Innovation

💻 Jun 24, 2026: RateHawk and Phocuswright report highlights machine-readable inventory as crucial for AI-driven travel bookings. Key trends include data standardization for agentic systems. RateHawk, in its tenth year, reports AI handling half of support requests and doubles its supply to 250,000 properties. Its API network increased 33% in 2025. 57% of travel pros view AI positively. Hotels need intermediaries to make inventory machine-readable to join the agentic layer in travel distribution.

📈 Jun 24, 2026: RateHawk and Phocuswright's report highlights machine-readable, standardized supply as crucial for AI-driven travel booking. Currently, 57% of travel professionals have a positive view of AI, with RateHawk's agentic AI managing half of support requests. RateHawk's supply reached 250,000 properties, with a 33% growth in API partners. Hotels must ensure their inventory is machine-readable, mainly depending on intermediaries like wholesalers and channel managers for AI booking readiness.

💻 Cybercriminals target hotel loyalty programs and guest accounts using autonomous AI agents, which can independently pursue objectives and adapt tactics. The 2026 RH-ISAC report highlights the vulnerability of fragmented hotel systems, where AI agents impersonate guests and exploit gaps in security. Traditional security methods like passwords and multi-factor authentication often fail, as AI agents simulate legitimate user actions. A continuous risk evaluation strategy is crucial for detecting identity threats and protecting guest trust and loyalty programs.

📶 Kevin Sweeney, Speleos Dravillas, and Pierre Trudeau emphasize optimizing hotel WiFi networks. Bringing access points into guestrooms enhances signal strength. Reusing coaxial infrastructure can cut costs by 80% and installation time by 75%. WiFi 7 introduces enhanced encryption. Proper planning for IPTV and casting is crucial. Monitoring networks with enterprise-grade equipment improves reliability. Standardizing on equipment and strategic access point placement ensures better guest connectivity. Prioritize guestrooms and deploy bandwidth controls for cost-efficiency.

💻 Vibhu Gaind, CIO of RBH Hospitality Management, will be a speaker at the Hotel Owner Conference on 3rd November 2026 in London. Gaind, with over 26 years in hospitality tech, leads RBH's IT strategy, ensuring modern tech integration. Since joining RBH in 2000, he has provided 24/7 hotel support and managed IT projects. He also serves on IHG’s European and Global IT Committees, influencing major hotel tech developments.

🏨 Hosted by Adam Mogelonsky, Hospitality Net’s Brand Insiders, this video series explores innovative hotel brands. Featuring Stefano Cuoco, CEO of Miramis Hospitality, the interview lasts one hour. Watch or listen on Hospitality Net to discover Cuoco's insights on blending Italian and Swedish influences in hospitality. The full video is available [here](https://www.hospitalitynet.org/podcast/4133088/stefano-cuoco-of-miramis-on-blending-italian-soul-with-swedish-precision-and-why-hospitalitys-future-is-entertainment).

💻 Filip Filipov, CEO of OAG, spoke at the Phocuswire Europe event in Barcelona, emphasizing a shift from price-driven to AI-driven travel. The current system focuses on the cheapest options, but Filipov advocates for intelligent, connected itineraries. The future travel industry requires real-time data and trusted identity, enhancing consumer trust in AI. The goal is personalized, context-aware experiences, where success hinges on owning trusted intelligence, not merely the interface.

📈 Quick on the Net Limited and HBX Group, operational in over 170 countries with 3,500+ employees, have extended their 12-year collaboration. Their aim is to enhance booking experiences through localised, multi-currency interfaces. Quick on the Net focuses on adapting user journeys and content for various regions, while HBX Group provides technological reach. The partnership emphasizes seamless, multilingual services to improve conversion rates and simplify booking processes, leveraging Quick on the Net's MoneySaver network.