Innovation

🏨 Last week, the hotel industry explored AI in revenue management. A revenue manager discussed a 30% rate increase recommendation for next Thursday, taking 6 minutes and three dashboards to explain. Unlike other industries, hotels lag in AI adoption. Effective AI systems are transparent, relevant, and allow human override. Transparency involves clear explanations like "medical conference in town" instead of vague suggestions. The key is AI learning from human input, enhancing rather than replacing human judgment.

🏨 Brett McManus, owner of Après Inn in Killington, Vermont, and founder of Inndependent Stays, tackles the challenge of discovering independent hospitality. He discusses the high costs of relying on OTAs and proposes AI-driven matching as a solution to reshape travelers' experiences. The focus is on storytelling and connecting people-first. Follow Inndependent Stays on Instagram for updates.

📰 **Danubius Hotels Energy Overhaul** 2022, Danubius Hotels initiated a renovation with Yabune Solution using Z-Wave technology in Budapest. The pilot phase involved a 51-room wing, later expanding to 3,000 endpoints over 664 rooms by 2024. The upgrades, completed in winter to avoid peak season, reduced HVAC energy use by 15-20% and saved 1.5-2% on electricity. Automation enhancements saved staff hours and optimized operations, while occupancy analytics curbed unreported rentals. Future plans include Z-Wave Long Range for extensive coverage.

🤖 In 2023, AI reshapes the travel and hospitality sectors. Amadeus uses AI to optimize hotel pricing with its Demand360 tool. Mobi, founded at MIT, enhances travel planning through AI interfaces. Agentic Hospitality connects hotel systems to increase revenue. Reeco reduces procurement times by 60% with AI in P2P processes. Tailos' AI-powered robot vacuum, Rosie, aids hotels in labor efficiency, cutting overtime costs. AI's rapid evolution continues to transform the industry.

📈 Travel industry updates: Since January 2021, Booking's value soared by 158%, reaching nearly $180 billion, while MakeMyTrip jumped 255% due to India's market growth. eDreams increased nearly twofold, and Expedia rose 63%. In contrast, Tripadvisor dropped 39% and Airbnb by 11%, yet Airbnb remains valued at $67 billion. Ground and sea transportation, worth $198 billion, is often overlooked despite its scale compared to cruises, car rentals, or home rentals. AI in travel: Expedia's AI enhancements boosted partner revenue by $6 billion, conversion by 1.3x, and flight price predictions by 15%.

💻 60% of hotel consumers return after personalized service, and 62% spend more on brands offering it. Staff shortages and rising labor costs challenge this. Traditional human-only service models lack scalability. Hospitality AI, involving AI Agents, Customer Data Platforms (CDP), and Customer Experience Platforms (CXP), offers solutions. AI Agents can resolve up to 80% of common guest queries, boosting efficiency and revenue. TrustYou’s AI Agents provide 100% coverage 24/7 across channels, enhancing guest engagement and loyalty.

🏨 In just 2 weeks, GPT-5 has transformed hotel management. It crafts guest apologies in 8 seconds, processes 400 reviews effortlessly, and enhances trainee learning through role-playing. This AI tool also uncovers hidden revenue opportunities. The “Hotel Manager GPT-5 Playbook” offers practical hacks for immediate application. Want a copy? Comment “Playbook” to receive it. GPT-5 isn’t just futuristic; it’s a game-changer now!

📈 Built a system to organize hotel reservation notes, eliminating misplaced details. Key steps: 1) Developed an extraction layer, 2) Identified housekeeping and maintenance tasks, 3) Automated task workflows, 4) Ensured no duplication or oversight. Result: saved hours of daily work. Compatible with Mews, Apaleo, or Cloudbeds. Interested parties can implement this setup in their hotels.

💰 Target, facing operational complexity, halted online fulfillment at several stores, returning focus to improving in-store experiences. 96% of orders were fulfilled via stores, harming customer service. The CEO aims for simplicity post-competitions with Amazon. Hotels face similar issues, relying on outdated booking engines. Upgrading to platforms like Olive boosts revenue and halves operational calls. The key is enhancing guest satisfaction through seamless digital experiences while allowing staff to prioritize hospitality.

📈 Noida, 5th September 2025: RateGain's AI-powered voice agent, UNO VIVA, wins Excellence in Best AI Solution at the CII National AI Awards during the Global AI Summit in New Delhi. UNO VIVA, integrated with CRS, offers multilingual support in 30+ languages, enhancing hotel revenue by reducing leakage and converting bookings. RateGain serves 3,200+ customers in 100+ countries, processing transactions for top hotel chains and airlines. Founded in 2004, headquartered in India.