Innovation - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 112

1 min

How Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia transformed guest feedback with Reviewpro

🏨 Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, managing Ayers Rock Resort and Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre, faced challenges with fragmented feedback systems. Prior feedback methods were lengthy, inconsistent, and often delayed. Low survey participation and decentralized online review management added to the issues. To improve, Voyages adopted Reviewpro Reputation for real-time insights, consolidating guest feedback into a single system for faster service recovery and enhanced operational efficiency.

3 min

Wyndham touts development prowess, AI spurt, while RevPAR falls

📈 Wyndham Hotels & Resorts saw a 4% YOY growth in system-wide rooms and a record 257,000 rooms in its development pipeline. Q3 RevPAR decreased by 5% compared to last year, with a projected full-year decline of 2% to 3%. 70% of Wyndham's pipeline is in midscale and above segments, with 58% international. AI agents improved direct bookings, contributing to nearly 300 basis points of improvement in hotel direct contributions. Wyndham launched a $95 travel subscription for enhanced customer perks.

6 min

128 – The paypal mafia of hotel marketing

🏨 20+ years ago, hotel marketing was revolutionized by the internet; today, AI is set to transform it again. Conor Grennan identifies four common pitfalls in AI adoption. The rise of retail media is challenged by budget cuts and measurement issues, urging better analytics. A $1 million ad was created using Google's AI with no cameras. The "Paypal Mafia" of hotel marketing, WIHP, was instrumental in launching many innovative hotel tech startups.

3 min

Thoughtful Thursday: Expedia Guest Messaging Integration in Max

📨 Max Extranet introduces Expedia Guest Messaging Integration, enabling hoteliers to manage Expedia conversations in real time from the Bookings Module. This upgrade improves guest engagement by allowing direct replies, instant notifications, and sharing of text, images, and PDFs. For example, Blue Horizon Beach Resort can seamlessly arrange airport transfers via messaging. Notifications are immediate, aiding swift responses, and communication is recorded for departmental visibility, enhancing workflow efficiency.

2 min

Eurostar to introduce new double-decker,…

🚄 Eurostar is investing €2 billion in 50 new double-decker trains by Alstom, enhancing capacity and sustainability. The Eurostar Celestia will debut in January 2031, aiming for 30 million annual passengers. Each 200m train will offer around 540 seats, with 1,080 seats in a 400m formation. The fleet will bring 350 new jobs at London’s Temple Mills depot, which will be upgraded for €80 million. The total fleet will increase by 30% to 67 trains.

The new frontier of guest experience

📱 Oct 23, 2025, global market for immersive travel experiences is set to reach USD 188 billion by 2026, with a 26% annual growth rate. AR and VR tech boost guest engagement by up to 200%. Hotels use AI for personalized experiences, yet face hurdles like tech costs and privacy issues. Major brands like Marriott see increased bookings with immersive previews. VR tourism is predicted to grow by 33% annually through 2030.

Airbnb holds off on ChatGPT integration

💻 Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky announced on October 23, 2025, that Airbnb will not integrate with OpenAI's ChatGPT due to technical and security concerns. Instead, Airbnb will improve its AI tools, which have reduced reservation response times from three hours to six seconds and decreased human support needs by 15%. The AI assistant will support Spanish, French, and 56 more languages by next year. Airbnb collaborates with 13 AI models from companies like OpenAI, Alibaba, and Google.

OpenAI launches a browser that can book travel

💻 Oct 23, 2025, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Atlas with “Agent Mode,” allowing actions like booking flights and hotels directly in the browser. This AI feature learns user behavior, suggesting tasks like “plan France travel.” Atlas is currently available for MacOS; Windows, iOS, and Android versions are upcoming, with Agent Mode exclusive to ChatGPT Plus and Pro users. The launch challenges Google's search dominance, offering AI-driven browsing experiences. Privacy concerns remain regarding user control and data security.

3 min

Hilton’s third quarter was a lot like its second quarter. It’s a harbinger for others.

📈 Hilton reported a 1.1% decline in Q3 global RevPAR, with the Middle East and Africa seeing a 9.9% increase. Net income was $421 million. As of September 2025, Hilton's development pipeline reached 515,400 rooms. The company opened 199 hotels, including the 9,000th property. It announced its 25th brand, Outset Collection, with over 60 hotels in development. Hilton plans net unit growth of 6.5% to 7% for 2025 and beyond.

2 min

LivAway Suites Implements Virdee’s Guest Experience Platform Across Its Portfolio

🛌 Virdee and LivAway Suites are revolutionizing the guest experience with digital check-in kiosks in Austin, Texas, offering frictionless arrivals and 24/7 digital room keys. Currently, nine properties are live with Virdee’s platform, while seven more are in development, aiming for full rollout by 2026. Over 50 new builds are planned, integrating Virdee's technology from the ground up. This innovative approach seeks to enhance guest satisfaction and operational efficiency for extended stays.

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