Innovation

📈 In October 2025, Drew Potter from Actabl attended the Destination AI event in Washington DC, focusing on the integration of AI in hospitality. The event highlighted a shift from theoretical discussions to practical implementations of AI, enabling enhanced guest experiences. A notable statistic was a 1200% year-over-year increase in travel planning starting with AI tools like ChatGPT. The event emphasized the importance of machine-readable data for hotels and identified efficiency gains like automating 30% of call center tasks related to billing inquiries.

🏨 After 15+ years in the hotel industry, a professional founded HotelMinder 13 years ago to simplify hotel tech upgrades globally. Hundreds of hotels have benefited. Currently, 5 free consultations are available to help hoteliers streamline tech stacks and boost revenue. The initiative excludes sales pitches and focuses on unbiased advice. Engage by commenting or direct messaging to secure a spot. Thanks to Ira Vouk, MBA, for contributing valuable insights into the hotel technology ecosystem.

💻 LONDON—RMS and TRYBE launched their first integration phase. This real-time connection automates billing for hotels and spas, reducing admin time and enhancing the guest experience. The integration aims to streamline operations by syncing room and spa charges and payments. Future updates will allow properties to send booking links for spa treatments. Adam Seskis, RMS CEO, emphasizes smoother experiences, while TRYBE’s Ricky Daniels highlights operational clarity, marking a milestone in hospitality tech.

📅 BWH Hotels held its annual convention in Seattle with more than 3,000 attendees. In the past year, they generated $8.5 billion in revenue and saw a 25% increase in app bookings. The Best Western Rewards loyalty program reached 64 million members. Key announcements include a new website and app launch in 2026, a partnership with Tripadvisor for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and several international expansions with 300 deals signed. WorldHotels aims for 250 properties by 2026.

💻 Chat GP integrates an Expedia app for trip planning with fast, visual, and intuitive results, offering hotel room types and prices, flight options, interactive maps, and dynamic pricing. To access, start a query with "Expedia." Available to logged-in users on Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans, excluding the EU.

💻 UK university students can apply for Dida’s Future of Travel challenge, organized with Headstart Global, to innovate in AI-powered travel, sustainable tourism, and future accommodation. Finals on 1 November 2025 at Shangri-La Hotel, London, feature nine teams pitching to Dida’s executives. Winners receive cash prizes and Insight Week in Shenzhen, China, at Dida HQ. Participants include students from LSE, UCL, Edinburgh, Warwick, and Manchester.

🛩 Revolut's eSIM feature offers instant mobile data access via banking app, delighting users by solving unexpected travel pain points. Nesrine Changuel, with a PhD in physics, emphasizes delight as a product discipline through a 50-40-10 rule: 50% functionality, 40% blending function and emotion, and 10% purely emotional features. Eric Ryan's brands stand out by combining familiarity with novelty, while Will Guidara's hospitality approach emphasizes intentional delight, such as themed desserts and unexpected gestures.

📄 9 October 2025, San Francisco: Hospitable launched Owner Portals, enhancing property owner-manager collaboration. Owners get real-time access to performance data via personalized logins, without burdening managers with manual tasks. Managers control information access, maintaining privacy. New features integrate owner stays into reports, streamline repeat processes, and ensure transparency. These portals, part of Hospitable’s property management advancements since 2016, facilitate smarter rental business operations and relationships. CEO Pierre-Camille Hamana emphasizes balancing owner visibility with manager control.