IHG Hotels & Resorts Teams Up with Google Cloud to Enhance Travel Planning Experience

IHG Hotels & Resorts Teams Up with Google Cloud to Enhance Travel Planning Experience

By Nishang Narayan

Published on April 12, 2024

IHG Hotels & Resorts, in collaboration with Google Cloud, is set to revolutionise the travel planning experience with the introduction of a new feature powered by artificial intelligence (AI). The partnership aims to enhance guest experiences within the IHG One Rewards mobile app, offering personalised travel recommendations to users.

With the integration of Google Cloud's technologies, IHG will unveil a generative AI-powered travel planning capability, allowing guests to easily plan their next vacation directly through the IHG One Rewards mobile app. This suite of new features is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2024, promising a more dynamic digital guest experience.

Jolie Fleming, Chief Product & Technology Officer at IHG Hotels & Resorts, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, emphasising how the customised travel planner will utilise GenAI to help users discover destinations among IHG's extensive portfolio of over 6,000 hotels across 19 brands in more than 100 countries. The IHG One Rewards mobile app will evolve into a comprehensive mobile travel companion, enabling guests to build full itineraries and book hotels with ease.

The new IHG Travel Planner will offer guests personalised recommendations and ideas for their travel needs, from specific dining options near IHG properties to pet-friendly accommodations. Guests will also have access to information about local events and attractions, enhancing their overall travel experience.

image

Investments in the IHG One Rewards mobile app and technology to support IHG's loyalty program are integral to IHG's strategy to foster customer loyalty and engagement. Leveraging Google Cloud's AI platform, Vertex AI, and Gemini models, IHG aims to deploy features loved by guests swiftly and efficiently.

Thomas Kurian, CEO at Google Cloud, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating that IHG's implementation of generative AI reflects a commitment to reimagining guest experiences in the hospitality industry. The collaboration combines Google's technical expertise with IHG's dedication to service, setting new standards for digital guest interactions.

Google Cloud's comprehensive approach to cybersecurity, data governance, and privacy aligns with IHG's priorities, ensuring that guest data remains secure and compliant with industry standards. Moreover, IHG benefits from Google Cloud's responsible and ethical approach to AI, enabling direct review and optimization of AI models for enhanced performance.

The introduction of the IHG Travel Planner marks another milestone in IHG's journey to enhance guest experiences through innovative technology solutions. As travellers seek more personalised and seamless travel experiences, IHG remains committed to delivering exceptional hospitality through cutting-edge digital solutions.

To explore IHG Hotels & Resorts' global brands or book your next stay, download the IHG One Rewards App today.

About Google Cloud:

Google Cloud offers a comprehensive suite of AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools, designed to empower organisations for today and tomorrow's challenges. With customers in over 200 countries and territories, Google Cloud is a trusted technology partner for businesses worldwide.

About IHG:

IHG Hotels & Resorts is a global hospitality company dedicated to providing True Hospitality for Good. With 19 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards, one of the world's largest hotel loyalty programs, IHG operates over 6,300 hotels in more than 100 countries, with a robust development pipeline of over 2,000 properties.


HKSTP Leads Landmark Innovation Delegation at VivaTech 2025 in Paris

HKSTP Leads Landmark Innovation Delegation at VivaTech 2025 in Paris

By Nishang Narayan

Published on June 16, 2025

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has made a powerful debut at VivaTech 2025, Europe’s premier startup and tech showcase, by leading a delegation of 18 of Hong Kong’s most promising innovators in AI, robotics, healthtech, greentech, and fintech.

The delegation was hosted at the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion, co-organised with Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), highlighting a unified effort to bridge the innovation ecosystems of Hong Kong and France.

This milestone participation marks HKSTP’s mission of taking home-grown talent global and bringing international opportunities back to Asia. VivaTech provided an ideal launchpad to form meaningful partnerships and adapt breakthrough technologies for evolving global markets.

Standout Innovations from Hong Kong at VivaTech 2025:

  • Ailytics: Winner of the EDF Startup Challenge and named among the Top 30 VivaTech Innovations, thanks to its AI-powered video analytics for safety and efficiency in heavy industries.

  • AQUMON and Midas Analytics: Nominated as Top 12 FinTech Trail for their advanced AI-driven data solutions.

  • Imsight, OKOsix, and Vismed: Finalists in the Tech for Change Award, recognized for innovative strides in cancer diagnostics, biomaterials, and medical training, respectively.

Strategic Partnerships Formed:

  • Westwell Technology partnered with Logicor, a leading European logistics provider, to co-host an innovation showcase on autonomous driving and green logistics in Paris.

  • PointFit announced a collaboration with Kinomap, a French indoor-training platform, bringing wearable fitness tech to Europe.

Adding to this momentum, HKSTP signed a partnership agreement with Startup Genome, further committing to global ecosystem building through cross-border networking and innovation-centric events.

Hilda Chan, Chief Marketing Officer at HKSTP, shared,

“Hong Kong’s innovation scene is ripe with global potential. With deep connectivity, globally fluent talent, and trusted systems, we’re enabling new tech frontiers to rise from Asia, and VivaTech is a key milestone in that journey.”

image

The delegation arrives at a time when both France and Hong Kong are stepping up as global I&T leaders—France through its AI unicorn ambitions, and Hong Kong as the 2nd most innovative economy globally, according to WIPO.

To continue this global engagement, HKSTP is hosting EPIC 2025—the Elevator Pitch Competition—in November in Hong Kong. With US$100 million in targeted investment funding, and over 600 applicants from 47 economies in previous years, the competition is open for entries till 17 June 2025: https://epic.hkstp.org

About HKSTP

Founded in 2001, HKSTP has nurtured over 2,300 tech companies from 25+ countries, including 13 unicorns. It supports innovations across AI, healthtech, fintech, smart city, and more via its major hubs—Science Park, InnoCentre, and InnoParks in Hong Kong and its Shenzhen branch. With access to labs, funding, and global networks, HKSTP aims to anchor innovation as a pillar of Hong Kong’s economic future.

From Paris to Hong Kong, HKSTP is redefining how tech talent and ecosystems connect—and the world is watching.


RoomRaccoon Unveils RaccoonRev Plus: AI Revenue Co-Pilot for Independent Hotels

RoomRaccoon Unveils RaccoonRev Plus: AI Revenue Co-Pilot for Independent Hotels

By Nishang Narayan

Published on June 8, 2025

RoomRaccoon, a leading hotel management system trusted by independent hoteliers worldwide, has announced the launch of RaccoonRev Plus—a next-gen, AI-powered revenue management tool designed to deliver RMS-level pricing intelligence natively within the RoomRaccoon platform.

Tailored for small and mid-sized properties, RaccoonRev Plus helps bridge the gap between basic rule-based pricing models and complex Revenue Management Systems (RMS). The tool uses predictive AI and real-time data to offer daily rate recommendations up to 90 days in advance. It takes into account a wide range of signals including competitor pricing, weather forecasts, lead-time behavior, pickup pace, and historical trends to fine-tune hotel pricing strategy.

“Independent hoteliers have long been priced out of sophisticated revenue management technology,” said Tymen van Dyl, CEO of RoomRaccoon. “RaccoonRev Plus changes that. By embedding predictive pricing intelligence directly into our platform, we’re removing barriers and putting powerful, RMS-level tools into a system that hoteliers already know and trust.”

Designed as a ‘revenue co-pilot,’ the tool supports users with clear, AI-powered suggestions while keeping full control in their hands. Hoteliers can choose to act on insights at their own pace, with future updates offering full automation for those ready to go on autopilot.

“The idea of a revenue co-pilot is simple: you’re still in control, but you’re no longer flying solo,” van Dyl added. “We built the system to support hoteliers in stages, offering intelligent suggestions and giving users the confidence to gradually switch on autopilot when they’re ready.”

While revenue is the first frontier, RoomRaccoon views this as part of a larger AI roadmap.

“We’re moving toward a future where your HMS isn’t just a system — it’s part of your team,” van Dyl emphasized. “AI will make hotel operations more efficient by removing the friction of traditional workflows.”

RaccoonRev Plus is currently in beta testing with selected RoomRaccoon users, and the company anticipates a wider release later this year. Interested hoteliers can stay informed via RoomRaccoon’s website.

About RoomRaccoon

Founded in 2017 by a hotel owner and tech entrepreneur, RoomRaccoon is an award-winning cloud-based Hotel Management System. It offers a wide suite of tools that help hotels increase revenue, streamline operations, and enhance guest experience. With over 400 integrations, it’s among the most connected hospitality platforms on the market.


Kiğılı Selects Centric Software to Power Digital Retail Transformation

Kiğılı Selects Centric Software to Power Digital Retail Transformation

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on May 30, 2025

Leading Turkish menswear brand Kiğılı has partnered with Centric Software to transform its retail planning and support its growth ambitions through digital innovation. Kiğılı has chosen Centric Planning, an AI-powered platform that offers end-to-end merchandise planning capabilities tailored for the fashion retail industry.

Founded in 1938, Kiğılı has built a solid presence in the menswear space with over 180 stores in Türkiye and more than 50 points of sale across 15 countries. With customers shopping across a mix of physical stores, e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, and wholesale channels, Kiğılı sought a digital solution to optimize its planning operations.

Until now, Kiğılı relied on Excel sheets and internal tools to handle store segmentation and SKU planning. However, managing these tasks manually limited the brand’s ability to scale efficiently. With Centric Planning, Kiğılı will now move toward a centralized, intelligent system that enhances allocation, store planning, and supply chain decisions.

 “Planning is the cornerstone of our business operations, and with Centric Planning, we are setting a solid foundation for future growth,” said Hüseyin Deveci, Supply Chain Director at Kiğılı. “This project is at the center of our digital transformation strategy.”

 The brand’s aim is to bridge pre-season planning with in-season execution, ensuring accurate purchasing, better product positioning, and timely replenishment. “This integration will allow us to respond more strategically and dynamically to market shifts,” Deveci added.

Following a rigorous evaluation of over 15 solutions, Kiğılı selected Centric Planning for its ability to unify planning workflows into one adaptable structure. “What impressed us was how Centric connects all planning phases seamlessly. It frees our teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than manual tasks,” Deveci noted.

 “Kiğılı will benefit from a unified, intelligent platform that simplifies planning from start to finish,” said Fabrice Canonge, President of Centric Software. “We are proud to support Kiğılı in their transformation journey.”

The partnership marks a significant milestone for Kiğılı as it accelerates into a new era of digital retail excellence.

Stay up-to-date with the latest Hospitality news and trends in the Hospitality industry!

Subscribe to Hospitality news e-magazine for free and never miss an issue.

By clicking subscribe for free you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.

Advertise With Us

We have various options to advertise with us including Events, Advertorials, Banners, Mailers, etc.