Innovation

📈 According to research, 76% of a revenue manager’s week is spent on internal tasks rather than revenue generation. AI and BI are transforming hospitality by integrating data, reducing manual tasks, and improving decision-making. Hotels using automated RMS see revenue boosts of 10-15%. A UK hotel improved profitability by adjusting rates based on AI forecasts. LodgIQ, an AI platform with over 550 clients, helps optimize operations, with offices in Silicon Valley, NYC, and Bangalore.

🛫 In 2025, up to 90% of companies use AI, with 62% still in experimental stages, marking mass adoption. In travel, 40% of travelers use AI for planning. Mindtrip, a notable AI trip planner, has $20M in funding and 1M monthly visits. Airports like Changi and Frankfurt use AI for biometric checks and security, enhancing passenger flow. Sherpa, an AI tool for travel documentation, is used by airlines like Air Canada and Lufthansa, easing pre-trip processes for travelers.

📱 58% of small businesses use generative AI, more than double from two years ago, leveraging it for finances and operations amid labor shortages. GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic reduce appetite for food and sex, impacting restaurant sales and customer engagement. Uber and others seek AI trainers, a lucrative emerging job market. Debate brews over iPads in restaurants: some view it as lazy parenting, preferring spaces for learning social norms, while others see it as a relief.

📱 58% of small businesses now use generative AI, a surge from two years ago, to manage operations and customer interactions amidst labor shortages. Independent hotels benefit from AI, but some restaurant-goers debate iPad usage to entertain children, arguing it's lazy parenting. Uber and McKinsey are hiring AI trainers due to data scarcity for proprietary models. GLP-1 weight loss drugs impact appetite for food and sex, affecting restaurant economics with smaller orders.

📈 The hospitality industry's data integration challenges are significant, with 93% of hotel leaders identifying system integration as a top priority in 2025 (Skift Research). MuleSoft reports 95% face data integration hurdles, impacting AI implementation. IBM's data breach report cites a $4.44 million average cost, highlighting the industry's vulnerability. Fragmentation causes revenue erosion and operational inefficiencies, increasing costs. Hotels with unified data see 5–15% revenue and 10–30% marketing ROI increases, emphasizing the need for interoperability.

💻 Chet Pipkin, founder of Belkin, reflects on emerging trends shaping the future: AI, energy, wellness, and educational transformation. He identified the personal computing boom in the 1980s and now explores how these forces will redefine living, learning, and hospitality experiences. Hospitality leaders can leverage these insights for meaningful guest experiences in a dynamic environment. Listen to the series finale for valuable perspectives on innovation and change. ????

💸 European taxi app, Freenow by Lyft, partners with Concur Expense to streamline business travel expense management. New integration allows automatic syncing of employee rosters to Freenow Admin Panel, linking profiles to SAP® Concur accounts. This eliminates manual setup and automates expense reports, sending receipts directly to Concur Expense. Benefits include simplified management, complete transparency, better compliance, and increased employee satisfaction. David Koral from Freenow highlights faster reporting and reduced paperwork.

💻 Vincent Ramelli, CEO of LodgIQ, has been pivotal in hospitality tech evolution since the internet's inception. With LodgIQ, generative AI simplifies revenue management for over 550 hotels, enhancing decision-making. Meta-search innovation with Google and TripAdvisor transformed hotel sales, generating up to 40% revenue. LodgIQ's AI provides automated, yet understandable, insights for independent and chain hotels, combining data with human expertise. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, LodgIQ also has offices in New York City and Bangalore.

📈 Dallas, Texas, September 2025: Mews, a leading hospitality operating system, has been chosen by 907 Main as its new property management system. In this month, Mews achieved an average onboarding time of just 8 days, with 80% of hotels going live within 30 days. Mews partners with Lark Hospitality, which manages around 75 boutique hotels in North America. Founded by Rob Blood, Lark focuses on tech-forward, people-first hotel management with a portfolio including Lark Hotels and Life House.