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IHG's CEO outlined how the hotel group is navigating ongoing uncertainty. New York City saw a drop in international visitors. And Hyatt is using AI to engage travelers earlier in the booking journey.

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Hotels

Luke Martin

Hospitality Reporter

Image by Simon Callaghan Photography

IHG CEO: Size Is a Defense Against Global Chaos

IHG CEO Elie Maalouf said global hotel groups must adapt to constant uncertainty, even as the sources of disruption change.

"Uncertainty is the only certainty we have. Every year, I am unsure what the uncertainty will be, but it happens," Maalouf said.
He cited last year's tariffs and this year's conflict in the Middle East.
Scale helps: "If you are a large operator and working across multiple segments, broadly diversified, it matters less where people are traveling, as long as they are traveling."

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Tourism

Rashaad Jorden

Associate Editor/Archivist

Times_Square,_New_York_City,_20231003_1232_1916 (1)

Image by Wikimedia Commons/Jakubhal

New York City Sees Drop in Foreign Tourists

New York City saw a slight increase in overall tourism last year, but international arrivals declined, reflecting a broader slowdown in inbound U.S. travel.

The city brought in 12.5 million international tourists in 2025, a 3.2% decrease from the previous year.
Arrivals from seven of NYC's top 10 international markets fell.
Visits from Canada — the city's second-largest international market — dropped 19%.

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Airlines

Airlines Scale Up the Retailing Shift

Hitit

How airlines are taking offers and orders live without disrupting sales.

Why live deployments matter more than pilots in modern retailing.
What Hitit Oxygen's Pegasus Airlines' rollout reveals.

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Hotels

Luke Martin

Hospitality Reporter

Image by Simon Callaghan Photography

Hyatt Looks to AI to Capture Travelers Sooner

Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian said the company is using AI on its site to influence travel decisions before a traveler chooses a destination.

Hoplamazian described a search experience at Hyatt.com built around traveler intent rather than the standard combination of city, date, and room type.
Capturing intent early in a traveler's booking journey helps companies convert them before intermediaries can sway their decision.
Hyatt's AI lets travelers input detailed preferences to generate tailored options while giving the company deeper insight into traveler behavior.

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