One of the biggest challenges facing modern hoteliers is striking the right balance between leveraging technology and preserving the human touch. Technology has the power to streamline operations and elevate guest experiences, but it’s the personal, human connections that make hospitality truly special.
For years, outdated and fragmented technology stacks have held hotels back, slowing growth and stifling innovation. In 2025, the message is clear: the status quo is no longer sustainable.
Today, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) announced the Global Technology 100 (T100) 2025 leadership team, which advises hoteliers on how the latest technological advances can create a more enjoyable stay for their guests.
Registration and hotel reservations are now available for the 2025 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®), the largest and longest-running, nonprofit event of its kind. Produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), HITEC 2025 will be held on June 16–19 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind. USA.
The hospitality industry is undergoing a significant transformation due to advances in technology. Innovations in software, hardware, and digital solutions are revolutionizing guest experiences and streamlining operations for hotels, resorts, restaurants, and tourist attractions.
Growth Advisors International Network (GAIN) and M&I are proud to expand their partnership, transforming the technology and innovation landscape in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry. This collaboration will debut at M&I Fest Global, held in Marrakech from March 16–20, 2025, with the launch of the Annual MICE Tech and Innovation Primer—a comprehensive guide to keep MICE suppliers and buyers ahead of the curve in technological advancements.
Airbnb got its start in 2007 as a way for our co-founders to make rent. Since then, over 5 million people have become Airbnb hosts, who have opened their doors to over 2 billion guests in nearly every country in the world. One billion of those guest arrivals took place in just the last three years.
Blue Diamond Resorts is revolutionizing the all-inclusive industry with its latest innovation: Online Pre Check-In: Fast Track Your Vacation. Now available at Royalton Luxury Resorts and Planet Hollywood Beach Resorts, this feature slashes check-in times by up to 50%, meaning guests can dive into relaxation faster than ever before. Designed to deliver a seamless, stress-free arrival, this tool ensures every guest's journey begins with ease, setting the tone for an unforgettable getaway from the moment they step foot on the property.
Technology-powered shopping experiences are rapidly shifting from niche innovations to mainstream offerings, and in turn, calling retailers to reevaluate their market presence. As these companies plan for reinvention and sustained growth, their customers’ preferences play an important role in guiding strategic decisions on tech investments and long-term value.
The Global Artificial Intelligence Challenge will support projects that are leveraging digital technologies to enhance tourism, promote sustainability, and drive economic growth. Participants are encouraged to address digital transformation, sustainability, inclusivity, and digital governance across key areas, including branding and marketing; smart destinations and deep technologies; scalable education solutions; and efficiency in operations. Through these categories, the initiative seeks to foster innovation that elevates destination appeal, optimizes resource management, and creates intelligent, impactful tourism experiences.
Smartphones are playing an increasingly important role in travellers’ in-destination decision-making. This trend is delineated in an important recent study led by Dr Dan Wang of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Adopting the powerful theoretical lens of “sociomateriality”, the researchers offer insights into the ways in which tourists interact with their Internet-enabled devices while making travel decisions – such as where to visit and what to buy – in real time.
World Travel Tech Awards – the global initiative to recognise and reward excellence in the travel tech sector – has unveiled the winners of its 2024 programme at a glittering gala reception, held in Funchal, Madeira.
Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel platforms, has partnered with HotelTechReport.com to launch the AI Tech Stack Advisor. The tool, developed by HotelTechReport.com, is designed to provide hoteliers with bespoke guidance and first-class hospitality tech solutions to help optimize their digital transformation journeys and drive growth.
The China Hospitality Technology Alliance (CHTA) successfully hosted the Future Travelers 2024 Global Conference in Shenzhen on November 1-2. The event gathered industry C level leaders, tech innovators, and experts to discuss and explore the future of travel and hospitality technology namely AI and digital transformation .
The hospitality industry stands at the threshold of a transformative era propelled by rapid technological advancements. Innovations in software, hardware, and digital solutions are revolutionizing guest experiences and streamlining operations for hotels, resorts, restaurants, and tourist attractions.
A new report by Rocket Travel by Agoda and Skift highlights critical challenges in wholesale distribution, including rate integrity and lack of control, with Rocket Travel by Agoda’s innovative solution providing a clear path forward for hoteliers to regain control and increase revenue.
There is a new trend shaping the way companies are designing spaces: shy tech.
Business intelligence software plays an integral role in strategic decision-making for hotels, but not every system is created equal.
The pandemic-induced shift in work, travel and transportation patterns has led core Central Business District (CBD) hotels to underperform their non-CBD counterparts both in occupancy and daily rates. However, these trends may be masking broader reasons why non-CBD hotels are performing better: technological conveniences and shifting demand patterns.
The World Travel Market Ministers Summit, in collaboration with UN Tourism and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), returned to focus on the growing importance of Artificial Intelligence for the sector.