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tabathalesmarie

Environment - Marriot - 1 views

The article was very interesting to see how one of the biggest leaders in the hotel world is taking over and proving that being green, via trip advisor etc is key to their future success. http://...

started by tabathalesmarie on 15 Jan 17 no follow-up yet
jazminesnyder

Guest Column: How Distribution Systems Are Like Seat Belts - Business Travel News - 0 views

  • global distribution systems use old technology
  • their interfaces aren’t quite as attractive as airline websites
  • they still do what they’re designed to do efficiently and affordably.
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  • agency portals
  • Are not designed to manage high transaction volumes generated by large TMCs.Do not offer comparison shopping on competing airlines.
  • Its strategy seems to rest in shifting distribution costs to corporate buyers.
  • Building out airline websites, keeping website content updated, investing in agent portals and investing in direct connect technology all come with significant capital expenditures or resource costs.
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    My article this week is about how GDS (Global Distribution Systems) can be compared to a seatbelt. The author opens the article discussing the main reasons we still continue to use seatbelts; even though they aren't the most comfortable or fashionable items to use, they still do their jobs in saving our lives when it comes to a collision of some sort. The author is in favor of GDS and makes the claim that like seatbelts, the GDS may not be the most up-to-date or may not appear to be as nice as other local systems to each individual airline, but they get the job done and there are no other systems out there like it that we know of (no other systems that do everything he GDS system does that is). The main topic of discussion that the article is concerned with is the recent decision made by the company Lufthansa to start charging its customers an additional surcharge for using GDS systems instead of going through its own system. The author clearly makes it know that she doesn't believe Lufthansa when they say they are charging this additional surcharge because GDS is the most expensive channel to go through. "Because there's no reason to think that an airline should expect to distribute its products without any cost, Lufthansa's recent gambit seems more of a tactic for increasing lagging direct distribution... Its strategy seems to rest in shifting distribution costs to corporate buyers" claims Rose, the author of the article. The author also points out some of the draw backs of using agency portals, the main reason being that a customer cannot compare rates of other competitors and that agency portals cannot handle high volume transactions like the GDS can. It is also made known that there are costs that come with other channels as well, like the prices you pay for building airline websites and keeping them updated. The author concludes that "Given the history of negotiations between airlines and GDSs, it's impossible to know whether Lufthansa is using DCC as
dstic005

6 Mega-Trends in Hotel Technology | News | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 2 views

  • Mobile ubiquity.
  • To meet escalating guest expectations, 54% of hotels will spend more on technology this year, according to HT’s 2016 Lodging Technology Study. Their biggest priorities for technology spending, in order, are: payment security, guest room tech, bandwidth, and mobile engagement
  • Mobile solutions in particular will dominate the list of capital investments this year — six of the top new rollouts have a mobile component, ranging from mobile keys, to mobile payments, to location-based technology (see fig. 2 below). Also high on to-do lists are improving data accessibility and security.
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  • ntegrating mobile data
  • Enabling guestroom tech
  • Energy conservation
    • apate114
       
      Go Green! I read on an article that Starwood has made strong progress towards reducing their carbon emissions. They have invested in the HCMI (Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative).
  • Beefing up security.
  • Security is garnering investment particularly as payment becomes increasingly mobile and new non-bank payment vehicles emerge. Providing for more secure payments and data is the top objective driving technology investments for the hotels in HT’s study.
  • Future-proofing networks
  • Fiber, or passive optical LAN, is quickly becoming the standard for new builds and retrofits, either all the way to the room or as part of fiber/copper hybrid networks. According to Corning (www.corning.com) and VT Group (www.vt-group.com), rather than running new cabling every four to five years, hotels can tap fiber’s high capacity to install once and gain huge increases in capacity and reach, since unlike copper, bandwidth is unlimited and does not degrade over distance. A single fiber optic cable can replace separate wiring for WiFi and cellular backhaul, building controls and triple-play networks, freeing up space and increasing performance while enabling parallel redundancy.
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    I found this article very interesting as it covers some of the next technological changes the hotel industry would see. Hotel companies and property owners are spending lots of money to ensure they are able to satisfy modern day traveler's needs. As technology advances and more and more studies show travelers prefer to use their own mobile devices, companies have to constantly improve their mobile platform. Sooner or later hotels will have mobile keys that work via a phone on the customers phone or tabloid. Features like mobile keys, check-in, and communications via a mobile app will all require significant amount of investments by major hotel chains. All of these new types of feature also require more advanced security to protect hotel stayers while using the hotels' mobile apps. Over the long run the investment will pay off for large hotel companies as they will gain tons of data and data is very powerful and useful. I am interested to see how this affects small-scale motels as the investment in mobile platforms may not be feasible for an independent motel.
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    This article discusses six of the new upcoming trends in the hospitality industry in regards to technology. The first is mobile ubiquity - meaning the amount of usability of guests using mobile devices to check in, make a reservation, or purchase. The second is integrating mobile data and the integration of such valuable data. Third would be the Enabling of guest room technology, such as on-demand content and room features. Fourth would be Future-proofing networks and ensuring safety from hackers or malwares. Fifth would be beefing up security. Sixth would be energy conservation to save money on wastes and energy consumption.
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    Future proofing or building a more robust network infrastructure is the backbone and the most important part of any network model. It seems that newer buildings will have an advantage as they will have fiber optic installed as they are constructed which would be cheaper than replacing an entire existing copper network. This trend, will enable companies that have newer hotels to offer more services and meet the technological demand that their customers now expect.
lderi004

Waste Management And LG Provide Hotel Operators New Sustainability Option, Convenient D... - 0 views

  • The leading provider of flat-panel HDTVs to the lodging industry, LG Electronics USA, Inc., and the nation's leading recycler, Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM), today announced the first recycling program for hotel operators to responsibly dispose of outdated television sets and computer monitors.
  • To support this growing trend, LG Electronics will now offer environmentally conscious hotel, motel and resort operators a convenient, cost-effective opportunity for recycling the obsolete hotel TVs.
  • "This program will encourage hotel operators to dispose of outdated electronics in an environmentally responsible manner," said Teddy Hwang, president, LG Electronics USA, which established its successful nationwide electronics-recycling program for consumers with Waste Management over a year ago
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  • The hotel TVs and computer monitors collected under this program will be processed in an environmentally responsible manner at one of four regionally designated Waste Management recycling facilities that are ISO 14001 and 9001 certified to protect the local environment in those communities along with the people handling this waste.
  • "As the lodging industry seeks to increase its environmentally conscious initiatives, the LG program gives hotel operators the opportunity to conveniently recycle electronic waste responsibly and economically," said Patrick DeRueda, president of WM Recycle America.
  • "By recycling used, unwanted, obsolete or damaged electronic equipment, useful materials such as glass, metals and plastics may be recovered for reuse in other products," he said.
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    This article caught my attention because it was not just the Waste Management service offering a new sustainable option for hotels, but an actual electronics provider as well, LG. It appears that since 2009, LG has been partnering with Waste Management, and helping hotels dispose of their old electronics, such as older LG tv models, in a much safer and environment friendly way. This gives hotels no excuse to not dispose, or recycle, electronics in a safer manner. I believe a partnership like this is a perfect demonstration of a social responsible company, who is aware and active of the damages their products can make toward the world. I hope more electronic companies start partnering up like this; as it brings awareness, and convenience to not just hotels, but many industries that use, and frequently update, electronic devices. 
glope143

How This Conference Used N.F.C. Technology to Drive Traffic Around Its Exhibit Hall - 0 views

  • When the organizers of Intuit’s QuickBooks Connect conference initially decided to use near-field communication (N.F.C.) technology on attendee badges for this year’s event, which was held October 22 to 26 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in California, they had several goals in mind.First, they wanted to automate the process of tracking continuing education credits for the attendees; second, they wanted to make it easy for vendors to track leads at their booths; and third, they wanted a way for attendees to gather information from vendors and sessions electronically, rather than in paper form.
    • glope143
       
      This conference held in 2016 is a perfect example of how technology can assist in making an existing (and adequately functioning) event model even better. Each attendee's badge included near-field communication chips that allowed for knowledge on where attendees spent most of their time, granted vendors an easier way to access lead information, and made the conference more green by having promotional information sent electronically. The structure of the meeting didn't change with this technology, attendees still visited vendor booths learning about new products and exchanging contact information, but the entire process become more efficient with this added technology.
  • And then they came up with an additional function: Due to the event’s growth, Intuit had to spread the 112 exhibitors across two halls for the first time this year. N.F.C. created a fun way to ensure the more than 5,000 small business owners, accountants, and developers in attendance would spend time in both halls.
    • glope143
       
      Having been part of a team who organized a bridal exposition this past year, I understand the fear of having attendees only congregate in one area if two halls are involved. This not only reflects negatively on the event team because effort put into hall #2 goes unused, but the vendors located in the under-visited hall may be resentful and place blame on the business organizing for "favoring" those vendors placed in the more trafficked area. Intuit's idea to use NFC technology as an incentive to attract guests to hall #2 was both creative and smart. The business used various prizes and raffles to encourage attendees to move into hall #2 and scan their badges to win a prize.
  • By using the N.F.C. technology in this game-like way, O’Brien said it helped attendees become comfortable with the new technology. “We wanted to teach that the value was beyond the exhibit hall,” she said. “We wanted there to be ‘delight’ reasons to scan, so there was the kiosk or to get pictures.” The N.F.C. was integrated into the event app, which O’Brien said had a 91 percent adoption rate this year, much higher than at the 2015 event.
    • glope143
       
      Both NFC and RFID technology are increasingly popular in the corporate event planning industry as the technology is user-friendly even for those who have never interacted before and provides vast opportunities for the users to collect data. This data is useful for the following meeting in terms of budget, staffing, marketing to attendees, and vendor response.
kakaboshi

Those Tiny Hotel Toiletry Bottles Are on Their Way Out - The New York Times - 1 views

  • In what might become the first such state law of its kind, a bill, A.B. 1162, is making its way through the California Legislature that aims to scrap the tiny single-use plastic bottles at hotels and other hospitality establishments. It was passed in the Assembly last week, and has moved to the Senate for committee examination.
  • “The goal is really to start to phase out single-use plastics in our state in general,”
  • “This is really low-hanging fruit because the industry is already moving in that direction.”
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  • The city council of Orlando, Fla., on Monday approved a partial ban on straws and bags, and last month, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, banned plastic bags starting from next year.
  • In March, lawmakers in New York agreed on a statewide ban on most types of single-use plastic bags from retail sales, making it the second state to do so after California, which has been at the national forefront of legislative action to ban plastics clogging shorelines.
  • In 2016, the world generated 242 million tons of plastic waste, according to the World Bank. North America, which it defines as Bermuda, Canada and the United States, is the third largest producer of plastic waste, totaling more than 35 million tons.
  • The California bill says that from the start of 2023, lodging establishments with more than 50 rooms would be prohibited from providing a small plastic bottle containing a personal care product in a bathroom or sleeping room. Establishments with 50 rooms or fewer would have until Jan. 1, 2024.
  • The California Hotel & Lodging Association had pushed for an extension of the deadline to make it easier for hotels to comply.
  • He estimated it could cost about $70 for each of the 500,000 hotel rooms in California to be transformed to accommodate multi-use dispensers.
  • Generally, hotels and hospitality organizations assume guests will nick toiletries. But if they don’t disappear from rooms, bottles left behind are often repurposed.
  • Some donate extras to homeless shelters or other organizations helping people in need.
  • “In one month alone, this can amount to over 380 pounds of toiletries diverted from the landfill and sent to those in need,” the hotel says.
  • InterContinental Hotels Group said last year that it would remove plastic straws from more than 5,400 hotels in nearly 100 countries by the end of 2019 and introduce bulk bathroom amenities at some of its brands.
  • Some hotels work with Clean the World, an organization in Orlando, Fla., that recycles soaps and leftover plastic bottles collected through its partnerships with 8,000 establishments.
  • Like grocery bags and straws, the miniature bottles of toiletries and cosmetics that many guests swipe from hotels are in the sights of legislators and hotel establishments who are trying to reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste.
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    This is a smart move, both from a environmental and a cost cutting perspective as refillable containers will likely reduce costs over the long run. Marriott has been looking at replacing this process for years (Marriott Banning Little Shampoo Bottles By 2020 Associated Press - https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/marriott-banning-little-shampoo-bottles-2020-n1047116) However, even Marriott admits that it doesn't have the process right yet. There will be a significant impact to smaller operators whom 1) Will be challenged with an additional increase in cost for new dispensary options 2) Have less access to big brand economy of scale purchasing which specialized dispensary products will require. Though this is as a policy almost a foregone conclusion, there seems little doubt that extensive thought has to be put into the impact on operators as a whole, and the customer made cognizant of the fact that costs will rise due to this change.
mitchlaferriere

How can hotels' water conservation help the Global Goals? | Green Hotelier - 2 views

  • The International Tourism Partnership is working with its hotel group members to address water as a critical issue for the industry, and find ways to work together towards Global Goal 6: clean water and sanitation.
  • For hotels however water scarcity is increasingly common and therefore vital for them to address. As more countries, and cities, experience the effects of high population pressure and less available freshwater, the interest among policy-makers, businesses, and citizens grows. We need to become more efficient water users. We need to make some drastic changes.
  • These words are essential for hoteliers to take to heart as they consider greywater systems or ground water collection as part of the arsenal of water-saving practices they have at their fingertips. All hoteliers need to be thinking far beyond linen re-use programmes, and as guests in some countries typically use ten times or more the amount of water daily than is typical for local people, we also need to look at education and communication to customers.
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    As World Water Week has come to a close, experts have discussed a number of issues regarding water and waste. With major climate initiatives such as the agreements established in Paris, individuals and industry alike have been called to action in order to mitigate negative climate change. Water use is one of the key resources that must be preserved. Hotels are major consumers of water, from guest consumption to laundry to F&B, water use is rampant in hotels. Water scarcity would be utterly detrimental to the hospitality industry. For this reason, greywater systems and ground water collection are but a few of the water-saving methods at the disposal of the hospitality industry. This is especially important because it has been found that hotel guests in some countries use ten times as much water as the local populace.
leahesper

What Exactly is an HRIS? The Complete Breakdown - BambooHR Blog - 0 views

  • an HRIS system is the integration of HR activities and information technology.
  • It enables data entry, tracking and management for human resources, payroll and accounting.
  • most HR teams use an HRIS to help them improve their processes and stay organized
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  • it’s good for everyone who works with HR to be familiar with a few HRIS basics like the variations and definition of HRIS, what an HRIS does, which organizations need HRIS, and how to best use an HRIS.
  • With an HRIS, you’ll never have to comb through filing cabinets or search through different versions of spreadsheets ever again. Every piece of information you need can be easily collected, tracked, updated, and searched in seconds.  
  • A good HRIS vendor will stay on top of regulations impacting HR and adapt their software to make it easy for organizations to meet compliance requirements.
  • Many tedious HR processes are made quick and simple with an HRIS.
  • When HR has fewer operational tasks to manage, they can spend their valuable skills and time on strategic HR initiatives that improve business outcomes
  • Improving retention, increasing productivity, and monitoring the company culture are just a few ways HR can spend their time when they have an HRIS.
  • Top-notch employees like top-notch employers. A good HRIS can help improve employees’ perceptions of their organizations.
  • Many of our clients say their HRIS helps them look like HR rockstars because of its convenience and ease of use.
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    This blog tells you everything you need to know about an HRIS. What the benefits are, why you should get one and when you should get one.
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    This article answers the question "What is an HRIS?" It is the integration of HR activities and information technology. This article talks about what it does, reasons to use HRIS, when you should get an HRIS for your business and how many employees an HRIS can handle. It also talks about some of the common features and even how to use it.
obrediajones

How Technology Can Help Hotel Facility Managers Reduce Maintenance Costs | - 0 views

  • From the time a guest makes a reservation, to the time they checkout and leave the facility, hotel executives want to ensure the experience is five-star. There are many factors in making a guest’s stay exemplary which the guest doesn’t even see: the HVAC system working to ensure optimal temperature, the plumber checking to make sure water pressure in each shower is just right, the cleaning staff ensuring each room is spotless.
  • Keeping facilities in top shape for guests takes careful planning, plenty of time and considerable funds. To cut operational costs, hotel facility managers can make some changes to increase sustainability, streamline processes and alleviate headaches for maintenance staff members.
  • There are some aspects of hospitality facility management regularly outsourced by hotels.
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  • However, there are other services that may be better suited for an outside partner than regular staffers.
  • Oftentimes, when facility managers and on-staff technicians are busy doing things like lighting updates, furniture assembly or remodeling of any kind, they’re doing so on borrowed time.
  • By outsourcing more services – like construction services, HVAC services, electrical services, plumbing services and exterior services – overhead costs can be kept down, while more specialized service contractors provide quick, reliable care in both emergency situations and preventative, at a low rate.
  • While hotel management staff may be utilizing the latest technology to streamline services related to guest reservations and checkout, facility management staff may be missing out on opportunities to save with the use of technology.
  • Computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), for example, can assist with task scheduling, inventory management and work order management.
  • A computer-aided facility management (CAFM) system is another software facility managers can use.
  • Some solutions also offer a help desk, space planning, scheduling assistance and other features that can be used to manage nearly all aspects of facility management.
  • When looking to technology to reduce costs, facility managers will want to select software solutions which fit their specific needs.
  • The right software depends on the size of the hotel and number of facilities and staffers. Consider purchasing software that can scale with the hotel if it grows.
  • Some money-saving initiatives require an up-front cost, and sustainable hotel features is one of them.
  • By taking aim at reducing facility management costs, hotel facility managers are showcasing their eagerness to make changes that will result in happier guests and a more satisfied staff.
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    The article discusses how facility managers can reduce operational costs by outsourcing help, promoting sustainability, and using facility management technology. When outsourcing work and emergencies of HVAC, electrical, plumbing, or waste, a hotel can reduce overhead costs and free time for on-staff technicians to keep up with their scheduled up-keep activities. Investing in green products like occupancy sensors and LED lights and policies like linen reuse, helps hotels save money by including guests in their commitment of protecting the earth while reducing costs. Computerized maintenance management systems can greatly help with streamlining the scheduling, purchasing, inventory, and order management, which helps protect the hotel's assets and image.
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    Author, Susan Daywitt, discusses the benefits of using computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS). Along with computer aided facility management systems (CAFM), to improve customer satisfaction and to reduce overhead costs. Daywitt also asserts CMMS and CAFM systems improve facilities managers' ability to manage inventory and work orders with greater efficiency.
Rochelle Perez

BBC - Travel - Could carbon-removal tech make travel more sustainable? - 3 views

  • As few as 1% of airline passengers participated in voluntary carbon offsetting before virus-induced travel restrictions took hold, according to The International Air Transport Association (IATA), indicating that purchasing carbon “credits” from your airline or a certified carbon offsetting organisation to compensate for your travel emissions likely wasn’t high on your priority list to begin with.
  • The difficulty in accurately quantifying most carbon-offsetting programmes (it’s difficult to gauge, for example, the volume of emissions you’ll offset by contributing to a clean cookstove project, an energy efficiency initiative typically funded by offsetting organisations) hasn’t helped.
  • Could this be the new carbon offsetting?As permanent carbon removal becomes more accessible to travellers through these two schemes, environmental sociologist and University of Southampton research fellow Dr Roger Tyers, who explored carbon offsetting in his PhD, says it may help to bolster the offset industry.“More measurable offsets like direct air capture (either for permanent removal or for creating alternatives to fossil fuels) could lift standards across the whole offset market,” he said. “They might also help shine a light on cheaper and less effective offset schemes that have dominated the market so far, which are often too good or cheap to be true.”Until carbon removal with permanent storage becomes more financially viable for travellers to adopt, other offset providers perhaps shouldn’t be too worried about losing customers. But the founders of Climeworks and Tomorrow’s Air hope that the need for urgent action on climate action will encourage travellers to incorporate permanent carbon removal into their carbon offsetting strategies sooner rather than later.
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    The article describes the travel industry's attempts at carbon-removal and allowing a way for travelers to feel involved in carbon-offsetting
tredunbar

New Waste Management Technologies for Cruise Ship Industry Promoting Sustainability - 0 views

  • he industry's $22 billion investment in the development of new energy efficient technologies, partnerships with local governments in key destinations, and a commitment to reducing its rate of carbon emissions by 40% by 2030
  • Revolution Series Digesters as well as ongoing cloud-based data analytics and supplies
  • will help reduce the environmental impact of Carnival's operations by safely disposing of food waste on-site, limiting the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from conventional processing systems
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    The initial focus of this article is on the cruise line industry's multi-billion undertaking in developing new energy efficient technology. The technology that will be deployed will be integrated with the cruise system in order to assist in reducing carbon emissions by 40% by 2030. BioHiTech Global, Inc has taken a leading role with the development of their new system - Revolution Series Digesters. This system provides both supplies and continuous cloud-based analytics that will help its inaugural client, Carnival Corporation, to reduce their environmental footprint.
armanyleblanc767

Disruptors in the hotel industry | Colliers - 2 views

  • Underpinning this is an intermeshing of technology development, shifts in demographics, and globalisation which has also brought about rapid urbanisation
  • This in turn has led to a change consumers’ expectations and needs
  • Although disruptions are commonly perceived by incumbent players as threats to their businesses, disruptors could also be sources of significant opportunities for incumbent players to create newer and better services as well as experiences for their guests, hence entrenching themselves even more within the industry. 
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  • its use in luxury hotels, where the personal touch matters, may well have to be adapted to ensure it is seamless and less impersonal.
  • consumers’ increasing desire for personalised experiences is expected to continue for years to come.
  • use of biometric technology such as the facial recognition technology to speed up guests’ check‐in time and thereby improve the customer experience, make processes more efficient and enhance security.
  • By eliminating the process of performing manual checks on travel documents, the amount of check‐in time is expected to be reduced by up to 70%.
  • In addition, whilst this may well serve high volume and ‘business’ hotels,
  • use of hotel robots may yield operational and cost efficiencies to hotels, it is however critical that a balanced approach is adopted by hoteliers to ensure that automation does not supplant quality service hence alienating hotel guests as a consequence
  • Voice assistants ‐ such as Amazon Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant – are one of the fastest growing technological fields today, becoming commonplace as a feature of the internet of things
  • According to Hospitality Technology’s 2019 Lodging Technology Study, nearly eight in 10 respondents named voice‐enabled technology as the top choice when asked to identify technology that has the most potential in the near‐future, and 62% of the respondents listed voice technology as a transformative technology that makes an impact.
  • pop‐up hotels have the agility of providing on‐demand accommodation in locations that traditional hotels could not and/or travelers would not necessarily have access or ease of access to alongside customisable accommodation settings, thereby delivering an entire bespoke guest experience.
  • the data gathered can be analysed and utilised to enhance the hotel offerings
  • Separately, hotels could potentially streamline operations processes and thereby improve operational efficiency and achieve cost‐savings through automating some of the daily hotel operations via the voice assistant.
  • The use of robots within the hotel industry is a form of automation that is becoming more prevalent as hotel chains and individual hotels have become increasingly cognizant that the concept of automation and self‐service is playing an increasingly vital role in the customer experience
  • voice assistants could potentially be used by hotels to gather actionable insights and feedback
  • New technologies, online platforms and markets are seen manifesting in new initiatives of all sorts ranging from metasearch engines evolving into one‐stop reservation options, chatbots, and robots providing butler services to alternative accommodation options. 
  • In Asia, Singapore had its first shipping container hotel in operation in January 2020. Targeting millennials as its primary consumers who are more adventurous and looking for an experience
  • Key players of the pop‐up space are predominantly boutique groups although major brands such as Marriot and Accor have started to experiment with pop‐ups
  • applicable
  • it is imperative that hotels recognise and make it a top priority to address these privacy concerns and adhere to the applicable regulations concurrent to ensuring the quality of the stored data and system
  • Check‐in and check‐out services; provision of tourist information; butler service to deliver amenities such as towels; transport luggage; and meal deliveries.  
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    This article discusses some of the technological disruptors in the hospitality industry and provides a couple examples specific to hotels. Some of these examples include pop-up hotels, facial recognition, and robots. The article provides a couple reasons why each of these innovative technologies could be beneficial or negative for hotels. Overall, the article provides some good insight into the future of technology in hotels.
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    This article covered various disruptors in the hotel industry from the check in process down to automation & self service for guests. Implementing facial recognition to speed up check ins for guest, using voice assistants to substitute daily hotel operations, & using robots for automation are all things that can become more prevalant amongst the hotel industry as it may seem more cost efficient.
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    Every year, technological advances are made in each industry, including the hospitality industry. These advances are often seen as threats according to this article, however, they might also pose as great opportunities for the industry and its stakeholders. The article highlights some of the major disruptors in the hospitality industry. Trends such as facial recognition and robots were among those mentioned. I found that both of these trends have negative and positive aspects to them. Facial recognition would reduce the time spent checking in significantly, however guests would still be concerned with the storage of their personal data. Additionally in regards to robots, they aid in operational efficiency in check in and check out services also but they could possibly omit the human touch factor of certain roles that guests appreciate.
jalipman

Apple expands global recycling programs - Apple - 1 views

  • Apple will also be supporting the efforts of environmentally-focused non-profits Conservation International, SEE Foundation and The Recycling Partnership — expanding on its conservation and resource efficiency work from last year.
  • Today, Apple released its 2019 Environment report, which contains additional information on the company’s climate change solutions, including its recent announcement that 44 of its suppliers have committed to 100 percent renewable energy for their Apple production
    • jalipman
       
      Apple is working to cut down their carbon footprint in all facets further than just e waste.
  • Apple today also announced the opening of its Material Recovery Lab dedicated to discovering future recycling processes. The new 9,000-square-foot facility in Austin, Texas, will look for innovative solutions involving robotics and machine learning to improve on traditional methods like targeted disassembly, sorting and shredding. The Lab will work with Apple engineering teams as well as academia to address and propose solutions to today’s industry recycling challenges.
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  • Starting this year, aluminum recovered through the Apple Trade In program is being remelted into the enclosures for the MacBook Air.
    • jalipman
       
      The other question that comes from this information. While it is very good that they are doing this. Would they be doing it if they had the option to cheaply ship it off to china.
  • he company’s engineering of an aluminum alloy made from 100 percent recycled aluminum allows the new MacBook Air and Mac mini to have nearly half the carbon footprint of earlier models
  • Apple also uses 100 percent recycled tin in a key component of the main logic boards of 11 different products.
  • Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “We work hard to design products that our customers can rely on for a long time. When it comes time to recycle them, we hope that the convenience and benefit of our programs will encourage everyone to bring in their old devices.”
    • jalipman
       
      This is very interesting considered apple has been known to create products that DO NOT last very long. Also it is surprising that this position within their company even exists.
  • Daisy is now able to disassemble 15 different iPhone models at the rate of 200 per hour, recovering even more important materials for re-use.
  • Once materials have been recovered from Daisy, they are recycled back into the manufacturing process. For cobalt, which is a key battery material, Apple sends iPhone batteries recovered by Daisy upstream in its supply chain. They are then combined with scrap from select manufacturing sites and, for the first time, cobalt recovered through this process is now being used to make brand-new Apple batteries — a true closed loop for this precious material.
    • jalipman
       
      Here they have closed the loop and allowed for them to not be taking away from our natural resources as was discussed in "the story of stuff" Shows apple is being environmentally conscious. Would be very interesting to see the ratio of how many phones they implement the old cobalt and how many are new.
  • In 2018, the company refurbished more than 7.8 million Apple devices and helped divert more than 48,000 metric tons of electronic waste from landfills. 
    • jalipman
       
      Apple clearly has been working to brand themselves as a green company. Since they are one of the main companies that quickly cycles through products and getting rid of your old one it is smart that they are now moving towards putting used products and materials back into the cycle for a second time.
  • Customers can also turn in their eligible devices to be recycled at any Apple Store or through apple.com as part of the Apple Trade In program.
  • pple today announced a major expansion of its recycling programs, quadrupling the number of locations US customers can send their iPhone to be disassembled by Daisy, its recycling robot.
Danaisy Abascal-Yero

How Cruise Travel Is Sailing Into a Sustainable Future | TravelPulse - 0 views

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    This article emphasizes the different methods and approaches cruise ships are taking to become more sustainable in the future. They are doing so by pursuing innovations like renewable resources, regenerative travel, providing energy solutions, and more. They are seeking to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030. One of the methods described in the article is that cruise ships are now integrating liquified natural gas (LNG) fueled ships which produce zero sulfur emissions and reduce greenhouse gases by 20% when compared to regular ship fuel. Cruise lines have already started to introduce this kind of innovation to newer ships. Ports are also taking initiatives to become greener by having solar-powered terminals, smart waste separation, electric transportation, etc. Cruise lines are also working with organizations like the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) to make sure that culture, environment, and destination laws are enforced and protected.
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How Hotels Are Becoming Smarter to Adapt to Changing Times - 1 views

  • As one of the largest and oldest industries globally, hospitality has been adapting to a changing world for thousands of years.
  • the social distancing measures imposed by the Covid-19 outbreak have resulted in greater demands for cleanliness and contactless transactions. In contrast, concern over sustainability has made green initiatives a wise financial decision and a marketing necessity.
  • a 2019 PWC survey found that 70 percent of hospitality executives report being actively involved in IoT projects at their properties, compared to just 48 percent of executives from other industries.
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  • an IoT platform could save guest settings so that each time they book a stay at a particular property or brand, they will find the room tailored precisely to their preferences.
  • hotels are beginning to experiment with occupancy sensors in rooms, too (among other things) inform staff of the best times to clean a room to avoid guest disruption.
  • Hotels such as the YOTEL Boston, Aloft Cupertino, Renaissance Las Vegas, and Hard Rock Hotel Biloxi have begun experimenting with robot helpers to clean or provide contactless guest service.
  • For some hotels in Asia, robots proved to be the safest way to deliver food or vacuum the rooms of guests who were completing mandatory 2-week quarantine periods upon arriving in the country.
  • Starwood Hotels & Resorts has begun automatically adjusting indoor lighting in their public areas based on the amount of natural light entering the space.
  • the Wynn Las Vegas scans the temperatures of all people entering the hotel and pulls aside for additional screening of anyone whose temperature registers greater than 100 degrees.
  • In the future, facial recognition technologies could be used to allow staff to identify guests by name.
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    While Covid-19 has caused some major challenges to the hospitality industry, the industry is particulairy known for changing and adapting to an ever evolving world around it. Covid created a big push for hotels and large properties to begin to assess their technology stratagies moving forward and the industry is expected to continue to see a large push for new advances in technology that not only will help to create more sustainable properties but an overall better and more enjoyable guest experience. While this does potentially create an overall more enjoyable guest experience, the upfront capital expenditures for properties could cause potential impacts to the bottom line as well as disrupt the guest experience during renovation times.
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