Q3 hotel earnings show U.S. RevPAR slipping, group and government travel weakening, and 2025 forecasts flattening across Hilton, IHG, and Wyndham, while Accor remains the lone bright spot.
Shutdowns, Sick Days, and a Billion Bucks a Week
The federal shutdown is costing the U.S. travel sector $1B a week, and with Canadian and other international arrivals plunging, Hawaiʻi faces mounting headwinds despite parks and airports remaining open.
From Enshittification to Bifurcation
Two forces define today’s hotel scene: enshittification, the decline in value, and bifurcation, the widening gap between travelers. Which side is your property on?
Recession-Proof, or Just Enshittified?
Luxury hotels are thriving while the mid-market weakens. Hawaiʻi luxury RevPAR is up 9% YTD, raising questions about inequality in travel demand.
DirectBooker: “Direct” Bookings… Via Someone Else
DirectBooker wants to “fix” OTA dependence by becoming yet another middleman, feeding hotel data into ChatGPT and Gemini, just as Airbnb ramps up its own hotel push.
Market Update: Recovery Stalls, Promos Rise, Luxury Holds, Midscale Struggles
Q2 results show the hotel upswing has ended: flat U.S. RevPAR, softer demand, and cautious forecasts from Expedia, Marriott, Airbnb, and STR point to a tougher lodging cycle ahead.
Hospitality Geek Week
A packed week at HITEC, HSMAI, and industry side meetings highlighted three themes: AI everywhere, commercial teams needing real alignment, and hotels still struggling with outdated, disconnected tech.
Marketing the Unwanted?
As Congress slashes Brand USA funding by 80%, international visitors continue to flee the U.S., leaving destinations like Hawaiʻi exposed just when global marketing matters most.
The Hotel Geeks’ Nirvana
Heading to HITEC and HSMAI’s Commercial Strategy Conference this week for a deep dive into hotel tech, AI, and commercial trends, recap coming with all the useful and eyebrow-raising takeaways.
If I hear the word one more time…
Trump’s tariff whiplash fuels market uncertainty and travel slowdown fears, raising the risk of fewer international visitors, shaky consumer confidence, and a possible recession—omelets aside.
