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.

A battle for hearts and homes - that would be Airbnb and Booking.com
Opinion / Online
A battle for hearts and homes - that would be Airbnb and Booking.com
By Douglas Quinby - Phocuswright | March 14, 2018
It's shaping up to become one of travel's great competitive rivalries: Airbnb versus Booking.com. Read More
Expedia claims it brings a "premium" customer to hotels
News / Online
Expedia claims it brings a "premium" customer to hotels
By Kevin May | March 14, 2018
With battles on multiple fronts, it appears, Expedia Inc has come out with a different tactic to keep its hotel partners happy: its customers have greater overall value. Read More
Airbnb courts hoteliers in crusade against OTAs
News / Online
Airbnb courts hoteliers in crusade against OTAs
By Jill Menze | March 14, 2018
Airbnb has made no secret of its intentions to knock off Expedia and Booking.com from the top of the travel food chain. Read More
Revinate hotel review report
News / Online
Google hotel reviews more than doubled in 2017, drive overall increase
By Mitra Sorrells | March 13, 2018
Travelers posted 27% more hotel reviews in 2017 than a year earlier and most of that growth can be attributed to Google.   Read More
digital-dawinism-sabre-hotels
News / Technology
Digital Darwinism: A concept for modern hotels
By Kevin May | March 13, 2018
"Connected consumerism and the influences of new technologies and services on human behavior disrupt markets." Read More
Kayak update baggage fees branded fares
News / Online
Kayak gets first major makeover in three years, includes fees and branded fares
By Mitra Sorrells | March 12, 2018
For the first time in three years, Booking Holdings-owned metasearch engine Kayak has unveiled a redesign of the site. Read More
VIDEO: Hotels on distribution and their online travel agency friends
News / Distribution
VIDEO: Hotels on distribution and their online travel agency friends
By Kevin May | March 12, 2018
We all know that the hotel industry is facing a series of challenges - some large, some less so - around its sales and distribution strategy. Read More
TripActions raises $51M to fix “severely broken” corporate travel system
News / Distribution
TripActions raises $51M to fix “severely broken” corporate travel system
By Mitra Sorrells | March 12, 2018
TripActions believes it has a solution to reinvent business travel by giving travelers more choices, better support and incentives to spend wisely.    Read More
Voice series part 2 user experience
News / Technology
Voice tech in travel, part 2: UX and design
By Mitra Sorrells | March 12, 2018
The days of typing search terms into a browser or clicking through drop-down menus may be fading. Rising in their place is a much more natural interface: voice. Here are the characteristics of an... Read More
RedDoorz $11M funding
News / Startups
Budget hotel platform RedDoorz raises $11M to grow in Southeast Asia
By Mitra Sorrells | March 12, 2018
Singapore-based RedDoorz is planning “aggressive regional expansion” of its budget hotel booking system after securing $11 million in pre-Series B funding. Read More
Facebook trip consideration ad strategy
News / Online
Facebook launches new targeted ad strategy for travel brands
By Mitra Sorrells | March 8, 2018
Facebook is using its knowledge of consumers’ online behavior to help brands market their deals and destinations to travelers earlier in their planning process.   Read More
Europe online shopping abandonment
News / Online
Why website abandonment rates are so high for European travelers
By Mitra Sorrells | March 8, 2018
European travelers appear to be more commitment-phobic lately when it comes to booking accommodations, travel and experiences.    Read More
Booking.com wants to "win" private accommodation but won't mimic Airbnb
News / Online
Booking.com wants to "win" private accommodation but won't mimic Airbnb
By Kevin May | March 7, 2018
What a difference a few weeks can make - Airbnb was once a big threat to hotels, yet now all the attention is on its emergence as a competitor to online travel agencies. Read More
What a voice-enabled future looks like for the vacation rental market
News / Technology
What a voice-enabled future looks like for the vacation rental market
By Jill Menze | March 7, 2018
As travel intermediaries such as online travel agencies tighten their grip on owning traveler data, vacation rental property managers are left in a precarious position. Read More
Honeywell Amazon Alexa hotel thermostat
News / Technology
Honeywell creates voice-controlled thermostat for hotel rooms
By Mitra Sorrells | March 7, 2018
Honeywell is tapping into the trends of increased automation and the use of voice technology with the launch of its latest thermostat for the hospitality industry.    Read More
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