Innovation

💳 Jan 20, 2026, in Singapore: A WiT panel with leaders from Ant International, Visa, BigPay, Mandai Wildlife Group, and Agoda discussed how payments are pivotal in building guest relationships and enhancing hotel operations. Key insights include the importance of multi-payment options, trust, first-party data, loyalty through points, localization, and AI-driven operations. Payments now influence trust, conversion, and personalization, evolving from a mere technical necessity to a strategic asset in the hospitality industry.

💻 Jan 20, 2026, the impact of AI on hotel distribution is evident. Hotel wholesalers like Hotelbeds and WebBeds represent a small single-digit percentage of global online hotel booking revenue. AI is reducing reliance on intermediaries, with wholesalers remaining relevant in specific segments. While wholesalers have embraced APIs and dynamic pricing, these advancements may not suffice in an AI-driven market. To survive, wholesalers must become tech-driven partners, offering specialized value beyond traditional models.

📅 Jan 20, 2026, Skyscanner launched a new "Package Holidays" feature, allowing users to compare bundled travel deals from providers like TUI, Jet2, and Expedia. The tool scans millions of packages daily with options for all-inclusive, city stays, and flight-plus-hotel. Rising demand in 2026 drives this feature, with user-friendly filters available. Bookings redirect to provider sites, ensuring ATOL protection. 📊 Users can use desktop, mobile, and app interfaces for this service.

🏨 Most hotels struggle to identify their best guests due to fragmented data across various systems like spa, restaurant, and golf. This disjointed approach leads to high-value guests being treated as newcomers, missing out on cross-sell and repeat business opportunities. Effective CRM is hindered as a result. The solution lies in integrating data into a single guest profile to understand guest behavior comprehensively, enhancing revenue through improved relationship management.

📱 A proposed "Doomsday Trolley" could enhance hotel operational resilience during system failures by providing a mobile setup with tools like UPS-powered POS, tablets, a built-in printer, credit card machines, a 5G router, and backup room keys. This setup aims to maintain operations for cloud-based systems and offer structure for on-premise environments. It may not eliminate disruptions but can reduce panic and protect revenue. Is this necessary or over-engineering for rare scenarios? Share your thoughts!

💻 Quinta, formerly Quicktext, rebranded in January 2026 to enhance AI-driven hospitality data management. Quinta introduces Q-Channel and Q-Share to ensure consistent hotel data distribution and sharing. Founded in 2017, it generated $1.05 billion in leads across 76 countries in the last year and has 130 employees in 16 global offices. Recognized as a top AI influencer in France in April 2024, it won multiple awards, including a Global Tech Award in October 2024.

📈 Revenue managers can save time and boost efficiency with LodgIQ's Pace Analytics tool. It enables users to analyze an entire year of pickup data and identify root causes of performance shifts directly within the RMS. Users can filter data by room type, segment, rate plan, and more, allowing for swift identification and correction of issues, such as zero-rate bookings. This tool potentially saves an hour daily, optimizing strategic focus during high-pressure periods like budget season.

🏖️ January 19, 2026, New York, NY: Lake.com partners with OwnerRez to streamline vacation rental management. OwnerRez, founded in 2009 in Seattle, offers plans from $40/month, enhancing synchronization with platforms like Airbnb. The integration connects Lake.com with OwnerRez's 100% remote team, expanding visibility to 1,400 lakes and 4,000 parks. Listings sync within 30 seconds, with updates every five minutes. The partnership strengthens property management tools, offering seamless guest experiences via Rezzy AI Assistant and other enhancements.