Automatic - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 117

5 min

AHLA: 65% of Surveyed Hotels Report Staffing Shortages

🏡 InterContinental Hotels Group PLC acquired Ruby SARL brand for €110.5m (~$116m). Ruby, established in 2013, operates 20 hotels with 3,483 rooms and has 10 pipeline hotels with 2,235 rooms across Europe. IHG plans to introduce Ruby in the US by end of year and aims for the brand to grow to over 120 hotels in 10 years. The initial franchise fees from the current Ruby hotels are expected to be $8m in 2028, potentially exceeding $15m by 2030. Seller's Ruby-branded hotels may bring additional payments up to €181m ($190m) if the room count exceeds 20,000 by 2035. Integration into IHG's system is set to begin in 2025, expected to increase IHG’s system size by 0.5% with the open and pipeline hotels. Integration costs for IHG are projected at $10m for 2025.

5 min

Avvio Founder Announces the Establishment of The roomangel Foundation

🏨 IHG acquired the Ruby brand from Ruby SARL for €110.5m (~$116m) including the brand and intellectual property. Ruby, founded in 2013, has 20 hotels with 3,483 rooms across Europe and 10 more hotels with 2,235 rooms in the pipeline, set to open within three years. The Ruby brand aims for rapid global expansion, targeting over 120 hotels in 10 years and 250 in 20 years. The brand's net system size CAGR is 26% over the last five years. IHG paid an upfront fee of €109.9m and will pay €0.6m later, with franchise fees from the existing and pipeline hotels expected to be $8m in 2028 and more than $15m by 2030. IHG's integration of the 20 open Ruby hotels will begin in 2025 and should be completed by March 31, 2026, increasing its global system size by 0.3%, with the pipeline hotels adding another 0.2%. Integration costs for IHG are estimated at $10m in 2025, aiming for breakeven in 2026 and profitability thereafter.

3 min

Volatility in the Social Media Landscape: Why In-App Advertising is the Next Frontier

📱 Digital advertisers are facing disruption due to potential TikTok US exit, issues on Meta and Alphabet platforms, and Meta's corporate culture controversies. In-app advertising offers a brand-safe environment, precise targeting, and strong measurement capabilities. Red Note, a Chinese app, emerges as a TikTok alternative but carries brand safety risks. A Sprout Social report highlights a consumer desire for authenticity, with 70% expecting personalized responses on social media. Applovin's in-app advertising strategy surpassed The Trade Desk's valuation. Mobile apps account for 88% of mobile time, with average daily usage projected at 4 hours 39 minutes in 2024. In-app provides premium inventory and contextual relevance, making it a key digital marketing strategy component.

CASE STUDY: AVoIP Transforms Sports Viewing at The DEN

🏈 In 2019, Terra Pierce, owner of The DEN in Billings, Montana, partnered with InfiniTech to create a sports bar with a unique AV system. The DEN features 19 displays with individual control, including 11 DirecTV boxes and various other sources like local cable and high school sports streams. InfiniTech used the Evolution by Vanco EVO-IP HDMI over IP solution, with 12 transmitters and 25 receivers, managed through a Luxul 48 port switch and a Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine. The scalable EVO-IP system can support over 1,000 devices and is monitored remotely. Following The DEN's success, InfiniTech has implemented six EVO-IP systems across Billings, with potential expansion into other markets.

2 min

IHG Hotels & Resorts Acquires Ruby

💸 Sparkfly achieved a 30% revenue increase in 2024, alongside a 98.6% client retention and a 99.4% revenue retention rate. The company added 12 new enterprise customers, expanding to over 100 brands and more than 18,000 locations, with over two-thirds adopting Sparkfly Rewards. Key integrations were made with various platforms like Olo Engage, Klaviyo, Bikky, mParticle, and POS systems such as Qu and NCR. Enhancements to its self-service portal and Loyalty features were implemented. Sparkfly has not lost any employees since September 2022 and plans further team expansions.

Hospitality Technology Announces 2025 Top Women, Rising Star Winners

This article was written by Hospitality Technology. Click here to read the original article

1 min

CASE STUDY: Embassy Suites’ Use of Kiosks More than Doubles Omelet Station Throughput

💾 Samsung kiosks powered by GRUBBRR are used at Embassy Suites Hotels by Hilton to enhance customer experience by lowering wait times and ensuring order accuracy. As of 2020, there are 257 Embassy Suites locations across five countries, with 212 independent franchisees and 45 corporate-managed sites. The Samsung kiosk powered by GRUBBRR is featured at Embassy Suites' omelet breakfast station to address hospitality challenges.

Shift4 Announces Partnership with Alterra Mountain Company

💸 Sparkfly achieved a 30% revenue increase in 2024 alongside a 98.6% client and a 99.4% revenue retention rate. Twelve new enterprise customers were onboarded, extending its reach to over 100 brands and more than 18,000 locations, with over two-thirds adopting Sparkfly Rewards. The company enhanced its integrated partner ecosystem, including platforms like Olo, Klaviyo, Bikky, mParticle, Sageflo, SmarterSends, and POS systems such as Qu, Par, and NCR Cloud. Sparkfly also improved its self-service portal and loyalty features, maintaining 100% employee retention since September 2022 and planning to bolster development and product teams.

2 min

MGM Resorts International Completes Deployment of Amadeus’ Central Reservation System

💰 Sparkfly, in 2024, achieved a 30% revenue increase, a 98.6% client retention rate, and a 99.4% revenue retention rate. The company added 12 enterprise customers, reaching over 100 brands and 18,000 locations, with over two-thirds adopting Sparkfly Rewards. Its integrated partner ecosystem expanded across Marketing Cloud Platforms, Customer Data Platforms, Local Store Marketing, Point of Sale Platforms, and Web & Mobile Development Platforms. Sparkfly also enhanced its platform, maintained 100% employee retention since September 2022, and plans to grow its development and product teams.

Cognizant Expands Strategic Partnership with Travelport

📈 In 2024, Sparkfly saw a 30% revenue increase and a 98.6% client retention rate, with 12 new enterprise customers added to its portfolio totaling over 100 brands and 18,000 locations. Over two-thirds of new clients adopted Sparkfly Rewards, and the company enhanced integrations with Olo Engage, Klaviyo, Bikky, mParticle, Sageflo, SmarterSends, and leading POS providers like Qu, Par, Revel, and NCR Cloud. Employee retention stood at 100% since September 2022. Sparkfly plans to grow its development and product teams further.

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