Key themes from The Lodging Conference 2026 include strong industry optimism for 2027, a clear preference for conversions over new builds, and growing concern about AI's impact on hotel distribution.

EOS Hospitality takes over management of the 100-room Graduate by Hilton Storrs, its 10th property addition in 2026, bringing its total portfolio to 65 hotels nationwide.

Agoda will connect to ETG's hotel inventory via the RateHawk API, adding millions of properties across Europe, the US, Latin America, and the Middle East to its marketplace.

A hotel asset manager breaks down HMA negotiation tactics, highlighting fee structures, performance tests, termination rights, and technology clauses that protect owner leverage.

AI-driven zero-click search and the erosion of tracking infrastructure are making it harder for hotels to trace the path from guest discovery to booking.

PM Hotel Group adds two Hampton Inns and a new-build Caption by Hyatt to its Portland metro portfolio, growing from four to seven hotels in the region.

A Shiji Daylight PMS expert shares a six-step framework for hotel GMs to build internal alignment before and during a PMS migration, drawing on 110+ property deployments.

Hotel Trader's Exchange joins Shiji's Book&Pay marketplace, giving 20,000+ directly connected hotels access to global travel demand partners via a single integration that handles contracting, payments, and invoicing.

IHG's Vignette Collection adds seven properties across Greater China in 2025, spanning Chengdu, Chongqing, Shanghai, Beidaihe, Qiandao Lake, Sanya, and Hong Kong.

Accor launches "Stay for more," a new global brand platform for its ALL loyalty membership, emphasizing emotional travel experiences over transactional stays.