Innovation

🛫 ABTOT has partnered with HBX Group as part of its new Commercial Services Partners initiative. This collaboration provides ABTOT members with preferential trade rates, enhanced accommodation content, webinars, and co-branded events. Julie Jones, ABTOT’s development director, emphasizes the practical value for members, while David Amsellem of HBX Group highlights the support for UK travel organisers. The partnership aims to boost efficiency and commercial performance in the travel industry.

💻 2026 will spotlight agentic booking in travel as Accor integrates its ALL Accor app into ChatGPT. This allows travelers to use natural language for hotel searches, destination selection, availability checks, and rate comparisons. Thomas Vidal, Accor's VP of Digital Design, emphasizes meeting guests where they are. Key industry shifts include strategic early integration, AI-driven loyalty and personalization, and conversational AI as a necessity. The travel industry is rapidly evolving towards AI-centric distribution and loyalty strategies.

💻 LodgIQ's AI Wizard was featured in 10 Minutes Hotels' first international podcast episode with Samuel Johnson, Director of Operations & Customer Success. The podcast, a popular hotel innovation platform in France, launched globally to address the overwhelming data faced by Revenue Managers (RMs). The AI Wizard helps RMs focus on strategic tasks by automating report compilation. With over 1 million views and 100,000 newsletter subscribers, 10minhotel.com aims to enhance hospitality strategy.

🎤 10minhotel.com, a top French hospitality podcast, expands globally by featuring LodgIQ's AI Wizard in its first international episode. The episode, titled "Hotels Have More Data Than Ever — So Where is Generative AI?" highlights a shift in hotel revenue management towards clarity and strategy. With over 1 million views on its French content in the past year, 10minhotel.com is growing its audience, alongside nearly 100,000 subscribers to its English newsletter.

💻 LodgIQ, based in Silicon Valley, was selected for France's top hospitality podcast's first global episode in 2026. This marks the international expansion of the "10 Minutes for a Hotelier" show, which reaches 400,000 readers monthly. LodgIQ's AI Wizard helps revenue teams by analyzing data for strategic insights, addressing "analysis paralysis." The episode titled “Hotels Have More Data Than Ever — So Where is Generative AI?” is now live, emphasizing AI's role in commercial strategy.

📈 A volunteer committee in a town of 1,800 used AI prompts to audit a main inn and art gallery, taking under an hour per quarter. Six prompts facilitate tasks like business audits and outreach emails. One-page handouts help businesses update Google listings independently. The guide assumes one hour monthly, breaking tasks into 10-minute chunks. Key tasks include comparing Google and website business hours and sending corrective emails. A successful year involves four to six businesses.

📅 February 19, 2026, NYC, at the Consulate General of France, the SOCIETIES event will gather senior hospitality executives for high-level discussions. This invitation-only event, hosted by Influence Society, highlights AI, digital ecosystems, and brand experience. Sessions run from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. with keynotes from Sébastien Félix and others. Noteworthy topics include AI integration, hidden revenue, and hotel visibility. Complimentary registration is required for the event, which concludes with a cocktail reception.

💻 Shiji achieved its 400th installation of Infrasys POS at Hyatt Regency Greenville, SC, marking a milestone since 2019. The technology, which includes Stellaris Digital Dine and Infrasys POS Move, enhances the guest experience by enabling real-time order management and mobility for staff. Shiji serves over 91,000 hotels globally, ensuring seamless operations with its cloud-based solutions. With more than 5,000 employees, Shiji stands as a technology leader in the hospitality industry.

🔑 Electronic key control systems in hotels enhance security by recording data on each key removal and return, allowing for accountability and data-driven improvements. For instance, a facilities manager identified missing tools using this system and increased security with multi-factor authentication. In housekeeping, adding a networked key control cabinet reduced late returns, saving time and costs. These systems transform keys into strategic tools, optimizing hotel operations through intelligent data analysis.