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Marriott enhances SME business platform with loyalty benefits

💰 Marriott Bonvoy launched Business Access on July 2025, achieving 4x expected accounts in the first year. New enrollees linking to Bonvoy by July 14 get automatic Silver Elite status until December 2026. Book and stay 8 nights within 3 months through the platform for Gold Elite status, also valid until December 2026. Only bookings made through Business Access qualify for these rewards.
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Thoughtful Sleep Program Setup at the Deer Path Inn as an Example for All Independent Hotels – Hotel Mogel

🛏 The Deer Path Inn, a 57-key, four-star property in Lake Forest, Illinois, introduced a sleep program as part of a hospitality trend prioritizing sleep amenities. Completed a property improvement plan in 2015 and approaching its centennial in 2029, the hotel combines heritage with modern demands. The program, 'A Good Book & A Spot of Tea,' offers bedtime tea service, a curated playlist, a book from Lake Forest Book Store, specially crafted cocktails, and branded PJs. Revenue comprises nearly 50% from food & beverage, with a guest mix of 60% leisure, 25% corporate, and 15% group. The hotel has been integrating the sleep program since early planning in 2015 and is part of a broader strategy leading up to its centennial celebrations.
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How the Telekopye travel booking scam works

🚬 Telekopye, known as the "Swiss Army knife of phishing," targets travel booking platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com in late 2024. The group sends personalized emails to trick victims into visiting phishing sites resembling legitimate booking platforms, complete with real booking details. A chatbot guides them through a fake rebooking process, ultimately stealing payment information. The scam focuses on users with recent bookings or pending payments, adding millions in thefts from online marketplaces.
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Millennial travel trends set to remain relevant in 2025

📱 Millennials, as of Jan 21, 2025, have pivoted towards authentic and impactful experiential travel over traditional tourism. They're adopting green travel, seeking sustainable accommodations and activities. The rise of remote work has birthed "workations" and digital nomadism, blending work with travel. They prefer paying more for exclusive, high-quality travel experiences and personalized adventures, favoring comfort and authenticity. Full details on these changing trends are available at Newsweek.
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One in ten travelers fall victim to payment fraud when booking hotels

🚬 On January 21, 2025, Adyen released a report showing 71% of travelers are concerned about scams, with 1 in 10 experiencing payment fraud in the hospitality sector. Almost half (47%) of hotels still accept over-the-phone payments, yet 26% of guests would reconsider booking if asked for credit card info this way. Travellers prefer paying at check-in (43%) or directly online (36%). Hospitality fraud is rising, with 38% of companies seeing an increase in 2024, and 7% reporting 15-20 incidents.
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How business travel is reinventing carbon pricing

🌍 On Jan 21, 2025, it was proposed that revamping carbon pricing through business travel could fuel the decarbonization of aviation. Business travelers, accounting for 75% of profits on some flights, are seen as key to adopting sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This strategy allows any company to engage in carbon pricing and catalyzes investment in low-carbon technologies, enhancing their affordability and availability. More details are available at the World Economic Forum website.
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Global hoteliers weigh in on AI

🏠 73% of hoteliers expect AI to significantly impact the hospitality industry. As of Jan 21, 2025, 61% believe AI is already influential or will be within a year, while 40% see a longer timeline. Larger hotels (150+ rooms) invest more in AI, with two-thirds allocating at least 10% of their budget, and 26% of those with 500+ rooms dedicate over half of their IT budget. Over 94% across various roles feel optimistic about AI's impact. Key areas for transformation include guest engagement, with 80% anticipating changes in pre-booking and communication. AI benefits range from reputation management to loyalty programs and include price optimization and direct bookings.
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International tourism recovers pre-pandemic levels in 2024

🌍 In 2024, 1.4 billion international tourists traveled, marking a 99% recovery to pre-pandemic levels and an 11% increase over 2023. The Middle East led with 95 million arrivals (+32% over pre-pandemic), Africa had 74 million (+7% over 2019), Europe reached 747 million (+1% over 2019), the Americas hit 213 million (97% of 2019), and Asia and the Pacific saw 316 million arrivals (87% of pre-pandemic), with a 33% increase from 2023.
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Hotel food sourcing and preparation ‘unsustainable’

🍴 The hospitality sector aims to cut food-related carbon emissions by 30% by 2030. On Jan 20, 2025, the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and Iberostar released a white paper addressing the unsustainability of hotel food sourcing and preparation. Hotels account for less than 0.5% of global meals yet contribute 1% of food-related emissions and 3% of food waste. A hotel meal's carbon footprint is three times that of a home-cooked meal, prompting a call for urgent changes to minimize the environmental impact.
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