News & Stories

Google experiment: hotel search "like it used to be" / AI eats up electricity / Mews goes mobile: Atomize takeover / Apaleo secures capital / Chinese robots overtake German ones

Direct booking is accelerating. A brand-new study reflects the changes and trends for 2024. Mobile bookings are rapidly overtaking desktop sales, with app revenue dominated by large chains through loyalty programs. Ancillary revenue potential remains underutilized.

Since the global financial crisis, the luxury market has experienced considerable growth. The luxury hotel segment benefits from this. The growing number of millionaires worldwide means that a solvent clientele can be expected.

The new provisions of the Digital Market Act (DMA) came into force on 14 November. Booking.com claims to comply with the new regulations. However, HOTREC and the German Hotel Association (IHA) strongly doubt this. Hoteliers can ask their questions in two workshops.

Bad news for Mark Zuckerberg: according to the EU Commission, the Facebook group Meta has broken competition law and must pay a fine of almost 800 million euros. In addition, the rights of users in Germany have been strengthened following the Facebook data theft.

Everything is currently focused on sustainability and digitalisation. This is fuelling many people's fears. Innovation in Germany simply means training robots like humans. That's the wrong approach. Prof Dr Alexander Schmidt from Hotelschool The Hague explains why disruption and people belong together.

Anyone staying overnight in a German hotel must fill in a piece of paper by hand with their own registration details at check-in. The Bundestag has now abolished this obligation - but not for all guests. 

In mid-June 2025, the Barrier-Free Strengthening Act (BFSG; Barrierefreiheits-Stärkungsgesetz) will come into force in Germany. Accessibility will then also be mandatory on many tourism and hotel websites - a challenge, but one that also opens up opportunities. 

Artificial Intelligence. These two words make people both excited and scared. Why? Because this technology is revolutionising industries and travel is no exception. From hotel groups, to OTAs, to Airbnb, leaders in the travel sector are investing in AI. Sabre is also one of them. In collaboration with Google. 

The digitalisation of the real estate industry is progressing. At the same time, a recent study shows that many companies have reached a plateau in this process.