TOP NEWS

💲 On Jul 12, 2024, a BCD Travel survey identified a compliance gap in company travel policies. Over two-thirds of business travelers have deviated from set policies, primarily for client meetings or using non-preferred suppliers. Key findings: 20%+ find policies unresponsive or restrictive, 30% desire more booking flexibility, 25% seek higher spending limits and extra airline options, and 20% advocate for improved traveler wellness policies.

🏕 TourReview's analysis highlights an emerging trend of American and Asian tourists flying long-haul, necessitating tour and activity operators to adapt by offering early bird discounts and clear booking communications. Amigo Tours notes a decline in American tourists visiting Mexico and a diversification to European cities like London and Asian destinations. Best of Switzerland Tours reports a 5% growth, attributing it to fewer US tourists and more from Asia. Juana Muro of TourReview underscores the importance of catering to American families seeking cultural experiences and Asian travelers influenced by relaxed visa requirements, favoring experiences over shopping. Operators are advised to plan for the dynamic shift in the industry due to the resurgence of long-haul travel.

📱 On Jul 10, 2024, predictions suggest significant growth in hotel self-service technology, mirroring air travel management. Guests will manage their entire stay—including room selection, services, check-in, and payment—before arrival. Traditional hotel operations, which involve staff managing requests often without real-time documentation, will be transformed. Self-service tools will enable better tracking, reporting, and anticipation of guest needs, leading to improved planning, efficiency, and guest satisfaction. Additionally, tracking preferences will enhance operational efficiency, personalization, inventory management, and demand forecasting. Read more at Frank Mayer and Associates.

💸 HOTREC's 2024 Hotel Distribution Study emphasizes the necessity for the Digital Markets Act to ensure fair competition in the European hotel market. Booking.com, holding a 71% market share in the OTA sector—up 10% in the last decade—must now comply with DMA as a gatekeeper platform. Direct bookings continue to decrease, while OTAs undercut prices in 40% of cases. Electronic distribution accounts for 45% of overnight stays. The study is based on data from over 3000 European hotels for 2023 and conducted by HOTREC and HES-SO Valais Wallis.

🏆 France is preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, expecting 15 million attendees from July 26 to August 11. Paris hotels were 50% booked by February, and 16 million Americans traveled abroad from January through March—a record high. Deloitte reports travel plans after Labor Day rose from 12% in 2022 to 17% in 2024, with travel budgets increasing by 13%. Digital frontline workplace apps in the hospitality industry enhance operational efficiency, employee engagement, and service delivery during high-demand periods, including the Olympics.

📱 Ryan King, Senior Vice President, Americas at Shiji Group, during HITEC 2024 in Charlotte, discussed the company's hospitality technology focus and security. Shiji Group aids hotels with cyber threat protection, global regulatory compliance, and enhances guest and employee experiences with technology like mobile-based housekeeping and pool area POS systems. King stressed the importance of human-centric technology and change management for successful adoption. The company looks forward to AI strategy outcomes and continued innovation.

📊 At HITEC 2024, Simone Puorto interviewed Guilain Denisselle, a hospitality veteran with 35 years of experience. Denisselle predicts AI will enhance revenue management, guest messaging, and system connectivity in hospitality. He suggests AI could replace APIs for simple tasks and foresees a rise in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to reduce manual work. The integration of AI aims to streamline operations and improve the guest experience by HITEC 2025. This insight is part of Hospitality Net's HITEC 2024 series.

💰 UK's Labour Party wins a majority in the General Election with 412 seats of the 650 available, Conservatives secure 120 seats, Liberal Democrats 71, SNP 9, Sinn Fein 7, and Others 28. Labour's victory was predicted by the exit poll released at 10pm BST on Thursday, forecasting a 170-seat majority. Twelve Tory cabinet ministers, including Liz Truss, lost their seats. Sir Keir Starmer, the incoming Prime Minister, addressed supporters in London, while outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took responsibility for the Conservative loss. Industry leaders react, calling for action on manifesto commitments and addressing business rates and housing issues.

📈 In June, the U.S. economy added 206,000 jobs, with unemployment at 4.1%, up from 4% in May. Leisure and hospitality saw only 7,000 new jobs, compared to May's 42,000. The restaurant industry's second quarter had the weakest job growth since Q4 2020, adding only 900 jobs. Despite a forecast of 525,000 seasonal jobs, full-service restaurants are still -4% below pre-pandemic levels. Job openings in restaurants and accommodations are below 800,000, signaling a potential market normalization.

🎬 Netflix to open two 'Netflix House' immersive entertainment venues in 2025, occupying over 100,000 square feet in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and Galleria Dallas. Business travel rebounds to $245 billion in 2023, despite 60% of companies cutting budgets and 96% implementing cost-control policies. New York's Little Island, a 2.4-acre public park, hosted over 200 free and 30 ticketed performances in 2022 and commissioned 44 city-based artists for 69 performances. Hospitality Design magazine calls for 2024 Boutique 18 nominations by August 5th, honoring 18 emerging hospitality designers with 5-10 years of experience.