Skip to main content

Home/ Hospitality Technology/ Group items tagged results

Rss Feed Group items tagged

Filter: All | Bookmarks | Topics Simple Middle
ivonneyee

Modern Management Technologies in the Hospitality Industry - 2 views

The article talks about how it's worth investing in proximity marketing to increase the speed of a customer's decision, increase engagement, and eloyalty. The article states that marketers who know...

started by ivonneyee on 22 Nov 21 1 follow-up, last by ivonneyee on 22 Nov 21
Kamini Ramsaran

Microsoft Teams Bing With Yelp to Enhance Search Results - Search Engines - News & Revi... - 0 views

www.eweek.com/...-Enhance-Search-Results-719006

mocrosoft teams bing search results engines news google reviews

shared by Kamini Ramsaran on 18 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • Microsoft has announced a deal with the community review site Yelp to add its reviews of restaurants, stores and other businesses to Bing search results.
  • Microsoft has partnered with Yelp to integrate its reviews into Bing search results.
  • Bing and other search engines have struggled to grow in comparison to the dominant Google
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Google acquired Zagat in September 2011 for $151 million as a way to compete against Yelp in the ad-supported review business.
  • Google in May rolled out the Google Knowledge Graph, which helps a user refine their search results.
  • In the Bing redesign that added the Facebook integration, Microsoft also added a middle column to the results page called “Snapshot.”
  • Kamini Ramsaran on 18 Jun 12
     
    Microsoft announced that they have partnered with Yelp to enhance their search results.  Google being the number 1 search engine, others are always looking for new ways to compete and possibly take over the number 1 spot.  Yelp is a website that provides users with reviews on businesses such as restaurants, hotels, bars, etc., like most free search engines, Yelp makes their money based off of advertising on their page. Aside from the addition to Yelp, Bing also added a Facebook connection to their search results.  If someone looks up a certain company that has a Facebook page, that page and user reviews will also come up in their search.  Recently Google added a feature called "The Knowledge Graph".  This feature can help distinguish the difference amongst your search if the topic you are researching has various meanings.  Bing came up with doing a "Snapshot" of the pages you search for to help you see more information about what you are searching for.    
marble_bird

Conditions Associated with Increased Risk of Fraud A Model for Publicly Traded Restaura... - 0 views

shared by marble_bird on 12 Jul 20 - No Cached
  • Many restaurant industry examples provide evidence that as a firm’s internal control structure weakens and deficiencies are found, the opportunity for fraud increases significantly.
  • The main premise of the study tests the application of the fraud triangle framework constructs to publicly traded restaurant companies during the time period of 2002–2014, using proxy variables defined through literature. The proxy variables selected were company size, amount of debt, employee turnover, organizational structure, the Recession, inflation rate, interest rate, executive stock compensation, return on assets, and international sales growth.
  • growing pressures from both passive and active investors to constantly increase their stock value in a competitive world where meeting performance goals are necessary to maintain a competitive edge
  • ...69 more annotations...
  • To meet targets, it is typical for companies to put additional stresses on their internal control structures by reducing head counts, requiring employees to perform more than one job, and rearranging risk profiles
  • The deceptive and corrupt business practicesofthesecompaniesandothersresulted largely from a failure of corporate governance and lack of ethical business practices, in which internal control mechanisms were circumvented by conflicts of interest that enriched executives and damaged shareholders
  • Deficiencies are often observed through review of the main business cycles: revenue and receivables, purchasing and payables, treasury and stock, and financial reporting
  • Internal controls are often the first avenue of protection in safeguarding assets and thwarting and discovering errors and fraud
  • Some research has been conducted in this area, and findings suggest that companies in the telecommunications, technology, financial, and services industries experience the most difficulty with SarbanesOxley compliance efforts because of increased risk of fraud from industry and company risk factors
  • Therefore, pressure resulting from expectations of financial performance, opportunity to circumvent internal controls, and rationalization coupled with certain inherent industry factors may contribute to increased risk of fraud
  • opportunity to engage in unethical behavior may stem from the macro environment, the operational features, and the specific nature of the business cycles
  • Because of this potential for fraud on the company, shareholders, and the public, examining the conditions that may prompt fraud is necessary for the efficiency of the restaurant industry, and namely, for those passive and active investors that are relying on the financial statements to be true and accurate
  • the restaurant industry is often susceptible to deficiencies because of its inherent characteristics and high control risk
  • Corporate scandals, misappropriation of assets and financial statement misstatement are all very real threats to the restaurant industry.
  • the central focus of this study is to understand the factors that contribute to increased risk of fraud to determine why fraud may occur despite the imposed regulation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
  • numerous researchers have found indication that executive stock option compensation provides encouragements for behavior that is fraudulent or corrupt
  • the study seeks to identify the factors that may provide the optimal criteria to engage in fraudulent or opportunistic behavior, using the incidence of a reported control deficiency as the measurable dependent variable.
  • The fraud triangle is the model that explains the factors that may cause an individual or a company to commit occupational fraud.
  • The differing classifications and definitions of pressure provide evidence that the construct is not directly observable; therefore, researchers in this field have measured the construct of pressure through proxy variables
  • consists of three constructs: pressure/motivation, opportunity, and rationalization. The three constructs offer an explanation as to why management commits fraud, and the dynamic relationship that underlies the acts of occupational fraud.
  • pressure may best be classified into four general types that may lead to fraud: financial stability, external pressure, manager’s personal financial situations, and meeting financial targets (
  • when considering measurements of external pressures relating to debt financing, the financial leverage ratio is the most common measurement of the amount of debt.
  • Both pressures and opportunities are often determined by factors that occur at both the individual and company level (
  • ROA, or asset composition, is an appropriate proxy measurement for the pressure of meeting financial targets.
  • according to the fraud triangle, it can be said that opportunity does not exist unless a pressure exists.
  • nonshareable problems could also motivate groups of individuals, representative of a company’s culture, to commit fraud.
  • Opportunity is described as an atmosphere or temporary environment that enables fraud to be committed, usually with a small perceived probability of being caught or reprimanded
  • In a study of Swedish restaurant companies, it is noted that competition is very high, often resulting in price wars among different companies that reduce prices and then try to compensate through increased sales
  • Some risk factors include the susceptibility of the industry to market changes as well as the nature of the industry, coupled with the specific operations of the company such as whether there are significant or complex international operations; how effective management is at monitoring activities within the organization; and the level of complexity that exists in the organization
  • This environment is therefore dependent on the discretionary income of consumers, and this increased pressure may lead to earnings mismanagement through overstatement.
  • Public companies in the restaurant industry are susceptible to opportunities for fraud on the basis of the aforementioned opportunities
  • The ability to commit fraud in the restaurant industry results from inside knowledge of processes and procedures, and the ability to circumvent controls through weaknesses (
  • strong evidence has also linked the CEO position to fraud when the CEO is also the Chairman of the Board. In incidences like this, the CEO is the dominate decision maker for an organization that may provide an increased opportunity for fraud.
  • The underlying reason for these three categories of increased opportunities for fraud is the state of the internal controls structure, and management’s commitment to strong corporate governance
  • Rationalization is essentially an attitude, belief, or position of the mind or ethical personality that enables an employee or group of employees of a company to intentionally misappropriate assets and then defend their dishonest activities
  • Weak corporate governance structures are often presented through ineffective monitoring of management.
  • A quantifiable means of capturing this could be through review of executive stock compensation measures.
  • excessive use of discretionary accruals may lead to poor audit opinions, providing a rationalized thought for business activities.
  • the nature of the restaurant industry is often described as a periodic, seasonal, and cyclic trade
  • Defining parameters for financial reporting can also have an effect on reducing the rationalized behavior and the opportunity to commit fraud
  • Because these conditions have an obvious effect on earnings and measures of success, this seasonal variability and volatility should be considered when analyzing pressures in the restaurant industry
  • For restaurant companies, this means that rationalizations and attitudes can be managed by assessing the internal control environment and understanding the pressures and opportunities that exist for employees.
  • Some restaurant industry pressures that may impact profitable sales growth include a lack of understanding of the consumer’s perception, including the relevance of existing brands, and delays in opening new restaurants. Likewise, an inability to consider cost pressures, including increasing fees for supplies, utilities, and health care providers contracted by restaurants, as well as an incapability of obtaining economies of scale in procurement, could compress margins and negatively impact sales and operations profit margin.
  • The value in the application of the fraud triangle to the restaurant industry provides an opportunity to extend theoretical contributions that originated from mainstream accounting to hospitality literature, which is severely lacking in the current literature
  • Likewise, restaurant companies that are smaller (and therefore may not have strong internal controls) with increasingly complex transactions create additional opportunities for fraud to be committed
  • competitiveness is a condition that makes meeting financial targets difficult and provides opportunity for fraudulent behavior. External pressure from analysts and investors may create an incentive to misappropriate assets, which, in turn, distorts common financial measures of success such as return on assets.
  • when debt financing exists, in order to address past and future obligations, and remain competitive, restaurant companies are at an increased risk of fraud especially when disruptions in financial and credit markets exist.
  • Studies have revealed that restaurant company victory and demise is eventually correlated to restaurant leadership abilities and intentions; therefore, it can be stated that executives and managers’ intentions are of utmost concern in understanding risk of fraud
  • firms with increasingly complex operations coupled with changes in organizational structure have less resources to put into internal controls and are therefore at an increased risk for accounting errors.
  • .Internationalgrowthissubjecttorisks such as international political and economic conditions, foreign currency fluctuations, and divergent cultures and consumer inclinations
  • This study will focus on the variables most pertinent to the restaurant industry on the basis of the inherent characteristics of U.S. publicly traded restaurant companies, as previously described in this section.
  • a s a result of workforce diversity and the presence of many perceived low-skilled workers. In addition, as companies within the industry respond to declining performance, publicly traded restaurant companies may be subject to activist investors who wish to see a change in the executive management team. If a shake-up such as this would occur, the organizational structure of the company may become unstable, resulting in much greater opportunities for fraud to occur at all levels.
  • this study looks to assess the relation between the amount of debt a company has occurred and the incidence of reported internal control deficiencies.
  • Variables relating to rationalization are present in the restaurant industry when considering the motivations and attitudes of management. It is noted that in difficult times, such as the Recession, aggressive financial reporting tactics may be used
  • this study seeks to understand the effect of substantial stock compensation on increased fraud risk.
  • this study also hypothesizes that poor ROA could increase the risk of fraud, as the pressure provides executive management with the motivation to manipulate earnings.
  • this study suggests that the organizational structure of the company may provide opportunity for increased fraud risk through a unitary tone at the top.
  • this study analysed the disclosures of publicly traded restaurant companies to determine whether a company has a higher probability of increased fraud risk on the basis of the presented variables.
  • The results of the applied probit model reveal for the entire population set of publicly traded restaurant companies that the macroeconomic factors of the Recession, interest rate, inflation rate and unemployment rate all have a significant impact on the increased risk of fraud, as evidenced through a reported internal control deficiency.
  • As noted in the overall model, the results reveal that the model as a whole is a significant fit to the data. Although the company-level variables were not significant in the overall model, external factors were each significant.
  • Therefore, it can be said that the results of this study empirically support the intuition that changes in macroeconomic conditions may impact increased risk of fraud for companies in the restaurant industry.
  • It can be said that there is a significant relation between increased risk of fraud and the macroeconomic factors of interest, inflation, and unemployment rates.
  • from a managerial perspective, the study provides evidence that macroeconomic conditions that might affect consumer demand may increase the risk of fraud for publicly traded restaurant companies.
  • In addition to the high costs of compliance, it is also important to recognize additional managerial characteristics that may heighten the effects of the macroeconomic conditions on increased fraud risk.
  • As indicated by the results of the study, however, many times executive management does not recognize the problems associated with the macroeconomic conditions because of systematic perceptual filters that play the crucial role in the functioning of the company.
  • By focusing on the changing macroeconomic conditions that may have an empirical effect on demand, executive leadership will be able to streamline processes to avoid incidences of reporting internal control deficiencies when exposed to the macroeconomic conditions.
  • In the restaurant industry in particular, information is also not readily quantifiable, which makes it even more difficult to transform into meaningful and timely information for executive management. Particular examples include consumer insights and how well new promotions are received and moved throughout the market.
  • it should be noted that reported internal control deficiencies are indicative of increased fraud risk, but not necessarily conclusive that fraud has occurred. Therefore, just because a company has reported a deficiency, it does not indicate fraud, necessarily.
  • According to the model, the managerial factors are only exacerbated by the presence of macroeconomic factors.
  • the identified conditions could help managers to improve internal control when a high risk factor is realized. The contribution of this study may allow restaurant companies to deter activities that may result in increased risk of fraud.
  • Because the study revealed that the macroeconomic conditions were significant for the entire population of restaurant companies, an area of future research might explore the relevance of the co alignment model (Olsen &R o p e r , 1998) to strategic management decisions to reduce the risk of fraud.
  • for purposes of this study, privately traded companies are excluded. This is a limitation of the study because the results may indicate a problem that is more or less pervasive since the sample is representative of a small number of companies in the United States.
  • the model is limited in application because it does not take into account fluctuations among the variables over time.
  • marble_bird on 12 Jul 20
     
    This article covers the methodology and findings of a study conducted to examine the factors contributing to fraud risk in publicly traded restaurants. The article discusses factors in the fraud triangle, macroeconomic factors, and internal company factors that may contribute to fraud despite protections implemented per Sarbanes-Oxley. The study ultimately finds that internal company factors are insignificant when considering the impact on fraud risk, while macroeconomic factors, such as inflation or unemployment, drastically impact the level of fraud risk that a company may face.
Marcia Brown-Kelly

Why your IT project may be riskier than you think - 0 views

hbr.org/...1

technology

shared by Marcia Brown-Kelly on 17 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Marcia Brown-Kelly on 17 Feb 12
     
    This article is focussed on the risk involved if the proper impact study is not undertaken prior to implementation of extensive IT projects. Several multinational companies were referenced in the article, highlighting failures with smooth implementation resulting in the loss of millions and sometimes billions. Below is a summary of some companies referenced in article and the impact of IT implementation gone wrong: 1. Levi Strauss: In 2003 Levi Strauss examined its technological capabilities and concluded that its systems were inadequate for its multi-national corporation operation within 110 countries. A budget of US$5 million was created for a system upgrade. Many challenges along the way resulted in the inability to sufficiently report financials resulted in three distribution canters in the USA closing for a week. As a result of this, the company lost US$200 million and the termination of the chief information officer in 2008. 2. Hong Kong Airport: IT problems resulting in glitches in flight information system and database for tracking cargo shipment resulted in a US$600 million loss between 1998 and 1999. 3. Hershey: About 10 years ago Hershey wanted to implement a new order taking system. Problems with implementation resulted in the inability of the company shipping US$100 million worth of candy in time for Halloween thus impacting the company's bottom-line of an 18.6% loss in earnings during the quarter. 4. Kmart: in 2000 Kmart embarked on aUS$1.4 billon IT modernization project. In the midst of the project Kmart discovered that the project had too many customized application which would result in an exorbitant maintenance costs. An additional US$600m was spent on integrating a supply chain management system. Failure of this project led to bankruptcy filing by Kmart in 2002. This resulted in the closure of 600 stores and the loss of over 60,000 jobs in the USA. 5. Auto windshield (UK): Auto windshield was considered to be the second largest auto glass c
AQUEELAH THOMPSON

Hotels find savings, other benefits, in the cloud - 2 views

www.hotelnewsnow.com/...gs-other-benefits-in-the-cloud

hotels cloud benefits hotel software solution

shared by AQUEELAH THOMPSON on 27 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • function GetMidArticleAd(sAdPageName, sAdPagePosition, blRotatingAd) { $('#middlearticlead').html(''); $.ajax({ type: "POST", url: "../../LocalServices.asmx/GetAdByPagePosition", data: "{'AdPageName': '" + sAdPageName + "', 'AdPagePosition': '" + sAdPagePosition + "', 'RotatingAd': '" + blRotatingAd + "' }", contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8", dataType: "json", success: function(msg) { AjaxSucceeded(msg); }, error: AjaxFailed }); function AjaxSucceeded(result) { $('#middlearticlead').html(result.d); } function AjaxFailed(result) { alert(result.status + ' ' + result.responseText); } } function GetMidArticleAdById(sId) { $.ajax({ type: "POST", url: "../../LocalServices.asmx/GetAdById", data: "{'AdId': '" + sId + "' }", contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8", dataType: "json", success: function(msg) { AjaxSucceeded(msg); }, error: AjaxFailed }); function AjaxSucceeded(result) { $('#middlearticlead').html(result.d); } function AjaxFailed(result) { alert(result.status + ' ' + result.responseText); } } Hotels find savings, other benefits, in the cloud  
  • that which removes hardware off property to centrally located servers for on-demand functionality and accessibility
  • The goal in both cases? Get as much IT out of hotels as possible.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • By taking the burden of IT off hotel staff, the front desk can focus more of their energy and attention where it really counts: the guest, Choice’s Davis said.
  • AQUEELAH THOMPSON on 27 Jan 12
     
    This article is a good one about the cloud and how the hotels are finding benefits with using it. The benefits that they are seeing is that the cloud allows them to move their hardware off of the property to a central location to be operated. Another point they focused on is how it allows hotels to run their software and hardware more efficiently and it is also a lot cheaper. They have found that it allows them to get rid of IT in the hotel. They also touched on the cons and one being that if their is no internet or not enough internet connection there will be problems. Another issue is security.
  • AQUEELAH THOMPSON on 27 Jan 12
     
    This article is a good one about the cloud and how the hotels are finding benefits with using it. The benefits that they are seeing is that the cloud allows them to move their hardware off of the property to a central location to be operated. Another point they focused on is how it allows hotels to run their software and hardware more efficiently and it is also a lot cheaper. They have found that it allows them to get rid of IT in the hotel. They also touched on the cons and one being that if their is no internet or not enough internet connection there will be problems. Another issue is security. Many people feel that as complicated the industry is, it is somewhat important for hospitality type businesses to have the cloud. With having the cloud, this will ensure that the systems are always updated. A point that stood out to me was how the La Quinta saved 30-50% in telecommunication at each of their locations. Many hotels will find themselves using the cloud in the future
noreen1

The Property Management Puzzle | Top Stories | | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 0 views

hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/...roperty-Management-Puzzle87632

shared by noreen1 on 07 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • ...70 more annotations...
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • . “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • . “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
  • What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
  • “One of the promises of the cloud is that it becomes easier to integrate, so you can go more best-of-breed in your solution choice, but you still have issues with data structure and architecture.”
  • What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
  • What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
  • “One of the promises of the cloud is that it becomes easier to integrate, so you can go more best-of-breed in your solution choice, but you still have issues with data structure and architecture.”
  • “One of the promises of the cloud is that it becomes easier to integrate, so you can go more best-of-breed in your solution choice, but you still have issues with data structure and architecture.”
  • If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • next year.
  • next year.
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • Hotel management systems are shifting from on-property to cloud-based, from tethered to mobile, from data-heavy to insight-rich.
  • A significant chunk of hotel IT budgets -- 19% -- is spent on property management systems (PMS)
  • Some are ready to embrace cloud-based solutions; others want to expand their mobile capabilities; and others are excited about the possibilities rich data can provide in personalizing the guest experience
  • I think it’s really about the ability of the PMS to grow with the changing need. What we need today isn’t what we needed just two years ago
  • Both Nickelson and Yelley are experiencing different symptoms stemming from the same challenge: better integration between systems.
  • Every vendor and most of the hoteliers HT spoke to predicted that property management systems would eventually migrate to the cloud.
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,”
  • “Just because they’re in the cloud doesn’t make it easier to integrate,
  • I agree, from a PMS standpoint, that I want to know everything about a guest when they show up at the front desk. I should be able to see that you’ve stayed with me, and if you posted about our hotel in our social space, and if it was a complaint.
  • noreen1 on 07 Feb 15
     
    Hoteliers are expecting a lot more out of their PMS's such as data acquisition, integration with other systems, mobile capabilities, and social media. This article describes some of the different directions hoteliers are taking based on their specific focus and desired results. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of cloud based PMS's are discussed such as mobility, internet connection redundancy for rural vs. urban areas, and multiple system integration. The increasing role of social media is also explored and the degree to which it should be utilized by the hospitality industry. There are many possibilities including using social media posts to mine guest reviews, as well as the ability to book your hotel on Facebook and receive a confirmation via text. I apologize for the diminishing hi-lighting towards the end, my tool bar is having some issues!
anonymous

What's Driving IT Investment in 2011? | News | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 2 views

hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/...ng-IT-Investment-in-2011-73634

shared by anonymous on 06 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • “Advances in wireless and mobile technologies, products and services are changing the landscape of the hospitality industry and how it operates,” says Craig Mathias, principal, Farpoint Group. “With a demanding client base equipped with increasing numbers of smartphones, tablet computers, notebook PCs and even rugged devices, successful hospitality IT organizations recognize the need to upgrade their existing WLANs to improve network reliability, capacity and coverage to support customer-facing applications, as well as internal services that enable their own mobile workforce and improve the guest experience.”
  • Elevating the guest experience
  • 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.
  • ...20 more annotations...
  • Enabling operational efficiency
  • Empowering the mobile worker
  • Fifty-six percent of hospitality organizations plan to raise mobile investments to better equip their workforces, improve operational efficiencies and enhance the customer experience.
  • Advances in wireless and mobile technologies, products and services are changing the landscape of the hospitality industry and how it operates,” says Craig Mathias, principal, Farpoint Group . “With a demanding client base equipped with increasing numbers of smartphones, tablet computers, notebook PCs and even rugged devices, successful hospitality IT organizations recognize the need to upgrade their existing WLANs to improve network reliability, capacity and coverage to support customer-facing applications, as well as internal services that enable their own mobile workforce and improve the guest experience.”
  • Improved guest experience is the top driver for mobility investments, cited by 76 percent of hospitality venues surveyed. Hospitality decision makers are investing in mobile technologies to support customer-facing applications that improve guest services by handling wireless email, guest/attendee check-in, table-side order/payment or event ticketing, among others. Sixty-one percent of respondents plan to deploy some form of video capabilities, including video surveillance, video conferencing and streaming video, in public access areas such as lobbies. Fifty-eight percent of surveyed hospitality organizations deploying mobile technology today see improved customer satisfaction. 
  • Key facts from the survey
  • A recent Motorola Solutions, Inc. study uncovered that information technology (IT) spending in the hospitality industry is expected to increase in 2011, with guest experience cited as the top driver for investment.
  • 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.
  • Elevating the guest experience
  • Improved guest experience is the top driver for mobility investments, cited by 76 percent of hospitality venues surveyed.
  • Hospitality decision makers are investing in mobile technologies to support customer-facing applications that improve guest services by handling wireless email, guest/attendee check-in, table-side order/payment or event ticketing, among others. Sixty-one percent of respondents plan to deploy some form of video capabilities, including video surveillance, video conferencing and streaming video, in public access areas such as lobbies.
  • Fifty-eight percent of surveyed hospitality organizations deploying mobile technology today see improved customer satisfaction. 
  • Empowering the mobile worker
  • Fifty-nine percent of respondents currently deploying mobile and wireless technology witnessed an increase in employee productivity and efficiency, while 55 percent saw improved sales results.
  • Currently, the most popular applications on two-way radios are project management (51 percent) and collaboration (41 percent). Unified messaging and remote management/monitoring have the highest rate of planned deployments into 2012.
  • Among survey respondents, tablets and VoIP handsets are the top two mobile devices planned for new deployments by 2012.
  • Enabling operational efficiency
  • Seventy-five percent of hospitality organizations surveyed already have wireless LAN (WLAN) installed in their facilities.
  • “Advances in wireless and mobile technologies, products and services are changing the landscape of the hospitality industry and how it operates,” says Craig Mathias, principal, Farpoint Group. “With a demanding client base equipped with increasing numbers of smartphones, tablet computers, notebook PCs and even rugged devices, successful hospitality IT organizations recognize the need to upgrade their existing WLANs to improve network reliability, capacity and coverage to support customer-facing applications, as well as internal services that enable their own mobile workforce and improve the guest experience.”
  •   More than one third of survey respondents represent companies exceeding $1 billion in revenues. Responses came from the executive suite, IT functions and managers closest to the day-to-day implementation of mobile solutions.
  • kabir joshi on 06 Feb 12
     
    "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. "
  • ...12 more comments...
  • kabir joshi on 06 Feb 12
     
    This is a survey from The Motorola Solutions , it reveals how IT investment is gaining pace in hospitality industry. The resuults 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.
  • ning sun on 22 Mar 12
     
    Widely utilization and application of IT technology especially wireless and mobile technology are expected to increase in recent years.More and more hospitality organizations are realize the important role the mobile investment played in improving operational efficiency and enhance the customer experience. With wireless devices, hospitality organizations can save time of doing guest/attendee check-in, table-side order/payment or event ticketing which will improve operation efficiency and customers' satisfaction. According to survey results, tablets and VoIP handsets are the top two mobile devices planned for new deployments. Furthermore, right IT investment will increase revenues and have a good sales.
  • Prince Wayne on 25 Mar 12
     
    Motorola Solutions, Inc (MS) conducted a study and discovered that IT (information technology) spending is expected to rise in the hospitality filed in the years to come, practically in 2011. The main reason for the increase in spending on IT is because of the guest experience. According to MS, fifty- six percent of hospitality establishments plan to increase mobile investment to better outfit their workforces, advance operational efficiencies and boost the customer experience. The survey main facts included three areas; One, to elevate the guest experience Hospitality decision makers are investing in mobile technologies to support customer-facing applications that improve guest services by handling wireless email, guest/attendee check-in, table-side order/payment or event ticketing, among others. Two, to empower the employees by giving them the correct tools, fifty-nine percent of respondents currently deploying mobile and wireless technology witnessed an increase in employee productivity and efficiency, while 55 percent saw improved sales results. Finally, to enable operational efficiency, improvement, reliability, and extending range of current wireless data networks are the top three drivers behind 802.11n WLAN adoption - all critical network features to meet greater data volumes and increasing demands for access from the customer and mobile workforce. Seventy-five percent of hospitality organizations surveyed already have wireless LAN (WLAN) installed in their facilities. In North America, approximately one third of these venues have 802.11n, while European venues predominately have 802.11b/g.
  • Yichen Yang on 23 Oct 12
     
    This article is introducing a survey about information technology in the hospitality industry. It shows that there was a speedy increasing in IT investing which is aiming to improve customers' satisfaction and experience. Almost fifty-six percent of hospitality organizations plan to equip IT devices inside their organizations. Also, ninety-one percent of the hospitality decision makers have realized the importance of the mobile and wireless technology. There are three key facts that show the outcome of the survey. The first is to elevate the guest experience. The hotels are investing mobile and wireless technologies, also the video capabilities to improve customer satisfaction. The second one is to empower the mobile worker. The managers, security personnel and customer services all needs some applications to ensure the work efficiency and keep the management productive. The third one is to enable operational efficiency. It shows that the hotel wants to expand the ability of wireless and data transportation.
  • Yue Li (3011472) on 24 Oct 12
     
    IT investment becomes a big part of the investment in the hospitality industry. A research had been done in 2011 to find what factors drive IT investment in the hospitality industry. There are three main factors, which are elevating the guest experience, empowering the mobile worker, and enabling operational efficiency. Management finds that improved guest experience is the top driver for mobility investment, and over half percentage of the respondents witnessed an increase in employee productivity. IT investment also enables operational efficiency and it is said that 3/4 of the hospitality organization have WLAN installed in their facilities. In my opinion, I believe it is the trend to invest in IT, because people cannot live without modern technology nowadays, and even if you do not want to change, your competitors will do so, which will ultimately makes you out of the market. So IT investment is very important, and businesses in the hospitality industry need to take more concern on IT investment.
  • Minghui Zheng on 25 Oct 12
     
    The Motorola Solutions, Inc. study exposed that information technology spending in the hospitality industry is expected to increase in 2011, with guest experience cited as the top driver for investment. Mobility investments can elevate the guest experience by handling wireless email, guest check-in, tableside order/payment or event ticketing. Managers can empower the mobile worker by using smartphone. Installing the wireless LAN (WLAN) can enhance operational efficiency. Motorola Solutions conducts market research and provides indicators of the opportunities and challenges that mobility poses to hospitality enterprises.
  • Kelly Baptist on 26 Oct 12
     
    This article shared information from a Motorola Solutions, Inc. study predicting that information technology (IT) spending in the hospitality industry would increase in 2011, with guest experience cited as the top driver for investment. The study revealed that 91% of hotel decision makers recognized the importance of mobile and wireless technology and that they would be focused on enhancing guest experience, empowering the mobile worker, and enabling operational efficiency. Motorola Solutions conducts independent market research and collected surveys from 161 qualified participants. I found this article relevant because guests are now expected the hotels they stay at to be able to meet their technological needs. I attended a conference just this week and heard multiple attendees ask if the hotel had wifi and how/where to access it. Nowadays, it's more of a necessity than an option for hoteliers to make the decision to invest in technology. Not only does this investment meet guests' needs and increase satisfaction, but it also benefits employees. According to the article, over half of the survey respondents who use wireless and mobile technology in their workforce saw increases in employee productivity and efficiency. Often times, if employees are able to be more productive and efficient on the job, there is a positive correlation with guest service and satisfaction. Thus, IT investments are crucial for hoteliers to make.
  • Shuqiong Huang on 26 Oct 12
     
    This article is talked about the IT trend in hospitality industry. From a recent Motorola Solutions, Inc. study, it showed that information technology(IT) spending in the hospitality industry is expected to increase in 2011. What is more, 91% of hospitality decision makers realize the increasing important of mobile and wireless technology. Then it introduced some key facts from the survey. They are elevating the guest experience, empowering the mobile worker and enabling operational efficiency. Advances in wireless and mobile technologies, products and services are changing the landscape of the hospitality industry and how it operates. Successful hospitality IT organizations recognize the need to upgrade their existing WLANs to improve network reliability, capacity and coverage to support customer-facing applications, as well as internal services that enable their own mobile workforce and improve the guest experience. This is the information technology trend for hospitality industry. And IT will become an indispensable part in hospitality industry.
  • anonymous on 27 Oct 12
     
    Just like the saying in the article, in 2011, the investment is mostly focus on the mobile investments. As we know that with the development of the internet, more and more people can not live without the internet. So, it is very important for hotel or hospitality industry to put investments on this section. It is become the necessary part of the hospitality industry. So, increase the investments of mobile and internet will bring a strong advantages for your business and make you stand on the market.
  • cbespinel on 28 Oct 12
     
    The hospitality industry is investing in new technology to satisfy guests demands, it is important for hotels to provide wireless connections that are fast and reliable, this now also considered part of the guest experience.
  • Mohan Song on 07 Mar 13
     
    A recent study uncovered that information technology (IT) spending in the hospitality industry is expected to increase in 2011, with guest experience cited as the top driver for investment. 56% of hospitality organizations plan to raise mobile investments to better equip their workforces, improve operational efficiencies and enhance the customer experience. 91% 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. Based on elevating the guest experience, empowering the mobile worker and enabling operational efficiency, a survey about this was set up. With a demanding client base equipped with increasing numbers of smartphones, tablet computers, notebook PCs and even rugged devices, successful hospitality IT organizations recognize the need to upgrade their existing WLANs to improve network reliability, capacity and coverage to support customer-facing applications, as well as internal services that enable their own mobile workforce and improve the guest experience.
  • Hana Musilova on 10 Mar 13
     
    Nowadays more than ever does technology make a difference in how we run our operations, how effective our operations are which results in how satisfied our customers are. The article What's Driving IT investment in 2011 talks about the advances in the hospitality industry providing us with some important statistics in IT investments. According to the article, technology spending is expected to increase with the focus on customer experience. Fortunately, the statistics shows that 91 percent of hospitality decision makers realize the importance of mobile and wireless technology. As stated in the article, hospitality venues invest in new technologies to improve operational efficiencies and to enhance customer experience. As the survey shows, customer experience is the number on priority and driving force for implementing new technology. Hospitality properties also invest in technologies that enhance the check in procedures, wireless e-mail or table side orders and payments. After implementing new technologies, 59% of respondents to the survey taken could see improve employee efficiency and 55% saw improved sales results. According to the survey that was filled out by 161 respondents representing variety of hospitality enterprises, 58% saw improved customer satisfaction. Even though this article does not state which technologies in particular yielded these results, it is still important to see that investing in IT technologies does make a difference in customer satisfaction, employee efficiency and sales improvement. Many properties are afraid to invest new technologies, as they are unsure of the final results of the investment. I am strongly convinced that in order to keep up with the competition and the supply in the market, business had to take the technology route and use it to their fullest advantage.
  • Ruoxi Wang on 23 Oct 13
     
    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.
  • anonymous on 22 Sep 15
     
    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. :)
lamia elachchabi

Hotels are failing to invest in training for Property Management Systems (PMS) | By Hil... - 0 views

www.hospitalitynet.org/...4057895.html

shared by lamia elachchabi on 28 Sep 12 - No Cached
  • These results show that there is still a lack of the optimal use of the PMS in hotels as there is not enough training for its use provided to the employees
  • The hotels in our sample show higher occupancy levels when hotels allocate more budget to training for PMS. Also, occupancy levels are higher when a combination of BOTH in- house training PLUS training through the PMS supplier is employed
  • This research supports that the (previously reported) under-utilization of the PMS may be due to the lack of training and budget! This research indicates that the training provided is mostly internal and not with the PMS supplier.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • This indicates that as PMS training budget is increased, hotel revenues increase as well and in a much higher ratio than the input budget.
  • These results show that there is still a lack of the optimal use of the PMS in hotels as there is not enough training for its use provided to the employee
  • About 150 mid-scale and up-scale hotels around the world answered a questionnaire investigating the training on the PMS (measured by number of days, budget, and training provider) and performance (measured by occupancy, ADR, GOR). Most hotels (65%) stated that they had no budget for training on the PMS in 2011 and 32% of hotels offered no training at all to their employees on the PMS. 40% of the hotels surveyed provided up to 3 training days per year (Chart 2). Most of the training is conducted internally, rather than using the PMS providers. In cases where there is no training, the new employees are simply "shown the ropes" by their supervisors (Chart 3). As can be seen in chart 1 below, there is little/ no budget allocated to training.
  • Revenues of hotels are much higher as the PMS training budget went above 5000 Euros per year
  • Early indications from this ongoing research project show that effective management of the PMS training resources (e.g. training days, budget) may result in increased revenues for the hotels.
  • The Property Management System (PMS) is the key technology for hotels and a significant source of not only customer data but also operational data that can help the strategic and operational decision making of hotels.
  • anonymous on 28 Sep 12
     
    Summary: This article is about a study done at Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne on the investment of PMS training and its relationship to a hotels performance. The study resulted in positive correlations between PMS training and revenues. Opinion: Training employees on the PMS seems like common sense but most hotels do not believe it is necessary. This study and its results make perfect sense but I am also a little surprised by the significant increase in revenues that is created from properly training employees on PMS. 
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Manali Rabari on 28 Sep 12
     
    This research study shows that 65% of hotels don't spend money in adequately training employees with PMS training. If training is conducted it takes as little as three days and usually done internally and not with the PMS supplier. Hotels that invest the time and money in properly training its staff benefit with having higher revenues. Employees will be able to operate more efficiently at their jobs if they are properly trained. Minimal training will only result in a snowball effect of future staff hired within the hotel, therefore leading to inefficiency in the entire staff. Hotels need to see their employees as assets in order to build a successful business.
  • lin liu on 17 Feb 13
     
    This article is about a current study, in which about 150 mid-scale and up-scale hotels around the world answer the questionnaire. This study analyzes the relationship between PMS training and business performance, and the investment in training in PMS. Although every hotel manager knows the PMS is the key factor for hotels development, not only for getting customer data but also for decision making. The result shows that most of PMS system in hotel have not been made full used, there are many potential abilities can't be exploited. According to the study, most hotels don't have budget on PMS training. And also 32% of hotels don't provide training to all employees on the PMS. Plus, even they have training, it is very short and just in internal, no using the PMS providers. This study also shows us the hotels have a higher level of occupancy when they allocate more budgets on PMS training and have PMS suppliers training. There is also a relationship between PMS training budget and hotel revenues, the more budget on training bring a higher revenues. And the revenues are much higher than budgets. Hotels also need efficient management of PMS training, which means more revenues and full use of PMS.
  • lamia elachchabi on 24 Jun 13
     
    The property management system is a tool not only is customer data but it can also help strategic and operational decision making. The study undertaken investigates the investments in training in PMS and the relationship between training and business performance. A big majority has no training or offer a very little training. There is a support that underutilization of the PMS is due to the lack of training. There is a higher occupancy level when hotels allocate higher budgets to PMS trainings. There is a significant positive correlation that shows a relationship between PMS budget and the gross operating revenues of hotels.
marble_bird

Roche2016_Article_RecreationalDivingImpactsOnCor.pdf - 0 views

shared by marble_bird on 07 Jul 20 - No Cached
  • Recreational diving on coral reefs is an activity that has experienced rapidly growing levels of popularity and participation.
  • the potential role of dive impacts in contributing to coral reef damage is a concern at heavily dived locations. Management measures to address this issue increasingly include the introduction of programmes designed to encourage environmentally responsible practices within the dive industry.
  • Coral reefs are a threatened, but globally important ecosystem, providing key services to local communities such as coastal defence, sediment production, and fisheries benefits
  • ...45 more annotations...
  • The role of dive supervision was assessed by recording dive guide interventions underwater, and how this was affected by dive group size.
  • Over recent decades, tourism activities benefiting from the pleasing aesthetics and biodiversity of coral reefs, primarily SCUBA diving and snorkelling, have experienced rapidly increasing numbers of participants globally
  • We found evidence that the ability of dive guides to intervene and correct diver behaviour in the event of a reef contact decreases with larger diver group sizes. Divers from operators with high levels of compliance with the Green Fins programme exhibited significantly lower reef contact rates than those from dive operators with low levels of compliance.
  • Damage to corals on dived reefs often occurs as a result of skeletal breakage, particularly in branching species (Guzner et al. 2010;H a s l e ra n dO t t 2008). Tissue abrasion can also result from diver contact (Hawkins et al. 1999), and a recent study reported a higher incidence of coral disease in areas heavily used for recreational diving
  • It is possible that other diver characteristics such as qualification level or dive experience may affect the ability to respond to dive briefings, although several studies have failed to find a correlation between divers’ reef contact rates and experience
  • Due to the difficulties of effectively addressing global stressors, an emerging recommendation is the focus of coral reef management on local scales (e.g. Anthony et al. 2014). A frequent challenge facing managers and policy makers at local levels relates to the maximisation of tourism benefits whilst simultaneously reducing its environmental impacts
  • Alternatively, previous experience and possible affinity and attachment to a specific dive site may influence how closely divers follow pre-dive briefings and affect their behaviour underwater, as suggested by place attachment theory
  • The methodologies which have been developed to minimise the environmental impact of SCUBA diving on coral reefs can be summarised as follows: (1) managing or restricting diver numbers, (2) regulating the locations in which SCUBA diving activities occur, (3) regulating the types of equipment used, and 4) implementing programmes which seek to manage the methods used by the dive industry in providing their services. Restricting diver numbers is based on the concept of a reef dive site’s ‘carrying capacity’; a level beyond which diving impacts become readily apparent.
  • Restriction of SCUBA diving equipment has focused on banning the use of accessories believed to increase reef contacts within marine protected areas such as gloves, muck sticks, or underwater cameras; however, such regulations are often unpopular within the SCUBA diving community
  • Governments and reef managers seek evidence that the effort expended in implementing programmes translates into measurable benefits; however, research into the effectiveness of such programmes at influencing diver behaviour and reducing diving impacts is limited.
  • In this study, we focused on dive operators participating in the Green Fins diving programme at three major dive locations within the Philippines.
  • Nonetheless, levels of dive supervision underwater would intuitively appear to be linked to rates of reef contact, and when examined, the willingness of dive guides to intervene in correcting diver behaviour underwater has been found to significantly reduce diver contact rates
  • Malapascua Island, Moalboal, and Puerto Galera.
  • divers may have been aware that a Green Fins compliance assessment was taking place, but they were unaware that diver contacts with the reef were being specifically recorded. Green Fins environmental assessments and diver observations were conducted simultaneously.
  • Dive guides and guest divers from 44 dive operators participating in the Green Fins programme were followed
  • Diver characteristics with potential to influence underwater behaviour were categorised as the following factors: diver qualification level (three levels), dive experience (five levels), and previous number of dives at site (three levels).
  • Divers were assigned a unique diver number, and then followed and observed underwater for the entire duration of their dive.
  • If the overall group was very large such that the dive guide could not be seen from the rear of the group, the pair immediately behind the dive guide was selected.
  • Compliance with the Green Fins approach was determined by utilising diver contact rates and dive guide intervention rates as at the dependent variables of interest, and by defining dive operators according to those who had received a high score (above the median score) versus those with a low score (below the median score) on the most recent conducted Green Fins assessment
  • The part of the body or item of equipment making contact with the reef was recorded as follows: hand, fin, knee, camera, muck stick (a handheld stainless steel or aluminium rod approximately 30 cm in length) and equipment (e.g. tank, submersible pressure gauges, octopus regulator), and multiple (parts of the body and equipment simultaneously). The time during the dive at which the contact occurred was also recorded.
  • If observable damage (i.e. breakage, obvious physical damage, or injury) occurred as a result of the contact this was recorded, together with the apparent awareness of the diver to the contact, regardless of damage caused.
  • Contacts made with a camera (77.7 %) accounted for the highest proportion of contacts which resulted in damage, followed by contacts made with the knee (43.3 %), multiple body and equipment parts (38.2 %), equipment (30.7 %), fins (29.8 %), hands (24.7 %), and muck sticks (23.5 %).
  • A total of 100 SCUBA divers were observed at three diving locations within the Philippines (Table 1). The majority (72 %) of these divers were male, and diving experience ranged from those completing diving training to those who were instructors elsewhere with experience of hundreds of dives.
  • Following dive completion, divers that had been observed underwater were asked to complete a survey to determine diver characteristics.
  • Most contacts were made with fins (45.5 %, n = 261); however, hands (19.5 %, n = 112) and dive equipment (15.9 %, n = 91) were also major contributors to the total number of contacts
  • Interventions were defined as an event in which the dive guide intervened in diver behaviour through signalling or demonstrating correct behaviour in order to minimise or prevent contact with the reef.
  • A total of 81 interventions were observed (in comparison to 573 reef contacts—see Fig. 4 for the distribution of contacts and interventions);
  • Camera systems were carried by 55 % of divers; camera-wielding divers accounted for 52.7 % of the total contacts made with the reef. Of divers who utilised a camera, 35 % carried a non-specialist compact type and 20 % carried an SLR type within a specialist underwater housing.
  • Mean (±SE) dive time was 49.3 ± 0.42 min. A total of 573 diver contacts with the reef were recorded during all assessed dives.
  • The difference in the frequency of interventions was statistically significant (ANOVA, f = 4.81, P = 0.03)
  • although a significant portion (36 %) appeared unaware of the contact they made with the reef.
  • In addition to overall contact levels, some studies have also quantified reef contacts either as the mean number of contacts per diver over the duration of a dive or the diver contact rate per minute of dive time. The mean contact rates of 5.7 contacts per dive, or 0.12 contacts per min, which we observed at dive sites in the Philippines are lower than those previously reported
  • All divers observed within the present study were diving with operators participating to various degrees in the Green Fins environmentally responsible diving programme.
  • Identifying factors and policy measures which influence SCUBA diver behaviour underwater can help coral reef managers determine where to most effectively focus effort and funding with respect to dive management. In this study, we found that 88 % of the divers observed made at least one contact with the reef at some point
  • Divers who are more conservation aware and who contact the reef less may preferentially choose to dive with environmentally ‘accredited’ dive operators; indeed, this assumption partially drives dive operator participation in such programmes.
  • Underwater interventions by dive guides have been suggested to be the most successful deterrent to diver contact with reefs (Barker and Roberts 2004). In this study, there was no significant difference in the intervention rates between dive centres of high and low Green Fins compliance. Therefore, we cannot attribute the observed difference in diver reef contact rates to differences in intervention rates between these two groups.
  • Studies examining the effect of carrying camera equipment on the frequency of diver contacts with the reef have produced conflicting results.
  • Additionally, the administration of a pre-dive briefing can influence diver contact rates underwater (Medio et al. 1997). The Green Fins programme incorporates the use of a pre-dive briefing that emphasises the importance of refraining from contacting the reef, which would be expected to result in lower diver contact rates.
  • A concern amongst representatives of the diving industry is the use of muck sticks to manipulate animals unnecessarily—pushing animals out of holes for better viewing, stressing animals to show customers their stress behaviour (e.g. an octopus changing colour), and physically breaking hard coral to be used in photographs.
  • When examining the part of the body or dive equipment which made contact with the reef, we found that the majority of contacts were made with fins, in agreement with Krieger and Chadwick (2013) and Rouphael and Inglis (1998).
  • It has previously been noted that dive guides customarily perform different roles at dive locations globally; at some locations, they act primarily to lead the dive group around the reef, whilst at others, pairing with and closely supervising individual divers throughout the course of a dive
  • this suggests that dive guides carry out the closest supervision during the initial phase of the dive and then switch to a ‘dive leader’ role at the front of a dive group.
  • This study provides evidence that the effective implementation of environmentally responsible practices, via programmes designed to reduce diving impacts, may translate to reduced diver reef contacts.
  • Many diver characteristics which might intuitively be expected to impact reef contact rates, such as level of qualification and overall experience, were not significant influencing factors in this study, and high versus low levels of Green Fins compliance did not influence the number of interventions made by dive guides underwater.
  • For continued economic benefit and conservation of Philippine reef dive locations, we recommend that management measures facilitate high levels of compliance with environmentally responsible diving programmes to reduce the impact of diving on coral reefs.
  • marble_bird on 07 Jul 20
     
    This article discusses a study performed at various diving locations in the Philippines to determine whether or not measures taken by Green Fin diving guides were effective in reducing contact with coral reef systems. The study also recorded the average number of contacts with the reef during a dive, as well as the equipment or body part which came into contact with the reef most often, and which actions resulted in the most damage. The study finds that adherence to Green Fin standards or other policies may significantly impact diver behaviors and reduce the level of contact with sensitive coral reefs during SCUBA dives.
Nicole Dudley

Hotels are failing to invest in training for Property Management Systems (PMS) | By Hil... - 0 views

www.hospitalitynet.org/...4057895.html

shared by Nicole Dudley on 01 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • When a cluster analysis is conducted, the cluster which included hotels which offered training to their employees through a combination of internal and PMS supplier training AND those which have a substantial amount of budget allocated AND more days training had the highest average occupancy levels.
  • This research supports that the (previously reported) under-utilization of the PMS may be due to the lack of training and budget!
  • Most hotels (65%) stated that they had no budget for training on the PMS in 2011 and 32% of hotels offered no training at all to their employees on the PMS. 40% of the hotels surveyed provided up to 3 training days per year (Chart 2).
  • Nicole Dudley on 01 Oct 12
     
    This article discusses how many hotels are not utilizing the PMS to its full potential due to lack of training being provided. Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, a hospitality school in Switzerland, conducted a study to investigate the investment in training in the PMS and the relationship between training and business performance at property level. The survey was given to about 150 mid and up-scale hotels around the world. The fact that the PMS is so crucial for a hotel to maintain efficient and effective operations, I found the results of the research a little shocking. A majority of the hotels (65%) said that in 2011 they had no budget for training on the PMS and 32% did not offer training at all to their employees. The hotels in the sample showed higher occupancy levels when hotels have a higher budget for PMS training .The results also showed that there is still a lack of the optimal use of the PMS in hotels because there is not enough training for its use provided to the employees. This study is an ongoing research project and early indications show that effective management of the PMS training resources may result in increased revenues for the hotels.
Ted Rood

FTC Sues Wyndham Hotels Over Data Security Failures - Security - Privacy - Informationweek - 0 views

www.informationweek.com/...240002829

shared by Ted Rood on 01 Jul 12 - No Cached
  • The Federal Trade Commission Tuesday announced that it had filed a suit against global hospitality company Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, as well as three of its subsidiaries
  • failing to institute a robust information security program, even in the wake of a major exploit.
  • exposure of over 600,000 credit card accounts and $10.6 million in fraudulent credit card charges, the FTC alleged.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • More Security Insights Webcasts Malware from B to Z: Inside the threat from Blackhole to ZeroAccess Remove Administrator Rights Without Disrupting End User Productivity More >>White Papers
  • Valentino said the company overhauled its information security practices in the wake of the attacks, and also dismissed claims that anyone had been harmed by the breaches. "At the time of these incidents, we made prompt efforts to notify the hotel customers whose information may have been compromised, and offered them credit monitoring services," he said. "To date, we have not received any indication that any hotel customer experienced a financial loss as a result of these attacks."
  • "unfair and deceptive
  • The FTC accused Wyndham of failing to address the security vulnerabilities highlighted by the first breach, as well as failing to implement technology that could have detected unauthorized access to its networks. As a result, the agency said, in March 2009 attackers--"using similar techniques as in the first breach"--again
  • gained access to the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts network.
  • Ted Rood on 01 Jul 12
     
    This article describes one of the worst situations that could occur when operating a hotel. According to the text, Wyndham Hotel Group failed to implement a strong enough security system, resulting in hackers breaching the network and stealing over 600,000 credit card numbers and over 10 million dollars in fraudulent charges. The FTC is suing Wyndham Corporation for failing to take the proper security measures to guarantee the security of the most important customer information. The FTC also states that Wyndham used improper software configurations that presented credit card information in a manner that was clear and easy to read. Michael Valentino, spokesman for Wyndham Worldwide, the company made prompt efforts to notify those whose information had been compromised and according to Valentino, no hotel customer had experienced a financial loss as a result of the attacks.  Despite Valentino's claims, the FTC is suing Wyndham for unfair and deceptive practices in failing to protect the privacy and personally identifiable information about guests. The FTC claims that Wyndham failed to address the security failures that occurred after the first breach in 2008 and did not implement technology that could have detected unauthorized access to networks. In 2009, hackers used similar techniques to break into the network again as steal as much personal information as they could. 
rebecca Bonet

HeBS Digital (Hospitality eBusiness Strategies) - 3 views

solutionpartners.adobe.com/...hebs_digital.html

shared by rebecca Bonet on 15 Sep 12 - No Cached
  • As travelers increasingly turn to the Internet and mobile devices to research and book travel, successful online marketing in hospitality has become increasingly critical to the industry’s success. Adept keyword selection, website designs, and social media campaigns can turn general online travel bookers into loyal repeat customers that book directly on hotel websites.
  • Profitable online strategies can be difficult to come by in hospitality, a dynamic industry where opportunities abound and many complex factors affect success. The cost of keywords has increased, yet many hotel budgets have reached a plateau.
  • hoteliers must compete with mammoth online travel agencies possessing multi-million-dollar budgets.
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • For HeBS Digital, Adobe solutions provide insights into the market and a driving force to differentiate itself from competitors.
  • HeBS Digital keeps clients ahead of the curve and ahead of the competition in building direct online revenue channels.
  • Driving multichannel marketing success Improving return on ad spend for clients Making more informed online marketing decisions
    • Xu Wang
      Xu Wang on 15 Sep 12
       
      Nowadays, as travelers turn to the internet and mobile devices to research and book their travel online increasingly, the online marketing in hospitality has become a important sign for success. At the same time, the hospitality industry tries best to enhance their online booking service, hoping to turn general online travelers into loyal repeat customers that book directly on hotel websites. However, there are still are challenges as the industry has many complex factors. And this article gives solutions and results by introduce Adobe products.
  • Additionally, the explosion in social media and smartphones has added new dimensions for marketers that require new skills.
  • “By using Adobe products at HeBS Digital, we are able to generate big returns for clients by employing highly engaging, locally targeted strategies,” says Jason Price, executive vice president for HeBS Digital.
  • In another instance, the HeBS Digital SEM team used bid rules created with the Adobe solution to automate the bidding for some keyword campaigns
  • With Adobe Solutions, HeBS is able to create award winning hotel website design, pioneer best practices in
  • marketing, and build leading-edge technologies for the hospitality industry
  • Xu Wang on 15 Sep 12
     
    Nowadays, as travelers turn to the internet and mobile devices to research and book their travel online increasingly, the online marketing in hospitality has become a important sign for success. At the same time, the hospitality industry tries best to enhance their online booking service, hoping to turn general online travelers into loyal repeat customers that book directly on hotel websites. However, there are still are challenges as the industry has many complex factors. And this article gives solutions and results by introduce Adobe products.
  • rebecca Bonet on 15 Sep 12
     
    In this article it talks about e business strategies. One of them being mobile device because research and booking travel have been so critical for people on the go. The HeBS is a big digital marketing firm for the hospitality industry. There are profitable online strategies to come by in the hospitality industry. These opportunities do not come easy many time it very complex but also very successful if it done right .Hotel budget have come to a plateau. Hotel need to step up the plate because online travel agencies have taken over the industry. In addition social media and smart phone have added new dimension for market that require new skills with their ideas. HeBS face a challenge by multichannel marketing success, improving return on ad spend, and making more online marketing to be able to come back by doing this they would have the solution and the result. The solution being, keeping clients of the curve of the competition by building direct online revenue. The result for that is providing insights. The market and the driving force for the differentiate competitors. The benefits will build a leading- edge for the hospitality industry
ravicka

7 Things Event Planners Want From Technology Now - 0 views

www.bizbash.com/...28578

shared by ravicka on 24 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • “I’d like a badge reader that does not need to be scanned by a device, meaning the whereabouts of an attendee could be tracked without having to scan at each entrance point,” says an association event planner. “Then we could figure out how much time is spent in each area, i.e., how long did they wait in line.”
  • “It's so convoluted,” says an agency executive. “There is so much happening so fast that it's difficult to keep up. Once you learn something, it's time to learn something else.”
  • “Many organizers are reluctant to do the work necessary to make the tech work,” says Sam Down of Showplans. “They want to use the tech and they want it to deliver its promises, but they won't be enthusiastic until they see results—but they don't seem to understand that the results they want will only come when they show enthusiasm in the first place to make it work.”
  • ravicka on 24 Feb 15
     
    Chad Kaydo in his article '7 Things Event Planners Want From Technology Now," highlights the results of a recent survey where industry officials noted what tech changes and adaptations they would like to see as it relates to the Event Planning and Management area of the Hospitality Industry. He noted the following items as the urgent needs of event planners: **Lower Prices - many planners steer clear of the technology due to costs and thus would like to see adjustments in costs relating to new technology. **Integration of Planning Tools - Planners want to be able to connect the different tech offerings used instead of using them in isolation. **Next Generation Apps - Event Apps should be of the same sophistication and simple to use as those of popular consumer apps such as Instagram. **Seamless Social Media Integration - Social Media has become and important tool for event planners. Rene Mark stated that they would like to see "any form of technology that creates a more engaging experience for our clients so that they can interact from the audience, share their experiences online and engage actively with other participants." ** Improved Internet Access - one of the major complaints of planners and something they would like to see improvements on is WiFi access at event venues. Mr. Kaydo noted that planners and tech developers said that the lack of robust, reliable, reasonably priced bandwidth and network services at hotels is slowing the pace of technological advancements across meetings and events. ** Attendee Data Tracking -Improved Technology to keep track of attendee participation. **Help to figure it all out - Planners find it difficult to keep up with technology and to constantly learn how a new device or program works. However this attitude is affecting the results gained from the adoption or lack of as it relates to technological advancements in the Event planning field.
kelseybarton

Coronavirus - Considerations for Hospitality Accounting | PKF O'Connor Davies - 2 views

www.pkfod.com/...ons-for-hospitality-accounting

hospitality accounting

shared by kelseybarton on 24 Sep 20 - No Cached
  • kelseybarton on 24 Sep 20
     
    (1 of 2) PKF O'Connor and Davies published an article at the beginning of the pandemic laying out how important hospitality accounting is and what accounting teams need to be cognizant of during a time that is very uncertain. The article states, "The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in substantial volatility in the global economy. The coronavirus outbreak has had ‒ and will continue to have ‒ an adverse effect on the results of operations of those companies operating in the hospitality and tourism industry." The article warns that as more information emerges about the disease, the industry will continue to be impacted in everyday decisions and operations. The article also states, "a company's management should be considering the possible effects on future results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition," along with many other important operating items. A business owner needs to be concerned with the "going concern" and making sure that they can keep their financials stable enough to continue business. Businesses also need to worry about the effect of the closure on their long-lived assets and being able to continually comply with loan and mortgage covenants. While many businesses are relying on the ability to work from home, the hospitality industry needs to make sure they are taking a look at internal controls over financial reporting as well. Finally, businesses need to be thinking about the future and subsequent event disclosures.
  • kelseybarton on 24 Sep 20
     
    (2 of 2) We are in very uncertain times right now with the Covid-19 crisis. PKF is making sure businesses are looking at the bigger picture and considering their businesses as a whole, while also taking into consideration what a business may need to do to preserve operation for the future. Unfortunately, the hospitality industry has been devastated because of the effects that the virus has had on the economy and many businesses have had to close their doors. Other businesses have gotten very creative in the way they are functioning, and if businesses can continue to adapt and introduce new ideas, they may be able to settle their accounts and make it through this terrible time.
jbrit055

Shopkick | The Mobile Proximity Marketing Advantages and Disadvantages Retailers Must Know - 0 views

www.shopkick.com/...antages-retailers-must-know-fc

mobile proximity marketing advantages disadvantages

shared by jbrit055 on 23 Sep 21 - No Cached
  • The mobile market is maturing, with 82% penetration anticipated by 2020 in the US.
  • Beacon technology, which powers proximity marketing, results in an estimated 40 million messages a year, and that number is ever increasing. As a result, the retail industry must be sure it is primed to take full advantage of this technology now and in the coming years.
  • While proximity marketing is ideal for targeting the right audience at the right time, it’s also a complex and emerging marketing style that’s bound to have to work out a few kinks.
    • kmill139
      kmill139 on 23 Sep 21
       
      Once they fix the kinks they'd be able to make this a really great marketing tactic.
  • ...41 more annotations...
  • The Mobile Proximity Marketing Advantages for Retailers
  • The retailer added beacon technology to their stores in advance of Black Friday in 2015 through its Walk In and Win campaign. Macy employees and advertisements notified visitors of the upcoming event, encouraging them to download the store app in order to stay in the loop. Then, to incentivize consumers on Black Friday, users were given the opportunity to win prizes and play games via their mobile devices whenever they entered a Macy’s store.
  • Increased brand awareness:
  • Engaged users:
  • An automated edge:
  • Insights on purchase behaviors:
  • High-performing, innovative third-party retail apps provide proximity marketing that retailers can easily implement while avoiding many logistical concerns. Reputable partner apps have strong systems in place to prevent data breaches and have the experience to know how to interact with consumers without being intrusive.
  • However, there are some challenges to be aware of. As it’s an emerging marketing technique, there are still some challenges to be aware of before you implement the technology in your store.
    • kmill139
      kmill139 on 23 Sep 21
       
      The only downside I can see with this type of marketing is that it only works if the person has the app of the store downloaded. If not they will not see the ad whatsoever.
  • The Challenges of Proximity Marketing and its Disadvantages
  • Conversion issues:
  • Excessive opt-ins:
  • Management complexity:
  • Privacy concerns:
  • While proximity marketing is not without its disadvantages, many of these concerns can be resolved by choosing to partner with a trusted third-party mobile app. By capitalizing on the expertise of third-party companies, retailers of all sizes are able to achieve high conversion rates with beacon-based proximity marketing campaigns.
  • Higher conversion rates:
  • With the majority of adults now with a smartphone in hand, it stands to reason that retailers will want—and need—to leverage these devices to gain foot traffic, sales, and new customers.
  • employs geolocation to market to consumers within physical reach of a store
  • proximity marketing could be a valuable resource for increasing market share and brand awareness
  • minimizing expenses and easily gaining the attention of an existing consumer base
  • This is an emerging platform that companies are just beginning to utilize
  • retailers who choose to use it can garner a lot of attention.
  • doesn’t require much effort
  • unique
  • It is estimated that 57% of consumers are likely to engage with location-based advertising
  • If your target audience is asking for it, it can be assumed that it will be a sure-fire way to gain a bigger following.
  • you’re notifying an audience who is already motivated to buy.
  • drive their sales and increase brand awareness
  • It’s automatic; technology does the work for you.
  • the data it creates.
  • You can see what drives your consumers to buy, whether it’s discounts, informational videos, or interactive campaigns. This allows you to adjust future strategies accordingly.
  • improve customer conversion
  • drive brick and mortar sales
  • It can be difficult to predict which approach will be successful when you are implementing new marketing-based technology
  • they don’t use a majority of those apps regularly.
  • The more screens they must approve, the less likely they’ll be to finish the installation process and start to engage with your brand.
  • It requires the right hardware and programming as well as an expert to monitor it.
  • you’re responsible for its safekeeping
  • this data could be highly desirable for cyber criminals. Companies need to be prepared to not only store but also strongly protect this data.
  • Third-party apps strike the right balance between respecting a consumer’s privacy while providing timely marketing.
  • They also manage and consolidate the user agreements necessary to collect consumer data
  • you can gain access to a user base that is already active and engaged
  • kmill139 on 23 Sep 21
     
    This article discussed the pros and cons of mobile proximity marketing and how to possibly overcome the downfalls of the type of marketing.
  • mmdmd99999 on 20 Jul 22
     
    privacy concerns, complex management, excessive opt-ins, conversion issues
  • jbrit055 on 21 Jul 22
     
    There can be many benefits and negatives to introducing new technology into your company. While it can be interesting to see new marketing methods for a company, these results can also be temporary. A company wanting to integrate these new marketing methods into their business will have to identify if their audience would react well with this new form of marketing and make their choices based on those results.
Dian Peng

Top 5 Technology Trends in Event Measurement - 0 views

eventmeasurement411.wordpress.com/...gy-trends-in-event-measurement

technology trend event

shared by Dian Peng on 13 Nov 12 - No Cached
  • Dian Peng on 13 Nov 12
     
    The topic of the article is the top five technology trend in event measurement. First, it is easier to go green. According to the article, the using of smart phones and web-enable devices benefit the events planning a lot. You're "going green" by minimizing paper, you eliminate hours of manual tasks (distributing and collecting surveys, manually tabulating results) and associated labor costs, and you can view results in minutes rather than weeks. The article also used a example of Game Crazy to explain it. The Game Crazy used electronic surveys to find out if their sales associates were being motivated and acquiring new learning during their annual sales meeting. The second trend is social media. Social media for events, when applied strategically, deliver great value. For instance, the Facebook, Twitter, other platforms can help you start and maintain a pre-event conversation with potential attendees to determine what topics will be of greatest interest and relevance. There are as many creative, successful uses of social media in the event industry as there are pointless and unproductive ones. Then, the trend is a single consistent lead management solution. It means that to drive ROI, exhibitors need a complete lead management solution that includes lead qualification and prioritization to determine which leads have a higher probability of converting to sales. By extending the lead management solution across all events, the event manager can identify trends; provide benchmarking stats and help exhibitors establish objectives prior to the event. In addition, the event to event metrics became another trend. The trend is used by combining data generated by all these solutions into an executive dashboard that clearly demonstrates results versus established objectives and compares results from one event to another, you are able to monitor your team's performance and make necessary changes to improve overall event results. In order to explain this trend bett
cwilliamsiona

Data Security in Hospitality - Why Is It So Important? - 0 views

www.hospitalitynet.org/...4094427.html

data security hospitality mitigation risk

shared by cwilliamsiona on 16 Feb 20 - No Cached
  • The hospitality industry has one of the highest numbers of security breaches.
  • As a result, the hospitality sector seems to be an ideal target for cybercriminals looking to carry out credit card fraud and identity theft crimes.
  • Such complex ownership structures could result in breaches as in the case of the Wyndham Worldwide breaches which occurred back in 2008 and 2010
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • These criminals infect point-of-sale systems with malware that scrapes card information. 20 out of the top 21 high-profile breaches that have occurred since 2010 have been a result of this strategy.
  • One of the more recent data breaches in 2019 - the Earl Enterprises data breach involved the theft of over 2 million credit card numbers. It is believed that the breach was the result of malware installed on POS systems at the popular restaurants run by the company.
  • Having well-trained staff is invaluable for ensuring the secure collection and storage of sensitive data. However, the hospitality industry has a very high turnover rate due to the fact that it largely involves seasonal work.
  • Just one untrained individual can give cybercriminals easy loopholes to gain access to sensitive customer data.
  • It involves employees selling customer data to third parties unknown to the management of their organization
  • High profile breaches such as the recent Marriott International data breach which resulted in the leakage of the personal data of over 500 million guests continue to drive up awareness levels.
  • Failure to provide adequate data protection can have catastrophic consequences for hospitality companies
  • Organizations in the hospitality sector can protect the data of their customers by implementing a number of best practices for mitigating the risks associated with data collection.
  • cwilliamsiona on 16 Feb 20
     
    According to this article, the hospitality industry has one of the highest numbers of security breaches. Due to the nature of the business, credit card fraud and identity theft crimes seem to be an ideal target for cybercriminals. Humor error, high turnover rate, and insider threats are just a few primary factors for security breaches within the hospitality sector. The consequences of data breaches can have a long lasting impact on the company, including, customer trust, tarnished brand reputation and legal and financial problems. As we all know, hotel owners and operators do not want anything to impact their revenue. Encryption of credit card information, operating a continuous training program in cybersecurity, adhering to relevant regulations, using firewalls, and a detailed response plan in the event that a data breach should occur are a few practices the hotel sector can implement to mitigate a cyber attacks.
anonymous

7 Advantages of Digital Marketing in Hospitality Industry - Wikhotel - 0 views

blog.wikhotel360.com/keting-in-hospitality-industry

shared by anonymous on 08 Nov 18 - No Cached
  • Of all the sectors in the economy, none is affected by digital trends as much as the hospitality industry.
  • Most of the customers in this industry are social travelers and tourists, who spend a lot of hours online researching on places to visit, hotels to book, and restaurants to dine in.
  • digital marketing has become the most viable way of getting to potential customers, establishing a brand, and developing a group of loyal customers.
  • ...14 more annotations...
  • creating content such as photos, videos, articles, and social media posts that do not boldly promote the business but generates an interest in it.
  • good for customer retention as it engages customers and keeps them in the loop about your services.
  • search engine optimization, is a marketing strategy that aims at improving your rankings on search engine results pages.
  • if a potential client searches for “affordable hotels in town A”, chances are he/she will click on some of the results appearing in the first results page
  • Currently, customers often look up online opinions, ratings, and reviews of your business before making a purchase.
  • SEA (Search engine advertising), on the other hand, enables you to achieve this almost instantly.
  • Search Engine Advertising also requires a lot of technical input. First, you need to identify the right key search words used by potential customers, such as “best spas in town B”. Secondly, getting advertising space on search engines involves a bidding war.
  • social media is the go-to platform for most internet users
  • Averagely, internet users spend 30% of their online time on social networking sites. It is, therefore, a great place for advertising your service
  • The social media marketing strategy will, therefore, aim at reaching users of all social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, and LinkedIn
  • Paid searches involve making payments to search engines such as Google, so that your site’s results may appear first whenever someone searches for a certain keyword.
  • A good e-reputation marketing strategy is multi-disciplinary that often requires input from digital marketing and public image consultants.
  • Good user experience is determined by several factors. For starters, your web design and layout should be captivating, and easy to use. At the same time, the platform should work well on computers as well as mobile devices and tablets. All these are tasks that are handled by digital marketing agencies.
  • The key issue in this strategy is to get the content right. It needs to be engaging and captivating so as to draw an audience
  • linanzhang on 08 Nov 18
     
    E-marketing is also known as Internet marketing, web marketing, online marketing or digital marketing. As we know, digital marketing gots lots of advantages. The first one is content marketing. The issue in this strategy is The key issue in this to get the content right. This strategy needs to be engaging and captivating so as to draw an audience. The second strategy is SEO (search engine optimization). This strategy aims to improve the rankings of the company. The third strategy is the SEA. (Search engine advertising) This can achieve this almost instantly. The fourth one is expanding your social media presence. The social media marketing strategy will aim users for social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. The fifth one is email marketing. Email marketing requires creativity. The sixth one is e-reputation. A good e-reputation marketing strategy is multi-disciplinary that often requires input from digital marketing and public image consultants. The last one is user experience. Good user experience is determined by several factors.
  • ...3 more comments...
  • alexaperez14 on 01 Oct 19
     
    This article talks about the different marketing strategies that have been the most effective to businesses in the hospitality sector. While digital marketing is the future of marketing strategies, it has become the most popular in the hospitality industry. Many customers go to the web to discover things such as places to stay, places to eat, and other recreational services. With a great digital marketing strategy, whether it be through social media, search engine advertising, search engine optimization, or proximity marketing, you can build up a loyal client base for your business.
  • gabybilk on 13 Nov 19
     
    Technology has a huge impact in the hospitality industry, especially over the years that social media and research engines have become such a big part of our every day lives. Digital marketing has become one of the most reliable ways to promote and establish brands. One of the most effective method is content marketing which involves sharing or posting photos, videos, and articles on social media to promote the business. SEO is another strategy which involves having the marketing team use key words for the businesses main page to help the business pop up on the main page of search engines. Search engine advertisment is used to promote the business through search engines like google, for example. Being one of the business in the top of the first page makes it more likely for your business to receive recognition.Sociall media marketing and internet presence is the key to e-marketing.
  • edagt001 on 27 Mar 20
     
    This article talks about the ways digital marketing can help the hospitality industry use to improve in the long term.
  • Taj Buckley on 02 Apr 20
     
    In all sectors of economy the hospitality industry is affected the most by digital trends. Content marketing should be a big focus for hospitality like the photos, videos and articles you post about your business. SEO or search engine optimization should be used to improve rankings on search engine results page. Expand your social media presence but post 3-4 times a day with content that is relatable to the current trends going on.
  • anonymous on 24 Apr 20
     
    This article goes over how in todays world technology is how everyone one is communicating and because of this digital marketing is the way in. They go over seven reasons why its so beneficial to utilize.
Maria Zuniga

5 Profitable Internet Marketing Strategies for Hotels - 0 views

www.webpagefx.com/...hotels

shared by Maria Zuniga on 16 Nov 17 - No Cached
  • If you're a hotel owner, chances are you are always looking to attract new guests to your location
  • Hospitality marketing is not always easy
  • Optimize your website for search engines
  • ...15 more annotations...
  • One of the most crucial strategies for hospitality marketing involves ensuring the visibility of your hotel's website on search engines
  • Having this information available up front can provide enormous benefits for your hotel. If you neglect this strategy in your hotel Internet marketing plan, you will be sacrificing many potential guests. One study found that 40% of mobile searchers are looking for travel-related information, like hotels, are likely to place phone calls if the option is available. Setting up your Google My Business page can make that option available instantly!
  • Research has shown that the top result in searches gets around 33% of clicks. This drops to 17% for the second result and 11% for the third. If you're on the second page, you're looking at about 1% or less.
  • Strengthen your local SEO
  • earch engine optimization involves making critical updates to your website's content, code, links, and occasionally layout to improve its likelihood of ranking in user searches.
  • Because hotels may have a hard time gaining a large number of engaged fans to consume their content or make future bookings, a shift in approach is recommended. For hotels, social media can be an incredible way to encourage interaction with past, current, or future guests, solve customer service issues in a timely manner or highlight the positive experiences that guests have had at your hotel
  • Encourage interaction on social media
  • Linking to your social media pages from your hotel website, and ensuring that they are checked regularly, can help encourage potential guests to contact you there. You may also want to add a tagline to your website, such as, "contact us on Facebook or Twitter with any questions we may answer about your stay"—to encourage this behavior.
  • Social media also helps humanize your business so that you can more easily relate to customers, making it a valuable part of an overall hotel internet marketing strategy.
  • Educate guests with content marketing
  • you may know that adding informative, keyword-rich content to your website is one of the best ways to improve your ranking on search engines
  • Dominate your competitors with PPC
  • nternet marketing for hotels can be highly challenging if you operate in a city that is a popular vacation spot or tourist attraction.
  • Pay-per-click advertising, or PPC, is another way that you can boost your hotel's visibility in search results. Searches on Google don't deliver just natural (also called "organic") results—they also deliver paid ads that have been placed there by companies or businesses.
  • PPC advertising works like this: your hotel sets up ads around certain relevant keywords, like "hotel in [city][state]." You then bid a certain amount, usually suggested by Google, to have your ads appear at the top and along the sides of organic search results. You don't pay anything for your ads unless they are clicked—thus the name "pay-per-click."
  • Maria Zuniga on 16 Nov 17
     
    This article was very interesting because it provided us with 5 different strategies to effectively use e-marketing for hotels. The five strategies they come up with are: Optimize your website for search engines, Strengthen your local SEO, Encourage interaction on social media, Educate guests with content marketing, and Dominate your competitors with PPC. All of these are very helpful hints that we might have heard of before, but it is crucial to go more in depth. I found very interesting that all of them are free except for the last one that requires a bit of an investment.
drbucky

360 Link - 1 views

el2ne5ae7f.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fsummon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Identifying+and+overcoming+barriers+to+deployment+of+information+technology+projects+in+hotels&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Organizational+Change+Management&rft.au=Fevzi+Okumus&rft.au=Anil+Bilgihan&rft.au=Ahmet+Bulent+Ozturk&rft.au=Xinyuan+%28Roy%29+Zhao&rft.date=2017-07-01&rft.pub=Emerald+

technology hospitality

shared by drbucky on 29 Sep 17 - No Cached
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      Despite the fact that the adoption of new technologies tends to result in competitive advantage for the organization, many organizations take a "wait and see" approach before assuming new technologies. This paper describes three categories of barriers that make early adoption of new technologies difficult or unsuccessful for some organizations
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      Benefits to adopting to new technologies include: improved marketing strategies, improved customer experience, improved cost control, increased revenues, improved productivity, improved operational efficiency.
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      This is odd on two fronts: 1 - that the research into barriers to adopting new technology in the hotel industry is limited. This is a very-highly studied industry, so I would expect much more research in this field. 2 - that the industry is known to be a "late and slow adopter of technology". However, knowing what the barriers are (through this and similar studies) can help to break down those obstacles.
  • ...10 more annotations...
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      At the end of the day, much of the way to deal with this issue is to study and practice change management, in general. Many of the barriers discussed in this article can be addressed through change management study.
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      While we examine universal barriers to change, the author asserts that we need to understand barriers specific to the hospitality industry.
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      Rogers: barriers occur during initiation and during implementation.
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      Pare and Trudel: resistance to change influenced by lack of understanding the connection between the proposed change and the benefits to the organization
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      Matthews and Linski: fear of change is a natural, human issue, yet un-managed resistance to adopting new technologies typically results in the failure of the change initiative.
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      change management in the lodging industry include communication, training, participation, planning
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      Barriers in phase 1 (pre-implementation) from lack of understanding ROI of proposed technology. Predicting ROI is challenging, especially since it may take a while for a firm to experience ROI. Will a significant enough ROI result before the proposed technology is outdated?
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      Barriers during implementation result from mis-managed processes and communications - (e.g., vendor to client, management to staff, poor integration of processes).
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      Sometimes the integration of new technologies do not interface with existing systems well, making the implementation process more difficult as adjustments must be made throughout the entire work flow. This is an issue that must be considered prior to implementation and addressed early to maintain any positive change processes.
    • drbucky
      drbucky on 29 Sep 17
       
      The challenge may not be to the technology, itself, but results from morale and organizational culture regarding change and, especially, how to deal with change. This is not an issue that should be addressed ONLY during a change process but should occur all the time - creating a stronger corporate culture.
1 - 20 of 700 Next › Last »
Showing 20▼ items per page