GERMANY: HRS, a global corporate accommodation and payment technology platform, has added an AI assistant to help hotels with RFPs.
The new Green Stay Audit Platform – which is free to hoteliers – has been designed to help hotels take the necessary steps to reduce emissions, as well as show their sustainable attributes to those who want to know across the corporate travel sector.
The idea is that the platform makes it easier and faster for hotels to complete sustainability assessments and RFPs.
HRS says hotels, especially smaller regional hotel groups, face challenges in communicating their sustainability data during the RFP process, and hard to find standardised methods that align with regulatory requirements.
The AI Green Stay Assistant is a real time chat functionality, which can guide those who have questions about their energy, waste and water metrics.
The assistant introduces users to the three levels of HRS’s Green Stay, and what is involved in attaining each level (Basic / Advanced / Professional), with details on required data sets.
Hoteliers can type in the topics they seek more information on, and the assistant responds with information and prompts, taking them to the next step.
Hotels only need to report once through the new platform and the idea is the data will then be available to show how they can address the sustainability needs of most corporate hotel programmes.
Those using the platform also have access to the Green Stay Knowledge Hub and the Emissions Compensation Program (ECP).
Laura Baroncelli, deputy group director of sales for Starhotels, which has 31 properties in key business destinations, said: “The Green Stay Audit Platform is a timely new arrival for our Group as we use more automation in our sales processes.
“Beyond the functional part of accelerating our RFP responses, the platform promises to educate our colleagues about carbon emission reduction and the metrics we use to convey our progress during corporate sales engagements.”
Hotels that are already part of HRS’ Green Stay Initiative have had their existing data uploaded into the new platform and received emails with dedicated URLs so they can access details about their property. Hoteliers that are new to the Green Stay Initiative can get their initial assessments underway.
Martin Biermann, chief product officer of HRS said: “Automation and innovation are unquestionably keys for our industry as we try to drive more sustainable practices by hoteliers, particularly as they navigate labor challenges and progress on their understanding of emission-reducing activities they can take.
“The new Green Stay Audit Platform represents one more leap forward, giving hoteliers a wealth of information and resources at their keyboard. Beyond helping hotels compete for and win more corporate transient and meetings-related room nights, this enhancement also moves the ecosystem forward on the primary goal of reducing the emissions related to corporate lodging.”
HRS’s Green Stay Initiative gains two sustainable certifications