Innovation

💻 Josiah Mackenzie and Danica Smith, founder of MorningStar GX, explore AI's role in "vibe coding" for hoteliers. Danica shares her journey in software development and highlights AI's potential to break technical barriers in hospitality. This episode provides practical insights for hospitality professionals interested in AI.

💻 Josiah Mackenzie speaks with Mark Fancourt, cofounder of TRAVHOTECH. They explore AI's impact on hospitality, including workforce changes, robotics, consumer demand, and sustainability. Mark's insights come from decades in global hospitality and tech. 🎙️

💻 Stayntouch, based in Bethesda, Maryland, has upgraded its platform to improve hotel performance by 30-35% and cut resolution times by 50%. The Gen-2 platform, enhanced with AI tools and AWS EKS clusters, boosts system reliability and reporting accuracy across hotel operations. Security measures include PCI Level 1 certification. CTO Prabol Bhandari emphasizes the platform's role in enhancing operational efficiency and guest response.

📌 First Hospitality aims to navigate 2026's economic challenges with technology and AI integration. In 2025, they recorded 150 promotions and reduced key leadership role fill times to under 30 days, maintaining a 4.3/5 Glassdoor rating. Their sales teams increased occupancy by 3% and RevPAR index by 1.3%, outperforming the national average. They anticipate modest RevPAR growth in 2026, leveraging AI, local insights, and strategic segmentation to drive rate strength amidst changing traveler behavior.

💻 Office Manager AI Toolkit from Pertlink targets practical AI use for office managers, enhancing leadership while maintaining human decision-making. Key tools: ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini. Ethical guidelines ensure transparency and data protection. Objective: shift office managers from reactive to proactive leadership. Pertlink, established October 23, 2000, specializes in hospitality IT consulting, based in Hong Kong, recognized globally for expertise in hotel technology. Download the toolkit [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-SVvbFqaVxaZmtmzY9HV-rIWsFkEA4v5/view?usp=sharing).

📈 Iberostar, recognized by TIME as one of 2025's top 100 influential companies, focuses on sustainability and systemic change. Since Gloria Fluxà's 2017 "Wave of Change," Iberostar's circular economy initiatives in Quintana Roo and Tunisia have reduced landfill waste by 70% and improved local partnerships. In Spain and Brazil, hotels run entirely on renewable energy. In Jamaica, the Grange Pen Marine Sanctuary, spanning 3.3 million square meters, engages local fishers in marine conservation. Iberostar aims for carbon neutrality by 2030.

💻 Pertlink's latest AI Toolkit Series targets vendors and hotel leaders, emphasizing operational certainty over innovation. The toolkit helps vendors shift from feature-selling to maturity-aligned problem-solving and assists buyers in evaluating AI solutions with concrete criteria. Pertlink Limited, founded on October 23, 2000, is a Hong Kong-based IT consultancy specializing in hospitality technology, known for its global expertise and network in the industry.

💻 The Concierge AI Playbook by Pertlink enhances luxury hospitality with AI, maintaining a balance between human judgment and technology. The toolkit aids concierge teams in delivering personalized service efficiently, with strict governance on guest data and decision-making. Pertlink, founded on October 23, 2000, operates globally from Hong Kong, focusing on IT solutions for hospitality. The phased rollout promises anticipatory luxury service within 12-24 months, amplifying concierge roles rather than replacing them.

🌎 Dec 19, 2025, OpenAI launched a new in-chat app marketplace within ChatGPT, enabling travel brands to submit chat-native apps. Previously exclusive to Booking.com and Expedia, this now broad platform allows any approved developer to list their apps in a centralized directory, accessible across devices. Despite the innovative model with Stripe-powered checkout, travel transactions still direct users elsewhere for completion. The focus shifts to AI-led conversations, where travel brands compete for planning attention.

🛅 Dec 19, 2025: AI is reshaping hotel bookings, strengthening the role of OTAs like Booking Holdings and Expedia. These platforms, due to their extensive inventory, remain vital for AI-driven booking tools. Despite AI advancements, OTAs maintain a strategic advantage with their robust data handling and support systems. The landscape may intensify competition and costs for hotel visibility, while distribution power could centralize. Trusted content and reviews remain crucial for AI visibility. Source: BTIG analyst Jake Fuller.