Automatic

📌 The use of AI for trip planning doubled from 8% to 16% between October 2023 and October 2024, according to Deloitte's 2025 travel industry outlook. Excluding boomers, the rate for GenAI in trip planning surged from 10% to 21%. Among millennials earning over $100,000, usage reached 29%. Over 40% of GenAI users booked the accommodations it recommended. Nearly half (46%) of travelers still prefer human hotel check-ins, while about a third favor human interaction for room service (35%) and local recommendations (37%).

📌 UATP, a global payment network, announced HRS as a new merchant, enabling UATP payments for business travelers and groups with HRS' corporate lodging technology. This partnership marks UATP's first large-scale hotel acceptance, offering direct access to HRS' business-travel ready hotels and integrated invoice automation, billing, and reconciliation. Announced one day before UATP’s Airline Distribution® 2025 event in Budapest, the collaboration aims to create an ecosystem for business travel, optimize corporate account holders, and expand UATP's footprint amidst rising corporate travel demand. HRS' AI-powered platform technology and UATP's payment expertise offer enhanced automation and reporting for corporate travel managers.

📌 UATP, a global payment network, announced HRS, a corporate lodging and payment platform, as a new UATP Merchant, marking UATP's first major move into hotel acceptance. This partnership allows for UATP payments at a wide array of business-travel ready hotels and offers invoice automation, billing, and reconciliation from a single provider. The announcement came ahead of UATP’s Airline Distribution® 2025 event in Budapest, with discussions led by UATP CEO Ralph Kaiser and HRS CEO Tobias Ragge on March 19. The collaboration is expected to enhance payment efficiency for corporate travel managers, HRS’ core market, where UATP accounts are commonly used. HRS provides an AI-powered platform for hotel procurement, booking, and payment, while UATP adds its payment expertise to the sector. Both companies aim for mutual benefits from their aligned technological innovations.

💳 UATP, a global payment network, partnered with HRS, a corporate lodging and payment platform, becoming a UATP Merchant to accept payments for business travelers. This partnership allows access to HRS' business-travel ready hotels and provides invoice automation and financial reporting. Announced on the eve of UATP's Airline Distribution 2025 conference in Budapest, it marks UATP's entry into hotel acceptance. HRS' AI-infused platform and UATP's payment expertise aim to streamline corporate travel and payments, expanding options for travel suppliers.

💻 At MURTEC 2025, Brandon Barton, CEO of Bite, and Harry Yu, Director of IT at Ono Hawaiian BBQ, discussed strategic tech investments. Yu, with 26 years of tech experience including roles at Dine Brands, Jollibee, and Johnny Rockets, stressed the importance of foundational tech before AI and robotics. Ono Hawaiian BBQ, with 117 locations, focuses on scalable, rapid deployment tech solutions, emphasizing data hygiene and infrastructure as key to effective AI adoption. Robotics are considered but not yet implemented to ensure guest experience remains a priority.