8 Hospitality Trends We’re Tracking at Skift This Week

Every week we post hundreds of stories across various sectors in travel, connecting the dots across various global trends, and in these weekend posts we highlight the stories that tackle these trends. This one looks at top hospitality trends.

For all of our trends roundups, go here.

>>The struggle to get hotel guests to download and interact with apps delegated to specific hotel companies: Commune Hotels Introduces Personalized Guest Communication Service

>>Hyatt’s entry into the Starwood sweepstakes comes as a surprise: Hyatt Hotels in Advanced Talks to Buy Starwood Hotels and Resorts

>>Extended stay hotels don’t have a real threat from Airbnb, but they may have a good distribution partner in the platform: Extended Stay America Sees a Potential Partner, Not a Threat From Airbnb

>>The growth of midscale hotels could rival the lifestyle segment: Wyndham CEO Views Growing its Midscale Brands as Huge Opportunity

>>Conrad’s “Smart Luxury” positioning is an attempt to expand on the “personal” and “experiential” luxury memes: Conrad Hotels Repositions Brand Around Smart Local Luxury

>>We’ve all known for some time this day was coming: Shangri-La Hotels CMO on Secrets to Developing a Virtual Reality Strategy

>>There’s growing demand for more sophisticated programming in luxury hospitality: Park Hyatt Partners With New York Times for a Sophisticated Take on Local Events

>>Marriott Rewards may be the best program for general travelers, but for frequent travelers it gets complicated: New Study Says Marriott Has the Most Rewarding Hotel Loyalty Program