Wyndham Hotels & Resorts partnered with Google and Anthropic to deploy AI agents capable of handling direct bookings and guest inquiries. The company invested over $425 million in the initiative as it is seeking to reduce franchisee labor costs and automate upsell opportunities. CEO Geoff Ballotti stated that the system is currently generating significant incremental revenue for property owners by selling early check-ins and upgrades. The strategic shift emerged even as the hotel giant wrote down $160 million due to the insolvency of Revo Hospitality Group, its largest European franchisee.
