Hospitality Trends
prnewswire | August 29, 2023
Quark Expeditions, the global leader in polar adventures, announces the launch of a new Partner Portal for travel advisors and their firms—including an industry-first AI platform that will make every advisor a polar expert.
"Our Partner Portal for travel advisors offers unmatched, industry-leading innovation and efficiency," said Wendy Batchelor, Vice President of Marketing for Quark Expeditions. "Anchored by the best team and the deepest experience in our sector, our blend of one-stop digital resources and lightning-fast AI tools will fuel sales success for our polar expedition partners—and this is only phase one; look for more exciting developments soon!"
From customizable promotional and marketing materials, to the latest polar news and incentives plus Quark Expeditions' learn-from-anywhere PolarPRO training platform, the Partner Portal provides both inspiration and education—along with Parker the Polar Bear, the industry's first real-time, AI-driven virtual polar resource!
"Our new AI-enabled virtual assistant leverages secure, cutting-edge language models trained by our own technology team using extensive in-house knowledge repositories," said Rajesh Thiagarajan, Director of Digital Products with Quark Expeditions' global development team. "Parker, together with the full suite of digital resources on the Partner Portal, will reduce time demands for advisors through fast and accurate answers to every polar client's questions."
To learn more about the Partner Portal and its AI capabilities, travel advisors can contact the Quark Expeditions sales team—or click here to register and launch their polar expedition sales journey today!
About Quark Expeditions
The global leader in polar adventures for more than 30 years. The most passionate and seasoned team in the industry, taking explorers to the ends of the earth. Going where few ever dream, and walking where few ever will. Delivering extraordinary experiences and enriching lives through travel, Quark Expeditions is a Travelopia specialist company.
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Travel Technology
prnewswire | July 27, 2023
Craftable, the hospitality industry's leading SaaS platform, is proud to announce that it has partnered with Dallas, TX-based private equity firm Gauge Capital to provide growth funding and capitalize on industry opportunities. This strategic investment further enhances Craftable's position at the forefront of cutting-edge technology shaping the hospitality industry.
"We are excited to partner with Gauge for the next chapter of Craftable's growth. We look forward to leveraging the resources and support from an investment partner with significant enterprise software expertise while maintaining our relentless focus on the customer experience that has always been at the core of Craftable's success," said Samuel Zats, Co-Founder and CEO of Craftable. "Gauge's growth investment in the business and aligned focus on supporting our customers will help us to accelerate our product innovation, execute our sales strategy and further build our impact in the market."
Craftable's innovative technology solutions equip restaurant, bar, hotel and hospitality operators with intuitive and easy-to-use tools that can help them make strategic decisions based on real-time data to drive sales and reduce costs. Its leading hospitality management SaaS platform allows for seamless back-of-house automation and management. By providing operators with procurement, inventory tracking, recipe cost management, accounts payable automation, scheduling and analytics solutions, they can use this critical data to boost revenue while successfully lowering pour costs by 3-5% and food costs by 2-3%. Today, Craftable has over 50,000 monthly active users, with more onboarding every day. Craftable serves thousands of hospitality industry operators and partners with some of the most prominent names in hospitality.
"Craftable has a distinguished reputation in the hospitality sector, enterprise-grade capabilities, and a highly scalable technology platform," said Tom McKelvey, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Gauge Capital. "We couldn't be more excited to partner with the Craftable team to realize our shared vision for the future of hospitality innovation."
As part of the investment, Tom McKelvey, Garrett Fair, and Sam Yang from Gauge Capital have joined Craftable's Board of Directors. TI Partners served as financial advisor on the transaction.
For more information about Craftable, visit craftable.com. For more information about Gauge Capital, visit www.gaugecapital.com.
About Craftable
Craftable is a technology platform provider that seamlessly connects purchasing, recipes, inventory, sales, accounting, and analytics to create operator success in the hospitality, food, beverage, and entertainment industries. Craftable's best-in-class Foodager and Bevager management systems allow operators to access product supplies, invoices and purchasing procurement at their fingertips while integrating with 60+ POS and financial systems to provide real-time data on how product cost increases, variances, and labor affect their bottom line. Founded in 2015 and designed by Silicon Valley tech experts and hospitality veterans, Craftable seeks to equip businesses with the next-level technology needed to operate more efficiently, reduce inventory costs, and take control of revenue in ways they weren't able to before. Craftable partners with some of the most prominent operators in hospitality, such as José Andrés, Tao Group Hospitality, bartaco, Major Food Group, Front Burner Society Brands and Kimpton Hotels.
About Gauge Capital
Gauge Capital is a leading middle-market private equity firm based in Southlake, Texas. Gauge invests in five key sectors: business services, food & consumer, government & industrial services, healthcare, and technology. The Firm manages more than $2.0 billion in capital, and in 2020, 2021 and 2022, Inc. Magazine named Gauge one of the top private equity firms for founders. In 2021, 2022, and 2023 Gauge was also named to the Top 50 PE Firms in the Middle Market by Grady Campbell. In 2022, Gauge ranked in the top 5 out of 517 private equity firms in the HEC Paris – Dow Jones Small-Cap Buyout Performance Ranking.
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Business Travel
businesswire | August 28, 2023
Selina Hospitality PLC ("Selina"; NASDAQ: SLNA), an emerging lifestyle and experiential hospitality company serving millennial and Gen Z travelers, is proud to announce a global corporate brand partnership with Globant (NYSE: GLOB), a digitally native company focused on reinventing businesses through innovative technology solutions. Launched on August 17th, this thoughtfully constructed cultural alliance offers unique benefits and enhanced travel experiences at Selina's locations worldwide for Globant's vast network of 27,000 employees (“Globers”), as well as Globant alumni, their friends, and family.
At the heart of Globant lies the individual journey of each Glober. This partnership, acknowledging Globers' shared love for exploration and discovery, aligns with Globant's dedication to fostering unique personal experiences. In tandem with Selina, a leading brand in experiential hospitality, the partnership aims to extend unforgettable experiences that transcend boundaries. The alliance offers Globers exclusive hospitality discounts, encouraging adherence to Globant's core values, wherever they travel.
“In our rapidly globalizing world, professional expectations are shifting. Today's workforce seeks more than just comfortable accommodations with standard workspaces. They are increasingly drawn to authentic experiences, a sense of community, and a connection with local culture,” states Sam Khazary, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Corporate Development of Selina. “In partnership with Globant, we rise to meet these evolving needs, positioning Selina as a gateway to unique local experiences tailored to the Globant community.”
This innovative program, embracing over 27,000 Globers and the vast Globant Alumni network, serves as a portal to an array of bespoke Selina benefits. With access to preferred rates for our globally dispersed accommodations, Globers can immerse themselves in the breadth of Selina's curated experiences, network of co-working spaces, wellness Mantra by Selina retreats, and the unique explorations of all our offerings.
This partnership caters to diverse preferences, from global cities to remote destinations, luxury suites to glamping tents. Benefits include exclusive discounts on local tours, packages, and on-site restaurants, as well as access to recreational activities, wellness areas, and Selina events worldwide.
“Selina is more than a hospitality company; we have established a global platform designed for remote working professionals and digital nomads,” adds Khazary. “In a competitive landscape where businesses are vying to attract and retain top talent, our alliance with Globant fortifies our commitment to transforming traditional corporate benefits, asserting Selina as a prominent player in experiential corporate travel.”
“At Globant, our mission is to forge strategic alliances that serve as powerful catalysts for our Culture's growth, scalability, and impact. By crafting extraordinary and meaningful experiences, we aim to make each Globers' journey feel as exceptional as they truly are. As we unite our values and foster stronger engagement, we embark on #TheEpicalJourney, redefining possibilities,” said Globant’s People Experience Director, Pablo Bumaschny. “Our partnership with Selina stands as a testament to our commitment to innovation, as their customer demographic seamlessly resonates with ours, making this alliance a harmonious stride towards the future we envision.”
The collaboration between Selina and Globant sets a new precedent for each company, demonstrating how businesses can creatively enhance the value proposition for their employees. “We're introducing a new standard that marries hospitality and corporate benefits to empower the modern workforce,” says Khazary. “By extending these opportunities to Globant's employees, alumni, and their network, we aim to cultivate professional interaction, cultural exchange, and access to inspiring workspaces, enhancing job satisfaction, employee motivation, and ultimately, Globant's overall success.”
The shared vision for the future between Selina and Globant fortifies this partnership as a key step in shaping how businesses support and reward their talent. “This is more than a partnership; it's a mutual commitment to fostering community spirit, nurturing talent, and enhancing professional growth,” concludes Khazary. “We're eager to welcome the Globant community and invite them to join us on this transformative journey, experiencing first-hand the benefits of community-based experiential travel that Selina champions.”
About Globant
We are a digitally native company that helps organizations reinvent themselves and unleash their potential. We are the place where innovation, design, and engineering meet at scale.
We have more than 27,000 employees and we are present in 25 countries and 5 continents working for companies like Google, Electronic Arts and Santander, among others.
We were named a Worldwide Leader in AI Services (2023) and Worldwide Leader in CX Improvement Services (2020) by IDC MarketScape report.
We were also featured as a business case study at Harvard, MIT, and Stanford.
We are active members of The Green Software Foundation (GSF) and the Cybersecurity Tech Accord.
About Selina Hospitality PLC.
Selina is one of the world's largest hospitality brands built to address the needs of millennial and Gen Z travelers, blending beautifully designed accommodation with coworking, recreation, wellness, and local experiences. Founded in 2014 and custom-built for today's nomadic traveler, Selina provides guests with a global infrastructure to seamlessly travel and work abroad. Each Selina property is designed in partnership with local artists, creators, and tastemakers, breathing new life into existing buildings in interesting locations in 24 countries on six continents – from urban cities to remote beaches and jungles.
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