Julia Luczak-Rougeaux

🎮 Parc Astérix, in partnership with Hub One, has enhanced mobile connectivity in its hotels, installing over 100 antennas and nearly 3 km of cables to ensure stable 3G, 4G, and 5G coverage across 50,000 m² of hotel and dining areas. This upgrade addresses the increased visitor demand for mobile network and internet connection, essential for the park's mobile app features, including real-time queue updates. The improvement is part of Compagnie des Alpes' broader strategy to assess mobile coverage in its parks, incorporating Distributed Antenna System (DAS) into the design of under-construction hotels.

🏨 Korner Hotels cofounded by Benoît Piel and Maxime Letessier, offers a decentralized, autonomous hotel management model. Launched a month ago, after two years of creation, they run 6 urban hotels in Paris with 25-35 rooms each. The model breaks the industry's glass ceiling by allowing staff to take on additional tasks, such as contract searching and social media management, facilitated by the Korner Academy's training modules. Aiming for 35-40 hotels by 2030, Korner plans a €100 million fundraising in early 2025 to finance expansion.

🔎 Trip.com harnesses artificial intelligence (AI) to tailor offers for travelers, per Andy Washington, General Manager for Europe at Trip.com. Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) are investing in technology to enhance customer experience, with AI doubling in learning speed and capacity annually—improving data understanding. AI enables smaller players to comprehend data and develop AI with the right partners, positively impacting the industry. Trip Genie, Trip.com's personal assistant, transforms the OTA from a simple booking engine to a full-fledged online travel agency by providing recommendations and supporting the booking process. Data sets are primarily customer behavior-based, respecting privacy choices, and vary by region. Trip Genie aims to evolve into a virtual travel agent, focusing on the inspiration phase and travel adjustments to prioritize customer satisfaction.

📦 Accor has long utilized AI technologies, with a focus on freeing up staff time for more valuable client interactions. In March 2024, Accor began testing an intelligent assistant with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to aid travelers in the UK and Australia with personalized hotel recommendations. 30%-40% of call center interactions are now automated using AI. Internally, Accor uses AI for back-office operations, including code generation and email drafting, and plans to use it for sorting CVs. A "Center of Excellence" in Generative AI has been created for best privacy and security practices, with an internal GenIA day planned for November for staff training. Accor carefully integrates AI, emphasizing human complement rather than replacement, guided by a clear strategy termed "freedom within a frame.

🖥 Stillgram, an AI-powered app, eliminates tourists from travel photos, creating the illusion that the user is alone at famous landmarks. The app can discern elements and people to keep, like the user and the Eiffel Tower, and delete the rest. Stillgram, created by an independent developer, is available on iOS as freemium with 1K resolution and a watermark. Subscription options are $2.99 per month or $8.99 for lifetime access, which removes watermarks and ups resolution to 4K.

🎯 In 2021, 49 startups joined the unicorn club with valuations over $1 billion, up from 36 at the start of the year, with a record $44 billion in venture capital funding. In 2022, funding dropped due to higher interest rates and economic uncertainty, leading to valuation adjustments. Thirteen unicorns exited the market within three years, some entering public markets or merging with SPACs. By 2024, new unicorns emerged, with a shift towards ground mobility and European players gaining significance, and fintech in travel becoming more prominent.

🌍 Tourism faces its 5th revolution focusing on technology and sustainability, with no breakthrough tech yet. Aviation aims for net-zero emissions by 2050 with scalable technologies and commercialization. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), light materials, new propulsion, solar energy, and AI for flight paths are key. The sector balances environmental, social, and economic impacts. Amadeus Ventures invested in Chooose and Caphenia for carbon calculation and synthetic gas production since 2021. Public funds, private investment, and consumer education are deemed essential for financing the green revolution.