News Briefs

The time for technology to transform, disrupt and accelerate business travel growth is here – according to a new study, “The Future is Now: Technological Transformation in Corporate Travel,” published today by the Global Business Association (GBTA), the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organization, and made possible by Cvent, an industry-leading meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider.

Based on a survey of business travel professionals in North America and Europe, the report reveals that while 88% of travel management company respondents, 74% of suppliers, and 59% of travel buyers generally feel their organization does a good job with technology, a significant opportunity exists in actively integrating advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain into their travel programs. In addition, while travel program spending on technology is expected to largely remain flat, most suppliers and TMC professionals say their company is ramping up technology investment in the year ahead. However, lodging suppliers are considerably less likely to do so than other types of suppliers. The report emphasizes the need for all travel industry professionals to better understand and adopt advanced technologies to remain competitive.

“As both our everyday and professional lives have ever-increasing touchpoints with technology, it is in parallel that we see the reach of the technological footprint in the business travel industry,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA. “The report gives a view to the potential for technology to do more, to further enable and empower all aspects of our industry to greater services, tools, platforms and achievements.”

Key findings from the GBTA and Cvent report include:

• AI AND BLOCKCHAIN ARE TOP OF MIND. The corporate travel industry is increasingly open to integrating AI and blockchain technologies to enhance efficiency and traveler experience. Three-quarters of buyers (75%) are interested in adopting an AI-powered travel program chatbot to automatically answer questions specifically about their program. Half of buyers are interested in offering blockchain-based booking (51%) or payment (49%).
• GROWING RELIANCE ON TECHNOLOGY IS DRIVING NEW ROLES. According to respondents, a third of travel programs (29%) now have a full-time employee who focuses primarily on tech-related responsibilities, which could include sourcing new digital tools, configuring booking and expensing solutions, managing data collection, or driving technology transformation across the travel program.​​The role is slightly more prevalent in Europe, with 36% of travel buyers saying their company has one, versus 22% of respondents in North America.
• TRAVEL PROGRAM TECHNOLOGY SPEND VARIES BY REGION. On average, travel buyers estimate 18% of their travel program’s overall budget is spent on technology. Despite overall budget increases, only one-third (36%) of travel buyers expect their technology spending to grow this year, with European programs leading in tech investment​​. European buyers (43%) are more likely than their North American counterparts (30%) to expect an increase in spending on technology.
• TRAVEL MANAGEMENT COMPANIES (TMCs) MORE LIKELY TO INCREASE TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT THAN SUPPLIERS AND BUYERS. Most suppliers expect their company’s spending on internal technology (61%) and traveler-facing technology (56%) will increase this year. This is considerably lower than the share of TMC respondents who expect their investment in internal technology (83%) or their traveler-facing technology (79%) to increase. Only one-third of buyer travel programs (36%) expect to increase spending on technology in the coming year.
• HOTEL TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION IS MIXED. More than one-third of respondents who work at lodging companies (37%) – such as hotel properties or chains – say their company's use of technology has room to improve. This is higher than the number of other travel supplier respondents (10%) who said the same.
• HOTELS THAT ADOPT TECHNOLOGY ARE HIGHLY SATISFIED. Hotels commonly use technology platforms to simplify processes, market their property, and respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from corporate customers. These include a Property Management System (95%), a transient RFP platform (81%), an event-focused sales, marketing, and RFP platform (75%), room block management software (63%), and event diagramming software (53%). Of the hotel respondents who use these platforms, at least two-thirds are satisfied with each technology solution.

“We have long believed in the power of technology to achieve more and improve how businesses operate, and the study results show that we are not alone in that belief,” said Julie Haddix, Senior Director of Marketing at Cvent. “While the business travel industry recognizes the importance of investing in technology, there is still a greenfield opportunity for both buyers and suppliers to truly embrace emerging technologies in a meaningful way. At Cvent, we’re making it easier to do that as we continue to integrate AI across our platform and we’re proud to partner with leaders like GBTA to accelerate growth across the meetings, events and hospitality sectors through the power of these emerging technologies.”

Data collection took place via an online survey of GBTA travel buyers, suppliers and TMCs in North America and Europe from February 6 – 19, 2024, with 388 participants completing the survey.

The full report can be downloaded on the Cvent website. GBTA members can access the complete research report from the GBTA Member Hub.

Chris Kung has joined Zaxby's as its new Chief Digital Officer. He will lead the transformation and acceleration of the company's Loyalty and e-Commerce initiatives.  

"Zaxbys rapid expansion requires the investment of world-class leaders and resources," said Bernard Acoca, Zaxbys CEO. "Chris's expertise in e-Commerce and loyalty programs will help drive incremental growth and enhance the Zaxbys experience as digital touchpoints continue to proliferate throughout the customer journey. His arrival will help us build stronger relationships with our guests by deepening our understanding of their needs and rewarding their patronage with personalized experiences." 

Growing Loyalty

Kung brings over 20 years of innovation and strategy experience to Zaxbys and most recently served as Chief Digital Officer at Dollar General, where he led initiatives that transformed the company into a digital innovator. Kung played a central role in creating the myDG loyalty program. Under his leadership, the company's e-Commerce sales grew 40x in three years, app usage surged from 1.8 million to 7 million monthly active users, and the DG App earned the distinction of the #1 couponing app in America.

Prior to Dollar General, Kung held key leadership positions at Macy's Inc., where he drove omnichannel technology and innovation.

Zaxbys is establishing a new Loyalty & e-Commerce Team, which will report to Kung. This new team will spearhead efforts to make Loyalty and e-Commerce significant contributors to its growth. The creation of the Chief Digital Officer role will open capacity and drive focus for Mike Nettles, Chief Technology Officer, and Patrick Schwing, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, who both previously oversaw a portion of this role.  

Tripadvisor® announced new functionality offering its members the ability to book hotel stays directly within the Tripadvisor app.

Tripadvisor is on a journey to transform its app into an essential trip planning companion that meets the needs of its customers at every stage of the travel journey. A fundamental component to this is bringing the research and booking experience together into a unique integrated trip planning platform. While Tripadvisor members already had the ability to book experiences, as well as explore restaurants and things to do via the app, Tripadvisor is introducing hotel bookings in the app to complement its other hotel offerings.

To introduce this functionality, Tripadvisor has partnered with global travel technology provider, HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions). The partnership will see HTS power both hotel bookings and provide a source of hotel inventory in the Tripadvisor app, providing an enhanced end-to-end, in-app travel planning experience.

“We want the Tripadvisor app to be an essential tool for our most engaged members, who we know are looking to do more with our platform,” says Kristen Dalton, President of Tripadvisor. “This began with the introduction of our AI Trip Builder earlier this year and will continue as we roll-out this latest enhancement. The ability to book hotels within the app is a crucial part of the user journey. Partnering with HTS allows us to focus our internal efforts on creating an exceptional user experience, while leveraging a partner to scale at a faster rate.” 

The in-app booking experience is available only to logged-in Tripadvisor members. Through this partnership, Tripadvisor is continuing to build its free membership value proposition by exploring in-app rewards and incentives, offering further opportunities to deepen relationships with its most engaged members. The partnership brings an elevated product experience to market by surfacing Tripadvisor’s differentiated guidance content paired with HTS’ robust distribution technology and supply.

“HTS is uniquely positioned to power Tripadvisor’s in-app hotel bookings and bring new flexible booking options to its U.S.-based app customers,” says Dakota Smith, President and Co-Founder of Hopper. “Through our industry-leading technology, comprehensive hotel supply and innovative flexibility products, together we will bring Tripadvisor members a smart and convenient way to book travel.”

Stayntouch, a global leader in cloud hotel property management systems (PMS) and guest-centric technology, continues to elevate the hospitality industry with advanced self-service technology. Stayntouch has seen a 72% increase in hotel customers adopting its kiosk solution, comparing the last 12 months to the previous 12 months. This reflects a growing traveler preference for self-service check-in options, helping hoteliers redefine the guest welcome experience and front-office operations. 

A 2022 survey found three-quarters of travelers would be more likely to stay at a hotel offering self-service technology to minimize contact with staff. These trends have only accelerated, with the interactive kiosk market expected to exceed $45 billion by 2028. 

Stayntouch was the first hotel PMS provider to develop and embed kiosk functionality directly into its platform in 2015. Since then, hotel customers using Stayntouch Kiosk have benefited from: 

• Reduced Costs: A staff-light guest welcome, enhanced efficiency, and lower labor costs by operating with minimal or no front desk staff;
• Incremental Revenue: Increased revenue and ROI driven by targeted, automated amenity and upgrade offers; 
• Personalization: A seamless and personalized guest welcome, with check-in times under 30 seconds; and
• Guest Satisfaction: A more creative and guest-centric lobby design, helping drive up to a 20% increase in guest satisfaction.

Leading innovators in the hotel and accommodation industry have partnered with Stayntouch to stay at the cusp of cutting-edge kiosk technology: 

Ian Schrager, Owner and Creator of New York’s PUBLIC Hotel, said: “At PUBLIC, our goal is to continually innovate and utilize innovative technology to provide outstanding experiences to a wide range of guests. Through our partnership with Stayntouch, we've optimized our check-in process using kiosk and mobile solutions to assist our PUBLIC advisors in delivering an enhanced guest experience.”

Chicago’s Sentral Michigan Avenue achieved a 253% ROI from their Stayntouch kiosk subscription, skyrocketing revenue and providing a more personalized guest experience. 

Todd Butler, Chief Technology Officer at Sentral, said: “Stayntouch PMS and Kiosk have streamlined and enhanced our check-in process. Guests now have the option of a rapid, staff-less welcome experience, presented in a way that avoids any sense of pressure, so the upsell decision rests entirely with the guest. The revenue generated from ancillary upsells and offers is significant, surpassing our subscription costs and tech investment with Stayntouch.”

Dan Hogan, Chief Product Officer at Stayntouch, said: "Stayntouch Kiosk was designed with both guests and operators in mind, delivering equal benefits to each. Travelers appreciate having flexible check-in options, allowing them to engage with the hotel on their own terms. Simultaneously, kiosks alleviate hoteliers from handling routine requests, enabling them to maintain operational efficiency. Through our robust partnerships with hoteliers across the industry, we continuously innovate to meet their needs, enhance profitability and enrich the guest experience."

Panera Bread today announced that Mark Shambura has joined the company as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). He will lead all aspects of marketing at Panera, including Brand Building, Digital & Loyalty, Product Strategy & Consumer Insights. An accomplished marketing leader with broad expertise in the restaurant industry, Shambura has previously held marketing leadership roles during pivotal growth periods for top brands including Chipotle, MOD Pizza, and most recently Papa Johns. 

"Mark brings an impressive background building brands and leading marketing teams for fast-casual restaurants, and we're thrilled to welcome him to Panera Bread," said José Alberto Dueñas, Chief Executive Officer. "As Panera continues to evolve our brand, guided by listening to our guests, Mark's depth of experience and ability will help drive our growth as a brand that serves great food you feel good about eating."

Shambura previously served as CMO at Papa Johns, where he led a revitalization of the brand by enhancing its iconic "Better Ingredients, Better Pizza" platform, and developing a more modern, innovative omnichannel approach to transform how Papa Johns appealed to both new and loyal consumers. As Executive Director at Chipotle, Mr. Shambura guided the marketing function through periods of both sustained growth and transition, providing leadership over brand strategy, advertising, digital, social, events/sponsorships, promotions, and field marketing, including playing a key role in spearheading its "Real Ingredients" brand strategy.

"I'm proud to join the Panera Bread team and excited to build on the momentum of the brand's transformation as it continues to evolve in service of our guests," Mr. Shambura said. "Panera propelled and cemented its position at the top of the fast casual restaurant segment through its promise of high-quality ingredients and freshly prepared food, and I'm thrilled to join a highly talented team to help shape its next chapter."

Prior to his tenure in the restaurant industry, Shambura gained extensive marketing agency experience, working with a broad array of top global consumer brands for over a decade. Shambura will report directly to José Alberto Dueñas, Chief Executive Officer, and officially assumed the role of Chief Marketing Officer on July 29, 2024.

New York-based robotic kitchen startup, Aniai, has announced the deployment of 15 hamburger grill robots across burger chains in South Korea, including the hamburger franchise brand Lotteria (part of Lotte GRS, a food affiliate of Lotte Group).

Aniai's robotic solution, Alpha Grill, helps restaurants automate the burger cooking process. It not only wears many of the same features as clamshell grills – with its dual-sided griddle, pre-set recipe configurations and precision output, but also boasts an impressive speed and serving automations. Capable of cooking 200+ patties per hour, Alpha Grill's robotic spatula cooks patties, brings them to a warming tray and then self-cleans saving customer's precious seconds with each use. 

After employing Alpha Grill for six months, Lotteria reduced their traditional six-step patty cooking process, which required approximately five minutes of cooking time, down to a single step and exactly one minute and fifty seconds, allowing their staff to allocate more time to value-added tasks while removing physical burdens. 

"The impact of Alpha Grill extends to creating a safer working environment," noted a Lotte GRS Representative. "By reducing the time our kitchen staff spend in front of hot grills, which is traditionally a risk for burns and heat-related injuries, Alpha Grill enhances workplace safety."

As Aniai continues conversations and live demos with major American and NYC-based burger brands, they look to the technological advances and rapid adoption of Alpha Grill in South Korea. Aniai's Co-founder and CEO, Gunpil Hwang, is enthusiastic about their partnership with Lotteria and other prominent burger chains where they've deployed 15 grills today, and 500 pre-orders for the future.

"It's truly exciting to witness the rapid adoption of our automation technology, and the happiness it brings among kitchen staff," notes Gunpil Hwang. "We want to ensure that not only are our customers eager to innovate with us, but their staff reap the positive benefits Alpha Grill brings to them. We have proved that our solution works in the commercial kitchen in South Korea; and now, we are taking this momentum to expand deployment to the US."

Pictured right:  Aniai Deploys 15 Hamburger Grill Robots Across South Korea’s Leading Burger Chains, Including Lotteria