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October 2002 - The travel marketplace is a global arena where millions of buyers (travel agents and the public) and sellers (hotels, airlines, car rental companies, etc.) work together to exchange travel services. This is a good article talking about four major GDS System companies in the world nowadays. When we do some research in GDS area, it is better for us to know some information about these four companies. They are Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan. The author said that Aadeus is Number 1 inlocations worldwide compared to other three companies, Galileo International is a cautions follower when it comes to technology when compared to other GDS companies. Sabre's competitive strenghs are market position, global reach, stable product line, diversification of revenue streams and intellectual capital. And Worldspan has successfully developed the strategies and solutions to ensure the company's long-tern success. After read this article, I think I have the big picture of what GDS System is. The author gave us the strength of different systems. I know what are these GDS companies doing right now in the world. And what is the best is that the author used some accurate data to support the point. So in my point of view, I don't only understand the knowledge related to GDS System, but also learn the way to write my paper, that is using lots of numbers.

GDS is started on the airline industry. And with it development, the airline company recognized that the GDS is becoming more and more important and necessary. And in my opinion, the GDS can not only focus on the airline. It can be on the internet. That is means they should built some sub-company around the world and it will help to form a kind of net that can cover all over the world. So that it is reduce the pressure of airline and increase the short distance distribution. it will be more efficiency for the guest and less human labor.

More and more customers rely on global distribution system to buy hospitality products in present time. This article introduces four major type global distribution systems, Ama dues, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan. There are also some smaller GDS existed in the world. Amadeus is the youngest of the four GDS companies. Galileo International is a diversified, global technology leader. Galileo's competitive strengths include well-balanced and global presence, relationships with diverse groups of travel vendors, technologically advanced information systems and a stable product line. Sabre's competitive strengths include market position, global reach, stable product line, diversification of revenue streams, and intellectual capital. Worldspan provides worldwide electronic distribution of travel information, Internet products and connectivity, and e-commerce capabilities for travel agencies, travel service providers, and corporations.

The Four Seasons Vancouver has conquered the highest rating for Eco-friendly hotels. This title and rating is only given to 30 hotels nationwide and is extremely competitive in nature. Any hotel has the ability to qualify and is evaluated in several aspects consisting of the following: operational areas, sustainable practices and community outreach efforts. The Four Seasons Vancouver has switched over to a unique heating system that is reducing gas emissions, installed newly efficient LED lighting that will last for up to 40 years, participates in an Eco-friendly laundry system for par linen, offers sustainable dining options and donates to local organizations. Along with public recognition, going green has perks that not only benefit the environment but the hotel as well. The Four Seasons Vancouver has taken many drastic initiatives that will be in place for years to come. This says a lot about this individual property and Four Seasons as a hotel brand. It's exciting to see the opportunity for more hotels to go Green and be the change that we all would like to see.

Twenty Four Seven Hotels has moved all their properties to Aptechs PVNG software. PVNG is a cloud-based enterprise accounting software. Aptech is a software company that has 100% hospitality specific software systems. Twenty Four Seven hotels has had no issue with this software as of yet they have only been seeing the positives of the software, the staff finds it very easy to use as well as the vice president of finance for the chain. twenty four seven hotels portfolio also includes Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt brands. this could see major hotel brands switch to more cloud based technology if this chain continues to be successful with it

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts brand has been recognized by L2 Think Tan's Digital IQ Index: Hotels for the use of plenty digital platforms. By analyzing the needs and wants of guest and potential customers Four Seasons decided to invest in technology obtaining great results. "We are thrilled to be recognized by L2 for our commitment to transforming our guest experience through digital and social media platforms," said Susan Helstab, executive vice president, marketing, Four Seasons. Four Seasons saw the great influence technology has in the way we conduct business and communicate therefore the brand applied the newest technology to create a competitive advantage among its competitive set. "The L2 study reflects just how meaningful this is to the guest experience, and solidifies the importance of Four Seasons continual advancement in the digital realm." Some of the recent innovations Four Season applied to the properties are the new website FourSeasons.com that includes real-time search and videos. It also includes maps, Facebook, and blogs among others. Creating a powerful and global social presence in YouTube, Facebook and Twitter that gives them more publicity, Innovating with Emerging Platforms and Mobile Access "The brand has seen 110% growth year over year of business booked through iPhones and 200% increase via iPads." Four Seasons is attracting more groups, leisure and commercial demand thanks to its technology.

This article introduced the new website of the Four Seasons Hotel, what the new functions are added to the new website, and how the new website help the hotel attract new customers. There are some differences between the old hotel website and the new one. Six key features of the new website can respect the strengths of the new website which are Ease of booking, On the go, Access to review, Every property has a story, Location and Personalization. Four Seasons Hotel also unveils its Four Seasons Luxury Trend Report. Some of the insights from the report include: Luxury is back, Branding moves to the social sphere, E-commerce is king, The rise of the iPad. Nowadays, most customers choose to use website to get to know a hotel, so the website has a great meaning for the hotel. The website not only needs to have enough information, images, but some unique functions to attract customers and provide better service through the internet. Like the Four Seasons Hotel's new website, it allows for multi-destination, multi-hotel, and multi-person reservations, it will paint an authentic picture of the local culture, and it will collect guests' personal interests, related content and recommendations, this information will become available on a guest's next visit and over time, delivering a completely personalized experience. Four Seasons Hotel notices that E-commerce is the king, as Seventy-eight percent of the affluent participate in social networking sites, with more than half using social media to connect with a brand. The luxury consumer is increasingly going online to research and make purchases. It is important for the hotel the keep up with the latest technology such as the iPad. According to the Four Seasons Luxury Trend Report, One-third of wealthy consumers own a tablet or e-Reader. Four Seasons revenue generated from the iPad and other tablets has grown 200 percent from 2010 to 2011. The new technology has a close relationship with the hotel and the e-business.

The University of Minnesota offers a graduate-level class called "Event Management in Sport" in which the 30 students create and implement a volunteer management plan for the sporting event the Final Four where an estimated 1,000+ volunteers participate.

The new Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World is using the InvoTech Systems Inc. UHF-RFID Uniform System to provide real -time tracking of the 7,000 plus uniforms required for their staff. the system is able to track all uniforms by utilizing a waterproof RFID tag that is attached to each custom made piece for "automated tracking and record keeping." RFID tags are installed as the employee is issued their uniform. The uniform is then passed over the counter to the employee and the tracking system automatically records the pieces as they are being issued. The system is able to count hundreds of articles in a matter of seconds and insures that all uniforms are properly accounted for. The software system also monitors use and laundry cycles to facilitate replacement when required. By investing in the InvoTech System the Four Seasons Orlando is ensuring employee accountability and also reducing labor expenses associated with manual handling of uniforms.

This article tells us about 10 new innovations in the hospitality world. Mostly it is talking about some innovations in the hotel industry such as face recognition at the registrations, voice-controlled rooms, and smart amenities.

The current trend of human resources software is towards global. Every major human resources software vendor is trying to appeal to multinational companies looking to handle their global workforce through a single, cloud-based human resource system that can manage everything from payroll and administration talent and learning management. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts at Toronto had trouble transferring managers from one location to another and researching HR when they open new hotel. This is because they did not have certain standardization of compensations and they too much relay on paper-driven systems. Today, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts are enabled to check compensation information on anyone at specific property as well as locations employees want to work in the future by using Workday's a global human capital management system. Moreover, Four Seasons' managers and employees working at the properties around the world will be allowed to use the system in various languages.

This article notes that many hotels have been the victims of cyber attacks. For example, in July of this year, the Four Seasons, Trump Hotels, and the Loews Hotels all had customer information hacked because of security failures. Furthermore, many of these resulted from vulnerability from the vendors. To address this issue, the article suggests that hotels should incorporate the following four actions: (1) Review data security policies; (2) Require vendors to take responsibility for their mistakes; (3) Analyze cybersecurity policies; and (4) Require brands and managers to test backup systems.

In this article, the author discusses four hotel accounting challenges and solutions with Scott Watson, Executive Vice President of Sales and marketing from M3. According to this VP, hotel finances and accounting can be complex and come with challenges. We will discuss the challenge and solutions to the four listed issues: Enterprise Resource Planning, Staff Variations, Data Overload and Core Challenges. Firstly, the challenge with enterprise resource planning is how do hotels implement affordable and scalable solutions. Scott believes partnering up can cut costs. Secondly, staff variations and labor demands and the importance of staying within the budget. Scott's solution to this is real-time monitoring for labor. Cloud- based reporting can help manager monitor the daily labor costs and other payroll functions in real-time. Thirdly, data overload. The challenge here is how to do hotels present that data collected. According to Scott, the solution here is having a centralized platform. This allows for a check and balance system and may assist in monitoring cash flows, etc. Lastly, the fourth challenge are core challenges such as guest service, sales, operations and cash management. The main challenge here is how to hotels monitor the core competencies that generate revenue. The answer, according to Scott, is to outsource it. Outsourcing can be an efficient and cost-effective solution but it is not for everyone.

Global distribution systems have grown immensely in the last couple of years. This article mentions the biggest and first companies to have created and used GDS. These were and are important companies with in the hospitality industry, they started using these systems to track themselves and created a monster that is now the best way for consumers to book and edit their reservations.

The article discusses Microsoft's cloud-first computing strategy and roadmap. The concepts were presented during the keynote address of Kirill Tatrinov at the Microsoft's Converge 2013 event. Microsoft is using a humanized approach in their marketing and messaging as they embrace a cloud computing, devices, and services strategy. The company is offering Windows Dynamics and Azure as part of their cloud-first strategy. Microsoft Azure is the foundational element of the company's devices and services strategy. Microsoft is committed to becoming a leader in the field. They will need their partners and resellers to believe in the strategy in order to be successful. During the Converge 2013 event, Microsoft presented four customer success stories from the Microsoft Customer Excellence Award. The four companies highlighted were Chobani, Shock Doctor, Revlon, and Weight Watchers. They each outlined how Microsoft Dynamics allowed them to better connect with customers and run more efficient businesses. Microsoft's cloud-first strategy has infused a sense of hope and anticipation in many partners and resellers and this could serve to transform the company's vision into a profitable reality.

Aptech Computer Systems INC announced four hotel companies have selected Aptech's financial solutions software. All four of these hotel companies represent 17 properties that mange their own hotels. This software is a fully integrated accounting system that has business intelligence and focuses on hotels in the hospitality industry. Aptech can either host the system, or the client or a third party can. The system also helps to maintain data security, maintenance, and updates. This is one of the most widely used Business Intelligence systems throughout the industry. I think the idea of accounting software for hotels in the hospitality industry is important because there are different aspects to hotels than other businesses. A hotel sells an experience instead of a product, so there are different focuses when working on an accounting statement. The system can help a hotel focus on what only pertains to them instead of other businesses. I find the system to be interesting and useful because it can help accountants' only focus on hotel related business.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina , Sept. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Guests staying at Four Season Hotel Buenos Aires have a new, complimentary digital amenity to keep them connected during their stay. The hotel now offers a digital, all-you-can-read newspaper and magazine service from PressReader, treating guests to more than 3,000 local, regional and international publications by using their laptops, tablets or smartphones.

Four Seasons Miami also just took another step in "going green" and now offers the press reader application to our guests. We don't buy hard copies of newspapers anymore to reduce the amount of paper being used to save the trees and rain forest. Guests don't have to pay any extra cost for this technology and have thousands of newspapers to choose from.

The L2 ranking measures the digital competency of 52 hotel brands via 350 data points across four dimensions: Site, Digital Marketing, Social Media, and Mobile. (As new technology changes the face of travel, Four Seasons is committed to being at the forefront of digital innovation, engaging guests in the ways that are most meaningful to them. It also reflects the brand's long term strategic investment in digital. Examples that led to Four Seasons #1 ranking from L2 include: innovating with Emerging Platforms, creating a powerful and global social presence, mobile access, and the new FourSeasons.com.

The article, iPad POS Use Rising Among Restaurants, reflects the evolution and implementation of both hardware and POS software within the restaurant industry. The iPad is revolutionizing POS systems, helping to increase the efficiency for the restaurants. According to Chris Wishart, restaurateur of the Trio Restaurant & Bar, "You don't have to worry about servers coming back into the kitchen 10 or 15 times a night asking questions". This allows for the quicker and more efficient placing of orders that contribute to higher customer satisfaction, which is to an extent difficult to measure. As well, Wishart comments about the hardware cost an estimated $3,000, in comparison to the typical upfront POS system costs of $12,000 to $20,000. Including, the use of the cloud base technology has eliminated the need for store software upkeep. The iPad is a versatile hardware that has allowed POS software companies to benefit mutually along with restaurants.

This article introduces using ipad as a POS in restaurants. Customers liking ipad, this is a big advantage of using ipad to take the order. What's more, ipad can improve the efficiency for the restaurant and decrease the workload of servers. "You don't have to worry about servers coming back into the kitchen 10 or 15 times a night asking questions, and the recipes for all the bar drinks are there, too," And ipad POS can bring the benefit for the cost of the restaurants. In addition, it also has the reliability to assure users.

It is a revolution that tablet brings to restaurant industry. Taking orders, reservation, planning and inventory, all things are possible with iOS platform devices. Both restaurants and guests like new tablet POS because it improve experience and time efficient. Both servers and restaurant owners like it because it is cheaper to set up comparing with traditional POS.

This article is a comprehensive analysis of the problems existing in E-Commerce from the perspective of a CEO in New York. According to Kim, a lot of bad behaviors in offline commerce translate to online. Identifying those problems, he asserted, is the first step toward developing solutions. There are mainly four problems in E-commerce including pushy sales, No-service Sales, No Data, Wrong Data. He suggests four solutions to solve these problem. At first, they remind that not all consumers should be treated the same. The simplest ,most effective way is segementation, dividing customers into several groups. Moreover,he mentioned that merchant should offer different product to people of their own targeted values. The other two solutions are listen and serve, one chance.That means the merchant should be patient enough to let customer tells them what they want and provide updated activities to the customers on time.

Aptech Computer Systems, Inc., the leading provider of hospitality software for business intelligence and enterprise financial accounting, announced about four new hotel companies who have selected their hospitality solutions to improve their business intelligence, budgeting and forecasting, and accounting. M&R Hospitality Management in New York and San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, CA, are among the companies implementing Aptech's financial solutions. Excuvue is a web based hospitality Business Intelligence application which gathers and coordinates data from different hotel systems, including the Smith Travel Research report. This system can convert written online ratings, comments, and the guest satisfaction ratings into metrics. This basically helps in optimizing the revenues as they can match up with the customer's idea and with their current daily performance and also with their competitors. It is very essential to bring about changes in the department where your competitor is excelling at. This sort of information can help them make quick changes for profitability and customer satisfaction. The interesting part is that companies are looking outside to leverage financial solutions in order to better manage their standards and keep up the pace. and many more hotel companies are implementing this to streamline their back office processes.

This article focuses on how hotel companies are implementing a new system that has been introduced to simplify financial accounting. Aptech Computer Systems claims to be a leading provider of such software, allowing companies to improve their budgeting, forecasting, and accounting. Many hotel companies utilize Quickbooks to effectively manage their budgeting and forecasting needs, along with their accounting needs, and as these companies grow, they need a better solution to effectively manage these aspects. Companies with multiple properties need a system that can manage data from all of their different sources, and combine them to strategically analyze their profits, revenues, and their losses, as well as to make budgeting decisions and forecasts. Execuvue, a web based business intelligence application created by Aptech, combines data from a large variety of hotel systems, such as STR data, which is extremely valuable in assessing where each hotel stands in its competitive set, and how much of its market share that it is currently obtaining. The system also provides insight to operators as to recommended actions for the hotel to take with the data that is collected. The system also measures online ratings, comment card details and other guest satisfaction measurements, enabling hotel operators to utilize guest satisfaction ratings along with their profit standpoints and their current financials. This system seems to be a valuable resource in today's economy, and with the evolving technology. It allows users to utilize data from all sorts of sources to make decisions and assessments. Any operator or manager knows that seeing data quickly and efficiently, where the answer is simply laid out in front of you so that you do not have to seek information from multiple sources and then compare it with the other sources, allows you to make informed decisions much more quickly and be much more assured with your choices. It also enables those operators to find ways to opt