News & Stories

The Italian tourism industry is under attack by criminal organizations, and important events such as the Jubilee this year in Rome, as well as the Milano – Cortina Winter Olympics Games 2026 makes such a threat even more dangerous. Companies at risk are mainly hotels, travel operators and restaurants plagued by cash crunch and debts.

The ITB has clearly demonstrated: AI is now omnipresent. The development of digital solutions for the hotel industry is progressing rapidly, driven in part by tech providers with fresh capital. A summary.

A visit to a restaurant remains an analogue experience. But most diners are happy for it to be digital all-round. This trend emerges from a representative survey on digital services in the catering industry. 

AI is currently revolutionising every industry, including hospitality, tourism, and customer service. Therefore, the introduction of the training program AI Skills Passport (AISP) from EY and Microsoft in several countries is well-timed. Early adopters will have the upper hand in securing jobs in Europe and beyond.

The EU's "AI Act" is the world's first cross-national piece of legislation on the use of artificial intelligence. After a transitional phase, a number of rules are now being tightened up.

In the hype, many people forget that AI is not yet able to independently offer the in-depth and authentic experiences that customers expect. A consultancy service is now making this clear on the subject of marketing.

Serious cyber-attacks can paralyse companies - even to the point of insolvency. This can also affect individual hotels and hotel groups. However, according to a survey of managers, only just under half are aware of their responsibility for cyber security.

Technology is changing distribution and sales. Even with existing systems, hoteliers for example, can push guest satisfaction by boosting the Net RevPAR. Even happy employees drive profitability. At FITUR, Spanish industry leader and tech experts reported on their everyday lives. 

Italian hotels have been fighting Booking.com since 2014. Most recently, the Italian competition authority (AGCM) warned the OTA not to give preference to hotels in the Preferred Partner programmes. The industry fears that this will reintroduce the dreaded parity clause through the back door.

Former OpenAI researcher Suchir Balaji has been found dead at the age of 26. Even if it was presumably suicide, the whistleblower, who severely criticised OpenAI, must have been under massive pressure.