COMMERCIAL TRAVEL
Operto | March 21, 2023
Operto Guest Technologies, a leading provider of automated solutions for 50 million-plus rooms in the global hospitality industry, today announced that it secured US$25 million in a Series-B financing round. The financing was led by Centana Growth Partners, with participation from Thayer Ventures, FUSE, Blackpines Capital Partners and Derive Ventures.
Proceeds from the round will be used to further fuel Operto’s aggressive expansion in the global short-term rental and hotel markets, where it already works exclusively with Accor Hotels to power its global digital key program. This includes luxury hotel brands such Fairmont and Raffles, where Operto’s revolutionary contactless digital solutions can be leveraged to remove common friction points in the guest journey, while lowering operating costs and driving new sources of revenue for the hotel.
"We are delighted to announce our B-Round funding, which will enable us to build upon our exceptional company growth over the past 3 years. It will accelerate our company mission to build cutting-edge technology solutions that drive amazing guest experiences, across the entire accommodation spectrum. In addition, our solutions will continue to deliver huge operational efficiencies for property owners and hosts by lowering costs and driving additional in-stay guest revenues, which is becoming increasingly important in today’s macroeconomic environment,” said Operto CEO Steve Davis. “Hospitality is one of the last major industries to be disrupted by technology, and we believe there is a significant opportunity to bring the benefits of simple, affordable automation to the sector. We are excited about the future, and we look forward to making a real difference to the accommodation industry."
“Operto is leading the digital transformation of the hospitality industry by creating a seamless, automated check-in and check-out experience for its customers,” said Eric Byunn, co-founder and partner at Centana Growth Partners. “Centana has been following the digitization of the hospitality industry closely, and we are very excited about this sort of innovative disruption streamlining the experience of owners, hosts, and guests. We will leverage our expertise in the payments and commerce ecosystem to work with Operto as they continue to innovate in an industry with such enormous potential.”
In addition to the funding announcement, Operto is pleased to announce that Sam Shank has joined the company’s Board of Directors. Shank, who was previously CEO and founder of HotelTonight and former head of Airbnb’s Commercial Team, brings a wealth of hospitality and travel industry experience to Operto. "Operto's cutting-edge technology solutions are reshaping the hospitality industry, and I am excited to be a part of the journey,” said Shank. “I look forward to working with the team to help drive growth and innovation."
Operto’s automated, customizable platform enables hotels, property managers and others to remotely provide access as well as monitor and control a wide range of devices and systems, including smartphone-enabled guest verification, security deposit and payment, electronic elevator and room access. By providing property managers with real-time data and insights, Operto helps streamline operations, reduce costs and enhance the guest experience.
Operto Guest Technologies is well-positioned to continue its rapid growth and expansion into new markets. The company is committed to delivering innovative solutions that help property managers improve efficiency, reduce costs and provide a better experience for their guests.
About Operto Guest Technologies
Operto Guest Technologies is a Vancouver-based company that provides smart property automation solutions for the hotel and vacation rental sectors. Operto’s platform enables property owners and managers to remotely monitor and control their properties, enhancing the guest experience while improving operational efficiency. The company's solutions can integrate with existing property management software and are customizable to meet the unique needs of each property. Operto Guest Technologies' solutions have been adopted by property managers and owners in over 100-countries worldwide.
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HOSPITALITY TRENDS
SkyTouch | January 13, 2023
Wrkspot, an innovative hotel operations app, has integrated with Choice Hotels' property management system - choiceADVANTAGE.
The integration is via SkyTouch Technology's cloud-based/CONNECT API platform, making communications and housekeeping management capabilities much more effective for the country's leading hotels.
Wrkspot has created a revolutionary software suite for hotel portfolio management by combining human resource management (HRM), operations management, and communication into a single app. As a result, the application frees hotel managers from the mundane tasks of managing and engaging staff, reducing costs and streamlining operations while enhancing compliance and safety.
With this new cloud-based integration in place, Choice-branded hotels can use their proprietary choiceADVANTAGE PMS to update the room status automatically. The automation allows the direct flow of detailed room information from choiceADVANTAGE to Wrkspot and eliminates the effort of downloading and transferring files.
The integration is also a breakthrough for Wrkspot and is expected to result in significant growth for the company. Choice Hotels, which manages over 7,000 hotels worldwide under its various brands, recently acquired Radisson Hotels Americas.
Wrkspot offers a training platform and a document management system, which are essential for hotels that want to go digital. It also lets managers take care of their hotel portfolios by allowing them to see what's happening in each hotel and compare and analyze trends across properties.
Raja Epsilon, Founder and CEO of Wrkspot, said, "This integration means that WrkSpot is now a more viable option for Choice Hotel-branded properties that want to use it." He further added, "The integration provides seamless flow of PMS data to the WrkSpot system, enabling real-time data sharing across housekeeping, maintenance and front desk. This enhances efficiency and fosters better collaboration."
Source - GlobeNewswire
About SkyTouch Technology
SkyTouch Technology offers a cloud-based hotel management system that enables hotel organizations to reach their most essential strategic goals i.e. to achieve growth, advance operating performance, and enhance the guest experience, all while adapting to changing customer demands. The company delivers insight and control of operations with real-time, actionable business analytics that can enhance the hotel guest experience, decision-making, and performance at the property, owner, and management company levels.
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DESTINATION AND TOURISM
GetYourGuide | March 09, 2023
GetYourGuide, an online travel booking platform, has recently launched the 'Originals by GetYourGuide' platform, an exclusive travel experience for discovery. It is a part of GetYourGuide's first global campaign called 'Make Memories,' proving that formative events in life like traveling beat positive memories.
The platform is a collection of travel experiences for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to discover famous destinations, sights, cultures and history. The selected group of visitors would also get exclusive access to travel to spaces that are not open to the public. Its 'Make Memories' campaign was launched to prove that formative events in life, like traveling beat positive memories. With the popularity of its 'Turning the Lights on at the Vatican Museums' experience, where travelers visit the Vatican Museums before sunrise, it has added more offerings for a more enhanced travel experience. With a diverse team of travel enthusiasts, experts, and technologists, it connects travelers with their destinations. It helps them with the destination's best cultural activities and attractions for an authentic and extraordinary travel experience.
VP of Brand at GetYourGuide, Jean-Gabriel Duveau said, "For years, GetYourGuide has helped travelers create lasting memories on every trip they take. This year, we are gearing up to unlock even more unforgettable experiences with the launch of Originals by GetYourGuide, where travelers will get a rare glimpse into unique spaces and moments, and discover their treasures in a way no other visitor can." He added, "Together with the 75,000+ experiences we offer, Originals by GetYourGuide will help us to live up to our promise to unlock unforgettable travel experiences, and help more travelers experience moments that will leave them filled with wonder and awe for years to come."
(Source – Cision PR Newswire)
About GetYourGuide
Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, GetYourGuide, a travel booking platform, specializes in online travel, tours, attractions and local activities, tourism, e-commerce, technology, the hospitality industry, engineering, sales management, account management, marketing, and travel experiences. It has been transforming travel experiences for explorers since 2009. It accelerates growth for experience creators through access to data-driven insights, technology and a market expert. It focuses on simplifying the digital travel reality. It provides meaningful moments of discovery for travelers. It has leading venture capital investors for funding and support and various local offices worldwide.
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