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Indigo Road Hospitality Group Appoints Katharine Ames as Chief Marketing Officer

📈 Charleston, South Carolina, USA, September 30, 2024 - Indigo Road Hospitality Group appoints Katharine Ames as Chief Marketing Officer, after serving as Director of Marketing since 2021. Ames, based in Atlanta, to enhance marketing, communications, branding, and social media for IRHG's 35 restaurants and 6 hotels, with four in development. Ames reports to Steve Palmer, credits her success to her experience at a boutique lifestyle agency, where she ascended to VP of Public Relations. IRHG, founded in 2009, entered the hotel industry in 2021 with Skyline Lodge.
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Workstream Launches All-in-One Payroll Solution for the Hourly Workforce

📱 PolyAI, a voice AI solutions provider, partnered with OpenTable to enhance restaurant experiences with AI voice assistants. The partnership aims to help with staffing challenges, as 62% of operators report insufficient staff according to the National Restaurant Association, and missed 30-60% of calls, per PolyAI data. OpenTable's global network can now use PolyAI assistants for bookings during and outside operating hours. Melting Pot restaurants in Indiana, New Jersey, and New York have adopted the technology, with a rollout to 90+ locations anticipated. PolyAI's integration in OpenTable's Integration Marketplace enables seamless bookings, changes, and cancellations.
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  • 1 min

Distribution Sandwich

💸 Sabre, a travel tech company focusing on airline distribution, announced the sale of its hospitality division this week due to sector challenges. The company and others face the hurdle of integrating top-down airline distribution tech with bottom-up property management systems for effective hospitality sales. Hospitality's shift towards a personalized shopping cart model for inventory-based offerings contrasts with the standardized approach of the airline industry. This model aims to enhance personalization and unique guest experiences for increased revenue. Mark Fancourt highlights the trend towards a digital shopping cart in hospitality tech.
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  • 4 min

How Hotels Are Thinking About Gen AI

🏨 Hotel execs and industry experts discuss the potential impact of generative AI at the Destination AI summit in Washington, D.C. Hilton's SVP Jess Petitt highlights that AI's current role in hotel bookings is minimal but expects a significant change within five years. Concerns are raised about tech giants like Apple using AI to provide personalized travel recommendations, possibly challenging online travel agencies (OTAs) and hotels by leveraging personal data. Banks with travel credit cards may also disrupt the market using customer spending data. Some envision an internet where consumers control their data, sharing it selectively via digital wallets to enhance travel experiences. Hoteliers like Petitt are wary of potential middleman fees in future AI interactions. The Skift Travel 200 (ST200) tracks financial performance of travel companies, including the accommodations sector, with an aim to provide a comprehensive overview.
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