Innovation

💰 Margaritaville's Chief Data Officer, Claudia Infante, utilizes data to reveal opportunities and refine customer experiences. On May 2, 2025, the Hospitality Daily Podcast featured her insights. Infante's strategy emphasizes innovation in Margaritaville's multifaceted operations. The podcast episode encourages businesses to apply the concepts discussed to benefit their operations and clientele.

📈 In the UK, AI adoption has surged by 33% in the past year, with over half (52%) of UK businesses now using AI, outpacing the European average growth of 27%. Businesses embracing AI every 60 seconds have seen a revenue increase, with 92% of AI adopters reporting higher earnings, up from 64% in 2023. Large enterprises' AI use has risen to 55%, but their application remains at a basic level, while 59% of startups have adopted AI, with 36% developing new AI-driven products. The digital skills gap presents a significant barrier to further adoption, as 38% of businesses struggle to access digital skills, up from 29% last year. UK businesses need an average of 5.5 months to hire someone with sufficient digital skills. AWS encourages UK policymakers to address these challenges to unlock AI’s full potential. Recently, Amazon announced an £8 billion investment in UK data centers projected to contribute £14 billion to GDP and support over 14,000 annual FTE jobs by 2028.

🖥 Almawave, part of the Almaviva Group, has incorporated Generative AI into its D/AI Destinations platform via subsidiary The Data Appeal Company. The platform utilizes advanced language models to process textual data for personalized analysis and strategic recommendations. This AI integration enhances Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) by delivering automated insights specific to each location, allowing them to monitor visitor sentiment and align with strategic priorities in real-time. CEOs Valeria Sandei and Mirko Lalli emphasize the transformation in tourism management, offering not only data but actionable insights for informed decision-making.

🌍 Sabre announced a multi-year global partnership with Gray Dawes Group, a major independent travel management company. Gray Dawes has chosen Sabre as its sole distribution platform. The collaboration aims to spur growth, focusing on innovation and operational efficiency, leveraging AI and automation. Gray Dawes' CEO, Suzanne Horner, highlighted the alignment with their global expansion and efficiency goals. The partnership supports Gray Dawes’ strategic expansion in Europe (UK, Netherlands), North America, and Australia, and integrates with their online corporate travel platform, YourTrip, powered by Atriis.

📈 Hospitable launches a dynamic pricing tool for hosts and property managers to automate rate-setting and adapt to real-time market trends. As the first PMS with built-in dynamic pricing at no extra fee, Hospitable aims to tackle industry challenges like meeting occupancy goals, which 57.2% of hosts struggle with, and pricing management, difficult for 28.9% of hosts. The tool provides real-time pricing recommendations, a flexible strategy range, and an integrated heatmap. For one month post-launch, Hospitable offers a 24-month preview of pricing trends without activation. Hospitable, evolving from PMS to short-term rental super app, serves all customers on Host, Professional, or Mogul plans starting today.

💾 Hospitable, a property management software, launched its dynamic pricing tool for hosts and property managers at no additional cost, making it the first PMS to include built-in dynamic pricing. The tool aims to assist hosts in meeting occupancy goals, as 57.2% struggle with this issue, and 28.9% have difficulty managing pricing. The dynamic pricing tool provides real-time, hyperlocal pricing recommendations using multiple data sources and offers a 30-day trend preview, with a one-time full 24-month preview available without activation following the launch. Hospitable's CEO Pierre-Camille Hamana emphasizes the tool's intuitiveness, intelligence, and accessibility, and confirms its availability across all Hospitable plans. The full industry report with 2025 host priorities will be released the following week. Hospitable has evolved since its 2016 launch into a short-term rental super app, including AI guest messaging, rate optimization, and direct booking website management.

🍫 McDonald’s digital investments, such as in-app ordering, drive loyalty and create a more convenient customer platform. Despite a 3.6% decline in U.S. sales in Q1 2025, loyalty program spending remains robust, acting as a revenue stabilizer. Centralized platforms with shared data ensure consistent loyalty experiences, vital for personalization and smarter decision-making. McDonald’s personalizes offers based on customer habits, encouraging repeat visits and increased spending. Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) can leverage customer data platforms (CDPs) for unified data insights and effective personalized campaigns.

💾 Hospitable, a property management software, unveiled its dynamic pricing tool designed to assist hosts and property managers in automating pricing and enhancing revenue by responding to market trends. This industry-first feature is built-in and provided at no additional cost. Hospitable’s upcoming report indicates 57.2% of hosts are not meeting occupancy goals, and 28.9% find pricing challenging. The tool offers real-time, hyperlocal pricing and allows for a 30-day trend preview, with a special one-month offer of a 24-month preview. CEO Pierre-Camille Hamana emphasizes the tool's simplicity, intelligence, and practical support for hosts. Available to all customers on Host, Professional, or Mogul plans, the tool is part of Hospitable's evolution into a short-term rental super app, launched in 2016.

💾 Hospitable, a property management software, launched its own dynamic pricing tool, aiming to help hosts and property managers increase revenue and automate rate-setting. According to Hospitable, 57.2% of hosts struggle with occupancy goals and 28.9% with pricing management. The tool provides real-time, hyperlocal pricing recommendations using trusted market data, and it's fully integrated into the platform with flexible settings and a heatmap of live market demand. Initially, users get a 24-month preview of pricing trends for free. This new feature is included at no extra cost in all Hospitable's Host, Professional, or Mogul plans. CEO Pierre-Camille Hamana emphasizes the tool's built-in, intuitive design and the elimination of extra fees or complex integrations. Launched in 2016, Hospitable has expanded from a PMS to a comprehensive suite that includes AI-powered guest messaging, rate optimization, and direct booking capabilities.

📱 MGM Resorts International sees 80% of guest interaction going digital as of Q1 2025, according to CEO Bill Hornbuckle. Public opinion is mixed with some TripAdvisor and Reddit users considering concierge services outdated due to smartphones. While MGM and startups like SelfServe push for digital solutions, Orascom Hotels Management won the 2024 Hotel Visionary Award for its personalized service, eliminating front desks in favor of Experience Ambassadors who provide 24/7 communication via WhatsApp. The hospitality industry is divided on adopting digital or human concierge services to meet guest expectations.