Weekly Brief: February 23, 2026
Olympics wrap up with a men's and women’s gold in hockey, the US government partial shutdown continues with an impact on TSA, and a snowstorm hitting the North East has caused over 14,000 flight cancellations.
Detroit Hotel Outlook
As someone from Michigan who has moved around for hospitality positions but now lives in the Detroit suburbs (while working on Hawaii hotels), it’s exciting to see hotels sprouting up in downtown Detroit. We’ve had some amazing boutique-like hotels open over the past decade, including Shinola Hotel and Detroit Foundation Hotel, a reimagined old firehouse. Looking forward, 2026 - 2027 will bring the first five-star brands, including The Detroit EDITION at Hudson’s Detroit and NoMad Detroit at Michigan Central, plus a 601-plus room convention center hotel, JW Marriott Detroit Water Square.
Thanks for reading.
Enjoyed this issue? Forward it to one hotel marketer in your network who would benefit. That is how this newsletter reaches the right people.
Marketing Briefs
Did You Know?
Trending news, marketing news, and reports:
Airbnb is testing out AI search with a 'small percentage' of users // Engadget
US government shutdown fears weigh on airlines and hotels // Hotel Management Network
Google launches AI Certification
Google launches more visible links in AI Overviews and AI Mode // Search Engine Land
Market Beat US National Hospitaity Q4 2025 Report // Cushman & Wakefield
I get 3x more inbound from comments than posts // Startup GTM
Email Metrics That Matter: What to Measure in 2026 // Litmus
Meta Launches Manus AI Integration in Ads Manager // Social Media Today
U.S. Was Only Major World Destination Where Tourism Declined in 2025 // Daily Beast
Google launches no-code Scenario Planner built on Meridian MMM // MarTech
Top 10 trending U.S. destinations for spring break 2026 // Google
Expedia's 2026 Air Hacks // Expedia
Google Discourages Force Indexing Pages To Search // Search Engine Roundtable
IHG plans AI-compatible hotel content platform // Phocuswire
Programming & Activations
Nominations Are Open: The Most Instagrammable Hotel in the World 2026 // Luxury Travel Advisor
Reading trips and glowcations on the rise // Upgraded Points
St. Regis Maldives and Farina est. 1709 Announce Exclusive Partnership for Multisensory Experiences // TravMedia
Industry Updates
Agency News
Identity PR names PR Agency of Record for The Mill at Zehnder Park
IMAGINE PR is named US public relations representative for Secret Atlas, an expedition travel company (via O’Dwyer PR)
Job Postings & Career News
This section is visible to newsletter subscribers only. Subscribe to view.
What is the 5.15
Leading luxury hotel marketing across resorts and task force marketing roles over the past 15+ years led me to begin publishing The Hotel Marketing 5.15 in 2025 as a way to help keep clients up to date on hospitality marketing news and activations. I currently work remotely for Ka Laʻi Waikīkī Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts and manage email marketing and newsletters for hospitality clients. I am always available for coffee chats, networking, and to discuss project-based assignments.
Based on a communication method developed by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, the 5.15 is a weekly format designed to synthesize key insights in 15 minutes or less and be read in five minutes. This newsletter applies the same principle to hotel marketing: concise, actionable trends and opportunities curated for industry professionals.
This newsletter may contain affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.