Marriott testing Siri and Alexa to decide which will control devices in its hotel rooms The battle between intelligent voice assistants is moving into hotel rooms, as Marriott International is testing both Siri and Alexa to decide which will control devices in at least some of its hotel rooms. Source: Hotel Marketing Marriott testing Siri and Alexa to decide which will control devices in its hotel rooms
Why hotel chains’ loyalty programs don’t pose a threat to OTAs Data from Phocuswright shows that airlines receive almost 64% of their direct bookings from people who are not enrolled in their loyalty programs, while the percentage is just 21% for hotel suppliers. Source: Hotel Marketing Why hotel chains’ loyalty programs don’t pose a threat to OTAs
GBTA study shows travel managers audit hotel rates infrequently The study found that continuous rate auditing is rare among corporates – only 2 percent check rates weekly. And when errors are uncovered, the average difference between the negotiated rate and the rate that is loaded into the GDS is 13% – most often, the error benefits the hotel. Source: Hotel Marketing GBTA study shows travel managers audit hotel rates infrequently
Airbnb rebrands as Aibiying in China Airbnb announced a new brand for its China-based business and the local launch of Trips, its travel services feature. Beyond those launches, the firm pledged to increase its local presence via plans to triple its headcount in China and double its investment in the country. Source: Hotel Marketing Airbnb rebrands as Aibiying in China