Posts by author

Automatic

2832 posts
View Post
  • 1 min

Hilton is streamlining business travel payments

💳 On Apr 11, 2025, Hilton launched an automated virtual card payment system, a first for the global hotel industry, enhancing security for business travel payments at thousands of properties. The system, created in partnership with Conferma, benefits over 400 TMCs and numerous corporate clients by eliminating manual payment processes like email and fax. The innovation offers a frictionless check-in experience and is favored by 79% of travel buyers for reducing fraud risk. Hilton's move has garnered positive responses from industry partners for its efficiency and guest satisfaction improvements.
View Post
Share
View Post
  • 1 min

New ways AI helps keep business information trustworthy

🔎️ Google, on April 11, 2025, enhances the credibility of Maps data using Gemini AI, which has eradicated over 10,000 scam listings and identifies suspicious edits. AI algorithms also detect fake five-star reviews, prompting alerts in the U.S., U.K., and India, ahead of a worldwide expansion. This fusion of AI and human monitoring aims to prevent early-stage informational abuse.
View Post
Share

A sneak peek at the first AI-powered hotel in the U.S.

🏨 Opening in July 2025, the Otonomus Hotel in Las Vegas will be the first AI-powered hotel in the U.S. CEO Philippe Ziade introduces a personalized guest experience based on AI customization, offering a tailored stay through an advanced booking engine. The hotel uses an ABS model for attribute selection, employs in-house technology development for data control, and continuously updates guest profiles. AI enhances human service, aiming for a balance between technology and personal interaction.
View Post
Share

Europe’s hotel market faces new challenges in 2025

🏨 In 2024, Europe's upscale and luxury hotel market achieved €10.95 billion from 137 deals, with an average deal size of €79.9 million. Despite a strong performance, economic fears, tariffs, and volatility are now posing threats. Investors face increased caution due to potential recessions, inflated development costs from new tariffs, particularly affecting markets reliant on American tourism, and the possibility of lower asset valuations affecting investments and transactions.
View Post
Share

The case for modern airline distribution models

✈ Accenture's report, dated Apr 10, 2025, indicates a potential 3-6% annual revenue increase for airlines through advanced Offer, Order, Settle, and Deliver (OOSD) systems. Despite the revenue boost from ancillary sales (1.5-2%), airlines face hurdles with New Distribution Capability (NDC) adoption and hidden costs. The industry aims for retail-led transformation with a dual strategy for short-term wins and long-term overhaul. Full details at Accenture.
View Post
Share

How visual search is reshaping travel discovery

📱 Visual search is revolutionizing travel, with Google Lens and platforms like Videreo guiding users through images. The trend, fueled by younger travelers, is pushing travel companies to adopt AI like Landfolk's Daisy for emotion/aesthetic-based searches. Influencer content is increasingly important, with Videreo's shoppable maps. However, integrating visual tools smoothly remains a challenge, and maintaining authenticity with credible visuals over AI-generated images is essential. As of Apr 10, 2025, visual search is a significant and enduring shift in the travel industry.
View Post
Share

San Francisco market finally starts to rebound

🏨 San Francisco's hotel market is recovering from a 2024 low, with rising RevPAR and increased convention center bookings for 2025. The resurgence, propelled by a bettered convention center, international demand, and events, faces slower supply growth at 0.8% annually due to construction obstacles. Investment opportunities emerge as hotel prices are 45% below average, attracting global investors from Europe, Singapore, South Korea, and the Middle East. The city anticipates demand spikes from the 2025 Microsoft Ignite Convention and the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl.
View Post
Share

Duetto acquires hotel benchmarking platform HotStats

💰 On April 10, 2025, Duetto acquired UK-based HotStats, aiming to enhance hoteliers' understanding of revenue and operating performance. HotStats, since 1997, provides benchmarking and market reports, while Duetto offers revenue management solutions to over 6,300 hotels. The acquisition, following Duetto's buyout by GrowthCurve Capital in June 2024 and purchase of Micerate in February 2024, bolsters Duetto’s AI-driven revenue optimization platform.
View Post
Share

Instagram eyes the search game

📷 Instagram's Adam Mosseri recognized the app's search feature needs enhancement to compete with TikTok and attract Gen Z users, as revealed on the ‘Build Your Tribe’ podcast on April 9, 2025. The platform aims to allow content to resurface beyond the initial 24–48 hours, and improve search suggestions by analyzing comments—similar to TikTok's successful model. A new version, focusing on better search capabilities, is expected to be launched soon, shifting from personal sharing to more public-facing content.
View Post
Share