The Refinement Era: What 2026 Looks Like for Hospitality Operators

Doing Less, Achieving More: Inside The Customer Day 2026

In this episode of From Pitch to Pontoon, Calum, Lisa and Andrew reflect on the Elite Dynamics Customer Day 2026, bringing together holiday park and marina operators for a day of insight, discussion and celebration. They talk through the key themes from the event, including Elite Dynamics’ 10-year anniversary, the 2026–2027 product roadmap, customer-led development, AI in holiday park and marina operations, and the idea of helping teams do less while achieving more. From roadmap reveals and app updates to customer awards, partner sessions and plenty of behind-the-scenes stories, this episode captures the energy of the day and the importance of listening to customers when shaping the future of Elite Dynamics.

The Refinement Era: What 2026 Looks Like for Hospitality Operators

What does success look like for hospitality operators in 2026? In this episode of From Pitch to Pontoon [https://www.elite-dynamics.com/from-pitch-to-pontoon/], we explore the shift into what we’re calling the Refinement Era, where smarter decisions around pricing, distribution, and operations are separating high-performing operators from the rest. Joined by Rentals United’s UK & Ireland Account Executive, John O’Gara, we break down key insights from the latest 2026 Short-Term Rental Outlook Report, including data from over 1.5 million bookings. Together, we unpack what’s really happening across the UK holiday park, marina, and lodge sector and what operators need to do now to stay competitive. You’ll learn: * Why the UK is leading Europe in booking growth—and where the opportunity still lies * How shorter booking windows are reshaping pricing and operational strategy * The real impact of dynamic pricing vs static rates on occupancy and revenue * Why channel diversification beyond Booking.com and Airbnb matters more than ever * How automation is becoming essential in a high-turnover, fast-paced market * What “revenue-first distribution” actually means in practice If you’re managing a holiday park, marina, lodge park or glamping site, this episode gives you a clear, data-backed view of where the industry is heading and how to respond. 🎯 Whether you’re running a single-site operation or scaling a multi-location portfolio, this is your practical guide to refining your strategy for 2026. www.elite-dynamics.com [https://www.elite-dynamics.com/]

AI Search, SEO & Discoverability in 2026: How Parks & Marinas Can Stay Visible

Is SEO dead in an AI-first world? Or is it more important than ever? In this episode of From Pitch to Pontoon, Calum sits down with SEO strategist Jason Pittock to unpack what AI search really means for holiday parks, marinas and service businesses in 2026. They explore: * How Google’s AI Overviews are impacting website traffic and click-through rates * Why discoverability now matters more than rankings * The difference between SEO and AEO (AI Engine Optimisation) * How reviews and online reputation influence AI search results * Why sentiment, authority and entity signals are becoming critical * What businesses should prioritise if AI became the main discovery channel tomorrow Jason shares why we’re in the “golden age” of AI search, how LLMs pull information from Google, Reddit, YouTube and review platforms, and why reputation management may soon matter more than traditional keyword targeting. If you run a holiday park, marina, campground, or hospitality business this episode will help you understand what’s changing, what’s noise, and what to actually focus on. Elite Dynamics | Management Software for Parks & [https://www.elite-dynamics.com/] Marinas [https://www.elite-dynamics.com/]https://jasonpittock.com/ [https://jasonpittock.com/] https://www.youtube.com/@JasonPittockMarketing [https://www.youtube.com/@JasonPittockMarketing] https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-pittock/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-pittock/]

Fuel Costs & Holiday Trends: What Operators Should Be Watching

Rising fuel costs are back in the conversation, but what does that actually mean for holiday parks and marinas? In this episode, Calum and Andrew talk through the potential impact on travel behaviour, booking patterns, and on-site spend. From shifting catchment areas to shorter stays and changing customer behaviour, they explore what operators might see in the months ahead. The discussion covers practical ideas around communication, pricing, data, and creative ways to keep customers engaged, whatever direction the season takes. www.elite-dynamics.com

When “It Kind of Works” Isn’t Good Enough: Rethinking Marina Software & Growth

If your marina systems “kind of work”… is that actually good enough? In this episode of From Pitch to Pontoon, Lisa is joined by Sean Conklin from 365 Vertical to explore what happens when marina operations outgrow spreadsheets, disconnected systems and manual workarounds. From multi-marina operators managing 30–40 locations through complex Excel sheets to finance teams relying on batch-level reporting, they unpack the hidden costs of “making it work” — and what changes when everything sits on one unified platform. Together, they discuss: * The real impact of duplicate data entry in marina management * Why multi-site marinas struggle with disconnected systems * How Microsoft Business Central supports scalable marina operations * The role of AI and Copilot in improving reporting and visibility * Reducing month-end reconciliation stress * Why purpose-built marina software matters more than generic systems * What modern boaters expect from online booking and real-time availability Sean shares why the marina sector is reaching a technology inflection point — similar to hospitality 10–15 years ago — and the key sign that tells operators it’s time to rethink their software strategy: When growth creates more manual work instead of clarity. If you're a marina manager, finance lead or portfolio operator questioning whether your current systems are holding you back, this conversation will help you recognise the moment when “kind of working” simply isn’t enough.