Innovation

🛫 UK-based 15below acquired Airport AI, an AI platform used by over 80 airports, for an undisclosed sum. This strategic move aims to enhance passenger experiences by integrating airline and airport systems. The solution will improve service through self-service options, reduce costs, and provide more responsive customer support via digital channels like WhatsApp and WeChat. The collaboration is set to expand Airport AI's global reach and foster seamless communication, improving efficiency across the air travel industry.

📈 Duetto and The Hotels Network announced a partnership to boost direct bookings and optimize marketing in the hospitality industry. By integrating Duetto’s Dynamic Rate Engine with THN’s platform, hotels can use real-time occupancy data for targeted offers. The initiative, supported by Victoria Fisher at Penta Hotels, aims to enhance conversion rates, customer experience, and marketing efficiency. Duetto operates in over 6,800 hotels globally and has won HotelTechAwards from 2022 to 2025.

🏨 The 28-room hotel will operate as-is until November 2025 when it will be refurbished. Located in Paris, it will fully join the Korner universe, featuring 'Korner Hosts', who take on multiple roles, fostering dynamic management. The hotel will provide top-tier bedding, a central Espace Korner with dining, coworking, and relaxation services, and tech enhancements like contactless check-in. Korner plans expansion in France, with a new hotel opening in Lyon, boosting its strategic growth.

🍽 Saladplate, part of Informa Markets, serves as a key hub for the Hospitality, Food, and Beverage industry, offering insights into trends and innovations. It features weekly news, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-monthly e-magazine. The platform provides access to 10,000+ brands and companies, alongside updates from over 35 international trade events.

📈 Neil Patel’s team analyzed 500,000 ChatGPT prompts, revealing Wikipedia as the top answer source, followed by blog posts. Boostly, with over 1,000 blogs, benefits from AI recognition, especially through integrations with 27+ PMSs like Uplisting, Zeevou, and Hostfully. The company’s digital presence is bolstered by 100+ podcast features. A full LLM search audit on Boostly was conducted last week, highlighting the importance of SEO in AI for brand building in 2025.

🌎 Jul 9, 2025: PwC Middle East and Mabrian Technologies launch the “Stay, Play, Shop” model to transform Gulf tourism by integrating emotional engagement and visitor experiences. The model addresses new visitor types like Culture Seekers and Wellness Weekenders, emphasizing emotional connections over infrastructure. Success stories include Downtown Dubai, Diriyah, and Msheireb. This approach promises longer stays, repeat visits, and brand loyalty through coordinated public-private efforts and experience mapping, enhancing satisfaction and commercial outcomes.

💻 In 2021, Penta Hotels faced a ransomware attack that disrupted multinational operations. They rebuilt their IT framework, focusing on cybersecurity with six pillars: protect, prevent, detect, respond, recover, and review. Key strategies include IP restrictions, real-time monitoring, and phishing simulations. They transitioned to cloud-native solutions, partnering with Mews for enhanced security, featuring continuous monitoring and compliance with GDPR and PCI DSS. Cybersecurity is now a priority to safeguard trust and business continuity in hospitality.

📱 2025, Silicon Valley: Major tech players like Nvidia, OpenAI, and Google are transforming LLMs into super-apps, with 16-25-year-olds using them as primary tools. OpenAI envisions ChatGPT as a "Super Assistant," while companies like Meta and Google integrate AI into platforms. LLMs are evolving into identity layers, raising brand loyalty concerns. Agentic commerce, driven by AI assistants, is imminent, necessitating brands to adopt machine-readable data. Closed platforms are used for testing, with proprietary models for differentiation.

🛌 In 2025, citizenM continues leading in hotel tech innovation under CEO Lennert de Jong, emphasizing automation and AI. CitizenM aims to streamline check-ins, transitioning from a one-minute to a one-touch system, focusing on guest experience. AI handles 96% of booking.com inquiries and repetitive tasks. The industry anticipates shifts in hotel search interfaces, influenced by AI like ChatGPT. Tech integration and agility are key, as seen through citizenM’s simplified check-in tech using iPads and payment terminals.