Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Hilton, Be My Eyes launch support for vision-impaired travelers

The hotel company is piloting a program for reservations and customer care in the U.S. and Canada

Hilton, Be My Eyes launch support for vision-impaired travelers

HILTON WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS is working with Be My Eyes, a mobile app that connects blind and low vision users with sighted volunteers and companies through live video and AI, to provide more accessible experiences for guests with visual impairments. They are piloting an AI-powered assistance and dedicated support for reservations and customer care across the U.S. and Canada.

Assistance is available across various Hilton brands, including Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, DoubleTree, and Hampton by Hilton, providing personalized support for leisure and business travelers who are blind or have low vision, the companies said in a joint statement.


“As a leading hospitality company, Hilton is committed to creating an experience that is welcoming for every guest, at every hotel, every time,” said Mike Gathright, Hilton’s senior vice president of customer excellence and innovation. “We believe that every guest—regardless of ability or any other factor—deserves a reliable and friendly travel experience. We are proud to partner with Be My Eyes to make that a reality for thousands of users.”

Be My Eyes users in the U.S. and Canada can access Hilton's teams through the app’s “Service Directory” under the “Hotels” category, the statement said. These teams assist guests with navigating the hotel, adjusting in-room thermostats, operating coffee machines, identifying window coverings and finding meeting spaces or amenities like bars, restaurants, gyms and spas.

“Our mission at Be My Eyes is to break down accessibility barriers in everyday life, and this collaboration with Hilton is a significant step toward making travel and hospitality more inclusive,” said Mike Buckley, Be My Eyes’ CEO. “Hilton is leading by example, and we’re excited to provide the best customer service platform to help Hilton better serve blind and low vision consumers.”

Hilton began working with Be My Eyes in 2023 to train “Be My AI,” an OpenAI GPT-4 model on which the app is based, enhancing its ability to recognize objects and navigate hotel room furniture and fixtures. Earlier this year, the partnership expanded to develop a specialized team of Hilton reservations and customer care agents to assist Be My Eyes users during their stay.

In addition to Hilton’s reservations and customer care team, guests can use Hilton's "straight-to-room" digital self-service tools for a seamless experience from check-in to check-out. Where available, these tools allow guests to choose their room, check in, use a digital key to open doors with their phone and check out—all digitally. This technology enables guests who need extra assistance to tailor their travel experience to their needs.

Hilton reported a net income of $422 million for the second quarter ending June 30, up from $413 million last year, while the development pipeline grew 15 percent year-over-year to 3,870 hotels with 508,300 rooms, reflecting an 8 percent increase from the previous quarter.

More for you

AAHOA, બ્રિજ AAHOALending.com લોન્ચ કરે છે

AAHOA, બ્રિજ AAHOALending.com લોન્ચ કરે છે

AAHOA અને બ્રિજે AAHOALending.com લોન્ચ કર્યું, જે હોસ્પિટાલિટી પર કેન્દ્રિત ડિજિટલ ધિરાણ પ્લેટફોર્મ છે. તે AAHOA સભ્યોને 150 થી વધુ ધિરાણકર્તાઓની ઍક્સેસ પ્રદાન કરે છે, જેમાં વધુને વધુ લોકોને નિયમિતપણે ઉમેરવાની યોજના છે, આ પ્લેટફોર્મ વપરાશકર્તાઓને ધિરાણ વિકલ્પોની તુલના કરવાની, શ્રેષ્ઠ દરો અને સુરક્ષિત ભંડોળ શોધવાની મંજૂરી આપે છે.

કોફાઉન્ડર અને CEO રોહિત માથુરની આગેવાની હેઠળના બ્રિજને ક્લબ બ્લુ ઇન્ડસ્ટ્રી પાર્ટનર તરીકે નિયુક્ત કરવામાં આવ્યા છે, જે AAHOAના પ્રોગ્રામમાં સર્વોચ્ચ સ્તર છે, તેના 300 ભાગીદારોમાંથી માત્ર 12 જ લાયકાત ધરાવે છે, એમ બંનેએ સંયુક્ત નિવેદનમાં જણાવ્યું હતું.

Keep ReadingShow less
2025માં મંદીની સંભાવના 50 ટકા : HAMA સર્વે

2025માં મંદીની સંભાવના 50 ટકા : HAMA સર્વે

હોસ્પિટાલિટી એસેટ મેનેજર્સ એસોસિએશનના સ્પ્રિંગ 2025 ઇન્ડસ્ટ્રી આઉટલુક સર્વેક્ષણમાં અંદાજે 49 ટકા ઉત્તરદાતાઓ 2025 માં અમેરિકામાં મંદીની અપેક્ષા રાખે છે, જે 2024ના પાનખર સર્વેક્ષણમાં 19 ટકાથી વધુ છે. ટોચની ત્રણ ચિંતાઓ માંગ, ટેરિફ અને DOGE કટ અને વેતનમાં વધારો વચ્ચેનો જોડાણ છે.

HAMA સર્વેક્ષણમાં જાણવા મળ્યું છે કે લગભગ 55 ટકા ઉત્તરદાતાઓએ તેમની વર્તમાન વ્યૂહરચનાના ભાગ રૂપે બ્રાન્ડ અથવા મેનેજમેન્ટ ફેરફારો કર્યા છે અથવા કરવાની યોજના બનાવી છે.

Keep ReadingShow less
HWIC joins WHLA to support industry women

HWIC joins WHLA to support industry women

THE HOSPITALITY WOMEN’S Innovation Council recently joined as the 34th member of the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance to support women and underserved communities across the industry. The council will encourage women to take part in the messaging, programs and initiatives shared by all WHLA groups.

WHLA was founded in 2021 as a consortium of organizations working to advance women in hospitality.

Keep ReadingShow less
CJ Media WHLA media training event for women in 2025

CJ Media, WHLA launch media training for women in hospitality

CJ Media & WHLA Empower Women with Media Training in 2025

CJ MEDIA SOLUTIONS LLC and the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance will provide quarterly media training to help advance women in hospitality. The program, offered to the alliance’s participating organizations, will draw on experienced media and PR professionals to deliver guidance across interviews, video, podcasts and live panels.

Each session will be archived for alliance members to access anytime, the duo said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less