Author: Admin

The hype cycle on AI agents keeps going. The Financial Times tells us that the “rise of AI shopping agents” is set to transform e-commerce. OpenAI even renamed its Operator system simply “Agent,” making the pitch clear: AI will browse and buy on our behalf. Sounds great, but not totally sure it will pan out (most of Amazon’s profit comes from ads not from product sales).

I’ve spent my career designing, deploying, and operating integrated resorts. Based in Draper, I advise companies including Unifi Labs, Cypher, Teem, and K4, and I founded mybluprint.com. My background spans being a licensed California Low Voltage Contractor (1991–1996), THX Theatre Designer, and ISF Certified engineer. I’ve designed and programmed control systems for marquee projects such as Disney and CityCenter Las Vegas (ARIA and Mandarin Oriental). I hold multiple U.S. patents, including the Secure Device Discovery Protocol (SDDP) and Automation Control of Electronic Devices. I have been involved with CEDIA since 1990, and have been a Vistage member since 2013. My focus is strategic planning, sales, and business development—bringing artistic engineering to every engagement.

Today, Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announces the highly anticipated opening of Conrad Hamburg, marking the brand’s debut in Germany. Featuring 283 exquisite guest rooms and suites, the hotel is housed within the historic Levantehaus, a renowned Art Nouveau building designed by architects Franz Bach and Carl Bensel, dating back to 1912. Paying tribute to both the building’s provenance and the architecture’s musical and cultural influences, the hotel is an art-filled urban sanctuary.

While Europe’s policymakers and opinion leaders obsess over semiconductors and clean tech, another economic engine is humming along with far less fanfare – and far greater local impact. In its forecast for the five-year period from 2024 to 2029, Oxford Economics named travel and tourism the world’s fastest-growing established industry – outpacing financial services, manufacturing, and even information and communication. It’s time Europe treated it as a serious pillar of economic strength – not a sideshow.

Following an impressive and extensive refurbishment, Radisson RED London Twickenham is now open at the home of England Rugby, the first Radisson RED property to open at a sports stadium. The hotel comprises 150 guest rooms, all-day dining, and easy access to the Allianz Stadium.

If you’ve ever stood in line at a hotel reception, you know how quickly excitement can turn into frustration. Guests arrive with bags, families and expectations – but a slow-moving queue at check-in is often the first impression they get. For hoteliers, this isn’t just an operational issue. It’s a brand issue. Those first (and last) moments shape guest satisfaction more than almost anything else.

RMS, the leading hospitality platform for hotels, serviced apartments, vacation rentals, and outdoor accommodations, has announced a new strategic partnership with SiteMinder to deliver seamless integration with its next-generation revenue platform.

Aloft Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of over 30 extraordinary brands, has made its debut in Istanbul with the opening of Aloft Istanbul Karaköy. The opening marks the brand’s second hotel in Türkiye and brings Aloft Hotels’s unique blend of urban-inspired design and spirited social energy to one of Istanbul’s most dynamic neighbourhoods.

I’ve spent years watching hotel managers juggle operations like circus performers. Emails at midnight, last-minute cancellations, staff shortages, unexpected group bookings, fluctuating ADRs, you name it. Managers have been trained to react. But leadership isn’t about reacting. It’s about anticipating, steering, and inspiring.

Sydney, 18 September – As the NoVacancy Hotel + Accommodation Industry Expo concludes today at the International Convention Centre, GCSTIMES is spotlighting its Sustainable Stays initiative, a program designed to help hotels weave eco-conscious practices into every guest experience.