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Weekly Brief: Monday, April 6, 2026
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) is offering an online Executive Certificate in Hospitality & Tourism Management starting in June. This latest iteration will include the Lean Six Sigma White Belt, along with sections on incentive travel and destination marketing, technology, and artificial intelligence exercises, as well as sustainability. The course is 35 hours and starts at $299. FAU previously offered a free version of this certificate in 2020 when many hospitality marketers were furloughed and had some time on their hands, and their courses continue to evolve over the years.
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Marketing Briefs
Did You Know?
Trending news, marketing news, and reports:
Instagram confirms live test of its new subscription package // Social Media Today
Google Ads Expanding Loyalty Program // SEO Round Table
The State of Marketing and AI // Canva Report
Glossary of AEO and AI Search Terms // Animalz
Platform Coupling: How Social Licenses & Partnerships Shape AI Visibility // No Good
Keep your eyes on:
Blackstone acquires Napa Valley resort amid region’s AI boom // HotelDive
Hospitality AI Initiatives:
TripAdvisor demos AI planning tool // PhocusWire
From Search to solve: Why AI is the travel industry’s new operating system // Google Business
2026 Spa & Wellness Trend: AI-Enhanced Spa Experiences (White Paper) // American Spa
Programming & Activations
What resorts are launching now, from brand collaborations to activations and revenue-generating experiences:
One&Only The Palm and Royal Mirage launch exclusive Tyler Ellis handbag collection // Rume
Upcoming Events
Q2 holidays, events, and conferences to keep on your radar:
Using the STR Report to Budget for Marketing and Closing the Gap on Transient Market Share // April 23, 2026 // Webinar - HFTP
Conferences
Canva Create // April 16, 2026
Social Media Marketing World // April 28 - 30, 2026 // Anaheim, CA
Expedia EXPLORE // May 19 - 20, 2026 // Las Vegas, NV
SKIFT Data + AI Summit // June 3, 2026 // New York, NY
PRSA Travel & Tourism Conference // June 7 - 10, 2026 // Albuquergue, NM
Women Leading Travel Forum // June 8 -10, 2026 // New Orleans, LA
HITEC 2026 // June 15 - 18, 2026 // San Antonio, TX
HSMAI Commercial Strategy Conference // June 16 - 17, 2026 // San Antonio, TX
Holidays
Easter Sunday // April 5
Earth Day // April 22
Mother’s Day // May 10
Memorial Day // May 25
Pride Month // June
Father’s Day // June 21
Explore Peru with purpose
See Peru through the eyes of the women who call it home on Intrepid’s brand-new Women’s Expedition.
With an expert local leader out front and a small group of like-minded women by your side, this trip connects you with the local communities you visit ,giving you a unique insight into Peru’s culture and traditions.
With an expert local leader out front and a small group of like-minded travellers by your side, this trip gives you a unique insight into Peru’s culture and traditions.
Part of Intrepid’s Women’s expedition range, this eight-day adventure has been thoughtfully designed to support local women in tourism while delivering immersive experiences specifically for women travellers.
You’ll traverse the lesser-known Chinchero to Urquillos trail in the Peruvian Andes alongside an all-female crew, spend time in an Andean village learning about daily life, take part in a traditional textile workshop led by local women and experience a spiritual cleansing ritual guided by a female shaman.
Industry Updates
Agency News
New client wins from the agencies that hotel marketers trust and work with. If you have new client wins as an agency with a hospitality-focused client and want to share them here, email me at [email protected].
Finn Partners Luxury named agency of record for The Cliff House Maine
Cinch PR named agency of record for Four Sisters Inns, a collection of California boutique hotels
Laura Davidson Public Relations named public relations agency of record for Sonas Collection, a portfolio of family-owned boutique hotels and luxury retreats located along Scotland’s West Coast. (via O’Dwyer’s)
Job Postings & Career News
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What is the 5.15
Leading luxury hotel marketing across resorts and task force marketing roles over the past 15+ years led me to launch The Hotel Marketing 5.15 in 2025 to help keep clients up to date on hospitality marketing news and activations. 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.
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