TOP NEWS

🏖️ The Data Appeal Company and Destination Think have initiated a global partnership to boost tourism sustainability through AI-driven sentiment analysis and regenerative tourism. Data Appeal collects data from over 130 sources for a Sentiment Score, aiding destinations in enhancing visitor experience and targeting development areas. This collaboration will extend Destination Think's European reach and introduce Data Appeal to North America and Oceania, offering predictive insights for tourism boards to proactively improve services.

🏠 Guesty AI, a property management software platform, launched two AI features: AI Assistant website builder and ReviewSmart AI, aiming to enhance short-term rentals and hospitality. The AI Assistant helps create SEO-optimized websites quickly, already adopted by 25% of Guesty's website builder users. ReviewSmart AI categorizes negative guest reviews into actionable insights, becoming a popular tool among advanced users. CEO Amiad Soto emphasizes AI-driven efficiency in optimizing bookings and guest experience.

🏠 Sam Nazarian founded SBE Entertainment in 2002 and made a cameo on "The Hills" in 2007, showcasing his hospitality ventures. SBE acquired Sahara Hotel in 2007, converting it to SLS. Years later, Nazarian sold SBE's hotel platform to Accor but kept its F&B business. In partnership with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and expecting to open 50 hotels by 2030, the first two HQ Hotels & Residences will open in Detroit and Montreux, Switzerland, with Montreux's 155-room hotel and spa set for 2025. SBE announced a $55-million fund for growth and has confirmed deals in Detroit and Montreux, aimed at millennials and Gen-Z. Mike Metcalf, former COO of Crescent Hotels & Resorts, became president of HQ Hotels in August.

📈 Las Vegas led the top 25 markets in event volume growth with 36% in August, followed by New York at 30.2%, marking New York's first appearance on the list since April 2024. The average event space used for these markets was 3,435 square feet with 124 attendees. Louisville, Kentucky dominated secondary markets with a 104.6% increase, utilizing an average of 3,084 square feet for events with 115 attendees. Key drivers included sports tourism, national association meetings, and weddings.

🏨 Streamline your booking process for speed and simplicity. Adopt a mobile-friendly booking system, as a significant portion of bookings happen on mobile devices. Personalize guest experiences by leveraging technology to remember preferences. Implement automated confirmation emails, instant booking options, and follow-up with personalized messages. Post-stay, engage guests with thank-you emails and exclusive discounts for future stays, ensuring the hotel remains top-of-mind.

📢 Jennifer Krapp, head of restaurant operations at The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, shares tips on hospitality leadership in a podcast episode released on Sept. 11, 2024. Key topics include holding staff accountable with respect (00:46), effective communication (01:49), immediate action on tasks (02:19), building trust through reliability (03:00), and the impact of motivated teams (03:42, 04:26).

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🏨 OpenAI's ChatGPT offers 50 prompts to help hoteliers improve guest experiences and operational efficiency. These prompts facilitate personalized guest interactions, efficient concierge services, and streamlined internal processes. Hoteliers should provide contextual information about their hotel to ChatGPT for tailored and accurate responses. By integrating these AI-powered prompts, hotels can remain competitive and adapt to the dynamic hospitality industry, enhancing guest satisfaction and staying ahead of the curve.

🔌 U.S. hotels spend on average $2,196 per available room annually on energy. Hotel Marcel in New Haven, Connecticut, is the first all-electric, solar-powered, LEED Platinum-certified hotel in the country, operating without fossil fuels. The Sinclair Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, uses Power-over-Ethernet to save 20-30% power consumption for lighting. The Ritz-Carlton, Portland, integrates biophilic design and is LEED Gold-certified, aiming for energy and water efficiency. Energy efficiency in hotels can lead to less maintenance, longer-lasting systems, and operational cost savings.

💧 PM Hotel Group released their sixth annual sustainability report; President Joe Bojanowski noted sustainability now directly drives profit margins. CoralTree Hospitality invested in biodigesters, which convert food waste to water or dirt, and plans to eliminate plastics at Terranea Resort within 30-60 days, switching to aluminum. Parkside Hotel & Spa in Victoria, BC, achieved carbon neutrality in 2019 and focuses on comprehensive compost systems, purchasing decisions, and water conservation, including using rainwater for irrigation.