Innovation - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 97

1 min

RateGain finalises Sojern acquisition

✈️ RateGain finalizes acquisition of Sojern, integrating their AI-powered travel tech solutions. Serving 13,000 customers across the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific, this union strengthens their market position. The combined platform enhances marketing, distribution, and revenue strategies, leveraging AI for precision targeting and engagement. Bhanu Chopra highlights the strategic global expansion; Mark Rabe sees it as a growth catalyst. Focus: innovation, customer outcomes, and a future-ready travel platform.

2 min

TUI partners with Mindtrip for AI-inspired…

🗺️ TUI partners with Mindtrip, integrating TUI's booking into Mindtrip’s AI travel platform. Users in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands can book TUI packages via a ‘Book with TUI’ button. Mindtrip’s platform uses AI to offer personalized travel suggestions, while Nezasa maps these to real-time inventory. This initiative marks an industry-first, offering insights into AI-based travel sales and enhancing TUI's digital and offline channels.

1 min

Airbnb adds a “what” box to search

💻 Nov 7, 2025, Airbnb tests a new “What” search box using natural language input, marking phase one of CEO Brian Chesky's AI vision for travel planning. Phase two will add conversational features, while phase three will unify search, customer service, and messaging. The AI aims for personalized, conversational search results rather than fixed filters. Airbnb is also piloting Experiences and Services city by city for efficient scaling, avoiding commodification by broader AI platforms.

2 min

Winning the heart, not the booking

🏨 Nov 7, 2025, Singapore: At WiT Singapore 2025, leaders from COMO Hotels, Booking.com, and Trip.com shifted focus from "direct vs. indirect" booking to enhancing guest experience. Trip.com empowers with AI and 24/7 service. Booking.com values tech-driven empathy with 350M reviews, while COMO highlights the need for data integration and emotional loyalty. The industry prioritizes reducing friction and enhancing retention over acquisition, advocating for measuring "return on emotional investment" over traditional metrics.

1 min

Airbnb expands beyond stays

💰 Nov 7, 2025, Airbnb's Q3 report shows nearly 50% of Experiences bookings lacked accommodations. In Paris, 70% of Airbnb Originals are locals. Hotel listings are tested in Los Angeles, New York, and Madrid to address rental restrictions. Q3 revenue rose 10% to $4.1 billion, with a $2 billion adjusted EBITDA. CEO Brian Chesky anticipates services becoming a major revenue source in 3-5 years, alongside AI personalization and strategic hotel integrations.

1 min

Expedia doubles down on AI and B2B growth

📈 Nov 7, 2025, Expedia Group's Q3 earnings highlighted a 26% rise in B2B bookings, totaling $3 billion. Revenue grew 9% to $2.72 billion, and EBITDA rose 16%. Room nights increased by 11%, marking significant U.S. growth. The company expanded its OpenAI partnership for AI-driven personalization, focusing on enhancing traveler intent understanding. CEO Ariane Gorin noted the collaboration is still in its "early days." Hotels.com and Vrbo improved with new loyalty programs.

3 min

NYU SPS Tisch Center, Stayntouch, and IDeaS Release Hotel Technology Outlook Study

📊 2026 Hotel Technology Outlook: NYU's Tisch Center of Hospitality, Stayntouch, and IDeaS Revenue Solutions released a report analyzing hotel operators' tech systems. 30% of All-in-One users plan to switch to Best-in-Class, while only 14% go the opposite way. Best-in-Class systems boast 70% satisfaction, with fewer guest issues than All-in-One systems, which report more booking errors (57% vs. 45%) and check-in delays (46% vs. 23%). Integration remains a challenge, with 38% citing it as a pain point.

5 min

Life is hard, Check into easy: City Lodge Hotels’ highlights of the financial year

🏨 City Lodge Hotels published its 2025 Integrated Report, detailing a 3% revenue increase to R2.0 billion. CFO Dhanisha Nathoo noted room rates up 7% and food revenue up 8%, offsetting a drop in occupancy to 56%. Profits rose 13% to R213 million. CEO Andrew Widegger highlighted the firm's 40th anniversary, strategic growth initiatives, and the closure of the Katherine Street hotel, sold for R68 million. The group focuses on innovation, culture, and expansion amidst challenging conditions.

HOTELS Magazine Video Series: In Conversation with Enseo

📺 During The Hospitality Show, David Eisen of HOTELS Magazine interviewed Enseo's CEO Brian Gurley and President David Goldstone about in-room TV technology. Enseo's report, "The Power of Connections," explores digitized guestroom entertainment trends and revenue opportunities. Key topics included guest experience, profitability, vendor relationships, technology integration, and overcoming tech challenges. Enseo, a U.S.-based tech provider, focuses on seamless, personalized hotel TV experiences.

Luxury Starts Within: People Who Make Hospitality Shine

Blog Post Excerpt 🏨 At the Beyond Luxury Awards held in November 2025 at Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol, Spain, leaders in luxury hospitality emphasized the significance of human connection over technology. Staff interactions boost guest satisfaction more than cleanliness, evidenced by a 0.6-point increase in GRI, compared to 0.3 for other factors. Technology aids staff by automating tasks, allowing personalized guest experiences. Emphasizing employee well-being as a brand strategy enhances guest experiences and brand reputation.

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