Welcome to Q3 and the second half of the year. New phrases are making their way into my inbox, including festive, budget, and, unexpectedly, airport divorce.
For hotel marketers, it's time to shift into holiday planning mode. Festive landing pages are reappearing, seasonal campaigns are launching, and year end demand is already top of mind. Budget conversations are slowly starting to pop up as 2027 becomes top of mind.
Outside hospitality, a new travel phrase is making headlines. "Airport divorce" describes couples who intentionally separate once they arrive at the airport, giving each other space to move at their own pace before meeting at the gate. It's a timely reminder that small behaviors can quietly become part of the experience.
Thanks for reading.
Quick ask: will you forward this to one person in your network who might be looking for a new job, looking to break into hospitality marketing, or likes to scan the latest updates each week? That is how most readers find us.
Until next week,
Rachel
Marketing Briefs
Did You Know?
Trending news, marketing news, and reports:
The Rise of Grocery Tourism // The Freeman
Google Ads Tests AI Generated Summaries Under Descriptions // Search Engine Roundtable
Google: Meta Descriptions Not Required For SEO. But They’re Worthwhile. // Search Engine Journal
2026 Summer Travel & Dining report: Key trends shaping restaurant demand // National Restaurant Association
Quickly turn any data into a visual report in just a few minutes // Dan Hickley, LinkedIn
Keep Your Eye Out For:
Google is investigating reports of reviews going missing and pausing reviews on local listings // Search Engine Land
AI summaries of Tripadvisor hotel reviews downplay serious complaints, investigation finds // The Guardian
Hospitality AI Initiatives:
Beyond the app: How wearable AI is rewiring the global travel tech stack // Phocuswire
HFTP, Destination AI partner to expand AI education, implementation // Hotel Management
Radisson Hotel Group unveils AI-powered price matching tech // Latte Luxury News
Choice Hotels Is Treating AI As An Innovation Operating System // Forbes
Programming & Activations
What resorts are launching now, from brand collaborations to activations and revenue-generating experiences:
TikTok LIVE and Food Network are launching a cooking series // Y! Entertainment
Treats for People and Pups Debut at Hotel Indigo’s Yappy Hour // SD Entertainer
Biohacking Has Taken Over the Wellness Space—So What's a Gimmick, and What Actually Works? // Conde Nast Traveler
The Time Has Come: Destination Spas Are Catering to GLP-1 Users // Conde Nast Traveler
Upcoming Events
Holidays, events, and conferences to keep on your radar:
Conferences & Travel
Hotel Data Conference | Aug 5 - 7 | Nashville, TN
IMM LUX | Sept 9 - 10, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV
Digital Travel Summit | Sept 28 - 29 | Orlando, FL
ILTM Cannes | Nov 30 - Dec 3 | Cannes, France
Awards Voting
Travel Weekly MAGELLAN Awards - Honoring Creativity & Innovation in the Travel Industry // Entry deadline July 17, 2026
HSMAI Adrian Awards | Calls for entries start July
Holidays
Canada Day // July 1
Independence Day (US) // July 4
Labor Day (US/Canada) // September 7
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].
Zapwater Communications named US agency of record for The Brando and Tetiaroa Society.
IMAGINE PR is named North America public relations representative for The Sira, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Lombo
RG2 Communications is appointed as agency of record for the Dexter Hotel
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 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.
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.