Direct Booking Summit adds four AI training sessions to 2026 agenda
The Direct Booking Summit moves to Mexico City on 12-13 May 2026 with a new dedicated AI training track. Four sessions run multiple times across the two days, allowing attendees to focus on skills that matter for their role.
The timing reflects how AI search has reshaped guest behavior. Eighty percent of travelers now use AI-generated summaries for nearly half their hotel searches. Twenty-four percent of users stop at those summaries without visiting any website. Gartner predicts brands may lose up to 50% of direct traffic to AI search by 2028.
On the operations side, hotel teams still manually run multiple reports daily. The training track addresses this gap with practical skills and tools.
The four training sessions
Adapting to AI Search & Optimizing Your Digital Presence includes a live audit of your property's AI visibility and an action plan to take home.
AI & Automation in Your Day-to-Day covers how to automate weekly reporting rituals using available tools today. AI Agents & Automation skills help hotel teams reduce manual work.
AI Tools Demystified provides a decision framework for which AI tool solves which problem - built for leaders uncertain where to start.
Vibecoding: Build Your Own Tools Without Writing a Single Line of Code lets attendees describe what they need in plain language and leave with a working example built during the session.
Each session runs four times over two days with 15-minute breaks between rounds. Attend all four, or spend extra time on sessions most relevant to your work.
AI on the main stage
Beyond training, AI runs through the main agenda. Day 1 covers Google Hotels opportunities and hotel ads in the age of AI-driven bookings. Day 2 addresses liability when AI gets it wrong, including implications of the EU AI Act for automated pricing and guest profiling.
Other sessions
The agenda also covers building direct booking operations across 200 hotels, how independent boutiques compete for direct bookings, winning metasearch without overspending, trust and hotel websites, and creator content at large resorts.
The summit is held at The St. Regis Mexico City. AI for Hospitality & Events professionals should register at directbookingsummit.com.
The Direct Booking Summit is run by Triptease, a direct booking platform for hotels.
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