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Weekly Brief: Monday, March 22, 2026
Travel Delays and Alternatives
Airport lines continue to see delays as the government shutdown enters its sixth week. It was announced yesterday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would be deployed to U.S. airports to replace TSA agents who have recently quit due to a lack of pay.
TikTok Chronicles
A guest documented her real-time experience calling a hotel and connecting with an AI agent. The video has already generated over 380,000 views, 4,000 comments, and 18,000 saves. It underscores a few key considerations for hotel marketers: rigorously QA AI touchpoints across real guest scenarios, monitor social and guest feedback for friction points, and ensure there is a clear path to a human when needed.
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Marketing Briefs
Did You Know?
Trending news, marketing news, and reports:
The brand tax: How Google profits from demand you already own // Growth Memo
Instagram tests links in post captions for paying users // Social Media Today
Where to focus technical SEO when you can’t do it all // Search Engine Land
OpenAI tests Ads Manager as ChatGPT ad business takes shape // Search Engine Land
Google Discover Core Update Data: Local Publishers Lost Reach // Search Engine Journal
LinkedIn Expands Creator, Video Ad Tools as B2B Marketers Demand Greater Scale // NetInfluencer
Keep your eyes on:
Americans’ Favorite News Sites // Visual Capitalist
Pinterest Spring Trend Report 2026: Personalisation is in bloom // Pinterest
Walmart and Target Are Battling to Show Up in AI Shopping Tools. Here's How Their Strategies Compare // AdWeek
OpenAI to nearly double workforce to 8,000 by end-2026, FT reports // CNBC
Hospitality AI Initiatives:
NVIDIA's OpenClaw and NemoClaw aim to deploy specialized AI agents for hotel operations like guest messaging, RFP processing, and maintenance coordination. // Hospitality Net
Hopper Technology Solutions launches AI-based cancellation program // Hotel Management
82% of Hotels Expand AI Budgets, Travel Demand Fragments Into Three Spending Tiers // Hospitality Net
Oracle Simphony Cloud Update Targets Fragmented Systems in Hospitality // CX Today
RateGain Travel Technologies Limited Launch of AI-Powered SoHo Suite for Hospitality Social Growth // Investy Wise
Programming & Activations
Hilton announces strategic partnership with Yotel, an independent hotel brand, to to launch a new category, “Select by Hilton.” // Inside Hook
Floating sound waves making waves in hotel pools // Yahoo News
Discover the 2026 Spa Collection // Spas of America
Luxury Hotels Take To the Sea — Inside the Hotel Yacht Trend With Aman, Four Seasons and Orient Express All Onboard // Paper City Mag
The Social Hub and Tony’s Chocolonely turn kindness into hotel currency // Globe Trender
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Industry Updates
Agency News
New client wins from the agencies that hotel marketers trust and work with. If you have new agency news as an agency or hotel that formed a new partnership and want to share it here, email me at [email protected].
Modern Currency PR has been named agency of record for several new clients, including: Allla Napa Valley (PR & Digital), Fairmont Breakers Long Beach (PR & Digital), EOS Hotels (Brand PR & Campaigns): Kennebunkport Resort Collection, Florida Keys - Isla Bella Beach Resort, Tranquility Bay, Ocean’s Edge, The Perry & Havana Cabana), L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, and Wequassett Resort and Golf Club
Spotted MP announced as public relations agency of record for Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner Center
Awestruck named agency of record for Delaware County Tourism (via O’Dwyer’s PR)
The Point PR named agency of record for The Don CeSar, JdV by Hyatt, and The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach (via O’Dwyer’s PR)
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 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 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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