Innovation

📅 UK travellers are leading Europe in digital holiday planning. By 2026, 52% use AI tools, up from 40% in 2025, marking the fastest growth among European markets. ChatGPT is popular, with 35% usage for travel inspiration. Social media significantly influences UK travel plans, with 46% impacted by platforms, and 32% researching destinations there. YouTube and Instagram are top sources. This reflects a major shift in travel planning, highlighting the growing importance of AI and social media.

🏨 Partnership between Glion Institute and Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris offers a scholarship for a master's degree and mentorship from hotel executives. Candidates with a university or Bachelor's degree from France, Belgium, or Luxembourg are eligible. The program emphasizes technical skills and emotional intelligence, addressing AI and hyper-personalization demands in luxury hospitality. Glion's transformative education seeks to develop candidates' innate relational finesse, potentially expanding the program beyond George V if successful.

🏆 As the FIFA World Cup 2026 unfolds across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, border management innovations mark a historic milestone. The tournament features 48 teams, the largest ever, and leverages digital systems for seamless travel. Over 5.9 million ESTA applications were submitted in the U.S., with more than 5 million approvals, while 1.6 million people enrolled in Trusted Traveller Programmes. Canada’s NEXUS and Mexico’s Viajero Confiable streamline border processes, enabling efficient cross-border movements.

💻 In Lausanne, at the EHL HumanX Summit, Kelly Ommundsen of the World Economic Forum discussed digital transformation in hospitality. The focus: moving beyond guest-facing technology like apps and kiosks to a full ecosystem change, emphasizing inclusive design for all users, not just tech-savvy ones. AI, currently at peak hype, should enhance, not replace, human roles. Ommundsen aims to free up 75% of her time, leveraging AI for tasks like forecasting and database management.

📈 In Amsterdam on May 27, GAIN Advisors earned the Mews 2026 Strategic Star Award at the Mews Unfold forum. The award recognizes a global partner offering long-term strategic value in hospitality technology. GAIN Advisors, selected from Mews' network, excelled through expert-led assessments and actionable guidance, enhancing operational efficiency and guest experiences. Damien Cazabonne of Mews praised their results-driven advisory model, while Michael C. Cohen of GAIN Advisors highlighted their global impact and future potential.

📈 June 12, 2026, Barcelona, Spain - Shiji upgrades its Book&Pay platform, enhancing connectivity for over 290,000 hotel properties and 30 demand channels globally. China, the leading outbound tourism market, is a focus. Book&Pay simplifies operations by facilitating seamless booking services and reducing complexity. It supports cross-border settlements via virtual credit cards, ACH, and bank transfers. Automated workflows and digital invoicing streamline processes for hospitality partners, promoting scalable growth in Greater China.

📊 McKinsey’s 2023-2024 research estimates generative AI could boost productivity by $0.8-$1.2 trillion annually in sales and marketing. Salesforce reports 83% of AI-using sales teams saw revenue growth, compared to 66% without. AI adoption is now at 87%. However, senior commercial leaders slow down AI adoption due to identity issues, as AI replicates their judgment at lower costs. This lag contrasts with other sectors where AI integration is smoother.

🍽 Saladplate is the official hub for the Hospitality, Food, and Beverage industry by Informa Markets. It offers weekly news, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-monthly e-magazine. Users gain access to over 10,000 brands and products, exclusive supplier directories, and updates from 35+ international trade events.

📅 Travelport launched TripServices on Thursday, a cloud-native API platform, to integrate flights, hotels, and extras into one system. It aims to reduce complexity for agencies and startups by incorporating it into its own system. Machine learning models rank content for relevance and help manage changes, disruptions, and cancellations. Fahim Khan, the SVP of Product, discussed this at the Skift Data + AI Summit in early June, highlighting 18 months of expanding servicing tools.