#284: Fixing the Post-Booking Black Hole Most Hotels Ignore | with Michael Gahan

What is the “post-booking black hole” in hospitality, and how can hotels eliminate it to transform the guest experience using AI, destination intelligence, and modern engagement tools? In this episode, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Michael Gahan, CEO of Tongo, for a deep dive into how hotels can transform the guest journey by stepping into the “post-booking black hole.”Michael shares his unconventional path from small-town California, professional MMA fighting, and wine tour entrepreneurship to building a hospitality tech company focused on redefining guest engagement through destination intelligence and AI-powered concierge experiences.The conversation explores: How early guest conversations shape travel decisions and hotel revenue  Why most hotels miss the critical pre-arrival planning window  What makes Tongo’s approach different from typical “AI concierge” tools  How personalized, scalable concierge experiences are now possible  The operational challenges and opportunities inside modern hotel organizations Michael also discusses lessons from his MMA career, the importance of guest-centric thinking, and why the future of hospitality depends on owning the conversation before guests even arrive.This episode is sponsored by Tongo: https://letstongo.com/Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xYXa6iH6qfELinks:Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-gahan/Tongo: https://letstongo.com/For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/284Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-..Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn pageConnect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.