Innovation

🏖️ Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego, managed by Davidson Resorts, completed its conference center renovation, enhancing over 60,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor spaces with coastal-inspired design. Featuring flexible layouts, improved technology, and sustainable elements, the resort's updated venues include the Paradise Ballroom and the Sunset Ballroom with panoramic views of Mission Bay. Eco-friendly upgrades include LED lighting and energy-efficient materials, reflecting a commitment to sustainability.

💻 Major hotel groups are capitalizing on hyperautomation by employing AI-powered digital workers to enhance efficiency and accuracy. RobosizeME reports that automating tasks has saved over 200,000 work hours, with impressive results from major players. One hotel group saved 72 workdays per month by automating rate code maintenance, while another saved 1,000 hours in three months on ad spend optimization, leading to €8K monthly savings. Overall, automation addresses inefficiencies and improves guest satisfaction, transforming the hospitality sector.

📈 San Diego, California—Cloudbeds announced a new partnership with Klaviyo, a B2C CRM platform, to automate communications and boost direct bookings for hoteliers. The integration allows for real-time data access and one-click installation with no setup fees. This collaboration helps hotels turn guest interactions into revenue opportunities, enhancing targeting and conversion rates. Cloudbeds and Klaviyo aim to leverage guest data for personalized marketing and improved guest relationships, driving engagement, revenue, and repeat visits.

📈 Revenue managers are evolving into commercial strategists, mastering financial literacy, collaboration, and technology. A 3% drop in acquisition costs can boost profits more than a 5% rise in ADR. Key skills include understanding AI-powered RMS systems that process millions of data points, fostering cross-department collaboration, and leading with influence. Success involves moving beyond analytics to align people, purpose, and profit, driving sustainable profitability.

📊 Data Appeal launched a revolutionary tool for DMOs at the 2025 Phocuswright Conference in San Diego. Combining years of curated data from The Data Appeal Company and Mabrian, it offers real-time insights and scenario analysis. This platform enhances decision-making by transforming data dashboards into dialogue interfaces, enabling faster, smarter actions. Limited access is available, with general availability rolling out in early 2026. 🎯

🏆 Springboard Awards for Excellence 2026 🎉 When? 30 April 2026. Where? Park Plaza London Riverbank. Who? Hosted by Park Plaza, sponsored by industry leaders like Nestlé, HIT Training, and Sybron. What? Celebrates excellence in hospitality with categories like the new Hospitality Careers Champion Award. How? Free and easy nominations via the Springboard website by 9 January 2026. Why? To recognize and inspire talent, supporting Springboard’s mission to bolster hospitality careers. Goals: Close skills gaps and create one million new skills by 2030.

💻 Google’s AI Mode revolutionizes hotel distribution by selecting between simple searches and detailed agent instructions to extract live hotel data. Chef Duce Raymond's BBQ example demonstrates how Google uses inferred preferences and schema signals to create personalized recommendations, shifting from search to intent shaping. This system profiles users, ranks options, and merges inventory with guidance. Agentic Hospitality gives hotels control over data-driven decisions, preventing platforms from monopolizing guest interactions. Join at AgenticHospitality.com.

🛩 Emirates and OpenAI have formed a strategic partnership to integrate AI across the airline. They will deploy ChatGPT Enterprise and develop an AI centre of excellence. The collaboration focuses on enhancing AI capabilities, exploring use cases, and creating an AI champion network. Leadership sessions and technology team collaborations aim to optimize AI integration. Ali Serdar Yakut of Emirates and Rod Solaimani of OpenAI emphasize the transformative potential of AI in aviation and customer experience.

🛅 Nov 24, 2025, ChatGPT partners with Booking.com and Expedia, sidelining direct hotel integration due to AI query loads and fragmented room data. OTAs gain leverage as hotels lose visibility and control, facing rising acquisition costs (up over 30%). AI-driven distribution may introduce new fees, increasing expenses for hotels. To compete, hotels must modernize data and booking strategies. AI simplifies travel planning but complicates supplier economics, posing challenges for hotels unless they adapt quickly.