By HTN editors - 5.3.2025
The final week of April brought a flurry of activity to the hotel technology landscape. From billion-dollar deals and artificial intelligence breakthroughs to new digital tipping rollouts and evolving tech priorities, the hospitality sector continues to embrace innovation at a rapid pace.
Sabre Exits Hospitality Tech Business in $1.1 Billion Deal with TPG
The biggest headline of the week came from Sabre Corporation, which agreed to sell its Hospitality Solutions business unit to private equity firm TPG in a $1.1 billion all-cash transaction. The divestiture, expected to close in Q3 2025, marks a major strategic shift for Sabre as it refocuses on its core airline and travel agency markets. For TPG, the acquisition opens the door to building out a next-generation hospitality tech powerhouse. Sabre’s Hospitality Solutions includes the SynXis platform, which supports hotel distribution, central reservations, and property management across more than 40,000 hotels globally.
Choice Hotels Showcases AI Strategy at MasteryX Summit
At the 10th annual MasteryX Summit, Choice Hotels highlighted its expanding use of artificial intelligence to automate hotel operations. CIO Brian Kirkland cited the deployment of AI-driven rate and promotion creation tools, which are helping reduce manual workloads while improving revenue performance. The company is also experimenting with generative AI to streamline guest interactions, inventory management, and decision-making across corporate and franchise locations.
Aimbridge Hospitality Expands Digital Tipping Initiative with Canary
Digital tipping continues to gain traction, with Aimbridge Hospitality rolling out Canary Technologies’ digital tipping solution across more than 1,000 properties. The integration allows guests to leave tips via QR code or digital link—eliminating the need for cash and helping hotel associates receive more consistent recognition. According to Aimbridge, the move reflects a broader effort to improve team member satisfaction while modernizing the guest experience.
Lodging Technology Study Reveals Top Priorities for 2025
New research released this week by Hospitality Technology revealed the top priorities and challenges for hotel IT leaders heading into the second half of 2025. According to the study, enhancing the guest experience remains the leading driver of tech investment, followed closely by improving operational efficiency and strengthening data security. Notably, 61% of hoteliers reported increasing their tech budgets for the year, with strong interest in AI tools, mobile-first platforms, and energy-saving technologies.
Hotel Performance Trends: U.S. Industry Shows Momentum
STR reported that U.S. hotel performance metrics for the week ending May 24 showed continued year-over-year improvement. Occupancy reached 65.8%, while average daily rate (ADR) climbed to $164.33 and revenue per available room (RevPAR) hit $108.06. San Francisco led the top 25 markets in ADR and RevPAR growth, reflecting a recovery in urban travel and corporate bookings.
Choice Hotels Emphasizes AI at MasteryX Summit
At its 10th annual tech summit, MasteryX, Choice Hotels highlighted the role of generative AI in driving efficiencies across the hotel industry. CIO Brian Kirkland discussed how AI is transforming operations, with initiatives like automating special rate creation leading to significant revenue gains.
Other Headlines of Note:
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Mews announced enhancements to its open API framework, enabling faster integration with third-party guest experience platforms.
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Oracle Hospitality released a white paper detailing cloud migration strategies for hotels facing aging on-premise systems.
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Guestline launched a new channel manager module with real-time rate and availability sync across over 500 distribution channels.
As hotels continue to navigate labor shortages, economic headwinds, and shifting guest expectations, technology remains a critical enabler. The week of May 27 underscored how hotel brands, management groups, and tech vendors alike are doubling down on solutions that offer both immediate ROI and long-term resilience.