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🏖 Half of consumers plan to gift travel and experiences this holiday season. A survey found 60% of consumers aim to purchase travel gifts, yet 33% are deterred by the specific date requirement, 29% by the need for precise traveler details, and 21% by itinerary change difficulties. A significant 82% might abandon shopping carts due to frustration or indecision, with 29% shopping elsewhere. Travel companies are urged to streamline booking, offer flexible options, and use Generative AI to facilitate the gifting process.

🏡 The hospitality industry could slash food-related emissions by 30% by 2030. The "Decarbonizing hotel food systems" White Paper, by the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Iberostar, and others, presents a reduction of up to 70 million tons of CO2 annually. The industry, responsible for 1% of food production emissions and 3% of global food waste, discussed these findings at the Alliance’s Annual Summit in the US in October. Innovative measures like waste-tracking could cut waste by 50%. Iberostar aims for net zero by 2030, already implementing AI waste management and transitioning to less polluting kitchen equipment. The Sustainable Markets Initiative's Hospitality and Tourism Task Force, co-chaired by Alliance's CEO Glenn Mandziuk, supports these efforts. Leaders convened at New York Climate Week in September to strategize reaching the 2030 target. The Alliance introduced Universal Sustainability KPIs at COP29 and will host a related webinar on 12th December 13:00 GMT.

🍳 The global Hospitality industry can reduce food-related emissions by 30% by 2030, aiming to cut 70 million tons of CO2 annually, according to a White Paper by the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Iberostar, Sustainable Markets Initiative, and Systemiq. Discussed at the Alliance’s Annual Summit in October with members representing over 55,000 hotels and 300 brands, innovative solutions like waste-tracking technologies could halve food waste. Iberostar targets net zero by 2030, implementing AI waste management and reducing single-use plastics. The White Paper, supported by King Charles III-founded Sustainable Markets Initiative, was reviewed during New York Climate Week in September. A webinar on December 12th, 13:00 GMT, will discuss the report and future actions.

📦 The 2025 honorees in restaurant technology will be recognized in three categories: Rising Star (less than 5 years of experience), Innovator Award (women with over 5 years of experience), and Lifetime Achievement Award (over 20 years of service). Winners, selected by Hospitality Technology and its Research Advisory Board, will be celebrated at the 30th annual MURTEC on March 10-12, 2025, at Caesars Forum. Nominations close on January 6. Milagro, an all-in-one restaurant platform based in Dallas, Texas, provides enterprise-grade apps to enhance guest experiences through personalized interactions.