Innovation

💻 According to the 2025 h2c study, 66% of hotel chains report AI enables teams to focus on strategic tasks; only 13% noticed a reduction in team size. Hotels in Europe and North America use AI and automation to cut manual workload, allowing staff to engage more with guests. Trust in AI scores 6.6/10, with reliance at 4.7, indicating human presence is still valued. Key objective: optimize AI to enhance human-centric hospitality.

💻 In 2025, 66% of hotel chains report AI enables focus on strategic tasks, while only 13% see reduced team size. A recent h2c study reveals 17% of hotels fear AI will replace jobs, but nearly 60% believe it won't. Trust in AI averages 6.6 out of 10, with 4.7 reliance. Automation enhances work by freeing staff for guest interaction. RobosizeME provides AI solutions, supported by ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI-DSS, to streamline hotel operations.

💻 Pertlink Limited, established on October 23, 2000, provides IT consulting for the hospitality industry globally from Hong Kong. Their "Hotel Owner AI Playbook & Toolkit" targets valuation growth and cash flow management for hotel owners with AI integration. The toolkit enhances EBITDA, cash flow predictability, and capital efficiency, while fortifying ADR and brand value. It's vendor-agnostic, translating operational performance into financial gains and bolstering owner confidence. Key focus: Valuation Growth Enhancement, Cash Flow Management, and governance.

💻 In the hospitality sector, AI is being rapidly deployed despite its imperfections to avoid falling behind competitors. Key AI applications include chatbots, AI voice assistants, dynamic pricing, and cybersecurity. The future involves an AI orchestration layer directing specialized AI agents for tasks. Although costly now, these tools are expected to democratize in the future. The emphasis is on business process innovation to enhance guest experiences and operational efficiency.

💻 The new Model Context Protocol (MCP) simplifies AI interactions by reducing thousands of API connections to a single interface, enhancing efficiency and integration. However, it adds complexity and costs, as software providers will likely adopt provider-specific MCPs, creating new revenue streams through transaction fees or subscriptions. While aiming for simplicity, this approach results in a more intricate backend. Mark Fancourt questions the layers added to achieve this simplified digital future.

📱 RMS and Salto announce a new integration aimed at hospitality operators to streamline guest access management. The integration with Salto KS allows RMS users to issue digital mobile keys from the reservation screen. Guests can unlock doors using smartphones via the Salto app. This simplifies check-ins, enhances security with real-time key management, and reduces administrative tasks. Adam Seskis, CEO of RMS, and Michael Cianfaglione from Salto highlight the benefits of this advancement in operational processes.

🗺 BOSTON, Massachusetts—In 2026, KAYAK's "What the Future (WTF) Report" highlights travel trends influenced by AI, with 41% trusting AI over friends. Key emerging destinations include Cork, Chongqing, and Zakynthos. 69% of Gen Z and 66% of Millennials prefer less-known destinations. Notable trends: 35% of Gen Z and 31% of Millennials favor financing travel, 63% seek natural wonders, and 97% plan event-based travel. Wellness and small-town tourism are on the rise, with 60% prioritizing mental reset.

📑 Shiji launched Reviewpro Reputation in Japan, enhancing guest experience across hotels and restaurants. Since 2018, Shiji Japan introduced tech solutions like Daylight PMS. Japan's national GRI™ improved to 84.20% in Q3 2025, below Asia's 89.60% but near the global 86.80%. Reviewpro supports over 60,000 hotels globally and integrates with Daylight PMS for real-time feedback. Shiji serves 91,000 hotels worldwide. The launch aids Japan’s hospitality sector in strategic, data-driven service improvement.

🏨 Shangri-La strengthens its commercial tools—loyalty, digital, pricing management—while focusing on asset-light models and mixed hotel-residence projects. The group's vision of luxury combines Asian-inspired hospitality with controlled growth.

🏨 January 2026, INSPIRE Las Vegas, organized by the International Luxury Hotel Association, featured industry leaders like Horst Schulze, co-founder of The Ritz-Carlton. Schulze emphasized the "$2,000 rule" for resolving guest issues, highlighting care over technology in luxury service. AI-driven solutions and digital concierges, like "Red" at Resorts World Las Vegas, managed over 259,000 requests with 50% using automation. Discussions focused on the balance between tech and human touch, luxury's emotional core, and the industry's future.