TOP NEWS

💰 CDS Groupe, a French hotel booking and payment solutions leader, has acquired SIAP, an Italian company providing ERP software to over 1,000 TMCs. The acquisition aims to consolidate CDS Groupe's EU business travel dominance, with SIAP remaining autonomous. CDS Groupe, led by CEO Ziad Minkara, targets €1 billion in hotel bookings by 2027, with further expansion plans, including the Anglo-Saxon market. SIAP's Methodica solution will be integrated into CDS Groupe's services, enhancing its corporate client offerings.

🏨 By 2025, expect technology-first hospitality with virtual concierges, mobile check-ins, and apps. Smart rooms will cater to digital-native Gen Z travelers. Online experiences will be seamless across platforms, stressing mobile-first approaches. Wellness services will expand, including in-room massages and healthy dining options. Hyper-personalization will be key with tailored guest experiences. Hotels will adopt eco-friendly practices, catering to guests' sustainability preferences. Group travel for 'bleisure' is anticipated to grow. Revenue optimization will focus on upselling and unbundling amenities. Seamless digital payments will include wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Influencer partnerships will influence travel decisions, especially on platforms like TikTok and Snapchat.

🏡 Marriott International announced over 260 luxury hotels in the development pipeline, with over 30 properties expected to open in 2025. A profound evolution in luxury travel is witnessed, with Millennials and Gen Z reshaping the market by prioritizing experiences. EDITION Hotels debuted in Saudi Arabia in 2024, with openings in Lake Como and the Red Sea planned for 2025. JW Marriott launched in St. Maarten, Nairobi, and Taiyuan in 2024, with more openings in Kaafu Atoll, Crete, and Tokyo ahead. The Luxury Collection added resorts in Labuan Bajo, Lombok, Nice, Las Vegas, and Isla Mujeres in 2024, with Milan and Madrid joining soon. The Ritz-Carlton introduced locations in Morocco, Hawaii, Saudi Arabia, and Bangkok, and will return to Puerto Rico in 2025. St. Regis opened resorts in Longboat Key and Shanghai in 2024, with upcoming launches in Aruba and the Dominican Republic. W Hotels reimagined W Hollywood, launched W Prague, and will open in Union Square, Punta Cana, and Florence in 2025.

📍 In 2024, the hotel industry recognized the necessity for operational and tech improvements. Fragmented hotel systems result in missed revenue and guest dissatisfaction. Google's Gemini AI emphasizes the need for contextually relevant content. Websites must be optimized for mobile, accessibility, and user-friendly navigation. A mid-sized hotel group increased direct bookings by 15% through integrated systems. AI adoption is essential, predicted to double within two years. Inter-departmental alignment and real-time data trackings are crucial for growth. Hotels are advised to adopt digital transformation to stay competitive.

📋 Leveraging Business Intelligence (BI) tools during the pre-stay hotel phases—Attraction (Pre-Booking), Booking, and Upsell Marketing (Pre-Arrival)—can maximize revenue and minimize costs. BI tools provide real-time data analytics, actionable insights, and predictive modeling for data-driven decisions. Hotels can optimize marketing campaigns, adjust pricing strategies, and offer personalized guest experiences. In the Attraction phase, BI analyzes market segmentation, marketing campaign performance, website and digital analytics, and competitor and market insights, reducing Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and increasing profitability. During the Booking phase, BI assists in channel management, pricing optimization, and conversion rate improvement, leading to reduced distribution costs and enhanced user experience. In the Upsell Marketing phase, BI aids in understanding guest profiles and preferences, measuring upsell performance, and evaluating communication effectiveness, contributing to increased ancillary revenue and guest satisfaction. 📈

📅 Elena Black appointed as the senior vice president of marketing at Rocco Forte Hotels, bringing over 20 years of experience. Previously at Six Senses for over 13 years and promoted to head of global luxury and lifestyle marketing after its merger with IHG Hotels & Resorts. Stephan Hungeling becomes managing director and chief transformation officer of Steigenberger Hotels, joining from Christ and with past experience at Douglas GmbH. Steigenberger CEO Oliver Bonke joining the supervisory board on April 1, 2025, to be replaced by Dr. Hungeling. Chuck Moses named as vice president of sales at First Hospitality with over 20 years of experience, coming from Davidson Hospitality Group. Daniela Rico becomes operations director at Grand Cayman Marriott Resort after climbing ranks since joining Marriott in Venezuela. Marielle Vroemen promoted to head of operations at Choice Hotels EMEA, focusing on franchisee support. Gayla Guyse appointed general manager of upcoming Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel, set to open in fall 2025, with 25 years at Omni. Steve Pufpaf named general manager of The Westin Los Angeles Airport with over 35 years of Marriott experience.

🎉 On 3 December 2024, European Parliament hosted the European Hospitality Day, featuring a keynote by Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas on sustainability and competitiveness in tourism. The event in Brussels included discussions with industry leaders like Christel Delberghe (EuroCommerce) and Veronique Willems (SMEunited), focusing on SME empowerment. Roundtables addressed hospitality competitiveness and sustainability, highlighting VAT issues, administrative burdens, recruitment, legal migration, circular economy, and energy efficiency. Thanks were given to MEP Nikolina Brnjac and participating MEPs for their contributions.

🏨 Lou Zameryka, founder of Alively and partner at Ventures Hospitality, discussed the use of AI in hotel sales, marketing, and revenue management at a recent HSMAI event on December 3, 2024. He highlighted practical AI applications like sales training with video avatars and gamification, optimizing content for AI-based conversational search in marketing, and attribute-based pricing for revenue management. The podcast episode explores "boundaryless intelligence" and AI-native companies in the hospitality industry.