The metaverse may be all of the rage these days. But Expedia Group CEO Peter Kern doesn’t think we’ll be traveling there anytime soon, saying he thinks we will want to be in the “real-verse” for some time to come.
In 2020, the immediacy of the COVID-19 pandemic forced hoteliers to adopt contactless solutions as a means to keeping staff and guests safe.
Whilst many senior leaders today understand the importance of personalization, the real key to success in today’s marketplace is offering a good personal experience to customers. More than half (63%) of customers will stop buying from brands that use poor personalization tactics according to marketing firm Smart Insights.
A downturn opens the door for disruption in hard hit industries, but the CEO at one of the world’s largest hotel companies says a business like his does more than any tech platform can replace.
A new video shows off the process of using a digital room key stored in Apple Wallet, though don't expect to be able to open your hotel room door with your iPhone everywhere just yet.
Sonder, a company managing hotels and short-term rentals, went public this week at a valuation of over $1.9 billion. Sonder describes itself as “A better place to stay. Inspiring, award-winning design meets modern, mobile-first service. Welcome to the future of hospitality.”
Hotels across the US are using room-service robots to deal with staffing issues caused by a perpetual labor shortage.
When most people think “Airbnb,” they think of a short-term rental (STR) lodging arrangement where homeowners rent space in their homes to one or maybe two parties at once. Often catered to vacationers, it’s thought to be an informal, mom-and-pop service.
Technologies that boost convenience and control while letting guests avoid human contact if they want are still the most important tech investments for the hotel industry, experts said.
After a difficult few years, things are beginning to look up for the hospitality industry. Travel bans are lifting. More than 30 million Covid vaccines are administered worldwide each day. Airlines are getting busier by the day.
Some of you may be old enough to remember what it was like to book a hotel before the internet. Don’t raise your hands. I bet, even if you are, it’s hard to remember just what that was like.
This year set a record for travel companies going public or announcing they will go public, setting up 2022 to be another banner year, too.
Covid redefined the staycation. First, by necessity, pandemic lockdowns encouraged us to turn our homes into resort-like retreats that could offer some of the same pleasures as a getaway at a favorite hotel. Now, as the world opens back up — but farther-flung travel is still unpredictable (if not actually limited) — top-flight American hoteliers are evolving staycations again by creating ways for locals to better enjoy properties that are close to home. Among the most exciting of these developments? Hotels and resorts with their very own private clubs.
As borders reopen and travel activity accelerates, a feeling of optimism – tempered with caution – is beginning to surface.
SiteMinder and industry-leading partners discussed the key strategies you need to switch on to accelerate direct bookings. Delivered across several markets, each bore remarkable similarities. No matter where you are based, the mindset of the traveller is the same. They want to travel now, and they want to travel with confidence, can you give it to them?
If you check in to the Kimpton Rowan in Palm Springs, Calif., you may meet Josh. He's an automated voice assistant right next to the reading light in your room, and he can do a lot. Josh.ai — that's his full name — can lower the blinds, turn on your TV and give you information on your stay in this California resort town. He's also the future of hotel automation, according to IHG Hotels & Resorts, which owns the Kimpton brand.
In the 20 months since the COVID-19 pandemic began, technological innovations have gone from futuristic to familiar. These days it’s hard to be out in the world without encountering QR-coded menus or supplying digital vaccine passports.
For episode 1 of the HBR video series “The New World of Work”, editor in chief Adi Ignatius sits down with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to discuss rapidly evolving trends in how we collaborate, especially in a hybrid world. Nadella suggests that technology can create a metaverse that will help bridge the virtual and real worlds. He also talks about experiments at Microsoft and elsewhere that ensure both weak and strong ties remain strong in hybrid work, and discusses the overriding power of empathy as a leader and as a catalyst for innovation.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday outlined his vision for the future of the social media giant, formalising the company’s focus on the metaverse. In a presentation at the company’s annual Connect conference, Zuckerberg announced the company is rebranding as Meta and detailed how his company aims to build a new version of the internet. “We believe the metaverse will be the successor to the mobile internet, we’ll be able to feel present – like we’re right there with people no matter how far apart we actually are,” he said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, as occupancies quickly dropped into the single digits and bookings sank up to 90% by April 2020, hotel leader Hyatt's top priority was the safety and well-being of guests who still came to its properties.