Hotel and Travel Sectors Concerned Over Google's DMA Compliance Impact

Hotel and Travel Sectors Concerned Over Google's DMA Compliance Impact

By Author

Published on March 12, 2024

As the European Union’s (EU) Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into effect on March 7, its intent to open digital markets and promote fair competition has stirred concerns within the hotel and travel sectors. Industry groups are worried that Alphabet’s Google, in its bid to comply with the DMA, may inadvertently harm their online visibility and revenue streams. Alphabet, recognized as a ‘gatekeeper’ under the DMA due to its role as a gateway between businesses and consumers, is making adjustments that have raised alarms among various organisations representing the airline, hotel, and restaurant sectors.

These industry representatives argue that Google's proposed changes to meet DMA requirements might skew the competitive landscape in favour of larger online search services and intermediaries, disadvantaging smaller players in the process. This concern was highlighted by hotel group Hotrec, European Hotel Forum, Eurocommerce, Ecommerce Europe, Airlines for Europe, and Independent Retail Europe, following Google’s recent updates aimed at app developers and users.

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Reports suggest that the alterations proposed by Google could lead to drastic reductions in online traffic and revenue for companies within the sector, with some experiencing losses up to 50%. A blog post by Google on March 5 hinted that its modifications to search results could indeed increase traffic for large intermediaries and aggregators while reducing visibility for direct service providers like hotels and airlines.

Adding to the chorus of criticism, eu travel tech, which counts Amadeus, Booking.com, Expedia, and Airbnb among its members, has accused Google of continuing to favour its own products in search results. This practice, they argue, directly contradicts the DMA’s goal to eliminate such biases, especially evident in travel search results where Google’s comparison products enjoy more prominence than others.

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In an open letter, eu travel tech expressed its concerns, stating, "Google continues to favour its own services on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP), undermining competition." The group has called on the European Commission to rigorously enforce the DMA if Google fails to adhere to the regulation’s standards, emphasising the need for a fair digital marketplace that benefits all players equally.

The unfolding situation underscores the complexity of implementing wide-reaching regulatory measures like the DMA in a digital ecosystem dominated by a few large gatekeepers. As the debate continues, the hotel and travel industries remain vigilant, advocating for changes that ensure their survival and growth in an increasingly competitive online environment.

Image Credits- Cendyn


Meet Chai Magic: Your New Best Friend for Brewing Chai

Meet Chai Magic: Your New Best Friend for Brewing Chai

By Hariharan U

Published on July 31, 2025

Wonderchef has introduced something every chai lover will want in their kitchen "Chai Magic", the world’s first fully automatic tea maker built just for Indian-style tea. The launch, hosted in Kolkata, saw the presence of Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Mr. Ravi Saxena, co-founders of the brand, as they showcased what might just be the future of chai-making.

How It Works

 All it takes is loading your ingredients—tea, spices, water, and milk—into the machine, pressing a button, and letting Chai Magic handle the rest. Milk gets added at just the right moment, and the tea brews to perfection. Once it’s done, the machine switches off on its own. That’s right—no more burnt milk or tea spills.

"Chai Magic brings tradition and technology together. It makes everyday tea-making simple, stress-free, and delightful," said Chef Sanjeev Kapoor during the live demo.

He added, "You can add any masala—ginger, clove, pepper, saffron—and Chai Magic will brew it just the way you like it. It’s consistent, hands-free, and honestly, a joy to use."

Mr. Ravi Saxena, CEO of Wonderchef, called it a “magical appliance”, built for daily use in Indian homes. “It’s a product rooted in our tea culture but powered by modern convenience,” he said.

Coming Soon Near You

 Chai Magic will be available across retail stores and Wonderchef’s website in the coming weeks.

New Store Launch in Kolkata

 Wonderchef also marked the launch of its 31st exclusive store—and the first in East India—at City Centre Mall, Salt Lake, Kolkata. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor inaugurated the outlet, part of the brand’s plan to double its store count over the next two years.

 About Wonderchef
Founded in 2009, Wonderchef is known for its premium cookware and kitchen appliances. With over 600 products, it has built a strong presence both in India and globally—spanning 22,000+ retail outlets, 80,000+ women entrepreneurs, and availability in 25 countries.

This new launch adds one more feather to their innovation-first approach, making everyday cooking smarter, easier, and a little more magical.


Invisible Infrastructure: Reimagining Security in Hospitality Spaces

Invisible Infrastructure: Reimagining Security in Hospitality Spaces

By Author

Published on July 29, 2025

In luxury hospitality, the guest experience is meticulously crafted to feel effortless. Yet, behind the polished marble floors and ambient lighting lies an invisible yet vital layer — security. When done right, it’s not just a system; it’s an ecosystem of trust that operates quietly in the background, ensuring safety without ever disrupting elegance.

Today, hotel security has evolved beyond conventional surveillance. It’s not about how many cameras you install — it’s about where, why, and how they integrate into the environment. Smart surveillance strategies combine analytics with human insight, mapping guest behavior, anticipating pressure points, and aligning seamlessly with the tempo of operations. Think of it as an unseen concierge — alert, adaptive, and always one step ahead.

Access control, too, has become a sophisticated architecture of trust. Whether it’s guest keycards, staff movement, or vendor logistics, every access point is an opportunity to blend efficiency with discretion. The best frameworks balance hierarchy with hospitality — offering layered security that respects both guest privacy and staff autonomy.

But even the most intelligent infrastructure is only as strong as the people who operate it. Hotels that foster a proactive security culture — through training, simulations, and clearly defined accountability — gain an unmatched edge in both daily operations and crisis management. In such environments, security is not just protection; it’s empowerment.

Importantly, security should never be a generic overlay. It must reflect the soul of the brand. A wellness retreat in the hills may need subtle, almost invisible systems, while a corporate hotel in the heart of a city might benefit from visible, high-tech deterrents. Every hotel has a story and its security design should narrate it with purpose.

This is where independent expertise becomes invaluable. Too often, security is bundled into IT or MEP contracts as an afterthought. In reality, it deserves its own voice — one that understands physical risk, guest psychology, operational rhythms, and architectural intent. A seasoned security consultant can decode these variables and craft bespoke, scalable systems that serve both safety and sophistication.

Col Deepak Kajla, a techno-security expert with over 22 years of military and corporate experience, offers exactly this level of insight. His unique approach blends strategic thinking with hands-on implementation, helping hospitality brands design security that is intuitive, unobtrusive, and deeply effective. From five-star properties to eco-resorts, he brings clarity, control, and creativity to every project — transforming security from a backend function into a seamless extension of guest experience.

For hotels aiming to modernize their security approach without compromising on brand or ambiance, the path forward begins with a simple idea:

"Invisible infrastructure creates visible confidence"

CONTACT deepak.kajla@securesec.in 
https://www.securesec.in/


Empowering Hospitality: The Bingoforge Journey from Vision to Innovation

Empowering Hospitality: The Bingoforge Journey from Vision to Innovation

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on July 26, 2025

At the heart of Bingoforge lies a vision that has remained unwavering since its inception, to equip the hospitality industry with intuitive, intelligent, and fully integrated CRM solutions. This journey began from a deep, firsthand understanding of the hurdles faced by hoteliers, restaurateurs, and sales professionals. Disconnected systems, outdated processes, and fragmented data had long plagued the industry, slowing down growth and innovation. It was this very gap that inspired the creation of Bingoforge.

The company’s story dates back to 2017, when Zubin Bilimoria, a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience across airlines, travel solutions (GDS), and hospitality technology, founded the brand. Operating initially under the name Zubin Hospitality Solutions, the humble beginnings took root in a neighborhood CCD coffee shop. During his stint as Global Sales Director at RezNext in 2015-16, Zubin noticed the glaring absence of a specialized Sales CRM designed exclusively for the hospitality ecosystem. With insight, experience, and a clear purpose, he set out to build a solution that would transform how sales teams in the industry functioned.

With strong support and feedback from senior leaders in hospitality, the first version of the product, MyHotelCRM was developed in collaboration with a hotel chain, ensuring every feature was born from real-world challenges and use cases. What started as a basic contact and lead management tool soon grew into a robust, scalable platform that caters to the needs of all hospitality stakeholders, from sales executives to ownership and management teams.

Today, MyHotelCRM is available in three distinct versions, LITE, BUSINESS, and ENTERPRISE and serves a wide array of properties including hotels, restaurants, and clubs of all sizes. Its compatibility with both one-way and two-way integrations with leading PMS platforms has made it a preferred solution across the sector. Among its integration partners are IDS Next (IDS Fortune and IDS FX), WinHMS, WinCloud, InnKeys PMS, Protel, and MyCloud Hospitality. The platform is also working toward integrations with global players such as Opera Cloud, among others.

In keeping with its vision of seamless connectivity, Bingoforge has been steadily expanding its interface capabilities. This includes planned integrations with hotel websites, social media platforms, IVR, WhatsApp communication, and Revenue Management Solutions, ensuring users benefit from a truly centralized and intelligent CRM system.

From those early coffee shop days to becoming a leading sales solution provider in the hospitality domain, Bingoforge’s journey has been marked by passion, innovation, and a relentless focus on simplifying workflows. The company’s offerings now extend to corporate ERP solutions as well, designed to match and adapt to customer-specific workflows.

The most recent milestone in Bingoforge’s evolution is its partnership with Trillion Global Innovations, with Mr. Pankaj Kumar Goel, Director and Co-founder, joining as a Consulting Sales Partner. This collaboration is set to amplify Bingoforge’s market presence, taking its trusted solutions to an even wider audience.

For more information, visit www.bingoforge.com or reach out via email at bd@bingoforge.com.

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