Innovation

📅 October 19-20, 2026, Westlake Village Inn, California hosts the Boutique Hotel Owners Conference (BHOC) organized by BLLA. Themed "The Age of Wonder," it addresses challenges in the boutique hotel industry, emphasizing unique guest experiences. Attendees include Tony Greenberg, Jess Wilner, and Maya Mallick. Key topics cover AI, influencer incidents, capital markets, and retail opportunities. Notable sponsors include Arch RoamRight and Capital One Travel. BHOC promotes hands-on learning with a social club atmosphere, focusing on scarcity and identity.

📚 IDeaS invests in its workforce and the hospitality industry through programs like Leadership Matters, Learn & Lead, and Top Talent, spanning 12-15 months. Over 86 team members hold 101 HSMAI certifications. They offer free courses on revenue management and partner with HSMAI for industry education. IDeaS has transformed hospitality revenue management over 30 years, nurturing leaders in an evolving field. Their commitment extends beyond internal programs to wider industry education and development.

🏨 Sloan Dean's AI Hospitality Group, with $30 million funding and 10 companies, aims for a 500-basis-point GOP margin boost using 75+ AI agents. The Boardroom Reboot details AI-native hotel management. Hilton’s 2027 report, surveying 14,000 travelers, reveals a shift toward authentic experiences over perfection. U.S. hotel RevPAR rose 2.0% YoY in August 2026, with San Francisco leading and New Orleans declining. The GCC plans 126,000 new hotel rooms by 2030 amid demand disruptions. FHS World 2026 draws 1,000 delegates.

💻 Hotel and travel technology buyers conduct in-depth research before contacting sales. They use LinkedIn, podcasts, AI, and trade articles, creating shortlists prior to demos. Companies must adapt sales processes to a more informed buyer, emphasizing concise demos and valuable content. Sales often join late in the buyer's journey, necessitating a focus on understanding implementation and integration. Trust and familiarity, built through content and reputation, precede sales calls, challenging traditional sales and marketing attribution models.

📱 The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona, has enhanced its food and beverage operations with IRIS Mobile Dining, cutting manual processes and boosting guest convenience. Over 60% of orders are now digital, reducing calls and manual entries, while boosting revenue and guest spending. The resort, featuring 735 rooms, has seen increased digital order volumes and commercial benefits. The success has led to plans for expanding mobile ordering throughout the property.

📅 In 2027, UrVenue won the Global Gaming Business Gaming & Technology Award for Best Consumer Service Technology. The award will be presented at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas from September 28 to October 1. The Golden Nugget Lake Charles uses UrVenue's Venue Management Software to enhance its sportsbook experience. UrVenue has been operational since 2011, serving clients like Caesars and MGM Resorts. Their technology improves guest experiences and revenue through efficient venue management.

🏨 Cloudbeds and Preferred Hotels & Resorts announced a partnership on September 29, 2026, in San Diego, CA. Cloudbeds will provide its hotel management technology to Preferred's 625 member hotels in 80+ countries. The platform uses AI-driven insights to optimize pricing and personalize guest experiences, supporting growth and efficiency. Cloudbeds, founded in 2012, operates in 150+ countries and is a top Hotel Management System. Preferred Hotels aims to enhance operational efficiency and business growth through this alliance.

💻 On September 29, 2026, Agilysys expanded its relationship with 7 Cedars Resorts Properties along the Salish Coast, 60 miles north of Seattle. Since installing the Agilysys software, including the Versa PMS and InfoGenesis POS, 7 Cedars saw enhanced staff productivity, increased reservations, and revenue growth. The updates streamlined operations and integrated player offers, reducing manual workloads. Agilysys Book increased direct bookings by unifying hotel and casino reservations. Glenn Smithson praised Agilysys for seamless installations and support.

New corporate analytics, a unified operations experience, enhanced Inspection capabilities, and AI-powered labour insights give hotel groups greater visibility and enable faster decisions to improve performance across their portfolios. Hotel…

🍴 Hilton's chefs and Winnow launched AI-powered Winnow Foresight on 29 September 2026 in London, UK. This tool helps focused-service hotels predict food demand and reduce waste. Pilots showed Hampton by Hilton Budapest cut leftovers by 69% in six months, while Hilton London Croydon cut 52% in five months. Hilton Frankfurt Airport saw a 66% total reduction in overproduction weight. With 5,000 focused-service hotels globally, the tool is live in 13 Hilton hotels across EMEA.