Innovation

💻 Clark Brayton, Joe McGroarty, Pritesh Patel, and Justin Call are behind Actabl’s new U.S. patent for normalizing hotel data, a first for hotel tech. Actabl processes tens of millions of rows daily, integrating over 400 systems. Typical hotels run 10-15 systems; luxury ones, 40+. Actabl's tag-based method standardizes data from disparate sources, ensuring consistent AI insights. The patent emphasizes scalable, real-time data normalization, crucial for AI integration in hospitality. Full patent details at actabl.com.

📅 In 2023, Expedia Group, led by CEO Ariane Gorin, announced its strategic shift at the Explore 26 event in Las Vegas. Celebrating 30 years, Expedia aims to be an end-to-end travel companion using AI for enhanced services. Collaborations include Uber, CLEAR for biometric airport access, and Hotels.com with IWG for coworking perks. New features include AI-driven itinerary planning and pricing insights, with tests on AI conversations in ads for trip planning. Expedia targets every travel stage from inspiration to arrival.

🚘 May 2026, Uber questions AI's real impact on travel, reflecting industry-wide skepticism. Despite heavy AI investment, the focus shifts to measurable traveler benefits like pricing fairness, reliability, and transparency. Travelers challenge AI promises, especially in surge pricing. AI shows inconsistencies across markets, better in urban areas but struggling elsewhere. Privacy issues grow due to data collection. The industry leans towards evidence-based metrics, possibly blending AI with human services for improved experiences.

📈 Held in Durban from May 11-14, 2026, Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 gathered hoteliers, tourism operators, and industry leaders to discuss digital transformation, air connectivity, and technology's impact. GuestRevu highlighted AI's role in enhancing guest experiences, emphasizing the need for actionable insights and connected systems. Concerns about AI's impersonal communication were raised, and data flow challenges were noted. Affordability remains crucial, with a divide between hotels investing in technology and those relying on manual methods.

💻 AI's impact on PMS: stronger data channels are needed, as error rates may rise with scattered data. Every PMS vendor is adding AI tools. CEOs uncertain about MCP's future position, possibly seen as a threat. AI won't reduce PMS importance but shifts it towards infrastructure, emphasizing data quality. Agentic tech reveals poor UX, aiming for better workflows. The PMS war focuses on data infrastructure and agentic layers. No single winner is expected due to industry diversity.

🏨 Berlin, Germany, May 16, 2026: Shiji partners with dailypoint to provide real-time, two-way sync between Daylight PMS and dailypoint. Hotels, including Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, benefit from streamlined operations and personalized guest experiences. The integration reduces data errors, enhances marketing, and supports GDPR compliance, becoming available to hotels using both platforms. Shiji serves 91,000 hotels globally, while dailypoint, with over 1,500 clients, remains a leading CRM provider.

🏨 Treadwell Mansion in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, opened on 15 May as a fully autonomous aparthotel, eliminating the traditional front desk. Set in a 250-year-old Georgian building, it features 38 apartment-style units. Using the Mews platform, guests receive access codes and manage their stays entirely online. Mews supports 15,000 customers in 85 countries and is recognized for its innovative PMS and POS systems. The project offers a modern hospitality model without legacy constraints, spearheaded by General Manager Liam Annis.

🛳️ intuitive, a UK-based travel technology company with over 20 years' experience, has integrated cruise features into iVector, its reservation platform. Powered by Widgety's API, the module streamlines cruise booking by incorporating live content, itineraries, and pricing. This addition, responding to customer feedback, allows tour operators and OTAs to manage all components, including cruises, flights, and hotels, within a single system, enhancing operational efficiency and conversion rates. The integration involves over 200 third-party supply connections.