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Why Has Technology Remained Stagnant in Hospitality?

Some might say Ken Patel, CEO of EV Hotel, is the next Elon Musk of the hospitality industry. Patel began his journey in hospitality as a child, helping his father in his hotel and working his way from the desk to roles with more responsibility. Now, he is heading the convergence of AI and hotels,…

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Some might say Ken Patel, CEO of EV Hotel, is the next Elon Musk of the hospitality industry. Patel began his journey in hospitality as a child, helping his father in his hotel and working his way from the desk to roles with more responsibility. Now, he is heading the convergence of AI and hotels, which he discussed with Host Katie Steinberg.

Patel believes the main issue with hotels in 2021 is the lack of the key digital experience. Technology has remained relatively stagnant in comparison to other sectors. While the non-technological experiences may be comparable, such as the mattress, mirror, and general room setup, this is not the case for technology. Smart TVs, Google Homes, Alexas, and other AI technology that enhance home life is absent, and EV hotels seek to amend this.

The first EV hotel is set to open in Phoenix at the end of 2022. The Phoenix location was selected because the 2023 Superbowl will be hosted there. Hospitality and sports go hand in hand.

EV hotels will allow employees to focus on serving customers. “EV is focused on automation and automation is creating less task-driven systems,” Patel stated. Because of that, employees such as housekeepers have less administrative tasks. An EV Experience desk will also contribute to this by allowing front desk to focus more on customer-oriented services.

Patel predicts that for travel in 2022, hotel stocks come down harder than they go up. This is because as people begin to travel more, businesses will charge four to five times typical rates, resulting in plummeting stocks. Patel’s advice to businesses: “Don’t look at your short-term gains. Look at your long-term vision with maximizing the gains.” He added, “2023 second quarter is when we will see the comeback.”

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Hyatt expects 10 hotel openings in Canada in 2027, its largest year there

Hyatt expects 10 hotel openings in Canada in 2027, its largest year there

Hyatt has more than 40 deals in its Canadian pipeline, including 10 hotels expected to open in 2027, and says it is on track for its largest year of hotel openings in the country. Its slate brings Hyatt Select, a conversion brand, to Kingston and a dual-branded Hyatt Select and Hyatt Studios project to Prince Albert. New room supply is growing about 1% a year, so conversions may offer faster growth.

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  • 02Canadian room supply is forecast to grow only 1.1% to 1.4% a year through 2028, which favors brands that can flag hotels that already exist.
  • 03Hyatt Select's Canadian debut in Kingston later this year follows more than 25 U.S. deals in 2025.

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Avendra's Dorien Murphy and Melissa McCormack lay out two cost levers for hotel operators on a Meet in the Lobby mailbag episode. One client is saving almost $75,000 a year after switching outsourced laundry suppliers, and pay-for-performance clauses let properties deduct for missed scope items. A Cornell trial found dropping dollar signs lifted checks 8%, and AHLEI reports about 40% of restaurants use menu engineering.

  • 01An Avendra client is saving almost $75,000 a year after moving to a different outsourced laundry supplier, according to Melissa McCormack.
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Airbnb bars hosts from assigning checkout chores starting November 20

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For reservations made on or after November 20, Airbnb hosts cannot require guests to strip beds, wash dishes, run laundry or take trash off the property. Guests can still be asked to leave dishes in the sink, gather towels and sort trash and recycling indoors. Cleaning fees are not being abolished. Hosts are divided, with some threatening to leave the platform or raise prices.

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