Innovation

💻 July 10, 2026, Lodi, Italy: Zucchetti, a major player in management systems, has acquired a controlling interest in Grupo Hive to boost its global hospitality technology platform. Grupo Hive’s brands, including Infotera, HSystem, Bee2Pay, Niara, and Omnibees, enhance Zucchetti's offerings in hotel technology and distribution. This strategic move marks a significant expansion for Zucchetti into the hospitality sector's tech landscape.

📈 Jul 15, 2026, Koddi launched Occupancy Insights to optimize hotel campaigns on platforms like Google and Expedia. Koddi argues traditional bid automation favors already-popular properties, pushing budgets towards these winners. The feature lets hotels adjust bids based on occupancy and other metrics to avoid overspending on high-demand dates. Koddi provides no evidence for their claim, urging hoteliers to analyze their data for effective spending rather than relying solely on automated systems.

AI is scaling content, automating outreach, and flooding every digital channel with noise. What it can't do is put someone in a room. That scarcity is the opportunity. Read this article from Cvent CEO, Reggie Agarwal, on our take on why in-person presence is becoming the highest-trust signal in modern marketing, and what it means for the future of your event strategy. https://www.cvent.com/en/blog/events/presence-premium

Mews, the hospitality operating system used by 15,000 properties globally, today announced three new features designed to help hotels capture revenue: Recurring Payments, the expansion of Multicurrency to the US and Canada, and Accounts Receivable. The new releases are further ways that Mews' one connected operating system can secure revenue and enhance cash flow for hotels before arrival, during the stay and after checkout. These feature releases combat real business problems and are the latest step in Mews' broader strategy: an operating system built not just to run a hotel, but to act as its financial partner. They're designed to help properties capture revenue, reduce manual work, and grow their business. Before arrival: securing repeat revenue from long-stay and subscription guests For properties offering extended stays, co-working spaces or membership-based services, missed or delayed payments are a real revenue risk. With Recurring Payments, available globally, hotels configure a payment plan once and Mews automates collection on schedule with no manual triggers. The feature has already been piloted by more than 100 properties, generating over 16,000 payment plans. Recurring Payments means less admin, fewer errors, and a better experience for everyone. No interruptions, no delays – just a simple way to keep the subscription rolling. The Student Hotel team now saves around four hours per week, with 98% of Recurring Payments collected on time Tom Nijst, Order to Cash Manager, The Student Hotel During the stay: turning international payments into a revenue stream Every time an international guest pays in their home currency, there is a currency conversion and traditionally, the conversion fee goes to a bank. Multicurrency changes that, letting properties retain a share of that fee instead. Multicurrency turns that fee into a meaningful new revenue stream for hoteliers. Since rolling out the feature across Europe 14 months ago, nearly 5,000 hotels have collectively generated €1.55 million in additional revenue through the feature. For hotels that have been using Multicurrency for at least three months, the impact is already clear: more than half have generated enough revenue to offset part of their Mews subscription costs, with median offsets ranging from 2% to 10%. For hotels with higher volumes of cross-border transactions, the impact can be even greater, with some generating enough Multicurrency revenue to cover the cost of their Mews subscription entirely. Already live across Europe for online and in-person payments, Multicurrency is expanding to the US and Canada for online payments – with in-person payments expected to be released in the region soon. Post-stay: accelerating invoice collection Based on internal data across all properties managing invoices, Mews found that the median gap between checkout and invoice issuance is seven to eight days, significantly delaying collection before the payment process has even begun. It can then take hotels weeks to collect on invoices, and in extreme cases they end up writing off revenue altogether. Accounts Receivable is currently available for properties operating in EUR currency markets, with additional currencies planned to follow as part of a phased rollout later

Radical Innovation , the nonprofit platform dedicated to advancing groundbreaking ideas in hospitality and travel and produced by The Hardy Group , is entering the final stretch of its 20th anniversary competition. Submissions remain open but close on Sunday, August 3, 2026 — the last opportunity for professionals and students to enter this year's program. This year's competition introduces a new Technology Category and a dedicated Technology Jury, joining the established Project and Product categories. The addition reflects the growing role of technology in shaping how hospitality is designed, built, and experienced. Entries are welcome from across disciplines , including designers, architects, engineers, industrial designers, tech founders, and forward-thinking creatives. With only weeks remaining, Radical Innovation is encouraging anyone who has been considering an entry to submit before the August 3 deadline at radicalinnovation.io . The ideas submitted this year underscore why this platform matters, and the opportunity to contribute remains open. As we mark our 20th year, I encourage anyone with a bold concept to bring it forward and have it seen by the people who can help bring it to life John Hardy, Founder of Radical Innovation Finalists will be selected through a jury process and paired with leading industry mentors to refine and develop their concepts ahead of the annual award ceremony. Winners will be announced on October 22, 2026, in New York City, where finalists will present to an audience of developers, designers, investors, and industry leaders. Winning entries receive cash prizes, industry recognition, and ongoing exposure. Student winners also have the opportunity to apply for an Assistantship and full scholarship through Radical Innovation’s University Partners. In addition, winners will be connected to a network of technology leaders, operators, investors, and industry partners to further develop and advance their innovation. For submission guidelines and to apply, visit radicalinnovation.io . Submissions close August 3, 2026

London Design Festival 2026 (12–20 September) unveils its first projects, where craft, architecture and technology meet across city-wide landmark installations and museum commissions

📱 The Hospitality Social Media Summit will take place at Chicago Booth School of Business in London on September 3-4, 2026. This two-day event provides executive education for hospitality social leaders, followed by six months of digital development. Led by industry experts like Whitney Reynolds, Laura Ferrari, and Santiago García Solimei, the program focuses on strategic social media management, practical labs, and AI applications. Delegates leave with actionable frameworks, plans, and a certified completion certificate.

📱 The Elser Hotel & Residences in Downtown Miami partners with Innspire to launch The Elser App, enhancing guest experience with AI-powered tech. Guests benefit from mobile check-in, digital key access, and personalized services. The Elser upgrades security with Salto access control, AI surveillance, GPS-enabled radios, drones, and AEDs. Led by Pedro Galvez, these measures ensure luxury accommodation safety. Future expansions include “F&B Anywhere” for in-room dining.

📱 Air India relaunches its mobile app, prioritizing in-house digital infrastructure for greater speed and control. Key features include a proprietary payment platform for rapid UPI integration, generative AI enhancements like eZ Booking in multiple languages, AI.g virtual agent, and AEYE Vision. The app offers offline access to core tools and direct disruption assistance. Future plans involve a "one-stop" travel platform aligned with IATA's "One Order" standard, integrating flights, hotels, and ground transport.

📖 Hotels are facing a new challenge as AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude are increasingly being used by guests to choose accommodations. Many hotels remain unaware of what these AI platforms are saying about them, affecting their visibility and bookings. OTAs are investing heavily in AI visibility, while most hotels lack a robust strategy. Wayfinder, integrated into Cendyn CMS, offers hotels insights into AI-generated content, allowing them to measure and optimize their AI presence for better visibility and demand.