Innovation

📈 2026 IHIF in New York and HITEC in San Antonio highlighted contrasting focuses in hospitality. IHIF had over 700 investors managing $700 billion in hotel assets, emphasizing investment trends over technology tweaks. Meanwhile, AI's role in strategic planning was discussed by CEOs from Accor, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG. They noted Asia's aircraft order growth, signaling emerging hotel demand. Understanding these trends helps hotels anticipate new travel demands, guiding strategic investments and innovations.

📈 Worldwide public cloud spending is projected to reach $723.4 billion in 2025, increasing from $595.7 billion in 2024, according to Gartner. For hotels seeking Cloudbeds alternatives, RateGain's UNO Direct Stack offers a unified platform for multi-property chains, focusing on distribution and direct booking. Little Hotelier targets single-property independents with a simple system. RoomRaccoon and Guesty cater to small/mid-size hotels and short-term rentals, respectively. Mews and SiteMinder provide modern, broad-channel solutions for varied property needs.

📱 FCS Solutions launched FCS1 In-Room Guest Services (IRGS), a browser-based tool allowing hotel guests to access information and services via mobile without an app. Amid 65% of hotels facing staffing shortages, this tool uses QR codes to streamline service requests directly to FCS1 Jobs for efficient handling. Available now, FCS1 IRGS enhances hotel operations by connecting guest requests to workflow management, minimizing missed requests and delays.

📅 eviivo, a property management platform, has integrated with Dida, a B2B travel distributor in Asia-Pacific, allowing independent hotels to reach 40,000 distributors. eviivo works with over 28,000 properties in Europe and North America. The integration facilitates direct bookings, streamlining operations for small hotel teams entering new markets. APAC travel demand is expected to increase by 65% in the next 2-3 years. Dida launched an AI booking gateway, Dida MCP, in partnership with Tsinghua University.

💻 Faisal Murtaza, founder of Sarucci, leverages over a decade of experience in hotel operations to develop AI-powered revenue intelligence tools. Since 2011, he managed 11 hotels with 3,000 rooms. AI helps identify revenue opportunities, automate pricing, and enhance strategy by reducing the time on data management. The Future Travel Summit will feature Faisal as a finalist. Independent hotels could compete beyond price in an AI-driven marketplace, emphasizing AI discoverability akin to traditional search importance.

📅 In 2026, PR strategies involve local storytelling as micro-resorts gain a media advantage over big chains. A 90-day PR plan for new properties includes competitor research, creating online profiles, and press releases. Existing properties should address media gaps, leveraging earned media like Connectively and HARO. AI visibility is crucial, with GEO visibility audits on platforms like Featured. A consistent one-hour daily PR effort is recommended to navigate evolving digital landscapes, despite algorithm changes.

💸 BirchStreet Systems launched BirchStreet Smart AP™ in Las Vegas, automating accounts payable for the hospitality industry with AI-driven features. The system reduces workloads by up to 95%, enhances invoice accuracy, and prevents fraud via touchless invoicing and 3-way match automation. Embedded payment workflows improve visibility and vendor relationships. Founded in 2002, BirchStreet empowers global hospitality brands to manage significant spend across various categories. For more details, visit their website.

🏨 HotelIQ, based in Atlanta, GA, announced a new integration between HotelIQ Decision Cloud and Shiji's Daylight PMS. This integration enables hotels to centralize reservation data, streamline analytics, and enhance commercial planning and forecasting without manual data handling. Sameer Umar, COO of HotelIQ, highlights its role in improving decision-making capabilities. Shiji serves over 91,000 hotels globally, with 5,000 employees, by providing cloud-based solutions for seamless operations and data intelligence.