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angelicamm6

US7685025B2 - Web-based integrated event planning and management system and method - Go... - 0 views

patents.google.com/...en

technology hospitality hotel software event

shared by angelicamm6 on 07 Nov 19 - No Cached
  • The system and method of the invention enables an event planner or organizer (also known as a “client”) who wishes to organize an event to contact,
  • The process of planning an event thus requires the following steps carried out by the organizer of the event and individual vendors: 1. Organizer creates a plan 2. Organizer searches for vendors 3. Organizer contacts vendors 4. Vendors ask for organizer's requirements 5. Organizer provides information about event and his or her requirements 6. Vendors prepares and submits a proposal 7. Organizers repeats all the above again if he needs proposals from more vendors to compare 8. Organizer compares proposals received 9. Organizer negotiates with chosen Vendor 10. Vendors prepares contract/agreement 11. Organizer and vendor enter into contract 12. Organizer pays booking/signing amount to vendor for the event
  • U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0128934,
  • ...16 more annotations...
  • It is accordingly an objective of the invention to provide an event planning and management system and method that overcomes the disadvantages of traditional event planning methods by providing: hybrid management; integrated venue, food, entertainment, and transportation booking; dynamic contracting; and integrated payment.
  • 1. Organizer Searches for Vendors; 2. Organizer compares and selects Vendors; 3. Organizer Selects one of the available Packages or creates/builds a package; 4. Organizer Provides information about event and makes a BOOKING REQUEST; 5. Vendor provides final quote and confirms availability, Or Vendors Re ask for additional information and repeats all of the above; 6. Organizer compares proposals received from other vendors contacted in same way; 7. Organizer confirms one of these and makes deposit to confirm booking Or ask for additional information and repeats all the above again. The option in step 3 of creating or building a package based on lists of specific items (such as dishes or menu items) offered by the vendor, rather than merely selecting between a limited number of available packages, offers a particularly attractive and powerful event planning tool that is unlike anything currently available.
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 2-33 are screen shots illustrating the manner in which vendors are enabled to customize offerings to clients. FIGS. 34-47 are flowcharts summarizing vendor and customer side processes for implementing the invention. FIG. 48 is a screen shot of a menu creating page that enables a customer to create custom catering packages by selecting individual menu items.
  • To send a Booking Request for any service, a few details about the event and venue are required like
  • Among the search results, they can click on any of the links available to view the venue profile which has details like
  • Upon obtaining the search results, the customer can click on any of the links available to view the catering company profile, which has details like:
  • To send a Booking Request for any service a few details about the event and food preferences are required such as:
  • Upon receiving the search results, the customer can click on any of the links available to view the entertainer profile, which has details like:
  • To send a Booking Request for any service a few details about the event and venue are required such as:
  • To send an entertainer Booking Request, some additional details may be required such as:
  • After receiving the search results, the customer can click on any of the links available to view the Limo profile which has details like
  • As indicated above, to send a Booking Request for any service a few details about the event and venue are required such as:
  • In addition, to send a Limo Booking request, some additional details that may be required include:
  • Step One of Three
  • Step Two of Three
  • Step Two of Three
  • angelicamm6 on 07 Nov 19
     
    Web based system to create any type of event and be able to book and organize any amenity needed for the event. Complete customization of event can be done and all legal and binging documents can be added in order to be followed and agreeded on.
clonyr

Expedia Being Investigated for Conspiring With Hotels to Suppress Competition – S... - 0 views

skift.com/...hotels-to-suppress-competition

hotel tech hospitality technology

shared by clonyr on 28 May 19 - No Cached
  • Expedia Group Inc. is under investigation by the Utah attorney general for allegedly conspiring with the biggest U.S. hotel chains to suppress competition in online travel booking.
  • Beginning in 2014, the hotel companies agreed to stop bidding on one another’s brand names in Google searches in order to avoid price competition.
  • TravelPass claims searches for hotels used to generate an open bidding process where companies could bid on keywords that included their own brand, as well as those of their competitors.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • “The conspiracy has left in its wake an online travel booking marketplace characterized by deliberately limited information and high transaction costs.”
  • clonyr on 28 May 19
     
    TravelPass Group LLC raised a lawsuit with the Utah attorney general to investigate Expedia conspiring with Marriott, Hilton and other hotel companies to manipulate search advertising on Google. Under federal law it is illegal for companies to work together to harm competition. In 2014, hotel companies agreed to stop bidding but Expedia continued to coordinate and act as a go between for the companies and providing reports on compliance with the agreement.
jlewinsky

Facial Recognition Market Expected to Reach $9.6 Billion Worldwide by 2022 | News | Hos... - 0 views

hospitalitytech.com/each-96-billion-worldwide-2022

facial recognition 2D 3D hospitality

shared by jlewinsky on 07 Feb 21 - No Cached
  • According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, World Facial Recognition Market - Opportunities and Forecasts, 2015 - 2022,  the global facial recognition market is expected to generate revenue of $9.6 billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 21.3% from 2016 to 2022.
  • North America is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period, owing to the high expenditure on security systems by government agencies in the region.
  • Facial recognition technologies include 2D, 3D, and facial analytics. The 3D facial recognition technology segment holds a significant share in the world facial recognition market, owing to its high accuracy in terms of recognizing facial features as compared to the 2D facial recognition technology.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • 2D technology is also widely used due to its low installation cost and operational ease as it uses 2D appearance
  • Among the component segments, hardware accounted for the maximum revenue share in 2015, owing to high cost of 2D and 3D cameras. The facial recognition software market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 23.9% during the forecast period. Development of effective and efficient facial recognition software applications is expected to drive this market.
  • In the year 2015, homeland security contributed the highest revenue share, accounting for around 21% of the overall market revenue. From a growth perspective, intelligent signage is likely to be the most prominent application of facial recognition, anticipated to witness the highest CAGR of 25.1% during the forecast period.
  • North America offers lucrative opportunities for market growth, exhibiting a huge demand of facial recognition technology for homeland security and criminal investigation.
  • Some of the leading players in the facial recognition market include Cognitec Systems GmbH, NEC Corporation, FaceFirst, Inc., and 3M amongst others.
  • These players have adopted product development, acquisitions, agreements, and partnerships as their key strategies to strengthen their market position and expand their geographical presence. For instance, in 2015, Cognitec Systems GmbH launched and incorporated a superior version of the face recognition algorithm B9 in FaceVACS-DBScan, one of the its leading facial recognition products.
  • jlewinsky on 07 Feb 21
     
    According to this article the technology of facial recognition is expected to grow tremendously by 2022. Also, mentioned industries such as homeland security who has been using this form of technology since 2015. When comparing the 2D and 3D technology, 2D technology is more widely used due to its low cost and ease of use. The use of 3D technology has its place in the industry as well due to its ability to recognize facial features more accurately than 2D technologies.
hankunli

The Technology That Can Make Events Possible in a Pandemic - 0 views

www.eventmanagerblog.com/coronavirus-possible-events

shared by hankunli on 23 Jul 20 - No Cached
  • The future is surely small outside of virtual events. While smaller events have a more substantial chance of happening, how soon may depend on a number of technologies that will directly impact the event feasibility.
  • Devising the safety logistics for groups of 50 to 100 people should be the immediate goal.
  • Digital tracking has been demonstrated to be one of the most effective ways
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • The one biotechnology we should all keep an eye on is the development of a vaccine.
  • everybody seems to be in agreement that a vaccine is the only definite way out of the crisis.
  • These purifiers, the press release reads, use a combination of technologies such as UVC lamps to deliver a virus free environment.
  • Technology that provides the ability to scan attendees upon entering the venue will become the norm at airports and event venues.
  • Event professionals will either need to select venues offering thermal scanning or bring their own provider on site. This could even become an opportunity for functional sponsorship as scanners become the norm going forward.
  • Technology offering digital signage is already present at venues and can be implemented via dedicated apps.
  • hankunli on 23 Jul 20
     
    During a pandemic when access to on-site events are limited, this article on Skift offered possible solutions to larger gatherings and events. Technologies like tracking will be useful, as well as medical solutions. Using purifiers, doing thermal scanning and digital signage on-site are also possible ways for events. To avoid contact in an event, using apps is also a good solution to deliver the necessary information. Clever, informed, and creative event professionals will be able to leverage current technology to deal with the changes and make events happen.
mserr078

5 ways tech can make your hotel more responsible | Green Hotelier - 0 views

www.greenhotelier.org/...ke-your-hotel-more-responsible

technology hospitality green

shared by mserr078 on 09 Sep 19 - No Cached
  • Managing Director of EPOSability Robbie Francis says employing eco-friendly technology is a great way to show guests that you’re committed to making a difference.
  • Heating energy expenditure makes a big contribution to a hotel’s carbon footprint
  • reduce your energy consumption by up to 10%
    • npate083
      npate083 on 29 Sep 19
       
      A building energy management system can reduce energy consumption by 10 percent.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • 600,000 tonnes of compostable food waste each yea
    • npate083
      npate083 on 29 Sep 19
       
      Waste management technology like Lean, can help save on food waste by helping the managers understand how much needs to be ordered.
  • ask guests to consider the environment before requesting new towels each day
  • using 25 kW/h on average in comparison to a Windows-based system with on-site server that consumes 800 kW/h. That’s a 97% saving!
    • npate083
      npate083 on 29 Sep 19
       
      iPad POS systems help save costs and the environment significantly. By using the iPad POS systems you are going paperless, reducing engineering visits and tracking waste.
  • Using technology doesn't just mean computers back of house or modern check-in systems, technology can help create a more efficient kitchen, laundry, bar, housekeeping service or HVAC, it's always worth looking around to see what new systems on the market could help reduce your water, carbon, waste or energy consumption and help make your hotel that little bit more environmentally responsible.
  • demax85 on 09 Sep 19
     
    Going green is one thing to consider if a hotel wants to save money and conserve the environment. This article discusses 5 tech ways to make some green changes in your hotel. Some points were to change the lighting to energy saving lighting. Using sensor lighting saves you money and shows guests that you care to conserve. Laundry technology and asking guests to only give towels that are unwanted instead of changing towels everyday. A system monitoring the heat and cooling system can regulate temperatures reducing the cost of unnecessary use of the system.
  • ...3 more comments...
  • pvega018 on 19 Sep 19
     
    Robbie Francis expresses the importance of helping the environment and helping your guests feel like they are a part of something bigger. Not only does becoming more green and eco-friendly help the environment, but it also allows for many of our wastes to decrease, electricity and water bills are just part of the issues that begin to decrease monetarily. When speaking about green computer technology this article incorporated how it is important to review what new systems are out to help reduce our carbon footprint and ultimately make ourselves just a "little bit more environmentally responsible!"
  • edagt001 on 25 Sep 19
     
    The article is about eco-friendly heating and energy, waste reduction technology, sustainable laundry, lighting technology, and iPad POS systems.
  • npate083 on 29 Sep 19
     
    Robbie Francis expresses the importance of helping the environment and helping your guests feel like they are a part of something bigger. Not only does becoming more green and eco-friendly help the environment, but it also allows for many of our wastes to decrease, electricity and water bills are just part of the issues that begin to decrease monetarily. When speaking about green computer technology this article incorporated how it is important to review what new systems are out to help reduce our carbon footprint and ultimately make ourselves just a "little bit more environmentally responsible!"
  • edagt001 on 03 Feb 20
     
    This article is about ways for hotels to use green tech to be more responsible.
  • hectorpachon on 07 Feb 20
     
    "The latest innovative technology solutions can work to increase energy efficiency, cut down on material waste and even increase profits for your hotel". I remember while working in San Antonio Texas as a hotel AGM, the hotel had an agreement with the city water company for us to send them each week the readings of how much water we had used up to that point from last week, and they would give us rebates if our consumption wouldn't fluctuate certain parameters. We were being environmentally friendly, saving money by not overpaying and receiving rebates for our eco-responsibility.
jalipman

Gale General OneFile - Document - Smart Hospitality Market Forecasts 2020-2025: Growing... - 0 views

go-gale-com.ezproxy.fiu.edu/...i.do

Cloud Computing

shared by jalipman on 31 May 20 - No Cached
  • North America and Europe have a significant amount of market share in the smart hospitality market due to presence of big hospitality companies which are focusing on moving towards the use of advanced technologies and smart building management systems for efficient energy consumption, reducing operational cost, and providing guests with modern amenities for better services.
  • Regionally, the global smart hospitality market is classified into North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. The APAC Smart Hospitality market will witness substantial market growth during the forecast period owing to the growing investments by international hotel chains in countries like India and China in smart hospitality solutions.
  • he smart hospitality solutions help in serving the guest with advanced communications technologies that assist them in conducting meetings, conferences, and connecting with associates around the world without any hindrances.
  • ...11 more annotations...
  • These hotels have increased the demand for smart hospitality services by using more of on-premise and cloud for better management of hotel resources and improved hospitality services. It even helps in reducing operating costs by providing energy-efficient solutions and increases revenue.
  • However, factors such as high initial cost of deployment and lack of technically skilled professionals are hindering the smart hospitality market growth.
    • jalipman
      jalipman on 31 May 20
       
      Throughout the article we have talked about the cost cutting bonuses of adding smart systems in hotels. Here they touch on the fact that the actual physical implementation and start up costs are initially very expensive. This could be analogous to solar panels. They are very good for the environment (the hotel) but the initial cost of installation (implementation) makes it difficult to invest in the first place.
  • The rise in the number of smart hotels is driving the segment of software and services smart hospitality. The services are increasingly been used for integration, maintenance, and training.
  • According to the World Bank Data, the number of arrivals of international tourists across the world has increased from 911.85 million in 2009 to 1,442 million in 2018. As such, market players in the hospitality sector are using smart hospitality solutions in order to provide their guests with better hospitality services
  • The software helps in facility & emergency management response systems, building energy management, water management, security management, and parking management which will further reduce cost and save time on these services. This, in turn, will increase the demand for smart hospitality services, thereby positively impacting the overall market growth.
    • jalipman
      jalipman on 31 May 20
       
      The smart hotel systems will be able to reach beyond just customer service it will allow better analytics and cost saving methods across all departments of the hotel.
  • or example, in April 2019, InterContinental Shenzhen signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Huawei and Telecom to create the world's first 5G smart hotel. Viggo Smart Hotel is delivering the first true cloud-based smart hotel TV solutions for the global hospitality industry.
  • n addition to this, smart hospitality solutions allow energy-efficient management system. As such, growing environmental concerns and rising focus on CSR among hotel companies is also ramping up the demand for smart hospitality solutions.
  • Global hotel chains are increasingly investing heavily in smart hospitality solutions including in order to improve customers' impressions and satisfaction. Moreover, hotel companies are also adopting smart hospitality solutions as they help to save operational costs and generate more revenue while enhancing their hospitality services to customers.
    • jalipman
      jalipman on 31 May 20
       
      Hotels are taking advantage of this point of sale type technology like at grocery stores where you have self checkout. Embracing that they can cut sots on personnel while allowing people the "luxury" of doing it themselves
  • For example, in some hotel, customers can use their smartphones to control the room's environment by way of allowing remotely open and close the window blinds and regulating the room temperature.
  • The increasing number of contractors are teaming up with different tech firms to build smarter hotels with low cost and less time which, in turn, is positively impacting the smart hospitality market growth.
    • jalipman
      jalipman on 31 May 20
       
      The increase in number of tech firms investing themselves in smart hotels is actually driving the market itself. Hotels are basing their operations with smart systems due to things like safety concerns from viruses as well as just following the path the hospitality industry has down towards automating these processes
  • The market is driven by the rising internet penetration and growing inclination towards IoT which are encouraging the hospitality segment to offer smart solutions to their customers with the use of digital technology.
marble_bird

Roche2016_Article_RecreationalDivingImpactsOnCor.pdf - 0 views

shared by marble_bird on 07 Jul 20 - No Cached
  • Recreational diving on coral reefs is an activity that has experienced rapidly growing levels of popularity and participation.
  • the potential role of dive impacts in contributing to coral reef damage is a concern at heavily dived locations. Management measures to address this issue increasingly include the introduction of programmes designed to encourage environmentally responsible practices within the dive industry.
  • Coral reefs are a threatened, but globally important ecosystem, providing key services to local communities such as coastal defence, sediment production, and fisheries benefits
  • ...45 more annotations...
  • The role of dive supervision was assessed by recording dive guide interventions underwater, and how this was affected by dive group size.
  • Over recent decades, tourism activities benefiting from the pleasing aesthetics and biodiversity of coral reefs, primarily SCUBA diving and snorkelling, have experienced rapidly increasing numbers of participants globally
  • We found evidence that the ability of dive guides to intervene and correct diver behaviour in the event of a reef contact decreases with larger diver group sizes. Divers from operators with high levels of compliance with the Green Fins programme exhibited significantly lower reef contact rates than those from dive operators with low levels of compliance.
  • Damage to corals on dived reefs often occurs as a result of skeletal breakage, particularly in branching species (Guzner et al. 2010;H a s l e ra n dO t t 2008). Tissue abrasion can also result from diver contact (Hawkins et al. 1999), and a recent study reported a higher incidence of coral disease in areas heavily used for recreational diving
  • It is possible that other diver characteristics such as qualification level or dive experience may affect the ability to respond to dive briefings, although several studies have failed to find a correlation between divers’ reef contact rates and experience
  • Due to the difficulties of effectively addressing global stressors, an emerging recommendation is the focus of coral reef management on local scales (e.g. Anthony et al. 2014). A frequent challenge facing managers and policy makers at local levels relates to the maximisation of tourism benefits whilst simultaneously reducing its environmental impacts
  • Alternatively, previous experience and possible affinity and attachment to a specific dive site may influence how closely divers follow pre-dive briefings and affect their behaviour underwater, as suggested by place attachment theory
  • The methodologies which have been developed to minimise the environmental impact of SCUBA diving on coral reefs can be summarised as follows: (1) managing or restricting diver numbers, (2) regulating the locations in which SCUBA diving activities occur, (3) regulating the types of equipment used, and 4) implementing programmes which seek to manage the methods used by the dive industry in providing their services. Restricting diver numbers is based on the concept of a reef dive site’s ‘carrying capacity’; a level beyond which diving impacts become readily apparent.
  • Restriction of SCUBA diving equipment has focused on banning the use of accessories believed to increase reef contacts within marine protected areas such as gloves, muck sticks, or underwater cameras; however, such regulations are often unpopular within the SCUBA diving community
  • Governments and reef managers seek evidence that the effort expended in implementing programmes translates into measurable benefits; however, research into the effectiveness of such programmes at influencing diver behaviour and reducing diving impacts is limited.
  • In this study, we focused on dive operators participating in the Green Fins diving programme at three major dive locations within the Philippines.
  • Nonetheless, levels of dive supervision underwater would intuitively appear to be linked to rates of reef contact, and when examined, the willingness of dive guides to intervene in correcting diver behaviour underwater has been found to significantly reduce diver contact rates
  • Malapascua Island, Moalboal, and Puerto Galera.
  • divers may have been aware that a Green Fins compliance assessment was taking place, but they were unaware that diver contacts with the reef were being specifically recorded. Green Fins environmental assessments and diver observations were conducted simultaneously.
  • Dive guides and guest divers from 44 dive operators participating in the Green Fins programme were followed
  • Diver characteristics with potential to influence underwater behaviour were categorised as the following factors: diver qualification level (three levels), dive experience (five levels), and previous number of dives at site (three levels).
  • Divers were assigned a unique diver number, and then followed and observed underwater for the entire duration of their dive.
  • If the overall group was very large such that the dive guide could not be seen from the rear of the group, the pair immediately behind the dive guide was selected.
  • Compliance with the Green Fins approach was determined by utilising diver contact rates and dive guide intervention rates as at the dependent variables of interest, and by defining dive operators according to those who had received a high score (above the median score) versus those with a low score (below the median score) on the most recent conducted Green Fins assessment
  • The part of the body or item of equipment making contact with the reef was recorded as follows: hand, fin, knee, camera, muck stick (a handheld stainless steel or aluminium rod approximately 30 cm in length) and equipment (e.g. tank, submersible pressure gauges, octopus regulator), and multiple (parts of the body and equipment simultaneously). The time during the dive at which the contact occurred was also recorded.
  • If observable damage (i.e. breakage, obvious physical damage, or injury) occurred as a result of the contact this was recorded, together with the apparent awareness of the diver to the contact, regardless of damage caused.
  • Contacts made with a camera (77.7 %) accounted for the highest proportion of contacts which resulted in damage, followed by contacts made with the knee (43.3 %), multiple body and equipment parts (38.2 %), equipment (30.7 %), fins (29.8 %), hands (24.7 %), and muck sticks (23.5 %).
  • A total of 100 SCUBA divers were observed at three diving locations within the Philippines (Table 1). The majority (72 %) of these divers were male, and diving experience ranged from those completing diving training to those who were instructors elsewhere with experience of hundreds of dives.
  • Following dive completion, divers that had been observed underwater were asked to complete a survey to determine diver characteristics.
  • Most contacts were made with fins (45.5 %, n = 261); however, hands (19.5 %, n = 112) and dive equipment (15.9 %, n = 91) were also major contributors to the total number of contacts
  • Interventions were defined as an event in which the dive guide intervened in diver behaviour through signalling or demonstrating correct behaviour in order to minimise or prevent contact with the reef.
  • A total of 81 interventions were observed (in comparison to 573 reef contacts—see Fig. 4 for the distribution of contacts and interventions);
  • Camera systems were carried by 55 % of divers; camera-wielding divers accounted for 52.7 % of the total contacts made with the reef. Of divers who utilised a camera, 35 % carried a non-specialist compact type and 20 % carried an SLR type within a specialist underwater housing.
  • Mean (±SE) dive time was 49.3 ± 0.42 min. A total of 573 diver contacts with the reef were recorded during all assessed dives.
  • The difference in the frequency of interventions was statistically significant (ANOVA, f = 4.81, P = 0.03)
  • although a significant portion (36 %) appeared unaware of the contact they made with the reef.
  • In addition to overall contact levels, some studies have also quantified reef contacts either as the mean number of contacts per diver over the duration of a dive or the diver contact rate per minute of dive time. The mean contact rates of 5.7 contacts per dive, or 0.12 contacts per min, which we observed at dive sites in the Philippines are lower than those previously reported
  • All divers observed within the present study were diving with operators participating to various degrees in the Green Fins environmentally responsible diving programme.
  • Identifying factors and policy measures which influence SCUBA diver behaviour underwater can help coral reef managers determine where to most effectively focus effort and funding with respect to dive management. In this study, we found that 88 % of the divers observed made at least one contact with the reef at some point
  • Divers who are more conservation aware and who contact the reef less may preferentially choose to dive with environmentally ‘accredited’ dive operators; indeed, this assumption partially drives dive operator participation in such programmes.
  • Underwater interventions by dive guides have been suggested to be the most successful deterrent to diver contact with reefs (Barker and Roberts 2004). In this study, there was no significant difference in the intervention rates between dive centres of high and low Green Fins compliance. Therefore, we cannot attribute the observed difference in diver reef contact rates to differences in intervention rates between these two groups.
  • Studies examining the effect of carrying camera equipment on the frequency of diver contacts with the reef have produced conflicting results.
  • Additionally, the administration of a pre-dive briefing can influence diver contact rates underwater (Medio et al. 1997). The Green Fins programme incorporates the use of a pre-dive briefing that emphasises the importance of refraining from contacting the reef, which would be expected to result in lower diver contact rates.
  • A concern amongst representatives of the diving industry is the use of muck sticks to manipulate animals unnecessarily—pushing animals out of holes for better viewing, stressing animals to show customers their stress behaviour (e.g. an octopus changing colour), and physically breaking hard coral to be used in photographs.
  • When examining the part of the body or dive equipment which made contact with the reef, we found that the majority of contacts were made with fins, in agreement with Krieger and Chadwick (2013) and Rouphael and Inglis (1998).
  • It has previously been noted that dive guides customarily perform different roles at dive locations globally; at some locations, they act primarily to lead the dive group around the reef, whilst at others, pairing with and closely supervising individual divers throughout the course of a dive
  • this suggests that dive guides carry out the closest supervision during the initial phase of the dive and then switch to a ‘dive leader’ role at the front of a dive group.
  • This study provides evidence that the effective implementation of environmentally responsible practices, via programmes designed to reduce diving impacts, may translate to reduced diver reef contacts.
  • Many diver characteristics which might intuitively be expected to impact reef contact rates, such as level of qualification and overall experience, were not significant influencing factors in this study, and high versus low levels of Green Fins compliance did not influence the number of interventions made by dive guides underwater.
  • For continued economic benefit and conservation of Philippine reef dive locations, we recommend that management measures facilitate high levels of compliance with environmentally responsible diving programmes to reduce the impact of diving on coral reefs.
  • marble_bird on 07 Jul 20
     
    This article discusses a study performed at various diving locations in the Philippines to determine whether or not measures taken by Green Fin diving guides were effective in reducing contact with coral reef systems. The study also recorded the average number of contacts with the reef during a dive, as well as the equipment or body part which came into contact with the reef most often, and which actions resulted in the most damage. The study finds that adherence to Green Fin standards or other policies may significantly impact diver behaviors and reduce the level of contact with sensitive coral reefs during SCUBA dives.
anonymous

How Can Small Hotels Work With Global Distribution Systems (GDS)? - 0 views

www.littlehotelier.com/...lobal-distribution-systems-gds

hotels distribution technology

shared by anonymous on 25 May 20 - No Cached
  • In the distribution landscape, Global Distribution Systems (GDS) are just one of the many players involved in selling your rooms to a world of travelers.
  • What is a global distribution system (GDS)? In simple terms, a GDS acts as a middle-man that connects your small hotel to a network of travel agency professions.
  • You connect to the GDS, giving you access to all of the travel agents your GDS is connected with. Those travel agents then sell your rooms to their customers (a mix of corporates and leisure travelers), and any bookings made are automatic.
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • The GDS world leaders are Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre, Travelport and Worldspan.
  • Retail model This is the traditional model,
  • Whoever sells your room earns a standard commission. Your guest pays you, then you pay your agent.
  • This is the default model used upon connecting with a GDS.
  • Merchant model This model applies to third party service providers that connect you to retail travel agents (by integrating with a GDS) and online travel agents.
  • An OTA sells rooms on your behalf, allowing your guests to find and select your hotel, check your availability, and make a booking.
  • When you do create an agreement with them, the OTAs improve your listing, pay you directly (removing the hassle of credit card transactions), give you the guest’s contact information, and give you the option to run promotions with them.
  • Opaque model In this model, your guests don’t know they’re staying at your specific property until after they’ve made the booking.
  • Small accommodation providers can benefit greatly from using a GDS to connect to retail travel agents and corporate buyers.
  • anonymous on 25 May 20
     
    A global distribution system, or GDS, helps hotels sell rooms to travelers. A global distribution system helps smaller hotels connect to several different travel agencies. GDS allows travel agents to sell rooms to customers. There are three models: the retail model, the merchant model, and the opaque model. The retail model is the most traditional model. The travel agent would get a commission from the sell. The guest would pay the hotel and then the hotel would pay the agent.
obrediajones

Sabre Partnership With Google  |  Press Releases  |  Google Cloud - 0 views

cloud.google.com/...e-and-google-cloud-partnership

shared by obrediajones on 27 May 20 - No Cached
  • Travel industry leader chooses Google Cloud as its preferred cloud provider to accelerate its digital transformation
  • Sunnyvale, CA, January 21, 2020 — Google Cloud today announced it has joined forces with Sabre Corporation [NASDAQ: SABR]— a leading software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry—to help digitally transform the traveler’s experience and co-create the future of travel. 
  • The 10-year-strategic partnership between Google and Sabre will enable the travel provider to improve operational agility while developing new services and creating a new marketplace for its airline,  hospitality and travel agency customers. 
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • As part of the agreement, engineers and business leaders at both companies will work side-by-side on three main initiatives:
  • Improving Sabre’s technology capability
  • Using Google Cloud tools to enhance and optimize travel:
  • Driving a broader innovation framework:
  • Thomas Kurian CEO, Google Cloud. “We believe our partnership will deliver more personalized experiences for travelers, saving time and providing greater convenience that will ultimately raise the standard for the travel industry overall.”
  • Google Cloud provides organizations with leading infrastructure, platform capabilities and industry solutions, along with expertise, to reinvent their
  • business with data-powered innovation on modern computing infrastructure.
  • obrediajones on 27 May 20
     
    Article discusses the newly formed partnership between Google Cloud and Sabre. How this merger seeks to transform the travel landscape by improving operational agility and the offering of new services. Also outlines the partnerships three main initiatives: improving Sabre's technology capability, using Google Cloud tools to optimize travel. and advance the travel ecosystem.
laboygrisell

GDS vs. Channel Manager: What's Better for Small Hotels? - 1 views

www.littlehotelier.com/...-whats-better-for-small-hotels

GDS Small Hotels Hospitality

shared by laboygrisell on 30 Jan 19 - No Cached
  • Small accommodation providers have two options when it comes to distributing their online inventory. They can either do it via a global distribution system (GDS) or via a channel manager.
  • Option 1: Global distribution system (GDS)
  • GDS acts as a middle-man that connects your small hotel to a network of travel agency professionals, including corporate travel bookers. You connect to the GDS, giving you access to all of the travel agents your GDS is connected with. Those travel agents then sell your rooms to their customers (a mix of corporates and leisure travelers), and any bookings made are automatic.
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  • Retail model This is the traditional model, ie. how you would work with a retail or traditional travel agent.
  • Merchant model This model applies to third party service providers that connect you to retail travel agents (by integrating with a GDS) and online travel agents.
  • Opaque model In this model, your guests don’t know they’re staying at your specific property until after they’ve made the booking.
  • Small accommodation providers can benefit greatly from using a GDS to connect to retail travel agents and corporate buyers. However, we highly recommend that you steer clear of the merchant model, because you would be paying commission to both the third party service provider and the OTA.
  • Option 2: Channel Manager
  • On average, small hotels can cut the commissions they pay in half by using an all-in-one solution
  • In this kind of business relationship, it’s much better to retain full control of your rates and inventory
  • In the distribution landscape, Global Distribution Systems (GDS) are just one of the many players involved in selling your rooms to a world of travelers. They are one of the oldest kinds of distributors in the industry, so it’s important that you understand how you can work with them effectively.
  • A GDS doesn’t work exclusively for accommodation providers – it does the same for airlines, activities, and car rental companies.
  • Your rooms are sold through all channels connected through the GDS e.g. traditional travel agents. Whoever sells your room earns a standard commission. Your guest pays you, then you pay your agent. An easy way to understand this model is if you think about how you would work with your local brick and mortar travel agency, that caters to walk-in customers. This is the default model used upon connecting with a GDS.
  • In this model, you would work with online travel agents (OTAs) like Booking.com via the third party service provider. An OTA sells rooms on your behalf, allowing your guests to find and select your hotel, check your availability, and make a booking.
  • However, this is very costly. As they are a third party provider of GDS services, you would not only pay commission to the OTA (a percentage of each booking), but you would also be paying the third party service provider a commission for use of the system (usually $10-$12 per reservation).
  • The only difference is, they won’t guarantee it (there is less of an incentive to sell you because there is no additional commission for them), and they will de-emphasise your listing (by placing it at the end of the list, hiding images, hiding room rate, and other strategies).
  • You set up several rates (usually 25%-45% less than retail rate), selling your rooms based on bids that guests make based on location, star rating, and other attributes. For example, Priceline uses a bidding system, and Hotwire allows guests to make bookings based on discounted rates.
  • GDSes are great for tapping into the corporate travel market – however, it is being used more for other types of travel than for accommodation.
  • mmadar on 09 Sep 19
     
    Compared to large hotel chains and airlines, the GDS can play a different role for businesses of smaller sizes. For small hotels, it may be beneficial to make use of a channel manager instead of depending on sales from a GDS. The article suggests to smaller hotels that channel managers, who work directly with travel agents, can mean more profit for your business. Using the GDS and a travel agency, you are technically paying 2 commissions. With a channel manager, you would only be paying one. Having this business relationship will cut out a middle man, and hotels with smaller budget will find this strategy more efficient.
  • dskomorowsky on 11 Sep 19
     
    I find this article a little misleading. The GDS are channels, can be managed by a channel manager, or in conjunction with, or separately but usually for smaller hotels require an intermediary. Accessing the GDS(s) are used less by smaller hotels for two main factors: 1. Costs and Fees 2. Scope of demand (driving the right customers). 3. Program Fees The article cites figures which have changed substantially since 2015, as of Q4 North American GDS growth was up 6.4% and ADR was up 4.2% YOY with 18.4% of all bookings coming through GDS. TravelClick, Inc. (2019, March 4) What isn't highlighted in the article was the fact that margin agreements with OTAs for smaller independent hotel range anywhere from 20-35% . If the article had done an actual cost comparison (access through intermediary to GDS instead of OTA) the 10% commission + access and delivery fee may have proven more profitable. It would have been better if they had done a little more comparative cost analysis. TravelClick, Inc. (2019, March 4). GDS Booking and ADR Growth Drive Strong Q4 2018 RevPAR Performance in Hospitality. Retrieved from https://www.hospitalitynet.org/performance/4092226.html
  • laboygrisell on 07 Sep 20
     
    This article from the Little Hotelier talks about what exactly is GDS and the Channel Manager and which on is better for Small Hotels. Small Hotels should opt for the system that gives them what they need, but in their price range and for the size of their business.
teresastas

Executive Recycling Company And Executives Sentenced For Fraud And International Enviro... - 1 views

www.justice.gov/...tenced-fraud-and-international

shared by teresastas on 03 Oct 21 - No Cached
  • xecutive Recycling, Inc. (a corporation) and Brandon Richter, age38, of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, the owner and chief executive officer of Executive Recycling, were sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez for their roles in a fraudulent scheme related to the disposal and exportation of electronic waste to foreign countries,
    • cingram21
      cingram21 on 03 Oct 21
       
      This article discusses the penalties the CEO and COO of Executive Recycling received for violating the laws that were exposed on 60 minutes
    • teresastas
      teresastas on 03 Oct 21
       
      Thanks for posting this...I was interested to see how this all turned out! Looks like it didn't turn out well for them!
  • significant portion of electronic waste collected by the defendants were Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs). CRTs are the glass video display component of an electronic device, usually a computer or television monitor, and are known to contain lead. The defendants engaged in the practice of exporting electronic waste, including CRTs, from the United States to foreign countries, including the People’s Republic of China.
  • Executive Recycling appeared as the exporter of record in over 300 exports from the United States between 2005 and 2008. Approximately 160 of these exported cargo containers contained a total of more than 100,000 CRTs.
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  • The defendants’ misrepresentation induced customers to enter into contracts or agreements with the defendants for electronic waste disposal. Each victim paid the defendants to recycle their electronic waste in accordance with the representations made by the defendants. Contrary to their representations, the defendants sold the electronic waste they received from customers to brokers for export overseas to the People’s Republic of China and other countries.
  • The defendants claimed to safely recycle e-waste in the U.S., but regularly exported obsolete and discarded electronic equipment with toxic materials to third-world countries,” said Jeff Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement office in Colorado. 
amajo017

What is a hotel global distribution system (GDS)? (+3 types) - 0 views

www.cloudbeds.com/...hotel-gds

hotel hospitality tech travel mobile business software technology

shared by amajo017 on 08 Jul 22 - No Cached
  • A hotel GDS gives your hotel access and visibility to thousands of travel agents and corporate bookers
  • A global distribution system can integrate with your Property Management System (PMS)
  • As part of a GDS hotel booking system, your hotel will be exposed to a more targeted, professional travel community that alternative property types don’t have access to.
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  • First, you should know that GDS services are only available for authorized users who are licensed and registered and not accessible for use by the general public.
  • For the widest visibility and revenue-earning potential, consider connecting your PMS to a GDS distribution platform that will allow you to connect to several big-name hotel GDS providers and manage your account on one system.
  • In terms of hotel GDS providers, there are three main giants that dominate the market:
  • Cloudbeds’ simple solution connects you to a system that connects to the big three GDSs mentioned above, allowing you to manage all your GDS accounts from one platform.
  • Still, GDSs also have the power and functionality to send their inventory to OTAs.
  • A global distribution system (GDS) is one of the best ways for hoteliers to promote their hotel in the global corporate travel market. It’s a critical component of a well-rounded distribution strategy and helps hotel management increase occupancy within the lucrative corporate travel segment.
  • A global distribution system is an online system that delivers real-time hotel, airline, train, and car rental inventory, room rates, discounts, and more to travel agents and other businesses.
  • As part of a GDS hotel booking system, your property will be exposed to a more targeted,
  • GDS hotel booking system allows companies, such as travel agencies and corporate bookers, to book travel on behalf of others.
  • Public rates are visible and bookable to all agencies in a GDS and are subject to commissions paid to the booking agency. Common public rates are the Best Available Rate (BAR), Corporate (COR), and Government (GOV). Negotiated rates are only visible to companies with which you have a special agreement. The authorized agencies that can book these rates must enter an agreed-upon GDS hotel code called a Rate Access Code. Since negotiated rates are based on net rates, they are not subject to commissions.
  • Amadeus has been connecting travel providers to travel sellers since 1987. They serve over 770,000 hotels in 190+ countries worldwide and have a global team of 19,000 employees. Aside from hotels, Amadeus also services airlines, airport operators, rail operators, ground handlers, car rental companies & transfer providers, insurance provider groups, and cruise lines & ferries
    • amajo017
      amajo017 on 09 Jul 23
       
      This is the one my work uses!
  • Sabre has been part of the birth of airline automation since the 1960s. Today, they have almost 400,000 travel agents in their global travel marketplace. Their technology products include travel-focused mobile apps, check-in kiosks, airline and hotel reservation networks, ticket agent terminals, aircraft & crew scheduling systems, revenue management solutions, and more.
  • (Galileo, Worldspan, Apollo) – With origins leading back to 1971, Travelport encompasses the Galileo, Worldspan, and Apollo GDS systems. Their worldwide travel retail platform services travel agencies and suppliers with distribution, technology, and payment solutions, among others. They have partnerships with hotel chains and boutique hotels to develop targeted promotions and flexible rate models to gain greater visibility in their markets. 
  • The GDS system will likely evolve in the coming years rather than become obsolete, so it’s worthwhile connecting to one if you want to attract more business travelers and make gains in the corporate travel industry.
  • tvill22 on 08 Jul 22
     
    This article talks about the GDS and how it can help attract clients in particular business clients. It starts by giving all the benefits of the GDS. It then goes on to explain how the GDS works and who can access it. It ends by talking about the types of GDS systems and how they will evolve and stay relevant in the future.
  • amajo017 on 09 Jul 23
     
    This article describes the different types of GDS programs that hotels might use. The one my hotel uses is in here as well! It outlines why they are important, how they are used, and the massive reach that they have. Most companies use GDS to streamline their efficiency so it is interesting to read why it is so effective.
ryanbonifas

Future of distribution: How changes in consumer behaviour will impact hotels - 0 views

www.hospitalitynet.org/...4110322.html

technology hospitality software business future

shared by ryanbonifas on 11 Sep 22 - No Cached
amdelgad liked it
  • While demand makes its way back to pre-pandemic levels, the way consumers spend has changed forever. It is critical for hoteliers to rethink their hotel distribution channels and products.
  • Greater digital adoption is critical for the hospitality industry 40 million new internet users came online in 2021. This brings the internet penetration in Southeast Asia (SEA) to 75%. As a reference, Europe was sitting at 82.5% in 2019.
  • Changes to operations for food and beverage outlets as a result of constant closures and re-openings, as well as seating restrictions caused by the pandemic, have forced more profound and long-term changes to the dining-out experience. The more agile operators have adapted by embracing basic take away options or by creating restaurant alike experiences at home. Some took it further by moving to a full cloud kitchen concept.
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  • According to an Accor internal survey, while most employees do not want to go back to the office five days a week, 70% do not want to work from home either.
  • He bets his hotels, mainly located in major cities, will be busy from 9am to 9pm with local demand. His hotels will compete with venues like Starbucks that has catered for that particular demand for the last ten years.
  • Marriott made a move towards that direction when it announced last November the signing of an agreement with Amadeus to modernize its reservation and commerce infrastructure.
  • With hotel stays being increasingly marketed as experiences, hotels that enable guests to purchase complementary products like spa and golf when booking a stay will gain a competitive advantage.
  • A sound distribution strategy can no longer be limited to selling rooms through a branded website, online travel agents or the GDS. It is time to get creative, look around and commit proper resources to transform and modernize practices.
  • ryanbonifas on 11 Sep 22
     
    As the world comes back from the pandemic, hotels are looking for other experiences to entice guests to stay with them, and providing it through new avenues of technology. Hotel flags are working with groups such as Amadeus for a new experience with their reservation system while exploring other avenues for a competitive advantage.
jbrit055

Shopkick | The Mobile Proximity Marketing Advantages and Disadvantages Retailers Must Know - 0 views

www.shopkick.com/...antages-retailers-must-know-fc

mobile proximity marketing advantages disadvantages

shared by jbrit055 on 23 Sep 21 - No Cached
  • The mobile market is maturing, with 82% penetration anticipated by 2020 in the US.
  • Beacon technology, which powers proximity marketing, results in an estimated 40 million messages a year, and that number is ever increasing. As a result, the retail industry must be sure it is primed to take full advantage of this technology now and in the coming years.
  • While proximity marketing is ideal for targeting the right audience at the right time, it’s also a complex and emerging marketing style that’s bound to have to work out a few kinks.
    • kmill139
      kmill139 on 23 Sep 21
       
      Once they fix the kinks they'd be able to make this a really great marketing tactic.
  • ...41 more annotations...
  • The Mobile Proximity Marketing Advantages for Retailers
  • The retailer added beacon technology to their stores in advance of Black Friday in 2015 through its Walk In and Win campaign. Macy employees and advertisements notified visitors of the upcoming event, encouraging them to download the store app in order to stay in the loop. Then, to incentivize consumers on Black Friday, users were given the opportunity to win prizes and play games via their mobile devices whenever they entered a Macy’s store.
  • Increased brand awareness:
  • Engaged users:
  • An automated edge:
  • Insights on purchase behaviors:
  • High-performing, innovative third-party retail apps provide proximity marketing that retailers can easily implement while avoiding many logistical concerns. Reputable partner apps have strong systems in place to prevent data breaches and have the experience to know how to interact with consumers without being intrusive.
  • However, there are some challenges to be aware of. As it’s an emerging marketing technique, there are still some challenges to be aware of before you implement the technology in your store.
    • kmill139
      kmill139 on 23 Sep 21
       
      The only downside I can see with this type of marketing is that it only works if the person has the app of the store downloaded. If not they will not see the ad whatsoever.
  • The Challenges of Proximity Marketing and its Disadvantages
  • Conversion issues:
  • Excessive opt-ins:
  • Management complexity:
  • Privacy concerns:
  • While proximity marketing is not without its disadvantages, many of these concerns can be resolved by choosing to partner with a trusted third-party mobile app. By capitalizing on the expertise of third-party companies, retailers of all sizes are able to achieve high conversion rates with beacon-based proximity marketing campaigns.
  • Higher conversion rates:
  • With the majority of adults now with a smartphone in hand, it stands to reason that retailers will want—and need—to leverage these devices to gain foot traffic, sales, and new customers.
  • employs geolocation to market to consumers within physical reach of a store
  • proximity marketing could be a valuable resource for increasing market share and brand awareness
  • minimizing expenses and easily gaining the attention of an existing consumer base
  • This is an emerging platform that companies are just beginning to utilize
  • retailers who choose to use it can garner a lot of attention.
  • doesn’t require much effort
  • unique
  • It is estimated that 57% of consumers are likely to engage with location-based advertising
  • If your target audience is asking for it, it can be assumed that it will be a sure-fire way to gain a bigger following.
  • you’re notifying an audience who is already motivated to buy.
  • drive their sales and increase brand awareness
  • It’s automatic; technology does the work for you.
  • the data it creates.
  • You can see what drives your consumers to buy, whether it’s discounts, informational videos, or interactive campaigns. This allows you to adjust future strategies accordingly.
  • improve customer conversion
  • drive brick and mortar sales
  • It can be difficult to predict which approach will be successful when you are implementing new marketing-based technology
  • they don’t use a majority of those apps regularly.
  • The more screens they must approve, the less likely they’ll be to finish the installation process and start to engage with your brand.
  • It requires the right hardware and programming as well as an expert to monitor it.
  • you’re responsible for its safekeeping
  • this data could be highly desirable for cyber criminals. Companies need to be prepared to not only store but also strongly protect this data.
  • Third-party apps strike the right balance between respecting a consumer’s privacy while providing timely marketing.
  • They also manage and consolidate the user agreements necessary to collect consumer data
  • you can gain access to a user base that is already active and engaged
  • kmill139 on 23 Sep 21
     
    This article discussed the pros and cons of mobile proximity marketing and how to possibly overcome the downfalls of the type of marketing.
  • mmdmd99999 on 20 Jul 22
     
    privacy concerns, complex management, excessive opt-ins, conversion issues
  • jbrit055 on 21 Jul 22
     
    There can be many benefits and negatives to introducing new technology into your company. While it can be interesting to see new marketing methods for a company, these results can also be temporary. A company wanting to integrate these new marketing methods into their business will have to identify if their audience would react well with this new form of marketing and make their choices based on those results.
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