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Automatic

2858 posts

MICE Tourism and the Rising Importance of Sustainability

📈 Global MICE tourism projected to reach USD 1,172 billion by 2025, doubling by 2035 with a CAGR of 9.87%. Nearly half of MICE buyers prefer sustainable venues, prompting venues like RIU Plaza España to offer carbon footprint services. Strategies include measuring carbon footprints, selecting certified green venues, and designing eco-smart events. Since 2011, GCSTIMES, operating in 140 countries, has emphasized sustainable innovation, supporting over 100,000 hospitality groups in low-carbon efforts.
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What hotel tech leaders say AI will disrupt first in 2026

💻 Jan 7, 2026, key insights from 27 hotel technology providers reveal AI’s operational impact. AI unifies fragmented systems, automates tasks, and enhances decision-making in revenue, operations, and guest engagement. Key shifts include collapsing operational fragmentation, automating manual tasks, continuous guest communication, predictive revenue management, scalable personalization, and the importance of open platforms. By 2026, AI-ready hotels gain advantages in RevPAR, efficiency, and satisfaction, while legacy systems create a two-speed industry.
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Hotel distribution in 2026: what is structurally changing

📈 Jan 7, 2026, Whitesky identifies 25 trends impacting hotel distribution. Key shifts include AI as integral infrastructure for pricing decisions, fragmented distribution channels requiring multi-touchpoint management, and increased pricing regulation. Central reservation systems (CRS) are critical as the main source for rates. Demand from APAC markets is growing, altering global strategies. Traveler behavior, such as bleisure travel, is now more predictable. Hotels must adapt to automation and data-centric strategies to remain competitive.
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Doug Kennedy’s Next Staff Training Webcast: Hospitality IS…

📚 Doug Kennedy's 40-minute hospitality training webcast on January 23, 2026, at Noon ET kicks off KTN's advanced-level series. Free registration is available, thanks to sponsors like Travel Outlook and Track Hospitality Software. Upcoming sessions include February 20 and March 20, also at Noon ET. Topics cover hospitality "vibes," luxury hotel standards, and sales strategies. Recordings are accessible via KTN’s YouTube and Spotify channels. The training emphasizes empathy, authenticity, and effective guest and client engagement.
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Should service robots have rights?

🤖 Led by Amit Sharma and Anna Mattila, Penn State researchers published findings in the *Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research* discussing the ethical implications of service robots in hospitality. Service robots now perform tasks like deliveries and semi-autonomous decision-making, raising questions about liability and governance. Companies should define robots' rights and responsibilities, adapting policies as tech evolves. Established in 1937, Penn State's School of Hospitality Management is a leader in preparing global hospitality professionals.
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Wrapping Up: Top Ranking Destinations in 2025

✈️ London, Tokyo, and Paris were 2025's top global destinations. Madrid and Alicante saw a 10% growth over 2024, while Punta Cana grew by 9%. Dubai and Marrakech each saw an 8% increase. APAC's North Asia led with Okinawa's 36% growth, and cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou also surged. Shanghai and Tokyo were top corporate travel destinations, with Shanghai up 10% and Tokyo 9%. Madrid grew by 5% in business travel share.
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Fairmas Welcomes Tahil Mascarenhas as Sales Manager, North America

🚀 Montreal, Canada, 06.01.2026 - Fairmas appoints Tahil Mascarenhas as Sales Manager for North America. Tahil brings 16 years of experience in hospitality, revenue, and hotel technology. He transitions from hotel operations to revenue management and sales, enhancing efficiency and performance. Fairmas, since 2003, supports over 5,500+ hotels globally with financial planning software. Tahil aims to expand Fairmas' influence in the U.S. and Canada, focusing on budgeting, forecasting, and growth.
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Hospitality as a force for good: lessons from a refugee

🇳🇱 Armen Melkonian, a Syrian-Armenian refugee, fled Syria in 2014 due to conflict and threat to his identity, moving to Lebanon and then to the Netherlands in 2015 through the UNHCR program. He graduated from Hotelschool The Hague and now recruits students, advocating for diversity. Armen highlights that hospitality is a responsibility, not just a service. Mews, supporting over 12,500 customers across 85+ countries, has raised $410 million for hospitality transformation.
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The IT Leaders AI Playbook and Toolkit

📱 Pertlink's "AI Playbook" aids hotel IT leaders by making AI a strategic tool, not just automation. It tackles risk translation, financial justification, and operational visibility. Decisions focus on guest experience, brand integrity, and asset protection. Pertlink began on October 23, 2000, in Hong Kong and is internationally recognized for its hospitality tech expertise. The playbook shifts IT roles from cost centers to value generators, with AI supporting, not replacing, human judgment.
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Premier Inn Gears Up for Second Chichester Location

🏨 Whitbread PLC is expanding Premier Inn with a new 82-bedroom hotel on Bognor Road, Chichester, completing the city's network plan with a total of 165 rooms. Located near A27/A259, it's accessible for visitors. This expansion in Sussex sees 23 locations planned, including a new hotel on Bognor Regis Seafront in April and one in Littlehampton by February. Whitbread aims to grow from 86,000 to 125,000 rooms across the UK and Ireland.
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