Innovation

🏨 The 2024 Customer Engagement Technology Study forecasts AI's significant impact on travel and hospitality, enhancing guest services and personalizing experiences. Hotel Communication Network (HCN) introduces AI-powered Navigator 2.0 tablets, with voice command services in multiple languages. At The Hospitality Show in San Antonio, the AI Concierge named AiMe, using natural language processing, is showcased at Booth #1755. 57% of guests prefer voice-controlled room environments; 48% would use it to request services, 47% favor a chatbot for inquiries. Hotel operators aim for technology that boosts guest loyalty (80%), employee productivity (76%), and safety (68%). HCN's DineIN program can increase revenue by 20-30%, with a net gain of over $10 per room per month, and Guest Choice can reduce labor costs by 5% ($15-$30 per room). Digitalization also saves on printing costs and generates additional advertising revenue.

📺 At the 2024 Hospitality Show in San Antonio, TX, LG Business Solutions USA introduced LG Channels on its smart hotel TVs and set-top boxes. Over 95 FAST LG Channels offer live news, sports, movies, and more without extra hardware. ION, The Hill TV, Movie-Sphere by Lionsgate, Deal or No Deal, World Poker Tour, and 20+ Stingray Music channels are included. Hoteliers, through integrators, can personalize channel selections for guests.

🏨 Hotel Polaris, managed by CoralTree Hospitality, is opening on Nov. 14 at the U.S. Air Force Academy, featuring 375 rooms, flight simulators, K9 Cadets dog-friendly program, and Junior Cadets kids' activities. The resort-style hotel offers six dining experiences, including Pamela's and The Aviator Bar, and a full-service Ascend Spa & Wellness center. Introductory offers include the "Countdown to Takeoff" package starting at $235 per night, bookable by Oct. 31, 2024, for stays through March 2025, and a "Holidays for Heroes" special with rates starting at $153 per night for stays through Jan. 4, 2025, for first responders and military, which includes the third night free. Located 30 minutes from Colorado Springs Airport, Hotel Polaris celebrates its location with unique services and programs.

🏨 On October 28, 2024, in Cary, NC, Inn-Flow announced a new live integration with Cloudbeds' Property Management System, aiming to streamline hotel operations and financial management. This API-driven integration ensures real-time synchronization of operational and financial data, including room statistics, revenue, and payments. Inn-Flow, founded in 2009, provides comprehensive back-office management for hoteliers, while Cloudbeds, established in 2012, serves properties in over 150 countries and was recognized in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 in 2023. The collaboration promises automated data flow, deposit matching, transaction segmentation, and enhanced reporting for improved decision-making in hospitality management.

📠 Physician offices and small businesses across various industries still utilize faxes and manual data entry, despite advances in clinical medicine. Tennr, a portfolio company of a16z, trained LLMs on 3 million medical records to automate patient data extraction from faxes, emails, call transcripts, and file systems. This AI workflow significantly reduces administrative overhead by 90% and positions Tennr as a core system of record for its customers. Similar AI applications are emerging in law, freight, and loan underwriting, aiming to replace legacy systems and streamline business processes.

🏕️ Tour Marbella, leveraging Bókun's software, generated 54% of annual bookings through OTAs and the Bókun system. The tour operator also secured seven supplier contracts and 16 reseller agreements. The partnership aims to differentiate in a competitive market and has resulted in increased brand exposure and revenue for Tour Marbella, with Bókun's platform making operations more efficient.

🏡 Chokhi Dhani Group, founded in 1990, with properties in India and abroad, faced direct booking issues before implementing STAAH's booking engine. Post-integration, the group witnessed a 30% increase in direct bookings, a 20% rise in occupancy rate, and a 25% lift in revenue. STAAH's solution provided real-time updates, easy booking processes, and advanced analytics, leading to more efficient operations and smarter pricing decisions. The group saved time and enhanced customer experience as a result.

📱 Josiah, with decades of experience in the hotel technology ecosystem, shares insights on technology in hospitality. Covering technology evaluation, purchase, implementation, and long-term partnerships, he emphasizes the impact of technology on guest experience and operational efficiency. Listeners learn how to start their tech journey, identify pain points, and use tools like Hotel Tech Report for informed decision-making. For feedback, contact Josiah at hospitalitydaily.com or LinkedIn. This rich episode offers a comprehensive guide to harnessing technology for hospitality success.

🏦 André Mallet, the Assistant Front Office Manager at The Jefferson in Washington, D.C., was featured on Oct. 27, 2024, discussing his career and insights into hospitality. André's path included work in South Africa, studies in Switzerland, and various roles at luxury hotels. Key mentions were Hotel Management's "Top 30 Under 30 Hospitality Professionals" (2024), École Hôtelière de Lausanne, and the impact of mentorship. Practical advice on adaptability and the use of technology like Opera and ALICE software were highlighted. The episode was supported by Hireology.

🔓 Miele, Inc., established in 1899 in Germany, has 125 years of experience in the European commercial laundry equipment market and roughly 41 years with Miele USA in Princeton, New Jersey. Their washers and dryers support sustainability by using 25-30% less water and energy, and feature patented honeycomb drums that extend textile life by 3-5 times, reducing lint by 90%. Miele's touchscreen-enabled machines offer customizable programs and support multilingual operations in over 30 languages. They provide stacked models for space efficiency, with dryers requiring only 15-20 minutes for nearly dry textiles post-wash. Miele's remote maintenance system, Miele MOVE, is available in Europe and coming to the U.S., offering proactive care via WiFi. They recommend hotel operators choose equipment based on productivity, reliability for 30,000 hours of operation (15-20 years), and vendor support, including their own technicians and trained partners.