News Briefs

DIRECTV for BUSINESS^SM continues to expand in-room entertainment options in hotels and institutions through its Advanced Entertainment Platform that launched in June 2024 by integrating the Tubi app, Fox Corporation’s (NASDAQ: FOXA, FOX) Free Ad-Supported TV (FAST) platform. With this addition, Advanced Entertainment Platform customers gain seamless access to a vast selection of movies, TV shows, and Tubi originals.

With a robust collection of premium on demand content, including over 275,000 movies and TV episodes and more than 300 exclusive originals, Tubi helps enhance the Advanced Entertainment Platform by providing viewers with free, accessible entertainment.

“The Advanced Entertainment Platform is becoming the most comprehensive and flexible solution for properties looking to offer premium in-room entertainment,” said Doug Eichler, senior vice president, DIRECTV for BUSINESS^SM. “The addition of Tubi delivers access to a variety of content, including exclusive movies, shows, and live programming—all seamlessly available through our platform.”

The DIRECTV for BUSINESS Advanced Entertainment Platform is a customizable in-room entertainment solution combining live TV, app-based and on demand content, available to hotels, senior living communities and other institutions nationwide. Effective immediately, the Tubi app is now available to existing Advanced Entertainment Platform customers at no additional cost.

Shift4 has acquired a majority stake in Vectron Systems AG, a European suppliers of point-of-sale (POS) systems to the restaurant and hospitality verticals. 

Based in Germany, Vectron has 65,000 POS locations across Europe, representing. Shift4 is expected to acquire additional ownership of Vectron through a public tender offer that is expected to conclude within the next month, with a de-listing and formal integration process to occur shortly thereafter.

The acquisition is expected to provide Shift4 with an expansive customer footprint across Europe as well as a distribution network of ~300 POS resellers. As a result of the acquisition, Shift4 believes it will be able to add its integrated payment services to current Vectron customers and products, while also empowering the sales force with a compelling all-in-one POS and payments solution unrivaled in Europe.

“Shift4 was at the forefront of the convergence between software and payments in the restaurant and hospitality verticals in the US. We see an incredible amount of demand for a similar all-in-one solution across Europe,” states Shift4 CEO Jared Isaacman. “With our integrated payments and SkyTab offering, we believe we have the best solution at the right price point. Vectron will provide valuable local expertise, infrastructure, and the distribution necessary to meet the demand. This acquisition is right out of the Shift4 playbook – enabling us to unlock synergies, expand our distribution, and monetize payments for a large existing install base.”

Completes Revel Systems Acquistion

In addition to the acquisition of Vectron, Shift4 has also completed its previously announced acquisition of Revel Systems. Revel has over 18,000 merchant locations across the United States and internationally which Shift4 estimates represents a $17B+ payment opportunity. Revel also has a direct sales and dealer distribution network which Shift4 believes can be leveraged to accelerate SkyTab distribution both domestically and abroad. 

Shift4 has signed a definitive arrangement agreement to acquire Givex Corp., a global provider of gift cards, loyalty programs and point-of-sale solutions. 

The Arrangement Agreement is subject to customary closing conditions and the transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year. 

With across more than 100 countries, Givex serves a wide range of businesses in various industries, including 7-Eleven, Wendy’s, Best Western, Texas Roadhouse. 

The company offers robust gift card and e-gift solutions as well as customizable loyalty programs, and a point-of-sale (POS) system for various business types, among other value-added services.

 “Givex has a considerable footprint around the world which will dramatically increase Shift4’s overall customer base,” states Shift4 President Taylor Lauber. “At the same time, their gift card and loyalty solutions are second to none and will add significant value for our current customers, creating stickier relationships andh 130,000+ active locations enhancing our overall value proposition. Similar to other deals we have recently completed, this acquisition aligns perfectly with how we like to deploy capital – adding blue-chip merchants at a low customer acquisition cost while delivering additional benefits to our customer base.” 

“The Givex team looks forward to joining the Shift4 family and bring our enterprise gift card capabilities and loyalty programs to hundreds of thousands of new customers,” says Don Gray, CEO of Givex. “By combining Shift4’s end-to-end payment solution with our value-added engagement services, we can deliver an unparalleled package to both of our customer bases.”  

SIHOT, a hotel management system, has digitalized booking information, enabling guests to add hotel reservations to their Apple or Google Wallets. 

Using a QR code in the digitalized hotel reservation, guests benefit from a more seamless digital experience at check-in. With instant access to booking information on their mobile device and smooth integration with existing SIHOT products – SIHOT.PMS, SIHOT.WEB, SIHOT.KIOSK and SIHOT.GO! – the digitalized reservation confirmation simplifies guest identification on self-service terminals and at the front desk. 

Providing convenience to guests with all travel details easily accessible on their phones, thanks to Google or Apple Wallets, this development aligns with the digital transformation of hospitality by improving operational efficiency while enhancing guest communication. With cutting-edge technology, guests can seamlessly access their booking details anytime, directly from their Apple or Google Wallet. For guests, this ensures a smoother check-in experience, reduces the hassle of searching for confirmation emails, and keeps all essential travel details conveniently at hand.  

Carsten Wernet, Chief Executive of SIHOT said, “We want to further improve the guest experience – we all know how frustrating and tedious it can be to have to wade through hundreds of emails to find that one booking confirmation. Through Apple or Google Wallet, we provide instant access to their reservation information, enabling hotels to facilitate quick check-ins from the front desk or with our automated self-service systems. With this information easily at hand, this will also cut queues on arrival without having to wait for guests to find their booking confirmation details.”

While the reservation confirmations facilitate key replacement on self-service check-in kiosks, guests will still be required to provide all relevant information to fulfil their stay. 

Cloudbeds, a hospitality management software platform, unveiled its 2025 State of Independent Lodging Report.

The findings reveal 2025 is set to be the “year of optimizing performance” for independent hoteliers. Faced with persistent labor shortages, increased price sensitivity from travelers, and a rising market share for branded hotels – which now represent 72% of all US hotels – independent operators must sharpen their strategies to stay ahead.

Now in its third year, the State of Independent Lodging Report offers a unique, data-driven look into the global independent lodging segment, highlighting key insights and trends across a diverse range of property types that are often overlooked in industry reporting.

Adam Harris, Co-Founder and CEO of Cloudbeds, said: “Hospitality is fundamentally human – and independent properties represent its heart and soul. Cloudbeds is helping these businesses transform challenges into opportunities, proving that being independent doesn't mean being alone. Together, we're building a future where independent hospitality businesses don't just survive – with access to technology like Cloudbeds Intelligence, they lead the way forward.”

Key findings from the report include:

• Occupancy trends indicate stabilization: Demand patterns remained steady in 2024, therefore independent hotels must focus on capturing market share to maintain occupancy levels in 2025.
• Pricing hits a ceiling: After years of rapid growth, the global average daily rate (ADR) declined by 1% in 2024, reflecting softening demand and increased price sensitivity among travelers.
• OTAs continue to dominate: In 2024, online travel agencies (OTAs) captured 61% of all bookings for independent properties, which are far more reliant on OTAs than branded hotels.

Based on a wealth of aggregated and anonymized data from across the world, Cloudbeds has also identified five new trends poised to reshape the independent lodging market in 2025. These include the rise of value-driven travel, increased reliance on additional revenue streams, rising costs, labor shortages and high staff turnover, as well as the widespread adoption of AI in hotel operations.

The report’s findings are grounded in data from more than 20,000 independent properties in 150 countries. The results are divided into four regions: North America, Latin America (including Mexico), Europe, and Asia Pacific (including Australia and New Zealand).

To download a free copy of Cloudbeds’ 2025 State of Independent Lodging Report, visit https://www.cloudbeds.com/hospitality-industry-report/.

Deliverect, a global food tech SaaS company, launched Pulse Sentinel, a powerful feature designed to eliminate unnoticed downtime on delivery platforms. Pulse Sentinel addresses a hidden threat that many restaurant operators overlook—unnoticed downtime that quietly drains revenue and disrupts operations. Through immediate alerts and automatic re-opening options, Pulse Sentinel improves uptime across all delivery apps, effectively boosting restaurant performance, fuelling growth, and protecting guest loyalty. In fact, Deliverect data shows that a restaurant brand with 100 locations will experience an average of 5% downtime during their open hours, resulting in a staggering 322 hours of downtime per week across all stores. That equates to an estimated £50,000 in lost weekly revenue—simply because locations are unknowingly offline.

Brands face two types of downtime on delivery apps: desired and undesired. While desired downtime is intentional and controlled––allowing restaurants to go offline for reasons like inventory management, staff shortages, or maintenance––undesired downtime is unpredictable, caused by technical glitches, system errors, or operational issues. This unexpected downtime disrupts online ordering, leads to missed sales, and negatively impacts the customer experience.

Burger King UK relies on Pulse Sentinel to combat downtime across 321 locations. They have seen a significant sales uplift, and lost sales recovered.

“Downtime used to be a silent killer. Lost revenue, frustrated guests, and missed opportunities to build loyalty were adding up behind the scenes,” said Jon Longobardi, Head of Digital Operations Burger King UK. “It’s not just about saving lost revenue; it’s about protecting our reputation and staying ahead of the competition. Last week alone, Pulse Sentinel brought our restaurants back online 892 times. With Pulse Sentinel, we’re able to drive revenue and deliver exceptional experiences to our guests every single day.”

Additional Burger King UK results include:

• Boosted Sales & Delivery Growth – Automation through Pulse and Pulse Sentinel has driven significant sales uplift, fuelling Burger King UK Home Delivery expansion.
• Near-Perfect Uptime – Restaurant uptime improved to consistently achieving over 99% within just six months.
• Proactive Issue Resolution – Across Burger King's 321 UK locations operating across three delivery platforms, Pulse Sentinel actively keeps restaurants online. In the past week alone, Pulse Sentinel was triggered 892 times, guaranteeing seamless operations.
• Always Online, Always Ready – Pulse Sentinel automatically restores Burger King UK connectivity an average of 4,000 times per month, preventing lost sales.

“Accessing reporting on total downtime was always retrospective. By the time we saw the data, the revenue was already lost. There was nothing we could do about it. With Pulse Sentinel, we can act in real time, addressing downtime in the moment—enabling our restaurants to be online, keep our guests returning to Burger King (UK), whilst maximising our delivery sales every day,” Longobardi added.

Following the launch of Pulse—a powerful platform that optimises store health across third-party apps with features like marketplace visibility and competitive monitoring—Deliverect has seen rapid adoption across global markets. Now, the company is taking the next step with Pulse Sentinel. This new addition gives restaurant operators a single, dedicated map to efficiently manage stores’ status, and identify downtime causes. Automated re-open flows and proactive notifications eliminate the need for constant manual intervention, allowing stores to come back online swiftly and effortlessly guaranteeing maximum uptime and sustained growth. Additionally, the system quantifies the financial impact of downtime at each location, offering data-driven insights to optimises performance.

“Third-party delivery is a lifeline for restaurants, but when storefronts go dark without warning, operators are left in the dark, too,” said Zhong Xu, CEO of Deliverect. “For too long, brands have had no way to combat these outages, which means they’ve been unavoidably losing thousands of pounds in revenue every single week. We built Pulse Sentinel to change that. By providing consistent visibility and automatic re-opening options, we’re putting control back into the hands of restaurant operators. No more guessing, no more missed orders—just continuous operations that keep revenue flowing and customers happy. In an industry where margins are razor-thin, this kind of control is a game changer.”