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Weekly Brief: Monday, April 20, 2026
Campaigns in the News
Iceland Air is hiring a “Really Bad Photographer” as part of their campaign to prove that Iceland's natural beauty is so stunning that even terrible photos can't ruin it.
Newsletters to Read
Jose Sevilla of Remote Hotelier covers all the latest updates in Hotel Tech this week, including the Booking.com hack, hotel tech salary report, and Mews competitor conquesting campaign gone wrong.
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Marketing Briefs
Did You Know?
Trending news, marketing news, and reports:
Travel + Leisure 2026 IT List // Travel + Leisure
Expedia 2026 Summer Travel Outlook // Expedia
Discover this year’s trending summer travel destinations and activities // Google
Canva debuts a new suite of agentic tools, as the design app quietly becomes one of the world’s most used AI services // Fortune
Introducing Claude Design by Anthropic Labs // Anthropic
Largest Hotel Brands by Traffic // 10 Min Hotel
Loewe is setting the benchmark for luxury brands on TikTok: Top of Funnel Done Right // Jolyon Varley
Amadeus Travel Dreams 2026: How AI, Mental Wellbeing, and Sustainability Are Redefining Travel Value // Hotel Online
TikTok adds new AI video generation to Symphony ad tool kit // Social Media Today
4 new engagement options for YouTube creators // Social Media Today
Mews introduces business intelligence tool // Boutique Hotel News
Positioning 101: How to live rent-free in your best clients’ minds // CopyHackers
Keep your eyes on:
TikTok, Major Ad Groups Back Influencer Certification Program // TV Technology
Booking.com confirms hackers accessed customers’ data // TechCrunch
Hospitality AI Initiatives:
Alaska Airlines and Tailsight launch AI-powered maintenance planning solution // Alaska Air
Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur Introduces AI-Enhanced Experiences for Meetings, Events and Weddings // Event Industry News
Programming & Activations
What resorts are launching now, from brand collaborations to activations and revenue-generating experiences:
Silverstone Pop-Up Hotel offers 'immersive' F1 with pool and palm trees // Straits Times
PatBO Takes Over Four Seasons Hotel Miami with a Chic Poolside Fashion Moment // Grazia
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 & Travel
Social Media Marketing World // April 28 - 30, 2026 // Anaheim, CA
*New* National Travel & Tourism Week // May 3 – 9, 2026
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
Earth Day // April 22
Mother’s Day // May 10
Memorial Day // May 25
Pride Month // June
Father’s Day // June 21
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Industry Updates
Agency News
News 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].
20Two Studio has announced new additions to its US client roster, ranging from boutique escapes to big city icons. New clients include Vinarosa Resort & Spa, W Nashville, and Canoe Place Inn & Cottages.
Bird Travel PR named agency of record for Kokomo Private Island Fiji
Magrino Public Relations named agency of record for InterContinental Boston
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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