Weekly Brief: January 26, 2026
Lots of news last week coming in from Skift Megatrends and the TravMedia IMM conference, a Hospitality Creator cohort is set to launch at HSMAI 2026, Phocuswright announced the launch of their Travel Marketing AI Summit in March 2026, and lots of new podcasts and newsletters being introduced by agencies, specifically ones focusing on the spa and wellness space. Check out some of the links below in the news and agency section.
This week, I am cleaning out images from Ctrip, writing creative briefs for an upcoming lifestyle photoshoot, and working on newsletters for clients. What are your priorities for the week?
Thanks for reading.
If you found anything interesting in this week’s newsletter, I always appreciate a forward to your marketing co-workers and network.
Marketing Briefs
Did You Know?
Trending news, marketing news, and reports:
Skift Megatrends and TravMedia’s IMM Recaps:
ChatGPT To Begin Testing Ads In The United States // Search Engine Journal
Organic search traffic is down just 2.5% year over year — nowhere near the 25% to 60% drops often cited in industry commentary. // Search Engine Land
OK Cool Agency 2026 Trends Report // OK Cool
Mamdani Administration Bans Hotel Hidden Fees and Unexpected Credit Card Holds // NYC.gov
NYC Bans Hidden Hotel Fees Ahead of World Cup Tourist Influx // Bloomberg
From Dead-End to Discovery: Turning Your WordPress 404 Page into a Smart Page // Martech
Five markets that will define global advertising in 2026 // The Current
Move over Atlanta. Chicago can now claim the busiest airport in the country, at least in one category. // USA Today
The 2026 James Beard Award Semifinalists // James Beard
Why We Gather: Hilton Reveals Behavioral, Emotional, and Cultural Drivers Defining 2026 Meetings and Events // Hilton
Mastering mobile ordering: 10 best practices to drive ancillary revenue and free up staff time // eHotelier
Programming & Activations
Hospitality Creator Summit To Launch at HITEC 2026 // Hotel Online
In 2026, hotels are getting into the apartment space, while Airbnb ventures into the hotel space
Wyndham-Reside partnership expands amid apart-hotel boom // HotelDive
Mandarin Oriental Just Unveiled 10 New Private Villas Around the World // Robb Report
Airbnb strengthens hotel and tech leadership team // Boutique Hotel News
How Napa and Sonoma Wineries Are Shifting Strategies for Millennial Tastes // Robb Report
No Wi-Fi, No Problem: Four Trips Made for Disconnecting // Virtuoso
New York’s members-only boom shows no sign of stopping – and it's about to get even more niche // Wallpaper
Industry Updates
Newsletters
New newsletters from a few agencies and publishers, particularly focusing on the spa and wellness space within travel. Check out these new sources below:
Magrino Public Relations launches inaugural Wellness Edition of Magrino in the Know, spotlighting emerging wellness trends.
Hotels Above Par launches Spa Day, a monthly wellness newsletter.
Agency News
FINN Partners announced as public relations agency of record for Sonoma County Tourism
Praytell named sole PR agency partner for U.S. Soccer leading up to 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Junipr Public Relations named PR agency of record for The Belfry House, a boutique hotel in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (via O’Dwyers)
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 currently work remotely for Ka Laʻi Waikīkī Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts and manage email marketing and newsletters for hospitality clients.
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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