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This article details some of the ways Property Management Systems are expected to grow in the next decade through CRM solutions, analytics, automation, & IoT sensors. These measures will reduce time, increase productivity, increase customer satisfaction, and most importantly generate more revenue.

This article talks about Marriott's data breach. It talks about what other companies that have also been affected are doing. California has passed an act that protects guest information. The new law is a bit challenging for smaller businesses that dont typically have any IT onsite.

There are many reasons one still needs a travel agent. They are now called advisors or consultants because of what they can do and their knowledge. These advisors can assist with a multitude of things including emergencies, getting great deals on trips, They will be your best advocate when issues arise and at no extra cost to the consumer. In addition, a good travel advisors save you time and money on trying to plan you own trip. Travel agents who just booked flights and beds are a thing of the past, travel advisors play a much more complex role and provie a great variety of services.

This article describes the challenges that hoteliers face when it comes to accounting principles. There are four major issues that arise: Enterprise Resource Planning, Staff Variations, Data Overload, and Core Challenges. Choosing the proper system to manage your finances is an important issue when dealing hotel accounting. Taking into consideration your varying staff levels into the financial arena is also important. In addition you must choose what data is important to your financial success. Once you determine the data to use its very important on what you do with it. Its important to have someone on staff that will understand how to interpret the information and make it useful. If no one is on staff then the choice to outsource the task will be the next option.

Every hotel company would like to build their own enterprise back-office system. It is more cost effective solution would be to partner up and invest in hotel sector specific technologies. With needs to staff variations real-time monitoring of labor is essentially in reducing labor cost. Another cost-effective and efficient solution is to outsource any finances and accounting practices that the hoteliers can't perform themselves

Its no secret that a hospitality companies financies and accounting tools can be complex with there own unique challenges. Cloud based reporting tools are there to help manage and monitor transactions in real time through an array of data sets.

This article covers the research behind and design of software implemented in the Czech Republic to monitor visitor activity in protected areas. The software is designed to act as a "tour guide" and keeps track of visitors through satellite positioning. The article discusses the process by which this software would be developed, rationale for its implementation, and consumer data that may be collected through this process that would benefit National Parks and other protected areas. Theoretical questions in regard to human interaction, privacy concerns, and effectiveness of the application in low-service areas are discussed. Though the application requires more research and strict attention to variables, its implementation worldwide could change how sustainable tourism is managed and would provide important information on consumer habits in protected areas.

Compared to large hotel chains and airlines, the GDS can play a different role for businesses of smaller sizes. For small hotels, it may be beneficial to make use of a channel manager instead of depending on sales from a GDS. The article suggests to smaller hotels that channel managers, who work directly with travel agents, can mean more profit for your business. Using the GDS and a travel agency, you are technically paying 2 commissions. With a channel manager, you would only be paying one. Having this business relationship will cut out a middle man, and hotels with smaller budget will find this strategy more efficient.

I find this article a little misleading. The GDS are channels, can be managed by a channel manager, or in conjunction with, or separately but usually for smaller hotels require an intermediary. Accessing the GDS(s) are used less by smaller hotels for two main factors: 1. Costs and Fees 2. Scope of demand (driving the right customers). 3. Program Fees The article cites figures which have changed substantially since 2015, as of Q4 North American GDS growth was up 6.4% and ADR was up 4.2% YOY with 18.4% of all bookings coming through GDS. TravelClick, Inc. (2019, March 4) What isn't highlighted in the article was the fact that margin agreements with OTAs for smaller independent hotel range anywhere from 20-35% . If the article had done an actual cost comparison (access through intermediary to GDS instead of OTA) the 10% commission + access and delivery fee may have proven more profitable. It would have been better if they had done a little more comparative cost analysis. TravelClick, Inc. (2019, March 4). GDS Booking and ADR Growth Drive Strong Q4 2018 RevPAR Performance in Hospitality. Retrieved from https://www.hospitalitynet.org/performance/4092226.html

This article from the Little Hotelier talks about what exactly is GDS and the Channel Manager and which on is better for Small Hotels. Small Hotels should opt for the system that gives them what they need, but in their price range and for the size of their business.

It's important to build sustainability facility in the hotel. It's a future trend to build a green hotel and sustain the eco-friendly environment. There are many ways to do physical plants. Water consumption Within guest rooms, laundries, kitchens, pools, and spas, hotels continue to phase inefficiencies that reduce water and, in many cases, chemicals that are used to treat water systems and clean facilities. Efforts include the linen and towel reuse programs that are now an industry standard to the installation of low-flow faucets, showerheads, and other fixtures. Hotel Recycling and Waste Reduction With the limited exception for domestic hotels, recycling programs for the basics such as newspapers and beverage containers are becoming a basic expectation. In combination with the recycling efforts, hotels are looking for opportunities to reduce the use of paper and other disposables. Hotels and resorts that can go beyond to implement food waste composting programs can demonstrate waste diverted from the landfill upwards of 40-50%. Hotel Bath Amenities Many hotels are making a statement by offering guests custom formulated amenities. Resort companies such as RockResorts have taken it one step further with an all-natural, essential oil-based custom formulated product made without preservatives and artificial ingredients that are packaged in recyclable containers. Other midrange hotel brands are experimenting with bulk dispenser presentations.

This article discusses that as time continues to progress, more and more hotels, as well as other hospitality/tourism places are starting to implement more "eco-friendly initiatives" into their businesses for the satisfaction of the customers. It is important for the hospitality to be able to adapt in the sense of increasing their "green initiatives." Some hotels have begun doing so by, linen and towel reuse programs, low-flow faucets and shower heads, recycling programs, and much more. Implementing these actions can only benefit the industry/businesses in the long run.

This is a great summary of what event planners are looking for in hotels - "Green Initiatives" that include energy use, water bottle reduction, menu planning, waste management, recycle programs, etc. Very easy to read and recommend for green topic areas for research papers.

This article addresses how hotel design must change to be successful in a COVID/Post-COVID world. The emphasis the last few years has been on meeting spaces and smaller square footage in guest rooms, but with social distancing those wonderful new high-tech meeting spaces are empty. More guests are having to use their hotel rooms as a place to sleep, socialize, be entertained, and even work out. First impressions are crucial in all aspects of life including hotels meaning adding things like UV-C- lights can help to make guests feel safe and rejuvenated. Also we must redefine the guest "room" experience, such using Smart technology and intelligent room design.

Staicoff (director of Oculus Inc.) stated that the covid-19 epidemic emerged as altering the settings of multiple organizations from healthcare facilities to the corporate ambiance. The designers created various changes in hotel infrastructure to meet the criteria of social distancing in the pandemic. Recently, the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) business elevated to provide technical and innovative solutions to control the spreading of infections with physical distancing. Also, the emerging AEC technologies encourage check-ins and elevators of the hotels to be compatible with smart solutions. The intervention of "Zone of Calm" and UV-C light impresses the guest to ensure that the hotel is reliable, safe, and caring. UV-C light is an antimicrobial technology with a unique fixation of light, music, and art to influence the people. The describe that multi-use facilities (housekeeping, room service, laundry, remote control, menus) have been eliminated for safety features. Visual indication facilitates cleanliness in diverse settings. The coordination of hotels with hygienic corporations enhances responding protocols to prevent infection. The structure of guestrooms are preferred from the perspectives of reducing OA (outside air) and EA (exhaust air), but the approaches are costlier practices to meet the demands of the pandemic. The intervention of "separately-zoned HVAC supply and return HVAC systems" acts as a filtration tool to remove EA from infected rooms and control the spreading. Usually, guestrooms are created for multi-functional management, but the guidelines of the pandemic representing constructive and financial challenges. According to a report presented by Markets and Markets, the implementation of smart devices in the markets would double by 2025 worldwide. At a minimum, the materialistic quality is designed considering long-term goals with comfortable and mood elevated facilities.

Ideally, Maestro explores the operational features and functionalities underutilized and yet very critical, especially in this COVID era. Among such quality is the idea of reporting capabilities (Dehan, 2020). For example, through this feature, the guest's data becomes essential in making various decisions by management and the staff. This includes knowing when the guest is arriving, budgeting, and congestion at the front office. In this sense, it becomes effortless to determine the requisite measures to minimize physical contact. Equally, to eliminate the physical contact between the guest and the staff, Maestro provides integrated technological infrastructures such as touchless tools and mobile apps (Dehan, 2020). This system is set to perform very many functions. For instance, "Online web and mobile guest registration/check -in, online prepayment portal, express mobile check-out…." Besides, using a mobile key ensures that the guest is exempted from the contact at the front desk. All these efforts are meant to create contactless interaction between the staff and the guest and thereby enhancing the safety both the staff and the customer. Further, the article identifies data control and security as a significant element for using the cloud for PMS (Dehan, 2020). While using the private cloud, such as Maestro, it's the IT system that takes care of the data without a third-party having access or control of such information. This becomes fundamental in enhancing customer confidentiality and security in the process. The on-premises PMS, misses this feature as it's the customer taking care of their data Moreover, the article identifies internet connectivity as one of the fundamental challenges of using the cloud for PMS. That, it submits, "For those operating in remote areas, the cloud is wrong platform for the environment" (Dehan, 2020). Such outages are demeriting since they result in the disruption of the flow of services and time-consumin

The article showed us top 5 trends in modern hotel PMS technology. They are Cloud, Mobility, Guest engagement, Endless integration and Sleek design.

This article is meant to show the different types or e-marketing for the hospitality industry. It also goes on to explain how they can be used in the industry. I also enjoyed the most popular ways to use these tools. With technology moving at a fast pace, e-marketing is the next best way to market and to attract customers.

E-marketing is a tool used by nearly all businesses nowadays. It is through this form of marketing that we are able to spread our word across the globe. When E-marketing, it is important to invest in search engines so that your products, in our case our restaurants and resorts, appear first. Our marketing can appear in the form of ads and pop ups, but also in emails. A big one is using social media platforms such as twitter, youtube and instagram.

Interestingly this article is back from 2014 and back then there was a different perspective on the capabilities of e-marketing as it was rather new to the world of hospitality. Comparing this article to the present just shows how much the experience has brought us and how much e-marketing truly benefits and expands our industry. Through e-marketing we can reach customers we never thought or even imagined of reaching out to.

When it comes to deciding whether you should switch to cloud computing or remain with on-premises PMS, it all depends on your company. Many people fail to see the hidden costs associated with on-premise PMS such as hardware costs, IT staff to manage the infrastructure and expenses coming from 3rd party software integrations. Although on-premises PMS can be more customizable for companies, cloud-based systems are dominating. They reduce costs, are highly accessible in real time, fees are consistent, and are highly secured.

PMS are designed to create greater efficiency. Both on-premise and a cloud-based systems have similar core functions. The differences are on-premise software must be physically installed on all computers that will require access. The server holds all of the data, which is located on the property. The security of the data and the maintenance of the hardware is the properties responsibility. Cloud software's security is in the hands of the company who owns the software. When it comes to the big differences between the two, it comes down to deployment, technical requirements, cost, and accessibility.