Duff on Hospitality Law

Good Sunday afternoon from Manson, Washington . . . Our weekly Online Travel Update for the week ending Friday, January 30, 2026, is below. Accor garnered much of the travel industry’s attention this past week as it became the first lodging supplier to announce the launch of its own ChatGPT mobile app. Other headlines underscore several of the themes I expect to talk about this upcoming year – the growing influence of credit card travel platforms and AI-based or surveillance pricing. I hope you enjoy.

• • Accor Launches the “ALL Accor” App on ChatGPT. Today’s Update features two stories on the recent launch of the Accor AI application, including the Accor press release. Highlights (at least to me) from the recent launch include the following:
    
    • Accor manages to be the first major international lodging provider to launch a dedicated AI (ChatGPT) mobile application.
    • Users may access the app through the platform’s application store (prompts outside the application return content from multiple sources).
    • The app displays both pricing and basic property details before referring users to the Accor platform to complete the booking.
    • For now, referrals from the app to Accor’s platform are free (though Accor’s Chief Commercial, Digital and Tech Officer, Alix Boulnois, recognizes things might change).
    • Accor views the application as a direct channel and is providing its best rates to users of the channel, including loyalty program rates.
    • The app was first launched in the U.S. as a test market, but it is now available in countries where ChatGPT apps are supported.
  • Capital One Adds Discover Cardmembers to Travel Platform. In a move that is expected to grow its member base significantly (and further escalate the high-stakes competition among major credit card travel platforms), Capital One announced this past week that it plans to provide access to its travel platform (Chase One Travel) and other cardholder benefits to certain Discover cardholders. The phased integration will take several years to complete. Discover has approximately 60 million cardholders. This latest announcement comes on the heels of Capital One’s recently announced purchase of the payment management system, Brex, which will likely position the platform to be better able to pursue corporate or managed travel.
  • Travel Technology Association Sounds Alarm Over State Regulation of Surveillance/AI-Based Pricing. In late January, the Travel Technology Association (whose members include the major OTAs, GDSs and other booking platforms/intermediaries) issued a statement raising concerning over states’ ongoing efforts to regulate so-called surveillance pricing. While the effectiveness of these efforts remains somewhat unclear (see Trump Administration’s recently issued Executive Order purporting to limit state regulation of artificial intelligence), the concern appears real. According to the Association’s president, Laura Chadwick,

“[t]he consequences of these new state laws would increase operational costs, constrain revenue management strategies, and make it difficult, if not impossible, to align pricing with real-time market conditions automatically. Instead of helping the market work better, these bills would lock in inefficiencies and push companies toward blunt, one-size-fits-all pricing.”

Have a great week everyone.