Innovation

💻 October 19, 2026, Clearwater, Florida: Mark Bloomquist and Steven Burman of roommaster shared insights on hotel technology on The Modern Hotelier podcast. They emphasized roommaster's modern PMS, which is three times faster and reduces clicks by 60%. The Booking Engine enhances direct bookings by up to 40%, placing hotel rates near OTA prices in Google metasearch. AI tools like the roommaster Concierge improve guest service by handling routine queries. Roommaster boasts a 97% client retention rate.

📈 Inn-Flow, on October 19, 2026, launched Essential BI in Raleigh, North Carolina. This new financial reporting tool allows hotel finance teams to create portfolio-wide Operating Statements in seconds, reducing report generation from 20 minutes. It offers reusable packages, global controls, and interactive data exploration. Powered by Snowflake, it supports faster performance and consistency. Initially featuring Accounting reports, it will expand to cover Labor and Facilities, aiming to enhance business insights and decision-making for hospitality leaders.

💳 OneJourney partners with WEX to launch SwiftPay, a payment platform for hotels, aiming to automate supplier payments. WEX, a payment solutions leader, processes 50% of virtual card payments in travel, with $237 billion in volume in 2025. The platform targets U.S. and European markets by 2026. SwiftPay offers automated savings with AI-driven features and virtual cards, enhancing security and efficiency at no extra cost or risk. OneJourney operates via Hotel Direct, LLC in Miami Beach, FL.

✅ On October 19, 2026, in Raleigh, NC, Inn-Flow launches Essential BI. This new feature in Inn-Flow Accounting revolutionizes hotel financial reporting, reducing report generation time from 20 minutes to seconds. It offers reusable reporting packages, global controls, and interactive data exploration—all at no extra cost. Powered by Snowflake, the infrastructure supports faster, portfolio-scale performance. Essential BI aims to simplify financial reporting, empowering hotel finance teams to interpret data efficiently and make informed business decisions.

📰 Mulberry Media, founded in 1997, specializes in B2B media and events, providing fast and insightful journalism. They focus on delivering analysis through modern, data-driven platforms, targeting professional business audiences.

💻 In 2027, AI costs in hospitality will shift from fixed to usage-based models, challenging predictable budgeting. Terence Ronson, a hospitality tech expert, advocates for budgeting AI as a metered cost, focusing on training, governance, and data quality. AI costs should be managed with a rolling forecast. Metrics like Token Cost Per Guest (TCPG) are essential. Governance tools such as Decision Envelopes and AI Override Rates are crucial in budgeting and policy. The emphasis is on efficiency and meaningful guest interactions.

📑 Who? Carlo Del Mistro and Stiplo team. When? Autumn, presented at Skift’s Data + AI Summit, London. Where? Barcelona. What? Study on AI hotel recommendations: 659 accommodations analyzed; 27,360 AI responses; 4 AI assistants in 3 languages. How? Independent hotels are 8 times less known to AI than chains. About 1 in 5 hotels were never recommended. Only 7% of AI mentions come from hotel websites. Google review volume impacts visibility, not AI optimization tools.

📅 On November 12, 2026, HOSPACE will gather hospitality professionals at the Royal Lancaster London. Key sessions will include discussions on finance, technology, and ESG, led by industry figures like HotStats CEO Michael Grove and UKHospitality's Allen Simpson. Workshops and panels will explore technology in hotel operations, digital guest experiences, and ESG. Networking, a Gala Awards Dinner, and Inspirational Leader Awards will follow. HOSPACE aims to enhance business strategies through collaboration and innovation.

💻 In hospitality, technology must excel beyond typical office standards. Malfunctions like slow check-ins, unresponsive card terminals, or unstable Wi-Fi lead to queues, complaints, or lost sales swiftly. Efficient tech integration is crucial for seamless service and guest satisfaction.

📱 Founded in 2016, Duve focuses on digitizing guest experiences in hospitality. From 2016 to 2019, they catered mainly to holiday rentals, including Check My Guest and Staycation. By 2019, they expanded to hotels, allowing guest check-ins via personal devices. AI integration personalizes journeys, improving RevPAR by 1-2% and boosting online check-ins to 70%. AI automates 75-80% of messages and supports upselling. Duve aims to fully automate personalization, turning impressions into loyalty.