Advertise on podcast: Revenue Hub

Everyone in hospitality is talking about AI - but is your hotel's commercial operation actually ready for it? In this episode of the AI Reality Check Series, I talk with Nicole Adair, Product leader at FLYR Hospitality, to cut through the hype and get honest about what “AI ready” really means for hotel revenue, marketing, distribution, sales, and GM teams. Nicole breaks down the gaps hotels rarely talk about: why “we want more AI” isn't a problem statement, why basic AI fluency (not a data science degree) is the missing skill on most commercial teams, why leadership and culture set the tone for adoption, and how to tell a genuine AI-driven platform from software that's simply rebranded itself as “AI” to justify a higher price tag. ──────────────────────────────🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES──────────────────────────────● Flyr Hospitality: https://www.flyrhospitality.com/● Connect with Nicole Adair on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-adair/● Revenue Hub: https://revenue-hub.com/● Connect with Trevor Grant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-grant-revenue-hub/ ──────────────────────────────💬 ENJOYED THIS? HERE'S HOW TO HELP──────────────────────────────👍 Please like this if you found it interesting🔔 Subscribe for hotel revenue, marketing & sales strategy content ──────────────────────────────🏷 TAGS──────────────────────────────#HotelAI #RevenueManagement #HospitalityTechnology #AIReadiness #HotelMarketing #CommercialStrategy #FLYRHospitality #AIRealityCheck #HotelOperations #MachineLearning

Welcome to the next instalment of our AI Reality Check series, where we ask a simple question: if you're running a rubbish hotel, will AI actually make it a great one? 🤖🏨 In this conversation, I talk with Fulvio Giannetti, CEO of Lybra Tech, to explore why AI acts as an accelerator, magnifying whatever is already working (or already broken) inside a hotel's commercial operation. 🔑 In This Episode:● Why AI amplifies existing problems instead of fixing them● The real reason “bad data” usually isn't a technology problem● How segmentation quality determines the value an RMS can deliver● Why outliers are some of the most valuable data points you can have● What actually separates a hotel that's ready for AI from one that isn't ──────────────────────────────🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES──────────────────────────────● Lybra Tech: https://www.lybra.tech/● Connect with Fulvio Giannetti on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fulviogiannetti/● Revenue Hub: https://revenue-hub.com/● Connect with Trevor Grant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-grant-revenue-hub/ ──────────────────────────────💬 ENJOYED THIS? HERE'S HOW TO HELP──────────────────────────────👍 Please like this if you found it interesting🔔 Subscribe for hotel revenue, marketing & sales strategy content ──────────────────────────────🏷 TAGS──────────────────────────────#AIinHospitality #RevenueManagement #HotelTech #DataQuality #HotelIndustry #RevenueHub #Lybra #AIRealityCheck #HospitalityTech #Hoteliers

🏨📈🔍 AI won't turn a badly-run hotel into a great one - it'll just show everyone how badly it's being run. In this episode I talk with Tomasz Leszczynski of BEONx to unpack what "AI readiness" actually means for a hotel commercial team, and why most operators are asking the wrong first question. ✅ Why data quality, not software, is the real foundation for AI success✅ The "empty process" trap - busywork that feels productive but adds zero value✅ Why people always come before process, and process always comes before tech✅ How clean data compounds into double-digit growth (and messy data kills ROI)✅ Tomasz's real-world estimate: what % of hotel groups are actually AI-ready ──────────────────────────────🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES──────────────────────────────● BEONx: https://beonx.com/● Connect with Tomasz Leszczynski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomasz-leszczynski7/● Revenue Hub: https://revenue-hub.com/● Connect with Trevor Grant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-grant-revenue-hub/ ──────────────────────────────💬 ENJOYED THIS? HERE'S HOW TO HELP──────────────────────────────👍 Please like this if you found it interesting🔔 Subscribe for hotel revenue, marketing & sales strategy content ──────────────────────────────🏷 TAGS──────────────────────────────#AIinHospitality #HotelRevenueManagement #RevenueManagement #HospitalityTech #HotelCommercialStrategy #DataQuality #RMS #HotelIndustry

AI won't make a rubbish hotel a good hotel - it will just expose the cracks faster.In this episode, I talk with Kris Glabinski of Aggregate Intelligence to unpack what genuine AI-readiness looks like for hotels and hotel groups, and why most commercial operations aren't there yet. Kris explains why data is actually the easy part to fix - and why process and people are where AI adoption really succeeds or fails. From the “100 free employees” thought experiment to the chicken-and-egg relationship between data, process and people, this is a grounded, practical look at what to fix before you invest in AI. ──────────────────────────────🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES──────────────────────────────● Aggregate Intelligence: https://aggregateintelligence.com/● Connect with Kris Glabinski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glabinski/● Revenue Hub: https://revenue-hub.com/● Connect with Trevor Grant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-grant-revenue-hub/ ──────────────────────────────💬 ENJOYED THIS? HERE'S HOW TO HELP──────────────────────────────👍 Please like this if you found it interesting🔔 Subscribe for hotel revenue, marketing & sales strategy content ──────────────────────────────🏷 TAGS──────────────────────────────#HotelAI #RevenueManagement #HospitalityTechnology #AgenticAI #DataStrategy #HotelIndustry #TravelTech #CommercialStrategy #AIReadiness #HospitalityLeadership

AI is everywhere in hospitality right now - but is your hotel actually ready for it, or are you just bolting new tech onto old problems? In this episode, I talk with Peter Brauer of Get Into More (https://www.getintomore.com/) to break down what genuine AI-readiness looks like for hotels and hotel groups.We dig into the three things that matter more than any tool: your people, your data, and your processes - and why skipping the groundwork means AI just amplifies whatever's already broken. Peter shares the red flags that signal a hotel's data reflects broken process rather than market reality, and his honest take on whether compromised historical data should be a dealbreaker. ──────────────────────────────🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES──────────────────────────────🌐 Website — https://www.getintomore.com/🌐 Website — https://revenue-hub.com💼 LinkedIn — https://linkedin.com/company/revenue-hub ──────────────────────────────💬 ENJOYED THIS? HERE'S HOW TO HELP──────────────────────────────👍 Like this if you found it useful🔔 Subscribe for hotel revenue, marketing & sales strategy content ──────────────────────────────🏷 TAGS──────────────────────────────#HotelAI #Hospitality #RevenueManagement #HotelTech #AIReadiness #HospitalityIndustry #HotelOperations #DataIntegrity #TravelTech #GetIntoMore

Is your hotel actually ready for AI - or are you about to automate broken processes even faster? In this episode, I talk with Willem Rabsztyn, CEO of Bookboost, to unpack what AI readiness really means for hotels and hotel groups. From data silos to security guardrails to spotting genuine AI value versus pitch-deck buzzwords, Willem breaks down the foundations every property needs before deploying AI at scale. What You'll Learn● Why unifying guest data is the real first step before any AI rollout● The security risks of giving AI agents unrestricted API access● How to shift staff mindset from “clicking buttons” to prompting agents● Why messy data is usually a silo problem, not a “bad data” problem● The three levels of AI maturity (and Willem's “protein powder” analogy)● How to test whether a tech solution's “AI” is real or just marketing● What commercial and operational foundations hotels need for the next 3–5 years ──────────────────────────────🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES──────────────────────────────🌐 Website — https://www.bookboost.io/🌐 Website — https://revenue-hub.com💼 LinkedIn — https://linkedin.com/company/revenue-hub ──────────────────────────────💬 ENJOYED THIS? HERE'S HOW TO HELP──────────────────────────────👍 Like this if you found it useful🔔 Subscribe for hotel revenue, marketing & sales strategy content ──────────────────────────────🏷 TAGS──────────────────────────────#HotelTech #HospitalityAI #AIReadiness #CustomerDataPlatform #Bookboost #HotelMarketing #GuestExperience #HospitalityIndustry #AgenticAI #DataStrategy

In this episode, Trevor Grant sits down with Firas Moolla from HotelIQ (www.hoteliq.io) to unpack what “AI readiness” actually looks like in hotel commercial operations, why data quality quietly underpins everything, and why the smartest hoteliers fix their fundamentals before they buy another tool. They cover the “three-legged stool” of people, tools, and processes, why geographic source market data is the ultimate stress test for a hotel's operations, how to incentivize front desk teams to capture better data, how long a real data clean-up actually takes, and what an honest AI readiness assessment looks like in practice. Whether you're a GM, revenue leader, or hotel owner exploring AI vendors, this conversation will help you ask better questions before you sign anything. ──────────────────────────────🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES──────────────────────────────🌐 Website — https://www.hoteliq.io/🌐 Website — https://revenue-hub.com💼 LinkedIn — https://linkedin.com/company/revenue-hub ──────────────────────────────💬 ENJOYED THIS? HERE'S HOW TO HELP──────────────────────────────👍 Like this if you found it useful🔔 Subscribe for hotel revenue & sales strategy content ──────────────────────────────🏷 TAGS──────────────────────────────#HotelTech #HospitalityAI #RevenueManagement #DataQuality #HotelOperations #AIReadiness #HotelIQ #HospitalityIndustry #PMS #CommercialStrategy #HotelManagement #AIinHospitality

or the last couple of years, AI has been sold to the hotel industry as a silver bullet. In a recent conversation with Tristan Heaword of digital marketing agency three&six, one of our Expert Partners, I put that assumption to the test - and the answer was refreshingly honest: AI won't fix a broken hotel. It will amplify whatever is already there, good or bad. ──────────────────────────────🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES──────────────────────────────🌐 Website — www.threeandsix.agency/🌐 Website — www.revenue-hub.com💼 LinkedIn — www.linkedin.com/company/revenue-hub ──────────────────────────────💬 ENJOYED THIS? HERE'S HOW TO HELP──────────────────────────────👍 Like this if you found it useful🔔 Subscribe for hotel revenue & sales strategy content ──────────────────────────────🏷 TAGS──────────────────────────────#HotelMarketing #AIinTravel #HospitalityTech #DigitalMarketing #SEO #IndependentHotels #HotelSEO #AISearch #TravelTech #RevenueManagement

AI is changing how travellers discover and book hotels — but is your property actually set up to take advantage of it? In this episode, I talk with hotel SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) specialist Stephanie Smith of Cogwheel to break down what hoteliers need to get right before chasing the AI hype. From content and reviews to persona-led marketing, MCP connections, and why ROAS is the wrong metric altogether - this is a no-nonsense look at what's actually driving AI visibility in 2026. 🔗  LINKS🌐 Website — www.revenue-hub.com💼 LinkedIn — www.linkedin.com/company/revenue-hub #hotelmarketing #GEO  #GenerativeEngineOptimization  #HotelSEO  #AIinTravel  #HospitalityMarketing  #DigitalMarketing  #ChatGPT  #HotelTech  #TravelTech  #SEO  #AIStrategy  #HotelDiscoverability  #MarketingPodcast

Are hotels getting seduced by AI promises before they've sorted the basics? In this conversation, digital acquisition expert Hicham Benyebdri of Userguest, cuts through the hype - explaining why no amount of AI-powered advertising will save a hotel with a broken booking path, weak conversion rate, or poor reviews. We also get into how hotels can realistically compete with OTAs on their own turf, why paid platforms like Google and Meta aren't always working in your favour, and how the smartest hotels are using AI to read market signals and pivot faster than their competitors. If you're a hotelier or work in hotel marketing, this one is worth your time. Topics covered:➡️ Getting your digital foundations right before investing in AI➡️ How AI fits into paid acquisition strategy➡️ Where hotels commonly misfire with automated campaigns➡️ Competing with OTAs for direct bookings➡️ How traveller booking behaviour is shifting➡️ Using AI to respond faster to changing market conditions 🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES🌐 Website — www.revenue-hub.com💼 LinkedIn — www.linkedin.com/company/revenue-hub #HotelMarketing #DirectBookings #HospitalityTech #AI #DigitalMarketing #HotelIndustry #HotelTech #RevenueManagement #OTA #BookingEngine #HospitalityMarketing #DirectBooking #TravelTech #HotelStrategy

The hotel industry is at a crossroads. In our latest conversation, we tackled three issues that could reshape how we drive revenue and lead our teams (you can also watch the discussion on YouTube - https://youtu.be/phyPUpQQM4k):🔹 Personalised Pricing Is it the next big leap - or a guest trust disaster waiting to happen? Airlines and retail are moving fast, but are hotels really ready for true 1:1 pricing? Or is sharper segmentation + attribute-based selling a safer path?🔹 The “Always-On” Culture Revenue never sleeps - but do we? The pressure to be constantly available may feel like strength, but in reality, it’s a recipe for burnout and poor decisions. The leaders winning today are focusing on output over input and drawing clear boundaries around what counts as an “emergency.”🔹 Booking.com Losing Share We’re seeing Booking.com production slipping in some markets, with growth shifting toward Expedia and direct. Is it dilution (apartments flooding the platform)? Legal and EU pressure? Or a sign that hotels are finally clawing back some control?👉 The takeaways: Experiment with personalisation, but keep fairness + transparency at the core. Protect your teams (and yourself) by setting boundaries - performance > hours online. Diversify your distribution mix now. The OTA landscape is shifting faster than most realise. 🔥 Question for you:Would you trial true personalised pricing if the technology existed - and how would you keep it fair for your guests?👇 Share your thoughts - we’d love to hear how you’re tackling these challenges in your hotels.#HotelRevenue #RevenueManagement #DirectBookings #OTAStrategy #PersonalisedPricing #AttributeBasedSelling #HospitalityLeadership #WorkLifeBalance #AIinHospitality #Bookingcom #Expedia #HotelMarketing #DistributionStrategy #PMS #RMS #HotelDistribution

🚨 39% of bookings in just 30 days came from one simple change.Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club had a problem many hotels face:👉 Strong website traffic, but too few guests converting.👉 Great offers hidden deep in the site.👉 Risk of losing visitors to OTAs.By partnering with Booking Success (digital strategy) and Userguest (smart messaging), they turned things around:✔️ +50% increase in “look-to-book” rate✔️ $175,000 in direct revenue in 30 days✔️ Over $500,000 tied to smart messaging initiatives✔️ All while keeping the guest journey seamless and on-brand💡 The takeaway? Driving traffic is only half the battle. Conversion-focused digital tools - used strategically - can transform how hotels capture direct revenue and reduce OTA reliance.You can watch the full video here:  https://youtu.be/LfjLSJMzAxoAnd if you don't want to miss any of our videos, you can subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RevenueHub#HotelManagement #RevenueManagement #HotelMarketing #DirectBookings #HospitalityLeadership

The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) was designed to create a fairer digital landscape - but could it actually end up harming hotels instead?In this discussion with Javier Delgado Muerza of mirai, we break down the latest developments following the European Commission’s investigation into Google’s compliance with Article 6.5 of the DMA. With two proposed solutions (Option A and Option B), both could significantly reduce the visibility of direct hotel websites in Google search results - and that’s bad news for hoteliers and revenue managers.👉 What’s at stake for your hotel? 👉 Why are direct bookings under threat? 👉 Who benefits from these changes - and who loses? 👉 Why is the hotel industry so silent while major OTAs stand to gain?You’ll hear why this shift could drastically increase reliance on OTAs, shrink profit margins, and give even more power to large U.S.-based intermediaries like Booking and Expedia - all under the banner of "fairness."Here is the LinkedIn post Javier refers to in the video:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/european-commission-condemns-hotels-direct-sales-visibility-wzhbf/🔔 If you’re a hotel general manager, revenue leader, or distribution expert - this is a must-watch. Learn how these regulatory changes could affect your business, what’s coming next, and what you can do to protect your direct booking channels.👍 Subscribe, and share to keep the conversation going. Don’t let the future of hotel distribution be decided without you.#HotelDistribution #DMA #GoogleSearch #RevenueManagement #HotelMarketing #DirectBookings #DigitalMarketsAct #OTAs #TravelTech #HospitalityIndustry

In this powerful case study, discover how The First Group Hospitality (TFG) revolutionized its revenue strategy by combining cutting-edge AI with human expertise - driving real results in one of the world’s most competitive hotel markets: Dubai. 🏨📈🔍 Join Muhammad Hamoud (Head of Revenue Management Analytics at TFG), Sameer Umar (COO at HotelIQ), and David Esteban (Product Manager, SHR RMS) as they reveal:✅ The REAL challenges of manual pricing (and how to overcome them)✅ How TFG scaled fast with SHR’s AI-powered RMS✅ Why HotelIQ’s enterprise analytics changed the game✅ How to gain forecasting accuracy within 1.4% — even for new openings✅ The secret to team buy-in and driving cultural changeWhether you’re a hotel GM, revenue leader, or tech-savvy hotelier, this video is packed with insights to help you make smarter, faster, and more profitable decisions.👉 Don’t forget to subscribe if you’re ready to take your hotel’s revenue strategy to the next level!Discussion Timline: 00:00 – Welcome, Introduction and Soundbites05:29 – Into from Muhammad (Hamoud) Al Hamoud06:17 – Into from Sameer Umar07:28 – Into from David Esteban08:46 – Sameer sets the scene for this case study discussion10:59 – Hamoud shares initial differences he noticed after joining TFG from Marriott14:24 – Hamoud outlines what revenue management culture existed in TFG16:47 – Evaluating RMS solutions and why SHR RMS22:32 – David discusses how AI is playing a greater role in hotel revenue management27:58 – Hamound outlines changes he has been making in TFG32:10 – How has the team reacted to the introduction of technology36:47 – Sameer outlines the positive impact of bringing together HotelIQ and SHR RMS41:18 – Hamound outlines how this technology combination is adding value49:30 – David offers his final thoughts51:07 – Samir offers his final thoughts#HotelRevenue #AIinHospitality #RevenueManagement #HotelIQ #SHRRMS #HospitalityTech #HotelCaseStudy #HotelierInsights #DubaiHotels #TFGSuccessMusic creditAdventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsuCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/2Pj0MtTMusic released by Argofox https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/a-himitsu/adventuresMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8

In this episode, we sit down with Diego Varela, Metasearch Product Owner at Mirai, to explore how AI agents like Google Gemini, ChatGPT Operator, and Kayak.ai are reshaping the travel landscape - and what that means for hotel general managers.Are AI agents going to kill metasearch? Will travelers still compare prices? How should hotels adapt their distribution strategy to stay competitive?🎯 Key Topics: The future of metasearch in the age of AI How platforms like Google, Kayak, and TripAdvisor are responding Why price comparison is still crucial for hotels The potential risks for direct bookings What hotel GMs should be doing right now to prepare Whether you're managing an independent hotel or a mid-size chain, this discussion breaks down the opportunities and threats posed by AI agents - and how hoteliers can stay ahead.👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more insights on tech, trends, and tools for hotel leaders.#AIinTravel #HotelManagement #Metasearch #HotelMarketing #DirectBookings #TravelTech #AIagents #ChatGPT #GoogleGemini #HospitalityTrends2025Timeline:00:00 – Welcome, Introduction and Soundbites02:42 – Meet Diego Varela & Mirai’s role in metasearch06:14 – Will AI agents replace metasearch for hotels?14:00 – How will metasearch platforms evolve16:55 – How will AI Agents impact OTAs and direct bookings23:02 – Will AI Agents develop a preference and potential bias31:09 – Outro and thanks to DiegoMusic creditAdventures by A Himitsu https://soundcloud.com/a-himitsuCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/2Pj0MtTMusic released by Argofox https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/a-himitsu/adventuresMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8