Minor Hotels just launched two new brands built entirely around food — one extending a famous London restaurant, the other a collection of chef-driven properties. The new brands are joining Nobu and roughly 15 other culinary-themed hotels. But market saturation is a risk.

Two stories out of the IHIF Berlin conference: Accor's CEO argued travel demand is resilient but increasingly unpredictable, while Hyatt's CEO outlined how the company's website uses AI to intercept travelers closer to the moment they start dreaming about a trip.

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EDITOR’S PICKS

Hotels Are Losing Travelers’ Discovery Window — And Scrambling to Get It Back

by Luke Martin

March 26, 2026

Hotels are no longer just competing at booking. As discovery shifts to social platforms, recommendations, and artificial intelligence tools, big groups are trying to shape demand much earlier.

Hotels Warn World Cup Bookings Are Coming In Light

by Sean O'Neill

March 26, 2026

Many hotels are seeing soft 2026 World Cup bookings as fans seem to be waiting until the last minute. It seems possible that the event will draw a higher mix of domestic fans than many first expected.

The Rush to Build Hotels Around Food

by Sean O'Neill

March 25, 2026

The data is clear: food-led hotels only outperform when they're not competing with a vibrant local dining scene. Minor Hotels and a wave of other hotel groups will have to place its their new culinary-themed brands carefully.

A Gulf Hotel Just Signed the World’s Leading Tourism Climate Pact. Its Home Country Runs on Oil and Gas

by Darin Graham

March 25, 2026

Coral Beach Resort Sharjah is the first hotel in the Middle East to sign the Glasgow Declaration. But the real question for hotel owners is whether these pledges translate into lower costs or stronger demand in a region still heavily reliant on fossil fuels.

Ireland’s Kerten Enters India For Lifestyle Expansion

by Bulbul Dhawan

March 25, 2026

India’s expanding middle class and spending power is placing it at the center of global travel space. And hotel companies are now focusing on attracting Indians in their own country.

Accor CEO: Geopolitical Turmoil Isn’t Killing Travel, But Companies Need Agility

by Luke Martin

March 25, 2026

Accor’s CEO says travel demand is holding steady, but behaving differently. Shorter booking windows and rapid shifts between destinations are forcing hotel companies to stay agile.

Hyatt’s AI Captures Customers Sooner, Improving Sales and Productivity

by Luke Martin

March 24, 2026

Hyatt is using artificial intelligence to get closer to trip discovery, where customer intent, loyalty, and direct booking economics increasingly overlap.

Why the Best Hedge Against Global Chaos Is a Very Large Hotel Company

by Luke Martin

March 24, 2026

IHG’s view is that volatility is now a constant, but that large, diversified hotel groups are still positioned to benefit, so long as travel demand stays strong.

Hilton’s Yotel Franchise Deal Tests New ‘Platform’ Model

by Sean O'Neill

March 24, 2026

The hotel giants are becoming distribution "platforms" of brands run by others, not just brand owners themselves. Hilton is the latest to embrace this shift with its new "brand of brands," Select by Hilton.

Prism’s Motel 6 Bet: Ritesh Agarwal’s IPO Setup and the Budget Hotel Comeback

by Wil Slickers

March 24, 2026

OYO is now Prism, and the strategy is bigger than a name change. In this Skift Take Sessions episode, Wil Slickers sits down with Skift hospitality reporter Sean O’Neill to break down what Prism CEO Ritesh Agarwal is really building after years of pivots: a business that is now essentially split between India and the U.S., anchored by the Motel 6 acquisition and a push to modernize the budget experience with a tech rebuild. 

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The Tax Crackdown Coming for Short-Term Rentals

AVALARA + SKIFT

As the short-term rental market matures, margins are shrinking and regulations keep shifting. New research confirms that compliance is becoming one of the sector's most critical—and underestimated—challenges.

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SKIFT PODCAST NETWORK

OYO is now Prism, and the strategy is bigger than a name change.

In this Skift Take Sessions episode, Wil Slickers sits down with Skift hospitality reporter Sean O’Neill to break down what Prism CEO Ritesh Agarwal is really building after years of pivots: a business that is now essentially split between India and the U.S., anchored by the Motel 6 acquisition and a push to modernize the budget experience with a tech rebuild. 

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SKIFT TRAVEL 200

How are public accommodations companies performing around the world? The Skift Travel 200 pulls the data you need to know to understand the market. Paid subscribers get full access here.

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