Innovation

📈 Change management in the hotel industry involves structured methods to implement new processes and tech, enhancing operations and guest experiences. During the pandemic, adaptive hotels thrived. Challenges include staff resistance, tech integration issues, and operational constraints. Solutions: clear communication, staff engagement, tech investment, and standardized processes. Benefits: better guest experiences, employee retention, and profitability. Strategies include setting SMART goals, piloting changes, and celebrating milestones. Tools like Mews PMS aid successful transitions.

💸 [New York, 18 November 2025] Mews unveils Zero Dollar Authorization, enhancing hotel revenue protection and payment reliability. This feature allows instant card verification without charges. Lacey King from Staypineapple’s The Maxwell Hotel in Seattle highlights its efficiency. Mews also introduces Preauthorization via Payment Request. With over 12,500 clients in 85+ countries, Mews has raised $410 million and received accolades like Best PMS (2024, 2025) and Best Places to Work in Hotel Tech.

🏨 The Hotel Folk, a group of six privately run hotels in Suffolk, has seen its Net Promoter Score rise from 52 in 2021 to 63.5 in 2025. Embracing GuestRevu and AI-powered insights, they’ve improved guest feedback handling and personalisation. Centralised data allows for effective marketing and operational enhancements. AI aids in review management, improving response times and Google rankings, while refurbishment targeting enhances guest experience. The balance of technology and dedicated staff drives their success in hospitality.

✈️ Nov 18, 2025, Google launched a global expansion of its AI travel features. The Flight Deals tool now operates in 200+ countries and supports 60+ languages. Users can describe their travel plans, and AI offers the best fares. AI Mode’s Canvas generates itineraries using real-time data. In the U.S., AI handles restaurant, events, and wellness bookings. Future updates will allow hotel and flight bookings directly in AI Mode. Read more: TechCrunch

🛫 Nov 18, 2025, Europe: Chinese travelers are exploring longer, farther, and more diverse destinations. Trip.com reports a 20% increase in third-quarter outbound bookings, reaching 140% of 2019 levels. Europe, especially Iceland, Norway, Spain, Italy, and Germany, sees significant growth. Flights are at 88% of pre-pandemic capacity. Seniors spend three times more than younger travelers, while revenue from young travelers jumps due to concerts. AI tools like TripGenie enhance personalization with over 200% usage growth.

📈 Denver, CO – Cogwheel Analytics launched a new Market-Level Benchmarking feature for hotels to compare digital marketing performance in their geographic area. Available with a minimum of four hotels per MSA, it supports 630 hotels across 37 markets. The platform uses AI to aggregate data from over 44 sources, enhancing marketing strategies to boost revenue and market share. The initiative is in collaboration with Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Labs.

📈 My Place Hotels partners with IDeaS to implement an automated revenue management system across 80+ extended-stay hotels in 31 U.S. states. The system enhances pricing, forecasting, and operational efficiency using AI-driven insights. This collaboration aims to boost profitability and improve guest experience. Key capabilities include automated rate recommendations and reduced manual effort, enabling focus on local market strategy.

📈 TRYBE and IRECKONU have integrated their platforms to enhance hospitality experiences. This partnership, announced recently, connects spa and leisure bookings with IRECKONU’s guest data platform. Hotels can now create unified guest profiles, boosting ancillary revenue and operational efficiency. This integration allows seamless upselling and cross-selling through personalised offers. IRECKONU, founded in 2014, works with brands like Mandarin Oriental and Hard Rock. For more details, contact TRYBE at amy@try.be or IRECKONU at emilia@ireckonu.com.

📈 New research by Responsive, released on October 15, 2025, highlights a shift in B2B vendor discovery influenced by AI. In Beaverton, Oregon, findings reveal that 25% of buyers prefer generative AI over traditional search, and 47% use AI in critical stages like market research. Despite AI's growing role, trust and expertise still dominate decisions, with 81% prioritizing RFP responses. Notably, 80% of tech industry buyers favor GenAI over search, showcasing a tech-forward trend.