Automatic - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 170

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Accor unveils global digital platform for meetings and events

📅 May 21, 2025: Accor unveils a digital ecosystem connecting 5,600 hotels, 2.5M square meters of event space, and 800,000 guestrooms. Launching late 2025, it's integrated with Oracle and Amadeus tools. Pre-launch features include Salesforce integration and booking for up to 30 rooms. Full functionality by early 2026. Tied to ALL Accor for loyalty, targeting a $2 trillion business travel market by 2028, with corporate travel spend at $1.4 trillion by 2026. Key regions: Europe, MEA, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific.

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Are travel companies breaking the law on drip pricing?

🛑 May 21, 2025, UK. Since April 6, 2024, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act mandates full upfront pricing in travel bookings, including fees. An investigation by Which? Travel indicates major companies like Trivago and Loveholidays might be violating this by not listing mandatory fees upfront. While Booking.com, Expedia, and Hotels.com comply, others do not, creating discrepancies. BA Holidays is criticized for not disclosing true prices until late stages, citing “availability changes.”

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Perplexity enters the travel game

🗺️ May 21, 2025, Perplexity, a promising generative AI platform, unveils a travel-focused search experience launched in March 2025, offering curated destination content, trending destinations, and inspiration cards. The interface can suggest hotels with reviews and practical details. The move aligns with Perplexity's goal to evolve agentic AI travel assistants for real-time trip management. Monetization began in 2024 through Sponsored Questions, providing a unique ad model compared to competitors like ChatGPT.

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Hotels.com’s new AI chatbot falls short of expectations

🛠 May 21, 2025, Expedia Group launched an AI-powered chatbot in the Hotels.com app to boost brand performance. While the redesigned app and smart filters increased conversions by 35%, the chatbot struggles with accuracy and lacks key functionality like flight booking and accurate location recommendations. Listings have correct pricing, and users can save hotels to trips, but flights and activities need manual entry. The chatbot suggests restaurants and attractions but lacks booking integrations.

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Google’s search revolution

💻 May 21, 2025, Google launched "AI Mode" at its developer conference, now available in the U.S. with Gemini 2.5 AI model integration. This aims to replicate expert conversations in search, impacting web traffic by reducing site visits. 1.5 billion users access AI overviews, causing a 30% drop in click-through rates. Future features include live video search and smart glasses. Google introduces a $250/month "Ultra" AI plan with 30TB storage amid competition from AI rivals.

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New Expedia research signals a shift in consumer priorities

📈 May 21, 2025 – Expedia's 2025 Traveler Value Index highlights that 88% plan leisure trips in the next year, with a 19% rise in international travel intent since 2022. Social media influences 61% of trip ideas, up from 35% in 2022, and 73% are swayed by influencers. Trust is as pivotal as price, with 75% paying more for better-reviewed lodging. 83% favor using loyalty points for travel. Chinese, UK, and German travelers lead in planning international travel.

CBRE softens 2025 U.S. hotel forecast on slower economic growth

📈 May 20, 2025, CBRE Hotels Research revised its 2025 U.S. hotel industry forecast due to weaker economic conditions. U.S. GDP growth is now 1.4%, down from 2.4%, with inflation at 2.9%. RevPAR is expected to grow by 1.3% (previously 2%), ADR by 1.2% (down from 1.6%), and occupancy by 0.21 percentage points. Urban hotels and drive-to resorts are best for growth, aided by increased travel and a weaker dollar. Supply growth is forecasted at 0.8% annually.

Amadeus acquires ForwardKeys

📈 May 20, 2025, Valencia: Amadeus acquired ForwardKeys, a Spanish analytics firm, to enhance its travel intelligence. Founded in 2010 by Olivier Jager and Christophe Van Zwynsvoorde, with CCO Laurens Van Den Oever as co-owner, ForwardKeys reported €9.3M in revenue and €1.7M in operating profit in 2023. This acquisition aligns with Amadeus' global reach, focusing on predictive analytics for tourism clients. Further integration details will follow stakeholder discussions.

Building rate confidence to drive direct bookings

🛑 May 20, 2025, travel industry: Real-time pricing tools like BenchDirect and price comparison widgets are crucial for hotels to maintain competitiveness and boost direct bookings. Implementing price match features and offering exclusive direct perks, such as complimentary drinks, can differentiate hotel sites from OTAs. Engaging guests with personalized and predictive messaging can further enhance conversion rates, while smart targeting helps protect margins by showing offers only when necessary.

U.S. hoteliers press congress for tax relief

📈 May 20, 2025, Washington, D.C.: Over 250 members of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) met with lawmakers to advocate for tax and workforce reforms to boost U.S. hospitality. Key proposals included a permanent Small Business Tax Deduction, H-2B visa cap increase, and the “No Tax on Tips” initiative. AHLA emphasized bipartisan cooperation, presenting the Spirit of Hospitality Award to supportive lawmakers. Congressional awareness is growing, but urgent action is needed for sector recovery.

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