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.

Middle East hotel prices - August to October 2012
News / Online
Middle East hotel prices - August to October 2012
By PhocusWire | August 31, 2012
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 the Middle East. Read More
The truth about online hotel star ratings [CARTOON]
News / Online
The truth about online hotel star ratings [CARTOON]
By Kevin May | August 28, 2012
In the Good Old Days (there's probably a trademark for that in the travel industry), hotel star ratings were normally worked out in a variety of ways. Read More
Beyond social media - A rough guide to Employee Generated Content in the travel industry
News / Online
Beyond social media - A rough guide to Employee Generated Content in the travel industry
By Viewpoints | August 28, 2012
While many hotels are still looking for that elusive social ROI, recent Panda and Penguin updates to Google (and Bing, too) suggest that direct bookings from social might not always be the right goal. Read More
TripBirds swaps travel tips platform for social media-led hotel booking service
News / Online
TripBirds swaps travel tips platform for social media-led hotel booking service
By Kevin May | August 28, 2012
Back in December 2011, TripBirds was one of many (many, many) so-called social travel sites, created so users can get tips from their friends using the social graph. Read More
WebJet error offers seven-day Bali trip for less than price of a coke
News / Online
WebJet error offers seven-day Bali trip for less than price of a coke
By Nick Vivion | August 27, 2012
A dream vacation at a resort hotel in Bali is most certainly on many a bucket list. But how about living the dream for just AUS $0.08 a night? Read More
Hotel door tech provider moves to crack down on lock hacker
News / Online
Hotel door tech provider moves to crack down on lock hacker
By Kevin May | August 27, 2012
An electronic hotel lock provider has issued a series of fixes to its technology after a cheeky developer used a major conference to demonstrate a hack to open doors. Read More
W Hotels and Intel announce co-branded screenplay writing competition, actual writers cringe
News / Online
W Hotels and Intel announce co-branded screenplay writing competition, actual writers cringe
By Nick Vivion | August 24, 2012
W Hotels and Intel have announced the latest round in their promotion of the new Ultrabook line of computers: the Four Stories short film competition. Read More
Kayak second quarter 2012 results - at-a-glance summary
News / Online
Kayak second quarter 2012 results - at-a-glance summary
By Kevin May | August 22, 2012
Kayak released its second quarter results for 2012 today. A quick overview follows: Read More
One app to rule them all - Kayak fears bad UEX on mobile, so brings third party sites within app
News / Online
One app to rule them all - Kayak fears bad UEX on mobile, so brings third party sites within app
By Kevin May | August 22, 2012
One of the ongoing problems travel search sites have found when developing their mobile apps is that they are at the mercy of their product suppliers. Read More
Rough guide to understanding consumer generated media in travel
News / Online
Rough guide to understanding consumer generated media in travel
By Viewpoints | August 21, 2012
Marketing a company image and building a brand name's popularity used to be largely in the hands of the company itself. Read More
Move over you social media luvvies, apparently only 1 per cent of travellers are listening
News / Online
Move over you social media luvvies, apparently only 1 per cent of travellers are listening
By Kevin May | August 20, 2012
The influence of social media in travel may be overstated, or so says Directline Holidays after commissioning a study to understand what inspires consumers when choosing a destination. Read More
The London 2012 Olympic Games and the integrated travel experience
News / Online
The London 2012 Olympic Games and the integrated travel experience
By Viewpoints | August 17, 2012
The Olympic energy from London was thrilling as usual – taking me back to the privilege I had of working for the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Committee on our executive turnaround and operations team. Read More
Mobile website to-do list for hotels [INFOGRAPHIC]
News / Online
Mobile website to-do list for hotels [INFOGRAPHIC]
By Kevin May | August 17, 2012
Various bits of research point to how consumers often have a poor experience when visiting hotel sites on a mobile, not least because the platforms have not been optimised for devices. Read More
How did London hotels perform in user reviews during the Olympics? [INFOGRAPHIC]
News / Online
How did London hotels perform in user reviews during the Olympics? [INFOGRAPHIC]
By Kevin May | August 15, 2012
With athletes and spectators heading home after a fortnight of sporting action at the London 2012 Olympics, hoteliers are bracing themselves for what their customers will be adding by way of reviews. Read More
Hotel prices in Asia - August to October 2012
News / Online
Hotel prices in Asia - August to October 2012
By PhocusWire | August 14, 2012
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
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