Innovation

🗺 Global travel tech company Sabre partners with Travelin.Ai to enhance booking experiences. Sabre's Lodging AI, analyzing properties and preferences, boosts hotel bookings by up to 14%. The collaboration targets a $1 trillion market, enhancing revenue and duty of care. Travelin.Ai's platform blends business and leisure bookings, offering quick onboarding and split-payment tech. The launch spans the UK, Nordics, US, Australia, and Germany, strengthening TMCs' commercial success.

📚 German-based GIATA acquires SMARTSEER, an AI decisioning platform, in 2023. SMARTSEER, previously sold to dnata Travel in 2018 and closed in 2023, was relaunched by Andy Owen Jones, Melanie Sickenberger, and Stefan Henss. GIATA aims to enhance personalized travel experiences. The acquisition keeps SMARTSEER independent within the group. Integration is seamless, with growth focused on product, technology, and innovation, not sales or marketing. The merger intends to offer a personalized traveler experience.

🌏 WeRoad, Europe’s fastest-growing adventure travel company, offers over 300 itineraries to global destinations as part of its new trade partnership program. Active since March 2025, the initiative targets the rise in solo travel and bookings by Millennials and Gen Z. In the UK, agent bookings by 18-24-year-olds doubled from 26% in 2019 to 48% in 2024. WeRoad partners, including Bluvacanze, Tourhub, and Arrival Travel, benefit from competitive commissions, bundled offers, and incentives.

💸 Review the top 10 point-of-sale tools in 2025 for mid-size and luxury hotels. What? Optimize billing and guest services. When? September 2025. Who? Written by Vanshikha Dhar. How? By evaluating systems tailored for hotel needs. Where? Published on Hotelogix Blog. Why? Enhance operational efficiency in hospitality. Key fact: The guide comprehensively analyzes systems to facilitate improved guest interactions and streamlined operations.

💰 Canary Technologies, San Francisco, California, reports over 3x year-over-year growth in digital tips, with 70% going to housekeepers. Nearly 70% of guests prefer digital tipping due to not carrying cash. Digital gratuities enhance housekeeper earnings, job satisfaction, and morale. The highest single digital tip was $600. Staff retention improved, with turnover reducing by up to 75%, and guest service scores increased by 7-10%. 62% of guests included personalized thank-you messages with tips.

📱 Who? The Hotels Network (THN) and hotels using their services. When? Current market trends. Where? Global hotels. What? THN offers free 1GB eSIM data for direct bookings to boost hotel revenue and guest satisfaction. How? Guests download the eSIM, gaining instant local connectivity without SIM cards or roaming fees. Why? To outperform OTAs, enhance traveler experience, and strengthen loyalty with zero additional costs to hoteliers.

🚪 EasyHotel, in collaboration with Alliants and Dormakaba, launched digital room keys in Apple Wallet at its London City Shoreditch and Paris Aubervilliers locations. Guests can access rooms and shared spaces using an iPhone or Apple Watch, with features like Express Mode and Power Reserve. This eco-friendly initiative, reducing reliance on 55,000 plastic cards annually, offers remote updates for room changes and check-outs. COO Louis Poisson aims to expand this technology to more hotels soon.

🥗 Hoteliers struggling with breakfast costs since 2022 amidst rising expenses, with 60% revising budgets. A Turner/HotStats survey finds continental buffet with made-to-order items most profitable. Entegra advises using GPOs for cost-effective sourcing, while Bridgeton emphasizes portion control and waste management. Wellness-focused options like protein pancakes gain popularity. AI aids in reducing waste by tracking buffet returns. Innovations like programmable ovens and Scholl’s versatile breakfast solutions keep meals efficient and guest-friendly across Europe and beyond.

🏖️ September 10, 2025, in Tuscany, Italy: The five-star luxury The Sense Experience Resort in Follonica has adopted IDeaS G3 Revenue Management System to enhance profitability and operational efficiency. The AI-powered system helps manage inventory, optimize stay strategies, and adapt to seasonal demand, boosting revenue per available room (RevPAR). General Manager Francesco Ficcanterri reports improved forecast accuracy and profitability, while Director Aizhana Zhantuarov notes enhanced marketing alignment. IDeaS supports 30,000 properties globally.

TikTok Go and Hospitality ???? TikTok Go, launched in partnership with Booking.com, allows hotel bookings directly within TikTok. As of August 2025, it's active in the US, Indonesia, and Japan, with plans to expand over 12-18 months. Hotels pay a commission of 10-25% per booking, similar to Booking.com. TikTok Go is reshaping hospitality with integrated storytelling and booking, shifting discovery from traditional OTAs to TikTok's creative content.