Skift Travel News Blog

Vervotech, a startup that manages hotel room data, is the latest in a string of travel tech acquisitions by Juniper Group.

Juniper Group said Friday that it acquired the India-based startup. Terms were not disclosed. 

Vervotech’s platform analyzes hotel booking data to remove duplicate listings across suppliers, a problem that can lead to inaccuracies and missed bookings. 

Juniper Group is an operating portfolio of Vela Software, one of the six divisions of Constellation Software. Juniper Group also owns software companies Juniper Travel, TPF Software, T4W, Airport Information Systems, and IST Cruise Technology. It also acquired Peakwork in April. 

Juniper Group said it is focused on acquiring and building businesses in the industries of travel, aviation, banking, insurance, healthcare, public sector, and oil and gas. Juniper Group made six acquisitions in 2022 alone, according to its website. 

Vervotech will continue to operate independently.

Juniper Group said the Vervotech product compliments its booking engine, while the acquired company now has access to more resources for further research and development. 

Sanjay Ghare, co-founder and CEO of Vervotech, said in a statement that the company plans to expand in Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

Iberostar Hotels & Resorts have cut food waste by 28% in the first half of 2023, thanks to an on-going partnership with Winnow and its artificial intelligence technology.

The partnership, which was announced in 2022, forms part of Iberostar’s Wave of Change program.

The Winnow technology has now been installed in 48 Iberostar hotels globally, achieving significant progress in Iberostar’s journey towards a waste-free future by 2025 and carbon neutral by 2030. 

Thanks to AI Technology, Iberostar has stated that it has saved 735,000 meals since January 2023 in its food waste journey, which equates to an 11% reduction in waste weight and 1,264 tons of CO2 saved.

“Our partnership with Winnow is a testament to our commitment towards a waste-free future. It is truly inspiring to see our chefs embrace the program and create tangible change. This achievement reinforces Iberostar’s position as a leader in creating a sustainable travel industry,” said Megan Morikawa, global sustainability director at Iberostar.

The TUI Group has kickstarted investment via its hotel fund, launched last year with Luxembourg-based Hansainvest, to acquire the 5-star “Emerald Zanzibar Resort & Spa” on Zanzibar in Tanzania.

TUI will take over the running of the hotel and all existing bookings at the beginning of 2024, bringing its branded hospitality offering in the East African country to four hotels.

The acquisition was the first investment made by the fund, according to Peter Krueger, group head for strategy and merger & acquisitions, who stated that TUI is set to add more hotels.

“The next concrete investment opportunities are already being pursued,” Krueger said, “The fund also intends to acquire a hotel property from TUI’s portfolio. This is currently operated by a TUI hotel brand and will continue to be run as such in the future by means of a management contract.”

TUI sees its hotel division as a key growth driver, having seen positive results over several quarters, with underlying earnings before interest and taxes for the last four quarters exceeding pre-Covid 2019 performance.

The company is set to release its third-quarter results on Wednesday, 9 August.

Sonder shareholders will vote in a special meeting September 15 on whether to give the board approval to carry out a reverse stock split — with the split ratio subject to the board’s discretion.

The idea behind the move is to keep Sonder, which went public in a special purpose acquisition company deal on January 19 2022, trading on Nasdaq after getting notified that the run might end because the share price was trading below $1 for an extended duration.

An affirmative vote seems like a done deal. The board will decide whether the split will be “1-for-10, 1-for-15, 1-for-20 or 1-for-25” etc., Sonder said in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing Wednesday.

The split will in itself will not impact the company’s market cap, which stood at a mere $125 million after Wednesday’s close.

Atreides controls 9.2% of the vote, Fidelity 7.3%, Spark Capital 6.7%, and CEO Francis Davidson 5.3%.

Plenty of SPACs had their share prices plummet after their market debuts in the last couple of years, as stock markets tired of speedy growth with accompanying large losse,s and looked for profitability. Sonder is not expected to be profitable for full year 2023.

Hotelbeds, which reportedly hired bankers a couple of months ago to ready an initial public offering, has appointed a new general counsel, and the hotel wholesaler touted her experience in compliance and taking companies public.

Source: Hotelbeds

Sagrario Fernández, who now leads Hotelbeds’ legal and compliance teams, “brings a wealth of experience in IPO processes gained at private security services firm Prosegur Cash and Indra, a Spain-based IT and defence systems company, as well as in M&A and capital markets transactions,” the Hotelbeds announcement stated.

Fernández most recently was general counsel at Dia Group, a publicly traded Spain-based food chain with more than 30,000 employees.

Palma, Spain-headquartered Hotelbeds, which offers wholesale hotel rooms to tour operators, travel agents and airlines, was acquired by private equity firm Cinven and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board from TUI Group in 2016 for 1.17 billion euros. Its valuation is said to currently be in the range of $4.9 billion to $6 billion (4.5 billion and 5.5 billion euros), according to the publication Expansion.

The company offers hotels from some 1995 destinations, and has more than 3,000 employees.

“Sagrario will play a key role in leading our strategic initiatives and will take Hotelbeds to new heights,” said Hotelbeds CEO Nicolas Huss said in a statement. “We are confident that, thanks to her extensive knowledge and experience, she will further strengthen our position as a leader in the global travel industry.”

Perhaps Fernández is another piece in Hotelbeds’ IPO considerations.

The Royal Mansour Marrakech has launched a new culinary school for guests who are looking to elevate their cooking knowledge under the expert guidance of the hotel’s chefs.

Located just a five minute walk from the famous Djemaa El Fna square, The Royal Mansour Marrakech – hotel, which is widely regarded for its culinary offering – is extending its passion for food to guests through immersive two-hour cooking classes, focusing on three main culinary themes: Moroccan, Italian, and Pastry.

Taking place around a large central island, the classes have been designed to allow guests to cook alongside the chef, with the experience culminating in a tasting at the end.

The culinary school is open to hotel guests and also food enthusiasts staying outside of the hotel, with the classes taking place throughout the week between the hours of 10AM and 12PM. 

To learn more about the cooking experiences, visit the website.

At Skift, we are looking to unearth the most creative and forward-thinking innovations in travel through our Skift Ideas Franchise, which includes the Skift IDEA Awards, Skift Editorial Hub and the Skift Ideas Podcast.

You can listen and subscribe to the Skift Ideas Podcast through your favorite podcast app here.

Radisson Hotel Group has partnered with Charge Point Operator PowerGo to provide electric vehicle charging solutions at 300 hotels across Europe.

Forming part of the Hotel Group’s Green Mobility Mindset initiative, the new venture will see hotels offered the opportunity to work with PowerGo on the operation and management of the charging facilities at their locations.

The first eight charging stations are currently being installed at Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, Oslo and will be ready for use in mid-July.

With the European Commission’s 2022 agreement that all newly registered cars and vans in Europe must be zero-emission by 2035, the need for an enhanced electric vehicle charging infrastructure in locations such as hotels is crucial.

“Over 70% of clients indicate they want to choose sustainable travel options. E-mobility is becoming an essential part of the guest experience. At Radisson Hotel Group, we recognize this trend and want to be at the forefront of promoting a green mobility mindset by making responsible stays easier. The cooperation with PowerGo will help us go beyond the 700+ EV chargers currently installed in our hotels and reach our aim to equip all eligible hotels in Europe and beyond with EV charging facilities by 2025,” said Inge Huijbrechts, global SVP sustainability, security and corporate communications at Radisson Hotel Group.

At Skift, we are looking to unearth the most creative and forward-thinking innovations in travel through our Skift Ideas Franchise, which includes the Skift IDEA Awards, Skift Editorial Hub and the Skift Ideas Podcast.

You can listen and subscribe to the Skift Ideas Podcast through your favorite podcast app here.

Moxy Hotels, the experiential hotel brand from Marriott Bonvoy, has opened Moxy Tromsø in the Arctic playground of Northern Norway.

Designed by the Danish Mette Fredskild Studio, the hotel features an industrial design combined with local inspirations, including murals that have been created by local artists.

Moxy Tromsø boasts 208 guest rooms equipped with all of the usual amenities, such as walk-in showers, flat-screen TVs, and LED guide lights. Yet, what truly sets it apart is its breathtaking floor-to-ceiling windows that have been designed to ‘maxmize the beauty beyond,’ offering unspoiled vistas of the surrounding fjord and mountains.

At Skift, we are looking to we are looking to recognize the impactful and inspiring projects that are redefining the travel industry, with a focus on design, creativity, and innovation.

Join the conversation and subscribe to the the Skift Ideas Podcast here.

Sonesta International Hotel Corporation announced the debut of two soft brands within its expanding portfolio, Classico, A Sonesta Collection, and MOD, A Sonesta Collection. These two new brands offer independent hotel owners the opportunity to affiliate with Sonesta’s network while retaining their iconic hotel names, identities, designs, and established styles.

Marketed by Sonesta’s Luxury and Lifestyle Lodging Development Team, each Classico property will have a distinct identity and offer signature local cuisine, traditional high-touch service, and refined interiors.

The first Sonesta Classico brand property is the 40-room Z Ocean Hotel in Miami, Florida’s South Beach neighborhood, which opened on May 1, 2023. Each MOD, positioned within Sonesta’s upscale portfolio, will feature eclectic interior designs and amenities, such as curated food and beverage options. The first MOD property will launch as Hotel 11 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 

As the global hospitality industry continues to bounce-back post pandemic, Hilton has launched a new brand campaign to boost hiring inspired by the very individuals that make your stay happen – Hilton team members.

The campaign, which has been designed to showcase ‘the jobs, the people, and – most importantly – the impact and joy that hospitality jobs offer’, features real Hilton employees and takes inspiration from what the team love about their jobs.

Far more than just their front-line job titles, when employees were asked about their roles they saw themselves as ‘Flavor Maestros’, ‘Date Night Directors’ and ‘Cocktail Creation Artists’, with these playful titles cleverly integrated into the campaign imagery and supporting video, which you can take a look at below.

“What makes Hilton such an amazing place to work is the passion and dedication of our people, and we’re continuing to build on that through our new ‘Every Job Makes the Stay’ campaign,” said Laura Fuentes, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, Hilton.

“We chose to make team members the stars of this campaign because who better than them to speak authentically about what’s it’s like to work at Hilton. They are the heart of our business and the best ambassadors to help us find talent for our growing teams.”

Hilton have also released a Q&A with Fuentes regarding the campaign.

The campaign was created in partnership with advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day\New York, which also assisted in developing the “Hilton. For The Stay” platform, which we previously reported on here.

At the 2023 Skift IDEA Awards, we are looking for advertising campaigns that have been created with the intent to drive action.

Do you have a marketing campaign that deserves to be celebrated? Head to the Skift IDEA Awards and start your submission today.