LODGING Staff

📈 Amadeus partners with Microsoft, leveraging OpenAI on Azure for AI tools in hospitality. By 2024, Amadeus Advisor Chat integrated into Demand360, offering insights across sales, operations, marketing, and distribution. Demand360 uses data from 44,000 hotels and 35 million rentals for occupancy forecasts and market ranking. AI tool Email to RFP enhances group booking efficiency within MeetingBroker. Amadeus plans Microsoft Teams integration and individual AI agents for faster response and increased business conversions.

📺 CHARLOTEE, North Carolina—PPDS launched the foldable and height-adjustable 135” Philips Unite LED 6000 Series All In One. This energy-efficient display reduces power and running costs, suitable for hotel lobbies and event venues. Overcoming size-related installation challenges, it addresses accessibility issues with larger displays. Jeroen Brants, PPDS's global product director for LED, highlighted its ease of transport and installation, preventing costly damage or installation delays.

💸 Elavon, a subsidiary of U.S. Bank, partners with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, expanding its Cloud Payments Interface (CPI) to over 6,000 Wyndham franchisees in the U.S. and Canada. CPI eliminates the need for on-site hardware, enhancing security and operational efficiency. The move supports scalable payment services and integrates with third-party software, offering advanced encryption. This upgrade aims to streamline payments, enable faster, touchless check-ins, and ensure PCI DSS compliance.

📱 Sojern and HotelKey launched a real-time guest feedback feature in San Francisco, California, in August 2024. This integration, part of an April 2024 partnership, enhances HotelKey's PMS by allowing instant in-stay feedback and AI-driven responses. Aimed at over 16,000 hotels, including Red Roof, it offers immediate resolution to guest issues, improving service and profitability. Leaders from Sojern and HotelKey emphasize its role in operational efficiency and guest satisfaction.

💸 Duetto launched The Revenue & Profit Operating System in San Francisco, California, unifying hotel revenue tools with AI and automation. CEO David Woolenberg emphasized its innovation in hotel tech. The platform optimizes pricing, forecasting, and reporting across departments. Product innovations include GameTime, an RMS for limited-service hotels, and Advance, an AI-powered pricing tool. The strategic acquisition of HotStats enhances profit insights. This system positions hotels to adapt to market changes efficiently.

📊 Bethesda, Maryland—Otelier launched the revamped TruePlan platform for hotel budgeting and forecasting. The new interface enhances speed, reducing "budget season" time by 30% through historical data use. Features include daily-level forecasting, bulk action tools, collaboration features, and Power BI integration. Built on Otelier’s framework, TruePlan allows real-time data flow for informed decision-making. Russell Meek, Otelier's senior director, emphasizes its customer-driven design, efficiency, and scalability for hotel finance teams.