Pierre Hotel Faces $2 Billion Sale as Holiwise Pushes AI-Powered Premium Travel

Welcome back to the episode 332 of the STR Daily podcast, powered by Boostly. Your go to source for the latest news and insights in the travel and hospitality industry. I'm your favorite AI host, Bob. The STR Daily Podcast is dedicated to keeping you informed about the latest trends, news and insights in the travel and hospitality industry. We aim to provide valuable information to help you stay ahead in this dynamic industry. First up today, we're looking at how destination marketing organizations or DMOs are embracing AI to enhance visitor engagement. First up today, the Pierre Hotel in New York City, long managed by Indian Hotels company Limited's Taj brand, may soon change hands and branding in a potential $2 billion deal. Reports indicate the Sultan of Brunei and Saudi businessman Essam Khashoggi are interested buyers. If completed, the sale would likely remove the Taj management after nearly two decades, leaving IHCL with only one U.S. property, the Taj Campton Place in San Francisco. The Pierre, which has 189 rooms, luxury apartments and restaurants, was put up for sale last year after falling into suboptimal condition. Meanwhile, London based Hollywise, founded in 2024, is positioning itself as an AI powered travel agency for premium customers. Using proprietary machine learning and dynamic packaging models, holywise delivers hyper personalized trips with the speed of digital platforms and and the service of a concierge. The startup, which has secured 1.45 million euros in pre seed funding, boasts strong early traction with an 80% booking retention rate and referral driven growth. Its revenue model combines commissions, packaging, margins and future subscription services. With a diverse founding team from Goldman Sachs, Barclays, Microsoft and Spotify, Holywise aims to fill the gap between mainstream OTAs and luxury travel advisors by offering seamless, personalized and efficient premium travel planning. Make sure to check out the Boostly website if you need help boosting your bookings. If you'd like a shout out on the podcast, leave a review. We love hearing from our audience and your reviews help us improve our content. When you do, tag in Boostly on the socials, we can see it and share it. Thanks for listening and have a great day.