Digital

IHG: Travellers hold misconceptions about hotel bookings sites

09-May-2016 By Emma Eversham

Hoteliers could be facing a tough battle to encourage guests to book rooms with them direct after a survey revealed that 76 per cent use online travel agents (OTAs) because they believe they will guarantee them the best rates. 

Costa launches in-store 'selfie zones'

05-May-2016 By Sophie Witts

Customers at Costa are being encouraged to pout for the camera with the launch of new 'selfie zones' in selected stores.

Brits find phones in restaurants ‘rude’…but still post food photos and demand Wi-Fi

29-Apr-2016 By Hannah Thompson

The majority of Brits would welcome a ‘no phone zone’ in restaurants, and find it rude when others use phones during a meal, despite widely using them to post photos and updates themselves, according to a new poll.

Lords report recommends greater transparency for OTAs and reviews websites

21-Apr-2016 By Emma Eversham

A report by the House of Lords is calling for an urgent investigation into the way online platforms, such as online travel agents (OTAs) and reviews websites are allowed to operate to ensure greater transparency for consumers and fairer competition for...

Montcalm hotels launches free Handy smartphone for guests

15-Apr-2016 By Sophie Witts

The Montcalm London Marble Arch has become the first hotel in Europe to launch Handy - a free smartphone service for guests.

Restaurants and pubs see surge in higher value contactless spending

05-Apr-2016 By Sophie Witts

Contactless spending in restaurants has more than doubled since the limit rose to £30 in September last year, according to Visa Europe.

Premier Inn boss slams 'unregulated' Airbnb

11-Nov-2015 By Sophie Witts

The outgoing Whitbread boss has slammed Airbnb by arguing that the Government is failing to properly regulate the site.

VisitBritain: Social media is a ‘global influence’ on holiday choices

11-Nov-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Research by VisitBritain shows that social media has a ‘powerful influence’ in international tourists choosing Britain as a holiday destination.

ASK THE EXPERTS

How to balance hospitality and technology

02-Nov-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Adrian Valeriano, vice president UK of OpenTable tells us how you can get the most from the latest innovations in the world of technology.

Google: Treat mobile websites as you would desktop

23-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Restaurants should treat their mobile website as they would treat the desktop version; that is the advice given by Google’s restaurant industry manager, Charlotte Sutton.

TripAdvisor: Online reviews have ‘massive’ impact on hospitality industry

23-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Online reviews have had a ‘massive’ impact on the hospitality industry, bringing with them a number of benefits, according to TripAdvisor’s director of partnerships, Gwanael Merlin.

TripAdvisor unveil analytics dashboard

20-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

TripAdvisor has launched an analytics dashboard for all hospitality businesses registered on its site, allowing them to track trends and create their own competitor sets.

Mobile phones cause “emotional stress” at dinner table

25-Sep-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Mobile phone use while dining out causes “constant, low-level emotional stress”, a report finds.

Velocity acquires US mobile payments app Cover Inc.

23-Sep-2015 By Emma Eversham

UK-based mobile payments app Velocity has taken its 'first major step' in its plan for international roll-out by acquiring US mobile payments app company Cover Inc.

Technology having increasing impact on diner choice

15-Sep-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Fifty-five per cent of diners say that technology plays a vital role in the restaurant experience, according to a recent report, with online menus, reviews and apps having an increasing influence on where consumers choose to eat.