Marriott shares details of AI projects, partnerships
Marriott International CEO has described artificial intelligence (AI) as an “opportunity to potentially redefine the customer acquisition paradigm” in the industry.
Speaking during the hotel giant’s fourth quarter and full-year 2025 earnings call, CEO Anthony Capuano said the company was [...]
Beyond the software: Why support defines success in vacation rentals
The 2020s have brought a unique set of circumstances for vacation rental property managers: inventory flooding the market, unpredictable demand cycles, an influx of new tools, and rising expectations of owners and travellers. Navigating these new headwinds while managing a task list of existing prio [...]
Hilton Global Foundation commits record US$5.4M investment to community resilience, including 5 APAC grantees
The Hilton Global Foundation has announced a US$5.4 million commitment to 18 nonprofit organisations worldwide, marking its largest annual grant portfolio to date and signalling a continued push to align philanthropy with the broader hospitality ecosystem. The funding, revealed in Febr [...]
Letter from Tokyo: Ramen ritual, love robots, a dog and an eel
One of the reasons I love visiting Tokyo is that in a single day, you can be transported to the future – catching a glimpse of what the world might become – and then, just hours later, be pulled gently back in time, into a place of exquisite taste, deep tradition and unexpected warmth.
This [...]
Marriott doubles down on “intentional travel” in Asia Pacific
Marriott International has refreshed its Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy programme across Asia Pacific (excluding China), rolling out nearly 100 curated experiences across close to 80 hotels in 12 markets.
Built around two pillars – Community and Environment – the initiative aims to t [...]
Incentives don’t have to stick to blueprints, and neither do their cities
There’s more than one way to see a city, as Melbourne makes its case for incentive travel
I’ve been to Melbourne a few times but never for work. Having friends and family in a city often means you never get to be a “tourist” per se because you’ve got locals to show you the ropes. I though [...]
Hotel direct bookings remain stable despite rise of AI
Direct bookings are “holding steady” for hotels, a recent report from SiteMinder revealed.
The company's annual Hotel Booking Trends report found that, in 2025, revenue share stayed within 1.5 percentage points of the previous year in 95% of surveyed markets. This was despite predicti [...]
The direct booking secret no algorithm can beat
This week, a front desk executive succeeded where technology failed – she made me rethink my booking behaviour with a single human act. No algorithm. No AI layer. No vibe coding. Just awareness, initiative and follow-through.
Last week I checked into Amari Boulevard Kuala Lumpur. Since we launch [...]
Global Hotel Alliance loyalty revenue reaches an all-time high of $3.2 billion
UAE-headquartered Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, has announced its full-year 2025 financial results, reflecting the continued expansion of its brand network, member engagement, and demand across key markets, especially for international leisu [...]
Luxury redefined: From bling to meaning, from sand to soul
If the first age of luxury was about status, and the second about style, the new luxury is about substance.
As moderator Morris Sim (Montara Hospitality) put it, “Luxury is such an overused word. Everyone has their own version of it. But if we start from the customer’s point of view – who [...]
