Hotel benchmarking tools like STR are facing antitrust scrutiny in the U.S. and UK, raising questions about whether analyzing historical competitor data, or future AI pricing tools, could be viewed as reducing market competition.
Deep Dish, Wrigley Field, and Highest Hotel Taxes
Chicago hotels are backing a tax increase to fund tourism marketing, a move that echoes Hawaiʻi’s TAT history and raises a broader question about why destinations must tax visitors heavily and still fight to fund demand generation.
Payroll as a Percent of Revenue? That’s Cute.
A new industry white paper underscores a structural shift in hotel labor, with permanently elevated wages, persistent turnover, and operating models moving from payroll ratios to cost per occupied room.
Mexico Headlines. What History Says About Recovery.
Recent violence and travel advisories in Mexico highlight how quickly perception can disrupt tourism demand, with recovery hinging on duration, creating competitive implications for Hawaiʻi and other leisure markets.
Ron Reads Hawai’i Hotel Hui
A reflection on Classic Vacations sparked a reply from founder Ron Letterman, offering perspective on travel’s evolution from OTA disruption to AI anxiety, and a reminder that niche, high-touch service still endures.
Expedia is at it again, layoffs that is
Expedia is opening 2026 with another round of layoffs, signaling a continued shift toward consolidation, automation, and leaner operations even as labor shortages persist across the hotel sector.
The (Maybe Not So) Slow Death of Metasearch
As AI reshapes travel discovery, metasearch players like Trivago, TripAdvisor, and Kayak face mounting pressure, raising questions about whether the traditional comparison engine is becoming an expensive middle layer.
Turns Out Ron Was Right
TBO’s acquisition of Classic Vacations revives a storied wholesale brand, underscoring the enduring value of high-touch advisor relationships and the challenges traditional operators face when folded into digital-first travel giants.
2025 Was a Step Back. 2026 Looks Like a Grind
U.S. hotel performance slipped in 2025, with occupancy and RevPAR down for the first time since 2020, and 2026 is shaping up as a grind marked by uneven market performance, rising supply, and tighter margins.
Resort Fees Banned! – Don’t Believe the Headlines… Except Ours.
Despite headlines, New York City hasn’t banned resort fees, only reinforced upfront price disclosure, but as total-price transparency becomes the norm, the economic advantage of resort fees may be quietly disappearing.
