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Sojern Introduces Fully Managed Email Campaigns–Hoteliers Pay for Performance

SAN FRANCISCO, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Sojern, the leading marketing platform built for hospitality, is excited to announce the addition of a fully managed email marketing service as part of its multichannel Commission offering. This industry-first solution streamlines marketing, making it easier to drive direct bookings, build guest loyalty, and reduce online travel agency (OTA) dependence—all within Sojern’s transparent pay-for-performance commission model. Now available in the US and Canada, with additional countries coming soon.

Logo, no tagline
Logo, no tagline

Email campaigns are a powerful tool for hoteliers to engage travelers and build loyalty at every stage—from awareness to post-stay. With email marketing revenue expected to hit $17.9 billion by 2027, the channel continues to grow. However, time, expertise, and budget constraints often limit hoteliers’ ability to run effective email campaigns.

Now, hoteliers can partner with Sojern to effortlessly execute high-performing email campaigns without the need for in-house resources. Powered by Sojern’s AI-driven marketing platform, this new fully managed service combines Sojern’s Guest Marketing Suite with the expertise of email designers and copywriters to ensure seamless campaign creation, deployment, performance and measurement. Sojern’s email solution seamlessly connects with the hotel’s property management system (PMS) to unlock powerful guest insights, enabling targeted email campaigns that drive engagement and direct bookings. Automated reconciliation further streamlines operations, allowing hoteliers to focus on the guest experience rather than manual tasks.

“Today’s travelers increasingly seek personalized experiences, from their destination choices to their on-property stays,” said Noreen Henry, Chief Revenue Officer at Sojern. “In fact, 90% of consumers expect brands to understand and anticipate their needs. As guests invest more in memorable and tailored experiences, they expect the same level of personalization from hotels before they’ve even arrived. With Sojern’s fully-managed email solution, hotel marketers can deliver timely, branded content that drives engagement, direct bookings, and loyalty—overcoming traditional bandwidth and budget hurdles without additional work.”

Cultivate Guest Relationships to Drive Direct Bookings

While many hotels still rely on bookings from OTAs, and will continue to in some capacity, the industry is shifting. Skift projects that by 2030, direct digital channels are expected to surpass OTAs as the dominant distribution channel for hoteliers, with an estimated $409 billion in direct bookings compared to $333 billion from OTAs. Sojern’s fully managed email service helps hoteliers capitalize on this shift by delivering brand-aligned email campaigns that engage past guests, encourage repeat stays, reduce OTA dependence, and recapture abandoned bookings. And since repeat customers spend 67% more than new guests, investing in customized branded email campaigns isn’t just smart—it’s a revenue-driving necessity.

Early adopter Nicole Willams, Principal/VP Sales & Marketing, Daryon Hotels International said, “Working with Sojern has been a fantastic experience. Their email marketing campaigns have been a game-changer, helping us reach the right audience and drive more bookings. The process is seamless, the reporting is clear, and the results speak for themselves.”

Pay Only for Results

Budget constraints often limit hotel marketers’ abilities to get their brand in front of potential travelers. Rather than front-loading costs, Sojern’s pay-for-performance pricing model is tied directly to revenue, allowing hoteliers to participate in managed email campaigns by only paying for performance.

Beyond reducing upfront costs, Sojern’s multichannel approach allows hoteliers to ensure every touchpoint works together seamlessly to maximize conversions. With sophisticated attribution, hoteliers are able to engage travelers across channels, optimizing marketing spend and effectiveness to maximize ROI.

To learn more about Sojern’s fully-managed email offering as part of its Commission solution, hoteliers can join the waitlist here.

About Sojern

Sojern is the leading marketing platform built for hospitality, designed to boost growth and profitability for the travel industry. The Sojern marketing platform is a set of easy-to-use software and services that delivers unrivaled traveler insight, intelligent audiences, multichannel activation and optimization, and a connected guest experience—all in one place. More than 10,000 travel marketers rely on our platform annually to find, attract, convert and engage travelers. Founded in 2007, Sojern is headquartered in San Francisco, California with teams in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific.

 

Hyundai Motor and Tate Announce Máret Ánne Sara as Next Hyundai Commission Artist and Extend Partnership Until 2036

  • Máret Ánne Sara presents new site-specific work for Turbine Hall as the tenth Hyundai Commission artist, open from October 14, 2025, to April 6, 2026
  • Hyundai Motor and Tate announce extension of partnership until 2036, encompassing Hyundai Commission and Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational
  • Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung highlights that the partnership cultivates a space for dialogue through the arts that reflects our time, transcending generational, geographical, and disciplinary boundaries

SEOUL, South Korea and LONDON, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hyundai Motor Company and Tate announced that Máret Ánne Sara will create the next annual Hyundai Commission. Máret Ánne Sara is a Northern Sámi artist and author known for her work exploring global ecological issues through the lens of her lived experience within the Sámi community. Open to the public from October 14, 2025April 6, 2026, Hyundai Commission: Máret Ánne Sara will be the tenth annual series of new site-specific work for Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall.

Máret Ánne Sara (1983-) with her artwork at the exhibition “Environmental Injustice – Indigenous Peoples’ Alternatives” (2021-2022) at Musée d’ethnographie de Genève (MEG), Switzerland 2021 MEG Inv. ETHPH  90345 © Photo Johnathan Watts, MEG
Máret Ánne Sara (1983-) with her artwork at the exhibition “Environmental Injustice – Indigenous Peoples’ Alternatives” (2021-2022) at Musée d’ethnographie de Genève (MEG), Switzerland 2021 MEG Inv. ETHPH 90345 © Photo Johnathan Watts, MEG

Máret Ánne Sara was born in 1983 to a Sámi reindeer herding family in Guovdageaidnu in the Norwegian part of Sápmi, the traditional territory of the Sámi people which is today divided between the nation states of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, where she continues to work today. Through her multidisciplinary practice, Sara highlights the impact of Nordic colonialism on Sámi ways of life, exploring the importance of preserving Sámi ancestral knowledge and values to protect the environment for future generations. Often using materials and methodologies derived from reindeer herding, Sara creates powerful sculptures and installations which uphold the reciprocal relationship between animals, lands, waters and humans.

“Máret Ánne Sara is among a prolific group of Sámi artists who have received widespread international attention in recent years for making visible the issues facing Sápmi and Sámi people,” said Karin Hindsbo, Director of Tate Modern. “By addressing the major social, ecological and political concerns of her community, Sara hopes not only to increase interest and awareness, but also to effect real change. I’m thrilled she will be creating her first work in the UK here at Tate Modern and I look forward to seeing how she will transform the Turbine Hall. I’m sure it will be both challenging and full of wonder.”

Foreground: Máret Ánne Sara, 'Gutted – Gávogálši', (2022). Background: Máret Ánne Sara, 'Ale suova sielu sáiget', (2022). Exhibition view: ‘The Sámi Pavilion’, 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, 'The Milk of Dreams', Venice (23 April–27 November 2022). Photo: Michael Miller / OCA.
Foreground: Máret Ánne Sara, ‘Gutted – Gávogálši’, (2022). Background: Máret Ánne Sara, ‘Ale suova sielu sáiget’, (2022). Exhibition view: ‘The Sámi Pavilion’, 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, ‘The Milk of Dreams’, Venice (23 April–27 November 2022). Photo: Michael Miller / OCA.

Today, Hyundai Motor and Tate also announced the extension of their partnership, which encompasses support of both Hyundai Commission and Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational, until 2036. This partnership was founded in 2014 with the longest initial commitment from a corporate partner in Tate’s history and is built on a shared vision to offer new ways to experience art and support diverse perspectives from across the contemporary cultural landscape.

“Over the past decade, our partnership with Tate has cultivated a space for dialogue through the arts that reflects our time, transcending generational, geographical, and disciplinary boundaries,” said Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group. “We believe in enhancing this collaboration, reaffirming our shared commitment to future generations.”

The Chinese carbon ion center Heyou Hospital selects RayStation

STOCKHOLM, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ) is pleased to announce that Heyou Hospital, located in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China, has placed an order for the treatment planning system RayStation®*. Total order value (including service contract) is RMB 51 million (approximately SEK 77 million), of which RMB 18 million (approximately SEK 26 million) will be recognized in the first quarter of 2025. This is the third largest order ever for RaySearch and the largest since December 2022. Heyou Hospital is RaySearch’s first customer with a combined Hitachi carbon ion and proton machine.

Heyou Hospital is a world-class medical institution offering personalized healthcare and high-quality research with special emphasis on areas such as oncology, neurology, orthopedics, and neurosurgery.

In 2021, Heyou Hospital bought a combined Hitachi carbon ion and proton machine. This will now be complemented with RayStation, which will also be used for treatment planning for the hospital’s conventional photon treatment machines.

Ion beam therapy is the most advanced form of external radiotherapy, where the tumor is irradiated with protons or carbon ions. Compared to conventional radiotherapy, where the tumor is irradiated with photons, the energy deposition of the ion beams can be controlled more precisely. This reduces the radiation dose to healthy tissues, leading to a reduction of treatment-related side effects. 

The market for particle treatments (protons/carbon ions/BNCT) is growing rapidly in China. RaySearch is the market leader in treatment planning for particle treatments, a position that is further strengthened by this new order.

The purchase will give Heyou Hospital access to advanced RayStation technologies such as pencil beam scanning, robust optimization, linear energy transfer optimization, proton arc optimization, graphic processing unit (GPU) accelerated dose calculations, and adaptive replanning support.

Johan Löf, founder and CEO, RaySearch: “I am pleased to announce our collaboration with Heyou Hospital and the significant order for RayStation. I look forward to deepening our relationship and to a fruitful cooperation in advanced radiation therapy.”

This information is information that RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out below, at 10:55 am CET on March 4, 2025.

For more information, please contact:
Johan Löf, founder and CEO, RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ)
Telephone: +46 (0) 8 510 530 00
johan.lof@raysearchlabs.com
 

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https://news.cision.com/raysearch-laboratories/r/the-chinese-carbon-ion-center-heyou-hospital-selects-raystation,c4105102

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Viettel Brings Vietnamese Technology to the World’s Largest Mobile Industry Event

BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — At MWC Barcelona 2025, Viettel Group showcases a series of cutting-edge Vietnamese technological innovations. A total of 22 products developed by Viettel span across key domains, including 5G infrastructure, digital platforms, and smart applications.

Viettel Brings Vietnamese Technology to the World’s Largest Mobile Industry Event
Viettel Brings Vietnamese Technology to the World’s Largest Mobile Industry Event

The Mobile World Congress (MWC Barcelona 2025) takes place from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. As the world’s premier annual technology event, MWC Barcelona 2025 gathers leading global tech giants such as Samsung, Qualcomm, Intel, Huawei, Ericsson, Dell Technologies, Meta, Docomo, and AT&T, alongside more than 200 national representatives seeking collaboration, business opportunities, and technological advancements.

Vietnam’s Sole Representative: Pioneering Technology and Global Partnerships

This marks the eighth consecutive year Viettel has participated in MWC and remains the only Vietnamese group introducing technological prowess on this global stage.

Mr. Tao Duc Thang, Chairman and CEO of Viettel, stated: “At every MWC, Viettel proudly presents our latest technological innovations to thousands of industry leaders, enterprises, and governments worldwide. This is both a great honor and a driving force for us to continuously innovate. MWC also provides an invaluable opportunity for Viettel to update new technological advancements to integrate in Vietnam, expand our investment and export Vietnamese technology to the global market”.

During the event, Viettel will enter strategic cooperation agreements with key global partners, including TikTok, Visa, China Telecom Global, Pegatron, Twilio, and SANY.

Innovation for Sustainable Development

Under the theme Converge. Connect. Create., Viettel introduces 22 technological solutions across three core categories: infrastructure, platforms, and applications. These solutions address connectivity, data management, enterprise needs, and user experience. With five additional innovations compared to MWC Barcelona 2024, this represents Viettel’s most extensive showcase to date. The company’s two-story exhibition space is dedicated to the theme “Inventing new technologies for sustainable development,” presenting solutions that tackle global challenges.

Key product groups include:

  • Network Infrastructure: A comprehensive 5G ecosystem (5G Private, 5G ORAN, 5G Core), Viettel-designed semiconductor chips (RF-SoC, security chips, 5W X-Band FEM), digital twin solutions for telecom infrastructure, and a cutting-edge logistics robot complex.
  • Digital Platforms: API services for mobile networks, content distribution networks, data center infrastructure management, next-generation cybersecurity platforms, and smart traffic management solutions.
  • Smart Applications: AI-powered virtual assistants, interactive video call solutions (meCall), audiobook services (Mydio), and the advanced interactive television platform TV360.

“We are proud to bring the best of Vietnamese technology to the world while simultaneously learning and integrating global innovations into Vietnam,” affirmed Mr. Tao Duc Thang.

Laos Faces Dangerous Air Pollution Levels, Health Risks Increase

A view of Vientiane Capital and it's rising air pollution levels in the afternoon (Photo: UNICEF/2024/KPhiennachit)

The government of Laos has issued warnings about hazardous air pollution, especially concerning high PM2.5 concentrations, which pose significant health risks.

Ping An Enhances Recruitment Experience with “Ping An Talent” AI System

HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (hereafter “Ping An“, “the Company” or the “Group” HKEX: 2318 / 82318; SSE: 601318) recently launched its 2025 Spring Campus Recruitment offering over 2,000 positions, highlighted by Ping An’s self-developed “Ping An Talent” recruitment system. This platform integrates AI-driven job matching, AI interviews, and AI salary negotiation to provide campus recruits with a fair, convenient, and efficient recruitment experience.

Ping An Talent” uses natural language processing and machine learning technology to perform keyword matching and semantic analysis on resumes, accurately identifying students who meet the job requirements. These AI innovations not only reduce the workload of HR staff and avoid screening error and evaluate resumes efficiently to match graduate talent with suitable positions faster than before.

The AI interviewer function provides students with a flexible interview experience. Students can communicate with the company by simply tapping the screen, regardless of their location. The AI interviewer efficiently assesses students’ comprehensive abilities and personality traits based on facial expressions, speech rate, tone, and the logical structure of their answers.

The AI salary negotiation technology improves the efficiency of salary discussions with recruits. It can help campus recruits clearly understand salary information through smart outbound calls based on student backgrounds and job requirements.

Based on its technology-driven “integrated finance + healthcare and senior care” strategy, Ping An together with more than 10 of its subsidiaries, offers over 2,000 positions across eight major categories, including business, investment & financing, technology, product, operations, and other functions, providing comprehensive career development paths for students from diverse academic backgrounds. There are also a large number of positions provided member companies in AI, big data, algorithms, and product operations to support Ping An Technology, Ping An Health Insurance, and other businesses.

About Ping An Group

Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (HKEx:2318 / 82318; SSE:601318) is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. It strives to become a world-leading provider of integrated finance, health and senior care services. Under the technology-driven “integrated finance + health and senior care” strategy, the Group provides professional “financial advisory, family doctor, and senior care concierge” services to its 240 million retail customers. Ping An advances intelligent digital transformation and employs technologies to improve financial businesses’ quality and efficiency and enhance risk management. The Group is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai. As of the end of September 2024, Ping An had more than RMB12 trillion in total assets. The Group ranked 29th in the Forbes Global 2000 list in 2024 and 53rd in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2024.

For more information, please visit www.group.pingan.com and follow us on LinkedIn – PING AN.

Aetina and Axelera AI Partner to Advance Computer Vision at the Edge

TAIPEI, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Aetina, a subsidiary of Innodisk Group and an expert in edge AI solutions, and Axelera AI, a leading edge-inference company, have partnered to deliver high-performance, power-efficient AI inference solutions for industries such as smart transportation, surveillance, and retail.

Aetina and Axelera AI Partner to Advance Computer Vision at the Edge
Aetina and Axelera AI Partner to Advance Computer Vision at the Edge

With growing demand for compact, high-performance AI at the edge, this collaboration introduces a comprehensive portfolio of AI-optimized systems that seamlessly integrate Axelera AI’s powerful AI accelerator cards with Aetina’s advanced hardware platforms. These solutions excel in complex tasks such as object recognition, multi-camera analysis, and AI-driven decision-making while effectively addressing space and power constraints.

Unmatched Edge Inference Performance: From Entry-Level to High-End Solutions

Aetina delivers a diverse portfolio of AI systems designed to meet the full spectrum of edge inference requirements, from compact edge devices to high-performance platforms. Offering both M.2 systems with x86 and ARM architectures for space-conscious, power-efficient solutions, as well as PCIe systems for higher performance needs, Aetina ensures scalability and versatility across all industries.

Among the offerings, the AIE-KR1B-B1-AXE, an ARM-based system, integrates Axelera AI’s M.2 inference accelerator card, delivering up to 214 TOPS of AI computing in a compact, energy-efficient form factor. The MegaEdge AIP-MURE-A1AXE system, an industry-first x86 AI platform supporting up to three M.2 AI accelerator cards, provides up to 642 TOPS in a robust, fanless design. For high-performance needs, the AIP-FR68-A1AXE system supports up to four Axelera PCIe AI accelerator cards, reaching up to 856 TOPS—ideal for the most demanding AI vision applications. With Axelera AI’s M.2 inference accelerator delivering industry-leading performance, these solutions offer streamlined deployment and scalable AI efficiency.

Seamless Integration Powers Edge AI across Diverse Industries

All pre-validated Aetina-Axelera AI systems ensure seamless integration with centralized support spanning hardware, accelerator cards, and software. Pre-installed with the Voyager™ SDK, they support an extensive AI model zoo, including advanced capabilities in image classification, object detection, and pose estimation.

Designed to empower a wide range of industries, these AI solutions enhance smart transportation and surveillance with multi-camera analysis for security and traffic monitoring. In retail and robotics, they enable advanced object recognition, gesture control, and AI-driven decision-making. Additionally, sectors such as medical imaging and agriculture technology benefit from real-time diagnostics, crop analysis, and automated quality control.

“Innodisk group is proud to strengthen our position in the edge AI market alongside such a valuable AI partner.” said Randy Chien, Chairman of Aetina and Innodisk. “With Aetina’s expertise in edge AI computing, the group’s extensive service implementation experience and Axelera AI’s cutting-edge inference acceleration, we will jointly assist industries in unlocking new levels of AI-driven innovation and efficiency.”

“By combining our expertise, we enable businesses to overcome power and space limitations while maximizing AI capabilities.” added Joe Lo, General Manager at Aetina.

“The Metis AI processing unit is bringing advanced inference capabilities to the edge in partnership with leading system providers. We are proud to be furthering our partnership with Aetina – uniting the Aetina ecosystem with the Axelera AI inference performance and software suite, companies around the globe can bring advanced intelligence anywhere their data is created.” said John Wilkins, Director of Strategic Channel Partnerships at Axelera AI.

Experience the Future of Edge AI in Action

Join Aetina at Embedded World 2025, in Hall 1, Booth 370, to experience first-hand the power of Axelera AI’s M.2 inference accelerator card performing real-time analysis of sixteen multi-live video streams on Aetina’s AIP-MURE system. All Aetina-Axelera products will be available starting March 2025. For more information on the Aetina-Axelera AI solutions, visit https://www.aetina.com/solution.php?t=23

 

Is foreign capital really withdrawing from China?

BEIJING, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A report from People’s Daily:

Lately, there has been much talk about foreign investors withdrawing from China on a large scale. Official data show that in 2024, foreign direct investment in the Chinese mainland in actual use dropped by 27.1 percent year on year, while the number of new foreign-invested firms increased by 9.9 percent from a year ago.

Are these two figures in conflict with each other?

To answer this question, let’s first delve into a story about Walmart’s development in the Chinese market.

Over the past few years, retail giant Walmart has been actively closing locations across China. Many people just feel like that “Walmart is withdrawing from China.” But is this the whole picture? Certainly not.

On Dec. 18, 2024, Walmart-owned Sam’s Club opened its 52nd store in Wenzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province. More strikingly, in the third quarter of 2024, Walmart’s net sales in China climbed 17 percent year on year.

So how could a company that is allegedly “pulling out of China” maintain steady sales growth in the Chinese market?

Walmart’s story highlights important shifts in the Chinese market: as personalized and diversified consumption has emerged as a new trend among Chinese consumers, and with the rapid development of Chinese domestic retailers, traditional business models are struggling to survive in the country. Only those foreign companies that adapt quickly to the evolving Chinese market can succeed.

Simply put, the times have changed. The Chinese market is no longer what it used to be, and China’s relationship with foreign investment has also changed.

Does China still need foreign investment?

Before discussing whether foreign investment is leaving the Chinese market, it is essential to clear up one question: Does China still need foreign investment?

China has entered a new stage of high-quality development and has moved from capital scarcity to capital abundance. The country is shifting its focus from attracting foreign investment to a new strategy with equal emphasis on both “bringing in” and “going global.”

However, some argue that “China no longer needs foreign investment as before” or even hyped up their narrative that “China is no longer welcoming foreign investors.”

Apparently, capital abundance and “going global” do not mean that China no longer needs foreign investment. In fact, foreign capital remains crucial in China’s “dual circulation” paradigm – the new development pattern that China adopted in 2020, which takes the domestic market as the mainstay while allowing domestic and foreign markets to reinforce each other.

Over the past few years, China has introduced a range of measures for voluntary and unilateral opening up on a larger scale and at a higher level. For instance, it has hosted the China International Import Expo and the China International Supply Chain Expo, reduced negative lists for foreign investment, and granted national treatment to foreign-funded enterprises.

With lower entry barriers, more small- and medium-sized foreign-invested enterprises are entering the Chinese market, which can explain the rapid increase in the number of new foreign-funded enterprises in the country.

Why has the scale of foreign direct investment declined?

Industrial investment is a long-term, rational economic decision influenced by multiple factors in the medium and long term. Therefore, fluctuations in investment align with economic patterns.

In the medium term, China has attracted over one trillion yuan ($136.85 billion) each year in foreign investment for three consecutive years since 2021. The large foreign capital inflow has unleashed investment demand in the country, and the drop in foreign direct investment in 2024 falls within normal economic cycles.

From a long-term perspective, global cross-border investment is shifting toward service-oriented and asset-light industries, thereby leading to a periodic discrepancy between the scale of foreign investment in actual use and the number of new foreign-invested enterprises.

Currently, around 70 percent of foreign investment in China flows into the services sector, which is characterized by asset-light business models, thereby significantly impacting the overall scale of foreign investment.

The next China  is still China.

How do foreign-invested enterprises view the Chinese market?

“The next ‘China‘ is still China.” This is a sentiment widely shared by global investors.

Today’s China is experiencing technological breakthroughs and a talent boom, which have led to a substantial increase in total factor productivity and more added value for the “world factory.” The huge Chinese market has become a “global market,” stimulating domestic demand and providing immense opportunities for foreign companies.

Undoubtedly, a constantly developing China with strong growth momentum remains highly attractive to foreign investors. At the same time, in China’s highly competitive open market, foreign-funded enterprises must bring their best expertise to secure a foothold.

In recent years, some foreign enterprises that failed to keep up with the changing Chinese market have withdrawn, while more high-tech foreign investors have come in.

As always, China remains firmly committed to opening up and win-win cooperation with foreign investors.

No matter what, this remains true: partnering with China means embracing future opportunities, and investing in China is investing in the future.