🚩 Oyo’s $383M Problem

Insider Highlights

• Deep dive into hospitality tech innovations at ITB Berlin this week

• Amazon drops game changer Alexa+ AI that can now book hotel rooms

• What hotel chain earnings reports tell us about 2025

• AHLA CEO testifies before Congress

• + much more!

• 🛠️ 6 Tech tools you should try

• 🎧 Podcast: Dina Belon, President of Staypineapple, reveals how innovative tech solutions are reshaping the guest experience while empowering hotel staff.

BIG STORIES

Big headlines this week

📢 OTAs report major marketing spend increases over the last 12-months.

🤖 Canary Technologies launches new AI Voice software that automatically handles guest inquiries 24/7.

🫣 Oyo desperately has to go public this year or pay $383M to creditors.

🇺🇸 AHLA CEO testifies before Congress to expand seasonal labor programs.

🏨 Accor’s CEO speaks about 2025 strategy and why they’re always behind US chains.

💰 Mews secures another $75M capital injection to accelerate growth for its PMS.

TOOLS & TACTICS

⚒️ Hotel Tech Tools You’ve Gotta Try

✅ Canary Technologies: Powerful but simple digital guest journey platform.

✅ Actabl: Turn powerful BI data into actionable insights that maximize profits.

✅ Visiting Media: Offer stunning 3D tours to drive more hotel sales.

✅ Unifocus: Optimize hotel staff schedules to boost productivity.

✅ ROH: Empower your sales team with digital payments tech.

✅ Cloudbeds: All-in-one hotel management software at the speed of AI.

GOING DEEPER

1. Big brands saw RevPAR gains and record unit growth in 2024

In Q4 2024 Hilton, Marriott, and Wyndham saw RevPAR growth between 3.5% and 5%. In addition, development pipelines expanded significantly for Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and Choice. These business results underscore macro trends like strong travel demand and strategic growth initiatives.

🎯 Why it matters: The increase in RevPAR across major hotel brands signals healthy demand for travel, meaning hoteliers should optimize pricing strategies and revenue management to capture higher profits. The growth of loyalty programs and direct bookings among major brands suggests that independent hoteliers should focus on guest retention and digital marketing to compete effectively.

🔑 Key takeaway: Now’s the time to capitalize on strong travel demand by enhancing revenue management capabilities, reducing reliance on OTAs, and leveraging technology to improve guest experience and reduce labor costs. With major brands like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt rapidly expanding, smaller hotels need to differentiate themselves or consider brand affiliation to stay competitive. Read More →

2. ITB Berlin Innovation Report: Full Hotel Automation

Automation stole the spotlight at the world’s biggest travel industry trade show which ends later today. We saw 3 big new trends this year: fully automated hotel operations, hotel specific AI agent marketplaces and voice agents.

🎯 Why it matters: AI and automation are no longer gimmicks or experiments: these technologies are running revenue management, selling meetings and events, handling guest interactions, and making smart business decisions. This shift moves beyond basic AI chatbots and simple automated tasks into full-scale AI-powered hotel management.

🔑 Key takeaway: AI tools are maturing and applications are far from experimental at this point. If your hotel isn’t keeping up with the latest innovations you will undoubtedly be left behind in this next innovation paradigm shift. The market is strong now, but when it turns (it always does) hotels that haven’t been trying the latest AI will be left without a paddle. Read More →

3. Amazon’s new Alexa+ voicebot can book hotels

Amazon just unveiled the newest iteration of Alexa, called Alexa+, which is a generative AI-powered voice assistant designed to perform complex tasks, including booking services and managing schedules. There are currently 600 million Alexa devices in use, and Alexa+ will be free to Prime members.

🎯 Why it matters: Besides enabling travelers to tell Alexa+ to book hotels, Ubers, restaurant reservations, and more, this technology can streamline hotel operations by allowing staff to complete actions via voice commands. Additionally, Alexa+'s ability to interact naturally and remember guest preferences can contribute to increased satisfaction and loyalty.

🔑 Key takeaway: Voice-powered tech has been an enigma in the hotel industry for some time. With travel brands like Tripadvisor and Uber already partnering with Alexa+, we might be entering the golden age of voice tech in the hospitality space. Read More →

AROUND THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

Other hospitality happenings this week

📱 Social media is now the top travel inspiration source, influencing trip planning more than ever.

🫣 Oyo desperately has to go public this year or pay $383M to creditors.

🌱 B Corp hotels are on the rise in the UK, signaling a shift toward sustainable hospitality.

🏛️ Soho House and the future of subscriptions in the hotel industry.

🌍 67% of travelers would pay more for sustainable stays, boosting demand for eco-friendly hotels.

⚡ Hotels cut energy costs with thermal storage, reducing reliance on peak-hour electricity.

🛎️ Bookboost raises €3.6M to expand its AI-powered CRM for hotels and enhance guest engagement.

⚙️ Apaleo launches Agent Hub, a marketplace for AI-powered solutions for hotels.

✂️ Expedia announces more layoffs, despite a profitable 2024, as it restructures operations.

💸 AGC Drops Q1 2025 Travel and Hospitality Tech Market Update.

HOTELIER SPOTLIGHT
🎙 Staypineapple's President on Creating Brand Evangelists with Tech

How can technology enhance the personal touch in hospitality without replacing the human element? In this episode, Dina Belon, President of Staypineapple, reveals how innovative tech solutions are reshaping the guest experience while empowering hotel staff.

Key Takeaways:

• Discover how Staypineapple leverages cloud-based technology to streamline operations and enhance guest personalization.

• Learn the importance of involving end users in the technology selection process to ensure successful implementation and buy-in.

• Explore the role of AI in improving guest interactions and feedback management, while maintaining a human touch.

👉🏼 Check out the interview on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

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