Author: Admin

Imagine you’re navigating the dating app scene. OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) are like matchmakers who introduce your hotel to a broad pool of potential guests. You pay them a commission for every successful match (booking). On the other hand, Metasearch platforms are more like dating profile collectors, they show your hotel alongside others but let the guest choose where to book, including directly with you.

Here at OTA Sync, we’ve helped hundreds of properties increase their direct bookings by an average of 31%. How? By focusing on strategies that actually work instead of industry myths. Let’s cut through the noise and explore how your property can win more direct bookings without breaking the bank.

At its core, hospitality is all about service. In an industry where personalized experiences are paramount, Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents numerous opportunities to enhance operational efficiency and elevate customer service. Technological advancements and evolving consumer expectations drive the adoption of AI in hospitality.

Boutique hospitality is asserting its influence across business, policy, and culture. With BLLA’s Boutique Hotel Investment Conference returning to New York on June 4, the spotlight is once again on independent hotel ownership and capital strategy—an area gaining fresh momentum amid shifting traveler values and investor priorities.

In hospitality, your team is your brand. No matter how stunning the property, how seamless the technology, or how luxurious the amenities, guests will always remember how your people made them feel. And yet, the hospitality industry faces a massive challenge: keeping those incredible people around long enough to make a lasting impact.

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“Happy Monday,” Celeste Berke-Knisely says, smiling through the chaos. It sounds like a casual greeting—except it’s not.

Not that long ago, hotel room phones were a reliable source of revenue. Back in the early 2000s, it wasn’t unusual for a hotel to earn several dollars per occupied room per night—thanks largely to high fees for external calls. One 400-room property could bring in half a million dollars a year just from phone use.

Recently, I began noticing through my social and professional connections that the term “sustainability” often triggers unexpected resistance. I observed that when conversations touch on environmental issues, even simple everyday topics like avoiding food waste or using public transportation, some people react unfavorably. What struck me was that the pushback was not necessarily about the actions themselves, which are often practical and beneficial, but rather about the language and framing around sustainability.

From 10 to 13 November 2025, hospitality professionals, educators, and researchers from around the world will gather in The Hague as Hotelschool The Hague hosts the EuroCHRIE 2025 Conference. The annual event, organised by the European Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (EuroCHRIE), is one of the most influential events in hospitality and tourism education.