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Next-Gen Tech Checks In
Meet the winner of the AAHOACON26 Tech Pitch Competition By Cathleen Draper In a rapidly evolving landscape, staying ahead requires vigilance and foresight. Luckily for hotel owners, there are plenty of companies forging ahead with products and applications that promise to boost profitability, simplify operations, enhance staff engagement, and revolutionize guest experiences. The AAHOACON26 Tech Pitch Competition, co-powered by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), recognized eight such companies. Selected from a pool of cutting-edge technologies, these eight finalists faced off for the coveted title…
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Own the Guest, Not the Asset
Agentic AI is reshaping how travelers find and book hotels By Cathleen Draper Artificial intelligence is no longer just a buzzword in hospitality – it’s actively running operations, fielding guest inquiries, and filling hotel rooms. At the center of this transformation is a new class of AI: Agentic. Agentic AI plans, takes action, and completes tasks without…
The New Hotel Loyalty Playbook
How hotel loyalty programs are evolving to meet new guest wants and drive direct bookings By Cathleen Draper Hotel loyalty programs have long operated on a simple promise: Stay often, earn points, get a free night. But that model is rapidly evolving to something more nuanced – and more competitive, and guests are latching on. According to…
Efficiency Proficiency
Today’s smart tech, via the Internet of Things, is taking savings to the next level By A.D. Thompson The guest-facing side of the Internet of Things (IoT) is sexy. Lights that dim on command. Keyless entry. Asking Alexa to arrange for room service. Your guests love it. But, for hoteliers, sexy is toilets that don’t leak. Operational…
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From Keywords to Conversations
How GEO is driving hotel discoverability By Romal (RJ) Jayswal For decades, the hospitality industry has operated under a predictable digital playbook: Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Location, brand, and price were the key ingredients of guest discovery. Hotels fought for the top spot on Google, obsessing over keywords like “Best Hotel in Austin” and competing…
The 2026 Power Move Hotels Leaders Can’t Ignore
All-in-one operations platforms turn fragmented workflows into a single, synchronized engine By Scott Schaedle There’s a hard truth most hoteliers don’t want to admit out loud: Their properties don’t have technology problems; they have fragmentation problems. Too many systems, logins, and platforms that don’t talk to each other. Too many “best-in-class” point solutions that, when…
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Work Smarter, Not Harder
The tech that gives independent hotels more freedom By Aaryan Patel & Jin Laxmidas For independent hotel owners, technology should not be about chasing every new trend. It should be about solving the problems that quietly drain time, money, and guest satisfaction every day. A new system is only valuable if it gives the owner…
Virginia Rewrites the Rules
New laws significantly update Virginia’s Retail Franchising Act By Franchise Standards Committee On April 13, 2026, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed into law significant updates to Virginia’s Retail Franchising Act. The identical bills, House Bill 69, introduced by Delegate Dan Helmer, and Senate Bill 240, introduced by Senator Christopher Head, become effective July 1, 2026,…