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The article describes how hotels have been late in adopting the cross-selling and up-selling trip extras that airlines have been so successful with over the last decade or so. It also summarizes the results of research done by Phocuswright with iSeatz which found that the majority of business travelers surveyed are interested in purchasing additional on-site extras and off-site extras. The research also found that the hotels that were surveyed cite reasons such as a lack of technology and stretched resources at hotel level as barriers to implementation.

The author fails to recognize that the e-commerce platforms developed by the airlines over the past decade have been focused on selling unbundled extras, whereas until recently the hotel e-commerce platforms have been very focused on offering the customer bundled packages and only had limited capability for up-selling and cross-selling.

The National Restaurant Association has implemented a new "green" restaurant initiative to persuade owners of the US's 945,000 restaurants to adopt measures to control energy use and waste. They have some celebrity firepower in billionaire Ted Turner, who owns Ted's Montana Grill causal dining chain. His restaurants use straws made from biodegradable paper, and the menus are printed on recycled paper, among other initiatives. The NRA makes recommendations like using LED lights, composting, installing low-flow valves, and using recycled materials. In practical terms, however, going green doesn't necessarily mean "making green." In a tough economy, most people won't pay for the extra costs of green initiatives. In a poll, just 29% of consumers said they would be more likely to go to a green restaurant. Those numbers make it difficult to convince a restaurateur to make that extra investment. 

My article this week is about how GDS (Global Distribution Systems) can be compared to a seatbelt. The author opens the article discussing the main reasons we still continue to use seatbelts; even though they aren't the most comfortable or fashionable items to use, they still do their jobs in saving our lives when it comes to a collision of some sort. The author is in favor of GDS and makes the claim that like seatbelts, the GDS may not be the most up-to-date or may not appear to be as nice as other local systems to each individual airline, but they get the job done and there are no other systems out there like it that we know of (no other systems that do everything he GDS system does that is). The main topic of discussion that the article is concerned with is the recent decision made by the company Lufthansa to start charging its customers an additional surcharge for using GDS systems instead of going through its own system. The author clearly makes it know that she doesn't believe Lufthansa when they say they are charging this additional surcharge because GDS is the most expensive channel to go through. "Because there's no reason to think that an airline should expect to distribute its products without any cost, Lufthansa's recent gambit seems more of a tactic for increasing lagging direct distribution... Its strategy seems to rest in shifting distribution costs to corporate buyers" claims Rose, the author of the article. The author also points out some of the draw backs of using agency portals, the main reason being that a customer cannot compare rates of other competitors and that agency portals cannot handle high volume transactions like the GDS can. It is also made known that there are costs that come with other channels as well, like the prices you pay for building airline websites and keeping them updated. The author concludes that "Given the history of negotiations between airlines and GDSs, it's impossible to know whether Lufthansa is using DCC as

Capterra is a webiste that offers the proper research for businesses to look for a software that works best for them. The article discusses the most popular software solutions that works best for small hotels. The list of the software's discussed already included what reviewers loved, their advice for improvement, and cost. This is a great article for small hotels to look at because it is an easier way for them to select a software that suits them best.

These are the most popular software that are used by small hotels specifically

Smaller hotels run with tighter profit margins. This article discusses the 7 top softwares that are available to a small hotel that have many features i.e. front desk, bookings, food and beverage - all in one software application.

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 give relative brief summary of green technology trend and benefits for hospitality industry. Green technology' s prosperity results from eco awareness increasing of the customers. Nowadays, about 70%people would like to care whether the hotel is eco-friendly, engergy efficiency and low carbon dioxide when they are travlling around the world. They also would like to pay extra money to this trend. This social cocious require hotels to react as soon as possilbe to meet cusoterms new demands. From the article, we learn that to better meet customers' requiements, geen techonlogy application will be the one of the most effective way to realize customers'needs. However, one of the most difficulty problems for supporting this requirement is implement fees so costly, which set barriers to many hotels. Thus, there are still monetary issues to think about for hotelers.

Optima Go Green allows hotels using the Optima Hotel Management Solution property management system to go the extra mile and reduce the total amount of paper used by implementing Optima green solutions. The Optima Go Green solution includes features such as advance up to 24hours before using a smart phone; guest checkout allowing the guest folio to be viewed via an iPad; scanning of IDs to save time and ensure accuracy, managerial reports being able to be directly sent to the appropriate manager without having the need of being printed; allowing managers to check rate strategies and availability online on their smart phones. The maon concept of Optima goGreen is a cost effective solution which is all about managing documents without wasting time and space. This article tied in with the previous weeks discussion about green initiatives. A hotel's priamry office expense is paper and toner. By printing less we are drastically saving money by not having to waste paper. Storage is also cut down because the need of storing paper is eliminated. In such a tech savvy world, this is definitely the way to go.

The Courtyard Marriott in Midtown Manhattan installs a software that can insert some ads or cut off some articles on a website that a hotel guest is visiting. And this was found out by Justin Watt, a Web engineer. After he post it on his blog, it came to a big discussion. Is it legal for a hotel to get into a personal's visit on a website? But this kind of technique also has some potential use in the future, such as hotel can deliever the newspaper to each room with all some ads or some articles being cut off by using that technique, or adding hotel's daily special menu or event on an online newspaper and also pint it delievering to each room.

I believe the security issues is what we will be getting everywhere, because what is made online, always can be tracked and checked by some smart ITs. Another aspect - is anyone exept us is interested in our security? More often we can hardly guess what is really secure ...

This article touches on Property Solutions' new ResidentUtility initiative to bundle billing and utilities for the multifamily industry. Property Solutions is the nation's largest provider of apartment community websites and management software tools. The new system will enable property managers to manage billing and utilities through electronic payments. It solves the industry's utility billing problems, like costs associated with inefficient standards. ResidentUtility combines billing and utility management with en electronic payment systems that will increase extra incomes for properties, especially given that option that utilities and rent and be billed on the same invoices, properties will have extra cash inflows earlier in the month. As a result of extra income, properties can also reduce working capital and pay their own bills in a timely fashion. In addition, residents can reap the benefits because their bills will have more transparency and be bundled so that they only need to worry about paying one large sum. I think this is a great idea for properties, I used to be a leasing manager for residential condos and we offered this billing system to residents and it was very successful. Although I do see residents getting scared by one large invoice as some prefer to pay everything separate. From the management perspective, it is very beneficial because accounts payable and receivables become easier to handle when it is all done under one invoice and electronically.

It is knowledgeable why retailers would be skeptical over self-services in grocery stores, which include lack of floor space, the ability to lower labor cost, and the concerns of consumer acceptance and usage, but this has changed with the future of technology. The permutation of self-checkout technology now gives the retailer opportunities to reduce labor intendment, and it also orchestrates the front-end operations to offer state of the art customer service to the consumer Self- checkout allows retailers to save space and it easily fits into the store's existing layout. Five self-serve lanes can accommodate the floor space of only two conventional lanes. Cash balancing and reporting for each station remains the same as it was before the device was installed.

I cannot imagine the human factor completely disappearing in stores. I have three young children and I cannot go through teh self check-out if I have more than a couple of items. There will always be those people who need the extra help. I do enjoy self check-out lines, so hopefully there will be a balance of machine and man in the stores.

after the invention of the first POS system of 1974 and the self- check out counters of 1992 researchers projecting 430,000 of self check out counters to be opened by 2014.  The benefit of the Self Check out counters is very tempting for the owners.  Article mentions that some customers are still not too happy with the self check out counters, because of possible bad experience in the past.  Managers are delaying the installation of the automated check outs, because of the scare of the theft, but it's proven that theft is not as issue because usually losses occur from the cashier's negligence.  Article provides some of the proves that self check out counter , can help customers to lose weight, and check out faster, and provides extra privacy. 

This article is an interview with Leigh Tymms from Green Edge Environmental on the marketing benefits of going green. The most beneficial is generating a positive reputation with customers looking to go green. These customers are increasing everyday. According to the article, a report by Travelocity stated that 80% of travelers are willing to pay extra to visit an eco-friendly destination. Basically, more and more guests are taking into consideration the size of a hotels carbon footprint. Although it may be costly originally, in the long run it is also economically beneficial for hotels to go green. Tymms warns that hotels ignoring the green trend in hospitality risk losing customers. And he also suggest that hoteliers make sure they are actually taking steps to go green and not just marketing false claims for revenue gain. 

Travelport, one of the world's largest GDS companies reported about corporate travellers' preference and expectation. Visa informations is the top information followed by immunisations, weather, city maps, restaurants, and entertainment information. More customers, expecially corporate travellers want to book with ancillaries. The most commonly authorised ancillaries are extra baggage and hotel wifi. I've learned that the range of destination services and ancillary options grow increasingly and more complex. Because travellers' needs are evolving and yonger generations now expect customised content, intelligent itineraries and easily bookable ancillary content.

This article is short and very much to the point. Plainly explaining what is an "offsite backup". Its purpose, and reasons one would utilize the cloud-based application.

This article, published in 2015, covers a study performed in Turkey to analyze factors in hotels that lead management to prefer desktop-based PMS over cloud-based PMS or vice versa. The study uses qualitative research to determine the reasons for the usage of PMS and the advantages and disadvantage of either system. The study found that, among others, significant factors that contribute to the form of PMS implemented by mangement may include the size of the property, reservation channels, and prior level of IT experience.

Consumers generally say they want to buy products that are more environmentally sustainable or socially responsible.Effective societal marketing treats the social responsibility aspect as an extra benefit to choosing an already fine product. The company needs to give customers what they want either way by including healthier options.

This article is about the different keys available for hotels to use for their rooms. Metal keys which are like what we use everyday for our homes is an outdated form of security key in the world of technology. The key card system is a plastic card with electronic access. Hole cards seen rarely today is a plastic card with a series of holes to correspond to a specific door in the hotel. Bar code cards is exactly that a card with a bar code, like you see at the supermarket, which is placed under an electronic reader. This type of key has been fazed out due to easily being fooled. The magnetic strip key card are widely used in the hotel industry. They look like a credit card with a metallic strip on the back. It has extra protection unlike other types of keys. The newest system is the RFID key card system, which has a radio sensor chip embedded inside. It works with a programmed reader and when the key is brought in close range the door unlocks and opens. This article was about the security keys being used in hotels.

Marilyn, This is an interesting article because I never knew the progression of hotel key cards. I do not think anyone did and we just assume they started somewhere simple and got to where they are at now. Key Cards with RFID seem as though they are the best type of key but also very expensive for the hotels, especially if it is a large property. We only see the one kind of key card now in hotels and to me it seems secure but who knows what information is actually stored on that card. Great article !

This article is about the different keys available for hotels to use for their rooms. Metal keys which are like what we use everyday for our homes is an outdated form of security key in the world of technology. The key card system is a plastic card with electronic access. Hole cards seen rarely today is a plastic card with a series of holes to correspond to a specific door in the hotel. Bar code cards is exactly that a card with a bar code, like you see at the supermarket, which is placed under an electronic reader. This type of key has been fazed out due to easily being fooled. The magnetic strip key card are widely used in the hotel industry. They look like a credit card with a metallic strip on the back. It has extra protection unlike other types of keys. The newest system is the RFID key card system, which has a radio sensor chip embedded inside. It works with a programmed reader and when the key is brought in close range the door unlocks and opens. This article was about the security keys being used in hotels.

It's cool for me to use smartphones as hotel keys.I think it's easy to make guests understand what the new technology is and to use it in each check-in.In the end of the article we may face some questions from the guests. Such as will guests want an extra smartphone to carry, and will the rapid development of new smartphones and apps make any product the hotel purchases obsolete within mere ounths, and will the guests who are less tech-knowledge accept the new concept.

It is obvious that IPAD or other mobile device can replace traditional POS system. With simple extra equipment and IOS APP, people can enjoy different kinds of POS service. What's more, with eManu's popularity, tablet can be a a more efficient and cheaper approach for POS. It supplies a brand new way for running business. To sum up, from inventory, shift time, training to POS, this can be a niche for future restaurant.  

Following a robbery at a Houston hotel in which thieves exploited security flaws in Onity locks first revealed at the Black Hat conference in July, Hotel Management spoke with Todd Seiders, director of risk management at Petra Risk Solutions and former director of loss prevention at Marriott, for tips on how hoteliers can keep their rooms secure.

Though this was posted in January, I can still remember the situation like it was yesterday. Of course news articles tend to reach the public later than the issue arises; however, we try to be on top of our game. We heard rumor of the break-ins happening, so we did our research and actually found videos on You Tube on how to create the hacking device and use a dry erase marker to conceal the microchip. It was ridiculously simple, yet a huge threat to the entire industry. We called Onity immediately and had our locks all updated with the new software and hardware to prevent the issues. It was a ridiculous charge per lock for them to come out and manually fix them all, which wasn't at all in our budget, but definitely worth the security increase. That's where there is a problem. Most hotels didn't predict this kind of an issue, so it wasn't accounted for in their budgets. Some are willing to spend the extra to ensure safety and security, but some would prefer to do the "mail-in" procedure to get the motherboard replaced for free. That being said, most hotels do not carry an entire second set of locks, I would estimate 10-20% of the number of rooms is the number of extra locks on hand at any given time, functional or not. So, this process takes up quite a bit of time in doing it in the "mail-in" way, as it would take a minimum of 6 shipments to get all locks replaced. That is beyond time consuming and way too long to wait for this important of a matter. I hope all hotels are done with this by now, but still something for everyone to keep in mind while travelling. Always use your deadbolts and privacy locks, never leave your valuables in plain sight, use the in-room safe or safety deposit boxes where available, and use your instincts. Even as a guest, you can still follow the 5 foot rule and greet everyone you see, not only to be nice or courteous, but also to try and weed out the potential thieves!