Operations
Hilton CEO: Strong Q1 RevPAR Growth, Optimistic Outlook for 2026
Hilton's Q1 2026 system-wide RevPAR grew 3.6% year-over-year. CEO Chris Nassetta noted that the U.S. economy is experiencing a 'C-shaped' recovery, with increased spending by middle- and low-income households driving growth across all brand tiers. Despite geopolitical uncertainties in the Middle East, the company remains optimistic about full-year RevPAR growth, forecasting an increase of 2% to 3%. Q1 adjusted EBITDA was $901 million, net income was $383 million, net room additions totaled 16,300, and the development pipeline reached 527,000 rooms. The company also launched an AI planning assistant and is collaborating with Google, OpenAI, and others to explore AI applications.
Hotel Tech Frontier: Operto GEO Consultant Helps Hotels Gain Insights into Generative AI Search Performance
As travelers increasingly use generative AI to plan trips, hotels need to understand their performance in AI searches. Operto has launched the free GEO Consultant tool, offering AI visibility scans and optimization recommendations to help hotels boost direct bookings.
HEI Hotels & Resorts Appoints Clark Hanrattie as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner
HEI Hotels & Resorts announced the promotion of long-time partner Clark Hanrattie to Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner, effective July 1, succeeding Anthony Rutledge, who has served as CEO since 2012. Hanrattie has been with HEI for 23 years and has been involved in transactions for over 175 hotels, with a total transaction value exceeding $9 billion.