Innovation

🌍 In 2026, ALL Accor and Globetrender report 25% of travelers want to start online searches by 'mood', highlighting a shift in travel preferences. Eight trends identified include 'Endorphin Economy', with 89% of travelers valuing live events, and 'Portable Lifestyles', with 95% maintaining routines while traveling. The study, based on a 2025 survey of 4,300 travelers from nine countries, emphasizes emotional travel experiences and highlights Accor's strategic use of AI.

🌍 Europe, 2023: Tourism accounts for 5.1% of the EU's gross value added, around €764 billion, supporting 20 million jobs. The EU has 25.8 million SMEs, 99.8% of all enterprises, employing 88.7 million people. Four in five accommodations are independent, predominantly SMEs. Technology adoption remains low among SMEs, with only 7% implementing AI versus 39% of larger accommodations. SMEs face challenges in finance and skills, impacting their competitiveness and ability to innovate and modernize.

💻 IHG Hotels & Resorts appointed Wei Manfredi to manage AI challenges in distribution, marketing, and operations. Manfredi's role aims to provide tangible benefits for the group’s owners, guests, and teams.

💻 [Amsterdam, 8 January 2026] Mews accelerated onboarding for hotels with new technology, reducing PMS implementation time to one week. In 2025, they improved support, enabling human response under three minutes. Mews’ AI assistant ADA resolved 90% of queries. Their training includes micro-learning and Mews University. Groups deployed across 40 properties in 10 countries in 90 days. Roam Spokane launched in 11 days. Mews serves over 12,500 customers globally and raised $410 million to innovate hospitality tech.

💻 In 2026, the hospitality industry sees a shift towards integrated technology platforms, with Shiji and Amadeus exemplifying this trend. Strategic partnerships now focus on coherence rather than mere system connectivity, enhancing operational efficiency. Daylight PMS and Amadeus CRS integration aims to eliminate technological fragmentation, while guest-centric design remains crucial. Direct bookings are driven by clarity, not discounts, as hotels leverage digital merchandising. The focus remains on aligning technology to support human interaction and leadership in hospitality.

🤖 CES 2026 showcased Soft AI generating instructions for Hard AI, revolutionizing hospitality with autonomous robots. Singular Task Robots perform specific tasks like cooking, while Multi-Task Humanoids adapt roles. Tensor Robocar redefines guest transport with Level 4 autonomy. High-density energy setups and data bays are crucial for robot fleets. As robots become more capable, they may replace human roles, offering a strategic advantage in operational efficiency and data gathering.