Innovation

📱 ChatGPT will test ads in 2025, with a full launch for free users in 2026. Unlike Google Ads, ads will be integrated into chat replies, not as pop-ups. Pricing is based on clicks or actions. Ads use advanced targeting via chat context and session data. Users have control over personalization by disabling memory. Ad formats include sponsored messages and action buttons, tracked through session-level tokens. This marks a shift for AI as a media channel.

📺 Hotel TV is evolving into a digital touchpoint impacting guest satisfaction and revenue. Key stakeholders—owners, operators, and brands—align infrastructure with guest experience, focusing on personalization. Technological partners like Samsung and SONIFI enhance seamless user interfaces while leveraging AI and cloud services to improve content delivery and reduce latency. Balancing revenue generation and cost, TV systems enable transactions and targeted promotions. Priorities include cost reduction, content variety, and support, aiming for a home-like experience in hotels.

💻 MCLEAN, Virginia—The HSMAI Foundation's report, "How Generative AI is Reshaping Executive Hiring in Hospitality," highlights AI's impact on recruitment. SearchWide Global noted a 60-80% reduction in workloads, with AI boosting efficiency and expanding candidate pools. AI tools are used by 44% of organizations, reducing time-to-hire by up to 86%. Leadership roles now require analytics fluency, with 30-40% emphasizing this. AI identifies nontraditional talent, broadening diversity in leadership.

📈 14:00 – 15:00 GMT, online and free to attend. Learn how GEO marketing differs from SEO, its impact on hotel visibility, and AI optimization for bookings. Ideal for hotel owners, developers, and C-suite executives. Join over 7,000 professionals for interactive sessions with real-time Q&A. Hosted by BHN editor Eloise Hanson. Speaker details to be confirmed.

📰 Marketing Convergence: A significant tech acquisition merges demand intelligence and performance marketing. Distribution Defense: A major GDS is countering the rise of Agentic AI. Operational Integrity: Essential tech ensures high-volume casino cash flow. Automated Service: A fast-food giant launches an AI and robotics-driven restaurant model. Travel Infrastructure: Advances in sub-orbital tech aim to shrink global distances. The Smart PMS: A cutting-edge PMS acquires intelligence for autonomous hotel operations. #HospitalityTech #TravelTech

🛒 Shopify stores, including Glossier, SKIMS, and Spanx, are now live on ChatGPT. Users can make purchases via a new black Buy button without leaving the platform. This feature was announced nearly two months ago alongside an Etsy integration and briefly tested three weeks ago. Currently, there is no support for Shop Pay or Afterpay installment payments. While functional, issues such as incorrect product categorization and missing discount information persist. Glossier faces challenges with customer retargeting and marketing communication restrictions.

📈 Europe faces increasing tourism disruptions due to climate extremes like floods and heatwaves. The Horizon MYRIAD-EU project, notably supported by HOTREC, promotes a multi-risk resilience framework, aligning with the EU Green Deal. Key strategies include mapping interdependencies across sectors and adopting dynamic scenario-based modelling. Policy recommendations urge integrating MYRIAD-EU’s framework into tourism planning and enhancing public-private cooperation with incentives. A call to action emphasizes proactive, customized crisis management to safeguard tourism ecosystems.

💻 Global travel tech firm, Sabre, unveiled SabreMosaic Concierge IQ, an AI-driven chat solution aiding travel plans, bookings, and management. Featuring LLM AI, it offers personalized packages, loyalty integration, and seamless itinerary management. Virgin Australia is the first adopter. Concierge IQ enhances customer experiences through fast, accurate responses and real-time data analysis. According to Garry Wiseman, Sabre's Chief Product & Technology Officer, it revolutionizes travel retailing, increasing loyalty and conversions.

📈 The Data Appeal Company has launched a revolutionary management tool for Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), tourism boards, and travel authorities, addressing the challenge of processing vast tourism data. It integrates geo-referenced, behavioral, and sentiment indicators and is supported by hundreds of datasets. Unlike generic AI solutions, it delivers context-specific insights and actionable recommendations, enabling faster and smarter decisions. The tool simplifies operations by replacing multiple dashboards, empowering teams to focus on strategic decisions.

💸 Verified My Booking Rewards agents will access MyAgentRates.com in early 2026, an exclusive B2B platform for FAM trips at discounted rates. Targeting UK and Ireland agents, it extends MyBookingRewards.com, connecting 150,000 agents with suppliers. Preferred partners include Royalton Hotels & Resorts and Temptation Resorts. The platform offers API connectivity for real-time bookings. In the past year, MBR generated $1.3 billion in supplier revenue and awarded $4 million in agent rewards.