News Briefs

Knowland, a provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, and Amadeus, a provider of hospitality technology, present the metrics from the companies’ Hospitality Group and Business Performance Index, for the second quarter of this year. The Index, which combines event data from Knowland with hotel booking data from Amadeus to give both individual and aggregate views of the key drivers of hotel performance, was first launched in June and is updated on a quarterly basis.

With its 2Q 2023 data release, the Index now includes data for the Top 25 U.S. Markets. This quarter’s data shows that fourteen of the top markets have fully recovered group revenue in comparison to the same time in 2019. The recovered group markets (with percent of 2019 revenue) include:

1. Miami – 115 percent
2. Tampa - 114 percent
3. Orlando – 113 percent
4. Phoenix – 112 percent
5. Dallas – 108 percent
6. Houston – 107 percent
7. San Antonio – 105 percent
8. Denver – 105 percent
9. San Diego – 104 percent
10. New Orleans – 103 percent
11. Washington DC – 101 percent
12. St. Louis – 101 percent
13. Los Angeles – 101 percent
14. Austin – 100 percent

Key insights from the 2Q 2023 Index are as follows:

• Group business leads recovery – Group business continues to lead in recovery as Q2 2023 is at 102 percent of Q2 2019 levels, driven by a nearly 11 percent increase in Average Daily Rate (ADR) while room nights are lagging 8 percent behind Q2 2019 levels.

• Meetings and events provide a stabilizing revenue base – Supported by increased rates, both actualized group room revenue and event activity increased slightly in 2Q 2023 compared to 1Q 2023. This continues an overall trend of increases in group business since early 2022, providing a strong basis for optimism in terms of forward-looking occupancy and revenue in 2H 2023 and 1H 2024 as hotels build on the foundation of group business booked further in advance while identifying opportunities to capture shorter term transient demand.
• Corporate meetings significantly outperform other segments – Corporate meetings and events accounted for 62 percent of events held during the second quarter with Health Care, Technology and Training/Education as the top volume industry segments.
   

Launched in June, the Index was designed to help hotel sales teams and operators identify the top markets driving group business, enabling hotel sales teams to strategically target these markets and drive increased sales.

The Index compares figures quarterly to same-time performance before the pandemic in 2019, rolling up the data to score the overall ‘health’ of the industry. The Index also includes filters to view top event market segments and industries booking group events, allowing hoteliers, DMOs and CVBs to closely track trends and adapt their business strategies accordingly.

Shiji, a global hospitality technology innovator, has partnered with IPORT, an award-winning manufacturer known for enhancing the usability of iPads and iPhones, to introduce an all-in-one software solution for hotel restaurants. This collaboration will provide hoteliers with a seamless combination of a tablet and payment device to maximize their F&B operations.

The integrated iOS and payment device solution simplifies guest service for hotel restaurant servers, providing them with an effortless tool to cater to their guests' needs. As a certified Apple partner, Shiji and IPORT guarantee exceptional performance and reliability. Hoteliers can choose from multiple device options, including iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and iPhone, ensuring flexibility and compatibility with their operations.

“IPORT products are built around modularity and flexibility that empower our hospitality customers to do more with the iOS platform. We are thrilled to partner with a leading iPad and iPhone cloud PMS and POS platform provider like Shiji,” said Chris Lawson, Head of Partnerships, IPORT. “We look forward to innovating with Shiji in disrupting legacy, monolithic providers who have limited the industry from harnessing the power of iOS and mobility. The future is bright, and the possibilities are endless with IPORT, iOS, and Shiji.”

"The partnership with IPORT is a significant milestone for Shiji in our commitment to provide innovative technology solutions for the hospitality industry," said Ryan King, Senior Vice President of Shiji in the Americas. "By combining our expertise with IPORT’s hardware solutions, we empower hoteliers to streamline restaurant operations and deliver exceptional guest experiences. This collaboration represents another step forward in our dedication to driving success in the Americas, and globally."

The tablet and payment device solution seamlessly integrates with multiple payment gateways, allowing hoteliers to choose the system that best suits their needs. By simplifying the payment process, it reduces operational complexities, minimizes errors, and saves valuable time and resources for hoteliers.

Steak n Shake will offer PopID Check In and PopPay on its self-ordering kiosks in select locations in the Orlando market, with plans to expand to more than 300 corporate locations. PopID Check In is an opt-in service that enables consumers to scan their face to automatically sign into their loyalty reward account and see their past orders, making the ordering process as convenient as possible. When a guest checks in with PopID, they also have the option to use PopPay to automatically complete their payment.

• 57% of respondents say enabling new payment options is a  top business driver impacting POS upgrade decisions, according to HT’s2 2023 POS Software Trends Report.

“Our partnership with PopID is a key part of our effort to provide guests with a fast and seamless ordering experience," said Keith Correia, Chief Information Officer. "When using PopID Check In, a guest does not need to use their phone or take out their wallet as part of the ordering process. They will automatically be checked in for loyalty rewards, and they can choose to make an automated payment with PopPay. A guest can even see their past orders and quickly reorder their favorite menu items. Ordering at Steak n Shake has never been easier or more convenient.”

In addition to enhancing the guest experience and improving order throughput, PopPay helps to reduce fraud and offers lower payment processing fees.

ArtPlayer has chosen LG SuperSign Cloud for collaboration due to LG’s significant market presence and a global reach, providing LG SuperSign Cloud solutions to customers around the world deployed in various industries and sectors, including retail, hospitality, transportation, healthcare, education, and corporate environments where the benefits of art can be advantageously displayed.

“We are delighted to partner with LG by seamlessly integrating ArtPlayer directly into the LG SuperSign Cloud’s user interface, thereby expanding the reach of our art service to LG customers worldwide,” said Morten Kryger, managing director of ArtPlayer. ”They can display rotating artworks, easily change display options, and optional mix the art with other content in their playlists.”

ArtPlayer can be used for digital signage purposes within hospitality establishments. Digital screens displaying artworks can serve as eye-catching signage to guide guests, promote facilities, or provide information about events and services.

Additionally, ArtPlayer can contribute to a therapeutic environment in healthcare facilities. The presence of visually captivating and calming artworks has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and discomfort for patients, creating a more calming and supportive atmosphere.

ArtPlayer is not only beneficial for patients but also for healthcare staff and visitors. The presence of engaging and visually captivating artworks can uplift moods, reduce stress, and improve the overall well-being of those working in or visiting healthcare facilities.

According to LG: Regularly creating fresh content may seem challenging, but LG SuperSign Cloud’s Art Service, ArtPlayer, grants users access to an eclectic array of refined art for their displays, elevating the atmosphere in diverse settings such as offices, hotel lobbies, and restaurants. These captivating motion graphics can promote a soothing and entrancing experience for customers in the waiting area.

Additionally, the ArtPlayer in the LG SuperSign Cloud is an annual subscription service that provides AI-curated images which can evoke moods like ‘calm’, ‘happy’, and ‘exciting’, transforming public displays into artistic showcases instead of mere advertisements.

 Sonesta International Hotels Corporation (Sonesta), the 8^th largest hotel company in the U.S., announced the appointment of Michelle Steffens as Vice President of Operations, with responsibility for the managed portfolio of full-service hotels and oversight of the full-service regional operations team.

“We welcome Michelle to Sonesta as leader of the Full-Service Operations Team,” said Len Wolin, Sonesta’s Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations. “We believe her experience as an operational expert and hospitality leader will be vital to enhancing the guest experience and driving top and bottom-line performance at Sonesta.”

Ms. Steffens joins Sonesta with more than 17 years of hospitality industry experience.  Most recently, she was Senior Vice President of Operations at Aimbridge Hospitality.  Ms. Steffens’ previous roles included senior-level and regional leadership positions at Interstate, Island Hospitality, and White Lodging. 

SoundHound AI Inc. and White Castle announced an expansion of their partnership to deliver a superior voice AI-enabled drive-thru experience to restaurant customers across multiple locations nationwide.

In the first phase of its partnership, SoundHound’s technology powered voice AI ordering technology at select White Castle drive-thrus. This new agreement between the two companies will grow that coverage to over 100 of White Castle’s US drive-thru lanes by the end of 2024 – many of which will run 24/7.

SoundHound’s technology is based on complete end-to-end AI and is not a human-assisted system. It relies entirely upon intelligent automation to deliver a fast, accurate, scalable, and consistent service right across locations and channels (including kiosk, phone, and other devices).

SoundHound and White Castle’s next big step marks a commitment to take sophisticated drive-thru AI to broad implementation based on years of proven results. These include:

• 90% order completion rates that exceed previous staff-based benchmarks
• Average order taken and processed in just over 60 seconds
• Consistent, reliable, and “always on” performance
• Scalable and repeatable infrastructure

“White Castle is committed to investing in the best available technology to create welcoming and enjoyable drive-thru experiences for our customers,” said Mike Guinan, Vice President, Operations Services for White Castle. “Our partnership with SoundHound has allowed us to be first movers in this space and we’re excited to do even more to satisfy cravers everywhere. Working together, we’ll be able to deliver the drive-thru experience of tomorrow today.”

A study by SoundHound reveals that a majority of customers (over 60%) are already comfortable using an automated voice assistant at a drive-thru. Even the majority of the segment that are “AI skeptics” would willingly use an automated voice assistant to order if it speeds up the process. Well over half of all customers (57%) state that long lines at the drive-thru are their biggest pain point, ahead of incorrect orders (52%).

This partnership builds on SoundHound’s track record in the services space, spanning capabilities and products including its breakthrough Dynamic Interaction, and phone-based Smart Answering and Smart Ordering offerings.