Hi, I'm Gonzalo 👋
A busy week ahead. Today I'm going to translate a piece of AI news for you, tell you about a new integration in We Speak, share an opinion that might rattle you (on purpose) and remind you that our event with Cloudbeds is just around the corner. Let's go.
📰 I translate the news: AI no longer just recommends, it's starting to book.
The big development of these past weeks: agentic AI. It no longer stops at suggesting hotels —it's starting to book on the traveler's behalf—.
People tell it «plan and book me 3 nights on the coast for two» and the AI executes. In Spain, this month, AI is already involved in about a third of all travel planning, and almost 9 out of 10 travelers plan to use it on their next getaway.
Why am I telling you this? Because we've seen this movie before. When the OTAs appeared, they simplified the guest's life… and along the way they kept the relationship, the margin and the negotiating power. Agentic AI opens exactly the same dilemma: whoever controls the conversation controls an ever-bigger part of the decision.
If a new layer that recommends and books slips in between your hotel and your guest, you're back to fighting not to be a mere inventory slot. What does it mean for your hotel, in 2 minutes?
- You need to be «readable» by machines. Your information clear, organized and consistent everywhere, so AI understands you and recommends you well (we talked about this a couple of editions ago).
- But above all, own the direct conversation. The lesson from the OTAs is a single one: don't let a third party be the only one talking to your guest. When you manage to bring that conversation into your own channel, the relationship —and the booking— stay on your side.
Your action for this week: try asking ChatGPT to book you a hotel in your area and watch the process from the outside. You'll understand very quickly where your hotel needs to be present.
🔗 News: we've integrated with Amadeus
A step forward that makes us happy: we've added a new connection with Amadeus Hospitality, one of the integrations most requested by hotels and chains.
What changes for you? Less manual work and fewer errors. The connection enables more robust connectivity and automates the management of bookings, rates, availability and inventory across platforms, all more synchronized and efficient.
We keep betting on technology that simplifies your operation and supports your hotel's growth.
SEE MORE INTEGRATIONS
🔥 Unfiltered opinion: why measuring your hotel's RevPAR isn't enough.
I'm going to say something that will make many revenue meetings uncomfortable: if the metric you look at to know how your hotel is doing is RevPAR, you're getting half the picture.
RevPAR (revenue per available room) tells you how much you bill for your rooms. Fine… but it has a huge hole: it doesn't tell you whether you made money. You can have an applause-worthy RevPAR by filling the hotel through OTAs that charge you a 20% commission, giveaway rates and sky-high costs, and still close the month with less profitability than the colleague who sold less but better. RevPAR makes you feel like you're winning even when you're losing.
The metric that should really keep you up at night is GOPPAR: gross operating profit per available room. The difference is key. RevPAR only looks at room revenue; GOPPAR looks at all the money coming in —rooms, food and beverage, extras— minus what it costs you to generate it. In other words, it measures the only thing that matters at the end of the month: how much real profit ends up in your pocket.
Why does it change everything? Because RevPAR rewards filling the hotel. GOPPAR rewards filling it profitably. And here comes an uncomfortable truth: not all bookings are worth the same. A direct booking, with no commission, lifts your GOPPAR far more than that same booking coming through an OTA that keeps a slice. Same RevPAR, completely different GOPPAR.
My unfiltered advice: stop celebrating occupancy and RevPAR on their own. Start asking yourself how much each booking costs you and how much real profit it leaves behind.
The hotel that understands its GOPPAR makes better decisions about its prices, its channels and its investments. The one that only looks at RevPAR is sailing with half the dashboard.
📅 See you on the 30th 👇
Last reminder: on June 30 we're getting together with Cloudbeds at the Palacio Paz Hotel. That day, leading industry voices will be sharing how they combine AI, revenue management and direct sales to sell more and better.
If you haven't booked yet, this is your sign. Few seats left.
- When: June 30.
- Where: Palacio Paz Hotel, Buenos Aires.
- Who it's for: owners, managers and revenue directors.
The event is free and seats are limited.
SAVE YOUR SPOT
Your question could open the next edition 👇
I'm asking you one single thing: reply to this email with a question about AI in your hotel. Any question. The best ones I answer right here, in the next edition of Ask Gonzalo.
It's not a form or a bot. It comes to me, I read it and I answer it myself. And if you think this could help someone, forward it to them. I'd really appreciate it.
See you in the next one.
Gonzalo.
