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agrie013

How Struggling Air India Is Setting the Stage for a Major Battle Among Distribution Gia... - 0 views

skift.com/...ttle-among-distribution-giants

shared by agrie013 on 26 Jan 20 - No Cached
  • The battle for India’s lucrative travel market among global distribution systems is not over yet — even if Travelport has won hands down with exclusive rights to distribute Air India’s domestic flights content in India.
  • For a split second, it appears that Travelport can sit pretty and command control of a vast market all on its own. Sabre announced at the start of the year that Air India had decided to withdraw from it. Amadeus had pulled out in December 2018 after Travelport’s win, awarded in October 2018 and fully implemented by January 1, 2020, which was just too much for it to swallow. So the grass was looking green for Travelport with neither Sabre nor Amadeus on the turf
  • But Amadeus announced last week that it’s back in with Air India, even if it’s only with the airline’s international flights content, not domestic, which is now fully ensconced in Travelport. And while Sabre has failed to renew its contract, which expired at the end of 2019, the company said it is still engaging with Air India on a new agreement.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Gradually from November 2018, travel agents in India could no longer book Air India’s domestic flights, for example, Delhi to Mumbai, on Amadeus or Sabre, only on Travelport. As the deal covers only domestic, they could still book Air India’s international flights, say, Delhi to London, on any of the three competing distribution systems, while agents outside India could also continue to book Air India’s domestic and international content on all three (until December 4, 2018, when Amadeus left, that is). But as mentioned earlier, domestic is where most of the traffic is.
  • India is far too important for technology and distribution players to walk away. And the distribution weapon that Air India wields is symptomatic of a sick airline that oscillates between cost-cutting and generating revenue as it gasps for air to stay afloat, according to industry veterans interviewed by Skift.
  • There are also concerns the move will disrupt the business. “Travel agents tend to have one preferred GDS. Imagine that an agency has trained all the staff to use one particular GDS (global distribution system), then, for this one airline you have to train staff again. So maybe you’d just book a different airline,” said a source.
  • agrie013 on 26 Jan 20
     
    Air India is a struggling airline that is starting a battle among GDS company. since the travel market is so lucrative in India all of them are fighting to get a piece of the pie. since Air India is struggling they are taking all comers. Travelport holds the reigns when it comes domestic flights and Amadeus Holds the reigns on the international flights. This fight for control of Air India has put travel agents in India in a bind. In November of 2018 travel agents could no longer book Air India's domestic flight on Amadeus or Sabre but only Travelport. But domestic flights is where most of the traffic is. this puts the travel agents in a bingd because they train with just one GDS. Sabre is trying to get Air India's bussiness again by offering cost savings over the other two GDS giants.
Hui Chen

What's global distribution system? - 5 views

www.programming-pool.com/...lobal-distribution-system.html

GDS hospitality

shared by Hui Chen on 19 May 12 - No Cached
  • A global distribution system (GDS) represents a computerized system used for managing different transactions within the air travel and hospitality industry. At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved. As a direct consequence to this fact, GDS’ were also implemented for hospitality industry use.
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved.
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved. As a direct consequence to this fact, GDS’ were also implemented for hospitality industry use.
  • ...21 more annotations...
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved. As a direct consequence to this fact, GDS’ were also implemented for hospitality industry use.
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved. As a direct consequence to this fact, GDS’ were also implemented for hospitality industry use.
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved. As a direct consequence to this fact, GDS’ were also implemented for hospitality industry use.
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved. As a direct consequence to this fact, GDS’ were also implemented for hospitality industry use.
  • However, due to the fact that GDS’ were originally created to distribute plane tickets, their database structure was specifically designed to store information about this product.
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved.
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved.
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and mor
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved.
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved.
  • However, due to the fact that GDS’ were originally created to distribute plane tickets, their database structure was specifically designed to store information about this product.
  • At first, GDS’ were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved. As a direct consequence to this fact, GDS’ were also implemented for hospitality industry use.
  • The first major impact that GDS had on the travel market was that the number of flights was increased. This led to an increase of competition and therefore travel industry prices fell. Travel agencies were accustomed with receiving a fixed fee (usually 10%) from everything they managed to sell, so once the prices started to fall, they felt threatened with the loss of their earnings. In order to counter this, travel agencies began to offer complimentary products such as car rental, hotel and other related forms of accommodation, bus tickets, vacation packages, yacht rides and even flowers and champagne. This was the first major step towards GDS’ being used within the hospitality industry.
  • As mentioned before, one of the first products distributed by GDS was hotel accommodation. Hotels have loaded the information related to their different types of rooms, description and price categories within the airline reservation system database. When this information became available online, thousand of clients started making bookings all around the world. This fact was advantageous for each participant. Hotels benefited from distributing their products to a larger audience, travel agencies had the opportunity of booking more products through their computerized system and GDS benefited from a growth in booking volume, which helped them to lower operating costs.
  • The first major impact that GDS had on the travel market was that the number of flights was increased. This led to an increase of competition and therefore travel industry prices fell. Travel agencies were accustomed with receiving a fixed fee (usually 10%) from everything they managed to sell, so once the prices started to fall, they felt threatened with the loss of their earnings. In order to counter this, travel agencies began to offer complimentary products such as car rental, hotel and other related forms of accommodation, bus tickets, vacation packages, yacht rides and even flowers and champagne. This was the first major step towards GDS’ being used within the hospitality industry.
  • The first major impact that GDS had on the travel market was that the number of flights was increased. This led to an increase of competition and therefore travel industry prices fell. Travel agencies were accustomed with receiving a fixed fee (usually 10%) from everything they managed to sell, so once the prices started to fall, they felt threatened with the loss of their earnings. In order to counter this, travel agencies began to offer complimentary products such as car rental, hotel and other related forms of accommodation, bus tickets, vacation packages, yacht rides and even flowers and champagne. This was the first major step towards GDS’ being used within the hospitality industry.
  • The first major impact that GDS had on the travel market was that the number of flights was increased. This led to an increase of competition and therefore travel industry prices fell. Travel agencies were accustomed with receiving a fixed fee (usually 10%) from everything they managed to sell, so once the prices started to fall, they felt threatened with the loss of their earnings. In order to counter this, travel agencies began to offer complimentary products such as car rental, hotel and other related forms of accommodation, bus tickets, vacation packages, yacht rides and even flowers and champagne. This was the first major step towards GDS’ being used within the hospitality industry.
  • The first major impact that GDS had on the travel market was that the number of flights was increased. This led to an increase of competition and therefore travel industry prices fell. Travel agencies were accustomed with receiving a fixed fee (usually 10%) from everything they managed to sell, so once the prices started to fall, they felt threatened with the loss of their earnings. In order to counter this, travel agencies began to offer complimentary products such as car rental, hotel and other related forms of accommodation, bus tickets, vacation packages, yacht rides and even flowers and champagne. This was the first major step towards GDS’ being used within the hospitality industry.
  • The first major impact that GDS had on the travel market was that the number of flights was increased. This led to an increase of competition and therefore travel industry prices fell. Travel agencies were accustomed with receiving a fixed fee (usually 10%) from everything they managed to sell, so once the prices started to fall, they felt threatened with the loss of their earnings. In order to counter this, travel agencies began to offer complimentary products such as car rental, hotel and other related forms of accommodation, bus tickets, vacation packages, yacht rides and even flowers and champagne. This was the first major step towards GDS’ being used within the hospitality industry.
  • Nowadays global distribution systems interconnect almost everything within the hospitality industry, from hotels to car rental companies and travel agencies. There are four major GDS available: Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and WorldSpan. Some of the advantages provided by GDS are their availability (99,9% of the time), their response times (up to a fraction of a second), their multiple booking capability, as well as their top of the line architecture. On any given day, a GDS will be capable of accessing over 50000 hotels and approximately 1000 airlines. Through GDS systems, people are able to book various hotel rooms, tours, airline seats, cruises and even limousines.
  • The working idea behind a GDS is this: any GDS provides services to an electronic shop for all information related to travel and reservation-related needs. In other words, the GDS has become a very important distribution channel for any product sold through travel agencies. Basically, if a vendor wants to be sold through travel agents, he must be listed on a GDS
  • Hyeyoung Jang on 19 May 12
     
    The first products distributed by GDS was hotel lodging reservation system, such as different types of rooms, description and price categories with the airline system. GDS has been increased on the travel market, such as number of flights. Travel Agencies (TA) also use GDS to offer complimentary products, such as car rental, hotel and other related forms of accommodation, bus tickets, vacation tickets, yacht rides and even flowers and champagne,That means, GDS has become more important distribution channel for nay product through TA. Also TA had more opportunity of more products their own system and GDS system from increase number of booking volume with lower operating costs. It was the first and major goals of GDS being used in the hospitality industry. Even though hopitality ingustry use GDS system, there are few problems, such as show only simple structure. For example, there are 4 different kinds od room and 3 categories od comfort, it means they have 12 different kinds of combination. Because of the GDS database structure, only there 12 combination could be displayed. It took a while to fit all the multiple types of comport rates, rooms and services in GDS standard database structure. Instead of choosing GDS system, they cans choose other alternative system with develop several computerized system to make a database structure closer to product specification. Nowadays, GDS using all of the hospitality industry from reservation hotel rooms to car rentals and Travel Agencies. Through GDS as globally, people are able to to book different kinds of hotel rooms in different destination all around the world, tours, airline seats, cruises and eeve limousines.
  • ...2 more comments...
  • Casrine Kelly on 15 Jul 12
     
    Global Distribution System were develop and meant only for the airline reservations. The impact of the GDS on the travel industry is that it increase competition, more flights were available and this reduce cost. With the increase and cost reduction travel agents start to see decrease in their earnings they received from airline sales, so with the GDS they were able to book other services such as hotels and car rentals with airline reservations. With GDS it is much easier and convenient to make a reservation from flight, hotel and car rental because everything is link together.
  • Irine Wallace on 03 Sep 12
     
    Summary of a global distribution system (GDS) A global distribution system (GDS) represents a computerized system used for managing different transactions within the air travel and hospitality industry. Historically, GDS' were only meant for the air travel reservations but as years have passed, GDS systems became more and more evolved. As a result, GDS' are now implemented for hospitality industry as whole. The first major impact that GDS had on the travel market was that the number of flights increased which led to increase competition among the players and this brought down the overall prices. The main purpose of a GDS is to provide services to an electronic shop for all information related to travel and reservation-related needs and one of the first products distributed by GDS was hotel accommodation. Hotels throughout the market uploaded the information related to their different types of rooms, description and price categories within the airline reservation system database. When this information became available online, thousands of clients started making bookings all around the world. This fact was advantageous for each participant. Hotels provided GDS with a challenge of fitting all the different sizes, styles, amenities, and etc. It took a while to fit all the multiple types of comfort rates, rooms and services in a GDS standardized database structure. A general strategy was therefore needed. Rather than loading hotel products inside the GDS, the accepted solution was to develop several computerized systems with a database structure closer to product specifications. Nowadays global distribution systems interconnect almost everything within the hospitality industry, from hotels to car rental companies and travel agencies. There are four major GDS available: Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and WorldSpan.
  • cbespinel on 12 Sep 12
     
    Looking at these numbers it becomes very clear how important GDS are to the hospitality industry, more rooms booked means increased revenues and more jobs for hospitality professionals. I am sure that this technology will evolve and transform so it is important to stay current and understand how to get the most out of it.
  • Hui Chen on 16 Sep 12
     
    What's global distribution system? This question is kind of cliché in our group, but this article gives a very good introduction about GDS and it's quite easy to understand comparing to many other articles introducing GDS. This article tells us: How GDS develops from being used only in airline industry to being generally adopted in hospitality industry; What is the working idea behind the GDS; Four major GDS including Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan; Advantages provided by GDS.
natalieemmanuel

FAA will review security and plans after big Chicago air travel problems - The Washingt... - 1 views

www.washingtonpost.com/...ig-chicago-air-travel-problems

security air travel

shared by natalieemmanuel on 30 Sep 14 - No Cached
  • “I do understand the traveling public’s frustrations with flight delays and cancellations,” Michael P. Huerta, the FAA administrator, said in a speech Monday morning. “The air transportation system is vital to our economy and people rely on it to function 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I want to make sure that we have the most robust contingency plans possible.”
  • This review, which will take 30 days, will encompass the way security is managed at facilities, said Huerta, who was speaking to the annual Air Traffic Control Association conference outside of Washington, D.C. It will also cover the ways air traffic control operations can be resumed “as quickly as possible,” he said.
  • “This is one of the most challenging situations that air traffic controllers and other FAA employees have faced since 9/11,” Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said in a statement. “The damage to this critical facility is unlike anything we have seen before.”
  • natalieemmanuel on 30 Sep 14
     
    In the wake of the recent fire that wreaked havoc on Chicago area airports this past weekend the FAA is planning to review its security measures. On Friday, an employee at a radar facility in Aurora Illinois set fire to a telecommunications room in an attempt to commit suicide. The fire caused thousands of departing and connecting flights bound for the Chicago area and around the country to be canceled and grounded. Not only were flights canceled on Friday but many continued to be canceled on Saturday and Sunday as well. Chicago's O'Hare Airport is the second busiest airport in the nation and an issue in security can disrupt not only the Chicago area but also flights around the country. It was noted that this incident was one of the most challenging situations air traffic controllers have had to work through since 9/11. Air travel is incredibly important to most Americans and a breach in security can be devastating. It is most important to keep travelers safety in mind especially when it comes to traveling by air. Although it is very important for travelers to make it to their final destination it is much more important that they get there safely and this is a topic the FAA is going to review as a result of this incident.
  • danalbert on 02 Oct 14
     
    I think the question to be asked is "Can we do anything at all when a crazy person is in our midst?" If he was working at the center, he must have had some sort of vetting or clearance that he had to complete for employment. Did no other employees see any signs that he was suicidal (someone ALWAYS does)? What kind of measures were being employed to secure this clearly critical piece of infrastructure? How long did it take for anyone to respond? Clearly, lots of questions need to be posed. The effects of this one fore will ripple for months to come.
kpony001

Air Canada Begins Using a New Way to Distribute Fares to Partners - Skift - 0 views

skift.com/...o-distribute-fares-to-partners

technology hospitality software tech business travel

shared by kpony001 on 28 Jan 19 - No Cached
  • The shape of the future is unclear.For a glimpse at what may come, look to Air Canada, which this week processed its first transaction via a new platform called NDC Exchange.
  • For several years now, Air Canada has offered internet-based connections for online travel agencies and travel management companies to access its airfares. These worked outside of the incumbent three giants of travel distribution, Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport.
  • About 40 to 50 agencies access Air Canada’s application programming interfaces, or APIs, to process about a million tickets a year via direct connections that avoid the intermediaries.
  • ...21 more annotations...
  • it enables the airline to have enhanced control over how the content appears on travel agency reservation systems to make sure they’re presenting their full-service products in the best way and not encouraging customers to shop by lowest price.
  • Air Canada
  • began using NDC Exchange, a platform that does the work on Air Canada’s behalf to transform data from its web services into a way that’s readable by sellers using any of the different versions of New Distribution Capability.
  • NDC Exchange was created by airfare filing clearinghouse ATPCO
  • and SITA,
  • the airline industry has heavy control of both organizations, which may help keep costs below what they would probably have to pay third-party distribution giants to do the same work.
  • The platform could become more valuable if it effectively enabled the cross-selling of ancillary services between airlines.
  • If the vision is mostly fulfilled, the NDC Exchange could take on a life of its own. It could become more than a mere data transformation tool that acts as an integration layer during a presumably temporary spike in updates to the New Distribution Capability standard.
  • “There is a nominal cost to use it for airlines and a nominal cost to use it for the sellers, but if the costs stay low and the system has low latency, then the value would be worthwhile,”
  • Wallis said, “My wish would be to put all of my partners in the NDC Exchange, though it would take more than a year to get there.
  • For this platform, SITA is taking on the role of providing the IT networking for messaging and data services to power the exchange, while ATPCO transforms the data.
  • The NDC Exchange runs on SITA’s cloud-based infrastructure and airlines use its 24/7 call-center support to handle any troubleshooting.
  • Amadeus’s Elena Avila, executive vice president, head of Americas, airlines, said, “Air Canada is a long-term partner that we’re thrilled to be working with both on the IT and the distribution side.
  • Amadeus Anytime Merchandising will equip Air Canada to address evolving industry initiatives, such as NDC.”
  • Sabre announced “a commitment to advance at an industry level” new technological and business practice methods with American Airlines and several key players in corporate travel
  • A Sabre spokesperson said in an interview, “Efforts like the one you highlighted [by ATPCO] are often focused only on offer creation, whereas Beyond NDC is focused on developing end-to-end solutions that let airlines retail, distribute and fulfill across the entire traveler journey.
  • Amadeus announced an NDC-X program that’s working with Qantas and American Airlines and with travel sellers like Flight Centre, Travix, American Express Global Business Travel, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, and BCD Travel.
  • The traditional masters of this task — Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport — could choose to plug into it. But they might have to accept commercial terms that would be less lucrative than past arrangements.
  • Verteil Technologies, an Indian IT provider, will use the NDC Exchange to aggregate the New Distribution Capability content and then enable Indian travel agencies to issue standalone New Distribution Capability tickets.
  • Australia- and New Zealand-based corporate travel technology company Serko is plugging into NDC Exchange.
  • Other vendors launching on NDC Exchange include Airlines Reporting Corp., Innfinity and Atriis.
  • kpony001 on 28 Jan 19
     
    Air Canada's new platform, NDC Exchange, which works outside of the GDSes, allows the airline to manage the way its bookings appear on travel agency registration systems. The system was created by ATPCO (Airline Tariff Publishing Co.) and SITA, the latter of which transforms the data while the former provides the data services that make it have the ability to run,. Recently, several GDSes, such as Sabre, Amadeus, along with other entities like Verteil Technologies, Serko, and more, have also began to utilize their own NDC Exchange program.
atutt002

Air India signs distribution agreement with Amadeus, Sabre out in the cold | PhocusWire - 0 views

www.phocuswire.com/Air-India-GDS-Amadeus-Sabre

airline distribution agreement contract business travel hospitality

shared by atutt002 on 08 Jun 20 - No Cached
  • reducing its presence on global distribution systems and awarded Travelport sole distribution rights of its domestic inventory. 
  • Legal proceedings from Amadeus began in 2018
  • a new relationship enabling
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • to access international content and retailers in the rest of the world to access both domestic and international from Air India.
  • Sabre says it attempted to negotiate a new deal with Air India for the “better part of a year.”
  • it will continue to work with Air India on a new agreement.
  • r Air India,
  • renew our relationship with Amadeus
  • atutt002 on 08 Jun 20
     
    This article explains a recent contract struggle with the airline Air India and two Global Distribution Systems, Sabre and Amadeus. Because of the new contract with Amadeus, Sabre has been forced to nullify their old contract with the airline. Air India has chosen to prioritize the GDS Amadeus because of the global reach that it affords.
Jennifer Koren

Hotels make clean sweep vs. allergies - USATODAY.com - 0 views

usatoday30.usatoday.com/...007-08-30-healthy-hotels_N.htm

hotels allergies Air Purify

shared by Jennifer Koren on 19 Nov 13 - No Cached
  • Certified by a private company and branded as Pure Rooms, the spaces have been cleaned and sanitized, then misted with a compound that prevents bacterial growth.
  • Environmental Technology Solutions, basically rebuilds the room from the ground up to eliminate materials that collect dust or emit volatile organic compounds — gases emitted by furniture, carpeting and cleaning supplies that may trigger sensitivities in some people
  • A free-standing air purifier with a high-efficiency particulate air (or HEPA) filter, special coverings for pillows and mattresses and laundering in water hotter than 130 degrees to kill dust mites are all effective allergen-fighting measures, says Steven Cohen, a Milwaukee-area allergist. But conventional allergists such as Cohen question whether chemical sensitivities truly exist.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • •The Quality Inn & Suites Maine Evergreen Hotel in Augusta, Maine, has 76 "Evergreen" rooms with air- and water-filtration systems. "We recognized it was something so incredibly unique," says owner Alec Rogers. "We thought if it doesn't bring people in, it'll bring them back. And that's been the case."
  • Jennifer Koren on 19 Nov 13
     
    Hotels are jumping on board the hypo allergenic train. Many hotels are transforming some of their rooms to allergy free rooms. Redesigning the rooms from the ground up is difficult, and quite expensive, but many hotels think it will pay off. The air filtration systems are the first to be replaced. The carpet is removed and mattress casings are put on the beds to remove any chance of bed bugs, dust mites, or any other allergy causing agents. At the Hilton in Chicago, one room renovation is about $12,000, and they charge an extra $25 a night. The cost of being healthy may be worth it. The recycled air and dust affect many people daily especially at hotels. If the pillows can be altered and little steps to increase the air quality, then I believe the payoffs will greatly surpass the initial costs.
irinatroitskaya

United Signals It Wants a Better Deal with Reservation Middlemen - Skift - 0 views

skift.com/...eal-with-reservation-middlemen

GDS airlines

shared by irinatroitskaya on 16 Sep 17 - No Cached
  • The reservation services that middlemen technology companies provide to travel agency networks and online travel agencies are a particular sore spot for airlines.
  • Overall worldwide, airline lobbying groups say they pay $7 billion in fees a year to these reservation systems.
  • In the past, non-standard products like that have posed challenges for Sabre, Amadeus, Travelport, and Travelsky to display and distribute to travel agencies.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • But beyond monetary concerns, there were antitrust issues at play, with the airlines contending that Sabre had a stranglehold on the domestic U.S. market
  • The distributors say they can accommodate technological requests from the airlines, despite the public skepticism expressed by some airline executives.
  • irinatroitskaya on 16 Sep 17
     
    This article demonstrates the way how relationship between the airlines (United) and the technology companies which serve as middlemen is build. According to the estimations, the airlines pay to the gds's about $18 per round trip ticket reservation, which results in 7 billion in fees that are payed to the gds's annually. The air companies consider these fees unfair in regard of the gds' performance. To compensate for these payments as well as to promote direct bookings, the airlines (namely, Lufthansa) have added a surcharge for any external bookings. GDS's, however, fight back and start litigations against Lufthansa. The decision on this case will either stop such a practice, or force other airlines to follow LH and add surcharges for gds's too. Another problem that airlines experience with GDS's is the presentation of non-standard products that the airlines offer. For example, it took the GDS's several years to correctly display the Ecomy Skycouch by Air New Zealand (buy 3 seats at the price of 2 to sleep across all of them during the long-haul flight). United is going to introduce its Basic Economy Seats with no carry-on luggage and no qualifying miles. However, they are not sure that the GDS' s will be able to display this product to the customers in a proper way so that they could fully understand what they are buying. The reason for that is that GDS's are mainly reluctant to invest in technologies that are focused on product differentation. In this regard, it becomes more difficult to compare fares since different set of services is included in different products. Thus, the customers might be mislead. Moreover, there are antitrust issues with the gds's. The airlines claim that Sabre has a stranlehold on the US domestic market. Such position allows it to ultimatum the airlines and voluntary decide on search display order. The airlines expect the GDS's to be more prone to partnership ralations. This would imply the fair compensation for what they add to the
Endrich Reveil

IATA Urges GDS Systems Reform | Travel Agent Central - 0 views

www.travelagentcentral.com/...urges-gds-systems-reform-35877

GDS NDC travel tourism transport IT

shared by Endrich Reveil on 29 Jan 15 - No Cached
  • The International Air
  • To move forward, IATA said it is working on a new distribution capability (NDC) that will bring the industry up-to-date with online retailers and revolutionize distribution.
  • the GDS model is too clunky to adapt easily to the emergence of trends such as fare unbundling and merchandizing,” said Tyler.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is encouraging strong information technology (IT) partnerships to strengthen the air transport industry, but says the Global Distribution System (GDS) model is now holding the industry back.
  • “The GDSs and system providers have an important role to play in working with us to optimize this NDC and to take advantage of the opportunities it will offer the entire value chain,” Tyler said.
  • Tyler noted that IT continues to facilitate improvements in operational efficiency. “For example, e-ticketing, the flagship program of IATA’s Simplifying the Business (StB) initiative, was about far more than eliminating paper. It brought multiple benefits across the supply chain and greater convenience for passengers.
  • “By 2020, our vision is for 80% of passengers to be able to be offered a complete self-service suite,” said Tyler.
  • Endrich Reveil on 29 Jan 15
     
    Even though the GDS had reformed the distribution system of the travel industry, will it continue to grow and update it's current model to upkeep the growing age of tourism? The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is looking for newer ways to revolutionize the travel industry. Tony Tyler, IATA CEO, feels that the Global Distribution System (GDS) is lacking upgrades and says "the GDS model is too clunky to adapt easily to the emergence of trends". As a result, the IATA is working on a new distribution capability (NDC) that will enable the industry to become on trend with online retailers and transform distribution. However, the GDS will still play an important role in aiding the NDS to get there. Tyler spoke at the SITA Air Transport IT Summit in Belgium, asking the IT partners to help innovate the air transport industry. He also explained that the IT already did and will continue on doing a great job with facilitating the operational efficiency.
kdibe001

New HVAC Hotel and Apartment Technology Obtains Large EPAct Tax Incentives - Energy Tax... - 1 views

www.energytaxsavers.com/...VAC-Hotel-Apartment-Technology

Technology Hospitality hvac hotels cost saving tax deductions

shared by kdibe001 on 23 Jul 17 - No Cached
  • New HVAC technology called VRV (Variable Refrigerant Volume system), also known as VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow), is substantially reducing hotel and apartment building energy expenses. This new technology began to mainstream into the U.S. market after the enactment of the Energy Policy Act and is now being widely recommended by the architecture, engineering, and HVAC industries.
  • there are tax deductions of up to $0.60 per square foot for each of the three major building subsystems: lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning), and the building envelope.
  • VRF/VRV is an air conditioning system most efficient for commercial buildings because of the ability to individualize control for different zones/rooms, whereas conventional systems condition a building as a whole. The system is very beneficial for buildings with varying cooling needs and different zones.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Often hotel investment groups own multiple properties so if they are pleased with VRF/VRV technology incentives, they will replicate it across their hotel portfolio.
  • For both hotels and apartments building HVAC is the largest energy cost item. VRF/VRV’s will annually reduce total energy costs for these two markets by at least 20% and may reduce current building energy cost by as much as 40%
  • kdibe001 on 23 Jul 17
     
    The obvious initial measure hotels take to reduce energy cost and become more "green" are by replacing lights bulbs with LED, switching to paperless options, and other small tasks. The most cost efficient though is the conversion of their central air conditioner and heater, as this makes up a large percentage of costs for the hotel, which is also a burden on the environment due to the excess use of gas and electric to power the system. The new Energy Policy Act that was put into effect helps hotel not only save on long-term costs in the HVAC department, but also get a tax credit. This credit can range from $0.60 to $1.80 per square footage of the hotel. This is helping to encourage hotels to make the switch. This type of technology allows the air to be controlled by different zones in the hotel, which can be each individual room, floor, or however the hotel sets it up. This also prevents the air constantly running in the hotel room when it is unoccupied by hotel guests.
anonymous

Hotels and Resorts Ramp Up Sustainability Efforts - The New York Times - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...sustainability-ecotourism.html

hotels resorts sustainability Hospitality Green

shared by anonymous on 07 Sep 19 - No Cached
  • Hotels and resorts have started to act by ramping up efforts to reduce or eliminate completely their resource and energy consumption.
  • “Sustainability is more than energy conservation or recycling; it is about sustaining communities for the tourism product.”
  • While Marriott International and other large chains have promised to eliminate items that never fully decompose, like plastic straws, there is still a lot more work to be done.
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  • The 114-room Conrad Bora Bora Nui resort in French Polynesia has developed 17 different underwater coral structures around its resort with the mindset to regenerate them. This is done using a “Biorock” technique (passing a low-voltage current through electrodes in the water) developed by the marine biologist Denis Schneider. The process is currently considered among the best ways to fight coral mortality.
  • With assistance of the tour leader, they help transplant the coral to the sea bottom to ensure it is able to continue its growth.
  • The resort also designed open-air rooms to allow natural breezes to cool the areas, eliminating the need for air-conditioning.
  • Solmar Hotels and Resorts in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, heats water (including in its pools) using photo-thermal panels.
  • this energy savings translates into fewer emissions into the atmosphere (or the equivalent of pulling 198 gasoline-run cars out of circulation).
  • The Spectator Hotel in Charleston, S.C., recently established a food waste diversion program where half-eaten food items such as fruit and pastries are put into a digester that turns them into reusable water.
  • The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach organizes three-hour-long beach cleanups every three months.
  • ayenkiah on 07 Sep 19
     
    Sustainability has been a primary focus for many hotel companies around the world. There are many initiatives that are being created other than your everyday recycling. Fairmont Mayakoba has implemented a tour in which guest can assist in the transplant of coral to help their growth. Hosteling International USA has also become the first of it's kind to develop a system that monitors shower to last at most seven minutes in it effort to conserve water. These are just some of the many ideas that are taking into effect to further progress sustainability within hotel operations.
  • anonymous on 08 Sep 19
     
    As guests are getting more environmentally friendly, being sustainable is an important aspect of hotel operations. Before they book a hotel, a lot of guests will look for or read about the hotel's social responsibility program. Hence, going green would bring in more revenue by attracting more guests.
  • anonymous on 21 May 20
     
    This article explains several ways that hotels and resorts are helping in the fight for sustainability. Some resorts have completely eliminated the use of air conditioning and other ways to get energy for running electricity. For example, the Jade Mountain resort in St. Lucia has designed all their rooms to be open-air rooms which allows for breezes to come through the rooms and ultimately cool down the rooms. This, in turn, eliminates the need for air-conditioning all together. Some hotels are even offering classes on how to live a more sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle. Hotels and resorts have worked towards saving coral reefs, energy and water conservation, preserving food and re-purposing waste, and creating eco-minded communities.
sanchezgema_

COVID-19 Resource: 5 Technologies for a 'New Normal' Hotel (Part 1) - 1 views

www.hospitalitynet.org/...4098642.html

technology hospitality covid

shared by sanchezgema_ on 24 May 20 - No Cached
  • chelasccr on 24 May 20
     
    This article is about how hotels are able to adjust to the new guidelines with covid. It has adjustments with how to reserve seats at the pool. Options for ordering food and how to do check in and check out.
  • sanchezgema_ on 31 Aug 20
     
    -COVID has affected the Hospitality industry and therefore affects the way consumers behave due to new legislation. Technology is being used in order to reduce the amount of consumers that experience COVID as well as employees. -Technology 1: contactless check in/out and keyless room entry -Fuel (provider of guest facing hotel software solutions) expanded this option for independent and boutique hotels. This makes it more accessible for travelers and reduced the spread of the virus. -Technology 2: touchless menu's for restaurants and hotels -MyMenusOnline is a touchless digital restaurant menu system that was recently launched. -There are many restaurants like Chilis, Carolina Ale House, etc that are also taking part in touchless menu's. -Technology 3: virtual TV remote control launched by Otrum -Hotel TV remotes are difficult to sanitize and makes it easier to spread the virus. -Technology 4: Solay mobile app provides social distancing technology for resort pools and beaches -Solay mobile app provides resorts and hotels an inventory management system so overnight guests are able to make reservations for seating at pools and beaches that are placed six feet apart. -Technology 5: Molekule Air - destroy viruses and bacteria like a pro -Air pro RX was cleared as an air purifier that is meant to destroy bacteria and virus' in the air.
asanc036

7 restaurant technology trends to watch in 2022 - 2 views

hospitalityinsights.ehl.edu/restaurant-technology-trends

restaurant technology trends

shared by asanc036 on 30 Aug 21 - No Cached
  • Many restaurants have turned to tech in the last couple of years, even if reluctantly, to adapt to a new reality.
  • 1. Online ordering systems and delivery apps
  • he food delivery market is now worth more than $150 billion globally, which has more than tripled since 2017 largely attributed to the pandemic, according to statistics from McKinsey.
  • ...26 more annotations...
  • 2. Contactless payment
  • It’s estimated that contactless payments will triple from $2 trillion to $6 trillion worldwide by 2024, and having such options are reportedly extremely important for 34% of customers.
  • 3. Online table reservation system
  • initiative Experiences
  • OpenTable is offering
  • unique culinary events and dining experiences
  • Ramen Nights in celebrity chef Hugh Acheson’s dining room, a ‘side-dish’ of line dancing lessons or a fixed-price tasting menu,
  • 4. Digital kitchen ‘boards’
  • Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) are a digital menu board for kitchen staff
  • Directly linked to the restaurant’s point-of-sale (POS) system, the screen displays orders automatically according to priority and flagging any special dietary requests.
  • racking meal delivery times and monitoring inventory to signal when a product is out of stock,
  • 5. Automated inventory management software
  • tracking food and beverage stocks, anticipating quantities and even scheduling reorders
  • implementation of such software
  • reduce food wastage, which is reportedly costing the hospitality industry $100 billion annually.
  • (AI) technology, companies like Kitro
  • cut food waste and costs
  • platforms like Too Good to Go also save restaurants from wasting their food surplus
  • 6. QR codes
  • QR codes
  • allows customers to access online menus, order and pay – without contact –
  • 7. Air purification technology
  • bipolar ionization
  • purifies the air and surfaces in indoor spaces by neutralizing contaminants
  • systems which make use of ultraviolet light
  • f both air and surface sanitization
  • dnune013 on 30 Aug 21
     
    "Technology and innovation are what have helped, even saved, restaurants as they transform how they operate to not just survive, but thrive, in this new connected and contactless era" "Third-party food delivery apps like UberEats, Foodpanda, or Door Dash will continue to be an important solution for those not able to offer in-house ordering and delivery services" "Contactless technology is going mainstream, and it's not just about placing an order online, but also about paying with a smartphone, smartwatch or smartcard via an app or touchless device" "technology-enabled reservation systems, restaurants can manage seating, waitlists, customer loyalty and dining preferences as well as collect vital client data be it for contact tracing or market insights" "Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) are a digital menu board for kitchen staff helping restaurants streamline back-of-house operations" "companies like Winnow are helping restaurant owners and managers cut food waste and costs and run their businesses more efficiently and sustainably" "auto-scanning barcodes with smartphone cameras on posters, tables, coasters, doors or websites allows customers to access online menus, order and pay - without contact" "air purification technologies to promote 'clean air'" https://diigo.com/0lmspn
  • dnune013 on 30 Aug 21
     
    Some of these technologies such as food delivery services, and conctactless payments I have grown used to as a consumer. However, technology like KDS to improve the back of house operations or air purification technologies are more behind the scenes type of technologies that I have not given much thought so I found this article interesting.
  • asanc036 on 27 Aug 22
     
    Many restaurants are adapting to a new reality. Some of the digital trends to watch in 2022 are as follows: 1. Online ordering systems and delivery apps - Food delivery market worth more than $150 billion globally. 2. Contactless payment estimated to triple from $2 trillion to $6 trillion by 2024. 3. Online table reservation system such as Open table Experiences initiative offering unique culinary events and dinner experiences. 4. Digital kitchen boards such as KDS, a digital menu board for kitchen staff linked to the restaurant's POI which displays orders automatically and efficiently. 5. Automated inventory management software tracking food and beverage stocks, anticipating quantities and scheduling reorders. 6. QR codes that allow customers to access menus online, order and pay. 7. Air purification technology like bipolar ionization and ultraviolet light.
marylauren1717

protel cloud solutions create benefits in the near term - 0 views

www.protel.net/...hybridcloudsolutions

cloud protel software

shared by marylauren1717 on 15 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • The benefits are impossible to ignore: Lower overall cost, no requirement to build and own an IT infrastructure, no need to bother with maintenance and data security, and the ability to add and subtract capacity as needed.
  • The sole requirement to use cloud applications such as the hotel management software protel Air or the new protel Web Booking Engine is an Internet browser.
  • To reap the benefits of the cloud, however, hotels are not required to move their entire IT infrastructure online.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • The introduction of the cloud to the hospitality industry will play a large part in stimulating the faster deployment of new services to both companies and customers, and for both it will restore something unique: a choice.
  • marylauren1717 on 15 Jan 13
     
    Hotel software provider protel has jumped on the cloud computing bandwagon by launching a web-based product line. As stated in the article, the benefits are endless, including but not limited to: lower expenditures, no IT infrastructure required, ability to add capacity as needed, etc. Protel only asks that their hotel clients have access to an Internet browser in order to run protel Air or the new portel Web Booking Engine.  Contrary to popular belief, hotels are not required to convert their IT infrastructure entirely online. With protel Air, these hotels are able to combine cloud and on-premise solutions in order to utilize their existing infrastructure while reaping the cloud benefits. With such hybrid solutions all the rage, costs are being significantly reduced while enabling efficient and effective business processes.  Personally, I believe all hotels should convert to a hybrid infrastructure, if not completely run on the cloud. With the average consumer relying on internet interaction every day, guests are accustomed to instantaneous results and information. Software such as protel Air and WBE will help the hospitality industry grow in the technology world. 
Alyssa Westmeyer

Arabian Aerospace - SITA sees the airport future - 0 views

www.arabianaerospace.aero/a-sees-the-airport-future.html

smart glasses wearable technology airport scanners

shared by Alyssa Westmeyer on 30 Oct 13 - No Cached
  • Technology observers are touting wearable computing as the next big thing that could re-define how we use and interact with information.
  • SITA Lab was one of a few selected developers to receive both the Google Glass and Vuzix M100 devices before their public launch, in order to evaluate them. It carried out tests for a variety of uses in airline and airport settings. 
  • Wearable devices like Google Glass offer new opportunities to mobilize staff, keeping their hands free, while keeping them connected to the traditional check-in and reservation systems.  Interaction can be via video analysis of what a staff member is looking at, like a boarding pass or bag tag, or voice recognition, or a combination of both.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • SITA Lab developed an application called SWIFT Boarding using the smart headgear’s built-in camera as a scanner and the heads-up display
  • Both documents are held side by side while the app matches the two to ensure they belong to the same person
  • Travel documents and loyalty cards can be scanned by smart glasses. However, the devices are not fast enough yet to be able to meet the high speed passenger processing requirements needed at airports.
  • the technology needs to be more robust to avoid breakages and the cost will have to come down. The camera quality will also need to be enhanced
  • Other areas to be addressed include bandwidth for widespread use, battery life and of course the cultural and social issues both for passengers and employees
  • wearable computing promises may lead to new and innovative uses by the air transport industry
  • Alyssa Westmeyer on 30 Oct 13
     
    Google glass has provided the opportunity to explore more efficient ways to process air travelers. SITA, the air transport's IT provider, has quickly produced the first app to do so with wearable technology. The glasses are worn by the security agent and used to compare and legitimize the security documents used for travel. While the technology is not yet fast enough to be put to practical use and remains quite expensive, it is certain that price and quality will improve in the future and provide value to the air transport industry.
Sungoo Kang

Air France and Airbus Undertake Green Commercial Flight :: Airline News Resource - 0 views

www.airlinenewsresource.com/e_Green_Commercial_Flight.html

travel hospitality airline airbus

shared by Sungoo Kang on 11 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • The (AF6129) commercial flight combined for the first time the use of bio-fuels (50 per cent in each engine), optimised air traffic management (ATM) and efficient Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) to minimise CO2 emissions.
  • Sungoo Kang on 11 Feb 12
     
    This is an interesting article mentioning how airline industry goes green. Air France and Airbus combined the latest Bio-fuel and air traffic management technologies and reduced CO2 emissions in half. Furthermore, Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) is becoming more widespread as a way to reduce fuel burn. It requires significantly less engine thrust and less fuel burn. These green bio-fuel and CDA strategies might make airline companies as sustainable and valuable chains.
Chengcheng Feng

Global Distribution Systems in Present Times - Four Major GDS Systems; Amadeus, Galileo... - 1 views

www.hotel-online.com/...Oct02_GDS.html

shared by Chengcheng Feng on 26 Jan 12 - Cached
  • Among the “shelves” on which buyers search for travel services are world’s global distribution systems and the Internet distribution systems
  • The airlines realized that by automating the reservation process for travel agents, they could make the travel agents more productive and essentially turn into an extension of the airline’s sales force. It is these original, legacy GDSs that today provide the backbone to the Internet travel distribution system
  • Fang Shu on 26 Jan 12
     
    October 2002 - The travel marketplace is a global arena where millions of buyers (travel agents and the public) and sellers (hotels, airlines, car rental companies, etc.) work together to exchange travel services. This is a good article talking about four major GDS System companies in the world nowadays. When we do some research in GDS area, it is better for us to know some information about these four companies. They are Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan. The author said that Aadeus is Number 1 inlocations worldwide compared to other three companies, Galileo International is a cautions follower when it comes to technology when compared to other GDS companies. Sabre's competitive strenghs are market position, global reach, stable product line, diversification of revenue streams and intellectual capital. And Worldspan has successfully developed the strategies and solutions to ensure the company's long-tern success. After read this article, I think I have the big picture of what GDS System is. The author gave us the strength of different systems. I know what are these GDS companies doing right now in the world. And what is the best is that the author used some accurate data to support the point. So in my point of view, I don't only understand the knowledge related to GDS System, but also learn the way to write my paper, that is using lots of numbers.
  • ...9 more comments...
  • Fang Shu on 26 Jan 12
     
    I don't know why but I was failed to highlight this article. I did it in My Library.
  • YONGHE FAN on 27 Jan 12
     
    It is a great article that provides some detailed information on the four most famous GDS. and it was separated into four parts by explaining the four major GDS one by one. It is talking about the history, current status and development of these four major systems to help readers understand what exactly it is and how it works. I like this because it helps me create an overview of GDS systems.
  • Ligia Elizondo on 27 Jan 12
     
    Interesting article that summarize important information about major GDS companies. GDS companies such as Amadus, Galileo and Sabre are platforms in which a range of travel related services are offered through electronic switches and routers .
  • Jingyi Wen on 28 Jan 12
     
    This article introduces four major GDS systems' characteristics and strength. I think these information will be useful for hotels when they choose the GDS systems.
  • Yu Zhai on 30 Jan 12
     
    According to the World's Leading CRS/GDS System 2011, Sabre is the winner profile. And the Amadeus, Galileo, Worldspan and Zurich Systems were nominated.
  • Joe Cilli on 10 May 12
     
    This is about GDS!
  • paige rosenberg on 12 Jul 12
     
    In the travel marketplace it is global where buyers and sellers work together to exchange travel services. Global distribution systems and the internet distribution systems have become electronic supermarkets linking buyers to sellers and allowing reservations to be made quick and easy. Travel today is sold most on the internet, it is a vast networks of suppliers and a wide customer pool in a centralized maket. Currently today there are 4 major GDS and they are continuing to grow. This article pretty much summed up what we learned in the past 2 classes
  • Irine Wallace on 03 Sep 12
     
    SUMMARY A global distribution system (GDS) represents a computerized system used for managing different transactions within the air travel and hospitality industry There are currently four major GDS systems: 1. Amadeus (2) Galileo (3) Sabre (4) Worldspan Amadeus Founded in 1987 by Air France, Iberia, Lufthansa, and SAS, Amadeus is the youngest of the four GDS companies. Amadeus is a leading global distribution system and technology provider serving the marketing, sales, and distribution needs of the world's travel and tourism industries. Its comprehensive data network and database, among the largest of their kind in Europe, serve more than 57,000 travel agency locations and more than 10,500 airline sales offices in some 200 markets worldwide... Galileo International Galileo International was founded in 1993 by 11 major North American and European airlines: Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Olympic Airlines, Swissair, TAP Air Portugal, United Airlines, and US Airways. It is a major player in the GDS business throughout the world: North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia/Pacific region. Galileo International is a diversified, global technology leader. Sabre For more than 40 years, Sabre has been developing innovations and transforming the business of travel. From the original Sabre computer reservations system in the 1960s, to advanced airline yield management systems in the 1980s, to leading travel web sites today, Sabre technology has traveled through time, around the world, and has touched all points of the travel industry. Worldspan Founded February 7, 1990, Worldspan was originally owned by affiliates of Delta Air Lines, Inc., Northwest Airlines, and Trans World Airlines, Inc. It is currently owned by affiliates of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (40%), Northwest Airlines (34%), and American Airlines, Inc. (26%). Since its 1995 advance into the world of Internet technology fo
  • xiyu wang on 09 Sep 12
     
    This article is about the GDS system, and it introduced four major GDS system in present times. GDS is a worldwide computerized reservarion network used as a single point of access for reserving airline sears, hotel rooms, rental cars, and other travel related items by travel agents, online reservation sites, and large corporations. The for major GDS systems, Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre, and Worldspan owned and operated as joint ventures by major airlines, car rental comopanies, and hotel groups. GDS is also called automated reservation system (ARS) or computerized reservation system (CRS). Among the four major GDS systems, Amadeus is the youngest one and has done remarkably well during its short tenure. With its strong company infrastructure worldwide, impressive product set, and growing customer base, Amadeus is one of the most significant players in shaping the future of the GDS. Galileo's competitive strengths include market share, well-balanced and global presence, relationships with diverse groups of travel vendors, technologically advanced information systems, highly skilled personnel, and a stable product line. Gralileo is a follower when it comes to technology, but is has established successful relationships with entities such as Go, UK's best low-cost airline. Sabre's competitive strengths include market position, global reach, stable product line, diversification of revenue streams, and intellectual capital. Sabre business model is a strong one, and continues to make significant progress in advancing both its electronic travel distribution and its information technology solutions businesses. The last one Worldspan has a legacy of industry firsts that are not well known. It continues to look at benefits of creating its own consumer brand and has been partnering with different companies to expand the services that it can provide to its customer base.
  • anonymous on 14 Sep 12
     
    GDS is started on the airline industry. And with it development, the airline company recognized that the GDS is becoming more and more important and necessary. And in my opinion, the GDS can not only focus on the airline. It can be on the internet. That is means they should built some sub-company around the world and it will help to form a kind of net that can cover all over the world. So that it is reduce the pressure of airline and increase the short distance distribution. it will be more efficiency for the guest and less human labor.
  • Chengcheng Feng on 20 Sep 13
     
    More and more customers rely on global distribution system to buy hospitality products in present time. This article introduces four major type global distribution systems, Ama dues, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan. There are also some smaller GDS existed in the world. Amadeus is the youngest of the four GDS companies. Galileo International is a diversified, global technology leader. Galileo's competitive strengths include well-balanced and global presence, relationships with diverse groups of travel vendors, technologically advanced information systems and a stable product line. Sabre's competitive strengths include market position, global reach, stable product line, diversification of revenue streams, and intellectual capital. Worldspan provides worldwide electronic distribution of travel information, Internet products and connectivity, and e-commerce capabilities for travel agencies, travel service providers, and corporations.
natashacastro

GDS is still the ticket for most agencies: Travel Weekly - 0 views

www.travelweekly.com/...l-the-ticket-for-most-agencies

shared by natashacastro on 12 Sep 17 - No Cached
  • natashacastro on 12 Sep 17
     
    This article summarizes why we wont be seeing a decline of GDS use in the travel industry anytime soon. As stated in the article "nothing beats a GDS model for booking seats on planes". The article suggests that a good GDS agent can ultimately work more efficiently than someone working with a GUI. Another major positive to using GDS is accessibility. A firm can book both corporate and leisure travel from anywhere, as long as internet access is available. In one study 62% of agents said that air content was the biggest draw of a GDS. One agent said that when booking air the GDS system Amadeus gives her a selection of choices in a fraction of the time it takes her clients to see them online. Clearly, GDS systems such as Amadeus and Sabre are saving agents and customers time and money while booking. Another upside to using GDS is that it allows agents to see routes, departures and arrival times which are important because many clients have preferable airports when they travel. The article also says how GDS is more commonly used for air and car rentals instead of hotels. It also gives a look into why Airlines werent a fan of GDS usage. For example, GDS were changing revenue models for airlines because GDSs paid travel agents and it seemed that they were buying loyalty with money from airline fees.
richardkutch

Channel Shock: The Future of Travel Distribution - Skift - 0 views

skift.com/...-future-of-travel-distribution

GDS distribution

shared by richardkutch on 08 Sep 17 - No Cached
  • global distribution systems aren’t going anywhere
  • But online travel agencies and travel management companies still place bookings using GDS platforms, since they offer the most comprehensive collection of travel inventory across the globe.
  • Likewise, most travel providers need to remain part of a global distribution system for consumers and business travelers to easily find and book their products.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • The company is working on a reservation system solution for InterContinental Hotels Group,
  • Fees for an air booking are usually between 2 and 4 percent of a ticket, and about 20 percent for a hotel booking.
  • The airline industry has been lurching forward towards adopting the International Air Transport Association’s New Distribution Capability paradigm for years, which essentially simplifies transactions between different members of the ecosystem by using XML coding language and allows for selling ancillary products like seat upgrades.
  • A little-known element of American Airlines’ strategy could be the most consequential moving forward. Some 20 years ago, airlines stopped paying commissions to travel agencies on air tickets. This thoroughly disrupted the travel agency community, and it still has never really recovered; many agencies have moved to a service fee-based model instead of relying solely on commissions or overrides, but the damage helped essentially gut the industry in the U.S. Under American Airlines’ new distribution program, however, agencies placing a booking directly or through an intermediary using New Distribution Capability level three will receive a $2 payment per segment. This nominally represents the return of a commission model to agency air sales.
  • Despite the preeminence of Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport, there is room for new players in the travel distribution space to emerge.
  • Berlin-based Flyiin represents a new way for airlines to sell flights. By connecting with airline APIs, the service will allow consumers to search flights from multiple airlines and add-ons using an intuitive interface. Users can specify up front what types of flights and what kinds of ancillaries they want, and have the full cost rolled up into their search results.
  • The service is really a messaging platform at heart, instead of a search platform; it crunches airline fare information on the back-end and aggregates messages from airline APIs into easily digestible results for consumers.
  • richardkutch on 08 Sep 17
     
    Ok so this article is lengthy but comprehensive. And the general consensus is the GDSs are never going away. They will likely change with new technologies, but they won't be replaced completely by something new. Heck, even though air travel is dominant among travel options, we still have trains, right? Overall this article takes the reader through the birth of the GDSs, their evolution to today and thoughts about what to expect in the future. One part of the article of particular interest is the talk about New Distribution Capability for airlines that uses XML coding language to allow airlines to sell ancillary products like seat upgrades. This layers directly into revenue increases through revenue management of seats on flights. There are already price differences between cabin classes. But instead of all seats being one price in the main cabin, seats closer to the front of the plane could be sold for a slight premium. There could be a different fare for window or aisle or exit row. There are 3 levels of this certification for an airline and although some airlines like American Airlines has been certified as level 3, full capability, most airlines have not gone beyond level 1. None of the GDS companies offer level 3 for New Distribution Capability which means you need to go a company's site directly to be able to purchase the specific desired attributes of your seat. By not having that capability, the GDSs disadvantage themselves as a distribution channel.
jackyreis

The Role of Green Technology in the Sustainability of Hotels Essay - Free Argumentative... - 2 views

lagas.org/n-the-sustainability-of-hotels

shared by jackyreis on 15 Jun 20 - No Cached
  • Throughout the life of hotels— from building construction, operation, maintenance and evolution—the environmental issue is the wasteful consumption of vast amount of resources such as water and energy and accumulation of air, soil and water pollution in a built environment. The unique service function and operations of hotel result to a stronger ecological impact when compared to other buildings used for commercial purposes. (Bohdanowicz, Simanic & Martinac, 2004)
  • It is imperative for hotels to construct buildings, design their facilities, operate, and refurbish structures in a way that causes the least possible harm to the environment. (Straus & Gale, 2006)
  • Protection of the environment through eco-friendly practices by hotels involves a radical change in operations and a long-term impact, which makes this a sustainability-driven strategy
  • ...41 more annotations...
  • The growing concern over sustainability in the business sector led to developments in innovative environment friendly processes and tools collectively called green technology
  • Green technology enables the eco-friendly practices of business firms.
  • The concept of sustainability emerged in the field of natural sciences in recognition of the scarcity of natural resources and the need to rationalize usage to secure sufficient resources for future generations (Kirk, 1995).
  • The concern of sustainability is ensuring the continuation of the well-being of people and protection of the environment from wasteful use or destructive activities.
  • The implementation of sustainability plans involves innovative methods and tools accessible to hotels and responsive to the multi-dimensional issues including impact of operations on the environment experienced by hotels. Green technology understood as eco-friendly tools and processes or environment friendly products support the successful implementation of sustainability plans in the hospitality industry.
  • 1.      Minimized pollution and rational energy and water consumption. 2.      Respect for culture and tradition. 3.      Community involvement in the hospitality economy. 4.     Consideration of quality instead of quantity in terms of the visitors to tourist destinations. 5.      Economic benefits redound to the community. (Robertson, 2007)
  • In relation to environmental sustainability, there are also considerations for inclusion into the sustainability plan of hotels to ensure that they meet environmental compliance (Butler, 2008)
  • However, even if sustainability planning is a tedious task, the expected outcomes are long-term and compelling because this determines the continuity or viability of hotels, firms whose future survival depends on sustainability (Butler, 2008).
  • 1.      Scale and distribution of operations in a given area. 2.      Hotel demand and means of alleviating the negative effects. 3.      Protection of key assets historic buildings, townscape or coastline. 4.     Contribution to other related areas such as economic development and cultural preservation. (Sharma, 2004)
  • Since the sustainability of hotels spans multidimensional aspects, the contribution of hotels to other areas such as employment or job creation also supports its sustainability.
  • Green technology received recognition as an aspect of human society and therefore part of sustainability. In a sustainability panel of representatives from the hospitality industry, sustainability as a strategy meant addressing today’s needs without adversely affecting tomorrow’s needs (Knowles, 2008).
  • Examples of product enhancement are energy saving appliances and fixtures such as fluorescent instead of incandescent lights or intelligent air conditioning systems that regulate room temperature depending on the presence of its occupant
  • The extent of reduction of waste varies since this could range from minimal to significant decrease in the volume of waste generated, capacity of landfills, and transportation needs. By benefiting the environment, economic benefits also accrue. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • dopting waste management processes and tools accrues financial, economic, and environmental benefits for hotels.
  • Key to these activities is the ability to harness the full functional value of materials and product components at the least possible additional processing cost for recovery and reuse. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • First is design of recycling or the cost-effective manner of recovering and reusing materials. The design provides support during the disposal stage to ensure low added cost for recovery. Second is design for disassembly encompassing the methods enabling the minimization of cost in segregating reusable materials. This leads to savings that accumulate when design interventions are made during the stages of material selection and assembly that already separates reusable materials
  • Third is toxics management comprised of the activities of controlling and eliminating toxic materials that are innate components of products such as cadmium or lead. Excessive levels of these toxic materials are hazards to health and the environment. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • Environmental benefits include reduced accumulation of waste and lesser risk of soil, water and air contamination of toxic production. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • Pollution prevention involves the elimination of processes in manufacturing that cause pollution. This requires change by redesigning the production process in a manner that prevents the accumulation of harmful by-products or the redesign of the finished products so there would be no use for processes that result in hazardous by-products. The prevention of pollution in production design exacts capital investments but the cost of redesign is deemed less when compared to the cumulative cost of controlling pollution, which would likely increase with new regulations imposing more active methods of pollution control. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • Green technology as a process and a collection of tools addresses four objectives, which are a) waste reduction, b) materials management, c) pollution prevention, and d) product enhancement (Billatos & Basaly, 1997). There are processes and tools specifically targeting any one, some or all of these objectives so that the appropriate choice depends on the priority of hotels.
  • The technological development of product enhancement innovations is escalating and promise greater functions for business establishments. (Billatos & Basaly, 1997)
  • Utilizing product enhancement technologies influence the sustainability of hotels in terms of savings on operating cost, lesser pollution and waste in the built environment, and value creation for environmental conscious customers (Yaw, 2005).
  • Overall, green technology supports the sustainability of hotels by decreasing a wide range of economic and non-economic costs to support the financial viability of hotels in the long-term and conserving the natural environment on which the hospitality industry depends for the continuity of business. By adopting green technology, hotels gain processes and tools it can use to secure its sustainability.
  • A range of energy saving technologies is available to the hotel industry. These technologies could make hotels green buildings by targeting various areas for energy saving.
  • One is electric heating pumps as alternatives to conventional electric boilers or condensing/non-condensing boilers requiring gas to run. The use of this green technology by a hotel in Hong Kong with a rooftop swimming pool showed a reduction in energy consumption by 26.5-32.5 MWh and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 12,000 kg. When computed over a ten-year period, using this technology would save the hotel HK$226,400 in energy cost savings. The hotel can earn back the cost of adopting this technology in two years. (Chan & Lam, 2003)
  • Building designs able to harness alternative sources of energy comprise green technologies that support the sustainability of hotels. Solar panels continue to gain function in energy saving for hotels (“Building in a green edge,” 2008) although the payback period is longer than expected, the energy saving potential extends to the long-term. The use of building designs that harness natural light such as skylight atriums that do not use artificial lighting during the day are also green alternatives for hotels (Kirby, 2009).
  • Another direction of green technology for the kitchen is the reuse of exhaust heat from the kitchen by harnessing the heat from the exhaust or condensing hot air to produce steam for use in cooking. This is a means of recycling energy. However, this involves the integration of the design in the structure of the kitchen or the building itself, which means greater investment. (Higgins, 2008) Nevertheless, further innovations in this technology could enhance practical value for hotels.
  • In other areas of hotels such as rooms and bathrooms, e-sensor systems and LED lights comprise green technology options. E-sensor systems apply to different systems such as lighting and air conditioning. The e-sensors have the capability to change automatically the lighting or air conditioning settings depending on the area of the room where there are people or temperature changes in the room. LED lights offer greater energy savings than fluorescent lights so this represents the third generation in lighting technology. (Kirby, 2008) Systems thinking in energy management comprise a promising green technology in saving on energy costs (Sobieski, 2008).These technologies are widely available and accessible to different hotels. The energy saving is experienced in the short term and the payback period is shorted. The problem with this is hotel guests tampering with the system leading to added cost for repairs. This means that awareness and information dissemination are important for the effectiveness of these technologies.
  • Another green technology for rooms is the biodegradable key cards. These have the same life span as the conventional key cards except that these are biodegradable or recyclable. (Gale, 2009) These require little cost with high environmental impact.
  • This involves the placement of water treatment plants that recycle water used in baths for flushing in toilets. (Edwards, 2004) These comprise viable and accessible water conservation practices that would contribute savings on the cost of water to rationalize the consumption of water as a scarce resource.
  • One is the conscious involvement of hotels in the protection of the environment since the nature of the business of the hospitality industry and the closely connected industries such as tourism heavily rely on the soundness of the natural and socio-cultural environment for business
  • The other is the investment in environment protection in a manner that secures economic and financial as well as a range of non-monetary benefits for hotels in the long-term (Vermillion, 2008).
  • Energy consumption is also a benchmark of the eco-friendliness of hotels
  • The water conserving technologies provide the process and tools for hotels to achieve this benchmark.
  • Waste and pollution management are also benchmarks of the ecological involvement of hotels.
  • Green technology takes the role as an enabling process and tool for hotels to become sustainable.
  • With hotels competing to maintain its customer base and pull customers to shift to the hotel’s services, green technology could become an enabler for hotels to become competitive.
  • Investing in green technology enables hotels to significantly cutback on operating cost. This enables hotels a wider profitability margin and room to offer promotional prices to attract more customers (Jones, 2002).
  • Green technology has taken a central role in the sustainability of hotels. The concept of sustainability of hotels involves the aspects of environmental protection and business viability.
  • The use of green technology also contributes to the viability of business firms in terms of financial standing and non-financial competencies in the long-term. Going green attracts the niche market of environment enthusiasts that contribute to sales. Using the range of green technologies available would also result in savings from operating costs in the long-term, which increases the profit of hotels and gives them flexibility to invest in marketing activities.
  • It is a sound strategy for hotels to consider green technology as a process and a collection of tools in support of sustainability goals.
anaferia

How E-Waste Affects the Environment - Human-I-T - 1 views

www.human-i-t.org/-waste-affects-the-environment

shared by anaferia on 28 Sep 22 - No Cached
amdelgad liked it
  • As the world’s fastest-growing waste stream for almost a decade now, e-waste affects the environment in truly detrimental ways. And it’s not slowing down
  • e-waste generated annually has grown by over 7% since 2020
  • 59.4 million metric tons projected by the end of 2022
  • ...18 more annotations...
  • expected to grow 26% by 2030 and double by 2050
  • two big factors contributing to its current acceleration.
  • first is growing incomes in low- and middle-income countries which allow more people than ever to access consumer electronics
  • second is the increasing availability of previously unthought-of electronic products to consumers in middle- and high-income countries
  • Products like e-cigarettes and electric vehicles are just two examples of products that, due to their increased popularity, have begun contributing more e-waste to landfills over the past decade.
  • electronics which power our lives are composed of substances which are harmful to the environment and our health.
  • e-waste negatively impacts the environment: air, water, and soil.
  • E-waste pollutes the air primarily as a consequence of improper recycling processes that are typical at informal e-waste processing plants located in developing economies
  • E-waste workers dismantle and shred electronics at these plants, which flings large amounts of dust and other particulates into the air.
  • e-waste workers use acids, desoldering materials, and other chemicals to dissolve e-waste with high-value materials like gold and silver . These techniques then release additional damaging fumes into local communities.
  • Recyclers dispose of acids and other chemicals they rely on to strip precious metals from e-waste into streams, ponds, and rivers. Then, the heavy metals inside of e-waste – like lead, arsenic, and cadmium – then compound this damage by seeping into water tables from landfills and e-waste dumps.
  • Increased acidification of waterways leads to more marine life and fish dying.
  • The heavy metals that are present then leach into those same waterways where they damage fishes’ tissues and gills.
  • two contaminants – acid and heavy metals – decimate biodiversity. This creates a domino effect where some organisms – previously constrained by predators – are then able to flourish and dominate the area
  • increased exposure to e-waste leads to ecosystem collapse in and around our waterways.
  • the dismantling, shredding, or burning of e-waste can also release large, coarse particles into the air.
  • due to their size and weight, these particles then quickly fall back to Earth where they subsequently contaminate soil. Shredding and burning of e-waste also produces toxic ash containing heavy metals and flame retardants which then leach into soil.
  • If we want to protect our planet from scourge e-waste, we’re going to have to start prioritizing reuse above all. By embracing this central principle of the circular economy, we can begin diverting valuable electronics away from landfills and back into the hands of people who need them
  • anaferia on 28 Sep 22
     
    To summarize, E-waste has been the fastest-growing waste stream in the world for nearly a decade, and it has a really negative impact on the environment. And the pace is not decreasing. E-waste is made of the materials that make up the electronics that run our life which are bad for the environment and for our health. Additionally, the three primary impacts are air, water, and soil that negatively affects the environment. Finally, to protect our planet from e-waste is prioritizing reuse of products.
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