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.

trivago triphappy
News / Online
Trivago buys AI startup TripHappy to improve personalized search
By Jill Menze | May 10, 2018
In a bid to expand its personalized offerings for consumers, German hotel metasearch platform Trivago has acquired artificial intelligence startup TripHappy. Read More
Hotel direct distribution benefits "debunked"
News / Distribution
Hotel direct distribution benefits "debunked"
By Kevin May | May 10, 2018
"No measurable impact" is the headline-grabbing finding from a study looking at whether direct bookings have any impact on the cost of distribution for hotels. Read More
tripadvisor global travel economy
News / Online
TripAdvisor claims to influence 10 percent of $5 trillion global travel economy
By Jill Menze | May 10, 2018
TripAdvisor has issued another not-so-subtle reminder of its status and influence in the travel market - this time with the dollars to back it up. Read More
Booking Holdings hits record $25B booking mark for a quarter
By Jill Menze | May 9, 2018
In the first quarter of 2018, Booking Holdings, formerly the Priceline Group, has reported significant financial growth despite a slowing of growth in bookings and room nights. Read More
in the big chair guesty
Interview / Online
In The Big Chair - Amiad Soto of Guesty
By Jill Menze | May 9, 2018
Amiad Soto co-founded Guesty alongside his twin brother in 2013. He has been named to Forbes Israel’s 30 under 30 list. Read More
tripadvisor q1 earnings 2018
News / Online
TripAdvisor's Experiences and restaurants boost revenue, hotel growth flat
By Jill Menze | May 8, 2018
A dip in its hotels business and a boom of its Experiences offerings saw TripAdvisor’s non-hotel revenue grow to around one-third of hotel revenue for the first quarter of 2018, compared to the same... Read More
AHLA fraudulent hotel bookings
News / Distribution
Fraudulent hotel bookings hit $5.2 billion in 2017
By Mitra Sorrells | May 8, 2018
The American Hotel & Lodging Association says consumers paid $5.2 billion in fraudulent and misleading hotel booking transactions with third-party travel companies in 2017. Read More
BackBid checks out to HotelPlanner
News / Online
BackBid checks out to HotelPlanner
By Kevin May | May 8, 2018
Hotel booking and group travel specialist HotelPlanner has acquired accommodation auction site BackBid. Read More
Security series part 1 threat landscape
News / Online
Unlocking travel security, part 1: The threat landscape
By Mitra Sorrells | May 7, 2018
Equifax, Yahoo, Ebay – all major brands that have been the targets of cyber criminals, with millions of customers impacted in each case.   Read More
Research Spotlight: The rise of mobile bookings
News / Technology
Research Spotlight: The rise of mobile bookings
By Jill Menze | May 7, 2018
Bookings via mobile are growing faster than through any other channel - with mobile websites and apps accounting for more than one in five US online travel bookings in 2017. Read More
Amadeus Q1 2018 earnings
News / Distribution
Amadeus revenue up on growth in distribution and IT solutions
By Mitra Sorrells | May 4, 2018
Amadeus brought in €1.23 billion in revenue during the first quarter of 2018 – up 3.1% over the same period a year earlier. Read More
How marketers should use Facebook's new Trip Consideration tool
News / Online
How marketers should use Facebook's new Trip Consideration tool
By MDG | May 4, 2018
When planning a future trip, many people may have a beach getaway or hiking adventure in mind—but they still may be wondering where to go. Read More
Travelport up in revenue but Flight Centre exit hits other metrics
News / Distribution
Travelport up in revenue but Flight Centre exit hits other metrics
By Kevin May | May 3, 2018
Travelport saw its revenues increase to $678 million in the first quarter of 2018 but the loss of its large Flight Centre account has hit profits to the tune of 9%. Read More
Thomas Cook Qubit digital personalization
News / Online
How personalization is driving conversions for Thomas Cook
By Mitra Sorrells | May 3, 2018
Personalization of the digital experience is a primary strategy for brands looking to attract and retain customers. But one of the challenges is how to create personalization at scale and in a way that... Read More
siteminder global hotel business
News / Technology
Hotels investing in growing direct bookings, mobile upgrades for 2018
By Jill Menze | May 2, 2018
Hotels view their own websites as equally as effective at driving direct bookings as Google or TripAdvisor, a new report from SiteMinder shows. Read More
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