Travel Weekly Group Ltd - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 13

2 min

Westminster Abbey launches booking portal…

🏛 Westminster Abbey launches its first group booking portal for travel operators and Blue Badge Tourist Guides, allowing easier pre-booking of discounted tickets with guaranteed timed entry. This change prepares for the upcoming King Charles III Sacristy. Group tickets cost £29 for adults, £25 for seniors/students, and £12 for children (6-17 years). The Abbey, hosting over a million visitors annually, has been a key historical site since 1066, housing tombs of figures like Charles Dickens and Isaac Newton.

2 min

Loveholidays hosts first Partner…

🏨 More than 300 partners attended loveholidays' inaugural Partner Appreciation Awards at the Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square, London. The event unveiled the Most Loved Hotel Awards, based on 215,000 reviews over 12 months. Over 1,000 hotels in 40 destinations were honored as Most Loved in Destination, and 275 hotels received the Most Loved Worldwide accolade, achieving a 4.5/5 customer rating. Special Recognition Awards were presented to 38 partners. Enhanced visibility on loveholidays' platform will benefit award-winning properties.

2 min

Travel Counsellors rolls out AI assistant…

🚀 Travel Counsellors launched the TC Co-Pilot AI assistant to boost productivity and personalize customer experiences. Developed in-house over 18 months, it's integrated with their Phenix platform. Initially trialed with 120 users, it's now available to over 2,200 business owners globally. TC Co-Pilot aids in tasks like itinerary building and social media planning. Future updates will expand itinerary options and creative tools. The initiative highlights Travel Counsellors' commitment to innovation without replacing human expertise.

1 min

Revolut strikes deal with SAS to allow…

✈️ Online banking app Revolut has partnered with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), allowing users to convert RevPoints into SAS EuroBonus points at a 1:1 ratio, without a minimum transfer. Since RevPoints launched in 2024, 17 billion points have been redeemed. Revolut serves 65 million customers worldwide and now offers loyalty redemption across 14 programmes and 45 airlines. Customers can earn up to one point per pound/euro spent on purchases.

2 min

Expian develops new ticketing solution

📅 Expian developed a web-based ticketing solution for large-scale operators, enabling platform creation in months instead of years. Traditional rollouts took years; Expian implemented a booking platform for P&O Ferries in six months, setting an industry record. The platform included upgrades, food, transfers, cabins, and pet options. Chief Executive Yiannis Maglaras highlighted that delays in digital transformation cost operators financially and operationally. Kenneth Rasmussen praised the alignment with P&O's business needs.

2 min

Apaleo appoints new director of people and…

📈 Apaleo bolsters leadership with Leonie Häsler as Director of People and Culture, and Andre Klan as CFO. In 2025, they launched the Agent Hub and MCP Server, with plans for DACH, UK, and France expansion in 2026. Raised €20 million in 2024, now headquartered in central Munich. CEO Uli Pillau emphasizes leveraging Häsler’s and Klan's SaaS and hospitality expertise for sustainable global growth.

1 min

Switchfly accelerates its travel loyalty…

✈️ Switchfly, in 2025, offers no-code travel loyalty technology for quick platform deployment worldwide. New capabilities support airlines, employee rewards, and financial services with 24/7 multilingual support and multi-currency options. The platform increases engagement, with packaged trips yielding 3-5x more value than flights alone. CEO Nowell Outlaw highlights rapid results for partners. In early 2025, five new clients joined, with an expected 2.4 million bookings worth $2.25 billion by year-end.

2 min

Bob W ramps up European expansion strategy

🏗️ Tech-powered hospitality operator Bob W has signed a long-term lease for a 150-key property in central Prague, marking its first venture in the Czech Republic. This site, designed with Bob W’s signature sustainable operations and digital guest experience, will include studio and one-bedroom units. CEO Niko Karstikko emphasizes Prague's blend of leisure and corporate demand as ideal for Bob W's hybrid model. The company is expanding in Central and Eastern Europe, targeting more opportunities in the region.

2 min

WildChina’s new AI Travel Assistant now live

🇨🇳 WildChina, the first DMC to use GuideGeek AI tech, introduces WildConcierge, an AI travel assistant, to enhance China travel planning. Available on wildchina.com.au, it offers real-time responses in 50+ languages, integrating data from over 1,000 sources. This tool streamlines initial inquiries, saving time by automating repetitive tasks and providing personalized travel inspiration before connecting travelers with human experts for bespoke planning.

4 min

Guest Post: How AI can accelerate airlines’…

🛩 Airlines are advancing in New Distribution Capabilities (66%), but only 27% have progressed in Offer and Order transformation, despite 72% seeing it as strategically important. AI aids by optimizing pricing and automating services, delivering up to 6% revenue uplift and cutting onboarding time by 85%. The shift to Offer Order Settle Deliver (OOSD) is crucial for modern retailing, offering a smoother journey for passengers and higher conversion rates for airlines.

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