Innovation

4721 posts

Innovation and technology news for the hospitality industry: AI, digital tools and how hotels are transforming, from 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers.

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  • 2 min

Dolphin Dynamics teams up with Widgety to…

🛳 Dolphin Dynamics, in collaboration with UK-based Widgety, launched the Cruise Content Capture module. This tool auto-populates Dolphin with updated cruise data, eliminating manual entry and speeding up bookings. The new Cruise Lookup tool uses Widgety’s database of over 1,000 ships. Guy Novik of USAirtours highlights the efficiency gain, cutting data entry from hours to minutes. Chuck Richardson of Dolphin Dynamics emphasizes improved accuracy and scalability for cruise agents.
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  • 4 min

Guest Post: The future of travel is…

📅 In 2025, a GlobalData survey highlighted that nearly 33% of travelers consider personalisation crucial for travel purchases. AI-driven hyper-personalisation is transforming the industry, with features like eSIMs and real-time itinerary adjustments. Technologies such as deep learning models and conversational tools enhance customer experiences. Collaboration across the travel sector, including in payment methods like Alipay and GrabPay, is vital. The future of travel is predicted to be hyper-personalised, hyper-local, and AI-powered.
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Amex GBT Meetings and Events outlook for 2026

📈 Dec 16, 2025, the 2026 Global Meetings & Events Forecast by American Express Global Business Travel reveals the highest industry optimism in five years. Rising costs are the main challenge, despite stable demand and budgets. AI and digital tools enhance engagement, while sustainability and inclusion become vital. Emphasis on engaging experiences and strategic planning rise, with significant regional differences observed. Access the full report [here](https://explorer.amexglobalbusinesstravel.com/rs/346-POJ-129/images/ME-Forecast-2026.pdf?version=0).
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Airbnb falls behind peers as revenue and gross booking growth lag

📈 Dec 16, 2025. Airbnb is trailing behind competitors like Booking Holdings, with its revenue and gross bookings growing more slowly. Growth in Airbnb's core accommodation business slowed to single digits, while competitors expanded in hotels and alternative accommodations. Airbnb's focus on experiences, social features, and AI brings execution risks and margin pressures, with increased spending outpacing revenue growth. As EBITDA and net income margins decline, the competitive intensity rises with Booking and Expedia gaining ground.
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  • 9 min

BHN wrapped 2025: 12 stories that shaped the year

📰 IHG acquired Ruby Hotels for €110.5 million in February 2025, involving €109.9 million upfront and a €600,000 deferred payment. Ruby operates 20 hotels (3,483 rooms) across Europe with 10 more (2,235 rooms) planned. IHG targets over 120 hotels in 10 years and faces potential payments up to €181 million by 2035 depending on room growth. By year-end 2025, Ruby aims for US development readiness, with full integration into IHG by March 2026.
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  • 2 min

Travel’s next big growth opportunity revealed

🗺️ Multi-day online tours recorded £12.1 billion in revenue in 2024, with expected continued growth in 2025. Adalte, a B2B hub, highlights the closing of the digital breach as a key development, enabling the global distribution of over 5,000 tours online via standardised APIs. Adalte has partnered with 70 Destination Management Companies and 200 Tour Operators in the last 12 months. Despite technology readiness, many players have yet to embrace digital distribution, offering growth opportunities.
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Multi-day tours emerge as a major growth engine for travel

💸 Multi-day online tours generated £12.1 billion in revenue in 2024, and the segment is growing in 2025. Historically complex and hard to distribute digitally, new technologies like standardised APIs and digital marketplaces are closing this gap. This enables global distribution through single API integrations. Despite improvements, adoption varies across the industry. However, B2B platforms show strong momentum, and major distributors may drive further investment and growth.
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Connected retailing reshapes how hotels sell, price, and get discovered

💻 Dec 15, 2025: In 2026, the travel industry embraces agentic AI, unified platforms, and intelligent offers, enhancing hotel visibility and efficiency. Unified retailing reduces fragmented systems, while agentic AI enhances booking by acting on guest intent. Smarter shopping and embedded payments improve conversion rates and trust, while open platforms foster hotel innovation. Indirect channels gain importance, offering hotels increased exposure. These transformations are reshaping how hotels compete and convert demand across digital channels.
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  • 5 min

How the CDP First-Party Data Engine Undercuts OTA Dependency

📈 Hotels in Europe faced a heavy reliance on OTAs, with 77% of online bookings in 2024 coming through these platforms. The solution lies in utilizing Customer Data Platforms (CDPs), enabling hotels to reduce OTA commissions, enhance personalization, and boost direct bookings. CDPs provide integrated guest data, turning anonymous visitors into known contacts and tailoring marketing efforts. This approach not only saves costs but also strengthens guest loyalty and improves revenue through better data-driven strategies.
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