Innovation

World Travel Market, London, 5 November 2025 – RMS, a leading hospitality platform for hotels, motels, serviced apartments and campgrounds, has today announced a new integration with cloud-based point-of-sale provider Epos Now to enhance…

📈 Christian Watts leads in mentions among 133 names from 60 entries in a Travel Tech Essentialist survey. Avi Meir has the highest post engagement, with Lennart Dobravsky excelling relative to audience size. Discussions include a $457M writedown by Kayak and Airbnb's venture into social connections. Key figures mentioned: Nesrine Changuel, Peter Syme, Brennen Bliss, and companies like Expedia and Airbnb. Research highlights the impact of emotion and authenticity on travel bookings.

💻 In the hospitality industry, a shift is happening away from screen-dominated interactions. Carl Pei and Alex Katouzian highlight that tasks like check-ins and orders are still manually intensive, relying on digital interfaces. AI-powered solutions such as smart glasses and voice-enabled devices aim to streamline these processes, reducing screen time and enhancing human connection. Panos Panay emphasizes the power of not relying on phones, suggesting that less screen time could restore genuine connections in the industry.

🗺 British travellers are booking holidays 4.9 months in advance, leading Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In 2026, 77% plan more trips than in 2025, with Gen Z and Millennials averaging six and five trips, respectively, against a national average of four. Notably, 62% of Gen Z and 57% of Millennials use AI for planning. Multi-country travel interest is at 41%, with destinations like Oslo and Rabat gaining popularity. 46% prefer luxury stays, with all-inclusive options at 26%.

💻 Marriott International launches the Marriott Tech Accelerator (MTA) in Hyderabad, India, marking a pivotal step in advancing hospitality technology. The MTA aims to accelerate innovation aligned with Marriott's global tech vision. This strategic move focuses on empowering teams to execute with purpose and precision in the fast-paced AI-driven era.

📈 Revenue leaders in the hospitality sector are now focusing on total profitability. Traditional metrics like RevPAR are outdated. New leaders, known as commercial strategists, are prioritizing total profit optimization and aligning marketing, operations, and finance for long-term success. AI and Business Intelligence are crucial, automating 76% of manual tasks, allowing teams to concentrate on strategy and value creation. LodgIQ supports this shift from revenue management to commercial strategy.

📑 Adrienne Hanna, CEO of Right Revenue, started her tech journey in her late 40s, leveraging 30 years in hospitality. In 2017, Right Revenue was founded to bridge the tech gap for independent hotels, offering tools usually available to big brands. Her system supports 'also Revenue Managers' who juggle multiple roles, with user-friendly dashboards and recommendations. Adrienne emphasizes balanced automation and human intuition, advocating for more integrated revenue management across departments for long-term success.

💻 Inspiretec, a UK-based travel technology platform operating across 12 countries, has been acquired by Juniper Group, part of Vela Software and Constellation Software Ic. Inspiretec, with over 25 years of experience, offers tools for travel agencies and tour operators, including reservation systems and CRM. Founder Simon Powell and CEO Jaime Sastre expressed excitement about enhancing services and integrating products from Juniper Group, which includes firms like Juniper Travel Technology and TravelTek.

🚀 IBS Software has partnered with AWS to modernize airline retailing through a multi-year Strategic Collaboration Agreement. The collaboration introduces iRetail, an AI-first platform that revamps the Offer–Order–Settle–Deliver value chain. With AWS's cloud capabilities, iRetail offers personalized experiences, increasing operational efficiency and innovation. The partnership aims for global deployment with 99.99% availability. By 2027, IBS and AWS plan to enhance customer journeys through a joint R&D roadmap, setting new benchmarks in airline retail modernisation.

💻 In 2025, a global study by h2c GmbH and Profitroom revealed that while 78% of hotels use AI or automation, only 8% have a formal AI strategy. The research, involving nearly 200 hotel businesses, highlights a trust-reliance gap with trust in AI at 6.6/10 and reliance at 4.7. Key AI applications include business intelligence, chatbots, and digital marketing. Barriers include lack of expertise (62%) and unclear strategies (51%). The study suggests holistic integration for full potential.