Weekly Insights. January 24, 2026

What is the real value of a hotel franchise in 2026?

In a world where independents can thrive, tech is democratized, and data is king - why franchise at all? What true, irreplaceable value does a brand bring to today's hotel owner? And how should the franchise model evolve (if at all) to justify its cost and relevance?

Pace vs. Pick-up: The truth behind the numbers

The article explains the difference between pace and pickup and how to use both without getting misled. Pace shows how many rooms and revenue are on the books for a future date compared with a reference like last year at the same lead time, while pickup shows what was added over a chosen period. It warns that events, rate mix, and comp set shifts can distort either number, so you should compare like for like, track by segment and channel, and link changes to specific actions to guide pricing and marketing.

How hoteliers should rethink the threat posed by short term rentals

The article says short-term rentals are not an existential threat but a different product that travelers now compare alongside hotels. Hoteliers should track them in the comp set, use data to understand where they win, and double down on hotel strengths such as service, safety, consistency, and amenities. It recommends adapting mix and pricing, refining distribution, and positioning clearly so guests see the value of choosing the hotel.

The rise of contactless tech in hospitality: A guide for hotels in 2026

The article says contactless tech is now central to hotel service, with guests expecting digital check in, mobile ordering, chat based requests, and phone based room access that reduce queues and manual steps. It explains these tools speed operations and ease staffing pressure, while reminding hotels to keep human support available so service still feels personal.

RevPAR, Occupancy Rate, ADR, and other Hotel metrics: How to evaluate your property’s performance

The article explains core hotel metrics and how to use them together. It defines occupancy rate, ADR, and RevPAR, shows how to calculate each, and compares what they reveal about pricing and demand. It adds related metrics like TRevPAR, GOPPAR, and CPOR to connect revenue with costs and profit. The guidance is to track a balanced set of metrics by segment and channel, not rely on a single number, and use the insights to adjust pricing, distribution, and operations for healthier performance.

Top 10 branding trends for 2026

The article outlines ten branding shifts hotels should focus on in 2026, urging “hybrid by design” strategies that blend digital and human service, global reach and local roots, and automation with empathy. Themes include regenerative and responsible hospitality, AI as core infrastructure, immersive story worlds, quiet and conscious luxury, employee culture as part of the brand, and richer emotional storytelling, all aimed at building resilient brands that feel both high tech and deeply human.

The 6 building blocks of the AI-driven direct distribution ecosystem

The article says direct distribution now has six parts. Websites, contact centers, and mobile apps still matter, but AI adds three more essentials. Hotels need AI agents that chat and book across channels, an MCP server that feeds assistants like ChatGPT real rates and rules and lets them complete reservations, and a clean canonical database as the single source of truth. The goal is a unified system where every channel shows consistent content, pricing, and availability so AI can find the hotel and help guests book directly.

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