Innovation

💳 CellPoint Digital, a Payment Orchestration company, promotes Michael Sørensen to CTO and Steven Osei to CMO. Sørensen, with over 30 years of IT experience, aims to drive the company's technology strategy, focusing on scaling the tech team and innovation in offer ordering and APM integrations. Osei's promotion enhances the brand's leadership in Payment Orchestration across air, travel, and hospitality sectors. CEO Kristian Gjerding affirms the team's capacity to foster innovation and market growth.

💻 In a World Travel Protection survey of 2000 business travellers from the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, 52% of UK and 60% global business travellers worry about cyber-attacks, rising to 62% among frequent UK and 70% global travellers. UK companies lag in cybersecurity, with 25% of UK travellers stating their companies take no measures, versus 10-11% in other countries. Common measures include anti-virus software (22% UK vs 27% globally) and two-factor authentication (21% UK vs 27% globally). UK firms also fall short in data backups (15% UK vs 24% globally) and biometric security (11% UK vs 17% globally). Moreover, 17% of UK companies don't provide cybersecurity training, compared to 20% globally. With 18% of UK and 24% globally allowed "work from anywhere" policies and 16% of UK travellers mixing business trips with holidays, cybersecurity risks increase.

💳 Mews, a hospitality cloud provider, released the Mews Terminal S2 ePOS system to enhance hotel operations. The Terminal S2 integrates with Mews POS and Payments for seamless transactions at various property locations. It enables secure order and payment processing from a single device, reducing service time from five minutes to one minute as experienced by the Arctic SnowHotel in Lapland, Finland. The device is portable, wireless, and features a long-life battery, with capabilities to manage busy restaurants and front desks effectively.

✈ PLAY airlines collaborates with InterLnkd to introduce an AI-powered pre-travel shopping platform for US customers, featuring brands like Bloomingdale's and CVS. This makes PLAY the first North American airline to offer such a service, integrating it into the post-booking process for incremental revenue. European customers can access products from Marks & Spencer, WHSmith, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, and Asos. The platform is designed to provide convenience and enhance the travel experience by meeting vacation essentials needs.

🏨 Jayvee Gabon's career in hospitality began at Best Western Plus Lex Cebu, progressing from Sales & Banquet Executive to Sales Accounts Executive over nearly three years, managing events, room sales, and the travel segment. He then spent six years as a Market Manager at Trip.com, handling key Philippine destinations like Cebu and Palawan. At STAAH, he values the dynamic culture, continuous innovation, and work-life balance with the flexibility of working from home. His mantra echoes the book "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance," emphasizing perseverance and passion for success. Outside work, Jayvee enjoys traveling, cooking, and reading, which inspire his professional life.

💰 Revenue Management Systems (RMS) have advanced from Excel spreadsheets to AI-driven models for analysis, forecasting, and decision-making. RMS like IDeaS began with machine learning and evolved into AI with their G3 model. OTA Insights uses AI to enhance distribution strategies, optimizing pricing and inventory. As the field evolves, the efficiency and speed of data processing and revenue conversion through AI are expected to increase, suggesting a future where AI integration in RMS is integral.

📘 Konnect, an HR firm, and TREW Capital Management, owner of Rubio’s Restaurant Group, entered a multi-year partnership to enhance HR services for Rubio’s. Founded in 1983 and operating 85 locations in California, Nevada, and Arizona, Rubio’s looks to improve workforce management and training via Konnect’s expertise and learning management platform, KonnectEd, aiming to standardize HR infrastructure and support Rubio’s growth.

📚 Charlie MacGregor, founder of The Social Hub, aims to build a diverse community through hybrid hospitality. Thousands of community programs are run to foster connections, including a partnership with Talent Garden for educational programs on topics like AI and stress management. The TSH Talent Foundation offers scholarships and lifelong learning, enhancing the impact on students. This episode aired on Oct. 10, 2024, highlighting the power of community investment through education and programming. 🎓🌐

📱 The article discusses the benefits and trends of self-check-in at hotels. It highlights contactless check-in, hotel kiosks, and mobile check-in solutions aiming to enhance guest experiences. Authored by Suniti Bahl, the article was published on October 10, 2024. It is featured in the Hotelogix Blog, which provides tips and trends in the hospitality industry. The focus is on the advancements in technology that cater to the evolving needs of hotel guests.