Innovation

InterContinental Hotels Group has collaborated with Accenture and Qualcomm Technologies to pilot a program that uses augmented and virtual reality as part of the event-planning experience. Developed by the Accenture Extended Reality practice in collaboration with Qualcomm, the XR Event Planner places event planners, buyers and hotel sales staff in a virtual reconstruction …

Accor and Sabre intend to create the first unified central-reservation and property-management platform for the global hospitality industry, according to the companies. Through collaboration, the companies plan to develop a new full-service property-management capability and enrich Sabre’s existing central-reservation and limited-service property-management systems. These capabilities will combine within a new unified …

The ADA and Service Animals – Don’t Horse Around – By Martin H. Orlick Just when you think you’ve seen it all, imagine your astonishment when boarding the train for your morning commute to find you’re sharing the ride with a miniature horse. That’s exactly what happened to some passengers …

Last year, hotel spas in the United States notched 72.8 percent occupancy and grew average daily rate 3.5 percent to $287.45, according to the 2019 edition of CBRE’s “Trends in the Hotel Spa Industry” report. And while hotel spas grew total revenue 4.8 percent, labor costs were in hot pursuit, …

Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, has signed a strategic long-term global partnership with OYO Hotels & Homes. With this partnership, OYO will be connected to almost 900,000 travel agents globally, through the GDS connectivity solution powered by Sabre Hospitality Solutions’ innovative SynXis …

Europe’s hotel industry reported positive results in the three key performance metrics during 2019, according to data from STR. Euro constant currency, 2019 vs. 2018 Europe • Occupancy: +0.4% to 72.2%• Average daily rate (ADR): +1.8% to EUR 113.36• Revenue per available room (RevPAR): +2.2% to EUR 81.90 Local Currency, …

Hotels in the Asia Pacific region reported negative results in the three key performance metrics during 2019, according to data from STR. U.S. dollar constant currency, 2019 vs. 2018 Asia Pacific • Occupancy: -1.3% to 69.3%• Average daily rate (ADR): -2.0% to US$98.73• Revenue per available room (RevPAR): -3.2% to …

Tech-enabled lifestyle hotel company Life House closed on a $30 million Series B fundraising round. Thayer Ventures led the investment, with Tiger Global, JLL Spark and Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary’s Sound Ventures among the others. Today, Life House has more than 800 guestrooms available, with 25 hotels expected to …

Knowland now offers a new package for smaller hotels called Limited Space, Unlimited Potential. Designed for hotels with less than 6,000 square feet of total meeting space, this new package addresses the needs of smaller hotels, arming them with the tools to better compete for new group business. “While Knowland currently serves …

Growing Concepts of Multi Unit Operators Concepts that have grown by at least 5% (if less than 50 units). Houston, TX-based WILLIE’S RESTAURANTS (founded 1993) has increased by 1 unit, from 16 to 17 (6% growth). This family/casual bar and grill concept is open for lunch and dinner, with an $8-$20+ per person …