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This article from Trip Advisor is a simple research about green hotel alternatives available for travelers. The very interesting part is that there is a great percentage of travelers who questions the hotels green practives. Another important part of the article is the difficulty that hotels face due to travelers resisiting to shift paradigms. Many travelers believe that vacation is time to indulge instead of worring about green practices and initiatives. For that reason, they will do things that they wouldnt do at home. For example, not use the linen reuse program, leave the ac on when not in the room, TV and etc. The article also mentions the three least green cities.

Greetings everyone! Proximity marketing is a great success for the companies to share their items available for sale or use. This is also a great way to communicate with the customers from a distance and to have them feel part of the family, an important part. it is interesting how it works and detects users on a radius, but it is also very important to yet be a little distanced and keep customer's confidence safe at the same time. I found this article interesting ...

As it becomes more and more popular (and more crucial to the environment) to "go green", it is also becoming less intimidating and more rewarding for organizations in the hospitality industry.  The notion that improving an organizations operations to make them more sustainable is too costly, is quickly being disproven, and in many instances organizations actually save money in the long run.  Part I of this series by Lee Simon focuses on operational practices and outlines simple steps that can be integrated in to a restaurant or hotel's current systems.  

Going Green is quickly becoming the thing to do in the hotel industry. In fact, Hilton now requires their department heads within their hotels to be trained and certified in their green program. They have created a link on their site which measures waste put out into the environment by each specific meeting group or guest. Even more importantly, clients are beginning to ask for these statistics and reports prior to committing to sign a contract that states they will hold their meeting at that particular hotel.

The hospitality industry is experiencing a technological transformation. Current technology is improving and being put to better or new uses. According to this article in Hospitality Magazine, there are seven technologies that are taking the industry by storm. 1. Online Booking Systems I agree with the many industry insiders that now consider an online booking system essential. Penetrating the online marketplace is an absolutely mandatory part of the formula for success. However, opinions differ when it comes to how to accomplish this aspiration. As expressed in the article "Taking back control of the direct channel for hotels" posted on the class ScoopIt!, using online travel agents as a properties online booking system has easy setup and maintenance but lacks true customization and can put a sizable dent in profit margins, but building and utilizing a 100 percent customized system does not necessarily grant instant access to hundreds of travels sites on the web. Over all, I am of the opinion that online travel agents are still the best option-for now-because the pros out way the cons. 2. Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) Primarily used for mobile or self-ordering, EPOS systems can replace waitresses' use of paper orders and remote/hidden POS systems. In my opinion, this streamlines the look of the restaurant floor and provides better and more instantaneous service. Panera Bread uses self-order tablets as some of their locations that allow customers who know what they want to order traditional menu items quickly and independently. Having used this system, I find it more of a novelty than a convenience because the system isn't exactly self-explanatory. Currently, the technology is much more enjoyable as an aid to waitresses where the restaurant can experience increased efficiency and a higher standard of service while guests can experience the "that's cool" factor without the frustration of having to navigate the service themselves.

3. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) CRM technology provides efficient electronic storage and management of contracts and customer information and many versions also feature cloud-based applications that provide easy access to frontline employees. Electronic storage and online back-up are not totally new ideas (i.e. the floppy disc) and despite the long way these technologies have come is, in my opinion, not enough to do away completely with paper back ups. Even with electronic files, my previous property kept basic papers for 1 year and more sensitive files for much longer. Basically, CRM technology is something we should utilize more, but I doubt many will do away with a paperback up system anytime soon. 4. Marketing Automation Automatic email and text communications have been made possible by the development and improvement of marketing automation technology. Having worked with this type of technology, there is not an overabundance of companies/technologies from which to chose; however, the technology available various greatly in effectiveness and quality. In my opinion, Constant Contact is the best marriage of quality and ease of use for marketing automation technology available. This type of marketing can really step us a properties game, but beware of poor performing products. 5. Social Media According to the article, photos are the most popular posts by social media users, but the arena has become a bonafide space for reviews. While sites such as TripAdvisor and Expedia provide a niche arena for travel/tourism/hospitality related communication, general social media sites also invite open, unfiltered discussion. Whole social media is BIG, it is important for companies to assess and utilize only the social media outlets that their demographic are actively using.

6. Smartphones Smartphones are already super convenient. They are constantly being integrated and synced with our daily lives. Applications such as Apple Pay, in combination with CapitalOne, have provided another level of integration. Currently, there is talk and work on guests being able to use their cell phones as hotel room keys but I wouldn't be surprised if in the future we will have QR Code or RFID storage for our driver licenses, insurance policies and other important information. 7. Smart Appliances A part of American households for sometime, smart appliances are beginning to make their way into the hospitality industry. Luxuries such as electronically controlled blinds, thermostats, lights and more are something we can expect to see in hotels sometime in the future. My biggest concern is the time between now and implementation because while these products are available for purchase by consumers directly, they have not taken off nor seemed to gain any ground in the typical household. Could the hospitality industry be just as slow to adopt these technologies? I believe that it is likely so-mainly due to the high cost of implementation. In conclusion, technology is still advancing and most industries are feeling the pressure to update existing technology and adopt new technology. In the hospitality industry this is especially true.

This article is about the MICROS OPERA using. OPERA is a highly effective software to connect the single parts with overall environment. It contains 3 major parts: Central Systems, Property Systems and Flexible Deployment. This software is fully integrated suite of enterprise software solutions which can be deployed on property or in a hosted datacenter environment flexibly for property management and core central systems.

This is a great article for any company that produces large events and is thinking about implementing event software. It helps to analyze both the pros and the cons of software like this as well as what it takes from your company in order for it to work. It points out that without someone who understands programming your company is going to have a very hard time running this software and getting it set up. Overall, I agree with the articles viewpoint on a companies size playing a major deciding factor. A company should only invest in this costly software if they take part in large scale or consistent events that need the software. Before jumping into a software a company can try many of the online simple tools and figure out what they need from a software.

Expedia Inc. believes that voice command will be the biggest disrupter in the travel industry in the near future. Due to technology advancements in the industry, which Expedia spends roughly $1.3 billion annually, soon customers will be able to book their whole vacation by simply using their voice. Part of the industry would be shaken because as the services get more convenient, then less travel agents would be necessary. I believe part of the problem is optimizing the actual voice commands to actually work. During demonstrations, they always seem to work, but many people have problems using it. I am not a huge fan of using any voice commands, especially to book an expensive trip; however, I believe we will get to a point where the voice commands will be really accurate. I just thought it is ironic that Expedia thinks voice commands will disrupt the travel market, when the company's own existence already did that a few years ago by allowing customers to book their own trips from computers or mobile devices.

"The Motorola Solutions 2011 Hospitality Market Barometer reveals that 91 percent of hospitality decision makers realize the increasing importance of mobile and wireless technology, while 78 percent recognize the role mobility plays in ensuring a competitive advantage for their business. As a result, hospitality venues are investing in new technology, as well as powerful wireless networks to handle greater data volumes and increasing demands for high-speed access from the customer and mobile workforce. "

The article analyzed why hotels do investment to It in 2011. It concluded three main reasons, which are elevating the guest experience, empowering the mobile worker, and enabling operational efficiency. It's already 2013 now and things can become different. Hotels should invent carefully according to its specific necessary and customers' necessary.

Dear team! I found an article, very old but to me, very actual and interesting about how the Internet Technology is improving and progressing, and the investment bring benefits only. In 2011 , only 4 years ago, we can see that the companies were having a clear plan to improve the communication system. By introducing wireless, tablets, WLANs , to improve network reliability... Today we have it all on hands. We are using all the devices online , wireless and with no problem to access. No cords on the floor, no telegrams ... Internet technologies is a big progress in our century and is developing and growing, by leaving some of us behind. :)

This article continues the talk after the YouTube video about computer parts being sent to China. It talks in depth about E-waste and the effects on the health of communities. E-waste is effecting our environment negatively and something needs to be done. The article goes into talking about a circular economy is needed to help reduce the waste. We shouldn't be throwing away an iPhone every time a new one comes out. Those parts should be reusable or upgradable.

This article relates on the growth and efficiency of cashless & contact-less payment systems which are now part of the unattended POS systems. Their use allows for a fast & easy service and prevent people form worrying about whether they have enough change to pay for the parking meter or for the candy bar form the vending machine. The best part is the fact that the payment card can be placed nearby the device and the transaction can be processed; no need to put in a pin number and risk getting any financial information stolen.

This article goes into certain trends that will take place this year within the hospitality industry with the use of AI. Thanks in part to last years shutdown, many companies have now readjusted they way they approach business.

This article is about technology trends in the event industry. It talks about what event planners are doing to implement more technology in their events; it gives examples such as audience using smartphones to interact during the meeting, events, conference, etc. Now event planners use technology to collect information in real time, which helps them to adjust their event at the moment, this is a very smart strategy.

This article contains information about the expected event trends this year that will possibly increase ROI. The list of expected trends all surrounded the technological advancements that are enhancing event planning. The advancements include the increased use of smartphones to conduct business. This technological increase will also reduce company costs. It is also expected to improve company value. I agree with technology improving company value. Technology is advancing majorly throughout the world. It is also making it easier for companies and consumers to interact. Smartphones, alone, are very popular in today's economy and are a great example of technological advancement. Being that people already use their smartphones to check emails, save event dates and contact other people (whether over the phone or by video), conducting business will be somewhat simple to adapt to. Increasing company technology to reduce costs is a good move. However, the companies should keep in mind that losing one cost will only open the door for another one. When dealing with technology, there are always risks (usually malfunction risks). So, companies should keep in mind that there is a possibility that expenses will incur for the technological maintenance that will be needed to keep the technology operating.

The Great Recession has been come to end point; therefore, expected corporate and event spend will begin to rise from 9 to 20 percents in next two years. The author has scooped out 5 major trends that will rapidly increase Return on Investment (ROI) for 2013 and future. 1. Smart Events will take center stage: in 2011, 205 million people attended 1.8 million events cost more than $263 billion in direct spending in the U.S alone. But only 25 percent of organizations see its effective, in 2013 organizations will choose smart event technology to help them operate more effectively 2. Automation will help event planners reduce expenses: Strategic meeting management ( SMM) technology can help event planners adapt to new methods to identify event-related functions and reduce costs. 3. Planners will achieve greater efficiency through solution consolidation: In the future, organizers will lay out their workloads by choosing consolidated solution, saving time and freeing up event planners to focus on making event better and well organized. 4. Event  organizers will engage audiences with smartphones: New all-in one apps will help organizer to provide all the information needed for attendee about the event. 5. Meeting planners will leverage technology to gather in-dept attendee information: focusing on the need of attendee is a crucial part of event planner, to be able to get requirement of attendee in real time will help organizer to adjust their plan, strategies on the fly and increase ROI. Increasing the need for events in 2013 and future requires event planner to be able to get familiarize with new event trend and technology to minimize the cost and maximize the ROI for an organization.

(Part 1 of 2) This eInsights article reminds us how important exceeding guest expectations can be in making a guest's stay memorable. Both hospitality and ecommerce need to be able to deliver exceptional guests service, and we are in a society now where that is very much possible. The article goes into detail about how automated service can improve a guest's experience. It suggests that AI play more of an active role in the industry, as AI has created things such as chatbots that can resolve problems and provide efficient service. eInsights continued the discussion by expressing that, "Content is the lifeblood of ecommerce businesses." Content is something that, if utilized properly, can strengthen customer-brand relationships. Tools such as blogs or hotel websites can be used to communicate unique information to guests and then guests can use the tools to create their entire trip seamlessly. It is much better for hotels to keep their websites and navigation channels simple. Guests expects a quick experience and "a streamlined checkout with a simple, linear process and as few choices as possible." Guests are already overwhelmed with the hustle and bustle of their daily lives, so they do not want vacation planning to be complicated as well.

(Part 2 of 2) The final point that the articled discussed was about the importance of social media and how it can make for an even better guest stay. We are in a world where we can learn all about a guest's needs or preferences and can communicate with them before they ever step through the lobby doors. Being in the hospitality industry, we get to take this one step further and actually have the human element as part of the scenario as well. Online social interactions are "a valuable touchpoint between you and your customers, one that delivers a breadth of benefits for customer experience." When we utilize these properly, we can make an enhanced, enjoyable guest experience. Ecommerce and the hospitality industry work hand-in-hand to create a unique, memorable guest experience each and every stay.

This is a three year old survey on Green Intiatives by American Hotel & Lodging Association. It talks about : (a) Challenges or barriers faced by hoteliers. (b) The biggest motivation for implementing green lodging practices. (C) The top ten things hotels are doing well relating to green initiative. (d) Top ten green things hotels can improve on.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association's Green Assessment Survey results reveal the top 10 green initiatives hotels are enacting, the top 10 motivations for implementing green lodging practices, the top 10 green things hotels are doing well and top 10 green things hotels can improve on. In the challenges and barriers part, the biggest one facing in implementing green lodging practices is having enough capital to invest; in addition the whole world is in financial crisis now. Money is a big problem. As we know, before implement green practices, hotels need large amount money to buy equipment and need a lot of time to train employees to use it. In high season, they are busy to serve guests, to earn money. In low season, they may have time but no money. In the motivation part, environmental benefits and building guest loyalty rates to first place. But I think most hotels deciding to implement green practices are because financial savings. In addition, implement green practices can preempt government regulations and improve hotel reputation. It is also a good way to advertise. To do and not to do lists, hotels should keep and improve their recycling and reuse program and pay more attention to the power save program.

This is a great article that collected all top 10 related to GREEN. It makes me realize what we are doing well and what we need to improve in the future. And also it lists the top 10 challenge that we are facing. I agree with you that implement green practices can preempt government regulations and improve hotel reputation.

Going green is one thing to consider if a hotel wants to save money and conserve the environment. This article discusses 5 tech ways to make some green changes in your hotel. Some points were to change the lighting to energy saving lighting. Using sensor lighting saves you money and shows guests that you care to conserve. Laundry technology and asking guests to only give towels that are unwanted instead of changing towels everyday. A system monitoring the heat and cooling system can regulate temperatures reducing the cost of unnecessary use of the system.

This article is about ways for hotels to use green tech to be more responsible.

"The latest innovative technology solutions can work to increase energy efficiency, cut down on material waste and even increase profits for your hotel". I remember while working in San Antonio Texas as a hotel AGM, the hotel had an agreement with the city water company for us to send them each week the readings of how much water we had used up to that point from last week, and they would give us rebates if our consumption wouldn't fluctuate certain parameters. We were being environmentally friendly, saving money by not overpaying and receiving rebates for our eco-responsibility.

"Maybe it's easy to ignore the huge percentage of vintage gadgets that wind up torched in dicey scrap heaps in developing countries". This article was written on Feb-27-2020. The problem we saw on the old video is still very much a problem now, only bigger.

This article was super informative in the realm of E-waste. It covered every aspect of the issue and most definitely is relevant in today's world.

This article talks about a research on customers' attitude to green products in hotel.. The research brought out questions like do customers want green products in hotel, are they willing to pay for them, and is so, who are these consumers and what are their characteristics? After some study, the research harvest some interesting results. According to the study, more than half customers hold positive attitude with green promotions and hotel should have its individual green department. But there are limits with their support. First of all,guests appear to be in favor of greening activities that do not limit or affect their comfort level in the guest room. They would like the hotel provide efficient lighting, recycling, environment friendly products and so on. But they would not prefer options like towel reuse, adjusting room temperature when nobody is in and some other options which might affect customers' comfortable stay. And the other limitation is money, most customers put the price over green efforts of hotels, they seldom picked the green hotels if they are out of their price range. So through this article, we can see green concept is getting accepted by customers gradually, but it still has a long way to go.

Wei, I am glad that you chose this article because it was interesting for me to read about the guests' part in being green. We always here about what hotels and companies can do to be green, but we hardly ever hear about what consumers can do to contribute to the green movement. The results that the article shares are, for the most part, what I would expect them to be. Like you said, people are willing to play their part in helping our planet, but only as long as it doesn't affect their comfort levels or if they have to spend more. I feel that people should be willing to sacrifice more for the sake of our planet.

The rise and rise of consumer technology and the increasing take-up of this technology by our guests combined with the shorter life cycles of this technology creates considerable challenges for both operators and owners of hotels. In the past we stayed in a guest room to experience technology that we could not get at home but now this changed completely and in most instances the reverse is true today where what we have at home is far superior to anything that is in hotel guestroom.

HotelTravel.com provides the inside track for the best value online hotel deals. Its brand statement - Real People | Real Service | Real Choice - is the keystone of the company's customer centric business culture and its core value. It is part of MakeMyTrip Limited and is celebrating reaching 50,000 Facebook fans with a sweepstakes for free nights at Phuket beach hotels. HotelTravel.com, partnered with Thavorn Beach VIllage and Spa and Kata Beach Resort and Spa, will be giving away free nights to three separate sweepstake winners. Runner ups will receive vouchers redeemable on HotelTravel.com.

Computer on your desk is contributing to global warming? That is not a joke! Actually, most people don't appreciate that fact. It is true that if the electricity comes from coal power plant it produces as much CO2 as a sports utility vehicle! Especial, the total electricity that needed to transmit the trillions of spam emails sent annually equals the amount required to power over two million homes in the US. Unbelievable! As millions more go online each year, which means there comes out more electricity needed and produce more CO2. As the researcher's saying, it becomes part of the whole sustainability picture.