Innovaciones

🖥 Idoya Fernández of Cuatrecasas and José María Pestaña of HBX Group (formerly Hotelbeds) discussed the transformative potential of AI in the tourism sector. At the XIX Jornada annual de Gestión de Riesgos en el Sector Turístico organized by WTW, they agreed on AI's impact on talent management. The adoption of generative AI surged at the end of 2022 due to its easy access and ability to deliver immediate results with natural language. Cuatrecasas values AI for data management, process efficiency, and productivity, while HBX handles 5.6 billion daily search queries with AI assistance. Concerns include data security, know-how, and intellectual property protection. AI's role in personalized employee management is exemplified by companies like Walmart and Google. Luis Zamora from Grupo Iberostar highlighted using AI to personalize employee experiences.

🎦 José Luis Martínez Almeida, Mayor of Madrid, awarded Plaza de Toros de las Ventas for 'Commitment to Madrid's tradition' on World Tourism Day; prize accepted by Rafael García Garrido of Nautalia. Alsa, under Jorge Cosmen, received the 'Recognition of career' award for enhancing mobility through quality and innovation. Other awardees included Casa Decor for destination commitment, Mutua Madrid Open for tourism interest, Pastelería Mallorca for sustainability, APIT for tourism communication, and filmmaker José Luis Garci for tourism and cinema.

📊 On October 9, 2024, financial professionals will meet at the 8th edition of the Congreso Finance Meeting in Kinépolis, Ciudad de la Imagen, Madrid. Zucchetti Spain will showcase their award-winning Solmicro ERP, ZTravel, HR Mobility solutions, and the Solmicro Digital Hub at stand no. 22. The event, organized by iFAES, focuses on financial management digitalization and innovation. Zucchetti Spain has also partnered with 60 días for VAT recovery solutions in Europe.

✈ Air Europa expanded its bidding system, introduced last year, for flight experience customization via Plusgrade on Amadeus. Passengers can now bid for XL seats in Economy or access Premium cabin on long-haul flights. Bids are for single flight segments, post-ticket purchase via the website, or invitation email one week before the flight. Accepted bids lead to charges and seat changes. XL seats offer more legroom, while Premium boasts larger seats, recline, privacy, comfort kits, and premium menus.

💰 On September 25, 2024, in Madrid, the Instituto Tecnológico Hotelero (ITH) partnered with digital bank Money Jar, regulated by the European Central Bank, to facilitate financial operations for international workers in Spain. Workers can instantly open a Spanish bank account via Money Jar's app, available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store, and receive a Spanish IBAN for transactions including payroll and a Mastercard for payments and cash withdrawals. This collaboration aims to enhance the digital transformation of the hospitality industry's ecosystem.

💻 On September 23, 2024, the article discusses the transformation of industries through digitalization and Industry 4.0, focusing on interconnectivity, data analysis, and automation. The digital shift involves using real-time data for improved demand adaptation and customer service. Challenges include data privacy, productivity, staff recruitment, technology integration, and the application of artificial intelligence for predictive analysis. Benefits include operational efficiency, real-time quality control, flexibility, continuous innovation, customer satisfaction, and reduced environmental impact. Zucchetti Spain offers Solmicro ERP as a digital transformation tool to enhance business performance indicators.

🏁 Camino de Europa is an initiative enhancing the pilgrim experience on the Camino de Santiago through Aragón, Navarra, La Rioja, Castilla y León, and Galicia, promoting local development, cultural immersion, inclusive innovation, and sustainable tourism. The Ways Journeys app connects pilgrims to local producers offering direct sales and home delivery within the EU. Funded by the EU with €1.8 million, the project aims to revitalize local economies. The first Camino de Europa fair will be held in Carrión de los Condes on October 3-4.

🎮 El Nintendo Museum abrirá el 2 de octubre en Uji, Japón, estará abierto de miércoles a lunes y las entradas no serán gratuitas, asignadas por sorteo. Construido en la antigua fábrica de cartas Hanafuda de Nintendo, ofrecerá experiencias inmersivas como jugar Hyakunin Isshu en una pantalla gigante. Los visitantes recibirán 10 monedas digitales para juegos interactivos. Precios: mayores de 18 años 3.300 yenes (20 euros), 12-17 años 2.200 yenes (13,5 euros), 6-11 años 1.100 yenes (6,7 euros), menores de 6 gratis. Cerrado los martes y del 30 de diciembre al 3 de enero.

✈ Boeing faces a strike by 33,000 workers, leading to tens of thousands of temporary layoffs and salary cuts across the company, including executives. Mundosenior highlights cultural circuits due to high demand for the 2024-2025 season. Wizz Air to start long-haul low-cost routes from London Gatwick to Jeddah in March and Milan to Abu Dhabi in June using A321XLRs. The mandatory reservation data registry for travel agencies set to begin on October 1st could impact Imserso trip sales. The UK market extends high season travel to Spain beyond November. The Valencia Community's Viaja +65 program for seniors starts October 14th, running until December 20th. Saudi Arabia's tourism strategy aims for 200 million visitors by 2030-2035, competing with Spain's European tourism market. TUI Group plans to expand into Latin America with a new platform and local partnerships. A strike at Charleroi Airport, Brussels, results in the cancellation of 186 flights, affecting 30,000 passengers. CEHAT warns of the impracticality of complying with the reservation data registry by October 1st.

✈ Iberia will debut Airbus's A321XLR on European routes from October 26, initially between Madrid and London Heathrow, then Paris Charles de Gaulle. Daily Madrid-London flights run from October 27 to 31, and Madrid-Paris until November 13. The A321XLR's long-haul debut is set for November 14, with thrice-weekly Madrid-Boston flights, plus a fourth on an A330. On January 15, 2025, Iberia will operate six weekly flights to Washington DC. The airline's A321XLRs feature 182 seats across business and economy, with up to 60% more carry-on luggage space. Two aircraft are nearly ready, with eight total to be acquired, aiming to reach "previously unreachable" East Coast US and Canadian destinations. The A321XLR has an 8,700-kilometer range, 15% more than the A321LR, enabling transatlantic routes with significant fuel savings.