Generative AI, Ransomware Attack Among HT’s Most-Read Stories
As we get ready to ring in a new year, Hospitality Technology takes a look back at the most-read stories on hospitalitytech.com. In addition to HT's own groundbreaking research and stellar in-person events, a major ransomware attack, an unpopular order processing fee, lessons learned from generative AI and POS software trends and integrations were among the year’s hot topics.
In this special recap, HT begins our countdown of the 20 most-read stories of 2023.
20. Toast's New Order Processing Fee Stirs Debate
In July the point-of-sale company Toast began adding a new 99-cent “order processing fee” to online orders of more than $10 at a portion of its restaurant client locations. Toast, which processes POS orders at 85,000 restaurant locations, received swift response from restaurant industry insiders, as detailed in this HT article. A few weeks later Toast dropped the fee.
19. Hotel Technology Forum (HTF)
The Hotel Technology Forum made its return. The three-day event, held at the PGA National Resort, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on November 15-17, connected hotel leaders and technology solution providers. Hotel Technology Forum covered the topics hotel technology leaders want to discuss including the Power of Data in the Customer Relationship and how to expand loyalty benefits - and revenue. Check out these recaps of some of the notable educational sessions.
18. NCR Reports Ransomware Attack
2023 was a year marked by some major cyber breaches including this one at NCR. Cyber-crime is growing in sophistication, and businesses of all sizes are targets.
17. Hospitality Technology Announces 2023 Hotel Visionary Award Winners
The Hotel Visionary Awards, celebrating its 18th anniversary this year, has traditionally honored hotel companies for outstanding achievement, vision and leadership in technological innovation. IHG Hotels & Resorts, Sonesta International Hotels, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Valtech, Marriott Digital Services, and RealTime Reservation are this year’s winners and were honored at the Hotel Technology Forum, Nov. 15-17. Attendees were able to learn the stories behind the winning technology solutions, including how IHG Hotels & Resorts spent the last two years developing Wi-Fi Auto Connect - a new feature on its mobile app. Read more here.
16. How Social Media Opened the Door for a New Type of OTA
Do you know the story about the OTA @hotel? It’s the largest hotel on the ‘Gram with 50+ million followers. If you haven’t already read this article about how they’re disrupting the traditional business model.
15. 2023 Restaurant Industry Outlook: Leveraging AI & Analytics to Streamline Operations (and Much More)
Each year, Hospitality Technology asks restaurant operators, consultants, and academics to give us a look at what the year ahead may look like. We’re looking for key priorities, technology that can meet evolving goals and customer expectations, and the solutions that hold the most promise, and they’re all rolled up into the 2023 Restaurant Industry Outlook.
Coming in January: HT’s 2024 Restaurant Industry Outlook
14. POS Vendors Reveal 10 Trends Impacting the Future of Point-of-Sale Software
POS vendors shared their views on the top trends impacting the future of the point-of-sale system and restaurants. Increased focus on CX including personalization, Deeper integrations with key business tools, and increased use of AI are just of few of the notable trends mentioned. Read on!
13. HT Research: Exploring Generative AI for Hotels and Restaurants
If you take a close look at the most-read stories of the year, you will find many of them peppered with mentions of AI. The rapid evolution and deployment of tools powered by generative artificial intelligence in recent months has raised new expectations, new aspirations, and, most notably, new questions throughout the hospitality industry: Is generative AI the game-changer it appears to be? If so, how can we get it right? What if we get it wrong?
Recognizing the need to cut through the hype and deliver an authentic snapshot of generative AI’s current and projected impact on restaurants and hotels, HT partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and EnsembleIQ Research Solutions on our first-ever generative AI research survey. In July 2023, we conducted a survey of restaurant, hotel/motel/resort, foodservice, hotel management firm, or restaurant technology vendor/solution provider employees who have knowledge of their company’s current and future technology strategy and utilization.
12. MURTEC 2024
What’s getting some of the most clicks on HT? Ranking at #12, the HT events page with the dates for MURTEC 2024. Restaurant technologists are marking their calendars for MURTEC 2024, March 11-13 in Las Vegas. In a not-to-be missed session, Hospitality Authority Will Guidara (known for his work at Eleven Madison Park) will deliver this year’s keynote. Register before Dec. 31, 2023 to lock in the discounted rate.
11. 2022 Hotel Visionary Winner: Hyatt Hotels & The Story Behind Its Digital Key
This story, published in January 2023, details the Hyatt Hotels’ revamped digital key experience. This story explains how the brand and its partners were able to create a product that is as simple to use as a plastic keycard.
HT continues counting down the top 10 most-read stories here.