#339: Cabañas Launch Astound, Dormakaba Acquires Alliants, Booking on Social Media | Christopher Ahlgrim

On this episode of The Modern Hotelier Hospitality Hot Topics, Steve Carran and David Millili sit down with Christopher Ahlgrim from Preferred Travel Group to talk about the latest news and trends in hospitality.

They kick things off with a look at Astound Ventures’ new $30 million investment fund and Dormakaba’s acquisition of Alliants, and what these moves could mean for hotel technology and the guest experience. They also get into why travelers are still hesitant to book hotels through social media, especially with AI making it easier to create misleading photos and content.

Chris also talks about how AI is changing the way travelers find hotels, why keeping website rates competitive matters, and how hotels can protect their margins while encouraging more direct bookings.

If you work in hospitality or want to keep up with what’s happening in the hotel industry, this episode is packed with useful insights and real-world perspectives.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

• Burt and Alex Cabañas launch Astound Ventures
• Dormaka buys Alliants
• Consumer Hesitance with Booking Travel Via Social Media
• We were just at IHS, favorite talk or experience
• What is new at Preferred?

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ok2q5QSt_UU
 

Links:
Christopher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherahlgrim
Preferred Travel Group: https://preferredtravelgroup.com/

For full show notes head to:https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/339

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Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.