Munich has defended its top position in the "Smart City Index" ahead of Hamburg and Cologne. The annual ranking assesses the progress made in the digitalisation of major German cities. The categories of administration, IT and communication, energy and environment, mobility as well as society and education are put to the test. 

A new study shows that Germans are collecting loyalty points more diligently than ever before. Almost two thirds (65%) of Germans have two or more loyalty cards. Five years ago, it was only just over half (52%). A full 91% of respondents use rewards to treat themselves to something nice every year.

Not only fans of the Ocean's Eleven film trilogy know the Bellagio Fountain, which belongs to the hotel of the same name in Las Vegas. The 40th show of the Bellagio Fountains was staged by a guest! 

Dis-loyalty, a programme developed by Ennismore, focuses on benefits and rewards for its members. In one year, members were able to enjoy around 80,000 free cups of coffee.

The idea is funny, but do you really want to sleep in this tennis ball room? The IHG Rally Room was designed on the occasion of the US Open and is dedicated to the unresolved question of whether the tennis ball is yellow or green. 

Bought, given away, forgotten: Vouchers can be bought at the last minute and there is something for everyone. Hotel accommodation is often given as a gift, but the vouchers are often not redeemed.

It's not just holiday hotels that are allowing more and more dogs on the premises. Now US hotels are also offering pets hourly care, services or the Luxury Suite for long-term stays. A new franchise model.

The year is 1950, there are around 71 million people living in Germany (FRG & GDR), the most populous country in the world is China with 544 million inhabitants. By 2024, these figures will look very different. The front runner is now India.

In Thailand, the clocks tick differently, namely slowly. Guaranteed when the art-culture-music-nature Wonderfruit Festival takes place again in the province of Chonburi. It has now been announced for December. 

In reputable family-run hotels, employees like to stay for a long time. Also, because the family values them. An unusual podcast from the Hotel Hochschober in Carinthia and a portrait of Rosi from the laundry at the Romantikhotel Oberwirt show what makes a "hotel family" tick.