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🏕 FuturePlus added 84 hotels to its IMPACT CERTIFIED ecosystem due to growing traveler demand for sustainable stays, with 70% feeling overwhelmed by the booking process. Over three years, FuturePlus has been integrating sustainability in hospitality, overseeing more than 4,200 set sustainability ambitions, with over 2,700 achieved. The IMPACT CERTIFIED badge is a trusted mark for transparency, supported by strategic partnerships with Booking.com and Travalyst Compliance. TROO Hospitality joined FuturePlus in September 2022, focusing on a sustainability strategy called TROO Impact. Atlas Hotels, a large Holiday Inn Express franchisee in Europe with 58 hotels, leverages the FuturePlus platform for sustainability initiatives.

🔔 Marc Schwarz, Director of Service at Thrive Hospitality, appeared on an episode of Hospitality Daily Podcast on Feb. 12, 2025. The show focused on the intersection of hospitality and public health, where Schwarz shared valuable insights. The episode aims to provide actionable ideas to benefit businesses and the people they serve. The podcast features music by Clay Bassford from Bespoke Sound, a company specializing in Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands.

🏖️ HBX Group's Travel Trends 2025 report highlights hyperpersonalisation as a key factor in tourism purchasing habits. Hyperpersonalisation leads to a 67% increase in consumer spending for a better sales experience, according to Salesloft. Statista reports 92% of shoppers would trade personal information for discounts, and 90% for loyalty rewards. Personal touches like birthday cards in hotel rooms are emphasized for their importance in a personalized customer journey. Businesses are advised to balance marketing to avoid consumer oversaturation and use data effectively for personalized offers.

📢 In 2025, upselling in the hotel industry focuses on personalization and technology, with trends influenced by Millennials and Gen Z travelers. Hilton's 2024 report shows that 52% of Millennials prioritize exploration and adventure. Amidst rising room rates, hoteliers are considering new revenue metrics like Revenue Per Available Square Meter (RevPAM²) and transforming spaces such as meeting rooms and parking lots for better utility. AI enhances personalized upselling through guest data analysis. Hyper-contextual upselling uses real-time data for timely offers, while sustainable upselling aligns with the environmental concerns of 47% of Gen-Z travelers, as reported by YouGov. UpsellGuru, a leading provider of hospitality upsell solutions, is trusted by over 1000 hotels globally for its innovative programs.

🏨 Hotels globally reached a record $11.1 trillion GDP contribution in 2024. Personalization drives guest satisfaction, with mid-tier hotels outperforming luxury ones due to competitive pricing and service. AI reviews challenge authenticity as fraud detection lags. Stricter review policies lowered total reviews but improved quality. The Guest Experience Benchmark Report 2024, based on over 39 million reviews from 11,200 properties, indicates guest expectations and AI are reshaping hospitality. Guest satisfaction rose since Q3 2022, with shifting value perceptions in 2024; Europe, Latin America, and Africa saw trend reversals. Mid-tier hotels' GRI rebounded post-August 2022, attracting 5-star guests. Review volumes dropped due to anti-fraud efforts, with Latin America seeing a 10% decrease in 2023, and Booking.com's market share fell from almost 50% in 2022 to 37% in 2024. Italy's proof-of-purchase law for reviews may reduce volumes if adopted globally. AI-generated reviews threaten to disrupt the feedback loop. Asia leads in Net Promoter Scores, showing earlier pandemic recovery. Response times to reviews improved, dropping to around four days in 2024 from over six days in 2022. High Net Promoter Scores correlate with better revenue and occupancy rates, suggesting reputation analytics should be integral to revenue management.

📦 The EU AI Act impacts the hospitality industry, addressing guest relations, pricing, marketing, HR solutions, and AI systems like ChatGPT. Compliance involves AI mapping, risk assessments, and proactive measures. Non-covered AI includes simple software not meeting AI system criteria. Participation in HTNG EMEA Community of Interest is open without HTNG membership or cost. The article reflects personal takeaways from a session by Bartholomäus Regenhardt of Cooley LLP.

📱 In 2025, hoteliers leveraging social media trends can boost engagement and direct bookings by focusing on hyperlocal storytelling, short-form video (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts), user-generated content (UGC), micro and nano influencer marketing, evolving culinary and wellness experiences, and virtual tours with AR/VR technologies. Instagram introduces AI-powered content suggestions, TikTok expands its Travel Hub, Threads integrates more with Instagram, and Google enhances AI video search, making it vital for hotels to adapt to these changes for marketing success.