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Gen Z Trusts Online Reviews Over Hotel Brand Names by More Than Four to One When Choosing Where to Stay, Rival Technologies Study Shows

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Research finds amenities, guest experience and value outweigh traditional brand loyalty among Gen Z travelers

VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Online reviews have become a much stronger influence on Gen Z hotel bookings than brand names, according to new research from Rival Technologies. Nearly two-thirds (61%) of Gen Z travelers say online reviews are the biggest influence on where they book, while just 14% cite a hotel’s brand name.

For marketers in the travel and hospitality space, the findings suggest that reputation built through guest experiences now carries more weight with Gen Z than traditional brand recognition.

Beyond reviews, Gen Z travelers also place a high value on practical amenities. Nearly half (48%) say features such as a pool, gym or breakfast influence where they stay. Free breakfast (56%) and free Wi-Fi (50%) rank alongside loyalty rewards (48%), while social media influences just 12% of booking decisions.

The study also highlights several trends shaping how the next generation of guests book travel:

Hotels lead but no longer dominate. Only 43% of Gen Z default to a hotel, while 27% say it depends on the trip and 21% choose Airbnb, leaving most of this generation open to alternatives on any given trip.Loyalty appetite grows with age. Interest in rewards programs nearly doubles across the cohort, from 13% among 18-to-20-year-olds to 24% among 25-to-29-year-olds, along with rising interest in upgrades, flexible cancellation and early or late check-in.Reviews and breakfast are universal. Both hold steady as top factors across every age band, making them table stakes rather than differentiators.US and Canadian travelers diverge. Canadian Gen Z lean even harder on reviews (66% versus 57%) and are more likely to skip loyalty programs entirely (21% versus 13%), while US Gen Z place more weight on free WiFi (57% versus 43%) and digital check-in (25% versus 12%).The trip itself is about meaning, not status. Beyond booking, 84% of Gen Z say the most meaningful trip is one that changes how they think, and 79% value experiences they do not photograph over getting great photos.

“Gen Z is one of the travel industry’s most important growth audiences, but many assumptions about how they make decisions no longer hold,” said Paula Catoira, chief marketing officer at Rival Group. “Reviews, recommendations and authentic experiences carry significant weight. Understanding why those choices are made requires ongoing conversations rather than occasional surveys.”

The qualitative findings underscored how grounded and practical Gen Z has become about where they stay. One participant described the ideal trip as “a great place to stay in a prime location,” while another pointed to “stress-free planning, making the most of my time, and staying in a nice hotel.” The emphasis was on function, location and value, rarely on a brand name.

Rival helps hospitality and consumer brands understand changing customer expectations through insight communities, Voice of Market studies and continuous research programs. The company’s Emerging Consumer Index tracks Gen Z attitudes across the U.S. and Canada through biweekly research, giving subscribers regularly refreshed data that can be explored through AI-assisted exploration tools, while helping keep synthetic audiences and large language models grounded in real human data.

This study surveyed 878 Gen Z participants aged 18 to 29 across the United States (443) and Canada (435) from Rival’s proprietary panels in July 2026, and was conducted using Rival’s conversational research platform. It captured both quantitative and qualitative feedback in a single 10-minute conversational survey.

To access the report: https://www.rivaltech.com/gen-z-travel 

About Rival Technologies
Rival Technologies is a research technology company redefining how brands understand people. As a pioneer in conversational research, Rival’s AI-driven, mobile-first platform transforms traditional surveys into engaging, chat-like experiences that reflect how people communicate today. By blending quant, qual and video in a single conversational flow, Rival helps global brands like Cash App, ŌURA, Carnival Corporation and Warner Bros. Discovery capture richer insights, increase response rates and move from data to confident decisions faster. Part of Rival Group, Rival Technologies was named to the Top 10 Most Innovative Technology Suppliers in Greenbook’s 2025 GRIT report. Learn more at rivaltech.com.

Media contact: Marie Melsheimer, 420281@email4pr.com, +1-541-815-3951

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SOURCE Rival Technologies

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SpryPoint Names Tara Davidson Its New Chief People Officer

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Addition to executive team underscores SpryPoint’s investment in the people and culture behind its rapid growth

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE and ATLANTA, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — SpryPoint, a leading provider of cloud-native software for utilities, today announced that Tara Davidson has joined the company as Chief People Officer, effective August 31, 2026. Davidson will sit on SpryPoint’s executive leadership team, reporting directly to CEO Kyle Strang.

“I don’t see culture and growth as a trade-off; I see people strategy as business strategy.”

Davidson brings a track record of building people functions that scale alongside fast-growing organizations, with deep experience partnering with executive teams and boards on the talent, culture, and organizational strategy needed to sustain growth. She joins SpryPoint as the company has grown from roughly 75 to more than 375 employees, a trajectory that has made people strategy a board-level priority.

“Utilities trust SpryPoint because our people show up for them every day with the expertise and care this industry deserves,” said Kyle Strang, CEO of SpryPoint. “As we’ve grown, it’s become clear that our team is our real differentiator – not just the software we build. Tara has spent her career building the kind of culture and talent strategy that lets a company grow without losing what makes it work. She’s going to help us make sure that as SpryPoint scales, we keep getting stronger, not more diluted.”

“What drew me to SpryPoint is the stage we’re at. This kind of rapid growth is exactly the inflection point where a company either builds the people infrastructure to scale deliberately, or lets what made it special get diluted along the way. I don’t see culture and growth as a trade-off; I see people strategy as business strategy. My approach is to treat things like how we hire, develop, and support our teams with the same rigor we’d apply to any other growth lever, because in a software-as-a-service business, engaged, well-supported employees are directly connected to the client experience we deliver,” said Davidson.

In her role, Davidson will lead SpryPoint’s people strategy across talent acquisition, organizational development, culture, and total rewards, with a mandate to build the infrastructure that lets SpryPoint’s employees deliver an exceptional experience for utility customers and communities across North America.

About SpryPoint

Founded in 2011, SpryPoint builds and delivers integrated, cloud-native software solutions to empower utilities to serve customers better, operate more efficiently, and provide new levels of business visibility and data-driven decision-making. Today, more than 100 utilities across the Americas rely on SpryPoint to modernize billing, customer engagement, and field operations to transform their business. In 2025, SpryPoint was recognized as a Deloitte Technology Fast 50™ company in Canada and a Deloitte Technology Fast 500™ company in North America. For more information, visit www.sprypoint.com or contact info@sprypoint.com.

Media Contact

Jordan Vardell, SpryPoint, 1 (855) TRY-SPRY, info@sprypoint.com, https://www.sprypoint.com/

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/sprypoint-names-tara-davidson-its-new-chief-people-officer-302882952.html

SOURCE SpryPoint

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Beyond Boston TV Series Spotlights Greater Boston Real Estate, Lifestyle and Community on REAL Shows Network

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Locally hosted series led by Danny O’Connell highlights the homes, businesses, people, and communities that define Greater Boston and Southern New Hampshire.

BOSTON, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — REAL Shows Network (RSN), the national television platform dedicated to elevating real estate and lifestyle storytelling, has added Beyond Boston, a new locally hosted series serving Greater Boston and Southern New Hampshire, to its lineup. The real estate and lifestyle TV series is hosted by local real estate professional Danny O’Connell and produced by RSN’s Emmy-nominated, Telly Award-winning team.

Viewers can learn more about the series and watch episodes of Beyond Boston at realshows.tv.

Born and raised in Dracut, Massachusetts, O’Connell comes from a family with deep roots in real estate. His parents have each been licensed for nearly three decades, and O’Connell entered the business himself at age 18. Together, the family-run team works with everything from first-time homebuyers and new construction to investment properties, foreclosures, commercial real estate, and luxury homes.

Each episode of Beyond Boston features O’Connell:

Highlighting distinctive homes, neighborhoods, and communities across Greater Boston and Southern New HampshireSharing stories from local businesses, entrepreneurs, and community leadersExploring a wide range of real estate, from new construction and investment properties to luxury homesBringing a family-focused, approachable perspective to the buying and selling experience

“Real estate has always been a family business for us, and our philosophy is simple: our family helping yours,” said Danny O’Connell, host of Beyond Boston. “We work with all types of clients and properties, and we’re not afraid to get our hands dirty to help get the job done. My goal has always been to make the process as easy, stress-free, and fun as possible. Through Beyond Boston, I’m excited to share the homes, businesses, people, and communities that make this region such a great place to live and work.”

O’Connell’s connection to real estate began early. As a kindergartner, he overheard his teacher mention that she needed to buy a house, brought her one of his father’s business cards the next day, and helped make an introduction that ultimately led to multiple real estate transactions over the years. That early family connection to the business continues today through the team’s full-service approach to real estate, property management, and construction.

Beyond Boston is part of REAL Shows Network’s growing lineup of locally branded series that highlight communities across the United States.

As part of RSN’s national network of locally branded shows, Beyond Boston gives its host a full 30 minutes to build a recognizable, personality-driven brand while authentically representing Greater Boston, Southern New Hampshire, and the communities the O’Connell family serves. The show also provides local businesses, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and community leaders a high-quality platform to share their stories through cinematic, lifestyle-driven segments.

Rooted in RSN’s mission of positive media, Beyond Boston focuses on authenticity, connection, and the people and experiences behind real estate. It gives viewers a closer look at the homes, communities, businesses, and personalities that shape life throughout the region. High-resolution images and video clips from Beyond Boston are available upon request.

About Danny O’Connell

Danny O’Connell is a real estate professional from Dracut, Massachusetts, and part of a family-run real estate team serving Greater Boston, Southern New Hampshire, and beyond. Licensed since age 18, O’Connell works with buyers, sellers, investors, first-time homebuyers, new construction, foreclosures, commercial properties, and luxury real estate. He also operates property management and construction businesses and leads a networking group for young entrepreneurs and business owners.

About REAL Shows Network

REAL Shows Network (RSN) is a national TV network for top real estate professionals and influential local leaders, giving select hosts in each market the exclusive opportunity to lead a full 30-minute show that showcases their expertise, partners, and community. Created by an Emmy-nominated, Telly Award-winning production team, RSN delivers cinematic, lifestyle-driven storytelling and strategic media exposure that builds authority, deepens community connection, and elevates positive stories in each market. For more information, visit realshows.tv.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/beyond-boston-tv-series-spotlights-greater-boston-real-estate-lifestyle-and-community-on-real-shows-network-302885027.html

SOURCE REAL Shows Network

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The Inner Circle acknowledges Robert “Dean” Day, as an Inner Circle Five Year

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COOKEVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Robert “Dean” Day is acknowledged as an Inner Circle Five Year for his contributions to Fiber Optic Infrastructure.

Robert Dean Day has built a distinguished career in the broadband industry, recognized for his leadership, technical expertise, and long standing contributions to fiber optic infrastructure across the southeastern United States. With decades of experience in outside plant fiber optic operations and direct sales, Mr. Day has played a meaningful role in advancing broadband connectivity and supporting large scale telecommunications growth.

Throughout his career, Mr. Day demonstrated expertise in fiber optic equipment, broadband solutions, and team leadership. His responsibilities included managing outside plant fiber optic initiatives, overseeing direct sales efforts, coordinating calls and email communications, and directing teams to ensure consistent performance and client satisfaction. His collaborative leadership style and commitment to continuous learning have been hallmarks of his professional approach.

One of Mr. Day’s most notable accomplishments was serving as chief negotiator at Nortel, where he successfully led the procurement of an eight point six billion dollar agreement with MCI WorldCom. This achievement highlighted his ability to manage complex negotiations and deliver results at the highest levels of the telecommunications industry.

Mr. Day held roles with organizations such as Calix and most recently retired from CableSouth Construction in January of this year. His career has been recognized with numerous honors, including President’s Club distinctions, Salesman of the Year, and the Panhandle Phone Ten Years of Safe and Courteous Beverage Cart Driving Award.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Tennessee Technological University and remains actively affiliated with the Tennessee Broadband Association and the Fiber Broadband Association.

Outside of his professional career, Mr. Day enjoys University of Tennessee football, card collecting, attending games, and visiting historical sites. As he enters retirement, he looks forward to continued learning and engagement with fellow executives, guided by a philosophy centered on curiosity, collaboration, and shared success.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, editorialteam@continentalwhoswho.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-inner-circle-acknowledges-robert-dean-day-as-an-inner-circle-five-year-302885031.html

SOURCE The Inner Circle

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