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Hospitality management graduate student shapes technology practices at Cafe Laura

While pursuing a Master of Professional Studies in Hospitality Management , Faisal Alhoymany has received hands-on, real-world operations and strategy experience working at Cafe Laura , Penn State School of Hospitality Management ’s student-run restaurant. In the live service environment, Alhoymany supports the operation and optimization of Tray-C, a Bear Robotics Servi robot, which helps with repetitive operational tasks like transporting dirty plates to the dishwasher. He strategizes how technology can improve workflow and guest experience, focusing on how Tray-C's placement, routing, and interaction with guests and staff affect efficiency and usability during service. “I hope to pursue a leadership-track role, ideally in revenue management,” Alhoymany said about his career aspirations. “My experience working with Tray-C has given me a valuable understanding of how to use service robots effectively to improve workflows, support staff and make hospitality operations more efficient. I see that experience as something that strengthens my perspective and sets me apart, especially as the industry continues to adopt more technology solutions.” Alhoymany said the hospitality industry faces a significant labor shortage in the next decade. Service robots are becoming an important part of how teams can operate more smoothly, especially in high-volume settings—helping companies improve efficiency, reduce repetitive physical tasks and allow employees to spend more time focusing on the guest experience. “In hospitality, robots work best when they support staff, and that must be communicated clearly so employees trust the technology and see it as a tool that helps them do their jobs better, rather than as a threat,” Alhoymany said. “Successful integration depends on getting everyone on board and integrating the robot into the existing workflow to make that workflow more efficient instead of designing the workflow around the robot.” At Cafe Laura, Alhoymany puts learning into action. In a revenue optimization class, he is learning how to leverage AI to inform revenue strategy and build solutions. More broadly, his master’s degree coursework has shown him how important it is to make decisions based on the full operational picture rather than looking at one issue in isolation. Alhoymany said the master of professional studies will equip him with the tools needed to lead teams and strengthen the way he assesses operations, solves problems and thinks strategically. “The master’s program is flexible, the instructors are supportive and the curriculum is aligned with current industry trends, so students enter the professional world with relevant, up-to-date knowledge,” Alhoymany said. “Instructors are genuinely willing to tailor the courses to students' interests, so you benefit from their expertise in areas that matter most to you. For anyone looking to move into a leadership role and develop a stronger understanding of the strategic side of hospitality
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Abba Hotels boosted conversions 15% with Cendyn DMP metasearch campaigns

THE CHALLENGE Before partnering with Cendyn, Abba Hotels faced the common challenge of standing out in highly competitive destinations while reducing reliance on OTAs and driving more direct bookings. With properties spread across multiple markets, the team needed a more effective way to capture traveler demand at both the high-intent booking stage and earlier in the planning journey, while also maintaining control over marketing performance and spend. Managing metasearch visibility across multiple channels and platforms can be complex and time-consuming, while the Cendyn Digital Marketing Platform (DMP) enables Abba Hotels to centralize and streamline their metasearch strategy in one solution to increase direct channel growth. THE SOLUTION With the Cendyn Digital Marketing Platform (DMP), Abba Hotels launched a robust metasearch strategy designed to capture demand and drive profitable direct revenue. Through the DMP, they activated classic paid metasearch campaigns across Google Hotel Ads, Kayak, Tripadvisor, Trivago, and Skyscanner to target high-intent, ready-to-book travelers searching specifically for their properties. At the same time, they expanded visibility with destination-focused campaigns—such as Google Travel Promotion Ads and Tripadvisor Sponsored Placement—to capture early demand from travelers searching for terms like “4-star hotel in Barcelona.” To further maximize exposure, they also enabled free metasearch campaigns via Google Hotel Ads Free Booking Links. All campaigns were managed in Cendyn’s centralized, comprehensive DMP, enabling Abba Hotels to streamline execution, optimize performance, and strengthen their direct booking strategy. THE RESULTS In the second half of 2025, Abba Hotels achieved measurable gains across its metasearch campaigns compared to the same period in 2024. Conversion rates increased by 15%, reflecting stronger on-site performance and more qualified traffic. Revenue per click rose by 27%, demonstrating improved efficiency in turning demand into high-value bookings. At the same time, return on ad spend (ROAS) grew by 4%, highlighting a meaningful uplift in overall campaign profitability driven through Cendyn’s Digital Marketing Platform.
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Kalibri Launches Profit Actions in Hummingbird Commercial, Delivering a Clearer Path to Hotel Profitability

Kalibri today announced the launch of Profit Actions , a new enhancement within Hummingbird Commercial that helps hotel teams quickly identify, understand, and act on their most profitable opportunities. As rising expenses, particularly customer acquisition costs, continue to pressure margins, the hospitality industry is shifting its focus from top-line revenue to profit-driven revenue performance . Profit Actions is designed to help hotels navigate that complexity with clarity and speed. As hotels across the industry experience the narrowing gap between revenue and expenses, there’s a growing realization that a focus on the most profitable revenue is critical. While many are talking about profit, Kalibri is providing a daily roadmap to each hotel’s most profitable mix of business through Profit Actions Cindy Estis Green, Co-Founder and CEO of Kalibri Profit Actions brings a hotel’s performance, profit opportunity, and market context into a single, intuitive view , enabling teams to move from insight to action faster. With it, users can instantly see their current performance and profit potential, understand what’s driving each opportunity, and act at the right time using integrated trends and calendar insights. Profit Actions is the central hub for profit optimization within Hummingbird Commercial as the new experience simplifies complex data so it can be used in real time by revenue managers, general managers, sales teams and above-property teams. Profit Actions lays the foundation for future innovation, including upcoming AI-powered recommendations that will guide users toward specific actions to maximize profitability.
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Positron Access Solutions Expands Leadership Team to Support Accelerating Growth in Hospitality Technology

MONTREAL, QC — Positron Access Solutions, a global leader in innovative connectivity solutions for the hospitality and multi-dwelling unit (MDU) markets, today announced the expansion of its sales leadership team with the promotion of Jeffrey Clement to Senior Vice President of Sales, Hospitality, and the addition of Dominic Locascio to its growing sales organization. The strategic team expansion comes as Positron experiences increased demand for its cost-effective, non-disruptive technology solution that enables in-room high-performance Wi-Fi and IPTV over existing coaxial infrastructure, helping hotel owners and operators modernize the property connectivity Gigabit Ethernet infrastructure without the expense and disruption of rewiring existing structures. Positron is at a pivotal acceleration of growth as the industry seeks smarter, more efficient ways to upgrade connectivity infrastructure. Jeffrey’s leadership and deep technical expertise, combined with Dominic’s proven ability to drive growth and build high-performing sales organizations, position us to accelerate our momentum and better serve our customers worldwide. Reg Weiser, CEO of Positron Access Solutions Bringing more than 20 years of experience in hospitality technology, hotel systems and in-room entertainment solutions to his new role, Jeffrey Clement has held key roles with leading organizations, including Samsung and iBahn. Having served on both the vendor and hotel sides of the hotel industry, Clement specializes in converged networks, IPTV, technical sales, project management and business development. He has a strong focus on the 4- and 5-star hotel market and emerging technologies. Since joining Positron in January 2022, Clement has played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s presence within the hospitality sector, helping to drive adoption of the Positron GAM (Gigabit Any Media) solution among leading brands, ownership groups and managed service providers. “This is an exciting time for Positron and for the industry as a whole,” said Clement. “We’re seeing a shift in how owners approach connectivity investments, and our solution is uniquely positioned to meet those needs.” Dominic Locascio is a 25-year veteran of the hotel technology industry and an accomplished sales and business unit leader with a proven track record of driving multimillion-dollar technology sales and revenue growth. Throughout his career, he has led high-performing teams, expanded market presence and developed strategic go-to-market initiatives across hardware, software, wireless, IoT and AI-driven solutions. In previous roles in the sector, Locascio has contributed to increased market share for several global brands, and has consistently ranked among top performers in sales and revenue generation across multiple organizations. In his new role at Positron, he is already leading conversations around infrastructure transformation, helping hospitality operators address growing connectivity demands while preparing for the next generation of guest-facing technologies. “What drew me to Positron is the opportunity to help hotel operators rethink how high-bandwidth connectivity over the coaxial infrastructure is deployed and leveraged,” added Locascio. “There is a clear need for solutions that are not only high-performing and cost-effective, but also practical, scalable and aligned with the future of hospitality technology.” As the hospitality industry continues to modernize legacy infrastructure, Positron’s approach of delivering superior performance without costly rewiring
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HCN Releases Whitepaper: ‘Unlocking the Power of Tablet-based Advertising in Hotels’

CHICAGO — Hotel Communication Network (HCN), the global leader in guestroom tablets for hotels, is offering a new whitepaper titled Unlocking the Power of In-Room Tablet Advertising in Hotels . Authored by three industry experts: Terry Donnelly, Chief Revenue Officer, HCN; Hector Gonzalez, Founder & CEO, OOH Connect; and Seif Khemaissia, Co-Founder, Akru.ai ; the report explains how HCN has transformed the guestroom tablet into a powerful marketing and Commerce Media Channel. HCN has been at the forefront of providing tablets for guestrooms in hotels for many years as an enhanced interface to automate the guestroom. Using it only for this purpose ignores the potential and power these devices can bring to marketing the hotel’s services and providing today’s hotel guests with access to the experiences and information they expect. HCN’s new advanced programmatic advertising platform is designed to maximize the potential of these technologies, providing advertisers and hoteliers with a sophisticated and highly customizable medium to engage consumers directly. We are radically changing the way media buyers can target highly desirable audiences, in the place where 85% of a tourist’s purchase decisions are made, and when consumers are highly receptive to brand messaging. Kevin Bidner, HCN’s Founder & CEO HCN’s tablet-based platform has a dual function: it meets the real needs of hotel guests (entertainment, local info, ticketing, content, and streaming services) and seamlessly integrates highly targeted brand messaging. This creates a highly curated travel experience. Guests receive information that is personalized and aligned with their loyalty status while the tablet offers meaningful content that adds value to their stay. As an in-room AI Concierge, tablets give advertisers a powerful marketing engine to reach high-net-worth consumers who are guests in leading hotels, connecting them to products and services that appeal to their personal interests. “With deployments in 25 countries, HCN is the global authority on in-room tablet monetization,” said Hector Gonzales, President of OOH Connect, and a veteran of the digital out of home and media industry. “They pioneered the category nearly 20 years ago and are now transforming it yet again. This whitepaper details how advertisers can connect deeply with consumers by leveraging the tablet’s unique features, bridging Direct Out of Home (DOOH), display, and e-commerce. “HCN has transformed what was a room automation device into an omnichannel ecommerce engine,” Gonzales added. “They provide hotels with a new owned media channel where they can market directly to guests in their hotels, while providing advertisers with the ability to engage consumers with targeted information in a highly segmented and relevant way. The old print hotel room magazine has been transformed into a powerful digital media platform.” Hotel guests spend an average of three and a half hours a day in the guest room. It’s no wonder it is the most trusted space on the traveler's journey. HCN’s platform supports trust by giving control over nearly every aspect of their stay into the hands of the guest and providing highly engaging and relevant content and is converting that deep engagement
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Travelers Use AI to Dream, Trusted Brands to Book, Travel Hit $11.6 Trillion in 2025, SiteMinder Connects 53,000 Hotels to AI Platforms

Today's content converges on one question the entire industry is trying to answer: if AI is reshaping how travelers discover and plan, what does that mean for who captures the booking? Three pieces land different aspects of the same answer. Travelers are leaning on AI earlier in the journey than ever, but pulling back at the point of transaction. The infrastructure to close that gap is now being built. And the macro context behind all of it: travel just had its best year in recorded history. Expedia Finds the AI Trust Gap: Discovery Yes, Booking No Expedia Group's AI Trust Gap report, based on a YouGov survey of more than 5,700 adults across the U.S., U.K., and India, maps where AI sits in the traveler journey today. The planning numbers are striking: 53% are comfortable letting AI suggest travel options, 42% use or would use AI to monitor prices, and 40% use it to build itineraries. Nearly half say AI saves them time and surfaces places they would not have found otherwise. But the booking picture is entirely different. Only 8% feel comfortable booking through an AI platform. Two-thirds say they would not trust an AI assistant to buy or book anything on their behalf. The barriers are specific. Loss of control (57%), payment and data privacy (57%), and misuse of personal data (56%) are the top concerns. Expedia Group Chief AI and Data Officer Xavi Amatriain said travelers do not have a technology problem with AI, they have a trust problem, and that the kind of trust required to transact takes decades of real-world relationships and customer support to build. The implication for hotels is clear: AI will drive discovery and inspiration, but the brand relationship remains the decisive factor at the point of purchase. Read the analysis → Travel and Tourism Had Its Best Year Ever in 2025 WTTC's latest Economic Impact Research, produced with Chase Travel as lead research partner, puts travel and tourism's 2025 global GDP contribution at a record $11.6 trillion, equivalent to 9.8% of the global economy. The sector grew 4.1%, outpacing overall global economic growth of 2.8% by nearly 50%. It supported 366 million jobs worldwide, more than the total population of the United States, and accounted for 1 in 3 new jobs created globally. International overnight arrivals reached 1.54 billion, equivalent to 4.2 million people travelling every day. The regional divergence is the most consequential detail in the data. Asia-Pacific recorded 8.1% growth in travel and tourism GDP, reaching $3.29 trillion, driven by reopening momentum and rising international demand. North America grew just 1.0%, with travel and tourism GDP of $3.05 trillion, reflecting continued challenges in international visitor recovery. WTTC president Gloria Guevara called 2025 a defining moment and urged governments to treat travel and tourism as a strategic economic priority. Read the analysis → SiteMinder Connects 53,000 Hotels to AI Booking Platforms via MCP SiteMinder announced two platform expansions that move its 53,000-hotel network into AI-era distribution. Through Demand Plus, hotels
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MCE, Paralympics, and Fashion Week push Milan hotel room rates to March record

ARLINGTON, Va. – A combination of events led Milan to its highest average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) for any March on record, according to preliminary data from CoStar . CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information, and analytics in the property markets. March 2026 (year-over-year % change): Occupancy: 66.6% (-2.5%) ADR: EUR202.42 (+17.2%) RevPAR: EUR134.71 (+14.3%) Milan ADR peaked during the closing days of Fashion Week (24 February-2 March), reaching EUR249.60 on Sunday, 1 March. The market’s highest occupancy (91.7%) and RevPAR (EUR225.83) were recorded on Wednesday, 25 March, the second night of MCE 2026, the biennial HVAC+R, renewable energy and water tradeshow. During the Winter Paralympics Games (6-15 March), occupancy reached 72.3%, and RevPAR topped out at EUR138.48 on Tuesday, 10 March. During the Games, ADR climbed as high as EUR214.56 on Friday, 6 March. For more information about the company and its products and services, please visit www.costargroup.com . Additional Performance Data CoStar’s world-leading hotel performance sample comprises 94,000 properties and 12 million rooms around the globe. Members of the media should refer to the contacts listed below for additional data requests.
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xnPOS and Elavon partner to deliver new integrated mobile POS and payment device

Sunrise, Florida – Xn Global Systems, the leading hospitality point of sale system, and Elavon, one of the largest payment processors globally, are delighted to announce the launch of xnPOS MPay powered by Elavon. The launch of this game changing technology builds on the existing partnership between xnPOS and Elavon and utilizes the latest payments hardware from Castles Technology. The new fully mobile device includes a complete version of xnPOS point of sale system so there is no loss of functionality compared to a traditional workstation. The powerful Castles Technology SF 14 features a high-definition large 6.5” color display, an integrated 2” thermal printer, and support for Chip & PIN, magnetic stripe, and contactless payments. Compact and lightweight (3” x 8” x 2”, weighing just 18oz with paper roll), the device is designed for portability and ease of use. For years, traditional point-of-sale systems have kept staff tethered to fixed tills, slowing service and creating unnecessary steps. With xnPOS Mpay, that changes. Powered by Elavon’s trusted global payment system, xnPOS Mpay puts the entire order-to-payment process in the palm of a servers hand and offers hotels a powerful way to take orders and accept payments anywhere on the property —whether on the restaurant terrace, in the lobby lounge, at banquets and events, or even poolside or on the beach. After highly successful initial pilots in hotels in the US, xnPOS MPay is now available for full product launch, delivering the following benefits: Untether Serving Staff – Orders can be taken at the table, sent instantly to the kitchen or bar, and staff remain with guests throughout. Serve Faster, Serve More – Fewer trips back and forth mean faster service, more covers, and increased revenue potential. Pay at the Table with Confidence – Guests settle bills instantly with Elavon’s PCI-compliant, fraud-protected processing. Elevate the Guest Experience – Faster service, attentive staff, and seamless payment drive satisfaction, repeat business, and higher spend. Seamless Integration – xnPOS MPay is fully integrated into the xnPOS platform and scales effortlessly across select-service and full-service hotels. We are very excited to be working with Elavon on the launch of xnPOS MPay powered by Elavon. This game-changing technology boosts staff productivity by allowing them to spend more time with guests, enhancing the overall experience and increasing tips. Feedback from our pilot hotels has been overwhelmingly positive, with staff finding the devices intuitive and very effective Mark Pearman, Chief Commercial Officer, Xn Global Systems About Elavon Elavon is owned by U.S. Bank (NYSE: USB), the fifth-largest bank in the United States. It provides end-to-end payment processing solutions and services to more than 1.3 million customers in the United States, Europe, and Canada. As the leading provider for airlines and a top five provider in hospitality, healthcare, retail, and public sector/education, Elavon’s innovative payment solutions are designed to solve pain points for businesses from small to the largest global enterprises. About U.S. Bancorp U.S. Bancorp, with approximately 70,000 employees and $692 billion in assets as of December 31, 2025,
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