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.

Behold the QR code hotel
News / Technology
Behold the QR code hotel
By Kevin May | March 19, 2011
This might be an 1 April-type story - but it isn't April Fool's Day and this is a story about Dubai, so anything is possible when it comes to hotels in the Middle Eastern state. Read More
Peeling back the onion on travel social media intelligence services
News / Online
Peeling back the onion on travel social media intelligence services
By Viewpoints | March 18, 2011
About a year ago, we began looking at the competitive landscape of Social Media Intelligence (SMI), aka Social Media Monitoring, tools to advise a software company’s strategy to build its own service. Read More
Sabre investigates major SynXis outage
News / Online
Sabre investigates major SynXis outage
By Kevin May | March 18, 2011
Technicians at Sabre are looking for the cause of a failure of the SynXis reservation system this week, paralysing 10,000 hotels from taking bookings via the GDS. Read More
The fusion of mobile and the hotel industry
News / Online
The fusion of mobile and the hotel industry
By Viewpoints | March 17, 2011
Mobile and the rapid ascendancy of today’s mobile audience has hit critical mass and the hotel sector is clearly one of many set to benefit. Read More
The importance of mobile in the minds of business travellers
News / Online
The importance of mobile in the minds of business travellers
By Kevin May | March 14, 2011
Some interesting datapoints here which point to the growing demand by business travellers for enhanced mobile services before and during a trip. Read More
Travel tech firm Partners Software files for insolvency but operations continue
News / Online
Travel tech firm Partners Software files for insolvency but operations continue
By Kevin May | March 14, 2011
Thomas Cook flight search technology provider Partners Software is promising business-as-usual despite filing for insolvency in Germany. Read More
Hotel pricing - Asia - Feb to April 2011
News / Online
Hotel pricing - Asia - Feb to April 2011
By PhocusWire | March 12, 2011
Data trends on cheapest hotel rates as well as median rate for three months of three, four and five star hotels across some of the major cities in Asia. Read More
Travelport plots trebling of hotels on agent portal, thanks to Sprice
News / Online
Travelport plots trebling of hotels on agent portal, thanks to Sprice
By Kevin May | March 10, 2011
Anyone wondering why Travelport bought Asia-Pacific metasearch engine Sprice last year will soon understand - the technology is to power a new hotel search system. Read More
TripAdvisor expands activities channel through GetYourGuide
News / Online
TripAdvisor expands activities channel through GetYourGuide
By Kevin May | March 10, 2011
TripAdvisor is looking to capture some of the buzz around the growth of tours and activities by partnering with GetYourGuide to be a booking service for products. Read More
TLabs Showcase - Trippo
News / Online
TLabs Showcase - Trippo
By Dennis Schaal | March 9, 2011
TLabs Showcase on travel startups featuring US-based hotel flash sale site Trippo. Read More
TLabs Showcase - ReviewPro
News / Online
TLabs Showcase - ReviewPro
By Kevin May | March 7, 2011
TLabs Showcase on travel startups featuring Spain-based hotel review analytics service ReviewPro. Read More
Onefinestay secures $3.7 million investment, plots boutique city expansion
News / Online
Onefinestay secures $3.7 million investment, plots boutique city expansion
By Kevin May | March 7, 2011
UK startup Onefinestay has captured the attention of a string of luminaries from the history of online travel and secured a Series A funding round worth $3.7 million. Read More
Travelport sells GTA business to Kuoni for $720 million
News / Distribution
Travelport sells GTA business to Kuoni for $720 million
By Kevin May | March 6, 2011
Travelport is to offload its hotel and ground travel services business GTA to long haul tour operator Kuoni for $720 million. Read More
High-brow hotel search arrives - select by Haiku description
News / Online
High-brow hotel search arrives - select by Haiku description
By Kevin May | March 4, 2011
One of the quirkier new travel sites to appear on the web in recent months - Hotel Haiku, where visitors get hotel property descriptions in, well, Haiku. Read More
Room 77 vs Hipmunk - re-examining the online travel user experience
News / Online
Room 77 vs Hipmunk - re-examining the online travel user experience
By Timothy O'Neil-Dunne | March 3, 2011
With Hipmunk and Room77 the current darlings of the Valley crowd, it is perhaps time to revisit the user experience of travel sites. Read More
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