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Keeping Green: Sustainability and Covid-19 - Short Term Rentals - 1 views

  • It is important in a moment like this to ask the question – will sustainability stay as important to hospitality?
  • Sharmista Mitra-Kelly, senior associate at JCJ Architecture, noted: “They all have different expectations, but a very similar mindset when it comes to wellness and preservation [both self and natural], and that means a focus on sustainability.”
  • Giles Fuchs, entrepreneur and owner of the Burgh Island Hotel, said: “For business hotels, such as Premier Inn, they have found that individuals are far more likely to stay in hotels who are making an effort to provide a more sustainable environment.”
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  • The idea of green business is prominent in short-term rentals and serviced apartments as well.
  • Fuchs added: “There’s that obvious tension between price and quality.”This tension is at the heart of all business and tends to become unbalanced during times of hardship. When businesses are existentially threatened, as some say hospitality is with the coronavirus outbreak, logic would dictate that price takes over afterwards.
  • For some hospitality businesses, sustainability may actually be a solution to cut costs with a more difficult market. Basic measures, such as opting out of turndown services and using energy efficient lights and recycling water can realistically be used to shave certain expenses.
  • In this instance sustainable development can be a double-edged sword. High upfront costs can hamstring businesses with less cash on hand but can create necessary savings for those with just enough.
  • Madu Rajesh, director for International Tourism Partnership, told HospitalityNet: “There is a strong business case for sustainable hotels including reducing operational costs through utility savings, benefiting from national and local incentives, and increasing control of energy costs through installing on-site renewables.”
  • The consensus among many professionals is, however, that sustainability is no longer a choice that can really be made by businesses. The future of hospitality will be inherently sustainable.
  • Paolo Trevisan, head of design at Pininfarina of America, said: “Over the next six to twelve months, consumers will be giving everything a more critical look, from their homes to their vacations. As such, we believe that sustainability –– especially principles of biophilia (access to natural light, green space, etc.) –– will continue to be a topic on the forefront of people’s minds.
  • Mitra-Kelly said: “More than anything, this pandemic is teaching us that we are so dependent on things that are not locally sourced or sustained.”
  • The ethics of sustainability are dependent upon the personal views of those who lead a company, but the business sense is not.
  • For some, sustainability may be the way to recover from a time of genuine business concern. For others it may fall by the wayside.The idea, however, is still present and, while maybe temporarily deprioritised, is set for a significant comeback.
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    The article describes the origins of green hotel and hospitality movement, provides the experts' opinions on green movement within the industry and predicts the possible future actions of the hotels in the after COVID-19 times. Financial aspects of the implementation of environment friendly actions are also discussed.
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Most companies taking 'wait-and-see' approach to coronavirus | CFO Dive - 0 views

  • Most companies taking 'wait-and-see' approach to coronavirus
  • North American companies are bracing for negative business impact due to the coronavirus outbreak
  • Despite rising concern of the effect coronavirus will have on their businesses, most U.S. companies are taking a "wait-and-see" approach when it comes to adjusting their executive pay and sales compensation programs
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  • Additionally, a survey from Gartner's risk management practice found that 56% of business leaders rated themselves as "somewhat prepared," for the outbreak, with 11% relatively or very unprepared.
  • Companies are increasingly expecting that the coronavirus will adversely affect their businesses. Yet, because the exact impact of the virus is uncertain, compensation committees and executives are not making immediate changes to their organizations’ pay programs — at least for now
  • 34% of companies expected the virus to have a "moderate or large negative impact" on their business over the next six months. 44% companies say their annual executive incentive plan has been or will be affected by coronavirus, but nearly one in five intends to adjust funding or targets for the plan.
  • A recent survey by Gartner’s risk management practice aligns with Willis Towers Watson’s findings; just 12% of Gartner’s 1,500-plus respondents believe their businesses are highly prepared for the impact of coronavirus, with 26% believing it will have a negligible impact at all.
  • 56% of respondents rated themselves somewhat prepared, and 11% said they were either relatively or very unprepared
  • It’s nearly impossible to predict exactly if or how a particular scenario will unfold or even when
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    This article is a perfect example of this week`s topic. It`s a good illustration of a "wait and see" approach. The article gives you a lot of numbers to support its point.
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Hotel websites hold firm in booking rankings, Airbnb makes progress | PhocusWire - 0 views

  • direct bookings via a hotel website are holding on to their position in the top five in rankings,
  • reveals for the most part that Booking.com is driving the most revenue to hotels, with Expedia second and hotel direct coming in third.
  • Further findings in the report show the emergence of Airbnb in six markets for the first time
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  • It also reveals Trip.com's entrance into the top 12 in Italy, a second European market for the Chinese giant, alongside France.
  • direct online reservations continue to contribute strongly to hotel revenue globally, with hotel websites remaining among the top four channels in the majority of markets and, in many instances, jumping up the ranks. 
  • "It is clear that hoteliers are actively seeking to drive direct bookings, through greater knowledge and innovation, as well as investments in metasearch.”
  • 35 billion in revenue.
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    This article is very interesting. Hotels are using direct hotel websites for bookings to further drive their revenue and with great results! There are many of their websites being used to book hotel rooms. Research shows that they are among the top four channels in the markets bringing in about $35 billion in revenue.
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Virgin Voyages unveils wearable tech produced from ocean plastic - Cruise Trade News - 0 views

  • Virgin Voyages has created a wearable piece of technology made from recycled ocean plastic.
  • will allow guests to access their cabins, improve the boarding process and act as a wayfinder for Shake for Champagne, the on-demand champagne delivery service.
  • Each Band contains six grams of marine and coastal plastic, equivalent to one-half of a plastic water bottle that washes ashore.
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    This article is about the first adults only cruise line Virgin Voyages by Richard Branson wearable band. The wearable band would replace the traditional key card that sailors use to gain access to their cabins and cashless purchases on board as well as gain access to VIP areas for suite guest like Richard's Rooftop.The hardware for the band is beautiful and can be worn even after the cruise is over as a keepsake. Being that Virgin Voyages prides themselves on sustainability the band is made from recycled ocean plastic.
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The Concept of Comprehensive Tracking Software to Support Sustainable Tourism in Protec... - 0 views

shared by marble_bird on 25 May 20 - No Cached
  • Visitor management of protected areas [1–3] is supposed to keep the tourism intensity below the area limits while respecting the needs of the local economy and community as a multi-faceted goal of participative management [4]. It requires reliable, comprehensive, and detailed data about tourism intensity, including its impacts and practical methods and tools to exploit the data for the purpose of visitor management
  • Visitor management of protected areas [1–3] is supposed to keep the tourism intensity below the area limits while respecting the needs of the local economy and community as a multi-faceted goal of participative management [4]. It requires reliable, comprehensive, and detailed data about tourism intensity, including its impacts and practical methods and tools to exploit the data for the purpose of visitor management
  • At first, a literature review (Section 2) is conducted in the areas of tourism impacts, tourism sustainability , visitor management, tourism modelling and simulations, visitor monitoring and tracking, and the utilization of data about visitors. Specific attention is paid to the promising method of individual tracking, its variants, and the challenges related to its deployment.
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  • The LAC method [12,13], the carrying capacity [2,4,8,10,14–18], tourism sustainability indicators [8,10,19], or visitor management models [2,4,11] are some of the theoretical concepts and methods which the protected area visitor management may use to assess the effects of tourism and tourism infrastructure construction and maintenance.
  • isitor counts can be used to form a model reflecting the dynamics of the destination system, allowing visitor flow simulations
  • However, the quality of such models is critically dependent on the extent, quality, and readiness of the entry data [21]. The use of real-time data in models of destination systems is not common
  • Individual tracking methods are based on satellite positioning (e.g., The Global Positioning System known as GPS, or Galileo), active mobile positioning, Bluetooth positioning, Wi-Fi positioning, or indirect monitoring based on geocoded social media, or photo databases
  • Visitor management of a protected area requires tourism impact estimates depending on its intensity (step 1). Estimates of proportions of various visitor categories depending on days of the week, holidays, weather, or season, or other factors together with expert estimates of specific impacts of these categories of visitors are available
  • The use of visitor monitoring methods is a common part of visitor management practice, however, monitoring is often not implemented
  • systematically enough and data is often available with a significant delay (for example, from oine people counters installed in the terrain or when using data from mobile operators), making the assessment of the destination system state in real-time impossible
  • Correct and ecient data integration requires a systematic and consistent approach. However, a relevant methodology for the utilization of heterogeneous data is not available, which may be one of the reasons why comprehensive visitor monitoring is so rare.
  • the universally applicable concept of an intelligent tour guide for visitor tracking and for visitor characteristics acquisition are introduced in the results section of the manuscript. The ongoing experimental implementation of the proposed concept is mentioned, and relevant challenges are discussed at the end.
  • Gradually, five representatives and experts from protected area management, six destination organization experts, and four geopark experts were involved. None of the protected area experts involved in the research had any previous experience with systematic visitor data integration or with using the concept of the intelligent software tour guide.
  • The brainstorming and focus group were used to raise new ideas, and the Delphi method was used to reach a consensus when needed.
  • The knowledge gathered from experts served as an input for systems analysis, leading to the design of a computer program—an intelligent tour guide for each involved protected area. Namely, use cases, functional requirements, and other characteristics of the software were identified and discussed.
  • Because meaningful visitor flow and visitor impact modelling require suciently comprehensive and accurate data [21], systematic exploitation of all available relevant heterogeneous data about visitors (collected by a variety of methods, each with its specific limitations, e.g., visitor profiles, numbers of sold tickets, counts from sensors, space-time curves of individual visitors) is a recommended [36] and cost-e ective approach.
  • Thus, attention should be paid to the categorization of visitors, including their needs, motivations, limitations, and the resulting patterns of behavior. Such analysis may help to reveal which categories of visitors are desired, e.g., because of their positive impact on the local economy, and which should rather be discouraged from coming
  • The concept is meant to be generic enough to fit a variety of geographic areas (size, protected features of the local nature, local community , tourism intensity , division of roles in participative management between organizations, etc.)
  • The intelligent tour guide has to be:
  • Reliable, accessible, compatible.
  • Personalized.
  • Location-sensitive.
  • Destination-system-aware.
  • Interactive and collaborative.
  • Dialogue-wise.
  • Decently gamified.
  • Regarding human factors, the potential of individual visitor tracking to provide rich and valuable data may be hindered by the low motivation to participate [21,50,51]. Low participation may limit the usability of the resulting data and negatively a ect the e ects of possible attempts to influence the flow of visitors.
  • From the technical side, active mobile positioning provides spatially accurate data collected with a sucient sampling rate, for example, compared to passive localization data automatically recorded by mobile operators. However, still, the low satellite signal in rocks or under the canopy of a dense forest in combination with less-sensitive mobile devices may a ect the quality of the data and even the function of the tour guide.
  • Regarding the interpretation of the resulting data, the bias caused by the selection of participants and the willingness and fitness of members of di erent visitor groups has to be considered. Also, individual tracking may have an unintended influence on visitors’ movement and behavior [49], though the impact and resulting bias is usually acceptably low
  • Ethically and legally acceptable data collection may require the acquisition of informed consent from each participant.
  • An inadequate budget can lead to compromises, e.g., in the project management, analysis, or implementation, a ecting the compatibility, reliability, or usability of the program, or the quality and extent of the underlying model and the set of descriptive data.
  • Experimental verification of the individual tracking method, supplemented by visitors’ feelings and experiences by means of an intelligent tour guide operated in the context of a complex destination application, currently takes place in all involved areas. The application is being carefully designed in harmony with all recommended principles. Namely, a clear distinction is being made between the universal part of the application and area-specific models, configurations, deployment choices, or custom pieces of code.
  • The research team is looking for other possibilities of verifying the concept presented elsewhere in the Czech Republic and the world. Further research will reveal if the concept is truly generally applicable, as hypothesized, or not.
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    This article covers the research behind and design of software implemented in the Czech Republic to monitor visitor activity in protected areas. The software is designed to act as a "tour guide" and keeps track of visitors through satellite positioning. The article discusses the process by which this software would be developed, rationale for its implementation, and consumer data that may be collected through this process that would benefit National Parks and other protected areas. Theoretical questions in regard to human interaction, privacy concerns, and effectiveness of the application in low-service areas are discussed. Though the application requires more research and strict attention to variables, its implementation worldwide could change how sustainable tourism is managed and would provide important information on consumer habits in protected areas.
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Industry Pros Predict What Event Catering Will Look Like in the Future Post-Coronavirus... - 0 views

  • mostly convert to small-plate, chef-attended stations.
  • or ready-made plates will be up for grabs along with individually wrapped silverware.
  • in general, is too popular with too many to totally disappear.
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  • industry to rise to the challenge to reinvent how we present and serve our menu items.
  • Wolfgang Puck Catering introduced its “vertical buffet.”
  • “Bento boxes would offer a fully curated meal for each guest that is appetizing for both the eyes and stomach. ...
  • passing hors d'oeuvres on large boards such as surfboards and pizza peels “so you don't come face-to-face with someone.”
  • more food trucks will be pulling up to events. “This protects both the kitchen, the staff, and the guests from cross-contamination.”
  • smaller groups in larger venues to accommodate that six-foot radius.
  • all types of events will require more spacing.
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    Food buffets will change, the amount of spacing required will change & social distancing will be in play; this will definitely play out in the events planning industry, as well.
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The New Hotel Stay: Welcome Back - 0 views

  • For hotel executives seeking to survive (and thrive) in a post-COVID-19 world, there are practical solutions—both short-term and long-term—that can add joy back into the hotel guest experience.
  • They require the designer to really understand how users will move into and out of these spaces and interact with them.
  • Immediate fixes, such as six-foot spaced tape on the floor and acrylic panels at check-in, are both inelegant and temporary.
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  • designers must become leaders in finding creative, hygiene-driven solutions with attractive, budget-conscious, non-porous, non-transmitting and sustainable materials for future crises
  • the guest could experience a physical cleansing with UV-C light (400–470 nanometers (nm), an antimicrobial against numerous bacteria) as well as a metaphoric one, an abstracted feeling of rebirth and joy due to the use of art, music, lighting, and planting.
  • The UV-C light fixtures that can be programmed to activate when a guestroom, elevator, cab or corridor is unoccupied may soon become standard design practice
  • As hotel operators navigate the new normal, expect to see innovations in hotel welcome packages. Especially with limited staff, hotels will need to rely on visual cues that indicate and reassure cleanliness.
  • A brightly-colored seal on the room’s exterior door or towels wrapped in clear wrap to show items have been cleaned and hygienically packaged
  • next phase of guestroom should integrate separately-zoned HVAC supply and return HVAC systems, which have the ability to immediately evacuate air from infected rooms. To make the guestroom bathrooms ideal for privacy and infection control, restroom exhaust systems should be inspected and made to filter out air continuously.
  • Guestrooms worldwide are shrinking because space is expensive, which presents a challenge to designers looking to optimize already small spaces in line with social distancing guidelines.
  • Technological improvements to touchless entry doors, smart HVAC systems, and room lighting will occur, as information will now be imparted to the guest via phone or touchless television system. Smart spaces are not a new trend. In fact, a MarketsandMarkets™ report reveals the global smart home market size is expected to grow from $78.3 billion in 2020 to $135.3 billion by 2025. As more and more consumers rely on smart devices and sensors like Alexa and Google Nest, hotel businesses will need to adapt the same contactless technology solutions to their guestrooms and common spaces.
  • Elevated experiences to increase joy might include innovations in higher-end materiality, comfort, spa-quality guest baths, interactive workout systems, in-room workout equipment, and elaborate mood lighting systems. In the manner of the guest experience, the hotel needs to remain a peaceful, calm, and safe alternative to the more urgent, chaotic world outside.
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    This article addresses how hotel design must change to be successful in a COVID/Post-COVID world. The emphasis the last few years has been on meeting spaces and smaller square footage in guest rooms, but with social distancing those wonderful new high-tech meeting spaces are empty. More guests are having to use their hotel rooms as a place to sleep, socialize, be entertained, and even work out. First impressions are crucial in all aspects of life including hotels meaning adding things like UV-C- lights can help to make guests feel safe and rejuvenated. Also we must redefine the guest "room" experience, such using Smart technology and intelligent room design.
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    Staicoff (director of Oculus Inc.) stated that the covid-19 epidemic emerged as altering the settings of multiple organizations from healthcare facilities to the corporate ambiance. The designers created various changes in hotel infrastructure to meet the criteria of social distancing in the pandemic. Recently, the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) business elevated to provide technical and innovative solutions to control the spreading of infections with physical distancing. Also, the emerging AEC technologies encourage check-ins and elevators of the hotels to be compatible with smart solutions. The intervention of "Zone of Calm" and UV-C light impresses the guest to ensure that the hotel is reliable, safe, and caring. UV-C light is an antimicrobial technology with a unique fixation of light, music, and art to influence the people. The describe that multi-use facilities (housekeeping, room service, laundry, remote control, menus) have been eliminated for safety features. Visual indication facilitates cleanliness in diverse settings. The coordination of hotels with hygienic corporations enhances responding protocols to prevent infection. The structure of guestrooms are preferred from the perspectives of reducing OA (outside air) and EA (exhaust air), but the approaches are costlier practices to meet the demands of the pandemic. The intervention of "separately-zoned HVAC supply and return HVAC systems" acts as a filtration tool to remove EA from infected rooms and control the spreading. Usually, guestrooms are created for multi-functional management, but the guidelines of the pandemic representing constructive and financial challenges. According to a report presented by Markets and Markets, the implementation of smart devices in the markets would double by 2025 worldwide. At a minimum, the materialistic quality is designed considering long-term goals with comfortable and mood elevated facilities.
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Property management systems "failing" private accommodation owners | PhocusWire - 0 views

  • Property management systems continue to be a significant challenge for vacation rental managers
  • no single system sticks out as “most valuable” for managers
  • PMS software was also the top fix for vacation rental managers who were quizzed on their priority if they could wave a magic wand.
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  • property management software still consistently fails on the hospitality side of things.
  • PMSs are mostly focused on helping property managers get the reservation
  • managers who counted one or more gaps in their PMS
  • fifth of respondents having between one to five listings listing exclusively on the service.
  • property managers with six or more listings appear to hedge their distribution bets saying they list across multiple platforms.
  • 58% of property managers unable to single out a technology that has most impact on their business.
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    this article highlights the impact of property management systems on accomodation owners in the hospitality industry
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E-marketing in the hospitality industry - Digital Doughnut - 1 views

  • The online marketing is doubtless one of nowadays most powerful advertising methods. All companies, and notably in the Tourism and Hospitality industry, are fiercely competing to lead and overwhelm the online space in order to shift market shares from competition, increase their online traffic and make more profits. In addition, International hotel chains are considerably reducing their offline marketing budgets year on year for the benefit of the online ones.
  • Social Media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,… possess the advantage that they can spread any information or update posted rapidly to a very wide audience. Furthermore, sharable videos (i.e. choosing an engaging storyline and telling it with compelling visuals) constitute an amazing tool that keeps users’ attention and subtly persuade them along the way words can’t.
  • Content optimization for Search Engine: While the website’s content should match the guests’ search criteria, many hoteliers fail in making their websites a dumping ground for content to end up with websites that generate very poor value to guests and very low business opportunities.
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  • However, as emails and/or e-newsletters might be unsolicited, senders should either offer recipients an opt-out option or get their prior consent (opt-in). In fact, experience shows that permission-based email marketing is one of the most cost-effective and efficient marketing tools available.  
  • This makes search engines one of the most effective tools in driving targeted traffic to a hotel’s or destination’s website. In the hospitality sector, hoteliers have two options with regard to SEM: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or sponsored search:
  • Interface design:Adjustment of the web content for screen sizeso that users can comfortably access content in an intuitive way on a smaller screen and benefit from all functionalities on a mobile device (hotel search, access to reviews, bookings, payments, etc.).
  • A successful e-marketing strategy should comprise a set of specific e-actions that help hoteliers reach their planned objectives. These e-actions can be grouped into the following five main sections (A to E):
  • E-marketing is also known as Internet marketing, web marketing, online marketing or digital marketing. It is growing at a dramatic pace in the hospitality industry and is significantly impacting the business behaviors since it drives more revenue than traditional marketing.  
    • ryanrodgers2014
       
      The hospitality industry is constantly evolving. A recent report by Adobe Digital Insights showed that 61% of leisure arrangements are made online. These statistics go on to show that in order for your hotel business to thrive, you need to put emphasis on digital marketing.
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    This article is meant to show the different types or e-marketing for the hospitality industry. It also goes on to explain how they can be used in the industry. I also enjoyed the most popular ways to use these tools. With technology moving at a fast pace, e-marketing is the next best way to market and to attract customers.
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    This article talks about how the E-marketing has grown drastically in the hospitality industry. It says how the E-marketing is having a huge impact in the business behavior because it is bringing way more revenue to the business. One of the e-action that help hoteliers reach their planned objectives is search engine marketing. Most pf the people that goes on the internet uses search engine to find information about hotels online. Mobile advertising is growing very fast since the connectivity speeds have improved and screen resolutions have advanced. Email advertising is also a great powerful e-marketing tool that companies use to put their business out there. This just help creates direct revenue for all type of guest. If a company want to succeed In e-marketing, they have to make sure that their online space is well managed and that everything is under control.
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    E-marketing is also known as Internet marketing, web marketing, online marketing or digital marketing. It is growing at a dramatic pace in the hospitality industry and is significantly impacting the business behaviors since it drives more revenue than traditional marketing.
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    E - Marketing will eventually take over any other type of marketing in the future. As we all know its a big trend and businesses need to keep up.
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    This article explains the importance of emarketing. It is explained in detail the important factors and uses of emarketing. There are many forms emarketing can take, and having knowledge of each form is helpful for many in the hospitality industry and other industries that can benefit from emarketing.
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    "A successful e-marketing strategy should comprise a set of specific e-actions that help hoteliers reach their planned objectives. These e-actions can be grouped into the following five main sections"
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    This article not only recognizes the important role of e-marketing in the hospitality industry but also explains the different categories that allow hoteliers to reach their goals. Each of these categories has its own particular way to promote the firm and each of them is equally important to fully reach the potential of the e-marketing. We are witnessing a new marketing era and the hospitality business can benefit from it immensely.
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    The article titled " E-Marketing in the hospitality industry" emphasizes that the Internet Marketing is growing in the Hotel industry and it it has contributed in generating more revenue than other traditional marketing strategies. There are several actions Hotel owners can take to achieve their marketing objectives, this includes Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Sponsored search, Social Media marketing, Mobile advertising, Email advertising, and Display advertising. According to the author this actions will allow companies to compete and gain market share, increasing their online traffic and ensuring that their online space is under control and properly managed. Moreover, I believe as it is mentioned in the article that the fact that most hotels had implemented Web 2.0 services had allowed them to transform their websites content becoming a social platform where customers share their photos and content. This together with Mobile and Social media marketing are powerful tools in Hotel marketing.
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    Throughout this article Mohamed Derouiche, discussed how there are six main sections/ "e-actions" to a successful e-marketing strategy. 1. Search Engine Marketing (SEM): "SEO attempt to improve a website's organic (i.e. non-sponsored) search rankings in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) by increasing the content's relevance to search terms." 2. Sponsored search: "Sponsored search corresponds to search ads that allow a hotel /chain to be included in the sponsored results of a search for selected keywords." I am sure everyone has noticed a sponsored or an ad link once you search something on Google. 3. Social Media Marketing: "Social Media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,… possess the advantage that they can spread any information or update posted rapidly to a very wide audience. " 4. Mobile Advertising with this you can- "Study of people's behavior: This aims at the examination of "when", "where" and "why" people use Smartphones and tablets to better understand their booking trend, needs and expectations." 5. Email Advertising: "Email advertising, also known as email marketing, is considered as a powerful e-marketing tool for hoteliers since it creates direct revenue opportunities for past, present and future guests." I'd consider this one of the most effective ways to advertise because everyone has an email that they check often and with an email online a text message you can include a lot more information and pictures on popular destinations. 6. Display advertising: "Display advertising conveys its advertising message visually using text, logos, animations, videos, photographs or other graphics." This is another popular method in my opinion because people like to see things not just read about it. Nothing makes you want to go on a trip more than seeing a picture of a beautiful beach while you are in the cold weather or rainy season.
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    This article describes the various ways in which the hospitality industry uses e-marketing. This article begins by offering other terms used to refer to e-marketing. The hospitality industry is significantly adopting the use of e-marketing, which is influencing business behavior and earning more revenue than the traditional marketing. The article states that a successful e-marketing strategy should comprise a set of specific electronic actions that have the potential to help the industry reach its planned objectives. The article describes these actions into five sections that include search engine marketing (SEM), social media marketing, mobile marketing, email marketing, and display advertising. Search engine marketing is being used in the industry because a large number of internet users use search engines to find information about tourist destinations making search engines as an effective tool for driving traffic to a hotel's website. Social media marketing involves the use of social media websites helps in spreading information to a large audience and interacting with them online. Mobile advertising is also part of e-marketing, and has been significantly adopted by the industry as the use of mobile devices is high in the industry and most people use them to access online content. The industry highly uses email marketing as it helps in creating direct revenue opportunities for the past, present, and potential clients. Display marketing is used in the industry to send adverting message to target clients using text, videos, animations, and logos.
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    E-marketing is a tool used by nearly all businesses nowadays. It is through this form of marketing that we are able to spread our word across the globe. When E-marketing, it is important to invest in search engines so that your products, in our case our restaurants and resorts, appear first. Our marketing can appear in the form of ads and pop ups, but also in emails. A big one is using social media platforms such as twitter, youtube and instagram.
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    Interestingly this article is back from 2014 and back then there was a different perspective on the capabilities of e-marketing as it was rather new to the world of hospitality. Comparing this article to the present just shows how much the experience has brought us and how much e-marketing truly benefits and expands our industry. Through e-marketing we can reach customers we never thought or even imagined of reaching out to.
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Big Brother is watching: Chinese city with 2.6m cameras is world's most heavily surveil... - 0 views

  • The city’s surveillance system scans facial features of people on the streets from frames of video footage in real time, creating a virtual map of the face. It can then match this information against scanned faces of suspects in a police database. If there is a match that passes a preset threshold, typically 60% or higher, the system immediately notifies officers. Three days later the police captured the man, who eventually admitted that he was the suspect.
  • With 2.58m cameras covering 15.35 million people – equal to one camera for every six residents – Chongqing has more surveillance cameras than any other city in the world for its population, beating even Beijing, Shanghai and tech hub Shenzhen.
    • kmill139
       
      In the near future you will be able to find camera anywhere you go
  • Eight of the 10 most surveilled cities in the analysis are in China. London ranked sixth with 627,707 cameras covering 9 million residents and Atlanta, Georgia, came 10th with 7,800 cameras for 501,178 people.
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  • Many crimes committed in a certain area of Chongqing were committed by non-residents, so facial recognition cameras were seen as a way to combat this.
  • But critics warn such widespread surveillance violates internationally guaranteed rights to privacy. To meet international privacy standards enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both collection and use of biometric data should be limited to people found to be involved in wrongdoing, and not broad populations who have no specific link to crime. Individuals should have the right to know what biometric data the government holds on them. China’s automated facial recognition systems violate those standards.
  • “These systems are being developed and implemented without meaningful privacy protections against state surveillance. The depth, breadth and intrusiveness of the Chinese government’s mass surveillance on its citizens may be unprecedented in modern history.”
  • Cities elsewhere may not be too far behind China’s mass surveillance.
  • media access control address of users’ smartphone devices, a request sent when a device is searching for a wifi connection, to track their travel journeys precisely. It was only after the media raised awareness of the project that TfL widely informed its passengers.
  • “With the rise of things like facial recognition, that is why we need new legislation that decides what is in the public’s interest and the legal structure within which they can be used. We shouldn’t drift there by accident.”
  • And part of that is building trust with the community based on good community information, not on Big Brother technology.”
  • Since then, two more Californian cities, Oakland and Berkeley, have also passed bans on all government use of facial recognition technology. Somerville, Massachusetts, passed a similar law this summer.
  • Some people support facial recognition on the basis that technology has always driven change and is a force for good if used responsibly and proportionately.
  • Omanovic argues that live facial recognition fundamentally threatens free societies. “It might start with the monitoring of just a few thousand people but it definitely won’t end there,” says Omanovic. “Authorities need to permanently ban its roll out now before it’s too late.”
  • “Singapore has plans to install 100,000 facial-recognition cameras on lampposts, Chicago police have asked for 30,000 more, and Moscow intends to have 174,000 by the end of this year.”
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    Super important and relevant article about how big brother is watching us
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Wyndham Signs on for Next-Gen Technology From Oracle Hospitality - Skift - 1 views

  • Wyndham is tapping Oracle Hospitality for its full-service brands and Sabre for its select-service
  • Wyndham is the first hotel chain to adopt Oracle’s next-generation cloud-based version of its Opera property management system.
  • Four and a half years ago, Wyndham moved to its first-generation hosted systems — meaning, moved away from having computers sitting under the desk or in the hotel closet.
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  • Between 15 and 30 percent of Wyndham’s portfolio of more than 8,900 hotels will move to Oracle Opera Cloud through 2024
  • Every place outside of North America, regardless of where a property is on the chain scale, Oracle Opera Cloud is now Wyndham’s preferred solution
  • Cost efficiencies drove the decision in the case of Oracle Opera Cloud.
  • “Your cost of entry on Opera in a traditional on-premise model could approach six figures for a full-service hotel, with an upfront commitment that used to be in the five-figures for capital expenditure,” said Scott Strickland, Wyndham’s chief information officer. “We can’t quote specific costs, but this deal offers the cloud-based version at a really accessible price-point for our partners.”
  • “With all of our cloud-based offerings, it’s a subscription model tied to a number of rooms in the hotel on what’s kind of a per-room per-month basis
  • “No upfront costs or licenses or maintenance and upgrade fees. We have packages, commensurate with a property’s needs. Costs can flex up and down in cost with demand shifts, like we saw in the pandemic.”
  • A second motivation for adopting the cloud is the product’s simplicity
  • Staff no longer need to use desktop computers and can instead log in remotely with mobile devices,
  • Another factor driving the hotel’s chain’s decision is the system’s scope. For example, Oracle Opera Cloud includes a housekeeping module
  • Their tablets and phones can connect to the cloud and see their arrival list of guests and judge how they want to adjust their staffing or last-minute rate promotions.
  • Wyndham, one of the first hotel chains to return to profitability in the pandemic, sees this move as the latest step in a four-year digital acceleration.
  • It’s a lot harder to innovate when you have four central reservation systems and three digital systems. We now have one of each globally.”
  • It’s faster when it has only one mobile app platform and only two property management systems, compared with a brand running, say, a dozen different property management systems and four versions of a mobile app.
  • Most security incidents result from one of two things. The first is not keeping up with patching of software or system vulnerabilities
  • The second major driver of security incidents comes from the interaction between systems, such as application, infrastructure, and database
  • “With Oracle Cloud technology, we frequently deploy patches in all of our environments across various applications and systems in our cloud
  • API stands for “application programming interface,” which has been described as “the set of functions and subroutines that an outside party can run to build its third-party services on top of a company’s service.”
  • “We have completely removed all the integration friction of the past, with no compromise on the security or performance of the core system,
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    This article discusses Wyndham's decision to transition its property management into the cloud based services through Oracle Hospitality. Their decision was based on the several advantages offered by Oracle's cloud based system such as cost savings, the simplified application and use of only one central system and the protection from cyber attacks. Wyndham is the first hotel chain to adopt Oracle's new cloud based version of their management system.
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OrionStar launches 'Lucki', the robotic waiter - 0 views

    • cingram21
       
      The OrionStar "Lucki" robot is a server that is promised to offer significant increases in profitability for a restaurant. The robot is dynamic in that it can offer fully customizable messaging, upsell, and improve loyalty programs. It is also able to integrate with many existing platforms. The robot can also act as a host by leading guests to the correct table.
  • t can also carry a load of up to 40 kg (10 kg maximum per tray) and serve to up to four tables on a single trip – reducing labor costs and increasing efficiency by 2-3 times that of manual delivery.
  • Equipped proprietary OrionStar technologies, including radar scanning, fisheye camera and RGBD multi- sensors, the robot achieves precise laser-based navigation and segmented speed control.
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  • he company says its robot improves delivery efficiency and increases revenue for businesses through customer attraction, dynamic advertising and personalized interactions, offers a Covid-safe contactless delivery, as well as addresses the restaurant and hospitality industry labor shortage.
  • Lucki can work 15+ hours on a single charge,
  • It is estimated that the smart delivery robot can help bring nearly $8,000 annually in net profit to a restaurant.
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    "Lucki ensures safe, speedy and spill-proof delivery every time. Equipped proprietary OrionStar technologies, including radar scanning, fisheye camera and RGBD multi- sensors, the robot achieves precise laser-based navigation and segmented speed control." "Lucki also comes with OrionStar's AI-driven robot marketing features, enabled by the robot's six microphones, 360° listening technology, a 10.1-inch touch-screen, 1080p definition and ability to detect customers' needs within a 5-meter radius."
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    Lucki reminds me of the Archie robot mentioned in the lecture by delivering things. Lucki however is equipped with tons of input gadgets to collect data from itts customers and use them as marketing tools.
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How proximity engagement turbo-charges QSR loyalty| Q | QSR Web - 0 views

    • cingram21
       
      This article does a nice job of explaining how to effectively utilize proximity marketing to grow loyalty. It discusses the importance of understanding privacy and how important it is to monitor app downloads and deletions to determine if the strategy is aligned with guest expectations.
  • That's the beauty of proximity engagement. Not to be confused with location-based marketing, proximity engagement is about engaging your customer with a message they will actually want, not simply sending them the message you want them to get.
  • The aforementioned study also found that only 39% of respondents said they would keep an app for more than six months, with 28% admitting they deleted an app after using it. So, if offering an engaging app is the way to your customers' hearts, you need to figure out how to get them to keep yours on their phones.
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  • This is happening despite the fact that most restaurant leaders and marketers know consumers don't want to be shouted at or nudged. In fact, when the signal-to-noise ratio gets too weak, consumers will not feel the value and are much more likely to delete the app.
  • There's an increasing amount of pressure to restrict the sharing and use of consumer data without consumers' explicit permission, which is fantastic from a consumer protection and privacy perspective.
  • Stanford University's Behavior Design Lab founder, BJ Fogg — considered the father of behavior design — explains that it takes motivation, ability and a prompt to converge at the same time for a behavior to happen.
  • When a customer is nearby, their ability to patronize your restaurant is high. When it's around mealtime, or if it's been a couple weeks since that customer has had their favorite dish at your store, their motivation to act is also likely high. When both of those criteria are aligned, then the probability they will respond to the right prompt with action is high.
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Enhancing Hospitality Sustainability through Technology - A/O PropTech - 0 views

  • Increasing consumer sentiment and corporate social responsibility towards sustainability are pushing for the industry to adapt.
  • Through the use of systems such as Install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems or combined heat and power (CHP) fuel cells for onsite energy generation, hotels can reduce dependence on fossil fuel sources as well as utility costs.
  • Another impressive example is the Hilton of Fort Lauderdale hotel that has combined green power and design through the installation of six wind turbines which now sit proudly on the roof of the hotel.
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  • Opting for tech-enabled energy management is also cost-efficient. The use of sensors can lead to savings of 30-50% on lighting costs.
  • Additionally, sensors can detect if a guest has left the room and adjust the heating, accordingly, turn off lights, and even notify the cleaning staff that a room is ready to be cleaned.
  • Food waste management technology 
  • Operational platforms could be used to gather data around food preferences to allow kitchens to propose more tailor-made menus.
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    I remember when we used to stay in hotels when they started being greener by suggesting their hotel guests to reuse towels and only put them on the floor if they wished for them to be replaced. In today's world with so much technology hotels can be more successful at being eco friendly. This is a must because consumers are wanting to see hotels implement more impactful eco-friendly efforts. The article talks about how hotels are making the switch by renewable energy production, smart energy management and food waste management technology. These are just some ways that hotels have started using to improve sustainable practices with use of technology.
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Report by TINT Emphasizes Importance of Authentic Marketing Content for Tourism and Hos... - 0 views

  • The report also considers the impact of COVID-19 on traveler expectation and social media usage, along with "The Way Forward", a framework for the creation and application of social content by travel brands.
    • cingram21
       
      This article is a summary of a detailed report on the status of social media marketing and offers up some really great statistics on the current status of social media and the travel industry
  • he leading User-Generated Content platform trusted by over 5,000 global brands, stresses the importance of using authentic social media and marketing content for travel-related industries as they recover from the global impacts of COVID-19. Travel-centric brands face a "next normal" in a world where social media adoption and consumer expectations have increased exponentially.
  • participation due to pent-up demand after more than a year of travel restrictions and extended lockdowns. Brands should use this opportunity to lay the groundwork for future success by building relationships, and thus brand affinity, with travelers.
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  • - Content created by real consumers and trusted influencers alleviates travel concerns and aids in conversion. 97% of people who were influenced by social media had also discussed a recent leisure trip with a trusted source
  • More than 30% of social media users will make at least one purchase directly through their social platform of choice; meaning that brands with emphasis on social media or digital marketing should also invest in social commerce and shoppable social technologies.
  • brand trust is not only about marketing to the public, but also communicating with current and future employees. Employee Advocacy is taking a step outside of Human Resources and moving closer to Marketing and Communications.
  • Trendwatching indicates six social-driven trends that will affect tourism and hospitality organizations for the next three years: Social Commerce, physical and digital accessibility, hybrid experiences, sustainability, the new Business Travel, and Hyper-personalization.
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LEED rating system | U.S. Green Building Council - 0 views

  • LEED is for all building types and all building phases including new construction, interior fit outs, operations and maintenance and core and shell
  • For existing buildings that are undergoing improvement work or little to no construction. Includes: Existing Buildings O+M also includes applications for Schools, Retail, Hospitality, Data Centers, and Warehouses & Distribution Centers.
  • For single family homes, low-rise multi-family (one to three stories) or mid-rise multi-family (four to six stories). Includes: Homes Multifamily Lowrise Multifamily Midrise
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  • LEED recertification is an important step in protecting your building asset. Recertification helps you maintain and improve your building while keeping your sustainability investment in place
  • Platinum 80+ points earned Gold 60-79 points earned Silver 50-59 points earned Certified 40-49 points earned
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    This article is about what can be LEED certified and how to go about getting certified. I just learned about this topic in my Hosp. Fac. Enviro. Sys. class, when I learned about it, I didn't realize that you have to be reevaluate.
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2020-01-31-Restaurant-Chain-Case-Study-EU-ONLINE.indd - 0 views

  • A large restaurant chain wanted to ensure that the IT systems that are critical to seamless operation of its business, including point-of-sale systems, fi nancial systems, employee management and payment transactions, would perform seamlessly across all its locations
  • GTT provides internet connectivity utilizing a mix of broadband and Dedicated Internet Access circuits, with 100Mbps download and 10Mbps upload speeds for each connection. GTT also managed the deployment of new circuits to ensure access redundancy and resilience. The service is monitored 24/7 by GTT’s Network Operations Center and backed with a response time SLA for any repairs.
  • by eliminating the need for returning to the point of sale to complete orders, the kitchen receives orders faster and servers have more time on the fl oor to attend to guests.
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  • service has enabled the restaurant chain to move cost-eff ectively from a low bandwidth network to a higher-speed, dual broadband solution across all its sites
  • in-restaurant and online experience for customers include deploying guest Wi-Fi networks, individual entertainment systems for diners and leveraging new networking technologies such as SD-WAN for optimizing bandwidth utilization. Better connectivity can directly infl uence the dining experience, for instance, by supporting servers in using handheld devices to take table orders.
  • the company is now able to reach and train many more staff through the use of video content shared and streamed across its new, high-speed network.
  • 60% of American adults agree that restaurant technology such as smartphone applications, tableside tablets and order kiosks increases con v enience
  • In the U.S., more than six in 10 millennial diners would like to see restaurants use technology to make ordering and payment easier.
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    Network upgrade for POS, financial systems, employee management systems and payment transactions. SD-WAN
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6 Technology Trends Redefining the Hospitality Industry - 0 views

  • In a Stayntouch/NYU Tisch Center of Hospitality Report, 81.7 percent of hoteliers surveyed had implemented at least one new technology during the pandemic, and/or were planning to in 2022. Incorporating technology into day-to-day operations is essential to minimize human error, maximize service efficiency and improve the guest experience.
  • Gamification of travel planningWith cabin fever at an all-time high, the world couldn’t be hungrier for spontaneity. As people contemplate their next getaway, hospitality companies can leverage gamification — using game design elements in non-game contexts — to turn travel planning from a chore into a guilty pleasure.By interplaying gamification mechanics like challenges, chance and rewards, with elements like points, quests and sharing, companies can capitalize on human motivation. Imagine a travel planning website that challenges users to solve a travel puzzle where they will achieve a score, be ranked on a leaderboard and receive points for their next trip.Popular European airline Lufthansa introduced Lufthansa Surprise, which allows travelers to choose from nine categories, with themes like nature, cities or partying. Upon picking top choices from seven to twelve European cities, the destination is only revealed after booking. Beyond novelty, using gamification for online advertising is proven to boost data driving, customer loyalty, brand awareness, user-generated content, online engagement and revenue. 
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SaaS Software Currently Dominating The Cloud Computing Market, Especially In The Health... - 2 views

  • The healthcare industry often utilizes software as a service (SaaS) to increase software versatility and accessibility without installing and running applications on multiple computers and data systems.
  • By 2022, healthcare professionals and facilities can expect to see some new SaaS trends in the industry.
  • Increased Attention to Security
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  • Use of Multiple Clouds
    • jordynmiddleton
       
      Use of internet redundancy
  • more efficiency, faster automation, and a higher level of personal responsiveness.
    • jordynmiddleton
       
      Time is key when working in healthcare, and the speed of access to data could assist in saving someones life.
  • many companies will strive to increase their ability to store, process, analyze, and secure essential healthcare data. As a result, instead of using various cloud providers for multiple applications or disaster recovery, such cohesive approaches will become more common.
  • The Company has been awarded 11 contracts thus far in Q2, six of which are additional expansions with existing customers.
    • jordynmiddleton
       
      As companies expand there cloud-based services, they will become much more attractive to current clients with wanting to take their business to the next level.
  • The current healthcare cloud computing market is valued at nearly $18 billion and is expected to increase by almost 18.7% between 2022 and 2025.
  • there will be a greater need for security, privacy, and compliance
  • More than 81% of the most successful IT companies have begun to work on AI technologies, allowing them to revolutionize business processes and increase efficiency and productivity while supporting human capabilities and automating repetitive tasks.
  • As a result, the number of businesses using cloud-based apps is expected to increase by 19.6%
  • The Company is perfectly positioned to benefit from the Biden Administration's $1.9 trillion Infrastructure Bill, including $350 billion allocated for State and Local Governments to invest in upgrades and modernizations.
    • jordynmiddleton
       
      Cloud-based software would be at the top of the list for these upgrades and modernizations which would increase revenue substantially for multiple cloud services. The same exact software needed for a major hospital may not be need for urgent care or small primary care office, but the software is needed none the less.
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    Software as a Service is becoming an essential part of the healthcare community. The time saved researching information about a patient, searching for medications or treatments could be valuable time needed for saving a life. It is project that "the number of businesses using cloud-based apps is expected to increase by 19.6%." With the increase in the use of cloud-based applications, there is a stronger need for the attention given to data security. Especially when it comes to patient information. Multiple cloud based options may initially be utilized before phasing into singular sources over time. This will alleviate some of the pressure needing to have the increased security for two platform rather than one.
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What Does LEED Certification Mean to the Hotel Industry - 0 views

  • LEED certification is a growing trend and concern among hotel developers, architects, hotel brands and consumers.
  • To earn LEED certification, a building is awarded points for satisfying certain green requirements in six categories- Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation in Design.
  • istorically it was believed that there is a cost associated in building a LEED-certified hotel; however, it is arguable if this cost differential exists in today’s construction market. The USGBC reports that as of 2007, the cost to develop a green hotel, if any, is only one to two percent above that of a conventional hotel’s cost
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  • In addition to selling more room nights at potentially higher rates, LEED-certified buildings typically save 30-50 percent in energy usage, 35 percent in carbon emissions, 40 percent in water emissions, and 70 percent in solid waste.
  • Currently there are only eight hotels in the U.S. that are LEED-certified, but over 100 more hotels have made their intentions known to become LEED-certified.
  • Green hotels offer recycling options, water-efficient toilets and faucets, energy-saving lighting, and recycled paper goods; many hotels have even begun to clean guestrooms and public space with non-toxic cleansers.
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    This article talks about how LEED certification is increasing in the hotel industry. Buildings who are LEED certified save a lot more energy and offer recycling options.
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