Dr Tomasz Napierała from the Institute of Urban Geography, Tourism Studies and Geoinformation, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University of Lodz and Dr Arkadiusz T. Tomczyk from the Faculty of Business and Law, Bournemouth University Business School in the UK, have analysed how the development of booking platforms affects the modern logding market.
Their study focuses on the growing role of the so-called platform capitalism, in which services like Booking.com shape hotel pricing, marketing and loyalty strategies. The researchers used data on Polish hoteliers' willingness to participate in loyalty and marketing programmes in 2024, as well as a range of local and situational factors. The analysis was conducted using an advanced Random Forest Classifier and cartographic methods, allowing for the capture of both economic interdependencies and their spatial variation.
The results reveal a clear divide within the industry. Large hotels located in city centres and popular tourist areas, especially mountainous regions, are most willing to implement AI-based tools. These properties offer more expensive services and have a better understanding of revenue management principles, allowing them to more effectively utilize platform-based technologies.
Meanwhile, smaller hotels, especially those with lower ratings and located outside major tourist destinations, are much less likely to use programs like Genius. Researchers point out that the problem stems not solely from a lack of interest but also from limited opportunities to implement advanced marketing and analytical tools, even when they are available within the platforms.
This diversity has significant implications for the market. It can lead to deepening economic inequalities, especially in peripheral regions where access to modern technologies and operational knowledge is limited.
The authors underline that in this new market reality, not only the standard of service is crucial, but also the ability to use data and technology, and appropriate market positioning. In practice, this means that the development of artificial intelligence in tourism not only changes the rules of the game but also clearly indicates who has the greatest chance of success.
Source: Napierała Tomasz, Tomczyk Arkadiusz T.: New face of platform capitalism in lodging industry: Who and where adopts platform-led loyalty tools?, Tourism Economics, 2026, pages 1-25, DOI:10.1177/13548166261421402;
