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"Maybe it's easy to ignore the huge percentage of vintage gadgets that wind up torched in dicey scrap heaps in developing countries". This article was written on Feb-27-2020. The problem we saw on the old video is still very much a problem now, only bigger.

This article was super informative in the realm of E-waste. It covered every aspect of the issue and most definitely is relevant in today's world.

In this news you will see how robotics and AIs have been developed to help out even in the one place that some thought may not be possible, kitchen. However it is something that not everybody agrees with having in an establishment.

This article depicts how AR (augmented reality) is being implemented in the hospitality industry to improve the physical environment and experiences the hotels are offering to the consumer. It provides a real time data feed to customers at the right time and place giving great customer service in the end result. Some examples how it is being implemented is that with AR you are able to transport the customer directly to the room they want to explore in real-time and in real retrospective as if they were there. With the creating of AR apps like "Pokemon Go" hotels can create similar games in which it rewards the customers with discounts and other incentives. So with the rise of technology we can definitely look forward to how technology can hep us prior to our choice of booking experience the outcome of what to expect without leaving the comfort of our living room.

The 2020 created SaaS platform Jurny has raised another 9.5 million dollars to help expand globally and reach more small-medium sized properties looking for enterprise level solutions. The technology comes at a much less significant cost than many competitors already existent in the space and continues to prove why smaller sized properties should consider the software. Many operators are seeing an average 20% increase in revenue and 2x NOI within the first 30 days of implementation.

The article lists the varies new technology that are becoming more and more of the norm in modern hotels. The first and most important is WIFI. Ten years ago every hotel you went would make you pay for WIFI nowadays guests look for hotels that offer free wifi. Conference facilities are a big thing in larger hotels but they need to be digital. Everyone has a mobile device so making as much as possible available on a guests mobile phone will go a long way. Entertain and clod services are all new technologies being used in hotels as well. Of course social media is a huge part of our day to day world.

This article talks about how technology is affecting the hospitality industry. There have been several small technological advances in the industry. Recently, advances have been skyrocketing, especially in the hotel sector. Hotels have been updating their technology year after year striving to stay relevant. Businesses are looking for Digital conference facilities for their conferences/meetings. Where skype and zoom calls can be conducted in a business fashion. There are also hotels that are looking to put in finger scanning devices for room access and infrared scanners for staff members to monitor room activity. This article has several other fantastic advances in technology that could be used in the hospitality industry as a whole.

Technology evolves everyday it keeps getting better and making lives even easier. Guests are attracted to hotels who have the latest technology. This week I saw in social media a friend of mine is currently in Las Vegas and her room had an Echo Dot and she was asking Alexa to turn off the lights and close the shades. That got my attention and is proving the point on how the Hospitality industry has to be at the very top of the latest technology trends.

Hospitality consumers are only getting more and more tech savvy, therefore, businesses must meet their patrons' standards and expectations when it comes to preferences, efficiency, convenience and speed. Examples we experience daily are mobile ordering at a restaurant, online/kiosk check in at a hotel, food delivery apps and more.

Being able to customize to the consumer and their needs is a game changer and with data analytics available today this is becoming more of a reality and could soon be a consumer expectation as we want content and experiences that are relevant to us.

The more technology is evolving into the world of business the more human interaction is less needed. parallelly, customer expectations keeps getting higher every year. some consumers tend to look for more personalized service, this is very difficult to provide through technology solely, till now at least, human interaction is essential to keep up with guests expectations.

After the pandemic hit in 2020, hotels have had to adapt to a volatile market quickly or risk major losses. This quick adaptation would not have been possible without cloud computing. Based on a Jan. 2021 survey, the vast majority of hoteliers now claim that the most important use of software is to have the ability to adapt to rapidly changing business conditions- a shift from the historical answer of efficiency and cost savings. What is clear is that without cloud computing, hotels would not be able to meet guests' evolving needs while navigating an ever- changing travel market.

This article discusses the positive impact of cloud computing applications in the hospitality industry. Today, both large hotel chains and small and independent hotels are using cloud computing as a strong management tool. Cloud-based services are replacing the traditional and old systems at all levels, and cloud computing has reshaped the structure of the hospitality industry. The article lists four advantages of working with cloud computing in the hospitality industry: cutting huge business costs, improving and enhancing the guest experience, making direct bookings easy, and making remote work possible. Cloud computing is evolving rapidly, and its use in the industry will become the norm.

OTAs identified an unmet customer need and created digital destinations that became the first stop for prospective travelers. Unfortunately, the very thing that made OTAs the original travel disruptors- the ability to aggregate digitized data to create economical, do-it-yourself travel planning - could be what gives rise to another innovative disrupter: Google.

A question we have all been asking is how can our data that we share be safe with businesses as technology continues to improve and progress into the hospitality industry. Biometrics are biological measurements or physical characteristics that are used to identify individuals like fingerprint mapping or facial recognition. Marriott hotels in China are already using facial recognition technology for checking in and charging the room fee and deposit to the guest's account. Many hotels also use biometrics for their IT operations. The closer connection between biometric methods and the user the security is greater. A person's phone is effectively safer than a hotel's facial recognition system and provides increased security of data.

Cloud computing is not the answer to everything however it does have pros that allows its infrastructure to be invested. Cloud computing is cost effective, faster, and easy to share with different businesses in a different location. Although, its does rely on internet in order to make data download to the cloud.

This article talks about the GDS and how it can help attract clients in particular business clients. It starts by giving all the benefits of the GDS. It then goes on to explain how the GDS works and who can access it. It ends by talking about the types of GDS systems and how they will evolve and stay relevant in the future.

This article describes the different types of GDS programs that hotels might use. The one my hotel uses is in here as well! It outlines why they are important, how they are used, and the massive reach that they have. Most companies use GDS to streamline their efficiency so it is interesting to read why it is so effective.

This article is about the POS system at Hilton hotels and how it was breached by malware that put consumer data at risk. I found this article interesting because Hilton does not use unattended POS systems, which are what are most commonly targeted in information phishing attacks. This is definitely something that affects all aspects of the hospitality industry, and we know that consumer data is very sensitive. Hotels and other hospitality agencies are trusted to maintain high levels of confidentiality. It would be interesting to see how such a malware would have affected a smaller company with less counterattack resources.

This article breaks down several methods of location-based marketing and the ways they can be applied. They provide recommendations on how hospitality businesses can implement this technology to their advantage.

Expenses relating to telecommunications in the hospitality industry have seen an increase despite a decline in returns for products offered to guests like fees for phone calls and internet. The article explains the rising costs and how operators can control costs regarding telecommunications. "Between 2015 and 2019 telecommunications costs went up faster than operating costs across the board." One reason was due to the complimentary phone and internet offered at some properties. IT Audits, consolidation of telecom providers, and technology upgrades are three ways organizations can manage costs. IT audits involve looking at an organization's current tech plan and its performance. What does it need beyond what it has? Then consolidating the vendors used. Controlling costs especially when technology is changing will benefit owners and operators as it helps them "limit disruption and use the best tech".

Coming from a culinary background controlling costs is everything especially when it comes to food. In tech, it's way more than just what the customer sees or eats. I think IT audits would be a must nowadays in the hospitality sector as it provides a clear view of what is being utilized and a road map to where we can go and how we can skim the fat to make a better product for management and customers. I suppose consolidating tech would be like using one provider for a variety of tech solutions or software that includes many BOH applications in one place. That would be handy to have and management effectiveness would increase as you wouldn't need to educate employees on multiple platforms.

This article discusses the controversial self-checkout model in major chain stores such as Target and Walmart and the cause and effect of labor issues and how other scenarios appear to be encouraging a time when this model replaces human checkout entirely. It was reported that Walmart loses 3 billion every year to customer and employee theft. For the most part, retailers have been thinking about self-checkout through a financial-savings and customer-experience perspective. But inherently, that means there's going to be less eyes on a transaction, less human interaction and more opportunity for shrink.

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.

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.

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.

A report from CBRE analyzed the costs of phone and internet services within the information and telecommunications systems department of nearly 3000 hotels. There is an upward trend in telecom-related expenditures with a decline in revenue generation from phone call charges and internet access. Three ways to control these costs are undergoing IT audits, consolidating vendors across portfolios, and upgrading technologies.

This study was about adoption and automation of AI in hospitality. It gives great insight on the process as well as what people think of AI and their opinions. In addition to that, this study goes into different techniques that were used to understand how and why AI should be implemented. Human interaction cannot be beat, along with personal touch and humans can't remember everything a computer can, but if you have robots and humans working together you can get the best of both worlds. Smart technologies are now and the future.