Innovation

📱 Gen Z employees face challenges with legacy hotel tech, which demands extensive training and memorization for basic tasks, causing inefficiencies and turnover. Legacy systems require three weeks of training compared to three hours for modern cloud-based software. High turnover rates and the "Training Tax" cost hotels significantly. Modern systems emphasize ease of use, fostering immediate productivity and collaboration. Investing in user-friendly tech enhances recruitment, retention, and efficiency, aligning with the digital expectations of the new workforce.

📈 Palladium Hotel Group partnered with BookinGuru in May 2025 to enhance guest personalization at Ibiza hotels, achieving a 32% increase in direct experience and rental bookings. TRS Ibiza Hotel saw service-related revenue triple in the first year. The AI-driven platform centralizes services, reduces workload, and boosts guest autonomy, offering immediate bookings. Integration took two to three weeks, covering over 90% of local offerings. Expansion with Co-Pilot Concierge is planned for 2026.

🚉 Flix, a German-founded transport provider, acquired a majority share in Flibco, an airport transfer platform, for an undisclosed sum. This expands Flix's reach, already present in the UK, US, South America, Turkey, and India. The deal was advised by Ennea Capital Partners, allowing SLG to retain a minority stake. Flibco will maintain its current management, led by CEO Tobias Stüber. The transaction will be covered in an Amazon Prime documentary called SELFMADE.

🏨 Langham Hospitality Group, led by CEO Bob van den Oord since 2023, plans to expand its portfolio to 100 hotels by 2040, with new locations in Bangkok (2026), Venice, and Kuala Lumpur (2027), and Diriyah (2029). The group operates four brands catering to diverse markets: The Langham Hotels & Resorts, Cordis, Eaton, and Ying’nFlo. Emphasizing "comfortable luxury," it focuses on authenticity and transformative guest experiences, while exploring AI to enhance service delivery.

📅 GuestRevu was named 2026's Best Guest Survey Software by HotelTechReport and finished in the Top 3 for Reputation Management. Feedback was collected from 489 hotels globally, showcasing GuestRevu's international influence. HotelTechAwards select winners from over 200 tech products in 120+ countries based on verified user reviews. Annually, 2.5 million professionals use this platform for purchasing decisions. GuestRevu's tools help hotels enhance guest experiences by transforming feedback into actionable insights.

🏨 First Hospitality is implementing a new Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Playbook to help hotels leverage AI-driven tools like ChatGPT and Gemini for better visibility. 📅 Currently deployed in 12 hotels, the program aims to enhance recognition by AI. Designed for easy adoption across different hotel types and budgets, the playbook aligns on-property leadership with GEO strategies. 📊 Early feedback is positive, with acknowledgment that measuring GEO's success, compared to traditional SEO, will take time.