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The main focus of my article is about the financial connection between India and the U.S. The article discusses a few key issues about India and their tech support in relation to the U.S. It tells us that "India's burgeoning tech sector is responsible for creating more than 400,000 American jobs, according to a report released Monday that prompted calls from leaders in both nations to reform business practices so the industry remains a bright spot in an often unreliable global economy". The article goes on to list some more interesting statistics. For example, "The new study from the National Association of Software and Service Companies, a trade group representing Indian technology firms, said business deals between firms in the two countries have generated $22.5 billion in tax revenue for the U.S. since 2011". I feel that these two statistics are important because in too many cases, Americans feel that "foreigners" are coming to the U.S. and "stealing" all of our jobs. That is clearly not the case with every situation, as the article points out. The article further explains that India is seeking to ease the process of coming into the U.S. to work. They feel that if they are providing their highly skilled techs to come work here and/or gain their American education here than the process of getting the visa should be much more lax than it is for other countries. I don't know if I agree with that one, but I understand their point.

This article pertains more to small accommodations providers, boutiques, and small private hotels. This article provides information on how to increase the traffic follow on websites for these particular entities. The article emphasis how photograph and the outline of a website can effect the response of the consumer viewing. It provides points that would enhance the layout of a website, and how to in-trig the consumer to view and book directly on a businesses site. Third parties are mentioned if direct contact can not be accessed from the businesses site, which comes with a cost for convenience. This article implements the various resources available to small business in order to enhance their websites and web searches. I would highly recommend this article to be read by those who are just starting with online marketing or would want to increase their customer viewing.

I find very interesting this article as well some of the point you mentioned really made sense in terms of marketing. Pictures are huge , huge tool for marketing. Often lodging firms failed to realize how much is important for the prospective customer to has good pictures and not deceiving ones. You want to picture the reality of your business , of course you make it look the best but it needs to be in concordance with the reality as well.

Mobile POS has boosted F&B growth due to the ability to complete sales much faster and from non-F&B serviced areas of the property. The mobility contributes greatly to the increase in customer spending. With this mobility, companies must ensure compliance with PCI standards, and ensure that no credit card information is stored directly on the POS terminal. The article also touches on the subject of tokenization, and the usage of technology to secure a "token" rather than actual card data aids in reducing security risks.

POS Technology has developed majorly over the past years. Growing developing offering mobile devices that can help workers pace themselves and generate more sales. These programs also offer extra data security to protect the clients information against fraud. This device is perfect for sport arenas, bar, golf course and more open outdoor and large venues that cater to voluminous crowds.

This article is about the benefits of technology in POS systems. It shows how the technology can personalize the experience of the guest by having them be able to order from the moment they step into the lobby. The article also discusses how all the technology is good but in the hospitality we are walking on a fine line that we don't want to cross to creepy with biometrics. Technology offers efficiency in speed and will give a better experience. Not only this but it talks about how POS is becoming more secure, and how people want to pay in different ways.

For this article I want to focus on the room technology aspect. We have become so dependent of our devices at home that sometimes going to hotels is not as pleasant as before. In this article, we can see how hotel chains are changing to cater to our needs so the daily routines are not affected. One example is how Hilton is partnering with Netflix allowing you to sync your Netflix Account with the Hilton Honors app so you can go and use the room tv to keep watching your favorite programs. So no more using your computer or ipad to keep binging on your series while you are in a hotel. The other interesting part is the use of tablets and apps that mimic our regular apps for food ordering within the hotel avoiding the need to call for room service or doing lines at restaurants.

This article discusses not only the future of hospitality technology, but the impact it will have on the industry, All of the technology advancements mentioned will change how hospitality businesses operate. For example, cybersecurity is becoming a really important investment for these businesses to make because hackers have been stealing guest data and information. Tech advancements are being placed around privacy of consumer data, when that never used to be a major issue

This article palms out 8 disruptive hotel technology trends to follow. The explosion of SaaS, APIs going mainstream, room technology innovation, privacy and cybersecurity, the struggles of OTAs, WiFi 6, big data and digital hotel companies. The article illustrates that technology is driving the hospitality industry by explaining new technology trends that enable hoteliers to operate more efficiently and offer guests the opportunity to personalize their experience. But it also means hoteliers must focus on data security and ongoing training when implementing the technology guests expect.

ARTICLE SUMMARY Introduction and evolution of Internet has revolutionized the way hotel operators and business in general approach daily activities and strategic planning. Internet is to modern business what electricity was to the industrial revolution. Internet has become a very important tool in generating revenues, lowering costs, increasing productivity, and increasing online visibility and therefore hotel and tourism operators need to utilize this tool to compete and be successful. The future of eMarketing in hospitality and tourism industries is bright and will serve the industry well for many years to come.

This article talks about e-marketing and how it is going to take over the industry. It mentions that the number of people on the interent is increasing and rapidly. E-marketing need to "create interesst, excitement and buy-ins at their hotels". Now with social media, e-marketing is becoming more accessible. "The level of emphasis and extent of experimentation varies greatly by hotel group and location, but growing importance, both for generating revenues, lower costs adn online visibility, is indisputable".

Are you a hotel eMarketer looking for ways to better communicate, educate and develop the role at your property/ies? This article explores some of the issues surrounding these efforts, complemented by a dose of perspective and a generous helping of best practices, all garnished, hopefully, by your own ideas and experiences. By Jitendra Jain

Point of Sale (POS) equipment is the computer-based order-entry technology many restaurants use to capture orders, record data and display or print tickets. Restaurant servers, bartenders and cashiers can all use POS systems to easily enter food and beverage orders.In fact,it has the ability to perform a multitude of functions, including the following: Calculate cash due for every order entered Record the method of payment Keep track of the cash in the cash drawer Create hourly and daily sales reports Allow hourly employees to clock in and out Calculate labor and payroll data Record daily check averages for each worker Keep track of menu items sold Record information on repeat customers Some of them we are familiar, some we are not. And more important, how to choose a right POS for our business is a keyEvery POS system differs based on its software, hardware and application. When looking for a POS system, do some research online and check out several different companies. You can even request a demo from a salesperson. Make sure the POS system you choose is one that fits your restaurant concept, service style and business needs. After all, this software can take a big bite out of your budget. And in this article, the author show us so many aspects should be concern when we decide to buy the POS.

The point of sale (POS) is more commonly used these days with the advancement of technology. Many restaurants use it in restaurants for many reasons. One of the reasons is to organize the orders and sales that are being processes. Not only it helps the employees to gather their information, but it is also accurate to make reports. This machine is efficient in more ways than we think. This article also point out the POS capabilities and how it works. This machine has a description of each item and the amount, it organizes the payments, creates daily financial statement, evaluate payroll, and do the calculations. Now how it works, it keeps track of the credit card payments that have entered the system, creates reports daily, and systematize the cash, etc. It is very easy for employees to access the device. First they have to enter their name, enter the order of the customer, send the order to the kitchen so it can be prepared, then wait till they ask for the check to collect the payment and register it on the POS.

This article indicates the importance of the POS system. It introduces POS system from different aspects, including POS capabilities, how employees use POS system, where to set up the POS, specific POS configurations and what to look for in a POS system. 

This article is about the current rise in the use of the GDS system again. This rise has been seen primarily with corporate travelers, but has also been used by the leisure traveler. While GDS usage percents dropped from 98% in 1999 to 79% in 2009, it has slightly started to increase again. Sabre one of the larger GDS companies has seen a 7% increase in use of the system in 2012. Hotels have tried to give companies better rates to their consumers, for example as more corporate travelers are extending their stays from a business trip and then turning it into a leisure trip for a few more days. This gives the traveler a lower rate a night at the hotel, as they are staying for more nights. Overall, while there was a decline in the use of GDS because of the OTA, there is now a slight increase, bringing life back to the GDS system.

This article gives an in depth explanation of the importance of GDS's in the hotel industry and the increased usage of the GDS due to the rising travel demand. The American Society of Travel Agents conducted a study in 2009 and found the percentage of member travel agencies that used the GDS declined from 98% in 1999 to 79% in 2009. A significant portion of the decrease was due to the economic downturn, but regardless hoteliers and travels still found value is the GDS channel. According to Sabre Travel Network, there was an increase of more than 7% in GDS bookings during the first quarter of 2012 over the same period last year. The demand for corporate travel is the main reason for the increase. Many people that are traveling for business want to extend their trips for leisure. This allows hotels the opportunity to adjust their pricing strategies by putting travel promotions for leisure for the business travels as well. Many people utilize the GDS to find the most affordable prices, but it is also beneficial to hoteliers as well. Elaine Kennedy, one of the two interviewed in the article, stated the pricing model provides corporations with a lower rate when demand decreases but also gives hoteliers the opportunity to achieve higher rates when demand increases, which ultimately is a win-win for both sides. The GDS also provides many opportunities for hotels to cut costs. Robert Cole, the other person interviewed in this article, stated "The GDS also provides enhanced marketing support….immediately when you use the GDS to put your product, your service, your room, your rate, you're getting it in front of an audience without using your own marketing budget." According to Robert Cole, the GDS is not going away any time soon because of the unique solutions it provides for hotels and travelers alike. I believe this article was very informative on how the GDS is currently being utilized and where it is going in the future. It basically helped answer question 3

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

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

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

This article discusses what travel agents think about the enhanced ability of both corporate and leisure based travel agencies to sell airline ancillaries because of improved Global Distribution Systems' technologies. Ancillaries are products and services that airlines sell to gain additional revenue on top of your ticket price. Ancillaries have become increasingly popular in the airline industry because of the sky rocketing price of jet fuel. To keep ticket prices down airlines are "unbundling" items from the overall experience. This presents them with an opportunity to turn a profit by charging fees for bags (carry on, checked, additional), on board food and drink, credit card purchases, headphones. It seems like everything you encounter from when you arrive at the airport to when you disembark the plane has a fee. This phenomenon is especially present in Low cost carriers such as Spirit, Air Tran, Jet Blue, etc. However there are consumers who disagree with this additional costs as is apparent in Southwest's continuous marketing campaign. I'm sure everyone has seen the commercials with Southwest representatives 'flagging' down unnecessary fees in order to promote their 'bags fly free' campaign. Anyhow the reason I am explaining ancillary revenue is because travel agents are now starting to sell more ancillary products such as hotel accommodations, travel insurance, rental cars because of GDS technologies. They can track the sale of fees through EMD (Electronic miscellaneous Documents) which is the current industry standard. In the article some agents state that the EMDs are hard to understand and use. I believe until the EMDs become "seamless and easy to use" there will exist some hesitation to sell airline ancillaries. However on the other hand the article states that Travelport is working towards a simple and uniform platform called Travelport Universal API/Desktop. Once this comeplete perhaps more agents will feel comfortable selling ancillaries. This is a goo

I still remember when most airlines used to include breakfast or dinner for their passengers including alcoholic beverages well that doesn't happen any more. I believe when Travelport Universal Desktop becomes available it would become more clear to travel agencies the transaction process and for the consumers what products and services they are ofering.

I too miss the days of free sodas and peanuts. "Sigh-" sometimes its the little things in life that bring the most joy. I agree I think the new Travelport Universal Desktop will be a valuable tool if utilized correctly.

I found an interesting article about how the big computer companies can recycle the computers. This can solve some of the main problem about the recycling. The article is referring to idea that computers may become bigger size but easier to recycle. In other words we might wanna make a step back in the past, when we was able to just replace one detail from the computer instead of throwing it away.

This article provides an overview of the importance for hotels to have a centralized function and not outsourcing the hotel accounting, meaning that hotels should not use a third party provider. Companies are compelled to change, to innovate, and in need to keep up with the competition. It says that some hoteliers are choosing to outsource because is trendy, but not always function in their best interest. This article emphasizes the pros and cons, but mostly all the negative results of outsourcing, using other companies to do the work that should be centralized.

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4083889.html My article highlights the cons of outsourcing a hotel's accounting system from a third party provider. The author mentions that in the hotel industry, technology is constantly changing and every hotel is trying to stay on trend and "keep up with Jones'". The main issue with outsourcing is the reduced level of service. "In a full-service hotel, the accounting department provides a long list of services: receivables, payables, payroll, revenue control, cash management, systems oversight, audit, food and beverage controls, purchasing, receiving, general accounting and budget/forecasting to name but a few." When you outsource, there is reduced attention to these details. If a hotel's own accounting department handles these daily operation segments, there is less likelihood for error and they will be able to work with the various departments to correct the issues. It also saves tons of money to handle accounting in-house. Another important issue that was raised is that if accounting is outsourced then there is no room for development for an accounting department; no growth, no promotions. A pro is that outsourcing gives a financial manager the ability to focus on the bigger picture and see where changes can be made. If they are bogged down with little details, they might not be able to be the leader the hotel needs.

The article discussions the pros and cons of whether a Hotel should out source their accounting to a third party. The author of this article strongly agrees that Hotels should not out source their accounting. The author finds it "unintelligent move". Many Hotel owners believe it's "trendy" and necessary to out source their accounting to keep up with their competitors. I agree with the author, that Hotel should do their accounting on site. Management would have better control over functions and departments such as; payroll, auditing, food and beverage management.

This article is very interesting because it shines light on the importance of using technology for HR purpose. It discusses the issues being faced that need to be resolved. It is important to note the generational differences and the social responsibility aspect.

I liked this article, but thought that it could have been more detailed. It offered many suggestions, but not that much intel into the systems that have been created or are in use to actually connect with candidates. For example, video interviewing. The best fit for the job might not always live close enough to travel for an interview. Skype interviews have become increasingly popular with hotels allowing them to quickly interview candidates without a person having to carve out a large portion of their day. The article did touch on the importance of following up very quickly which I agreed with, my property specifically is down 42% of our management due to hiring processes that are often drawn out.

The article provides on outline on what a local area network is by definition. Although written in 2013 I think this article provides information that remains relevant today in 2018. The article provides a definition of local area networks along with a listing of characteristics and functions. I made notations in pink which define local area network and explain its purpose. As noted in the article, LAN refers to a particular region interconnected by multiple computers into computer groups. For example, LAN can be found in your office building, home and even school building. Through LAN there is a local domain server. I know that my office building works on a LAN as both my coworker and I have access to print from our wireless computers to the printer. The main purpose off LAN as noted in the article is to provide resource sharing and mutual communication. As a result of this purpose LAN services as the sharing of resources, data transfer, improving reliability and a form to easy distributor processing. LAN has many different characteristics. It is the job of all of the noted characteristics to work together to service its main purpose. Some of the noted characteristics to remember include its ability to run multiple services and ability to support a variety of communication transmission system. LAN is an important part of the hospitality industry.

This article goes into how secure is data that is stored in the cloud. There are three different types of cloud storage. one is public, two is private and three is hybrid. The article states that most companies go with hybrid because of its versatility. cloud storage does have built in security that includes intrusion detection, internal firewalls and file encryption. the article does list that there is security risk that come with cloud storage. week passwords are one of the main concerns when it comes to cloud security. Cloud companies do what's called breach drills to see if there are any weakness in the security and if there are how do they handle the situation if the system is compromised. this article does list the pros and cons of cloud services but in the end, it shows that the writer for this article is biased towards the use of cloud services.

Breach drills sound like a great idea! It would be helpful in continually maximizing security efforts and determining weak points in the system, especially with technology advances and computer viruses becoming stronger.

This article discusses the top seven features of event planning software. This can be applied to any business in the hospitality and tourism industry. If the hospitality or tourism company has the money to invest in event planning and registration software, it would be a very smart move to do so. The first feature the article mentions is that the software can build, for example, the hotel or restaurant its own event website which can help generate publicity for the event. Secondly, the article mentions that with event management software, registration, ticketing and payment methods can all be done online. Thirdly, the article mentions that this software allows companies to upload email lists from past registration and helps to manage email campaigns. This can be an avenue where the hotel or restaurant can advertise their event and also allow guests provide feedback after the event. The fourth feature of event planning software that this article mentions is that some event planning software can allow for mobile check-in for attendees, easily look up event details, and allow for in-app messaging. This feature can also be available in free event planning software. The fifth feature mentioned was that some software can also incorporate awards management into their platform. The sixth feature mentioned was the ability for guests to network and interact with each other through the app before, during and after the event. Lastly, the seventh feature mentioned is that multiple systems (such as emailing tools or CRM tools) can be integrated into event planning software so all of the event planning needs can be in one place. Event management software will help "automate the event management lifecycle" which can be beneficial for both the hospitality and tourism business and their customers.

Despite women leading the way in scholarship and culinary education, they are suspiciously vacant at the top of the leadership ladder. According to Bloomberg, only about 7% of executive chefs are woman, and "67% of executive women are in support roles...as opposed to running their own line of business." This doesn't appear to be because of a lack of entrepreneurial spirt, as "405 of restaurants are women-owned businesses or WOB, and startups by women are growing much faster than the industry overall." This made me reflect on my own city, as I do see women in executive positions, such as Stephanie Izard, Sarah Grunenberg, and Mindy Segal, they all got to their positions in very different ways. Probably the most successful, with currently 7-8 restaurants, is Izard, she got her start by winning a reality tv show and then joining forces with two male business owners (BOKA). Grunenberg also started visa vi the reality TV route, and now eventually owns and runs a very successful restaurant downtown. Mindy Segal is the only woman executive in this group that has built her business, her cookbooks, her brand, and now her cannibis retail, mostly by herself. It is interesting to relate these women to this article because while they are all three incredibly successful, only one was able to pull herself there through the three points mentioned in this article. In order for women to break the glass ceiling in restaurants and culinary, they will need to accomplish three main goals: 1. Gain confidence, 2. Increase their aspirations, and 3. Learn and Maintain Financial literacy. The "grim reality (is) that 96% of WOB do not cross the $1 million in revenue...(and) fewer than 8% seek external financing. Women "receive less than 4% of Small Business Administration loan dollars and less than 2% of venture capital dollars. For confidence, this article recommends to women to learn how to advocate for yourself. Use coaches, practices public speaking, and learn how to pitch your business

This article focuses on the ways AI and automation can help the hospitality industry get back on track by helping guests to feel safe while they travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. By using different software guests can have a contactless check-in, request digital room keys, use AI based devices to control lighting/TV and/or make housekeeping/front desk requests, and housekeeping can use electrostatic sprayers to help mitigate the chances of guests contracting or spreading COVID. It notes the losses in revenue and occupancy by several major hotelier groups, especially some Las Vegas properties, as well the high number of furloughed employees that COVID has caused while showcasing ways that hotel groups can help get back on track by easing the fears of guests. It offers data to show that through these technologies, guests are returning because the feel their safety concerns have been addressed. comment by Jwilc019 " https://diigo.com/0ica77

This article addresses a main point, "cloud computing is a growing sector". it further accents the economic factor in cloud computing and the need for capital for its maintenance and viability. The article specifically speaks to the limitation of providers due to the high cost required for its implementation. Specifically, where it says " given", the substantial upfront capital needed to be competitive in the field, addresses directly the point that only large developers with deep pockets will be able to not only enter this arena, but also sustain themselves in it. The article also makes a compelling point which is not contradictory , but thought provoking which is that although it is expensive and there is extensive competition, the market and the need is "huge". This means that potentially regardless of the resources it takes to start up, there will be a demand and need for cloud computing services in the future, particularly as more entities refrain and stay away from development and maintenance of their own in house services. The article focuses on the largest players in the sector which one expect are the tech giants; Amazon, Microsoft and Google and the fact that they have a two thirds of market share in the present day, which is a lions share of the market by any standards. The article further discusses this sector in foreign markets and the effect economies such as the Chinese economies will have on these sectors, and in fact addresses how instability in Asian markets directly affect the stability of cloud computing domestically. This is a key area to watch in the future.

This article is about how augmented reality has made such improvements in the hospitality industry. The changes that are being made are actually for the better, not only fr the hotel but also for the customers that benefit from these augmented realities.

A great article that explains what augmented reality is and how it is being integrated into the hospitality industry.

This article relates to augmented reality and a few of the different ways it is being incorporated into hotels. Augmented reality allows the hotelier to enhance the guests environment real time in a number of different ways. Some of these ways, as described in the article are: interactive hotel rooms, gamification, augmented hotel environments, and beacon technology. At the end of the article there are a number of links to articles about other digital trends, such as robots being used in the hospitality industry!

This article looks at GDS and GUI systems and gives a holistic viewpoint of performance, positives and negatives, and what type of agencies can utilize each system. I felt that the more complicated system and its requirements for agency users to have and understanding of coding, made the GUI system more likely to have a higher utilization in the future.

The article delves into the importance of GDSs and travel agents along with the controversy surrounding their evolution as airlines are trying to encourage more direct bookings to make more profits and avoid paying commission to travel agents.

This article goes into detail about GDS's, the history of GDS's, and if travel agents actually need to use them. The article first explains what a GDS system is, a brief description stating "Global Distribution System (GDS) is a travel agent's motherboard for booking airline tickets and other sorts of travel goodies (like hotel and car)". The article then quickly goes into a brief history of the GDS. GDS was created by America Airlines in 1946, making it easier to check inventory for vendors, though it would still take some time for this technology to reach the travel agents. "Travel agents would need to call the airline's booking center, who would then contact one of their CRS operators, then relay the results to the travel agent over the phone (literally, like playing telephone). It took a lot of people power to book a single airline ticket". We then take a turn, and learn about the usability of a GDS, and that it's quite low. GDS's are not user-friendly, but sadly sometimes a necessity for certain types of travel agents. These types mostly being the ones who book lots of corporate travel arrangements. Lastly, the article discusses if a GDS is right for your business, and if you decide it's not, how to go about booking things without it.