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.

HotelMaps takes on Hipmunk and Google with accommodation finder service
News / Online
HotelMaps takes on Hipmunk and Google with accommodation finder service
By Kevin May | January 4, 2012
TLabs Showcase on travel startups featuring Germany-based HotelMaps, an interactive map platform to find accommodation around the world. Read More
Asia hotel prices - January to March 2012
News / Online
Asia hotel prices - January to March 2012
By PhocusWire | January 2, 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
Tech failure sees hundreds of guests locked out of hotel rooms on New Year's Eve
News / Online
Tech failure sees hundreds of guests locked out of hotel rooms on New Year's Eve
By Kevin May | January 2, 2012
Bad timing and a dash of irony for the Denver Marriott Tech City after a computer glitch locked every guest from their hotel room just before midnight on New Year's Eve. Read More
Picture of year in travel technology - QR Codes poised to head down the toilet
News / Online
Picture of year in travel technology - QR Codes poised to head down the toilet
By Kevin May | December 30, 2011
QR Codes became one of the most polarised initiatives in digital marketing during 2011, with people either loving them as another tool to engage consumers or just wishing they would just go away. Read More
Goodbye TripAdvisor, welcome to Verified Reviews on Expedia
News / Online
Goodbye TripAdvisor, welcome to Verified Reviews on Expedia
By Kevin May | December 28, 2011
Purely coincidental, of course, but with TripAdvisor now successfully spun-off, Expedia is now pushing hard with a marketing message about how its hotel reviews are verified. Read More
So where can the industry turn to for a dose of Fake Review Optimisation? Many places
News / Online
So where can the industry turn to for a dose of Fake Review Optimisation? Many places
By Viewpoints | December 21, 2011
Almost a month on since my series of posts on Fake Review Optimization, there is some still scepticism out there about the concept and its impact in travel. Read More
Tips for menu engineering, dynamic pricing and availability techniques with hotel spas
News / Online
Tips for menu engineering, dynamic pricing and availability techniques with hotel spas
By Patrick Landman | December 19, 2011
We firmly believe spas are an untapped opportunity for accommodation providers to increase their revenue - yet the logistics behind it are still not widely understood. Read More
North American hotel prices - December 2011 to February 2012
News / Online
North American hotel prices - December 2011 to February 2012
By PhocusWire | December 19, 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 North America. Read More
Big questions as Google circles the wagons around the hotel industry
News / Online
Big questions as Google circles the wagons around the hotel industry
By Viewpoints | December 16, 2011
As we now know, Google is testing a version of its Comparison Ads format for online hotels. Read More
Google plants Hotel Finder tool right above every other ad
News / Online
Google plants Hotel Finder tool right above every other ad
By Kevin May | December 15, 2011
More developments at Google likely to tweak the noses of the hotel industry and online travel agencies as it puts tools for Hotel Finder at the top of search results. Read More
Jetsetter: No worries about Expedia, we are different from Groupon, mobile not a web replacement
News / Online
Jetsetter: No worries about Expedia, we are different from Groupon, mobile not a web replacement
By Tim Hughes | December 13, 2011
High end flash sale retailer Jetsetter is celebrating hitting 500,000 room nights since launch and two million people in its database. Read More
BabyShowerForGuys teases fathers with travel as they wait for the big day
News / Online
BabyShowerForGuys teases fathers with travel as they wait for the big day
By Kevin May | December 9, 2011
TLabs Showcase on travel startups featuring US-based BabyShowerForGuys, a destination guide, community and travel search platform for dads-to-be. Read More
Middle East hotel prices - December 2011 to February 2012
News / Online
Middle East hotel prices - December 2011 to February 2012
By PhocusWire | December 9, 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 the Middle East. Read More
How hotels can make a difference in destination search on Google
News / Online
How hotels can make a difference in destination search on Google
By Viewpoints | December 6, 2011
Hotel distribution changes every ten years. In the 1980s it was the GDS, in the 1990s the emergence of tour operators like TUI and Thomas Cook, and in the 2000s the adoption of the web and online travel... Read More
TLabs Reprise - HotelPeeps 12 months on
News / Online
TLabs Reprise - HotelPeeps 12 months on
By Kevin May | December 6, 2011
HotelPeeps is a Romania-based hotel search and booking service with a social twist, which first featured on Tnooz in July 2010. So what happened in the intervening 12 months? Read More
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