Innovation

🏨 The Hotels Network (THN) was awarded 2025's #1 Direct Booking Tool by Hotel Tech Report for the third consecutive year and runner-up for Hotel Rate Parity. These awards are based on feedback from verified hotel technology users in over 120 countries. THN's platform is celebrated for its ease of use, personalization, AI-driven technology, and a customer success team that acts as an extension of clients' teams. HotelTechReport is the global authority in hotel technology with more than 1.8 million software buyers annually, providing unbiased reviews and data-driven recommendations.

🍵 HTeaO, an iced tea franchise, partners with Detroit Labs, Paytronix, and Growth Factor to launch a new technology suite, including a custom mobile app, loyalty program, and redesigned website. The mobile app offers in-store pickup, curbside service, and DoorDash delivery, integrated with Apple Pay. The Paytronix-powered loyalty program earns customers 2 Points per dollar, with rewards like 50% off or free tea and gallons. A revamped website provides enhanced user experience. HTeaO aims to improve customer engagement and brand loyalty through these digital enhancements.

📱 HTeaO, an iced tea franchise, launched a new technology suite in partnership with Detroit Labs, Paytronix, and Growth Factor. The mobile app offers pick-up, curbside, and DoorDash delivery with Apple Pay support. Customers earn 2 Points/dollar spent, with rewards like 50% off for 50 Points, and free beverages at 75 and 100 Points. The new website features enhanced e-commerce and store locator. This digital upgrade underscores HTeaO's commitment to convenience and customer engagement.

📈 Kramer, an audio-visual experience company, has been chosen by Fabryka Wełny Hotel & Spa near Łódź, Poland, to modernize their AV systems. The hotel features 122 guestrooms, nine conference rooms, a ballroom, a wedding hall, and a philharmonic hall. Warsaw-based Modulit Solutions Polska implemented Kramer's KC-BRAINware-25 control platform, KDS-7 AVoIP Encoder, and the VIA GO² wireless presentation device. The project was completed on time and within budget, with staff praising the system's ease of integration and automation capabilities.

📅 Nium, a cross-border payments company, launches the Diners Club International Card for travel customers, joining the ranks of global card issuers offering cards across Visa, Mastercard, UATP, and Discover schemes. Diners Club International, as part of the Discover Global Network, is accepted at over 55 million merchants and 1.2 million ATMs and provides access to more than 1,500 airport lounges. The card enhances Nium's virtual card offering and its 'closed-loop' B2B payment method, expanding its payment solutions in over 220 markets globally. The service is available internationally.

✈ Payments specialist Hands In launched split payment technology on Air Europa's website in June of the previous year. Air Europa has since seen an increase of €3.8 million in incremental revenue, with 15,000 unique profiles using the new payment option. Group trips have generated €1.6 million in revenue and an 87.8% conversion rate when using split payments, while the feature for declined transactions due to insufficient funds has recovered €2.4 million with a 95.1% conversion rate. Upcoming enhancements include integrating PayPal, debit cards, and loyalty points with the split payment system.

🏖 Fliggy's 2024 BNPL Travel Insight report shows a 20% increase in booking volume for BNPL travel products compared to the previous year. Generation Z accounts for nearly 25% of users. Over 45% of hotel package purchases through BNPL were new customers. Outbound tourism shares climbed by 10%, with hotel booking fulfillment rates for outbound travel jumping 70% year-on-year. Top BNPL destinations were Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, the Maldives, New Zealand, and Australia, with emerging destinations like Iceland and Kenya gaining popularity. Live streaming sales and KOL promotions on Fliggy increased by 70%, with 19 items exceeding RMB10 million in sales during the 2024 Double 11 festival.

🏖️ Lastminute.com partners with fintech company Zilch to launch Zilch Travel, a platform for flexible travel bookings and payments. The partnership leverages lastminute.com's Dynamic Packages technology and connects to its API and incentive platform, Roiward. Users can earn 3% rewards on trips, with interest-free payment options over six weeks or three months. In 2023, UK consumers spent over £72 billion on overseas holidays. Zilch's Pay over 3 Months product has driven sales on its platform to over £3.6 billion and doubled its revenues for three consecutive years.

📅 Not Just Travel invests £2.1 million to grant its 650+ consultants free access to TProfile's Quotation Tool. The tool, costing £1,000/year per consultant, enhances efficiency, client engagement, and conversion rates. Announced at the 2025 Annual Conference in Wolverhampton, the investment follows a successful trial and substantial improvements in conversion rates. The tool allows easy creation and sharing of travel proposals, boosting profitability and marking a long-term partnership with TProfile, aiming to become their biggest client.

🍺 HTeaO, an iced tea franchise, partnered with Detroit Labs, Paytronix, and Growth Factor to launch a new technology suite, including a mobile app with DoorDash delivery, Apple Pay, and customizable orders. The Paytronix-powered loyalty program offers 2 Points per dollar, with rewards ranging from 50% off a tea to a free gallon or coffee for 50-100 Points. The redesigned website features store locators and enhanced e-commerce. To promote the launch, HTeaO is giving a free Huge Tea to new app loyalty members.