Innovaciones

🏖️ Tourism companies employing Artificial Intelligence (AI) foresee radical transformations in the destination activities and experiences sector, discussed at a roundtable during the "Artificial Intelligence for Better Urban Tourism Management" event organized by Hosteltur with support from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council and Tourism LPA. Speakers included Toni Bennasar of GetYourGuide, Daniel Gutiérrez of Buendía, and Arturo Moreno of Civitatis. GetYourGuide's AI-driven marketing campaign doubled click-through rates with 4.1 million ads in three months. AI is expected to enhance personalization, improve public crowd management, and promote lesser-known destinations.

🏖️ Viajes Interrías, via its own entity Destinationlab, has been selected as a beneficiary of the "Última Milla" aid for the digitalization of small and medium-sized tourism enterprises, funded by the European Union's Next Generation funds through the Ministry of Industry and Tourism. The initiative aims to enhance digitalization and process automation in line with the modernization and sustainability goals of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, thus optimizing contract management, improving traveler satisfaction, adding value to intermediary services, and deepening market understanding to tailor services to each destination's demands. Viajes Interrías confirms its commitment to innovation and digitalization in the tourism sector.

🏠 On November 21, Barcelona's housing and tourism policies were questioned by Airbnb, which criticized the city's plan to eliminate tourist apartments (VUT) by 2029 and pointed out the increase in rental and property prices despite a decade of restrictions. Hainan Airlines announced a new Madrid-Barajas to Shenzhen route, flying twice a week, amidst a 75.8% increase in China's international capacity expected by 2024, reaching over 75.6 million seats. Madrid-Barajas Airport reflects a 133% growth in Asian traffic in the first ten months of 2024 compared to the previous year. AC Hotels, by Antonio Catalán, introduced 'AC Essential,' starting with 16 hotels in 2024 in cities like León, A Coruña, or Gijón, aimed at national customers and without on-site dining, aspiring to be the "Zara of hotels." The luxury hotel 'El Autor' will open in Madrid on November 29, with plans to double the hotel portfolio to 180 establishments in five years.

📅 British Airways experienced computer system failures in May 2017, August 2019, May 2023, and again recently, causing days-long disruptions especially at Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest. Following a £750 million investment, the latest incident on a Monday was resolved in hours, with all flights operating normally by Tuesday. The failure, lasting over an hour, caused no flight cancellations but led to delays. A spokesperson credited the swift recovery to recent investments in IT infrastructure, despite having four major failures in recent years.

🏨 Inteligencia Artificial (IA) en hoteles y resorts de lujo mejora la experiencia del huésped ofreciendo servicio híbrido y atención 24/7. Camino Real Hoteles utiliza IA para reducir tareas repetitivas y mantener servicio de calidad. Asksuite's IA realiza 50% de interacciones fuera del horario comercial, con 4,2% requiriendo intervención humana y 54,6% de interacciones fuera del horario de oficina. IA en Asksuite responde en más de 50 idiomas con precisión superior al 90%. IA especializada atendió a más de 2.5 millones de viajeros en octubre de 2024, con solo 5% necesitando asistencia humana.

🏖️ Booking.com identifica nueve tendencias de viaje para españoles en 2025: 69% busca destinos con cielos oscuros; 79% interesados en baños de estrellas; 66% dispuestos a pagar más por vacaciones que extiendan la esperanza de vida; 63% apuesta por retiros de bienestar; 51% de viajeros neurodivergentes exigen más inclusión; y 57% planea comprar ropa vintage en viajes. La tecnología, como la IA, será crucial para experiencias personalizadas, con un 63% de españoles mostrando interés. Además, 56% de padres ya han pagado vacaciones para sus hijos adultos, y esta tendencia podría aumentar con baby boomers dispuestos a hacer lo mismo. Los aeropuertos con servicios únicos captan la atención del 24% de viajeros, especialmente en generaciones más jóvenes.

✈ Iberia's new A321XLR boasts the longest range and lowest fuel consumption among single-aisle aircraft, featuring the lightest seat designed by German manufacturer Recaro. The R3 seat, made from a lightweight composite, includes USB ports and an adjustable headrest, plus an innovative side step for easier overhead bin access. This initiative aligns with Iberia's commitment to innovation and fuel savings, considering the seat's reduced weight across approximately 200 aircraft seats, factoring in multiple flights.

💾 La digitalización en el sector hotelero optimiza operaciones y reduce costes, mejorando la experiencia del huésped. Enfocando en el etiquetado de buffets, se revela un potencial de ahorros económicos y operativos significativos.

💻 On November 15, 2024, industries are encouraged to embrace digitalization and optimize their production control by using advanced ERP systems. The data capture on the plant floor involves IoT sensors and AI algorithms, which enhance decision-making with real-time information. Transitioning from manual or analog systems to automated data capture provides real-time insights across devices, saving time, reducing human error, and centralizing information, thus improving productivity and competitive advantage. Zucchetti Spain emphasizes the significance of integrating such technology for efficient monitoring and demand planning.

🏖️ G7 tourism officials meet in Florence from Wednesday to Friday, excluding Spain, which is not part of the group. Participants include Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, UK, USA, and the EU, hosted by Italian Daniela Santanché. The agenda focuses on tourism's development, human capital, and AI use in the industry, emphasizing cultural experiences. Discussions on investments and sustainable tourism are included, with a final day for invited ministers whose names are not disclosed.