Innovation

🏨 Mews, a hospitality cloud platform, has renewed a multi-year partnership with Criterion Hospitality. Criterion, managing a portfolio of upscale and mid-range hotels, including Zedwell in London, will automate operations and improve guest experiences using Mews’ systems. Eight hotels, such as Victory House Leicester Square and Assembly Covent Garden, are already using Mews. Zedwell Piccadilly Circus features 15 self-service kiosks, with over half of guests using them for check-in. The partnership, enhancing automation and customer service, has been active since 2021, with further expansion expected in the next 18 months.

✈ Travelport, a GDS and travel technology specialist, now provides agency customers with Finnair's New Distribution Capability (NDC) content, including seat selection and baggage options. Finnair's PrioFlex for corporate customers, launched last year, is available through Travelport+. This integration allows Travelport's global agency network to book Finnair's offers and expands Travelport's content portfolio. The NDC solution is currently available in 60 countries with plans for further expansion.

📈 STAAH has been named an Expedia Group Elite Connectivity Partner for 2025, placing them in the top 2% of over 400 eligible global connectivity software companies. Expedia Group offers visibility on 200 websites, apps, and distribution through 90,000 travel agencies and partners. Expedia's portfolio includes notable brands such as Hotels.com, Vrbo, and Trivago, and they operate a loyalty program called One Key across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo.

📝 FuturePlus, a sustainability management and ESG reporting platform, recently expanded its IMPACT CERTIFIED ecosystem with an additional 84 hotels. The platform, operational for over three years, supports the hospitality industry in embedding sustainability and ethical governance. As consumer preference leans towards accommodations with trusted certifications, with 65% preferring such options, FuturePlus offers a badge upon verification of a FutureImpact assessment. This badge signifies a commitment to environmental and social factors. The company is a strategic partner to Booking.com and Travalyst Compliance. FuturePlus clients have set over 4,200 sustainability goals, achieving more than 2,700, with the 84 IMPACT CERTIFIED hotels achieving 750 sustainability goals. TROO Hospitality, working with FuturePlus since September 2022, is developing a sustainability strategy named TROO Impact. Atlas Hotels, operating 58 hotels across the UK, leverages FuturePlus for clarity and structure in their sustainability initiatives.

💰 The "State of Fashion: Luxury" report by Business of Fashion and McKinsey reveals shifts in the luxury industry, notably a preference for experiences over products. Luxury hotels can capitalize on this trend by offering personalized and human-first services, using AI to enhance guest interactions. Marketers emphasize the importance of optimism in promoting products and services, focusing on positive aspects rather than problems. Revenue Management Automation (RMA) is emerging to optimize pricing strategies, suggesting that Revenue Management Systems (RMS) may not have fully achieved this in the past. Google is testing an 'AI Mode' for search queries to provide summarized information, potentially affecting website traffic and analytics for hotels. Marketing success relies on emphasizing a product's compelling features, inspiring customer desire and driving sales.

🔎 Boomerang, launched in 2022, is an AI-driven lost & found platform serving the travel, sports, entertainment, and hospitality industries. In 2024, Boomerang experienced over 1,000% growth in key sectors. A notable partnership with the Wells Fargo Center led to a 40% increase in items returned and a reduction in waste. As of January 2024, Boomerang has raised $7.7 million in funding, with a $4.9 million seed round from LightShed Ventures. The platform's network is expanding to include global travel hubs and luxury brands, aiming to enhance customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

💻 DataArt and GoogleCloud hosted an executive dinner with Travolution last month to discuss AI's capabilities; 30 industry leaders attended, including representatives from Awaze, Ennea Partners, On the Beach, Oneworld, and Virgin Atlantic. Trip.com revealed AI handles 97% of routine inquiries, and DataArt awarded two $5,000 prizes for DataArt Lab services during the event.