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FF&E PROVIDER HÄFELE and Like Magic, a guest experience platform, are producing a new multifunctional hotel room concept. The "Work and Sleep" concept allows hotel operators to transform rooms into offices, meeting spaces and other functional areas using digitally enabled furniture, fitting solutions and specialized software. Work and Sleep integrates a booking engine, guest platform, employee interface and monitoring tools into one central hub, streamlining hotel management, the companies said in a joint statement. It will combine Like Magic's guest and employee experience platform with Häfele's hardware systems, the statement said. The collaboration aims to introduce new revenue models by activating otherwise vacant rooms while reducing outfitting costs. "Our goal is to lead the way in hotel industry innovation with our forward-thinking concepts," said Gregor Riekena, Häfele's CEO. "We are currently testing these new ideas at the ibis Styles Hotel in Nagold, Germany, which serves as a valuable proving ground for our initiatives. This innovation not only allows us to gather essential insights and refine our concepts, but also demonstrates our commitment to pushing the boundaries of what modern hotels can offer. By continuously evolving and enhancing our solutions, we aim to set new standards for guest experience and operational efficiency."

TOCK, A RESERVATIONS and events platform for the hospitality industry, recently partnered with Curator Hotel & Resort Collection to enhance food and beverage operations and provide additional amenities to guests. The partnership will enable Curator member hotels and resorts to streamline operations, drive revenue and improve guests' experiences on a single system. "Tock provides a holistic solution that empowers our customers and we're thrilled to bring that to Curator's elite network of independent hotels and resorts," said Patrick Venn, Tock's head of hotels and enterprise. "This partnership aligns with our mission to empower hotels of all sizes with forward-thinking technology focused on revenue management. Together, we aim to help these properties not only in navigating today's competitive landscape, but also setting new standards in delivering extraordinary guest experiences." Tock's platform offers capabilities tailored for hotel operators, Tock said in a statement.

STAYNTOUCH, A CLOUD-BASED hotel property management software developer, recently deployed its PMS at 139 Cobblestone Hotels locations in 90 days. Cobblestone has more than 160 properties across 29 states. The PMS streamlines operations, improves efficiency and speeds up property setups with template configurations, according to Stayntouch. It also enhances revenue and occupancy through an integrated rate strategy module and provides products to manage operations, drive revenue and support guest services. "At Stayntouch, we understand the challenges faced by hotel chains like Cobblestone, which is why we've tailored our solutions to meet their needs," said Jacob Messina, Stayntouch's CEO. "This collaboration reflects our commitment to delivering solutions that enhance operations and drive revenue for owners and operators. We focus on understanding their needs, delivering consistently, and building trust as a reliable partner."

WITH THE HOSPITALITY industry facing numerous issues even as the economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, two major associations have formed a new partnership to address that need. AAHOA and the American Hotel & Lodging Association have created the American Hospitality Alliance advocate for hotels on state and national levels. AAHOA and AHLA announced the formation of AHA during the summer meeting of the International Society of Hotel Associations in Boston on Tuesday. The purpose of the alliance is to pool resources and streamline efforts, the associations said, and it also will work with state hotel associations. "The majority of hotels are small businesses. That is why the owners and operators are particularly well-suited to inform lawmakers about policies and regulations that will accelerate the industry's resurgence. This coalition could not have come at a more important time as the hotel industry prepares to welcome back guests," said Ken Greene, AAHOA's interim president and CEO. Greene was appointed to the interim position in early June following the resignation of Cecil Staton, former AAHOA president and CEO. Rachel Humphrey, the association's executive vice president and COO, also will be resigning on Aug. 7, the day after AAHOA's 2021 Convention and Trade show in Dallas finishes.

HOTEL MANAGEMENT FIRM Revival Hotels is working with Stayntouch to provide its cloud-based property management systems to Revival's independent portfolio. Revival is led by Founder and CEO Saxton Sharad. Revival will receive automated software with flexibility and an interface its team can adopt to improve daily operations, the companies said in a joint statement. "We chose Stayntouch because it's built for the way modern hotels operate-efficiently, intuitively, and designed to work for our teams, not against them," Sharad said. "Having worked with nearly every PMS on the market, we know a system is only as good as how well the team can use it. Stayntouch's ease of use and cloud-based flexibility have allowed us to streamline front desk operations, reduce training times, and improve the guest experience. Seeing our teams thrive with this system confirms we made the right choice."

THE 12TH EDITION of Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry is now launched. Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals published the revised edition, overseen by the Global Finance Committee and jointly sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association and HFTP. The publication added financial and operating changes, a sustainability section, and a section specific to all-inclusive hotels, with an adoption date of Jan. 1, 2026. The GFC comprises global financial leaders from AHLA's financial management committee and HFTP members representing the most prominent global hotel brands, operators, owners, and other industry authorities, AHLA said in a statement. "The USALI has long been the compass guiding financial and operational reporting in hospitality," said Gina Tallarico, GFC co-chair and Hyatt's global head of acquisition integration. "This update signifies GFC's commitment to globalization, sustainability, and informed decision-making. With this 12th Revised Edition, we're excited to introduce a new all-inclusive reporting section - an initial step toward standardization and benchmarking capability in this rapidly -growing segment."

COSTAR GROUP, A real estate marketplace and analytics provider, granted STR's hotel data subscribers access to its full product suite, enabling users to leverage multisegmented market analytics and forecasts. The services include a tenant database of 7.8 million spaces, an inventory of 6.7 million properties, a pipeline tracking 79,000 projects and a transactions database with 4.2 million sales comparables, CoStar said in a statement. "Today, CoStar becomes the product for tens of thousands of hotel users worldwide," said Andy Florance, CoStar Group's founder and CEO. "With access to the full product offering, hotel owners, operators and brand representatives will gain comprehensive insights across all commercial asset categories, enabling them to refine their sales strategy and identify new investment opportunities." STR's latest benchmarking solution debuted within the CoStar product in May 2023, the statement added. This comprehensive, multilingual tool offers enriched STAR Reports, detailed property and portfolio insights, and advanced visualizations to streamline revenue and performance management, operations, sales, marketing, and finance.

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL is working with Bridge, a digital lending platform, to offer financing options to new and existing owners. Choice hoteliers can request a commercial loan in 10 minutes through a dedicated landing page on the Bridge platform, which streamlines the loan search process. Aspiring hoteliers, often facing financial challenges due to limited industry exposure, and existing owners seeking refinancing or new loans can access the Bridge platform, the companies said in a joint statement. "This collaboration is a win-win for Choice and its hotel owners," said Dominic Dragisich, Choice's executive vice president for operations and chief global brand officer. "Helping our hoteliers obtain and optimize financing for their properties is a high priority, and this agreement with Bridge will provide them with access to competitive loan offerings through an easy-to-use online interface."

HYATT HOTELS CORP. recently selected the Oracle OPERA Cloud hospitality platform as the property management system for its global portfolio of more than 1,000 hotels and all-inclusive properties. The new PMS is expected to streamline operations, standardize data management and enhance guest experiences by enabling personalized service through a deeper understanding of guest preferences across stays. With OPERA Cloud's mobile capability, Hyatt employees can assist guests from anywhere, anytime, the companies said in a statement. "As one of the world's top hospitality companies, Hyatt is committed to caring for people so they can be their best," said Cameron Hammond, Hyatt's senior vice president of global field technology services. "In today's evolving environment, technology plays a critical role in empowering our colleagues to continue delivering unforgettable experiences to our guests. By moving to OPERA Cloud and extending our long-standing collaboration with Oracle, we will provide our operators and colleagues with a modern, secure platform to deliver better data insights and elevate their roles with greater ease and efficiency."

SUPER 8 BY Wyndham introduced its INNOV8TE 2.0 design package, the next iteration of its Innov8te program, developed in collaboration with owners and design experts. The program, debuting on the brand's 50th anniversary, is designed for today's travelers, featuring updated color schemes, upgraded furniture, new bedding and durable flooring, while also enhancing operational efficiency. The package, available across the U.S. and Canada, starts at $1,850 per key, excluding freight, tax, and installation, Wyndham said in a statement. "As we celebrate our 50-year milestone, one thing's clear: Super 8 is not slowing down," said Mike Mueller, Super 8 by Wyndham's president. "Our commitment to innovation has driven us to create INNOV8TE 2.0, which is more than just an upgrade-it's a bold leap forward. By placing our owners at the center of everything we do, we're elevating economy with a seamless, easy-to-implement design upgrade that streamlines hotel operations and helps drive success. With Innov8te, we're not just keeping pace-we're setting the standard."

CONTACTLESS CHECK-IN TECHNOLOGY firm Virdee is now integrated with commerce technology platform FreedomPay. The companies will offer a PCI-validated, point-to-point encryption solution with EMV, NFC, currency conversion and real-time data capabilities. The transition will help Virdee to offer end-to-end protection for credit card payments made through FreedomPay's cloud-based payments platform. It also provided FreedomPay compatibility with Virdee's check-in/check-out process with software for identity verification, payment collection, access control and remote support, according to Virdee. "Our integration with Virdee offers our customers expanded options, flexibility and, most important, security," said Chris Kronenthal, president of FreedomPay. "We help streamline and simplify complex payment options, while providing a single flow of data to facilitate consumer insights and engagement for our hotel clients. We're proud to partner with best-in-class solution providers, like Virdee, as we work together to revolutionize hotel operations and guest-facing technologies."

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been a game-changer in various industries, and the hospitality sector is no exception. The integration of IoT technology in hospitality has transformed how hotels and resorts operate, offering enhanced guest experiences and streamlined operations. IoT refers to the network of interconnected devices and sensors that collect and exchange data through the Internet, enabling seamless communication and automation. Let's explore how the IoT can benefit the hospitality industry, with a particular focus on the role of mobile phones in enhancing guest experiences. Personalized Guest Experience According to Analytic Steps, one of the most significant advantages of IoT in the hospitality industry is its ability to provide personalized guest experiences. IoT-enabled devices like smart room systems and mobile apps can gather data on guest preferences and behavior. With this information, hotels can tailor their services to meet individual needs, creating a more personalized and memorable stay for guests.

HOSPITALITY SOFTWARE PROVIDER Canary Technologies recently closed a $50 million Series C funding round to research AI guest technology in the hospitality sector, bringing its total fundraising to nearly $100 million. The company's software includes mobile check-in and checkout, tablet registration, upsells, guest messaging, Canary AI and digital tipping. The recent investment round was led by global software investor Insight Partners, who also led the company's Series B, with participation from existing investors F-Prime Capital, Thayer Ventures, Y-Combinator and Commerce Ventures, Canary said in a statement. California-based Canary is led by CEO Harman Singh Narula and President SJ Sawhney. "AI is transforming the way we live, work and travel," said Narula. "Canary is at the forefront of delivering enterprise-grade hospitality AI solutions that empower hoteliers to streamline operations, boost efficiency and elevate the guest experience, This funding milestone is a reflection of the team's hard work and the immense impact that Canary is making for hoteliers, including many of the world's largest enterprise hotel brands. We continue to see significant demand in the market for our products and are excited to extend our partnership with existing investors."

IDEAS HAS LAUNCHED the G3 RMS Portfolio Navigator for automating multi-property revenue management. The tool analyzes business and market trends to identify revenue opportunities and necessary actions, while streamlining strategy decisions for individual properties and enabling swift responses to market changes for optimal revenue generation, IDeaS said in a statement. "IDeaS is committed to ensuring our customers, regardless of size, have the tools they need to become more efficient and productive," said Sanjay Nagalia, IDeaS' cofounder, COO and chief technology officer. "The addition of Portfolio Navigator to our flagship product, G3 RMS, is a game changer for multi-property revenue management. It helps teams highlight suboptimal business or system conditions by property, prioritize tasks with the highest revenue impact, display outstanding revenue tasks by individual property and scale revenue operations and brand contribution. This functionality helps revenue management leaders turn insights into impactful commercial actions at scale."

HOSPITALITY SOFTWARE FIRM Actabl recently launched "Alice Housekeeping Refresh" to address fluctuations in housekeeping staff availability, providing owners and operators a tool to manage daily priorities and guest preferences. It enables teams to automate processes and manage assignments, offering visibility into priorities and team progress, Actabl said in a statement. "At Actabl, we understand the critical role that effective management of daily tasks and guest preferences plays in delivering hospitality," said Stephen German, Actabl's senior vice president of product. "Our latest update introduces a transformative tool for board and assignment management, streamlining task workflows and automating routine processes so associates spend more time caring for the guest and less on the technology." The tool provides leaders and team members quick insights into tasks, helping them meet guests' needs, Actabl said. Refresh includes a suite of functions: Auto-Assign, Credit Rules, Room Attendant Summary, Guest Preferences & Ticket Automation and Do Not Disturb Automation.