News Briefs

Travelport, a global technology company that powers travel bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, announced the debut of the Content Curation Layer (CCL). The CCL uses AI to power search while trawling billions of trip options, helping agencies find the perfect match for their customers. As the latest enhancement to the innovative Travelport+ platform, CCL uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) to quickly deliver the right range of accurate, highly intuitive search results to its travel agency partners worldwide.

“Travelport’s role in the increasingly complex travel industry is to take millions of pieces of disparate information and make it simple for both travel agencies and providers to understand, search, sell and service,” said Greg Webb, Chief Executive Officer at Travelport. “We believe AI and machine learning are powerful tools to do just that. The Content Curation Layer will allow travel agencies to provide travelers the right range of normalized, enriched, bookable content at speed, via a singular search screen. Used for all content sources (LCC, EDIFACT, NDC, hotel, car, etc.), the CCL allows agents to compare apples to oranges in an apples-to-apples way.”

Travelport’s Content Curation Layer is a powerful tech-enabler that uses AI and ML to sift through aggregated, multi-source content and returns search results faster than the average airline search response time. It identifies the most relevant offers for each traveler to create a faster, more intelligent search experience for the agent. This technology layer simplifies the delivery of retail-ready content to agencies and helps them curate options that are most desirable for the travelers.

One of the key features of the CCL is the Content Optimizer, a new Travelport+ product that offers agency customers greater control over all content types, including both traditional and NDC content. With the ability to apply agency-specific rules, agencies can use Content Optimizer to tailor search options and results, enhance revenue optimization and mitigate content choice overload.

“Our travel agency partners know their travelers well, and Content Optimizer gives agencies the ability to set their own rules and customize the type of results that are prioritized,” Webb continued. “This innovative product offers agencies more control of their content, with the support of AI to save agencies more time and money.”

More information about Travelport’s CCL and Content Optimizer enhancements can be found at Travelport.com/plus/ai-powered-search-controls.

PopID and Steak n Shake announced today that all Steak n Shake locations in the United States now accept PopID Check In (to review favorite orders and loyalty points) and PopPay for checkout. With more than 300 locations, Steak n Shake is the first national restaurant brand in the United States to adopt biometric check-in and checkout nationwide. PopID’s biometric check-in feature makes kiosk ordering faster, easier, and more personalized.

The implementation of PopID in every Steak n Shake location was accomplished rapidly and at low cost through a partnership between PopID and ACRELEC, a leading supplier of kiosk-ordering hardware and drive-through products. Cameras were shipped to every restaurant for attachment to the existing ACRELEC kiosks. “As explained in our recent publication, ACRELEC believes that our integrated biometric solution provides various benefits to restaurant operators related to throughput, ticket size, and loyalty engagement,” says Bruno Lo-Re, President of ACRELEC America.

“We are thrilled about our partnership with PopID and to be on the edge of biometric technology for the benefit of our customers. Our guests now have the option to use biometrics for a faster and more seamless experience,” says Sardar Biglari, Chairman of Biglari Holdings, the parent company of Steak n Shake.

Now that biometrics are enabled for all ordering and payment inside Steak n Shake restaurants, PopID and Steak n Shake will begin implementing biometric check-in and checkout at the restaurant’s drive-through units. “Similar to the kiosks, biometric check in can increase loyalty participation and revenue at the drive thru while also reducing payment processing costs,” says John Miller, CEO of PopID and Chairman of Cali Group. “Additionally, biometric payment at the order confirmation screen enables staff members to work on tasks other than taking payments by card and phone at the order pick-up window.”

Trip Affiliates Network has announced the launch of Hotel Switch, an advanced connectivity tool designed to provide seamless access to a broad network of hotel affiliates. Hotel Switch significantly enhances travel agents' ability to offer a wide range of accommodation, manage bookings efficiently and improve overall customer satisfaction. Hotel Switch integrates multiple features including access to static and dynamic room rates, instant booking and confirmation, and complimentary VCC payment support.

Seamless Connectivity and Broad Network Access

Hotel Switch maps to over two hundred thousand hotels linked to the Trip Affiliates Network, offering travel operators access to diverse regional and global hotel inventories through TA Network’s booking solutions. This instant connectivity allows agents to provide clients with a wide range of accommodation options, catering to different preferences and budgets.

Static and Dynamic Contracts

Real-time updates on allotments and/or blackouts when rooms are unavailable are automated, ensuring that agents have access to the best available rates 24/7.

• Efficient Management of Room Allotments: Automates updates to prevent overbooking or blackout issues.

• Real-Time Rate Access: Provides flexibility to access the best static and dynamic rates anytime.

• Maximized Profitability and Customer Satisfaction: Ensures competitive pricing and availability, enhancing customer satisfaction and boosting agent commissions.

Tactical Hotel/Package Promotions

Enables agents to earn higher commissions like OTAs and offer competitive deals and promotions.

• Increased Sales: Attracts more customers through appealing promotions.

• Higher Commissions: Like those earned by OTAs, enhancing agent profitability.

Instant Booking and Confirmation

This automated 24/7 feature streamlines the booking process.

• Immediate Confirmations: Ensures clients receive instant booking confirmations, reducing wait times and enhancing customer experience.

• Reduced Workload: Automates the booking process, allowing agents to focus on other tasks and improve productivity.

Direct Hotel Bookings

Book directly with hotels instead of using third-party online hotel suppliers.

• Elimination of Check-In Issues: Avoids common problems associated with third-party bookings, such as check-in discrepancies.

• Enhanced Customer Experience: Provides a smoother, more reliable booking experience for clients.

Comprehensive Suite of Benefits

The Hotel Switch tool is designed to significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of travel agents. By leveraging these solutions, agents can:

• Increase Inventory: Access a broad network of hotel affiliates, offering more options to clients.

• Boost Sales and Commissions: Utilize tactical promotions and direct bookings to enhance profitability.

• Improve Productivity: Automate booking processes and manage room allotments efficiently.

• Reduce Errors: Minimize overbooking and blackout issues through automated updates.

• Deliver Superior Customer Service: Ensure instant booking confirmations and avoid third-party booking pitfalls, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

TA Network’s Managing Partner, Josef Foo, said: “Hotel Switch has been built by our technical team and we are thrilled to announce this new service. Hotel Switch is a vital tool for travel agents aiming to stay competitive and meet the evolving demands of their clients. By providing seamless connectivity, real-time rate access, and automated booking features, this tool enhances agents' ability to manage their operations efficiently and deliver exceptional customer service. With the comprehensive suite of benefits offered by Hotel Switch, travel agents can significantly improve their productivity and profitability.”

Spectrum Enterprise, a part of Charter Communications, Inc., today announced the completion of a fiber network expansion and technology upgrade at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. The initiative will improve the resort’s guest experience by providing high-speed managed WiFi access throughout its 600-acre property along with enhanced TV options for the resort’s 1,174 lodging options that include hotel rooms, condos and cabins.

“We’re focused on meeting and exceeding expectations, and today’s guests expect to connect to their personal devices from any of our resort locations—whether in the guestroom, at one of the restaurants or while enjoying the waterparks,” said Joe Eck, Chief Operating Officer at Wilderness Resort. “Providing visitors with five-star WiFi service is key for us and handing over the management of that service to Spectrum Enterprise has freed up our internal teams to focus on elevating other customer service experiences.”

Wilderness Resort has experienced continual growth and now encompasses four indoor and four outdoor waterparks, five restaurants, an award-winning golf course and numerous nature paths. Because of the scale of the property and terrain, guests sometimes had trouble accessing WiFi in certain areas. To improve overall connectivity, Spectrum Enterprise installed 1,400 WiFi access points and increased the resort’s internet bandwidth with download speeds up to 10 Gbps (gigabits per second), enabling Wilderness Resort’s guests and staff, which can be as many as 10,000 people, to access fast, reliable WiFi wherever and whenever needed. Spectrum Enterprise also manages each WiFi access point with 24/7/365 customer support as part of a managed WiFi solution so resort employees can focus on other business priorities.

“Seamless WiFi and diverse TV entertainment are not just amenities—they are essential to the guest experience and driving repeat customers,” said Rajat Mukherji, Vice President, Vertical Markets for Spectrum Enterprise. “We’ve partnered with Wilderness Resort to implement new solutions that not only address the current needs of their visitors but can flex and scale to support future business growth.”

In addition to benefiting from enhanced connectivity throughout the resort property with Spectrum Enterprise Fiber Internet Access and Managed WiFi solutions, guests this year will enjoy more in-room entertainment options. All hotel guest rooms, condos and cabins are now using Spectrum Enterprise Fiber Connect Plus TV, which provides high-definition TV viewing with more than 120 channels. With no equipment to purchase, the video experience is delivered through a private and dedicated fiber connection, which reduces maintenance costs for the resort.

More information can be found at Spectrum Enterprise Case Studies: Wilderness Resort.

Photo Credit: Wilderness Resort

• Digital Ordering Dominance: Over half of the brands report that digital channels account for more than a quarter of their sales, with 36% stating that online ordering contributes over half of their total revenue.
• Optimistic Growth Projections: Nearly half of all respondents expect digital sales to increase by 20% or more.
• Technological Constraints: More than 60% of executives feel restricted by inflexible technology, facing integration challenges and inefficiencies.
• Infrastructure Overhaul: 74% of executives are exploring options to streamline their digital infrastructure, showing significant interest in kiosks and voice AI technologies.

Hotelogix, a cloud-based hospitality technology provider, announced the two-way integration of its Hotel Property Management System (Hotel PMS) with Lybra's Assistant Revenue Management System (RMS). This strategic integration aims to revolutionize revenue management in the hospitality industry, offering hotels efficient and effective tools to boost their revenues.

Owned by Zucchetti Hospitality, an Italy-based hospitality technology firm, Lybra offers Assistant, a machine learning-powered demand-centric revenue management system (RMS). The RMS allows hoteliers to optimize their pricing strategy while monitoring their properties' pick-up trends and competition rates. It supports independent hotels and hotel groups seeking a stable and comprehensive solution. Currently, it serves 1200+ hotels in 20+ countries.

Speaking on this, Aditya Sanghi, CEO of Hotelogix, said, "In today's highly competitive market, hoteliers need to upgrade their revenue management capabilities as real-time forecasting is key. This integration with Lybra will enable hoteliers to competitively price their rooms to drive sales and revenue."

As per the integration, Hotelogix PMS will push various data points in real-time including occupancy and reservation details to Lybra's Assistant RMS. Leveraging a predictive algorithm, Lybra will automatically suggest rates based on occupancy, local events, demand, competition rates, etc.

Fulvio Giannetti, CEO of Lybra, said, "The alignment of our business models is truly exceptional. Thanks to this integration with Hotelogix, Lybra will be able to support a massive database of global hotel brands to optimize their pricing strategy.”