Irish advantage in travel technology
From Our Partners / Technology
Bold and evergreen: The Irish advantage in travel technology
By Marisa Garcia - PhocusWire | October 3, 2019
There must be something in the water, or maybe it’s all of that fresh air, but Ireland is evergreen when it comes to travel innovation. Read More
REPORT: Building lifetime value in travel through travel recommendations
From Our Partners / Online
REPORT: Building lifetime value in travel through travel recommendations
By Marisa Garcia - PhocusWire | October 3, 2019
We explore the power of personal recommendations in the travel sector, as well as the best way to convert travelers to brand advocates and how to best use tools like NPS to drive new customer... Read More
WAF19-hotelbeds
News / Distribution
VIDEO: Hotelbeds on the opportunity for hotels in the airline distribution channel
By Linda Fox | October 2, 2019
Hotelbeds talks to PhocusWire at the World Aviation Festival 2019 about the $2 billion opportunity for hotels in the airline distribution channel Read More
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