GMH Hotels: The NYC Labor Deal Every Hotel Operator Should Watch
Good Morning Hospitality
05/20/26
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On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk break down a question every operator is quietly asking right now: how do you build a real edge when there is no moat?
They open with the NYC labor deal that just reset the national benchmark, with housekeeper pay crossing $100K a year by 2034, and Hotel and Gaming Trades Council now setting the bar for union negotiations in every major market.
From there they dig into Peregrine Hospitality's bet that operational discipline is the only real competitive advantage in hotels, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority's push to double its room supply by 2030, Brand USA's new fact-checking platform trying to win back international travelers ahead of the World Cup, and how one small hotel group is still financing solar after federal clean energy tax credits got wiped out.
This episode is presented by Plusgrade & Bilt. Visit plusgrade.com to learn more.
And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more.
Previous Episode
On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Wil Slickers, Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, and Jamie Lane break down why Airbnb, Uber, and TikTok are all making the same bet at the same time and what it actually means for operators. Plus: travel costs are running double inflation, and most hotel brands have more than one Gen Z problem.
This episode is presented by Plusgrade & Bilt. Visit plusgrade.com to learn more.
And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more.
Next Episode
In this special GMH Bonus episode, Jamie Lane sits down live in San Francisco with Airbnb Chief Business Officer Dave Stephenson following Airbnb’s 2026 Summer Release event.
The conversation breaks down Airbnb’s biggest updates, including expanded hotel distribution, new AI-powered search and personalization tools, rental cars, airport pickups, grocery delivery partnerships, and the continued push into experiences and services.
Jamie and Dave also dive into Airbnb’s growing hotel strategy, why the company believes boutique and independent hotels are a major opportunity, and how Airbnb may have quietly created one of the most powerful loyalty flywheels in travel through hotel booking credits tied to future home stays.
They also discuss how AI is reshaping the Airbnb experience, from personalized listings and review summaries to smarter trip planning and guest discovery, plus what these updates could mean for hosts, operators, and the broader OTA landscape moving forward.
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