News & Stories

Amsterdam. Google Ads is dead. It has been replaced by the new Google Performance Max. This tech-oriented marketing tool promises to help hoteliers drive more conversions through Google AI, simplify campaign setup and reporting, and give them direct visibility across six Google surfaces, all with one ad campaign.

Augsburg. Innovative, funny and frightening news from the digital world. Today: Virtual lifeguard / Ethical algorithm for autonomous driving / Robots in the hospitality industry / Guest communication with chatbot and voice assistant / Self-check-in at Flemings Hotels / Duetto's new product suite.

Amsterdam. Out of curiosity, hospitalityInside author Sarah Douag asked ChatGPT how hoteliers can take advantage of its "super knowledge". She had an interesting conversation as she was challenging its answers. Here are the highlights of their exchange which lasted for about 15 minutes.

Munich. The hype around the AI tool ChatGPT is massive, worldwide. The possibilities offered by the tool appear unlimited. But appearances deceive. What does it offer the hotel industry? While Microsoft is already raving about personal orchestration during the journey, others are more cautious. AI, after all, still makes lots of mistakes. Serious mistakes.

Amsterdam. Overnight, Google faced an unexpected challenger: the AI tool ChatGPT. The global tech scene has been buzzing ever since. The hospitality industry is facing the next disruption. "The Thing" changes the entire interaction with guests: they no longer type their profile into forms but speak their wishes. Google and the OTAs will have to come up quickly with similar AI products because there are immense profits behind them, say experts from H2C, hotel chains, and booking platforms like Kayak and Expedia.

Amsterdam. Giant platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com are the biggest beneficiary of short-term rentals. In 2022, over 355 million nights were booked through rental platforms, yet they seem to fail to pay their fair share of taxes across the continent. They also seem to ignore EU rules when it comes to tax collection. After France, Italy is going after them for tax fraud, claiming hundreds of millions of unpaid taxes.

Berlin. Digital progress in German companies continues to tread water. As in the previous year, they gave it an average grade of "satisfactory". The companies are doing a lot to catch up. But they are hardly making the leap forward.

Amsterdam. For a couple of weeks now, French hoteliers have been the victims of fraudulent activity via the extranet of Booking.com. One of them happens to be the Fabienne Ardouin, President of the Digital Commission at the GNI, one of France’s major hospitality unions. She shared some insights with hospitalityInside.com about the cyber attacks but also the total lack of support from Booking.com.

Frankfurt. Countries around the world invest in robotics to support developments in industry and society. However, the goals of the official funding programmes differ. The nation with the highest robot density in the world is currently South Korea, with Germany in a respectable fourth place.

Augsburg. Innovative, funny and frightening news from the digital world. Today: Service robot sales on the rise, including hospitality / First Volocopter at Rome Airport / Startup: Driving a rental car for 1 euro / Penta Hotel Bremen entices with tokens / ibis Styles sends Pop to the Metaverse / Expedia + Open World Accelerator / IDeas + Hyatt / Guestline + Newbridge.