Innovation

📰 Starbucks has implemented an AI inventory system, reducing counting time from one hour to 10-15 minutes. Amadeus study shows travelers prefer self-service for work but human interaction for leisure. TikTok prioritizes OTAs over direct social bookings. AI reduces marketing costs by 19%. Failures in AI projects often stem from legacy processes. Despite AI's potential, OTAs resist integration due to revenue concerns. A hybrid model with human travel assistants may emerge to enhance service and efficiency.

💻 Stephen Burke, founder & CEO of RobosizeME, emphasizes the importance of automation in the hospitality industry. Hotels face challenges like staffing shortages and high guest expectations. Automation, through tools like RPA and APIs, can streamline operations such as reservation management and payment reconciliation, enhancing efficiency and guest satisfaction. The guide discusses basic to advanced automation concepts, encouraging hotel leaders to integrate these technologies strategically for improved operations and customer experiences.

🚀 Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel addressed the Skift Global Forum on September 23, 2025, in New York City, highlighting the current technological revolution in travel. He compared today's rise of generative AI to the internet boom 25 years ago. Fogel described this period as a "Cambrian explosion" of innovation, referencing the integration of AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. He expressed excitement and concern about the rapid changes in travel technology.

📈 Hotel leaders face internal friction due to data chaos, causing flawed decision-making. Disconnected systems like PMS, M&E, RMS, and POS create data silos. A true Hotel BI platform resolves these issues through automated, multi-source data integration, interactive dashboards, and forward-looking analysis. It empowers leadership, commercial teams, and operations with comprehensive insights for proactive strategy and improved guest satisfaction. Adopting a unified BI platform fosters organizational alignment, turning data into a critical asset for sustainable profitability.

💻 RateGain, a leading AI-powered SaaS provider for travel and hospitality, expanded its partnership with Oracle on 18th September 2025 in Noida. RateGain’s UNO Channel Manager now integrates with Oracle Hospitality OPERA Cloud Distribution, enabling 400+ global demand connections. This integration helps hotels maintain rate parity, reduce errors, and expand market reach. RateGain, founded in 2004, serves 3,200+ customers in over 100 countries, including major hotel chains, airlines, and OTAs.

💻 In 2025, Amadeus found 64% of travelers would pay for an AI travel assistant, with 17% willing to spend up to 5% of their trip's value. However, 25% faced outdated AI info, and another 25% noted AI's failure to capture personal preferences. Furthermore, 80% valued providers' disruption handling, and 81% would rebook with efficient communicators. These insights are in the "Connected Journeys" whitepaper exploring future travel tech impacts.

🌎 Technoheaven, an Indian travel tech firm, launched the TechnoHub tour operating platform, targeting the US and European markets. This platform aims to streamline travel agency operations, improving booking speed and margins. It offers integrated tools for tour operators and data-backed solutions for travel management companies. CEO Vinod Kelwani emphasized its role in enhancing efficiency and profitability in a competitive travel industry. TechnoHub empowers travel professionals to deliver exceptional experiences and scale their operations effectively.

💻 Three Travel Management Companies (TMCs) - Advantage AMS, Stewart Travel, and Take Two Eton - along with three corporate booking platforms, Travel Counsellors for Business, Roomex, and Venue Options, have partnered with Vibe. This UK-based booking technology firm emphasizes user-friendly, industry-tailored solutions. Martin Eade, Vibe's co-founder, highlights the demand for platforms designed "by travel people for travel people." The move addresses industry needs for content breadth, commercial control, and rapid onboarding.

📰 UK travellers in 2025 increasingly use Gen AI and travel influencers for trip planning. 60% more relied on Gen AI, while influencer use grew by 33%. Social media ads saw a 27% rise as a trip inspiration source. In China, Gen AI usage rose by 146%. Brits still consult family and friends 36% more than other sources. AI trip planning benefits include finding new destinations (39%) and confidence in decisions (38%), despite some inaccuracies (25%). 70% of Brits consider using biometrics at airports.