Luke Martin is Skift’s UK-based Jr. Hospitality Reporter, covering the dynamic world of hotels. Prior to joining Skift, Luke worked at GlobalData, where he covered a wide range of industries including hospitality, automotive, retail, and packaging.
Hyatt is using artificial intelligence to get closer to trip discovery, where customer intent, loyalty, and direct booking economics increasingly overlap.
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.
Room00’s new expansion plan sees its asset selection process adapt to each market. The company is not chasing a fixed hostel-hotel mix, but matching each property to the format that fits best.
A stronger second half helped the UK hotel market recover in 2025, but London lagged, and rising costs mean many operators are still struggling to grow profits.
Beckons is turning two established lodge operators into a bigger luxury platform, with strong high-end demand and rising owner interest helping support expansion in remote, experience-led stays.
Marriott highlighted two forces shaping the hotel industry right now - geopolitical volatility and a race to build AI tools that keep travelers inside its direct channels.
Minor is using Wolseley to test whether a storied restaurant brand can become a broader luxury platform, starting in New York and likely next in Dubai.
Hilton’s new AI trip planning tool reflects how hotel groups are trying to stay visible while travelers increasingly use conversational prompts to plan and search trips.