#298: Why Consolidation Is the Biggest Opportunity in Hospitality | with Shawn Tarter

Today, we sit down with Shawn Tarter, CEO of RealTime Reservations, to discuss one of the biggest announcements at HITEC—the company's strategic acquisition and vision for transforming hotel technology.

Shawn shares the story behind meeting Stay's founder at a previous HITEC, how that relationship evolved into a partnership spanning more than 2,600 hotel properties, and why creating a unified platform for ancillary reservations is the future of hospitality.

The conversation explores the industry's push toward a truly connected guest journey, the importance of consolidating hotel technology, and why accurate data is the foundation for AI-driven innovation. Shawn also offers valuable advice for hoteliers navigating vendor fatigue, emphasizing the importance of cultural alignment and customer-focused product development.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why RealTime Reservations acquired Stay and what it means for hotels
• How a single checkout experience can transform the guest journey
• The role of AI in hospitality—and why clean data comes first
• Strategies for reducing tech stack complexity and vendor fatigue
• What's next for Real Time Reservations and the future of hotel technology

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kmsMEf2QlCg

Links:
Shawn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-tarter-221b52b2/
RealTime Reservation: https://www.realtimereservation.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/298

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Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.