Hospitality stories

New Zealand small firms notch strongest sales in three years as December spending surges and easing interest rates speed up payments.

LIV Golf has unveiled Fan Caddie, an AI 'second-screen' assistant offering real-time stats, replays and shopping while fans watch live.

Humanforce appoints AI-driven growth specialist Cameron Partridge as Chief Growth Officer to spearhead global expansion and scale strategy.

Festive food, drink and dining out delivered a surprise December spending lift, as households splurged ahead of Christmas gatherings.

PPDS launches 37in Philips Stretch 3150 ultra-wide 32:9 signage, targeting tight retail and transport spaces with Android 13 on board.

AI interview agents are reshaping hiring in Australia, promising faster decisions, fewer delays and substantial cost savings for employers.

Alcatel-Lucent unveils Rainbow Hub, an integration-led cloud platform linking UCC with workflows, IoT and vertical services for partners.

Amperity debuts AI-powered tools for airlines and hotels, promising real-time personalised offers by unifying fragmented traveller data.

Yorkshire's Apollo3D launches Infinity Virtual Tours, turning Matterport scans into guided, data-rich journeys for retail, venues and estates teams.

New research reveals retail leads commerce media maturity, with 22% at advanced stages, while automotive lags, highlighting vast sector disparities worldwide.

SAS has been named a leader in real-time interaction software for its Customer Intelligence 360, excelling in AI and data-driven customer engagement.

By 2026, AI and tax intelligence will revolutionise business compliance, driving real-time reporting and transforming finance, trade, retail, and hospitality sectors globally.

Paytronix launches Journey Builder, an AI tool that automates personalised marketing campaigns for restaurants and convenience stores in real time.

Humanforce appoints Aaron Thorne as Chief Sales Officer to drive global expansion and strengthen sales in frontline workforce management sectors.

Adyen is unifying payment systems across nearly 50 LVMH Maisons to enhance luxury customer experiences in over 1,000 stores globally.

Small business failure risk in Australia has risen 4.5%, outpacing 2.9% growth, hitting micro and young firms hardest amid shifting spending and inflation pressures.

Zeller unveils Australia's first developer-driven payment suite, boosting omnichannel payment solutions for large, multi-site enterprises nationwide.

Hoteliers can boost profits and enhance guest experiences by using AI technologies like generative AI and predictive analytics to forecast demand and understand customer choices.

Rising violence has prompted retailers and healthcare in Australia and New Zealand to adopt Motorola's body-worn cameras, boosting frontline staff safety.

Agentic AI is boosting productivity and innovation across Australia, helping firms tackle skills shortages and accelerate development in multiple sectors.