Category: Recent News

Last week, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) hosted its signature education and membership event, the HFTP Annual Convention. The convention was held at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. from October 22–24, 2025 with 465 professionals in attendance. It offered an energizing and informative experience presenting education, industry insights, networking and celebration.

Mews, the operating system for hospitality and shared spaces, today announced the acquisition of DataChat, a US-based AI company. The acquisition marks a major step in Mews’ mission to build fully agentic hospitality systems, where intelligent agents autonomously manage day-to-day operations, optimize performance, and empower humans to focus on the guest experience.

Holiday Inn by IHG has unveiled a brand new look following a significant programme of renovation to upgrade the iconic Edwardian building and elevate the hotel’s offering in the centre of Farnborough.

Unveiled at the landmark exhibition “1925-2025: A Century of Art Deco” at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, within the grounds of the Louvre, The Orient Express Train stands as a striking dialogue between heritage and modernity. As the principal exhibit in what is being hailed as one of the most significant Art Deco showings ever staged, it is exceptionally rare for a hospitality brand to take centre stage in a cultural exhibition of this magnitude, a true testament to Orient Express’s iconic status. Its inclusion recognises architect Maxime d’Angeac’s outstanding ability to reimagine Art Deco for the future.

As World Sustainability Day approaches on 29 October, Hilton is reaffirming its commitment to redefining sustainable travel with impactful initiatives across South East Asia. From hosting carbon-neutral events to donating surplus food to local communities, Hilton hotels in the region are taking meaningful steps to reduce environmental impact while creating positive guest experiences.

Just days into OpenAI’s new app marketplace, Booking.com and Expedia have seized a commanding lead. They’re not just experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI). They’re embedding themselves directly into the core of how travelers search, discover and book stays at your hotels. And because they’ve moved first—with no safeguards to stop them—they are about to become the default middlemen of the AI age. If that happens, hoteliers will spend the next decade paying for access to their own guests.

Spanish owner-operator Grupotel has acquired the four-star, 210-room Barceló Conil Playa in Conil de la Frontera, Spain from Spanish asset management company Wingenia. The beachfront property is situated in the south of Spain, about 100 kms west of Gibraltar. The hotel opened in 2021 and includes three restaurants, three bars and three meeting rooms. It was previously operated by Barceló and will now be managed by the new owners under the name Grupotel Conil Playa from November 2025 onwards.

Forty-eight percent of Thai hoteliers acknowledge they miss revenue opportunities at least weekly—such as when competitors adjust rates or new events are announced—because they cannot respond fast enough, according to new research by SiteMinder, the world’s leading hotel guest acquisition and revenue platform.

Today is the final day to stop by Booth 831 and explore how family-friendly hospitality and sustainability can come together, from creative key cards to fully sustainable amenity kits like bamboo toothbrushes, razors, combs, and sugarcane slippers.

What I Didn’t Know Then Twenty years ago, I walked into Visual Matrix with an IT background, no hospitality experience, and no real idea what I was getting into. Things were moving fast. Budgets were small. We were just starting to build a business in an industry I didn’t fully understand, but I could already tell there was something special about it. There was this undeniable energy around solving real problems for real people and doing it in a way that made their day-to-day work easier. That blend of human connection and impact is what pulled me in. The work was high-touch, deeply human, and full of opportunity. I was young, learning fast, and figuring things out as I went. I had no idea I’d still be here two decades later. That’s not typical for tech. But this space, this company, this team… it’s hard to imagine doing anything else now. If I could go back and give myself a little advice, here’s what I’d say: 1. Build the Right Relationships Hospitality is a people business. But hon…