Hotel Tech Update Your Update on Hotel Tech, Daily!

August, 2020

• 7 August

  Absolutely Devastating

  

  It is absolutely chilling. The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) surveyed close to 1,200 of its members at the beginning of August and the responses make clear the financial devastation that COVID-19 has caused in the retail travel sector and the precarious situation that many of these agencies are …

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• 6 August

  U.S. Airlines June 2020 Fuel Use Up 25% from May

  

  The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released U.S. airlines’ June Fuel Cost and Consumption numbers. Fuel consumed by U.S. airlines scheduled service: June 2019                    1.6 billion gallonsMay 2020                      453 million gallonsJune 2020                      558 million gallons   June 2020 fuel consumption was 23% higher than May …

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• 6 August

  Sabre Extends Its Distribution Agreement with United Airlines

  

  Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), the leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry, today announced the extension of its global distribution agreement with United Airlines, reinforcing both companies’ commitment to providing travel agents access to United Airlines content globally through the Sabre travel marketplace. With travel restrictions beginning to …

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• 6 August

  Bill Fatt, Former CEO of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Passes Away

  

  TORONTO — The hotel industry was saddened to learn earlier this week of the passing of William R. (Bill) Fatt, who for many years helmed Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and its precursor, CP Hotels & Resorts. “Bill Fattwas a consummate business leader, with the background, financial knowledge and overall gravitas …

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• 6 August

  Expanded platform facilitates contactless F&B orders

  

  Priority Technology Holdings, a provider of merchant acquiring, integrated payment software and commercial payment solutions, expanded its e|tab technology platform for restaurant carryout/delivery service. The platform’s new dine-in features provide restaurant patrons safe and secure, totally contactless tableside ordering and payments functionality right from their mobile phones. Priority fast-tracked the …

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• 6 August

  Hilton looks to ‘grind up’

  

  Hilton expects to “grind, up slowly and surely” as the business transient segment recovers to compensate for an anticipated drop-off in leisure travel in the autumn. Hilton is looking to China for growth after signing a management agreement with Country Garden to launch the Home2 Suites by Hilton properties in …

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• 6 August

  Expedia Group Expands Optimized Distribution for Lodging Partners

  

  SEATTLE, Wash. — Expedia Group has rolled out its optimized distribution program for all medium- to large-size lodging partners, allowing them to tap into new areas of B2B demand and giving them increased control of their B2B rates, availability and content across a network of global travel providers. The program …

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• 6 August

  For Cruising, It’s All About Safety, Safety, Safety

  

  The CEO of Royal Caribbean International says the recent cases of coronavirus on two cruise ships (belonging to other cruise companies) amounts to a “learning experience” for his much larger company. Michael Bayley said during a Wednesday webinar that Royal Caribbean is studying “how and what happened” when a ship …

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• 6 August

  Take Action

  

  With the U.S. Congress negotiating a new coronavirus relief package for individuals and businesses, the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) has called on Congressional leadership to enact measures to renew business travelers’ confidence and to curb the devastating impact of the pandemic on this vital sector of the global economy. …

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• 5 August

  TouchBistro Acquires Loyalty and CRM Software Provider TableUp

  

  TouchBistro today announced that it has acquired Boston-based TableUp, a provider of loyalty and marketing solutions for the restaurant industry. TableUp is highly regarded for its proprietary guest engagement solution, which is used by more than 600 restaurants throughout the U.S. and will enable TouchBistro to fully integrate customer loyalty …

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• 5 August

  ASKY Partners with Sabre, Supporting Growth Across Africa Through Next-generation Technologies

  

  West-African airline, ASKY, has signed a multi-year agreement with Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), enabling the carrier to move forward with innovative, next-generation technologies that will facilitate further expansion. The agreement will allow ASKY to leverage the global travel technology leader’s passenger service system and its recently-launched Sabre Commercial Platform – the …

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• 5 August

  U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics Offers COVID-19 Related Daily, Weekly and Monthly Transportation Statistics

  

  Responding to heightened interest in the most recent transportation data, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has created new web pages of daily, weekly and monthly statistics. These pages allow comparison of pre-COVID-19 and current numbers for passenger travel and freight shipments. The new pages present a wide range of …

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• 5 August

  How hotel tech adoption will be a route to recovery

  

  What is recovery in the hotel industry going to look like? Will it be fast or gradual, will guests book with confidence or take their time, will hotels look and feel dramatically different to pre-COVID-19 or will the changes be more subtle? There are multiple ways in which this transition …

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• 5 August

  Hyatt hopes for China, conversions

  

  Hyatt Hotels Corporation hailed recovery in China and South Korea during it’s second-quarter earnings call this week, but added that demand was building more slowly elsewhere. The group said that it expected to see a rising number of conversions compensate for a slowing in rooms growth. The company said that, …

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• 5 August

  Wyndham Direct Program Expanded to Super 8 and Days Inn Brands

  

  Days Inn Calgary North Balzac PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is expanding Wyndham Direct, a unique booking, billing and business solution. The service, formerly unique to the La Quinta by Wyndham brand, is now immediately available at Super 8 by Wyndham and Days Inn by Wyndham hotels in …

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