TOP NEWS

📈 Acclaimed chef, author, and TV host Carla Hall to keynote at the National Restaurant Association Show 2025, scheduled for May 17-20 at McCormick Place, Chicago. The keynote session is set for May 18, 2025, at 1 p.m. Registration for the event is available with an early bird rate until November 18. Hall, a former "Top Chef" contestant and "The Chew" co-host, will share industry insights and her journey from accountant to culinary icon, aiming to inspire foodservice professionals. Michelle Korsmo, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, will provide an industry outlook and host a Q&A with Hall. Hall's work includes judging on Food Network shows and advocating for causes like No Kid Hungry. The National Restaurant Association Show, started in 1919, is a platform for foodservice innovation and trends.

📣 Cloudbeds, headquartered in San Diego, CA, partners with PXier, enhancing its property management system with sales, catering, and spa software solutions. Cloudbeds, serving properties in 150+ countries, has been honored by Hotel Tech Report (2021-2024) and World Travel Awards (2022), and featured in Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 (2023). The integration leverages Cloudbeds’ open API for real-time data sync, centralized event management, and automated spa management, catering to hotels of all sizes.

🏨 On October 3, 2024, Ruby Molly Hotel Dublin, boasting 272 luxury rooms, integrated Shiji's Enterprise Platform to boost automation, consolidate guest data, and enhance efficiency. This technology enables rapid integration of new properties, streamlines check-in/check-out, and supports Ruby's "lean luxury" approach, balancing high quality with cost optimization. Shiji, established in 1998, serves 91,000 hotels and Ruby, starting in 2013, now runs 19 hotels with more upcoming, plus workspaces across Europe.

💡 Hoteliers can achieve energy efficiency without sacrificing guest comfort or incurring high costs. Motion sensors and occupancy-based systems can save energy while advanced sensors recognize sleep mode to maintain comfort. Wireless technology and factory pre-programmed systems reduce installation costs and complexity. Balancing energy code compliance, cost control, and guest satisfaction is key. Strategic planning and the right IoT solutions can transform energy regulation challenges into opportunities for innovation, maintaining both environmental and economic benefits.

🏨 Luxury independent hotel properties have seen a resurgence in 2024, particularly in popular UK destinations like York, Edinburgh, Liverpool, and Glasgow. The broader hospitality market in 2024 remains flat, with the global MICE market predicted to grow from $970.76 billion in 2024 to $1,932.73 billion by 2032. Hoteliers face challenges in rate strategies, direct bookings, management costs, and investment in technology and talent. Opportunities lie in long-term planning and personalization to gain competitive advantage.

📅 Cisneros discusses the evolving role of revenue managers in the hospitality industry, emphasizing understanding customer digital patterns and demand. He predicts technology, especially AI, will shape future sophisticated, data-centric revenue management strategies. Mint House uses attribute-based selling, offering services like "Stock Your Stay" for groceries and partnerships with local restaurants for food delivery. He also touches on the challenges of sourcing revenue management talent, highlighting three types of managers: operational, technical, and platform experts.

🌞 Shangri-La Le Touessrok, Mauritius, with a history of 45 years, reopens on October 19 after a renovation. The resort makeover includes 185 guest rooms, suites, and revamped restaurants and bars. The redesign pays homage to the local culture with Mauritian weaving techniques, and features restaurants such as TSK, Coco's, Kushi, Safran, and Sega Bar. New experiences include e-bike tours, private Champagne cruises, and wellness treatments at Chi, The Spa. Sustainability efforts are integral to the renovation, reflecting the resort's commitment to environmental protection.

📈 Personalized guest experiences in hospitality can drive profitability and loyalty, with 61% of consumers willing to spend more for such customization. Hotels utilize technology like PMS, CDP, and CRM to collect data and tailor services, boosting guest satisfaction and advocacy. Effective personalization can increase revenue per guest, improve occupancy rates, and encourage direct bookings. Key technologies include advanced PMS, CDPs for unified guest profiles, and CRM for targeted communications. Challenges include data privacy and balancing personalization with guest privacy. Personalization is seen as crucial for the hospitality industry's future success.

💼 Christopher Hunsberger, former executive at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, shares his experience in leading product and service innovation during a significant CEO transition when Izzy Sharp was replaced by Katie Taylor. Entrusted by Taylor, he took on the role to explore future directions for the company, which was already 30 years into its history. Over two or three years, Hunsberger worked with various levels of the organization and consultants to foster a stronger culture of innovation, emphasizing nimbleness, agility, and a willingness to embrace failure for successful risk-taking and collaboration.

🏨 GuestRevu’s final quarter of 2024 is packed with events, starting with the HMA Hotelier Meetup on October 3, including a Masterclass featuring their marketing manager Sarah Came. The Independent Hotel Show London runs from October 15-16 with 200+ industry products and a partnership between GuestRevu and HOSPA. Tech-Tonic, on October 22, features a workshop by their regional sales manager, Amy Brandford. WTM London is from November 5-7, expected to exceed last year's by 7%. The GuestRevu GREAT Awards, in partnership with Stenden University, HOSPA, HotelTime, and HOP, occur on November 6 during WTM. The season ends with HOSPACE on November 14, a leading industry networking event ending with a gala dinner and awards.