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This article is based on the new trend of traveling & what the travel agents need to stay aware of. Climate change and global warming is on the rise and the majority of the people are starting to make a change. Yes, people are switching vehicles to fuel efficient but are starting to recycle a lot more but people are also changing their traveling motives. Instead of spending a week in the sun at a luxury resort, travelers are wanting more of a cultural experience and yearning to learn about other ways of life. There is a shift in activities which people are starting to take up. A more personal and low key tour of a family or small village is the ideal excursion now. Travelers are also taking into account the carbon emissions they are producing while traveling to their destination. Traveling by train or boat is making a come back instead of flying or driving.

This is an article that showcases how technology can help a hotel company grow. It shares that Noble House was able to partner with Aptech to create a centralized, Web-based accounting system that streamlined the reporting and forecasting features. By knowing what each hotel is able to forecast for revenue, costs, labor, etc, they are able now to take advantage on inventory systems and shift marketing efforts as needed.

This article is about the InterContinental Hotel needs for a Human Resources management system that allows them to optimize the human resources department operations. A system that allows managing reports and analysis of employees information, payrolls, resume, calculations, and other. The hotel chain InterContinental looked for software vendors that provide their needs and Sky Bayan was the software they tried and ended up working with successful results.

The Hospitality industry is known to have very high attrition rates. This makes it all the more critical to have a robust HR information system (HRIS) in place. HRIS has emerged as among the most crucial aspects of hospitality IT. No hospitality management system can be considered complete without an effective HRIS system. An efficient HRIS system manages the recruitment, staff-shifts, time & attendance, and many other aspects of your hospitality HR requirements. It should be able to drill down to history files and provide e-leave application & training management. Organizations must look for ways to manage their internal processes efficiently while preserving the integrity of each practice. In human resources, this involves many transactions affecting people, including the benefits they receive and the ways they are treated by the organization. Tracking HR activities through a human resources information system is efficient and effective for many business organizations. For the owner, it's usually a matter of which system is affordable and suited to the organization's needs.

This article analysis the future of the GDS for airlines from both the airline company's perspective and the marketing perspective. The conflicts between airlines and GDS and the agencies is a recycling battle. It has been back and forth with the airlines withdraw from the system and ended up renewing contracts. The most recent war initiated by American airline pulled its inventory from Orbitz in December, 2010, in order to force GDS Travelport to drop the distribution cost. The two parties need each other and it is time for them to reach common ground and have mutual benefits.Delta has done something for that by adopting three second-tire OTAs. http://www.tnooz.com/2010/12/22/news/delta-cites-apple-experience-exits-cheapoair-bookit-com-onetravel/ But those are the short-term issues. In the long term is that " airlines' long-term strategy to advance distribution from fare- and schedule-led selling to merchandising. " The article also give a marketing perspective. It shows the intention of American Airline to build a system that link directly to the airline that don`t have to obey the searching rules of the agency. It also listed nine unanswered questions and wild cards, which indicates the risk of this strategic shift.

this article goes over the on going change of the types of telecommunication technologies Hotel guests are using. The article mentions the shift from the use of in-room phones and faxes, to the now popular use of internet connectivity. Mentioning how nowadays it actually costs hotels more money to offer phone services to guests than what they actually make from these services. lastly, it also talks about how more and more hotels are charging internet access fees in order to balance out the loss of revenue from telecommunication services.

Today's online space is more complex and more fragmented. There is a tremendous amount of growth in the mobile research and booking space, which in turn is leading to shortening booking windows.The rise in importance of the mobile channel garnered much attention at PhoCusWright. There are OTAs that are helping solve a problem hoteliers could not do on their own and there are OTAs that are maliciously attacking hotel revenue with large margins. Search-engine marketing, particularly with new parameters introduced by Google, is making it harder to promote and sell hotel rooms.

Palm Beach Hotel face some challenges, they are looking for a solution that is capable of managing the hotel front desk and guest transaction. In order to solve this challenge then use the Horizon property management system. This system can give the management full control over the challenges. It is also equipped with an advanced interface gateway, witch help to connect the front desk and other hotel facilities. This PMS also can implement in the finance department. However the training process is critical, hotel stuff need to be trained. Over all this new system is more flexible and user friendly  than other system they used before. 

Subsidizing a product to get a long-term use commitment from a consumer base is nothing new; it existed before high tech hardware was made affordable by software or service agreements. Think about the razors you buy, assuming of course that you're not a fully bearded male. The initial cost of the razor isn't all that expensive, but replacing the razors for a month costs upwards of twice the razor itself. And if you've shopped for a printer lately, you know the same strategy applies here. The printer itself isn't the greatest expense over the life of the asset; the ink, which is required and usually specific to the device itself, is where you will spend the most money. The most well known form of subsidization, or at least most glaring, comes from the coupling of cell phones and cell service providers. An iPhone, for example, costs a lot more than most people actually pay for it. The new iPhone 5, the basic version with 16GB will run you $649. Not to mention the cost of new adapters, chargers, cases, etc. However, if you commit to (or renew) a two-year service contract with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint, the phone itself costs $199. How does this work? The same way the printers and printer ink work. The service providers (i.e. AT&T) subsidize the majority of the cost of the phone in order to lock customers into a contract that ends up costing much more in usage and data charges over the life of the contract. The idea is to make the cost of entry relatively cheap. Then, the cost the company loses at the initial purchase is recouped through purchases, or service charges, over the long term. Unscrupulous? Not really, although some would say so after receiving their phone bill. But that has more to do with not being aware of the stipulations of the contract you sign to get the cheaper phone at the outset. Although I personally find it annoying, I try to look at as something akin to amortizing the asset, and remember that, at least for me, a monthly fee

Many restaurants use their POS as their basic needs. They probably did not realize what other functions the POS has. This article introduces 3 ways to save cost by using the POS. First, it helps keep track of inventory management. It will track the products from the beginning of the day until you close. It prevents from theft and keeps track of the proper timing to order products when running low. New employees may not be trained enough to charge the proper amount of discount or daily specials meals. Instead of relying on employees to input the correct price, you can utilize your system to input the correct calculations for them. At the end of the day, you are not going to experience money being short. Third, it also helps to manage time and attendance for the employees. It is easy to lose track of your employees' attendance especially in the early morning or late night shifts. To avoid employee time theft, it is possible to set up the time and attendance software in your POS. In conclusion, the POS system does more than what people think. The POS is being underestimated and it is a good idea to take an advantage of the system to save your cost instead of setting up systems that cost much more money than this.

This article expounds how Google is contributing to the future green advancements of the world by implementing them in their every day operations. Although developing next-generation consumer electronics is an extremely lucrative sector of technology, Google has shifted their thinking away from the immediate consumer electronics field, moving towards the development of green technology. The article further mentions Google's wide-range of environmentally-friendly initiatives which includes the development of an application plug-in that would help automobiles determine where the driver is going that in turn reduces energy use, incorporates renewable energy, and offsets carbon emissions. Also, despite the large amount of Google data centers, Google has managed to cut their energy use in half through practical thinking that included purchasing a wind farm in Iowa with plans of running entirely on renewable energy in the near future. The company also made it a point to cut down on greenhouse gases by having goats roam their Google campus to eliminate the need for fertilizer and lawn movers. In conclusion, by adopting unconventional techniques for effectively lowering its environmental impact, the company has become a model example for more companies to think outside of the box and focus on implementing green technology in an efficient and innovative manner.

Cisco systems, one of the worlds leading multinational technology companies, partnered with Apple to provide users a seamless experience when it comes to work related applications. The Cisco-Apple partnership occurred in 2015, however Cisco recently released that they originally tried to partner with Android. Why did the collaboration go sour? Well Android has multiple manufactures and an open source OS, meaning that the Cisco had to approach each in order to solidify the use of there network. The company didn't have enough resources to do so, so they ventured to Apple, who fully controls its systems and new releases. The integration and use of Cisco network allows Apple users to do things like "shift voice calls from carriers to wireless LAN without losing things like call logging for compliance".

There are several advantages to utilizing Apple systems and partnering with the, As you mentioned, they control their systems and new releases. They are also have more users than other systems for their mobile devices. This was a very smart decision by Cisco to drive their business.

Lee Nazari is the CEO and founder of a payment solutions company in the UK. He provides his thoughts on the tendency for British hospitality merchants to be slower at adopting modern technologies, particularly in the point-of-sale category. Nazari exalts the power of beacon-based advertising and marketing tied to these technological solutions. He illustrates a scenario in which even a micro-business can affordably increase visibility in the marketplace and, consequently, foot traffic and revenues. In particular, Mr. Nazari describes the shifting expectation of consumers to integrate convenient, highly visible technological solutions into hospitality interactions and implores British operators to move past their concerns regarding the initial investment in the technology for the sake of their long-term success. He warns that operations that fail to "fall in line with consumer expectations" will "be left behind".

Changes are coming for New York City hotel workers. A proposal between the Hotel Association of New York and the New York Hotel Trades Council would equip hotel staffers with personal panic alarms. Employees like house keepers are calling for the extra safety measures for fear of being assaulted in a guest room. Concern is also circulating outside New York in places like Sacramento, California. The personal security devices were tested on students at California State University at San Marcos last year. I believe hotels will begin to implement more measures like this in large cities like New York. Similar to airports and large department stores, safety is a major concern. I believe the personal panic button is a great idea for any hospitality space that accommodates a large number of people.

I think this new proposal may draw people's attention to employees' safety issues within the hospitality industry. It is also important for hotels and restaurants to make sure that their employees work in an environment that is danger free and threats free. The panic button can provide the instant location of the staff and once if something goes wrong, the time for rescue will be shorten. It is really a beneficial proposal for the entire hospitality industry.

Pending approval, personal panic alarms would be carried by staff members in all New York City hotels. These panic buttons would be carried by the staff member during their shift so that they are easily and quickly accessible should something happen. Fox News in Sacramento, CA reported that house keepers voiced their desire for more saftey measures to be put in place. Assaults on house keepers may be more common than people think. House keepers tend more often to be women and they tend to work alone or with only one other person. Hotels host many events in which guests may be drinking which in turn creates the potential for violent or inappropriate actions. Not only is the safety of guests important to the hospitality industry but safety of employees is paramount as well. Having personal panic buttons would give house keepers and workers alike more peace of mind should they encounter any uncomfortable or unsafe situation.

This is an expo that goes on every year for authors, editors, writers, and all that have to do with the book industry. The main focus of this article is to discuss how popular the E-books have exploded. Many book stores are worried especialy the small time ones as many more people are now just downloading the books.They also talk how Amazon the company is now getting into the publishing world.

Great article on the rise of mobile payment systems and how businesses who in the past may have been cash only or otherwise are seeing increased sales as the ability to take credit card payments with little hardware and software infrastructure costs. Down the street from me is probably my favorite Rib joint in town, Uncle Rodney's House of Ribs is the name. I love that place, but rarely go because they are a cash only business due in large part to the fact that the owner does not wish to pay for wireless or otherwise internet related services to make his business able to accept credit cards. What are everyone's thought to the increased use of mobile payment systems for restaurants and other businesses?

This is an interesting article, and it is quite amazing to see how the way of payment is drastically shifting with new technological devices such as smartphones, card readers. Just a couple of years ago, if I wanted to buy something online, I had to start my computer then go on whatever website I bought something from which took some time. Now, however, I don't even have to turn on my computer to purchase something on the web because I can buy many things through my smartphone whenever and wherever I want. It is a lot easier and faster than what it used to be.

Spasibo bolshoe za interesting article! Ona mne ochen pomozhet v moem research!

Labor costs are likely one of the largest expenses for almost all business. Although each business have different situation, reducing labor expenses is one of the fastest ways to realize more profit. After reading this article, I realize hospitality industry have some difficulties to control labor cost, such as peak hours, high season, part-time workers and a variety of job positions to schedule and multiple shifts to cover. So I think great labor schedule software could make creating work schedules and controlling labor budgets more efficient. Great labor schedule software should have below features, 1. Easily. This software could easily create rolling schedule for unlimited number of workers, define schedule and operational constraints. Easily publish schedules, calendars and any reports to staffs and managers. Manage labor costs and avoid over/under staffing with ease. 2. Flexible. Adjusting individual shift assignment start time, end time and payable hours when necessary. Quickly and efficiently find a substitute worker to fill a cancellation. 3. Comprehensive. Tracking all training, vacation, sick leave, and other off-work requests. Could visually assign tasks of any length from 1 minute to several hours. 4. Analytic. Numerous available reports can provide different kinds of detailed and summary information, such as labor cost data, payroll, employee position and etc. In a word, an efficient labor scheduling software will alert staffs when to work, and will reduce the amount of time that managers spend performing scheduling.

This article emphasizes the shift in marketing from a "one-way marketing model" to a "two-way dialogue." This shift to digital marketing is also effective in providing marketers with much insight about their target markets that was not as readily available in the past. This article also discusses the importance of return on investment (ROI) when selecting an advertising campaign.

"REPORT FROM THE U.S.-There's a potential new powerhouse poised to jump into the travel sector. Search engine behemoth Google announced 1 July it plans to acquire ITA Software in an all-cash deal for US$700 million, subject to adjustments. A Google spokesman said there was no timetable yet for the closing of the deal." This article is about Google trying to create a software that will be in charge of organizing a system were they would be able to provide travel information. It will be a great way for them to generate revenue. It is a long term project that will require a lot of information on the pros and cons that it will bring to Google and the hospitality industry. and since ITA does not currently have a search capabilities for hotels that change could be advantageous to customers. But will it affect other browsers? Definitely BING in my opinion.

This article is about GDS and cruise industry. What this article talks about is that UK's cruise market leader P&O Cruises, Cunard and Princess Cruises, will end its distribution through Amadeus, which is one of the largest GDSs in the world, in November 2011. The reason behind this is because these cruise lines figured out that almost 95 percent of its cruises are sold via its own website so they think GDS is no longer necessary for them. However, other major cruise lines such as Carnival Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, and Norweigian Cruises will still continue to feature on the GDS. According to a spokesman of Amadeus, the company keeps investing in distribution solutions, easier and more secure cruise booking application for cruise lines. This article shows how cruise distribution in the UK is shifting. This change would probably affect not only cruise lines but other sectors such as hotels, airlines, etc. Yet, it is still uncertain if the impact of the change on cruise industry worldwide will be significant. Still, most of cruise lines including the three major cruise operators which have large market share in the cruise industry use GDS; as well as, it is doubtful if cruisers are willing to go on a same cruise ship over and over. Cruisers look for various cruise options while booking online so they will be more likely to visit GDS-based website where they can search for various cruise ships throughout the world; rather than to visit website where there are much less cruise options. Everything will be clear after we see if the UK's cruise operator is successful.