In 1948, Hilton became the first hotel to develop a multi-service reservation system that would not only make the lives of travelers easier and boost Hilton’s revenue, but would bring a new wave of technology to the hotel industry. While today’s reservation centers no longer look like a NASA control room (as they appeared to in in 1957), the idea of central reservations is one that we rely upon heavily in 2016. This 1957 ad wasn’t necessarily groundbreaking hotel marketing, but Hilton was certainly a pioneer for the industry overall.

FUN FACT: In 1950, Hilton began targeting their amenities toward women, supplying them with a sewing kit and booklet of names and phone numbers to help make their travel experience easier. (Source: Hilton History)