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Melinda Healy

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CellPoint Digital bolsters its executive…

💳 CellPoint Digital, a Payment Orchestration company, promotes Michael Sørensen to CTO and Steven Osei to CMO. Sørensen, with over 30 years of IT experience, aims to drive the company's technology strategy, focusing on scaling the tech team and innovation in offer ordering and APM integrations. Osei's promotion enhances the brand's leadership in Payment Orchestration across air, travel, and hospitality sectors. CEO Kristian Gjerding affirms the team's capacity to foster innovation and market growth.
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PLAY airlines to launch curated travel…

✈ PLAY airlines collaborates with InterLnkd to introduce an AI-powered pre-travel shopping platform for US customers, featuring brands like Bloomingdale's and CVS. This makes PLAY the first North American airline to offer such a service, integrating it into the post-booking process for incremental revenue. European customers can access products from Marks & Spencer, WHSmith, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, and Asos. The platform is designed to provide convenience and enhance the travel experience by meeting vacation essentials needs.
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Quarter of businesses allocate half their…

📋 Over 25% of FCM Meetings & Events' customers spend half their travel budgets on MICE. A six-week online survey by Flight Centre Corporate involving decision-makers and travel managers indicated 23% of EMEA clients allocate over 50% of their budget to MICE, while another 8% allocate 25-50%. FCM is investing $20 million globally in the sector, with expansion plans for South Africa and Dubai by early 2025. The firm aims to leverage its 365+ workforce for exponential growth and global consistency with local adaptation.
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Hospitality cloud company introduces…

💳 Mews, a hospitality cloud provider, released the Mews Terminal S2 ePOS system to enhance hotel operations. The Terminal S2 integrates with Mews POS and Payments for seamless transactions at various property locations. It enables secure order and payment processing from a single device, reducing service time from five minutes to one minute as experienced by the Arctic SnowHotel in Lapland, Finland. The device is portable, wireless, and features a long-life battery, with capabilities to manage busy restaurants and front desks effectively.
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UK companies trailing on cybersecurity…

💻 In a World Travel Protection survey of 2000 business travellers from the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, 52% of UK and 60% global business travellers worry about cyber-attacks, rising to 62% among frequent UK and 70% global travellers. UK companies lag in cybersecurity, with 25% of UK travellers stating their companies take no measures, versus 10-11% in other countries. Common measures include anti-virus software (22% UK vs 27% globally) and two-factor authentication (21% UK vs 27% globally). UK firms also fall short in data backups (15% UK vs 24% globally) and biometric security (11% UK vs 17% globally). Moreover, 17% of UK companies don't provide cybersecurity training, compared to 20% globally. With 18% of UK and 24% globally allowed "work from anywhere" policies and 16% of UK travellers mixing business trips with holidays, cybersecurity risks increase.
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Stratoflow reveals travellers’ shifting…

🏖️ Stratoflow's report highlights technology trends in the travel industry, emphasizing AI's role in enhancing customer experiences and personalization. Global tourism is rebounding, with Asia's recovery led by China and the Gulf's unified tourist visa boosting Middle East and Africa. Europe's growth is spurred by Schengen expansion and the Paris 2024 Olympics, despite potential impacts from regional conflicts. A significant 67% of tourism professionals foresee improved performance in 2025, with a mere 6% anticipating a decline. Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) increasingly rely on AI for dynamic pricing, with over 70% of consumers expecting personalization. Open-source platforms like Openkoda offer cost-effective customization. Sustainability is a growing concern, with eco-friendly options being more sought after. Augmented Reality (AR) is predicted to become crucial, though its adoption is still nascent.
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All-in-one software management company…

💻 RoomRaccoon, the US-based hotel management software company, has acquired Belgium's Lobbi PMS, expanding its user base by 300 properties in the Benelux region. The acquisition includes the integration of the Lobbi team and Ghent headquarters. Lobbi founders and CTO will assist with the transition, aiming to make RoomRaccoon the market leader in Benelux and enhance the offerings for independent hoteliers. This marks RoomRaccoon's second acquisition by its internal M&A department.
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All-inclusive hotel group Club Med now has…

📱 Club Med integrates WhatsApp as a new communication channel, enabling customers and travel agents to access support and services easily. Leveraging an AI chatbot, available 24/7, users can inquire about resort details, book or modify reservations, and receive immediate assistance. Travel Experience Designers provide live chat services Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:30, Saturdays 9:00 to 16:30, and on bank holidays from 10:00 to 15:30. Conversations are securely recorded with WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption.
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