Innovation

📱 Grand Hyatt Singapore implemented Shiji's Stellaris Digital Dine platform to revolutionize its in-room dining. The system, integrated with Infrasys POS, removed manual errors, cut order errors from 5-10% to near-zero, and improved menu update time by 90%. Orders placed digitally increased to over 90%, saving $3,600 monthly in labor costs. In-room dining revenue reached 58% via digital orders from July 2024 to June 2025, with enhanced guest satisfaction and sustainability through the elimination of printed menus.

💻 HotelRunner will join the Phocuswright Conference from November 18-20, 2025, at Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego. As an annual sponsor, HotelRunner embraces the "Game On" theme with its travel-native finance infrastructure Ruby. Unlike generic fintechs, Ruby caters specifically to the travel industry, integrating bookings, payments, and compliance in real-time. HotelRunner enhances hospitality operations with real-time distribution, AI-driven automation, and data insights. Its leadership team will discuss industry trends and showcase the platform's capabilities.

💰 Hotels are transitioning from traditional revenue management to profit-oriented strategies. Focus has shifted from RevPAR to metrics like GOPPAR and NOI. Every department—rooms, F&B, spa—contributes to profit. Integration of AI and BI tools enhances profit forecasting and management. The transformation necessitates collaboration between finance, operations, and marketing, with a unified vision of profitability. Emphasizing value over volume, profit optimization is reshaping hospitality, making profitability the core of revenue management.

🎯 In November 2025, approximately 200 delegates from over 100 entities gathered in Riyadh for the 45th Affiliate Members Plenary Session during the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly. The focus was on membership expansion, sports tourism, and collaboration. The 2026–2027 Work Programme was presented, and new collaboration mechanisms were introduced. Outstanding contributions were recognized in eight categories. UN Tourism, comprising 166 countries, 6 territories, and 500+ affiliates, emphasizes responsible, sustainable tourism.

🏨 In 2025, a travel trend of hyper-personalization is emerging, where hotels utilize AI to tailor guest experiences by analyzing booking patterns, digital identities, and lifestyle data. This approach shifts guest choices from brand loyalty to personal relevance. The hospitality industry aims to use data to enhance human interaction and optimize operations, like avoiding unneeded preparations, thereby reducing costs.

📱 In the hospitality sector, the A2A concept envisions AI systems like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini communicating autonomously to book travel, parallel to email's SMTP protocol. Corporate travel agents will likely manage business trips, while leisure bookings may occur via platforms like OpenAI and Google. The shift will be from OTA reliance to agent-driven interactions, echoing the centralized control seen in email service adoption by Gmail and Yahoo. Understanding A2A is crucial for industry preparedness.

📚 Christian H. Clerc, President & CEO of Auberge Resorts Collection and an EHL alumnus, shares insights on hospitality in the Back of House episode. He reflects on the influence of his grandmother’s kitchen in Umbria and emphasizes how food, travel, and human connection shaped his career. The discussion highlights innovation in hospitality through curiosity, courage, and the human touch, underscoring that true excellence is timeless despite evolving trends.

💻 88% of companies use AI, but real change remains elusive; two-thirds are in pilot stages. Only 10% have scaled AI agents effectively. Just 6% of firms see profits by redesigning systems and setting growth goals. Successful AI integration demands leadership involvement. Companies excel when humans and AI collaborate, treating people as co-pilots. McKinsey's State of AI 2025 report underscores the need for ambition and redesign to transform work effectively. #FutureOfWork #AI #Leadership

📱 Forward-thinking hotels are using advanced AI sales assistants for event bookings. Traditional chatbots often fail, but new AI systems can enhance revenue with an ROI of $3 to $10 per dollar invested. With a 20% improvement in conversion rates, hotels can gain $450,000 extra annually from 2,000 inquiries. AI ensures rapid responses, crucial as 61% of RFPs go to the first three bidders. Group sales hit $190 billion in 2024, highlighting the potential of smarter AI investments.