Innovation

🍝 Pasta Emporium's first location opened on 25 July in Richmond, with a partnership between AMSRIC and Pasta Evangelists. A second venue is slated to launch in Greenwich. These locations offer fresh, hand-made pasta shapes, with dine-in and takeout options via digital screens or counters. Menu items include lobster tortellini, truffle mac'n'cheese, and a variety of antipasti, Italian desserts, and gelato. Features include self-pour wine machines, weekly free wine tastings, and kids' pasta-making sessions. The first Pasta Evangelists restaurant opened in May 2021 at Harrods Dining Hall, and the company was acquired by the Barilla Group in 2021.

📄 Guestline, part of Access Group, enhances GuestStay with AI-driven self-service options for hotel guests. The portal, integrating with ResDiary, allows reservation management, service pre-ordering, and facilitates restaurant bookings. Chris Jones stated the service benefits corporate travelers with trials showing popularity due to its ease of use. Guestline customers see restaurant bookings rise, with 25% now via GuestStay portal. The digital registration completion rate is at 31%, improving check-ins and driving direct repeat business. Additional features to boost ancillary revenue are expected in 2024.

💸 Hyatt integrated LinkedIn Sales Navigator to enhance sales operations, gaining 6,200 saved leads and 2,600 new connections within about three months. 100% of pilot participants affirmed its usefulness, prompting Hyatt to enter a long-term partnership with LinkedIn. The technology aids in identifying key contacts and establishing early customer relationships, pivotal as face-to-face meetings decline. Hyatt's sales teams now leverage Sales Navigator's AI capabilities for a modernized, relationship-driven sales strategy.

📍 Spotnana's platform offers corporations a global view of their travel program's carbon emissions for all modes of travel, leveraging Thrust Carbon's methodology. Thrust Carbon recently became the only company assured to ISO's 14083 standard. Spotnana's unified platform facilitates the inclusion of Thrust Carbon's data in both online and offline booking for TMCs. Real-time booking data is streamed to Thrust Carbon for analytics and reporting. Mark Corbett, founder of Thrust Carbon, highlights the partnership's aim to achieve net zero in travel. Spotnana and Thrust Carbon are collaborating on innovations for sustainable travel management.

🚢 Exoticca, a travel tech platform, closed a €60 million Series D round led by Quadrille Capital, with participation from All Iron, ICF, and existing investors 14W, Mangrove, Bonsai, Sabadell, and Aldea. The investment will advance Exoticca's technology, including AI, to enhance customer experience and partner profitability, aiming to make multi-day tours—worth over €100 billion—more efficient and affordable, cutting booking times to minutes and offering prices about 30% lower than competitors. The company, led by CEO Pere Vallès, is focused on global expansion and digitizing the multi-day tour space.

🏨 Guestline, part of Access Group, enhances its GuestStay with AI-driven self-service options, streamlining hotel operations and guest experiences. The portal allows guests to manage reservations, modify bookings, and pre-order services like breakfast or parking. AI integration into the Property Management System automates actionable requests, boosting efficiency. ResDiary's integration facilitates restaurant bookings. In trials, corporate travelers favored the self-service for its convenience. Guestline properties report about 25% of their table bookings via the portal, with plans to add more upsell features in 2024. Digital registration averages 31%, doubling real guest email collection, promoting direct repeat business over OTAs.

🏨 Four industry experts discussed AI in the hospitality industry, addressing its impact on guest experiences and operational efficiency. José Soares (The Capital Hotels), Louise Hibbert (SHR), Michael Cowen (Terraflow.ai), and Amy Branfield (GuestRevu) recommended implementing AI where it solves specific problems, enhancing rather than replacing human capabilities. AI-powered tools can personalize guest experiences, but hoteliers need to weigh cost, complexity, and data management. The panel remained optimistic about AI's role in hospitality, emphasizing core values and smart tech integration.