Innovation

📱 In the hospitality industry, effective communication with travelers significantly impacts guest trust, satisfaction, and loyalty. Booking.com's 2023 data revealed that 78% of travelers believe clear and prompt host communication boosts trust before the stay. According to Airbnb in 2022, personalized communication makes travelers 62% more likely to leave a 5-star review and return. Vrbo in 2023 noted that 91% of in-stay issues could be efficiently resolved with proactive communication. The article highlights the importance of proper messaging prior to arrival, using concierge management software like Jana for automated, timely communication, and maintaining contact post-stay to encourage positive reviews and direct bookings.

🏗️ At the IFTM 2024 fair, innovation in Tourism was showcased in the Tech Zone by Theta, highlighting AI, immersive technologies, payment solutions, and ecological transition. KaviarTech presented the immersive Apple Vision Pro, offering experiences like a tour of La Réunion through space photography. Certif-IA, a startup assisting SMEs with AI integration for two years, demonstrated creating travel itineraries in 90 seconds. Keewe, specializing in international transfers and currency exchange, with 50% of its clientele from the Tourism sector, aims to connect payment technology with instant carbon footprint measurement for imports, supporting ecological transition and compensating by investing in carbon offset, reforestation, and coral protection projects.

🎠 Laure Mosseron, Director of Communication and Marketing at Futuroscope, discussed the park's new offering at the IFTM Top Resa 2024 event. Futuroscope inaugurated Aquascope, a new water-themed area, during the summer to revitalize the park with an immersive new experience.

🏖 Open Tourism Lab (OTL) is accepting applications for its Prototyping program as part of the Tourism Tech For Good© initiative, aimed at companies developing resilient projects with a sustainable impact on tourism in Occitanie. The next sprint session is scheduled for the end of November 2024. The program emphasizes quick concept validation to meet real needs, reduce costs, and minimize risks by identifying and correcting flaws early.

🌱 FullSoon, launched in 2022, uses AI to help restaurants reduce food waste and carbon footprint by analyzing POS systems, weather forecasts, events, and calendars. At IFTM Top Resa, they introduced a service suggesting eco-friendly alternatives for recipes, cooking methods, and presentation. FullSoon will equip 10,000 Accor hotels with this solution to lower carbon footprint and offer a labeling system for informed consumer choices.

🏥 Alipay+ and Viva.com expand collaboration to enhance the shopping experience for international tourists in Europe by integrating 15 different international e-wallets. This move, targeting tourists mainly from Asia, coincides with Europe's upcoming "Golden Week" in October. Merchants across 24 European markets where Viva.com operates can now deploy Alipay+ for localized promotional offers and seamless payments. 🛍️

🍊 Kookabarra, a Provence-based juice maker, has invested €25,000 to innovate their product line, now including stone fruits like plums, mangoes, peaches, and cherries. Since its founding in 2006 by Jérémie Marcuccilli, the company has developed a premium range of fresh juices and fruit purées, boasting over fifty references. They utilize unique HPP (high pressure cold) technology to meet the demands of both commercial clients and private customers.

📚 Schools need to manage their e-reputation through responses to online reviews, impacting brand image. Responding to positive reviews strengthens relationships and positive reinforcement, while addressing criticisms shows commitment to improvement and customer satisfaction. A proactive response to negative reviews demonstrates value for feedback and willingness to correct mistakes. Strategies include using review management tools, training staff on professional yet personal responses, avoiding defensive or generic replies, and acknowledging emotions behind comments. Engaging stakeholders in the review process adds valuable insights and fosters a collaborative school culture. The article offers over 31 tailored responses for various review scenarios and promotes an AI-based Chrome extension, SoLike, for instant review responses, potentially saving 12 hours per month and ensuring high-quality engagement.

🏢 Rejolt, a leader in corporate event organization, partners with Peclers Paris, a consultancy renowned in luxury and design, to create a modern, inspiring service offering. This alliance aims to deliver distinctive events aligned with evolving employee expectations, marking Rejolt as the first in its market to collaborate with a trend and innovation advisor like Peclers. The partnership promises to provide clients with unique venues, experiences, and innovative content.

🏠 Expedia integrates 100 brands, influencers, media, and tourism offices into its Travel Shops program, including FC Arsenal, Travel Alberta, Condé Nast Traveler, and actor Jaime Camil. This initiative allows partners to promote their favorite hotels for booking through the Expedia app. Announced during Expedia's annual event, the Travel Shops aim to inspire millions of travelers by creating a direct path from inspiration to booking, aligning with social media trends on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Expedia plans to further expand these shops in 2025, allowing anyone to create their own shop.