Miscellaneous

🍳 In the QSR industry, self-ordering kiosks boost operational success by reducing order queues and increasing average order value (AOV) by 15-30%. They enhance order accuracy, guest experience, and staff efficiency. Kiosk.eu offers scalable, AI-ready kiosks with features like NFC payments and POS integration. These kiosks support high-traffic environments with flexible mounting options and intuitive interfaces. Their open integration architecture ensures adaptability to evolving business needs, optimizing digital ordering and hospitality.

📹 Shot by Cameron Hammond at Aethos Mallorca, from 6–10 May, Aethos hosts a pop-up in Milan, Corso Garibaldi 83. This event features Stella Maxwell, Bruna Lirio, and Aleksa Gavrilovic, and includes interactive moments, well-being sessions, and cinema nights. Supported by brands like Martini and Manduka, it culminates on 9 May with a headline event. A limited-edition coffee table book and T-shirt collection complement the campaign.

🎨 While cleaning his garage, the author discovered an old oil painting set from junior high, sparking memories of creative inspiration. A booklet from the set emphasized everyone's innate artistic talent and the importance of finding one's "metier". The metaphor of a blank canvas represents fresh starts in life and business, encouraging creativity and planning. Success in any field, whether sales or personal hobbies, depends on how one utilizes their talents.

💳 Prashant Shah, VP of product management at Galileo Financial Technologies, emphasizes the need for travel loyalty programs to leverage payments data beyond credit cards. His insights focus on identifying and retaining high-value customers by utilizing comprehensive payment data. This approach aims to enhance the effectiveness of loyalty programs by gaining a better understanding of customer behaviors and preferences, which could lead to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.

🍋 Menton, France, renowned for its lemons, hosts a lemon festival every February, drawing 250,000 visitors. Menton lemons, dating back to the 15th century, almost vanished by 1956. In 1988, Laurent Gannac began reviving them. Menton has 56 producers left; a kilo sells for €17-€20. Gannac's orchard, with 30 staff and 100 products, thrives through farm tourism. Land prices hinder new farmers, threatening the survival of this historic lemon. Adrien Gannac joined in 2015, expanding operations.

📈 Preferred Hotels & Resorts, with over 6 million global members, revamped its I Prefer loyalty program to enhance transparency and affordability, offering benefits from the start. Points are earned at 10 per $1 spent, with tiers Silver (0-24,999 points), Gold (25,000-49,000 points), and Titanium (50k+ points). The program includes over 700 hotels in 80 countries, with partnerships with Citibank and Capital One. Key locations include Artyzen Singapore and Condado Vanderbilt Hotel, part of the Legend Collection.

🛠 In 2026, less than 25% of new Asian hotel supply is branded, with Southeast Asia dominated by independent hotels. Accor reports a significant shift towards conversions, offering 15% to 40% performance boosts. Conversions reduce costs, lower OTA commissions by ~30%, and enhance distribution and loyalty, potentially accounting for 50% of room nights. Accor’s 410 Asian hotels, 96,000 rooms, and 187-hotel pipeline emphasize conversion, with brands like Mercure and Ibis Styles supporting diverse ownership models.