Innovation

🍴 ATLANTA, Georgia—Kimpton, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts, predicts 2025's food and drink trends through its Culinary + Cocktail Trend Forecast. Expect black tahini, chili crunch fusions, black limes, salted egg yolk, Korean- and Southeast Asia-inspired dishes, and a focus on different oils. Cocktail trends include super juices, vegan milks, freeze-dried powders, classic martini variations, highball variations, and non-alcoholic options. Dining experiences will blend 'newstalgia' and sound immersion.

🦾 Ed Sussman, a New York City specialist in reputation management with 15 years of experience, founded Citate.ai to optimize AI chatbots, believing this could be as significant as the $70+ billion search engine optimization industry. The startup, operational for a few months with around half a dozen clients, utilizes the principle that AI chatbots, while reliant on training data, also scour the web for current content—altering this input can change their outputs and eventually their training database. Advisors include Walter de Broweur of Stanford and Sharecare, Gil Alterovitz of Harvard Medical School, and Michael Carlon, ex-AI engineer at A12. Citate.ai is profitable, and Sussman has been hinted he could raise $21 million if desired. AI optimization's future impact on traditional information sources like Wikipedia is yet to be fully understood.

🏖 Aleph Hospitality expanded to Morocco, managing Marcicha Lagoon Resort in Nador and Michlifen Resort & Golf in Ifrane. The Marcicha Lagoon Resort offers 93 rooms, seven dining venues, and is 45 minutes from Nador International Airport. Michlifen Resort & Golf boasts 72 suites, seven dining options, and is around one hour from Fes Sais International Airport. In 2023, Morocco recorded 14.5 million tourists, a 34% increase from 2022, surpassing the 13 million peak in 2019. The government aims to attract 17.5 million tourists by 2026.

☕ WestCord Hotels, a Dutch chain with 15 properties, experienced a 70% increase in rooms ready by 3 PM and a 90% reduction in interdepartmental calls after integrating Mews PMS and Flexkeeping. The ROI tripled in the first year, demonstrating significant efficiency gains and enhanced guest experiences through automation. Key takeaways for hoteliers include prioritizing guest experience, supporting staff with the right tools, and leveraging data for informed decision-making.

💸 On 12 November 2024, Appart'City, France's leading aparthotel operator with a portfolio of 90 properties, announced a partnership with IDeaS, a SAS company, to optimize and automate revenue management across its approximately 12,000 rooms. The adoption of IDeaS G3 RMS enables Appart’City to adjust rates dynamically, leveraging advanced analytics and real-time pricing strategies for maximized revenue and occupancy. The phased implementation aims to equip Appart'City for future revenue operations, focusing on both long- and short-stay demand.

📈 Accor's research involving 9,000 global professionals reveals that prioritizing in-person meetings could boost revenue by 36%. A staggering 85% of respondents believe face-to-face interactions will significantly enhance their revenue. Data indicates 92% find such meetings important with external clients, 85% with internal colleagues, and one in-person meeting equals three virtual ones. Business travel is driven by commercial return, with 34% traveling to close deals and 30% for events and trade shows. Sophie Hulgard, Accor’s Chief Sales Officer, emphasizes the billions added to the global economy through face-to-face meetings, highlighting their irreplaceable value in business.

📅 Accor's global study, with 9,000 professionals, reveals that face-to-face meetings could increase revenue by 36%. 85% of respondents believe prioritizing in-person interactions would significantly boost revenue, with 92% considering such meetings important with external clients, and 85% with internal colleagues. The top reasons for business travel are closing deals (34%), client and contract negotiations (31% and 30%, respectively), and attending events or trade shows (30%). In-person meetings are favored for client presentations (68%), site inspections (77%), deal closures (74%), and contract negotiations (70%). Despite digital tools' convenience, a hybrid model of digital and face-to-face meetings is emerging, with a potential immense economic impact. 💼

💵 Payment solutions provider CellPoint Digital secured $30 million in funding from Toscafund and Penta Capital to accelerate the launch of its Offer Order Service Delivery (OOSD) payment orchestration platform, designed for the travel industry. The investment aims to fuel global expansion and enhance payment services, including the expansion of its Alternative Payment Method (APM) hub. This move will support partnerships and client optimization, including a contract with Riyadh Air and a growing partnership with Sabre. CEO Kristian Gjerding highlighted the growth and demand recognition, while Penta Capital's Steven Scott emphasized CellPoint Digital's market leadership and responsible expansion.