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Visit Florida has announced they are coming out with a new, free certificate and training for hospitality employees. Due to the increase in Florida tourism, they will launch this new program to hopefully keep more tourists coming back because of the remarkable hospitality they received. Tourism is up from 2012 and they feel 2014 will surpass 2013, which the state welcomed 93.7 million visitors. That being said, this is a great opportunity for our industry. This will open so many doors for event planners and other hotel positions to help with the increasing tourism and being able to cater to their needs.

The Florida Theatre had been using standard cash drawers and credit card machines to process their guest payments. They had been having multiple issues as far as cash drawer balancing or credit cards not being read correctly. It was affecting their financial statements. They implemented a new POS system to modernize themselves.The POS prophet systems involved the theatre to have to use less equipment and help keep track of their inventory. The POS system overall was a success for the theatre and showed results of having all the cash drawers be balanced . The POS system handles the theatre's inventory and accounting.

South Florida can relax and breathe easy because this summer's outlook is encouraging, because our fellow Floridians are likely to 'come on down' for their vacations this year. The favorable indicators are a combination of an improved economy and low(er) gas prices. The good news doesn't stop there either as international tourism has been noted on the increase as well! One 162-room hotel in Delray Beach anticipates up to 60% Floridians this summer, as well as South Americans enjoying the benefits of their growing economies. "Advance bookings … are up by 50 %" for US tourists and an additional 20% for foreign visitors at a Ft Lauderdale resort, which reports over 90% occupancy booked for July. The owner comments that advance bookings over 15% is considered good, so the 2012 outlook is definitely a boon for the South Florida tourism industry. He plans to increase rates as well, for an added extra shot in the arm to the local economy. With local family members working hospitality jobs, I been hearing for years how they might as well take off of work during the summer due to the low number of tourists, and that those who do visit are very stingy on their purchases and gratuities; all a reflection of the US and worldwide economies' downhill spiral since 9-11. Florida has been taking ongoing hits to its tourism dollars since then exacerbated by the 2009 recession and the BP oil spill in 2010. Only last year did the annual summer slump tentatively raise its sleepy head and squint towards a light at the end of the tunnel. South Florida hotels had an increased in occupancy from 50 - 63%, and were able to charge up to 6% increase in rates, according to Smith Travel Research. With this winters long awaited tourism bonanza this year, the 'Snowbird' season is happily back again in full force, so that industry professionals can go back to business as usual now that summer is also expected to be lucrative. Happy Summer!

Enjoy: Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmRMLILaW3o&feature=colike

There are many posts about Green hotels. If you are interested in the process for your hotel in Florida please go to the Florida Green Lodging website and click on the designation application link. There are also helpful links to Best Practices, Designated Properties, and Webinars. I was fortunate to sit in on their meeting with the AHLA in Miami with Professor Scanlon and I learned a wealth of information most of which can be accessed on this website. Start your green team today! Angela Before You Apply [PDF - 94KB]Review this document before beginning the application to learn more about the Florida Green Lodging Program. Application Instructions [PDF - 67KB] [DOC - 31KB] Please follow these instructions when completing the Designation Application. Designation Application [PDF - 1,388KB] This application is a comprehensive evaluation tool that details the requirements of the Florida Green Lodging Program.

Sergio's in West Kendall in South Florida has implemented ASTRO - short for Automated Service Tray Removal Organizer. The restaurant wasn't filling enough vacancies and their employees felt burnt out so they reached out to Bear Robotics who specialized in automated robots for the restaurant and hospitality industry. ASTRO earns $2-3 hourly and was "hired" to help the human worker, not replace them. The goal is for ASTRO to do grunt work like rushing food and returning dirty dishes. Higueros, of Bear Robotics, said, "The human interaction is never going to be replaced - that's what you want. You want your servers to spend time with your customers."

This article provides in-depth information regarding Florida's Department of Environmental Protections' Green Lodging Program which "recognizes lodging facilities that make a commitment to conserve and protect Florida's natural resources." The program has four tiers and pays close attention to communication and education, waste reduction, water conservation, energy efficiency and indoor air quality. This program not only benefits the planet, but it benefits the hotel industry by cutting back costs.

MenuPad is a mobile POS system designed to operate with existing POS systems, making the system easy to incorporate into a restaurant's operations. Customers can place orders and pay bills with this appilication on iPad. Carmel Café & Wine Bar in Sarasota, Florida, now has this app for the restaurant. The server's traditional role of order-taker is replaced with technology when a mobile POS menu is implemented. However, the still server plays a crucial role in introducing guests to the iPad itself and the software it is running.

According to in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Green Lodging Program, Rosen Hotels & Resorts are the first hotels in Central Florida to achieve the Two Palm status certifies. The state provides technical assistance, with which hotels can reduce waste, conserve natural resources and improve the bottom line. Harris Rosen said they will do everyday effort to continue the green standard, to increase sales, and it is right to do this for every company. Some green practices of Rosen hotels & resorts are various, simple and effective, such as, the water conservation measures, energy efficiency measures. They provide the more chances to recycle, purchase items in bulk, recycled materials and recycle ink and toner cartridges to reduce waste. The three Rosen hotels' special measure is to introduce several other eco-friendly programs. And also, they use a programmable energy management system to control temperatures in meeting rooms, after the using of meeting rooms, the lights would be turned off. They also emphasize the green materials. The hotels and Harris Rosen play a role in conservation of the area's natural resources. He made the Expedition Headwaters, An Everglades Journey to Remember, which aims to increase awareness of the ecological connection of the Orlando metropolitan area with the Everglades ecosystem. The team also invited students from elementary and middle, taught them about watersheds, wetlands and aquatic ecosystems.

HP has released two new POS systems, which can be found in Australia. The two systems released are: HP RP3 Retail System, Model 3100, and the HP RP7 7100, Model 7100. One system can be used in higher temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius. This enables it to be placed outdoors, in a building with no air conditioning, at a serving counter, or closer to a kitchen. The RP3 model can be placed under a counter or above a cash drawer. This particular model does not need external cooling and is geared towards hotter locations. The RP7 can be wall mounted if there is no counter space. It is also dust, splash, and smoke resistant. The ability to not have to worry about external cooling for the one system is extremely important. Even today some technology can become overheated and malfunction. With the ability to place the one POS system outdoors or near a kitchen is a great convenience. This would help business owners not having to worry about temperatures or where the POS system is located. The POS system can be in 40 degree Celsius temperature (104 degrees Fahrenheit). I especially feel this would be useful in South Florida where it can be warm and muggy outdoors. Also on the RP7 system I found the splash resistant feature to be useful, especially for a bar where drinks can easily be splashed. Both systems I feel have some advantages in the POS world.

Very interesting! I hope they are right!!

NASCAR has many green initiatives to talk about. As the 2014 Daytona 500 was ready to run NASCAR was trying out four hydrogen fuel cell generators to power cameras that take video from different staging areas during the race. These fuel cells replaced diesel-powered generators which reduced greenhouse gas emissions, noise and vibration. NASCAR has teamed up with the Department of Energy to further their use of new green solutions in racing events. They have also added EV charging stations at their corporate office locations in Daytona Beach, Florida, Charlotte, North Carolina and Concord, North Carolina. To show their support of electric automobiles. The NASCAR corporation continues to look for ways to be more environmentally friendly while improving the customer experience at their events.

" ORLANDO, Florida-NH Hotel Group is using technology as the cornerstone of a five-year strategic plan to expand its global footprint."

Restaurant fraud is a vile act in which customer unknowingly are taken advantage of by restaurant staff members. The article referenced Miami, a primary tourist area in South Florida, have seen where customers complain of being charged double the amount of the quoted rate for food. In other instances, customers are solicited by specials buts again charged more than the initial rate. To protect the destination and rid the area of tacky and or false advertising information, city officials have implemented strict laws. So far, compliance have been enforced and violators charges accordingly.

This article explains how theme parks are look for ways to ensure safety for all of the guest and employees during the Covid-19 pandemic. By using Far-UVC light technology to help clean and disinfect attractions and restaurants.

AiresLibre Travel, a Florida-based boutique travel agency, needed a phone solution that would meet the company's needs as a global business. Aires Libre Travel is an expanding business that books customized vacations worldwide. This agency AiresLibre Travel has selected "Phonebooth" as their VoIP solution. Phonebooth is a cloud-based VoIP provider that is able to support mobile call forwarding and global call transfers with reliable and clear service. These features are beneficial to the agency because the staff is not only very busy, but they are located in different parts of the world. Raquel Segura, CEO and owner of AiresLibre Travel, mentions in the article that if she is unable to take a phone call, it will automatically be forwarded to her business partner in France. Not only does Phonebooth allow for the agency to be in constant communication with their customers, it allows them to "deliver exceptional customer service and treat international calls as if they were local-with a clear connection and affordable price."

Duval's New World Café, rated the "#1 Seafood Restaurant" in Sarasota, Florida by OpenTable diners, recently became the very first install to incorporate Future POS Mobile Ordering for fast and easy order entry via an app. Duval's uOrder App, installed by Future POS, Inc., offers restaurant patrons the convenience of placing orders directly from their smartphone. Unlike other mobile ordering apps on the marketplace, the uOrder™ App allows customers to control their dining experience from start to finish. Upon opening the app, the customer can choose to "Order To Go" or to "Eat At Duval's/Table." When the latter option is selected, the user is presented with a QR code that is then scanned by the host or hostess. From that point on, the entire dining process lies in the hands of the customer, eliminating all unnecessary order and payment delays. In addition to enhanced efficiency, the app also offers quick access to previously ordered items, configurable order types and a customizable information page for advertising. Customers can simply visit their smartphone's app store, search for the uOrder™ App and complete the free download. To develop the app, the Future POS team worked with Corona SDK, a robust and reliable mobile development framework with cross-platform capabilities. The app is skin-able to the restaurant's unique logo and color scheme, allowing restaurateurs to create a personalized product that is unique to their business. When someone orders via the app, the order is sent directly to the store's kitchen and receipt printers, allowing direct and seamless integration into the restaurant's operations.

TripAdvisor just launched the new TripAdvisor GreenLeaders program, which ranks hotels across the U.S. according to their engagement in environmentally-friendly practices like linen and towel re-use, recycling and composting, solar panel and electric car charging station implementation, and green roofing.

With TripAdvisor's launch of the new GreenLeaders program, it will help hoteliers as well as restaurants and other businesses increase their Green initiative commitment. I know for the Florida Green Lodging Certification, it is a simple, yet tedious, form to complete, covering many aspects that can help reduce waste of products, energy, and gasses. Thanks to a bill that was passed in the not-so-distant past, certain aspects of the government travel requires their selection of lodging and/or meeting facilities to be green. This is in an effort to encourage those changes in order to secure government business, as well as to encourage personal & leisure travel, government or not, to choose green facilities. The more we increase the demand for green properties, the more properties will seek to make the necessary changes and commitment. In addition, the application process changes periodically, increasing the information and steps necessary to become green. Through all of that, we will begin to notice bigger steps to be made to save our resources and our environment. TripAdvisor launching this program will only help in these efforts. Along with increasing efforts, the feedback will be a great tool for use when selecting how to make those changes. Sure, nothing is perfect and you will still have those that prefer the convenience instead of the overall "Save the Earth" way of life, but we will be able to see what is working and what may need to be adjusted a bit.

GrandStay Hospitality has selected ZDirect for its eMarketing and eCRM provider. ZDirect also has ZMail which includes Mobile Passport, SMS Messaging, Apple Passbook, and Responsive Email Design. According to Jon Kennedy, president of GrandStay Hospitality, ZDirect has an impeccable reputation in regards to their services and customer successes. He believes that ZDirect will give it the leverage needed to help the "small, transitional" company quickly grow. The tools of ZDirect and ZMail will "enable each property to send electronic guest confirmations, pre-arrival email promotions, post-stay satisfaction surveys", which will allow the hotel and its guests to communicate. This two-way communication will help to increase revenue and maximize profits.

eMarketing is a great way for smaller companies to grow in the hotel industry. But if planning to run eMarketing all on your own it can get costly. The amount of severs, maintenance, and man power to run a successful eMarketing campaign is more than a small hotel chain can handle. Allowing a third party company like ZDirect to come in and help orchestrate an eMarketing campaign is a great solution for smaller hotel chains a chance. 

This article discusses a couple of ways in which hotels are extending themselves to go green. Specifically the article lists three ways in which these hotels are initiating themselves into going green, which are through low water consumption Power saving, and solid waste disposal. The article also discusses energy efficient lighting.  Along with discussing these processes, the article explains that its not easy to be green in this sector, but the hotel industry now has a new environmental conscience. This being great for hotels. its one step in opening a new way to help get our environment back to where it needs to be and with there being such a large scale of hotels why not get them in the best order that we can get them. 

As the article states"The hotel industry has long been associated with excessive waste: using powerful chemicals for cleaning and wasting energy for maintenance rather than being environmentally friendly. Moreover and as result of tourism industry growth, the demand for resources from the hospitality sector has exponentially increased. However, the new popularity of Eco Tourism has encouraged hotels to adopt new green practices that allow them to reduce their negative impact on the environment" The hospitality industry can help improve the environmental problems we are going through at the moment by simply adding: low water consumption, power saving, energy-efficient lighting and solid waste disposal. Furthermore, the guest are starting to become more aware and loyal to brands that are making changes to become green and there is where eco tourism starts and its getting bigger. In the future, all hotels will have to follow the LEED requirements which makes them follow certain rules to help reduce energy and go green. This will help the hotel managers and industry save money and at the same time help the environment.