Innovation

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  • 2 min

Flix further expands airport transfers with…

🚉 Flix, a German-founded transport provider, acquired a majority share in Flibco, an airport transfer platform, for an undisclosed sum. This expands Flix's reach, already present in the UK, US, South America, Turkey, and India. The deal was advised by Ennea Capital Partners, allowing SLG to retain a minority stake. Flibco will maintain its current management, led by CEO Tobias Stüber. The transaction will be covered in an Amazon Prime documentary called SELFMADE.
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How bank-led travel platforms are reshaping hotel demand

💳 Jan 13, 2026. Banks and card issuers like American Express, Capital One, Chase, Nubank, and Revolut are transforming into hotel booking platforms by integrating travel marketplaces into financial apps. This shift emphasizes the importance of inventory and pricing integration into loyalty ecosystems. With AI-driven servicing and GDS APIs from Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport, hotels must adapt to avoid distribution risks. Pricing integrity and aggregation layers enhance hotel reach and booking frequency, reshaping hospitality distribution.
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Travel AI’s next competitive frontier is the interface

💻 Jan 13, 2026. Travel AI's constraint lies in UI, not language models. Emotional and visual travel planning clashes with linear chat interfaces, which hinder decision-making. Future innovations focus on experiential UIs over smarter models. Improved design supports visual exploration, reduces cognitive load, and combines inspiration with real-time booking. Competitive edge in travel AI requires intuitive interfaces. Source: Mohit Soni.
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  • 5 min

Learnings from Langham: CEO Bob van den Oord shares his thoughts on luxury leadership

🏨 Langham Hospitality Group, led by CEO Bob van den Oord since 2023, plans to expand its portfolio to 100 hotels by 2040, with new locations in Bangkok (2026), Venice, and Kuala Lumpur (2027), and Diriyah (2029). The group operates four brands catering to diverse markets: The Langham Hotels & Resorts, Cordis, Eaton, and Ying’nFlo. Emphasizing "comfortable luxury," it focuses on authenticity and transformative guest experiences, while exploring AI to enhance service delivery.
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HotelTechAwards Names Canary Technologies the Best Guest Experience System

🏨 Canary Technologies, on January 12, 2026, in San Francisco, triumphed at the HotelTechAwards, winning nine categories, including Best Hotel Guest Experience Platform and Best Voice Bot & Call Center Software. Nearly 1 million hoteliers from over 100 countries participated. Canary's AI Voice boosts hotel operational efficiency, enhancing bookings and upsells. Trusted by over 20,000 hotels globally, Canary is recognized by major brands like Marriott and Four Seasons. Canary’s AI innovations are revolutionizing hotel management and guest experiences.
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  • 4 min

GuestRevu Retains Title of Best Guest Survey Software at the 2026 HotelTechAwards

📅 GuestRevu was named 2026's Best Guest Survey Software by HotelTechReport and finished in the Top 3 for Reputation Management. Feedback was collected from 489 hotels globally, showcasing GuestRevu's international influence. HotelTechAwards select winners from over 200 tech products in 120+ countries based on verified user reviews. Annually, 2.5 million professionals use this platform for purchasing decisions. GuestRevu's tools help hotels enhance guest experiences by transforming feedback into actionable insights.
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  • 3 min

First Hospitality Helps Owners Enhance GEO for AI Searches

🏨 First Hospitality is implementing a new Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Playbook to help hotels leverage AI-driven tools like ChatGPT and Gemini for better visibility. 📅 Currently deployed in 12 hotels, the program aims to enhance recognition by AI. Designed for easy adoption across different hotel types and budgets, the playbook aligns on-property leadership with GEO strategies. 📊 Early feedback is positive, with acknowledgment that measuring GEO's success, compared to traditional SEO, will take time.
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Cloudbeds Earns Multiple Honors at the 2026 HotelTechAwards, Reinforcing Its Leadership in Hospitality Technology

📈 January 12, 2026, San Diego, CA: Cloudbeds shines at the 2026 HotelTechAwards, securing the top spot for Hotel Management Software and finalist positions for Property Management Systems and Channel Managers. It ranked 3rd in the 10 Best Places to Work and 4th in Hotelier's Choice. Competing against 200+ global solutions, this recognition underscores Cloudbeds' impact in hospitality tech, trusted by hoteliers in 150+ countries.
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  • 2 min

Lighthouse Wins HotelTechAwards for Sixth Consecutive Year, The Hotels Network Secures Fourth Straight Win for Best Direct Booking Tool

📈 Lighthouse leads the HotelTechAwards for the sixth year in a row, excelling in rate intelligence, parity, business intelligence, and direct booking. Acquiring The Hotels Network in April 2025, Lighthouse unites multiple solutions in a single platform. Trusted by 80,000 hotels in 185 countries, Lighthouse's tech transforms data to boost revenue. Over 1.5 million professionals use HotelTechReport.com annually for hotel tech decisions. Lighthouse sets a benchmark in modern hotel revenue technology.
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How AI-Driven Search, Connected Media, and Real-Time Intelligence Will Drive Direct Bookings in 2026

📅 In 2025, Google integrated AI into Search, Ads, and Analytics, altering hospitality marketing by 2026. Hotels must now maintain relevancy and accuracy across AI-driven platforms to secure bookings. With 27% of global users employing ad blockers, the strategy involves blending paid and organic approaches for visibility. AI-driven discovery and content freshness are key to gaining trust. Milestone supports over 2,000 companies, facilitating 300 million website visits and 3.7 billion local searches annually through its digital platform.
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