Latest news with #hoteltech
Travel Daily News
4 days ago
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Zaplox secures first agreement for new produ
At the beginning of 2025, Zaplox announced the launch of a new product that enables hotels to offer their guests a seamless digital journey – without requiring them to download an app. The first agreement has now been signed with Google . Zaplox has signed an agreement with Google for its short-term employee accommodations. The agreement covers the Zaplox Web App, which allows guests to manage check-in and check-out, make payments, and get mobile keys directly into their digital wallets – without downloading a mobile app. 'Zaplox has had the privilege of partnering with Google since 2022, including on mobile keys in Google Wallet. We are, of course, very proud that Google is now our first customer to offer our Zaplox Web App to their guests. This not only confirms that we continue to be at the forefront of technology, but also that our existing customers have growing confidence in us,' says Tess Mattisson, President and CEO of Zaplox. The Zaplox Web App is a web-based solution for check-in and check-out, payments, and digital wallet keys. The design is customized to match each hotel's brand and is suitable for hotels with wallet-compatible locks. 'As a growth company, being able to secure agreements for new products so soon after launch is an important confirmation that our development strategy – focused on customer needs – is the right one, and that we are investing in products and services that have a direct impact on our revenue,' Mattisson concludes.
Zawya
03-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Smart Stays: How tech is unlocking the future of travel?
Once a travel essential, the humble hotel keycard – that trusty sliver of plastic is fast becoming yesterday's news. For decades, it was your ticket to a good night's sleep and a hot shower, but in an age of instant everything, even keycards are getting left behind. As today's travellers demand more convenience, tighter security, and frictionless experiences, hotels around the world are ditching the old-school swipe in favour of smarter, sleeker tech. One of the driving forces behind this shift is the rise of mobile check-ins and digital keys, which allow guests to bypass the front desk entirely and use their smartphones to unlock their rooms. But as many hotel experts point out, it's not just about eliminating the check-in line; it's also about solving some of the age-old frustrations that come with using keycards. The Traditional Keycard Dilemma It's a scenario every traveller knows: you're jet-lagged, hauling bags, and dreaming of a hot shower but your hotel keycard refuses to work. Instant frustration. The culprit? More often than not, it's your smartphone. When you slide your keycard next to your phone, the magnetic fields can zap the data on the strip, leaving you locked out in the hallway. But phones aren't the only offenders. Credit cards, debit cards and even keychains can mess with your keycard. The result? A corrupted strip and a useless piece of plastic. Heat, moisture, and constant wear and tear only make things worse. Drop your card in a damp beach bag or sweaty pocket, and you're basically asking for trouble. Forget it in your room or lose it while out exploring, you have to head back to reception to ask for another one. Keycards may have served us well, but in a world of smarter tech and higher expectations, they're starting to feel more like a travel nuisance than a convenience. Digital Innovation Considering these recurring frustrations, hotel brands are embracing digital solutions to provide guests with a more reliable and seamless experience. While some properties are turning to digital room keys that can be accessed via smartphones, others, like the all-inclusive hospitality brand Club Med, are introducing digital wristbands as a more robust alternative to the traditional room key. Club Med's approach to this problem is grounded in a desire to offer guests a hassle-free and secure way to access their rooms, participate in activities, and even make purchases on property. The digital wristband is a key innovation in this transition, designed to be durable, waterproof, and capable of avoiding the common pitfalls associated with traditional keycards. Club Med's Managing Director, Olivier Perrilat-Piratoine, explained that with Club Med's new digital wristbands, guests can not only unlock their rooms but also pay for meals, shop for souvenirs, and even book activities, all without ever needing to touch a physical card. By shifting to a more integrated system, the brand is streamlining the guest experience and ensuring that the hassle of a malfunctioning keycard becomes a thing of the past. Why the Shift Matters This tech shift isn't just about ditching plastic – it's about security and next-level personalisation. Mobile keys and digital wristbands are encrypted and tied directly to your personal profile. Unlike old-school keycards, they're way harder to lose, clone, or misuse. But here's where it really gets smart: these tools don't just open doors. They open up your entire stay. With a tap on your phone or flick of a wristband, you can book a spa treatment, reserve dinner, adjust your room's temperature. All done in real time and tailored to you. It's seamless, it's slick, and it makes guests feel seen. That kind of personal touch? It builds loyalty and keeps people coming back. A Tech-Driven Revolution From self-check-ins to digital room keys, the shift away from traditional keycards is more than just a trend. It's a response to the changing expectations of modern travellers, offering a more streamlined, secure, and personalised stay. And for those who've experienced the frustration of keycards that fail at the worst possible moment, it's easy to see why these digital alternatives are being welcomed. While Club Med is leading the charge with its digital wristbands, this shift is part of a larger trend sweeping the hospitality industry. Many hotels are now incorporating smart tech into their rooms, such as voice-activated assistants, smart thermostats, and AI-powered concierges. These innovations help hoteliers cater to the growing demand for seamless, tech-driven experiences. As the hospitality industry continues to embrace new technologies, the days of fumbling for a keycard or dealing with demagnetised cards may soon be behind us and the future of hotel room access is shaping up to be much more secure, efficient, and seamless. And all without a key in sight.
Travel Daily News
23-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Mirai launches ultra-fast booking engine to boost hotel conversions
Mirai's new booking engine improves conversion by 56% for multi-room bookings, which account for 18% of total hotel sales. The new architecture loads results in under 2 seconds, even in slow connections like airports or rural areas, minimising conversion losses. MADRID – Mirai, the hotel tech specialist focused on boosting direct sales, has launched a new global booking engine designed to transform the customer experience and maximise conversion. This innovative solution delivers ultra-fast load times – munder 2 seconds even on slow connections – and achieves 56% higher conversion rates for multi-room searches. One of the biggest improvements is optimising multi-room bookings. While they represent 9% of all bookings, they account for 18% of total sales. The new engine introduces a guided navigation system, allowing users to view all selected rooms in a summary cart and easily modify previous choices. The result: a 56% higher conversion rate compared to single-room searches. Another standout feature is the engine's ultra-fast architecture, which displays results in less than two seconds – even on low-quality connections such as in airports or rural areas. This speed avoids the typical conversion loss of up to 3% per additional second of load time, ensuring a smooth, frictionless experience. The engine's design highlights the most relevant information for users, including cancellation policies, final pricing, loyalty program benefits, and currency conversion options. All this is presented in an elegant and simple design and a clear visual interface that reduces scrolling by 90% through intelligently grouped rate cards. One platform, endless booking engines. The new engine also offers key functionalities including: Automatic removal of redundant rates and rate mixing, enhancing competitiveness against OTAs. Calendar with minimum prices shown from the first step to help drive quicker decisions. Fully integrated into the hotel's domain and design – no redirects or subdomains – ensuring a seamless experience. Support for hotel chains, with searches by brand, destination, or concept. Smart filters that never return empty results and an OTA price comparison tool with rate-matching capabilities. Visualisation of unavailable rooms to create urgency and improve conversion. The engine also strengthens sales recovery in cases of unavailability, offering users alternative dates, waitlists, direct contact options, or suggestions from other properties in the group. These features help recover an additional 0.6% of bookings that would otherwise be lost. In terms of customisation, hotels can tailor everything from the number of results per row to how prices are displayed, including highlighting premium rooms or applying specific promotions. This visual and functional flexibility makes the engine a perfect fit for each property's strategy. 'The booking experience is one of the most critical moments in the guest journey. It must be fast, clear, and reliable – but also intuitive, personalised, and built to convert. Our new engine not only meets these demands – it redefines them,' says Pablo Delgado, Managing Partner & CEO America at Mirai. 'This is the result of years of observation, development, and active listening to our hotel partners. We've created a solution that truly makes a difference: more sales, a better experience, and seamless alignment with each property's identity.' Mirai's new booking engine is now available for implementation across all types of properties – from independent hotels to large chains.
Hospitality Net
19-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
The Ultimate Tech Ecosystem for Enterprise Hotels
Enterprise hotels operate at a level where fragmented technology leads to operational slowdowns, missed revenue opportunities, and inconsistent guest experiences. With numerous hotel tech solutions available, selecting the right combination can be overwhelming. However, when systems align with your business goals, they unlock smarter operations and sustainable growth. Imagine a unified hotel tech ecosystem that connects marketing, sales, revenue, and operations. This powerful system eliminates data silos, enabling teams to automate, scale, and perform with confidence. The result? Smarter operations and a guest experience that's consistently exceptional. This guide outlines the essential components of a hotel technology stack, from CRM systems to GDS, and explains how each contributes to more efficient operations. What is a hotel tech ecosystem? A hotel tech ecosystem is a network of integrated platforms and tools that optimize hotel operations, from personalizing guest interactions to maximizing profits. For enterprise hotels, this includes managing guest data, pricing, distribution, marketing, and in-property transactions. Brands looking to harness new technology are in luck. Today's new hires are more technologically confident and can quickly become champions of new platforms. Empowered by intuitive tools, staff are more likely to stay, innovate, and make meaningful contributions. An effective ecosystem is: Integrated across departments and systems Cloud-based and modular Designed to scale with your portfolio Built for real-time data flow Enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) for actionable insights User-friendly and timesaving A well-structured hotel tech ecosystem reduces friction, manual work, and saves time, so teams can focus on enhancing guest experiences. How to build your hotel's tech ecosystem Here's a step-by-step framework: 1. Connect infrastructure systems Choose trusted partners for PMS (Cloudbeds, Mews, Infor), POS, and channel distribution. 2. Focus on integration and scalability Use open APIs and cloud-based platforms like Cendyn to stay future-ready. 3. Optimize your website and booking engine Use a flexible CMS and integrated booking tools to drive direct revenue. 4. Align revenue and sales Utilize RMS insights, including forecasted need periods and rate guidance, in lead generation and prospecting strategies. 5. Centralize your guest data Start with CRM + CDP to create a unified guest profile 6. Layer on marketing automation Automate guest journeys and campaigns based on lifecycle triggers. 7. Build loyalty Launch a scalable loyalty program with behavioral segmentation. 8. Leverage business intelligence & AI analytics Unify reporting, track KPIs, and uncover trends that inform strategic planning across departments. Why integration matters A tech stack becomes an ecosystem when tools talk to each other in real-time. Start with a strong data foundation (CRM + CDP), then connect tools like RMS, POS, GDS, and sales enablement for full visibility. Example integrations that drive results: PMS + CRM: Trigger pre-arrival messages based on room type, loyalty status, or stay history. POS + CDP: Send spa or dining offers based on in-stay purchase behavior. GDS + CRS + Direct Booking Engine + OTAs: Ensure rates and inventory are synchronized across global and direct channels. Group sales + catering: Find, book, and grow group business B2C and B2B CRM + Loyalty: Target guests, corporate accounts, and travel agents for business. CRS + Booking Engine + RMS: Optimize pricing based on demand on CRS. Explore how Cendyn's integration ecosystem connects your hotel technology solutions to drive performance at every level. The core components of an enterprise hotel tech stack A modern hotel tech stack is more than a collection of tools. It's a connected ecosystem that powers every part of the guest and business journey. Below are the core components enterprise hotels need to operate efficiently, grow revenue, and deliver exceptional experiences. 1. Centralized guest profiles (CDP + CRM) A centralized view of every guest is foundational. Customer data platforms (CDP) collect data from all sources, while customer relationship management (CRM) tools personalize engagement across channels. Hotel CRM use cases: Triggering automated emails based on behavior or lifecycle stage Creating micro-segments for targeted offers Synchronizing data with loyalty and marketing platforms Every team benefits from CDP and CRM tools. For front desk staff and operations, real-time guest data enhances the accuracy of service. Sales teams can identify opportunities and establish trust quickly. Leadership gains access to reports necessary for guiding strategic growth and development. This centralized foundation provides enhanced visibility and coordination across all departments, enabling faster decision-making and improved performance. Learn how Cendyn's hotel CRM & CDP work together to create a unified guest profile. 2. Marketing automation & campaign management Gone are the days of batch-and-blast. With a marketing automation platform, hotels can deliver relevant messaging at scale without relying on manual effort. Marketing teams can build data-driven campaigns around behavior, geography, loyalty tier, or booking channel. At the same time, automation empowers teams to execute complex campaigns without added overhead. This approach provides marketing teams with the flexibility to launch campaigns quickly and make frequent adjustments, while sales teams benefit from more qualified leads and improved engagement data. On-property teams experience fewer manual processes, allowing them to focus on delivering exceptional service. For guests, automation yields smarter, more relevant interactions that build long-term loyalty. Key features of marketing automation tools: Campaign automation for email, SMS, WhatsApp, and social media. Audience segmentation for personalized messaging Real-time updates from CRM and CDP data 3. Revenue management and demand forecasting Hotel revenue management systems (RMS) help enterprise hotels strategically boost revenue across all business segments through comprehensive profit optimization. Modern RMS platforms leverage analytics and data science to deliver dynamic pricing recommendations tailored to room type, market conditions, and customer segments. RMS platforms analyze guest value by factoring in booking behaviors, price sensitivity, and opportunities for ancillary revenue. Users gain the ability to forecast accurately and develop informed pricing strategies. Additionally, specialized group forecasting modules support hotel sales teams in crafting competitive and accurate proposals for groups and events with confidence. With real-time market insights, predictive analytics, and automated optimization processes, RMS solutions empower hotels to stay ahead of trends, maximize revenue, and improve operational efficiency. Key benefits and use cases for hotel RMS: Optimized pricing and forecasting: Adjust pricing strategies dynamically based on guest potential, competitive positioning, and real-time demand signals. Ancillary revenue growth: Boost RevPAR by identifying guest preferences and strategically upselling additional services. Dynamic room pricing: Automate pricing decisions specific to room categories and targeted market segments. Enhanced group forecasting: Empower sales teams with accurate forecasts and detailed pricing insights to capture and maximize group business opportunities effectively. 4. Group sales enablement Group business, including meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE), has a significant impact on hotel occupancy and ancillary revenues from catering, event spaces, and audiovisual services. Group sales intelligence, such as Knowland, enables hotels to strategically evaluate market demand, identify emerging accounts, and tailor pricing based on real, actualized meeting data. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) with data like this allows sales teams to refine prospecting by dynamically filtering accounts based on criteria like meeting size, booking patterns, industry segment, and geographic preferences. For example, a hotel in Chicago looking to fill mid-week occupancy can enter a search to identify technology companies that historically book regional meetings within a 300-mile radius. This AI-driven approach streamlines the lead qualification process and enhances targeting precision, helping hotels proactively engage the right planners at the right time. Streamlining proposals Digital proposals have become increasingly important, with our latest survey indicating that over 51% of meeting planners prefer digital proposal formats. Adopting digital proposals and integrated catering solutions enables hotels to deliver personalized, visually appealing, and detailed presentations, which significantly increase conversion potential. Key benefits of implementing group sales solutions: Accurate market insights for targeted prospecting Monitor accounts meeting at competitive properties Streamlined processes for efficient response to RFPs Custom proposals incorporating event services and curated menus Together, this connected ecosystem equips enterprise hotels to work smarter across the group sales journey. 5. Loyalty programs and guest retention A modern hotel loyalty program goes beyond points. By integrating behavioral data, hotels can offer more meaningful rewards, increase repeat business, and recognize high-value guests in real-time. Features to look for in a hotel loyalty system: Tiered or points-based reward structures Personalized offers for members Loyalty data feeding into CRM for deeper engagement 6. Website CMS and direct booking tools Your hotel website is more than a digital brochure. It's the foundation of your direct booking strategy and one of the most influential touchpoints in a guest's booking journey. 65% of users access hotel websites via mobile devices, making mobile optimization and performance critical. According to Google, 75% of users consider site speed the most important factor, and Forbes reports that 40% of users will abandon a site if it takes longer than three seconds to load. Each second of delay can result in a 20% drop in conversions. This data indicates that having a fast, user-friendly website is not just nice to have; it's non-negotiable. A flexible hotel CMS and website editor, combined with a modern booking engine, ensures a consistent brand experience, fast updates, and conversion-optimized performance. Cendyn's use of Content Delivery Network (CDN) technology enhances speed and uptime through globally distributed servers, which has helped drive an average 81% increase in website reservations year-over-year for over 250 clients. Paired with advanced SEO strategies, this approach boosts visibility across both branded and long-tail searches. Use cases: Personalizing landing pages for loyalty members or geo-targeted offers Managing multi-property content from a central hub Streamlining the booking process to reduce abandonment Key features: Drag-and-drop content editing for marketing teams Integrated booking engine and personalization modules Mobile optimization and ADA compliance Access to chatbot integrations like Glowing and other interactive content applications 7. Hotel business intelligence Hotel business intelligence (BI) tools play a vital role in helping enterprise hotels turn raw operational data into actionable business insights. By unifying data from systems like PMS, CRM, RMS, POS, and marketing platforms, BI tools provide a comprehensive view of performance that enables faster, smarter decision-making across the organization. With AI enhancements, BI platforms can save teams huge amounts of time in interpreting the data, they can deliver predictive analytics and smart narratives: automated summaries that explain performance trends in plain language so hoteliers can take action immediately. One example: a smart narrative might report, Your recent summer promo targeting loyalty members achieved a 5.2x return on ad spend, outperforming other email campaigns by 27%. The highest converting segment was repeat guests from regional drive markets. Based on this, hotel teams could increase budget allocation to regional loyalty campaigns, segment future promotions by drive market distance, and test similar offers in underperforming seasons to further boost ROI. Key capabilities of hotel business intelligence platforms: Unify data from across the hotel tech stack into a single, trusted reporting source Automatically generate smart narratives that summarize trends and performance in plain language Apply AI-powered forecasting to identify demand shifts and emerging risks before they impact revenue With the right hotel business intelligence tools in place, enterprise hotels can enhance profitability, agility, and long-term growth potential. 8. Operational infrastructure: GDS, PMS, POS & channel manager While guest engagement and revenue tools power the front end, your operational tech foundation is just as critical to a fully connected ecosystem. These systems power daily operations and connect backend data to front-end guest experiences. Choosing the right mix of infrastructure tools depends on what your hotel is trying to achieve—whether that's increasing corporate bookings, improving operational efficiency, or driving direct channel performance. Enterprise hotels should begin with a clear understanding of their target market segments, guest expectations, and internal workflows. From there, evaluate tech options based on functionality, integration capabilities, and long-term scalability. GDS (Global Distribution System) For enterprise hotels, Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) are essential channels for securing high-value corporate and business travel bookings. GDS platforms connect thousands of travel agents and corporate travel managers, helping enterprise hotels boost occupancy, increase ADR, and expand their global reach. Why GDS matters for enterprise hotels: Reliable exposure to business travelers during off-peak seasons, thereby balancing leisure seasonality with steady corporate demand. Position multiple properties within preferred travel programs, creating cross-property loyalty and increasing wallet share with large travel accounts. Real-time control over rates, availability, and negotiated corporate agreements helps maximize revenue and maintain competitiveness without channel conflict. Looking to simplify GDS management? Learn how Cendyn's GDS solution enhances distribution and drives more corporate bookings. Property Management System (PMS) A PMS is the central hub of hotel operations, managing check-in and check-out, hotel room status, folios, and more. Cendyn integrates with leading PMS providers like Cloudbeds, Mews, and Infor to ensure real-time data flows into your CRM, CDP, and marketing tools. Benefits of integration: Seamless guest profile updates Triggered communications based on status changes Real-time availability and guest preferences POS (Point of Sale system) Your POS system tracks food and beverage (F&B) spend, spa services, and other on-property purchases. When integrated with CRM and CDP, it adds powerful context to guest profiles, enabling the delivery of personalized offers and loyalty rewards. Why it matters: Personalize offers based on dining behavior or spa history Attribute ancillary spend to loyalty programs Automate post-stay surveys or upsell follow-ups Channel Manager Channel managers distribute your inventory and rates across online travel agencies (OTAs), global distribution systems (GDS), and direct booking channels. Cendyn integrates with platforms like D-EDGE to help hotels maintain rate parity, avoid overbookings, and capture direct bookings more efficiently. Features to look for: Centralized inventory and pricing updates OTA performance monitoring Consistent guest data flow across systems Final thoughts A connected hotel tech ecosystem unlocks personalized guest experiences, operational efficiency, and strategic growth. With Cendyn's platform and expert integrations, your hotel can activate strategy, connect data, and scale with confidence. Explore Cendyn's full suite of hotel technology solutions or schedule a strategy session today. ABOUT CENDYN Cendyn is a global hospitality cloud-based technology company that enables hotels to drive revenue, maximize profitability, and create deeper connections with guests through its integrated solutions. Serving hoteliers for nearly 30 years, Cendyn drives commercial success for hotels through its Find, Book, Grow promise: find the right guests, drive them to book direct, and grow loyalty and revenue across the spectrum of digital guest interactions. Cendyn has over 35,000 customers worldwide in more than 150 countries generating more than $20 billion in annual hotel revenue. The company supports its growing customer base from locations across the globe, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Bangkok, and India. To find out more, visit View source
Hospitality Net
13-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Abode Hotel Tech Investment Index: Revenue Solutions Raise $480M, Overtaking PMS Funding for the First Time
New hotel tech investment report draws data from 32 funding rounds and 30 firms Research shows seismic shift in investor priorities as hotels seek to optimize revenue PMS funding held strong with $375 million combined from Mews, Apaleo and Stayntouch Revenue-focused solutions have officially overtaken property management systems (PMS) as the top-performing category for hotel tech investment, according to a new report by Abode Worldwide, the specialist communications consultancy for the hospitality tech and proptech sectors. Drawing on data from 32 funding rounds across 30 companies, Abode Worldwide's State of Hotel Tech Investment 2025 reveals that revenue-focused solutions attracted over $480 million, significantly outpacing the $375 million raised by PMS providers between December 2023 and April 2025. It marks the first time that global investment into revenue-focused software providers has surpassed PMS solutions, signaling a seismic shift in investor priorities as hotels seek to optimize pricing and boost profitability through rich market insights, automation, AI, and data-driven forecasting. The surge last year was led by Lighthouse, a commercial intelligence platform which raised $370 million Series C, becoming the sector's new unicorn. Revenue management software platform RoomPriceGenie secured $75 million, while Smartness (previously known as SmartPricing) raised €13 million. The rally highlights sustained demand for intelligent pricing, automated rate adjustments, and revenue optimization strategies. PMS leaders including Apaleo, Mews, and Stayntouch also made headlines with major raises. Mews alone accounted for the lion's share of PMS funding, with three separate rounds — including a €101 million Series D — totaling nearly $290 million. Apaleo and Stayntouch added to the momentum with €20 million and $48 million respectively, contributing to a total PMS raise of $375 million across the same 17-month period. Amid persistent global economic uncertainty, hotels are doubling down on technologies that drive revenue and margin. Investors are increasingly shifting focus to platforms that offer clear ROI through smarter pricing, improved yield, and data-led decision-making. We're seeing them put their trust – and dollars – behind solutions that help hoteliers compete more effectively. Jessica Gillingham, CEO of Abode Worldwide and author of the upcoming book Tech-Enabled Hospitality (Kogan Page, Aug 2025) Abode Worldwide's State of Hotel Tech Investment 2025 offers a comprehensive snapshot of startup investment across the global hotel technology ecosystem. Drawing on publicly available funding data sourced from Crunchbase and Abode's industry insight, the Index categorises investment activity by vertical — including PMS, RMS, guest experience, operations, and more — offering unique visibility into where capital is flowing and why. The report found that enhancing guest interactions has become a priority for hotels, as evidenced by the $73 million invested in guest experience platforms and adjacent technologies. The 2025 edition spans activity from December 2023 through April 2025, covering 32 disclosed investment rounds across 30 companies in 15 countries. The Index is designed to help investors, hoteliers, and hospitality tech providers better understand evolving market dynamics, identify growth opportunities, and track the technologies shaping the future of the industry.
