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This article is interesting because it talks about how the hospitality industry and e-commerce have merged. Technology is continuously evolving nowadays and hotels need to keep up with new ways to reach more customers. They are now using e-Facebook commerce to market themselves. With the ever increasing usage of smartphones, the hotel industry has developed mobile apps for customers to do business through there. These strategies are both very effective and time efficient.

The demand for e-commerce has increased over the years, and has played a vital role in the travel and tourism industry. The article lists five ways e-commerce has helped the industry grow by making operations and online booking more feasible.

This article is about Southwest expanding their GDS game. They are going to enhance their relationship with travel agencies and corporate customers.

Southwest Airlines had long resisted using GDS. It has been known for only allowing direct booking through its website. Last year, Southwest began to significantly increase the amount of tickets offered through GDS. This is viewed as good move for Southwest to help increase sales for the Corporate Travel market. This shows that GDS continues to have a use and airlines who did not use them are now willing to use them to help sell their inventory especially in the wake of COVID-19.

New apps are being developed for digital menus. Pros and cons and tablet menus and traditional menus. Many restaurants around the world are already implementing this type of technology.

The apps are searching within several options. Apps are various while somebody is searching. I like the example to show on menus that wine would offer grape variety and climate zone. There are more offerings on iPad about food suggestions. While clients are taking an option inside, everyone should take an insight. They are going on SmartCeller for e-digit selling. Even some of the groups are keeping software digital menu inside. How many more options are keeping to get papers and get owners. Data source are concerning more about processing like reservations online due to everyday data source. If there are more current contents. I would like to be offered more about networks and payments solving via cards no matter member cards or savings cards.

This article helps us to understand the benefits of eMenus. The main point is that eMenus do not replace waiters or waitresses but help them. For example, it lets people see the actual pictures of the dishes so they are more willing to order something new and maybe even something more expensive than usual.

Fintech startup company, Banked, has partnered with British Airways to provide a new and effective form of payment for their airline loyalty members to pay for online purchases using BA Avios. BA Executive Club members can now use their bank account via Banked and merchants will be able to offer the Avios option at a fraction of the cost of credit card processing fees. (2-4% vs 0.1%) This new partnership will lead to increased customer loyalty, conversion rates along with higher average order value. Banked is currently integrated with may of the largest banks in the United Kingdom, including Barclays and HSBC. Banked CEO stated that 78% of consumers in the UK are making purchasing decisions based on loyalty points, which will extremely increase customer loyalty from the British Airways Executive Club members. In my opinion, this is an excellent way for loyalty club members, especially airline and hotel rewards members, to be able to utilize their points or miles that have been of no use due to the pandemic. This has already been integrated in the United States through Chase, American Express, and Citibank where rewards points can be used for purchases online and even on Amazon. This was the correct step for BA because they will be able to retain loyal customers until travel restrictions are lightened.

Cloud computing has a lot of growth predicted. However, security remains a concern for many. On a positive note, it will help companies with budgeting by not needing an IT team.

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.

This article looks at 5 ways that hospitality has changed to survive. It looks at 5 examples of how businesses have pivoted their services to provide safe ways for people to connect, eat, and be entertained by taking conferences online, forging digital connections, taking takeaway seriously, leveraging live-streaming, and self-isolation stations.

This article focuses on the important drivers that hotels can employ to seal the deal with online booking. Hotels should consistently update their websites with links to their social media, guest testimonials and high quality photos while also making it easy to book a room. It is also suggested that websites be mobile friendly, easy to navigate and secure in processing financial transactions. Prominently featuring contact information along with a way to collect email information, ensures that the property can reach out to the guest and vice versa. A hotel can seal a booking transaction with a call to action by using techniques such as urgency and scarcity as persuasion points.

The article by, a financial policy author, explains in detail the extent of cyber-attacks in the hospitality industry. The article explains that the hospitality industry is more prone to cyber-attacks, given the nature of information most of the organizations generate daily in their operations. The article explains that most organizations in the hospitality industry may not be aware that they have already been hacked. The article emphasizes the importance of internal audits and the critical evaluation of cyber footprints in hospitality organizations to minimize cyber-attacks. The author of the article delves into the cybersecurity risk factors in the hospitality industry and reports about the UAE IAA members' seminar which was aimed at sharing information and networking with a focus on building cyber-resilience against cyber-attacks. The article shows the prevalence of cyber-attacks in the hospitality industry noting that each stolen data record costs an average of $148 with the average cost of a cyber-attack being valued at over 3 million dollars (Karantzavelou, 2020). The article quotes a statement by the Jumeirah group chief internal audit officer who asserts that protection against cyber threats should be the DNA of every organization, and they should be continuously on the lookout for potential threats and ensure adequate protection. Members in the seminar advised on the importance of having internal auditors to provide assurance, suitable frameworks, and to set up controls to mitigate key cybersecurity risks. The article explains that hotels are prone to Cyber-attacks since they collect varied, valuable and sensitive customer information. The article also cites a cyber-breach in 2018 where up to 500 million customer details and passport information was compromised in an international hotel chain for up to four years continuously without detection (Karantzavelou, 2020). At the bottom line, contributors in the seminar explain the importance of cybe

This article goes over the very short history of proximity marketing. It was first brought onto the scene by Apple. But after it failed to take off, it was taken up by Google and it flourished. The article goes over how the technology works, but most importantly it goes over the benefits of the technology, all of which promotes repeat business.

This is an article providing a very high-level introduction to the potential risks faced by the hotel industry from cybersecurity. It outlines some initial steps that hotel companies might consider in their risk-management process and also gives some very specific examples of risk related to franchise contracts.

The article concentrates on the latest and most fashionable marketing practices in the hospitality sector. It is noteworthy that the industry learns from other sectors and strives to match its practices to realize growth. The author, Shangzhi Charles Qui, identifies five major marketing trends likely to influence the future of hospitality and tourism. They include augmented reality, virtual reality, viral, human spirit, and collaborative marketing. In line with augmented reality, it would be critical in the industry to provide a new view of the world with extra information. According to Qui (2016), augmented reality suits the industry since it "has already been used in improving tourist experience, particularly adding entertaining elements to the journey." Virtual reality suits the industry as it will provide a more direct user experience instead of relying on photos and videos. The author observes viral marketing using social networks that have been used by Unilever, Volkswagen, and Nike. A critical aspect is that "viral marketing is based on the power of word-of-mouth (WOM)," making it more effective in transforming the purchase behavior of customers (Qui, 2016). Based on human spirit marketing, customers are leaning towards products that touch their spirituality; that is, their hearts. The last trend, collaborative marketing, increases interactions between businesses and customers, businesses and businesses, and consumers and consumers. It applies to the industry because "collaboration is particularly important in destination marketing effort due to the fragmented nature of the tourism industry" (Qui, 2016). Therefore, it will become the commonest marketing strategy in the future.

This article spoke about the history of GDS as well as different opinions on what the future holds for GDS. The main points of the article included a comparison in percentages of travel agents using GDS now and in the past. It seems that GDS has a chance of surviving the downfalls of direct booking if they are able to evolve with technology and consumer needs.

modern technology/applications has taken over where most people can make their own flight reservations without an agent. But even with this change GDS is still going strong and that is mainly because most people feel safer when they go to an agent to make their reservations.

the article discuss the large amounts airlines pay for GDS companies in incentives and they are trying to find different ways to reduce sales through other platforms and try to reach consumers directly. such methods like offering a good online reservation website offering better prices to consumers or raising the prices sold to GDSs.

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.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology created a practical cybersecurity guide to help hotel owners protect their PMS from hackers. Hotel owners can learn to protect the privacy of the data stored in their systems, which is highly vulnerable. The guide also advocates for the zero trust principle, which dictates that access to a system is never fully granted, but must be continually evaluated through authentication and authorization.