Calgary, AB – January 28, 2025 – WebRezPro, a leading cloud-based property management system, now integrates with TakeUp, an AI-powered dynamic pricing platform for independent hotels, inns, and B&Bs. This powerful collaboration delivers accurate, automatic pricing updates, maximizing bookings, profit, and operational efficiency for hoteliers.

Designed for small to medium boutique properties, TakeUp leverages artificial intelligence to analyze historical trends, market data, competitor rates, and real-time demand to recommend optimal room rates for all future dates, helping properties stay competitive. Additionally, TakeUp provides personalized support from dedicated revenue management specialists to guide clients on effective pricing strategies.

Integrated with WebRezPro, TakeUp accesses reservation data in real time, tracking how demand fluctuates across room and rate types. It then automatically pushes pricing updates to WebRezPro, ensuring the property’s rates are always optimized and synchronized across all channels.

“Our partnership with WebRezPro reflects our shared commitment to empowering independent operators with innovative technology that transforms how they drive revenue," said Bobby Marhamat, CEO of TakeUp. "With this integration, operators no longer have to rely on gut instinct or outdated rules-based strategies to set room rates—they get a seamless, AI-driven solution for smart pricing."

Key features and benefits of the integration include:

• Optimized pricing: Rates are continuously updated using the latest data and AI-driven calculations, ensuring properties remain competitive and maximize revenue.
• Operational efficiency: The automated data flow eliminates manual rate updates, saving time and reducing the risk of human error.
• Automatic channel updates: Pricing updates are automatically applied in WebRezPro and across all connected distribution channels, keeping rates consistently accurate.
• Competitive edge: The seamless integration empowers operators to respond to demand fluctuations and capture revenue opportunities faster than competitors.

“TakeUp levels the playing field for independent operators and, together with WebRezPro, gives them an advantage over the competition by ensuring their rooms are always available at the right price point,” commented Frank Verhagen, Founder and President of WebRezPro. “We’re thrilled to partner with TakeUp to provide our clients with an advanced automated pricing solution to grow their revenue.”

EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass. – , the pioneering force behind touchless, high-efficiency hand dryers found in restrooms worldwide, recently secured the prestigious in the Bathroom Furniture and Sanitary Ware Design Category for its Complex Thoughts Hand Dryer designed by Artists For Humanity Artist Takii Samuels. In addition, uo;s D|VERSE Integrated Sink System, featuring Excel Dryer’s XLERATORsync® Hand Dryer, received the A' Design Award in the same category. The A' Design Award’s competition is one of the world’s largest, most esteemed design accolades.

For the Complex Thoughts Hand Dryer, Excel Dryer used its proprietary digital imaging technology to transfer the art onto the hand dryer covers. This transformed an industrial commercial product into a piece of art that reflected the mission of Artists For Humanity, a Boston nonprofit organization, blending functionality and creativity to keep hands hygienic and clean while being aesthetically pleasing.

“Partnering with Artists For Humanity, we aimed to inspire through a nontraditional medium: transforming everyday objects—in this case, our XLERATOR® Hand Dryer—into art,” said William Gagnon, COO, Excel Dryer. “This initiative reflected our commitment to social responsibility, leveraging art and our dryers to give back to the community.”

The cutting-edge D|VERSE Integrated Sink System transforms the restroom experience by seamlessly integrating touchless washing, rinsing and drying fixtures into one sleek, efficient unit. It offers architects versatile options that align with their creative visions for restroom designs, and features Excel Dryer’s XLERATORsync Hand Dryer for hygienic, cost-effective and sustainable touchless hand drying.

“The creative challenge with the D|VERSE Integrated Sink System was balancing complete customization with functionality to meet architects' and designers' desires for unobtrusive, efficient restroom solutions,” said Gagnon, who is also co-owner of the D|13 Group. “We uncovered a preference for below-sight-line solutions, which informed the design, incorporating handwashing and drying into one aesthetically pleasing system.”

“Our customizable design allows architects to transform restroom aesthetics and provide the ultimate user experience,” said John Freitas, general manager of D|13 Group. “This innovative approach elevates restroom functionality while aligning with modern design preferences and consumer demand for sustainability and hygiene.”

WASHINGTON – 23 January 2025 – Canada’s hotel average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) were the highest for any year on record, according to CoStar’s 2024 data. CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the property markets.

2024 (percentage change from 2023):

• Occupancy: 65.7% (+0.1%)
• Average daily rate (ADR): CAD208.71 (+4.3%)
• Revenue per available room (RevPAR): CAD137.17 (+4.4%)

“While ADR and RevPAR hit all-time highs, the country’s occupancy level was its highest since 2018,” said Laura Baxter, CoStar Group’s director of hospitality analytics for Canada. “RevPAR growth was strongest during the fourth quarter, bolstered by Taylor Swift shows in Toronto and Vancouver, but the country’s annual growth rate slowed in comparison with 2023. The softening in growth reflects weaker economic conditions as well as strong comparables from the year prior.

“Room rates once again outpaced inflation, while supply and demand were flat year over year. Increases in transient demand and weekday results signaled continued strength in business travel, counterbalancing weakness in group demand and flat performance on weekends.”

Among the provinces and territories, Manitoba recorded the highest occupancy level (69.0%), which was 4.1% below 2023.

Among the major markets, Vancouver saw the highest occupancy (78.2%), down 0.4% over 2023.

The lowest occupancy among provinces was reported in Prince Edward Island (54.7%), down 6.9% against 2023.

At the market level, the lowest occupancy was reported in Edmonton (+3.4% to 58.5%).

For more information about the company and its products and services, please visit www.costargroup.com.

By Jordan Hollander, Co-Founder at Hotel Tech Report

From personalized pricing to emerging booking channels, AI is set to reshape revenue management, guest experience, and overall business strategy. Here are my five cents for navigating these changes and positioning your hotel, resort, or casino, for success in an AI-driven world.

Embracing generative AI

Generative AI should be our primary focus this year. Similar to the early days of the internet, we’re at a pivotal moment where the dominant platforms of the future are still taking shape. What’s clear, however, is that generative AI will be a core driver of the technologies shaping tomorrow’s hospitality landscape.

The rise of personalized pricing

One of the most exciting trends I see on the horizon is personalized pricing. As AI-driven bots and agents continue to evolve, they will enable travelers to directly query hotel databases, unlocking tailored pricing and offers at an unprecedented scale. While still in its early stages, I anticipate we’ll see the first consumer-facing applications emerge by the second half of 2025.

New era of booking channels

Regulatory pressures on industry giants like Google and Booking.com, combined with the growing ubiquity of generative AI search, are paving the way for entirely new booking channels.

These channels will revolutionize how guests interact with your business, altering booking behaviors, lead times, and trends. As consumers gain more flexibility and agency in their travel planning, we will need to shape our strategies to meet evolving expectations.

Empowering small and independent properties

Historically, large chains had access to powerful revenue management tools and data-driven strategies that smaller players could only dream of. However, the rise of AI has leveled the playing field.

As an independent hotel, you now have the opportunity to implement advanced revenue management strategies such as personalized pricing, predictive analytics, and demand forecasting, without the need for vast resources. This is groundbreaking, not just for increasing efficiency, but also for staying competitive in such a saturated market.

AI-enabled KPIs

With AI at the forefront, we need to evolve towards data-driven analysis and decision-making. I believe return on ad spend (RoAS) and labor expense will be two of the most critical metrics taking center stage:

• RoAS: As new customer acquisition channels emerge, it will be essential to monitor RoAS at the channel level. AI will help us track and optimize the efficiency of these channels, ensuring marketing investments deliver strong returns.
• Labor expense: With staffing costs continuing to rise, we must focus on keeping these expenses under control. AI presents a significant opportunity to reduce costs by automating routine tasks and improving operational efficiency without sacrificing quality.

A dual strategy for AI adoption

The rapid advancements in AI present both opportunities and challenges. While AI holds massive potential, it also disrupts the status quo, forcing us to rethink operations and growth strategies.

To succeed, I believe we must adopt a dual strategy:

1. Invest in adaptive technologies: Focus on solutions that keep the business competitive in the short-term.
2. Allocate resources for innovation: Prepare for long-term opportunities by experimenting with emerging technologies and processes.

Balancing short-term growth with the agility to adapt to industry shifts, like new channels or evolving consumer expectations, will be critical.

Rising tech spend and accelerated digitalization

As AI continues to prove its value, I fully expect tech spend in our industry to rise this year.

Increasing labor costs will drive adoption of AI-driven automation to replace manual processes and improve efficiency. From streamlining data entry to delivering personalized guest experiences, AI will enable superior outcomes while reducing costs.

To encourage further digitalization, we must prioritize the development of user-friendly technology. One of the main obstacles to adoption has been the complexity of hotel tech systems. By creating intuitive, accessible tools similar to the apps we use daily, we can make the value of these technologies clear and compelling.

Staying ahead

To stay ahead, we must lean into AI-driven strategies to drive efficiency, enhance personalization, and fuel growth. Partnering with AI-focused tech providers and scrutinizing our business processes to identify areas where AI can unlock value are essential for beating the competition.

Success this year requires agility, foresight, and a willingness to embrace change. Whether it’s reducing operational time, uncovering deeper insights, or improving results, those that prioritize AI will position themselves as leaders within the industry.

2025 hospitality trends report

These insights are drawn from Duetto's, which analyzes factors set to impact the industry this year. The report features perspectives from global revenue management professionals and leading industry voices, including executives from Hotel Tech Report, Sandos Hotels & Resorts, CP Hospitality, Noble House Hotels & Resorts, the Sandman Hotels et Sutton Place Hotel Group, and Grand Metropolitan Hotels.

From embracing AI to redefining revenue metrics, it provides a roadmap for turning today’s challenges into tomorrow’s successes. With real-world applications and forward-thinking strategies, including insights from leading hotels, casinos, and resorts, this report delivers actionable tools to help revenue professionals stay ahead of the competition and thrive in 2025.