News Briefs

A new report by SiteMinder, a hotel distribution and revenue platform, reveals that hotel websites outperformed all other booking sources in driving revenue per booking in 2024, by as much as 60%.

The report, SiteMinder’s Hotel Booking Trends, based on more than 125 million reservations – the largest volume of hotel reservations from any single technology platform – shows that hotel websites produced an average of US$519 per booking for hotels last year. This figure was 8.5% higher than the prior year and more than 60% above the value-per-booking via OTAs (US$320); more than 35% above global distribution systems (US$380); and more than 15% above wholesalers, DMCs and tour operators combined (US$446).

The year-on-year rise in direct booking value saw hotel websites either hold or improve their position among every major travel destination’s top sources of total revenue, for the first time, including in the US, where hotel websites remained the third highest revenue-generating channel for hotels.

SiteMinder’s VP of ecosystem and strategic partnerships, James Bishop, says the findings show travelers are not only seeking out hotel websites in strengthening numbers, but spending more when they do.

“When booking directly, travelers are choosing higher-value rooms, staying longer and adding extras, and each of these factors represents a tremendous opportunity for hotels to provide those exclusive deals. This certainly doesn’t mean hoteliers should disregard third-party channels in 2025; they continue to offer unique and unmatched reach, as well as simplicity, as evidenced by their continued dominance in each one of the Top 12 lists of hotel booking revenue-makers worldwide. But what our findings highlight is the importance of hotels delivering an easy booking experience that comes with smooth payments and strong security, just as third-party channels do so well.”

The annual SiteMinder’s Hotel Booking Trends report is the authority on hotel bookings across 20 of the world’s most established destinations. It is based on the booking data of SiteMinder’s more than 44,500 hotel customers, who in 2024 used SiteMinder’s platform to secure more than 125 million bookings valued at more than US$50 billion in revenue.
 

Further analysis of SiteMinder’s 2024 data shows:
 

• Booking.com was the top booking channel in terms of overall revenue generated for American hotels, for the third year running, while leading wholesaler Hotelbeds achieved its highest ranking in five years, reaching sixth place. Reflecting global trends, WebBeds jumped two spots to 8th, following its 2023 debut, while North America’s Hopper climbed to 10th after appearing for the first time in 2023.
  
  The Top 12 hotel booking sources which generated the most revenue for American properties in 2024 were:
  
  1. Booking.com 
  2. Expedia Group
  3. Hotel websites (direct bookings) 
  4. Agoda 
  5. Airbnb 
  6. Hotelbeds 
  7. Global distribution systems
  8. WebBeds 
  9. Hostelworld Group 
  10. Hopper 
  11. OTS Globe 
  12. HotelTonight
   

• International arrivals rose to around 25% of all stays, with travelers from key source markets like Canada, Mexico, the UK, Germany, China and Japan all arriving in solid numbers. And, with 75% of arrivals coming from  American travelers, the US retained one of the world’s strongest domestic markets. 

• Travelers booked earlier and cancelled less, driven in part by the ongoing growth of international travel as a percentage of all stays. Average lead times in the US increased to 31.5 days, surpassing 2019 levels, while the cancellation rate decreased to 19.21%, remaining below the country’s 2019 average. 

• Despite the average daily rate (ADR) in the US contracting by 2.5% in 2024 (from US$280 to US$273), the second half of the year was more promising for the sector, with room rates showing notable year-on-year growth from October through to December. July saw the highest monthly ADR, despite being narrowly surpassed by August as the busiest month for bookings. Globally, ADR increased in the majority (65%) of markets, again surpassing US$200.

• With Friday-night stays (the most expensive) generating an average of US$67 more than Sundays (the most affordable), the US’s occupied room rates had some of the most variation globally in 2024 and reflected the country’s leadership in dynamic revenue management.

• With over 22% of guests staying for two nights or more, stays at American properties were narrowly longer than the global average.
   

“As trends change to mirror today’s dynamic traveler, hotel businesses must remain flexible and responsive. SiteMinder’s report shows that traveler preferences are anything but fixed, so those who can adapt quickly will be best positioned to succeed,” says Bishop. “In 2025, the advantage will come from leveraging data-driven insights, building flexibility into strategies, and seizing new opportunities. Properties that embrace this approach will not just establish themselves as leaders within their markets; they will set a new standard for an industry undergoing transformative change.”

SiteMinder’s Hotel Booking Trends report is available here.

CHMWarnick, the leading hotel asset management and owner advisory services company to the hospitality investment community, announced today the launch of Proph+IT™, an innovative business intelligence platform designed to revolutionize how hotel owners and operators collect, analyze, and respond to performance data to improve investment returns.

In an era where hoteliers utilize multiple reports across countless platforms and sift through massive amounts of data, decision-making becomes overwhelming and time-consuming. Proph+IT™ eliminates these issues by streamlining critical performance metrics across entire portfolios—empowering users to make smarter, faster decisions.

“Owners and operators deserve a platform that transforms financial metrics into strategic clarity,” said Proph+IT™ lead, Derek Olsen, Managing Director/EVP, CHMWarnick. “With Proph+IT™, we are not only streamlining the data collection process, we are providing actionable insights that drive results and optimize asset value.”

Key Features:

• Seamless Integration: Built on Microsoft Power BI and Excel, Proph+IT™ integrates effortlessly into existing workflows with no lengthy onboarding process.
• Pre-Mapped Systems: Proph+IT™ is already mapped to the chart of accounts for the major brands and more than 15 leading third-party management companies.
• Unmatched Detail: With over 63,000 individual line items, users can dissect detailed labor and productivity metrics, food and beverage expenses, and key insights at an unprecedented level.
• Dynamic Dashboards: Customized views to track portfolio-wide KPIs or drill down into individual properties for a deeper look into performance anomalies.
• Industry Benchmarking: Unlock the power of Proph+IT™ by benchmarking current and forecasted performance of individual hotels and portfolios across dozens of performance KPIs and labor productivities.
• Enhanced Efficiency: Automating the collection and analysis of P&L statements, forecasts, budgets, and other reports, Proph+IT™ frees up time for owners and operators to focus on strategy and actionable insights.
• Cloud-Based Accessibility: View data from your PC, tablet, or mobile device at your desk, on a plane, or in a car through Proph+IT™’s cloud-based platform.

Proph+IT™ currently powers CHMWarnick’s asset management platform, which has included over 400 hotels and has successfully informed strategies across all property types and tiers. Due to growing demand from clients and industry partners seeking a more efficient and actionable way of distilling performance metrics, CHMWarnick is making the platform available to the broader investment and management communities for the first time.

“With Proph+IT™, identifying operational inefficiencies and finding hidden profit opportunities is easier than ever,” said Olsen. “This platform empowers owners and operators to shift from reactive reporting to proactive decision-making.”

CloudPay, a provider global payroll and payment solutions, and Instant Financial, a pioneer in responsible earned wage access (EWA), electronic tips, and paycard solutions, have joined forces to expand access to earned wages for employees worldwide. This strategic partnership redefines EWA for organizations with multi-country operations by uniting CloudPay’s unmatched global payroll and payments expertise with Instant’s trusted on-demand pay solutions. The result is a unified, flexible pay solution that empowers employees across borders, positioning companies at the forefront of financial wellness support for workforces globally.

By combining CloudPay’s global payroll infrastructure with Instant Financial’s on-demand pay services, the partnership equips companies with U.S. roots—and others globally—with the ability to offer employees access to their earned wages wherever they are, whenever they need it. As EWA gains traction globally, this collaboration places CloudPay and Instant Financial ahead of the curve, meeting the growing demand for progressive pay options that enhance employee financial wellness and boost talent acquisition and retention worldwide.

This partnership also responds to the demand for flexible pay solutions, providing employees with enhanced financial wellness options and giving organizations a competitive edge in attracting and retaining talent. By offering immediate access to earned wages, CloudPay and Instant Financial are empowering employees with greater financial control, by reducing dependence on costly credit whilst promoting wellbeing on a global scale.

“At CloudPay, we recognize the importance of meeting employees’ needs for timely and accessible pay, especially in a globalized work environment,” said Timo Weber, Chief Strategy Officer at CloudPay. “Our partnership with Instant Financial combines our strengths in global payroll with Instant’s trusted on-demand pay solutions, delivering a seamless, flexible pay experience that meets the financial wellness goals of companies with diverse, international workforces.”

Tal Clark, CEO at Instant Financial added, ”Our partnership with CloudPay is very exciting as it brings earned wage access to businesses and employees everywhere. By combining our innovative pay solutions with CloudPay’s global payroll capabilities, we’re meeting the global needs of our enterprise clients while making financial wellness more accessible than ever.”

Together, CloudPay and Instant Financial exemplify a commitment to advancing financial wellness across borders, uniting two trusted brands to redefine the payroll experience and expand on-demand pay worldwide. As EWA rapidly evolves from a U.S.-centric benefit to a globally valued solution, this alliance positions both companies at the forefront of payroll innovation and workforce wellbeing.

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, the nationally renowned restaurant and sports bar, will be relaunching its guest engagement platform with Paytronix Loyalty. The new Walk-On’s Rewards loyalty program is being deployed to help the brand support its franchisee community as it seeks to increase growth in the coming years.

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux selected Paytronix as the loyalty program best suited to round out its approach to guest engagement, particularly for its best-in-class platform. Paytronix will support the brand’s inherent belief in Southern hospitality while also growing loyalty sales to double digits across all locations.

Related: 82% of customers want to receive discounts as a benefit of their loyalty program membership, according to HT's 2024 Customer Engagement Technology Study 

“We want to better establish the foundation of our brand through loyalty, and Paytronix is the perfect fit to support our fast-growing franchisee community,” said Mark Foulds, Vice President of Digital Media and Consumer Engagement at Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux. “Its rich feature set includes the data-driven measurement and reporting necessary to give our franchisees greater visibility into how our loyalty program is performing. It’s a one-stop shop for SMS push and pull marketing campaigns.”

Designed to scale to the needs of the brand, the Paytronix loyalty program will enable Walk-On’s franchisees to capture guest data, make data-driven decisions and optimize their programs using real-time ROI analysis and reports. All while delivering the rewards and experiences that lead to more visits, higher spend per visit, and an increase in the value of each customer.

“Our franchisees are asking for a loyalty platform with more personalization that will help them build deeper relationships with their guests,” said Mike Lester, CEO of Walking Tall Brands and a member of the Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux Franchise Advisory Council. “Through enabling greater personalization via segmentation, targeting, and offers based on guest transactions, Paytronix Loyalty will provide both convenience and access to the data and information necessary to learn what our guest journey is and how to increase their visit frequency.”

“Paytronix is incredibly pleased to play a key role in Walk On’s growth plans,” said Paytronix Chief Customer Officer, Andrea Mulligan. “We’ll be working closely with their franchisees and marketers to get the best of their loyalty program. Walk On’s is a highly respected institution in the South, and the greater hospitality industry. We look forward to collaborating and finding new ways to leverage their belief in Southern hospitality to create value for their customers and new growth opportunities for their franchisees.”

Stable Kernel, a leading digital transformation company empowering innovative large-scale enterprises with customer insights, data, AI, and software engineering, has officially launched its Data & AI Practice. Led by Ben Manning, Ph.D., the practice focuses on driving business transformation through innovative artificial intelligence and data solutions, including the groundbreaking Agentic AI.

Agentic AI marks a significant advancement in artificial intelligence. Unlike traditional AI that relies on analytics, Agentic AI introduces autonomous agents capable of decision-making, collaboration, and adaptation without constant human oversight. This evolution drives unmatched efficiency, personalization, and innovation across industries.

"Stable Kernel has always been committed to providing transformative solutions that help businesses thrive," said Jason Russell, Co-founder and CEO. "Our Data & AI Practice with Agentic AI, is reshaping how enterprises leverage technology. Autonomous, intuitive systems are the future of business."

The Power of Agentic AI

Stable Kernel's commitment to pushing technological boundaries is evident in the tangible benefits businesses are experiencing with Agentic AI. Key industries such as foodservice, retail, construction, and healthcare are already realizing its transformative potential, including:

• Operational Excellence: Streamlined workflows like inventory management and supply chain optimization, leading to faster, more productive operations.
• Personalized Experiences: Hyper-personalized recommendations and real-time support to enhance customer engagement.
• Proactive Decision-Making: Predictive insights to drive smarter, faster decision-making.
• Seamless Collaboration: Improved human-digital collaboration for better resource allocation and project management.
  
  
  
   

Success Stories

A leading quick-service restaurant (QSR) used Stable Kernel's centralized data lakehouse and AI-powered analytics to achieve:

• 80% faster time to market, reducing promotion rollout from 3 weeks to 3 days, while boosting customer reach, online orders, and catering revenue—transforming their operations.
• The solutions streamlined digital ordering, automated delivery systems, and enhanced customer engagement, driving scalable growth across thousands of locations.

For a video-on-demand (VoD) platform, Stable Kernel unified data architecture and implemented predictive analytics to:

Forecast peak demand and optimize content recommendations
Scale operations to meet subscriber growth
Develop a roadmap for sustained innovation
These solutions helped the VoD provider remain competitive in a fast-changing market, demonstrating Stable Kernel's ability to address unique challenges.

"Businesses need solutions that don't just analyze data but act on it autonomously," said Manning. "With Agentic AI, we're enabling organizations to meet evolving demands by driving operational efficiency, enhancing customer experiences, and fostering innovation. This practice is a game-changer for our clients."

For information on Stable Kernel's Data & AI Practice with Agentic AI, visit www.stablekernel.com.
 

Guestline, an Access Company, released figures highlighting the benefits of online bookings and check-ins to help meet guest demand. The data indicates Guestline's GuestStay self-service technology to be a revenue generator for hoteliers with 2.4 million self-service travelers checking in and purchasing additional services.

Guest self-service has also given hotel teams back 6,000 hours of labor time and, together with Guestline's Direct Booking Manager, captures first party data for hotels to improve their communications with guests.

In 2024, Guestline recorded a staggering 2.3 million online check-ins completed via GuestStay. An additional 120,000 self service check-ins through on-property kiosks generated incremental revenue of 2.6%  as guests purchased additional services such as breakfast - increasing hotel revenue beyond the room booking.

The impact of GuestStay technology and kiosks also benefits the hotel's team. 72,000 guests opted for autonomous checkouts receiving automated invoices without staff intervention. Each digital interaction not only boosted staff efficiency but also elevated guest satisfaction by eliminating traditional bottlenecks especially at peak times.

Eric Neumann, Managing Director of Classik Hotels Berlin, "Guestline has helped us gain more time. I have more time for my team, and my team has more time to offer our guests excellent service and an enjoyable stay – and that's the most important thing."

In addition, GuestStay’s digital registration cards captured 800,000 personal email addresses directly for hotels, converting third-party bookings into valuable first-party data. This provides hotels with valuable data to build stronger guest relationships and drive loyalty through targeted communications.

The Direct Booking Manager (DBM) booking engine secured 1.2 million bookings in 12 months, from 2023 - 2024, with 6.7% facilitated through seamless integration with Google Connector, further optimizing revenue streams for hoteliers.

These figures highlight how adopting self-service touchpoints not only improves the guest experience through convenience but also assists operational efficiencies. By automating routine tasks to eradicate the zombie culture and creating new revenue opportunities, hotels can refocus their efforts on creating memorable guest experiences.

“With almost 50% of travelers preferring to use tech rather than the reception desk and guest expectations on the rise self-service technology is no longer a luxury but a necessity for forward-thinking hotels,” said Chris Jones, Senior Product Manager, Guestline. “By integrating digital tools like GuestStay and Direct Booking Manager properties can improve guest engagement, reduce reliance on manual processes freeing up time to provide a better guest experience and drive meaningful growth.”