Innovation

4693 posts

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How to run a hotel with 80% less staff

🏨 The Zipper Hotel & Apartments in Düsseldorf, Germany, opened in November 2023 with only six employees. Using the Like Magic platform since December 2024, they've cut staff needs by 80% for their 168-room hotel. The technology enables both staff and guests to manage tasks via smartphone, including check-in and service requests. Training takes 1.5 days, and guest ratings are high: 4.6 on Google and 8.8 on Booking.com.
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Why AI can never compete with travel agents

📅 On December 12, 2024, AI's role in the travel industry was highlighted, with platforms like Expedia, Kayak, and HotelPlanner integrating AI to enhance customer experiences, such as providing in-destination suggestions and facilitating bookings. HotelPlanner's AI platform launched in October and has since generated £150,000 in reservations. However, the article emphasizes the irreplaceable human element of travel, suggesting that AI cannot fully replicate the emotional and personal aspects of creating meaningful travel experiences.
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Skyscanner unveils new ad platform

📈 Skyscanner, on Dec 12, 2024, launched the Skyscanner Ads Platform, tapping into data from over 110 million monthly travelers. Aimed at the 51% of users undecided on destinations, it employs deep learning for contextual advertising without third-party cookies. The platform allows real-time campaign optimization through insights into traveler behaviors, enhancing ad relevance and performance.
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  • 3 min

Grubhub Onsite and Hilton Expand Partnership to Elevate the Guest Experience

🔥 Bikky, a data platform for restaurants, partnered with Haven Hot Chicken, a rapidly growing Nashville-style chicken brand founded in 2020 with nine locations as of summer. The partnership enables Haven to analyze customer behavior and make data-driven decisions. Bikky's insights helped Haven retain a lower-selling menu item, the caesar salad, due to its influence on customer frequency. Haven plans to double store count in the next year, with Bikky aiding in expansion success measurement. Bikky also serves brands like Dave’s Hot Chicken and Bojangles.
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Reviving the GDS Advantage: Maximizing Hotel Bookings through Travel Sellers

🏨 North America leads in GDS usage, with 91% of travel sellers using it as much or more than 2 years prior. Latin America (51%), Europe/Middle East/Africa (57%), and Asia Pacific (56%) report increased GDS usage. Over two-thirds of travel sellers are influenced by GDS ads, and 93% respond to terms like “free” or “complimentary”. Sustainability is important for 60% of sellers. Effective GDS campaigns need audience insight, tailored marketing, performance optimization, and relationship building to engage global travel sellers and increase hotel bookings.
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  • 6 min

What Lies Ahead for the Future of Hotel Property Management? Two Industry Experts Weigh In

🏨 Bethesda, Md. hosted a panel at the Hospitality Show in San Antonio where Stayntouch CEO Jacob Messina, Cloudbeds CEO Adam Harris, and others discussed hotel Property Management Systems (PMS). Cloudbeds transforms hotel operations with integrated platforms and AI, aiming to recover margins lost to data fragmentation. Stayntouch offers a cloud-based PMS, reducing IT costs and training time, with an interface that can be learned in just two days. Automation saves up to 69% of employee time, while multi-property management features can reduce new hotel onboarding time by 70%. Stayntouch provides over 1,200 integrations, enhancing hotel operations, revenue, and guest experiences. Cloudbeds, founded in 2012, has won multiple awards and serves properties in over 150 countries.
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How Fire & Vine Hospitality Transformed Customer Engagement with RTN Data Standards and Oracle CrowdTwist

💰 Fire & Vine's private dining business generates 30-35% of its total revenue, primarily from corporate clients. The company is using CrowdTwist to segment customer profiles for targeted marketing campaigns. The transition from a 12-year-old legacy loyalty system to CrowdTwist began with the intention to keep initial functionality, but by 2025, Fire & Vine aims to fully leverage the new system's capabilities for personalized customer rewards and employee engagement programs, as discussed at MURTEC 2024. The company is focusing on personalization, with plans to run exclusive offers for loyal customers and create tailored incentives for employees.
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Church’s Texas Chicken Adds Voice AI Ordering at the Drive-Thru

🔥 Bikky, serving multi-unit restaurants, partners with Haven Hot Chicken, founded in 2020 by four local restauranteurs. Haven opened their ninth location in summer, named one of the fastest growing businesses in the state and country, with their chicken sandwich titled “Best Bite in Town” by Food Network. Haven leverages Bikky for guest tracking, behavior analysis, and data-backed decisions, recently guiding a strategic choice to keep a lower-selling menu item for its role in driving guest frequency. Haven aims to more than double store count in 2025, with Bikky supporting their expansion and site selection, informed by detailed guest demographics and behavior data.
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  • 2 min

Unlock the Power of Google: Drive Direct Bookings Like Never Before

📰 STAAH's "Get Google" connects properties to Google’s hotel booking engine, increasing visibility and direct bookings while reducing OTA reliance. Appearing on Google Search, Maps, and Travel, it integrates with booking engines for seamless reservations. "Get Google" lowers commission costs and boosts competitiveness in the hospitality market. To integrate, STAAH partners activate the add-on, aiming for higher returns and improved guest relationships. More information and activation available through STAAH's website and sales team.
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  • 2 min

The Advantage Travel Partnership partners…

📈 The Advantage Travel Partnership collaborates with Vibe for a new online booking tool platform aimed at TMCs under the AMS model. This empowers agents with advanced tools, leveraging group buying power to compete with larger organizations. Stephen Baxendale emphasizes their commitment to leading technology, enhancing their One-Stop Business Hub for growing market needs. Vibe's Danny Girling highlights the leveling of the playing field, offering TMCs the ability to serve clients innovatively and profitably.
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