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I found this article interesting, as technology is constantly advancing, and this supports just that. Sabre has announced it is introducing a new lodging solution that will allow travel agents to access content from three different companies in one, thanks to a new agreement with Sabre. This solution will allow for an easier shopping experience, with a wider range of the best hotels and rates side by side. Overall, as Christian Gerron says in the article, "it is to provide their customers with the best choice and flexibility." At the end of the day, that is just what any hotel, travel agent, and any other sectors of our industry want, what is best for our customers. 

This article discuss Sabre which is one of the biggest GDS systems in use ad their decision to integrate with Bedsonline, TravelBound and the Expedia® Affiliate Network (EAN). The reason they decided to do this was to increase their inventory and in turn better serve the customer. What I found interesting is that Bedsonline and Travelbound are both travel agent exclusive companies, this shows that despite availability that OTA's have travel agents still play a crucial role. I would also like to use the side by side comparison tool.

I found this article very useful because it focus on the common complaint of hoteliers when it comes to paying commissions to OTA's. In order for hotels to attain direct bookings, they need to have a deep understanding of ecommerce and digital marketing. While online travel agencies (OTAs) have continued to flourish due to their understanding of conversion optimization and user experience, many hotels still have not adapted to this mindset. Therefore, if hotels want to compete and succeed in the digital economy, it is important to acknowledge key principles of e-commerce and apply them effectively to the websites. First, mastering user experience includes creating simple yet intuitive design including a clear navigation, easy to find information and a strong call to action. Next, constant A/B testing, which is a process that compares different versions of the same page to measure with converts best, helps hotels understand how to maximize the user experience. Personalization is another useful tool to elevate user experience, since 86% of consumers reported that personalization impacts their purchases. OTA's have been efficient in this area as they have been able to amass booking data and convert this to improve the shopping experience thanks to embedded cookies and marketing automation systems. Also, employing conversion triggers are powerful tools used at pivotal points in the booking process. Just as OTA's have been able to master these conversion triggers, hotels should learn from them to increase direct bookings. For example, creating a sense of urgency on the website, such as "only 4 rooms left", will appeal to customers. Social proof, which entails social persuasion, is a decision making tool, where customers can book their stay thanks to quick access to reviews. Best rate guarantees help boost bookings as well, since customers have the peace of mind that they do not have to sure elsewhere. Lastly, understanding the travelers' booking journey, such

This article researched the efficient strategies that OTA's use when getting customers to book through their site. The purpose is to give tips for improvement to hotel websites so that they can use their site appropriately to drive more bookings directly. My opinion is that the strategies used by OTA's outlined in this article are a perfect direction for a hotels' website to configure itself in the most efficient manner.

The article is about how new technology and trends are coming too fast and a lot of businesses and restaurants can't keep up with the pace. A lot of companies have said that they are not investing fast enough and taking advantage of the new things that are available. However, they have said that labor costs have gone down because of these new technologies.

Restaurants are one of the most tedious and stressful businesses. Being diligent and focusing on attention to detail is very important. But with this comes being time oriented and managing every task at the upmost level. Sometimes, being a manager in the restaurant industry, you are pulled in many directions that human error is entered into many ways for money to be lost. Using POS systems assists in keeping track of any items not just ticketing systems from front of the house to the kitchen. Inventory can be kept track of with POS systems, to labor forecasting, to purchasing, etc. These functions assist taking a big part of human error out of the aspect to allow for more accurate documentation of revenue. This is also now freeing up time so the manager can focus on other items to assist in driving revenue.

As we prepare for the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus, there are some precautions hotel managers and staff can take to improve guest and employee health and safety. Early evidence suggests that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread more easily than the virus that causes seasonal influenza, and it appears that the COVID-19 disease is more deadly than seasonal influenza.

In the article, "Travel Agents Increase Use of GDS to Book Hotel Rooms," it talked about how the leading global provider of revenue is generating solutions for hotels, it shows how important GDS platforms are to travel agents. "84 percent of respondents indicated that they were using their GDS platform the same amount or more often than in the past, with 35 percent stating that they are using GDS more." Back in 2009, when the last study was conducted, about 26 percents of travel agents said that they used their GDS platform more often than in the past. This study also states that the annual GDS shopping displays will be over $50 million in 2011, which will increase more than a million bookings compared to 2010. There was another survey that was done and they surveyed different travel agents from across the world that were subscribed to a major GDS system. In the survey the travel agents indicated that promotional messages are effective and often prompt bookings. Out of the travel agents they surveyed, 66% said that they were aware of the "promotional messages requested addition information by looking at the screen attached to he promotional message." From this survey it showed that promotional messages are an excellent way to reach travel agents and from reaching the agent, they also reaching the customer, it's a win-win reaction.

I enjoyed the part about brand and promotional messaging, that is always a lure for me. When I see an attractive offer, evern If I'm not interested in booking or going to the destination, I often click on it anyway just to see the offer. It is a very effective marketing tool.

Hotel guests are now more interested in connectivity than they used to. With this technology age guests would like to have access "to all things digital that can enhance their experience." Hotels now are spending more time and resources on network technology as they do for other services. For hotels to gain competitive advantage they need to build rooms where everything is on a network.

This brings up a topic that we discussed in one of the earlier weeks in class. Being PCI compliant is a very critical role in guest satisfaction. It makes the guest feel secure and confident that their information is safe and not being shared through other channels.

Another topic that is mention, previously discussed in class, is how paper menus will be replaced and guests will now have access to order via touch screen devices. This does not eliminate servers, but increases efficiency of staff, and increases turnover of tables.

This article makes some key assertions regarding points of consideration when choosing a PMS software. Getting the right PMS software is absolutely critical for any property, as it is at the core of the operation. According to this author, the necessary considerations involve asking six questions: -Does the solution offer flexibility in functionality, including data access and performance reporting? -How easily and seamlessly does the PMS integrate with third-party technologies and data? -How long will it take for problems to be resolved? -What is the total cost of ownership? Are there "hidden" costs? -What return on investment (ROI) can be expected? -What is the PMS solution provider's track record of success? The inception of cloud computing and faster data processing has led to a number of choices in PMS software. Obviously these questions are not a fool-proof path to picking the perfect PMS software out of the multitude of options, but obviously being able to answer these with a level of confidence is a step in the right direction.

This articles explaines in 5 different stages or factos how investment actions are taken in the hospitality and tourisim industry. According to Marcus and Milichap on september this year they wrote this article where it is apprecaible all the new trends and changes of how technology have affected positivitly the investment on the hotels and tourism industries this past years in the United States.

This week I want to share two articles. I realized that on the discussion we all or almost all of us used the same examples as sustainable methods or strategies. There a million of ways to become sustainable in this industry. Check this examples or ideas for a more sustainable restaurant.

The article talks about finding the right Facility Management Software and the benefits it will bring to you and your business.

MGM Resorts falls victim to data breach last summer, more than 10 million customers' information were leaked out. It was took place through "unauthorized access to a cloud server." However, specialist said this breach can be avoided by regularly checking and monitoring. Also, specialist advised that MGM also need to take same security levels for data on premise in their could.

It was reported that MGM Resorts fell victim to a data breach on a cloud server but not much critical guest information was leaked out. Experts said that this kind of breach can be avoided by checking who was able to access the server regularly. Also, the company needs to monitor data to find out the leakage earlier than anyone else. Monitoring the data stored on the cloud should also be as important as those stored on-site.

the article gives details about a data security breach that the company was a victim of and how information of 10 million customers were shared .

By 2026, the investment in cybersecurity will increase to $270 billion globally. After the COVID-19 pandemic companies will need to reevaluate their cybersecurity systems to adapt to telecommuting as many companies will have some of their employees working from home. Biometric security such as a fingerprint or iris scan will become more common as the typical password will no longer be as secure as it once was.

RFID, event applications, wearable technology, virtual reality, and social media are upcoming popular uses for event planners. With RFID event planners are able to keep better track of the guests attending the event as well as keeping them more involved. I first heard of this a few months ago when attending an event and it described that a chip with RFID was placed inside the wristband-type ticket. For me, the most interesting thing is the wearable technology! Imagine an event where you can have directions given to you or a layout of the event right on your wrist! Also, the watch can notify you of events happening within an event or you can see order your food or see the menu. To know that soon enough it will be a norm for everyone to have some type of wearable technology and that event planners can truly get the guests involved through this use is exciting.

This article introduces four new advances to technology that help ease the process of event planning. Projection mapping, 5G, Branded multi-use apps, and event diagramming.

This article shares the technology innovation with meeting/convention operations and how these technology help offer better guest satisfaction.

This article introduces an advanced hospitality market performance dashboard which designed by ProfitSword. Hoteliers can make better strategy and decision through this dashboard.

The article highlights the hospitality industry's issues by not adopting and investing in new technologies and the solutions to those problems. In 2018 digital travel sales worldwide reached $694 billion, indicating that having an online presence is a must to reach and attract more travelers. Hotels have increased spending on marketing techniques with metasearch and online travel review sites to increase online visibility. A majority of marketing budget spending now goes into online activities. The goal is to drive more direct bookings, and these techniques, along with mobile sites, are effective distribution channels. In addition to this, hotels are investing in reputation management tools to maintain a positive online reputation. Over 95% of travelers read reviews before booking reservations, so having a positive presence is crucial. Technology is also driving the personalization of the guest experience. Investments into services like mobile check-in/check-out, keyless entry, smart climate and lighting control, location-based digital guided tours, and in-room tablets enhance guest satisfaction and provide a more seamless experience. With the emergence of the pandemic, this technology is getting pushed to the forefront of investments as must-haves to comply with new regulations and gain consumer confidence in coming back. This technology also collects data on your guest's preferences and behaviors, which will lead to better personalized services on their future stays. In addition to enhancing the guest experience, it also enhances your hotel operations. Investing in technologies increases employee productivity and improves operating efficiency.