Greetings, hoteliers! Four months into Airbnb Services, wellness has emerged as the quiet growth driver, pulling locals and travelers toward massages and training sessions while many hotels still leave that revenue on the table. Meanwhile, a government shutdown looms in D.C., and Expedia research shows reviews now outrank price, while package deals convert better than discounts.
Also inside: U.S. STR softness, key takeaways from the Skift Global Forum, and quick GPT-5 best practices you can apply today.
Insights brought to you by Lights On.
Actionable Insights
1. Wellness Is Winning on Airbnb Services
Airbnb Services is four months old, and wellness add-ons (massage, personal training) are leading the pack. In LA, about 10% of bookings come from locals, proving there is off-property demand hotels can capture.
💡 Action: Launch wellness bundles now: spa or in-room treatment plus late checkout. Test local day-passes for gym, pool, or sauna.
2. Plan Ahead of a Potential Government Shutdown
If negotiations stall, TSA/ATC/CBP continue as essential but unpaid—raising absenteeism risk and airport delays. Most national parks close; passport/visa services continue unless an office is in a shuttered building.
💡 Action: Publish a travel delay FAQ, offer flexible check-in and check-out windows.
3. Expedia Research: Reviews and Packages Drive Decisions
Expedia’s latest survey shows travelers are weighing reviews over raw price, especially those under 40. With 58% feeling more cost-conscious, package deals (room plus parking, breakfast, or credits) beat pure discounts. Flexible or refundable terms remain critical.
Top learnings from the research:
76% would pay more for hotels with stronger reviews (trust = pricing power).
Reviews now rival price in hotel booking decisions, especially for younger travelers.
58% report higher price sensitivity; package deals outperform discounts.
Most-wanted amenities: reliable Wi-Fi, on-site dining, convenient parking.
💡 Action: Proactively request guest reviews, and feature package-led offers with clear, flexible terms instead of cutting room rates.
Everything else in hospitality this week
STR Weekly (Sep 14–20, 2025): U.S. RevPAR −1.4% YoY; occupancy 68.1% (−1.1%); ADR $168.98 (−0.3%); 17 of the top 25 markets saw occupancy declines.
Key Takeaways from the Skift Global Forum 2025:
Airbnb testing boutique and independent hotels alongside homes
TSA considering liquids rule changes after shoe removal waiver
Royal Caribbean automates 90%+ of 15M daily price points with AI, cutting food waste ~50%
Kayak’s agentic AI keeps bookings and in-trip changes on-platform
Consumer price fatigue shifts growth from rates to volume
Improve your AI skill today
Many say ChatGPT 5 feels worse than earlier versions, but the reality is habits have not caught up to its new reasoning model. GPT-5 rewards structure, constraints, and examples. Learn the best practices below to stay ahead.
Key takeaway: These tips stack. Tell it how to think, control the length, then run a quick perfection loop for client-facing deliverables.
Tell it how to think. Add “Think step by step” to trigger deeper reasoning.
Control verbosity. Specify “≤100 words” or “3 short paragraphs” depending on channel.
Run a perfection loop. Have GPT-5 define “world-class,” self-score, and revise once.
You are a clear-thinking explainer.
Goal: Summarize the article I paste next into 3 bullets and a bottom line.
Length: Bottom line ≤ 100 words; each bullet ≤ 15 words.Output: 3 bullets + a "Bottom line:" paragraph.
Before final, define world-class in 3 criteria, self-score 0–10, and revise once if any score is below 8. Return only the final answer.
Think deeply on this.
[article link]That’s it for this week.
Grow RevPAR and direct bookings: Join forward-thinking hotels that partner with Lights On to grow your topline.