Author: Admin

How far are you with your targets, budget, and plan of attack for next year? What REVPAR and GOPPAR do you need to achieve? Have you gone over what next year will look like in terms of performance, and does it describe all actions in detail? Does everyone on the team know what the objectives are and which steps to take to get there? Did you make your new hotel budget already or are you right in the middle? What methodology are you using? Are you simply adding 3% to 5% each month based on last year’s performance? Or are you really putting your teeth into it and drilling down per segment, per channel, per account, and per day?

There’s an old proverb that says if a stranger shows up at your door, feed them for three days before you ask who they are, where they’re from and where they’re going. And that’s a perfect illustration of true hospitality.

Last month, we analyzed search results from Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity for “best hotels in Miami.” Not a single hotel brand appeared in the top 10 results. Meanwhile, 50% of travelers plan to use AI for leisure travel within the next 12 months.

As warm summer nights set the scene for rooftop parties, poolside gatherings, and terrace cocktails, hotels are discovering a new way to make their events unforgettable, by putting the soundtrack directly into guests’ hands.

Based in Northern California, Storey Hospitality operates a curated portfolio of independent luxury hotels, resorts, villas, and furnished apartments around the world—from Fiji to Anguilla. Storey Hospitality takes a highly customized approach to management, celebrating the unique story, spirit, and history of each property to create magical, memorable guest experiences. Their commitment is to maximize value and return on investment.

This year marks a milestone for us at The Bench as we celebrate 20 years in the UAE. Over the past two decades, Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) has evolved into the region’s most influential hospitality and tourism investment event, serving as a vital platform for leaders, innovators, and investors to connect, collaborate, and shape the future of the industry.

Surrounded by striking mountain peaks and peaceful Alpine meadows, the newly opened six-suite hotel Stieg’nhaus in Austria offers a serene, intimate experience deeply rooted in its surroundings. High-quality, natural materials and a personalized approach to hospitality complement luxury amenities, including two suites with in-room saunas, a rooftop wellness area, a terrace with a warming fire pit, and a casual fine-dining dinner experience. Thoughtfully conceived by a design-conscious couple, Stieg’nhaus is a place where guests are immersed in calmness and refined seclusion.

The hospitality search experience has undergone a quiet revolution. Where travelers once Googled their way to vacation options, many now turn to AI assistants like ChatGPT, Copilot, and other “agentic” tools to dream, plan, and book. With tools like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), users receive detailed answers, trip summaries, and personalized insights based on conversational prompts.

Over eight months, we implemented a strategic SEO optimization plan to help a hotel enhance its online visibility and drive organic search traffic for improved direct bookings. By focusing on technical audits, keyword strategy, on-page optimization, backlink development, and GBP/Google Maps revisions and citations, we transformed the hotel’s online presence and significantly increased organic traffic.