On Monday’s Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, and Jamie Lane break down how AI is putting pressure on every corner of the travel industry. The conversation starts with Mews’ founder calling out hotels for taking a surface-level approach to AI, focusing on chatbots instead of meaningful improvements to operations and guest experience.

They also unpack why Expedia Group’s CEO says travelers still don’t trust AI to handle bookings, reinforcing the importance of reliability and real inventory, before turning to the growing financial pressure on operators across both hotels and short-term rentals.

From rising costs and platform fees to a generational shift where longtime owners are looking to exit while fewer new entrants step in, the episode explores how margins are getting squeezed across the board.

The conversation ties it all together with a look at how AI isn’t replacing travel companies — it’s revealing where their models are weakest.

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