Author: Admin

At HITEC 2025 in Indianapolis, we caught up with Jeremy Krol, CEO of Phunware, a company helping hotels deepen guest engagement through mobile technology and data-driven personalization. In our conversation, Jeremy explained how Phunware uses mobile apps, behavioral data, and AI to improve the guest experience and generate additional revenue. From replacing paper maps with seamless digital navigation to enabling smarter upsell opportunities, Phunware is helping properties enhance their digital footprint without losing the human touch.

Paws-itively adorable! Good design is in the details. We believe even the most functional items can be a source of delight.

In Japan, “akiya” (空き家) refers to vacant homes that have been abandoned due to a growing phenomenon driven by demographic shifts and economic changes. Decades of low birth rates, rapid urbanization and an ageing population have gutted rural areas, which has left many traditional houses empty. Often, heirs inherit these properties but cannot afford their upkeep or renovation

Airlines face a challenge: they struggle to make a profit and please diverse passenger groups at the same time. Traditional ticket sales work well for basic flights, but fail at upselling upgrades, meals, or eco-options, because legacy systems weren’t built for personalization or sustainability.

Travelodge, the UK’s first budget hotel brand, which operates over 610 hotels across the UK, Ireland and Spain, has officially commenced construction of a new 100-room hotel in Loughton.

New data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reveals Portugal’s Travel & Tourism sector is set to continue growing in 2025, following a landmark year in 2024 that saw the industry surpass all previous peaks across economic contribution, employment, and visitor spending.

For a long time, luxury in hospitality was defined by an abundance of staff, grand lobbies, imported materials, and elaborate service. On the other hand, sustainability was often viewed as a limitation, implying a need to cut back. But today’s travellers are changing that view. Luxury and sustainability are no longer on opposite sides; they are deeply intertwined with each other.

When a guest walks into your hotel, they expect a seamless experience. The check-in should be quick, their key should work instantly, and payments should just happen. None of that is possible without the right infrastructure – and most of the time, when it’s working perfectly, no one notices it.

Google’s recent unveiling of what it calls a “new class of agentic experiences” feels like a turning point. At its I/O 2025 event in May, for example, the company showed off a digital assistant that didn’t just answer questions; it helped work on a bicycle repair by finding a matching user manual, locating a YouTube tutorial, and even calling a local store to ask about a part, all with minimal human nudging. Such capabilities could soon extend far outside the Google ecosystem. The company has introduced an open standard called Agent-to-Agent, or A2A, which aims to let agents from different companies talk to each other and work together.

I must admit, I feel a little bad that I am only now featuring this book on Hospitality Net. Maggie Chen is a friend I have known for many years at EHL Hospitality Business School, and her latest work deserves much more attention. Hospitality Vibes is not just another industry book. It is a heartfelt and deeply researched exploration of what makes our sector truly unique. The insights she shares are, in my view, a must-read for hospitality students and professionals around the globe who want to understand how our industry can evolve with purpose.