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🏨 ÁgoraTech will be held at Eurostars Sitges Hotel, Spain on May 28-29, 2025, bringing together 60 key hotel groups from the Iberian Peninsula and major technological solutions. The event is designed for networking with individual meetings and recreational activities, against a backdrop of unprecedented industry transformation, new consumer trends, and sustainability demands. It marks the first edition of an initiative by Ágora Central de Compras of Grupo Hotusa.

🏠 Airbnb's "co-host" program, launched a year ago with over 10,000 participants across ten countries, offers owners assistance from other experienced hosts. A law to be voted on November 7 aims to regulate seasonal rentals. Co-hosts handle tasks like creating listings, managing calendars, pricing, reservations, and guest services, typically charging 10-25% commission per booking, averaging around a 20% cut. This model competes with concierge services, potentially affecting their market as Airbnb focuses on expanding long-stay (30-90 days) offerings, with high-quality or technical properties possibly remaining under concierge dominion.

📌 SETT 2024, a BtoB event for outdoor hospitality and tourism professionals, will be held from November 5 to 7, 2024, at the Parc des Expositions de Montpellier. In 2023, it attracted a record 18,300 visitors. The 16th edition of the SETT d'Or on November 5 will showcase the best innovations. 1Check, a digital solution for facility management in the HPA sector, offers efficient operations management, improved customer experience, cost optimization, and supports RSE commitments. ????

🏠 The GHR attended France Tourisme Tech on October 24, held at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, focusing on hospitality and catering sector trends and French innovations. Key participants included Murmuration, Greengo, Vinci Concessions, Unibail Rodamco, and Cap Digital. Noteworthy collaborations like Tictactrip and Orchestra, Wemap and SNCF, Nannybag and Franprix, Wintics and Paris Airports, AlltheWay and Accor, and B&B and Luniwave were highlighted. Marina Ferrari, Minister Delegate for Tourism Economy, stated tourism is 7.5% of GDP and mentioned events like the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, Rugby World Cup, Olympics, and the reopening of Notre-Dame on December 8. She highlighted that 67% of hoteliers use digital platforms daily, yet 98% don't plan to adopt AI soon, with most platforms being foreign-owned. Nicolas Brusson of BlaBlaCar was the edition's patron, aiming to make France a travel tech leader. Contest winners included Affluences, AquaTech Innovation, and others, with Fullsoon winning the public prize. The UNWTO launched an "Open Innovation" contest for travel tech collaborations.

🏨 Accor reported a 12% revenue increase in Q3 2024, reaching €1.434 billion, with a RevPAR improvement of 5.3% and expansion in key regions. The Luxury & Lifestyle division saw an 18% revenue growth, driven by high demand and occupancy rates, especially in Europe, North Africa, and Southeast Asia, with France gaining a pre-Olympic boost. Despite challenges in China and the Pacific, Accor is growing its portfolio, with 231,000 rooms in the pipeline and has revised its 2024 EBITDA forecast to €1.1-€1.125 billion.

📝 Lionel Saul, an alumnus and former student of EHL Hospitality Business School, is the first from the institution to pursue a doctorate supported by the school. After completing his bachelor's degree at EHL in 2018, he continued with a part-time two-year Master in Business Administration specializing in foresight at HES-SO, focusing on imagining possible futures for companies and strategic decision-making. In 2022, Saul joined EHL's research assistant team and became a "visiting lecturer" in spring 2023. Currently enrolled as a doctoral student at HEC Lausanne and co-supervised by Prof. Patrick Haack and Prof. Nicole Hinrichs, he also assists Professor Stefan Güldenberg with "Die Unternehmung" journal and continues as a research assistant at EHL. His research includes topics such as "regenerative tourism" and he plans to publish articles on the role of companies in society.

📦 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.

🍕 The Salon International de l'Alimentation (SIAL) 2024 occurred from October 19-23 in Villepinte, drawing over 285,000 food sector professionals and 7,500 exhibitors from 127 countries. Attendee numbers increased by 8% from the previous year, reaching pre-pandemic levels, with a strong European exhibitor presence from Italy, France, Spain, and Turkey, spurring significant growth in the hospitality industry due to heightened accommodation demand.

🏬 Marca Corona, founded in 1741, showcases at Equip’ Hotel 2024 with new collections Arialuce and Longarine, featuring terracotta, inspired by old artisanal workshops. Products emphasize natural looks and materials such as lime, clay, and a color series in Calcecreta collection. Longarine tiles are 7.5x60 cm, blending interior/exterior spaces and embracing three-dimensionality.

🏖️ Tapestry Collection by Hilton has over 135 independent properties, with a pipeline of nearly 120 hotels. Mexico is Hilton's largest and fastest-growing market in the Caribbean and Latin America, with over 100 hotels and 40 projects underway. In 2024, Hilton signed more than 10 new hotel deals in Mexico, including notable signings like the 170-room Canopy by Hilton Guadalajara, opening in 2028, and Hilton Tijuana, debuting in 2026.