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InterContinental Hotels Group Checks in With E-Commerce Software - CRM Magazine - 0 views

  • The system's main problem was its lack of flexibility--it required a multidepartmental development initiative to make simple end-user-experience changes.
  • IHG engaged in a four-month RFP process to find a solution that would align with its business requirements. It decided on tools from ATG, including ATG Adaptive Scenario Engine, which included ATG, Personalization Server, and ATG Scenario Server. The ATG implementation, which included integrating ATG with 11 other software application components such as custom code, took about nine months. IHG called on ATG and its content management vendor, Day Software, for professional services.
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    InterContinental Hotels Group find a solution which is provide professional services by ATG.
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GDS Overview | Hospitality Distribution Experts - 0 views

  • The Global Distribution Systems (GDS) have long been the main tool for travel agents bookings in the world.
  • The GDS systems are a huge network of thousands of computers set up originally by companies like Sabre, WorldSpan. Amadeus, Galileo and Pegasus. They provided Computer-based Reservations services (CRS) to all travel agents long before the Internet.
  • To avoid delays and errors, many large hotels with  their technology providers now integrate the GDS information with their own reservations and property management solutions.
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    Nowadays global distribution systems interconnect almost everything within the hospitality industry, from hotels to car rental companies and travel agencies. There are four major GDS available: Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and WorldSpan. Some of the advantages provided by GDS are their availability (99,9% of the time), their response times (up to a fraction of a second), their multiple booking capability, as well as their top of the line architecture. On any given day, a GDS will be capable of accessing over 50000 hotels and approximately 1000 airlines. Through GDS systems, people are able to book various hotel rooms, tours, airline seats, cruises and even limousines.
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IHG invites corporate accounts to embrace dynamic pricing - 0 views

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    Highlight: IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) is inviting preferred business accounts across Asia Pacific to move to a dynamic pricing model, guaranteeing corporate travellers to always pay less than best unrestricted rates at its InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express in the region. My Description: InterContinental Hotels Group is making efforts to turn its original accounting and pricing system into a more dynamic and flexible one, which can make more market-sensitive hotel rates according to the demand situation. Currently , IHG is trying to increase the scale of market-sensitive rates to the traditional contract rates. Therefore Corporate travel managers should feel confident they have access to the best possible rates in hotels of IHG. This model guarantees they will pay less than any other unrestricted rates. One advantage of this market-sensitive accounting and pricing system to annualized rates is to respond to unexpected market condition. This dynamic pricing system will not only help corporate managers to reduce related costs but also bring more convenience to corporate travelers as the increase of booking channels. The application of IHG's dynamic pricing system bring many positive feedbacks, especially as these corporate customers usually end up paying less than their RFP-contracted counterparts
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More hotels are going green, and it's not just to save water or money - Features | The ... - 0 views

  • The Intercontinental Los Angeles Century City Hotel is removing draping ivy plants from the balconies of all 361 rooms, replacing them with drought-tolerant succulents. The Courtyard by Marriott in Torrance tore out 81sq m of turf and flower beds, swapping them for native California grass to help cut water use by 15%.
  • With California in the worst drought in state history, some hotels have gone beyond
  • “It’s not a huge savings,” Steve Choe, general manager of the Intercontinental, said about dumping the ivy planters. “I think it’s about sending the right message.”
    • ccpanther88
       
      The ROI on the actual replacement of the plants may be minimal, but the value in the message (hopefully) has a trickle effect.
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  • Nearly 60% of travellers say they plan to make eco-friendly choices when booking hotels, with half saying they would pay extra to stay at an environmentally friendly hotel, according to a 2012 survey by the travel website TripAdvisor.
  • The percentage of companies with travel booking policies that either require or recommend that a hotel adopt “sustainability” measures has jumped to 19% in the US, up from 11% in 2011, according to a new study by the Global Business Travel Association
  • Bathrooms are the biggest drain, accounting for about 30% of hotel water use, followed by landscaping and laundry, each with 16%, and kitchens with 1%, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Typical water-saving measures can reduce operating costs at hotels by as much 11%, the EPA estimates.
  • The Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara drained its decorative fountains and planted succulents and agave plants in a large fountain near the entrance.
  • The Intercontinental Hotels Group plans next year to give all 4,700 of its hotels access to an online tool that lets managers track how much energy and water they are using. The group hopes to use the system to cut water use by 12% over the next three years in water-starved areas like California.
  • The Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel plans to install a system to recycle about 70% of the water used for its laundry operation.
  • The project will cost about US$96,000 (RM326,400), after water and gas rebates, according to hotel officials. Hotel officials expect the investment will pay for itself in 17 months
  • The Montecito Water District in Santa Barbara declared a water emergency in February and adopted penalties to force residents and businesses to cut overall water use by 30%.
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    The "Going Green" trend has been a true blessing since it's marketability took birth several years ago. Many industries are taking advantage of this technological and ecological trend. There has never been a better time than now to turn our business ethics into the direction of a better world. Basic utility expenses at any hotel or business can sometimes make or break their existence. Technology today has given us the tools to give back to both our beautiful Earth and our bottom dollar. Luxury brands and all the like are implementing new green policies and technologies that will cut costs and even beautiful their environments. By the end of 2015 The Intercontinental Hotels Group plans on equipping over 4,000 of their hotels with a system that monitors and assists in energy use and conservation. They have a goal of reducing their overall water use by 12% in California in part due to the severe ongoing drought. The Loews in Santa Monica Beach is investing $96,000 in a laundry-water recycling system. It will recycle nearly 70% of water use and pay for itself in less than 2 years. Apart from it's ability to cut-costs and truly give back to the environment, "going green" is highly marketable. One of the Intercontinental's General Managers was quoted saying "It's not a huge savings. I think it's about sending the right message." I have personally seen many RFPs from large corporate companies that request green-initiatives from hotels. Improving sustainability is important to the customer and the establishment. Around 60% of travelers consider green initiatives when selecting a destination and activity. Of those 60%, over half said they would even pay more to stay at an establishment that respected and helped improve the environment. In a world where we are fortunate enough to live in excess should we choose to, it's a shame it took this long for a global movement to "go green". Sustainability alone has built such a giant indu
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GDS business can be a significant source of incremental bookings and increased margin f... - 0 views

  • Every hotelier knows the advantage of direct online bookings to their hotel. But there is more to direct than just bookings on your website booking engine.
  • At Bookassist our metasearch management team has delivered metasearch bookings growth of 130% in the first quarter of 2018 versus the last quarter of 2017 (see https://bookassist.org/company/testimonials/en/)
  • The GDS is a large computer network that represents a single point of entry to travel agents and travel sites worldwide
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  • A 2017 study of more than 900 travel agents located throughout 52 countries revealed that travel agents are continuing to report a record use of the GDS for hotel reservations.
  • It’s important to note also that GDS corporate business typically delivers a quality customer that usually augments hotel F&B/C&B revenue using his employer expenses to wine and dine in the hotel, in contrast to leisure travellers who tend to spend outside the hotel.
  • Because of the fixed transaction fee element, calculation of the CPA of a GDS booking will depend on the hotel sale rate achieved and the length of stay.
  • For the individual hotelier, the requirements for applying to consortia or account managing their property on the GDS can be onerous.
  • RFP is “request for proposal”, where companies make the market aware of the volume of bednights they expect to need for the upcoming year.
  • GDS business can be a significant source of incremental bookings and increased margin.
  • It’s time to make sure that you are open for business on the GDS.
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    Over the few years, travel agents are using booking through Global distribution systems. Hotels however are having to pay a 20% booking fee when people book through GDS. Travel agents are also now using Airbnb, and alternative booking, because they aren't seeing any commissions on them. GDS is a large computer network that represents a single point of entry to travel agents and meta search sites. GDS are heavily used in the business and corporate travel accounts. GDS corporate business typically delivers more revenue for hotels because business travelers usually eat and drink in the hotel, rather than travel outside the hotel and spend money. Travel agents use commissionable and non-commissionable booking that, where commissionable bookings must add typically 8-10% agency commission on top of the GDS fees. GDS can be a good source of incremental bookings and increase margins.
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    Over the few years, travel agents are using booking through Global distribution systems. Hotels however are having to pay a 20% booking fee when people book through GDS. Travel agents are also now using Airbnb, and alternative booking, because they aren't seeing any commissions on them. GDS is a large computer network that represents a single point of entry to travel agents and meta search sites. GDS are heavily used in the business and corporate travel accounts. GDS corporate business typically delivers more revenue for hotels because business travelers usually eat and drink in the hotel, rather than travel outside the hotel and spend money. Travel agents use commissionable and non-commissionable booking that, where commissionable bookings must add typically 8-10% agency commission on top of the GDS fees. GDS can be a good source of incremental bookings and increase margins.
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OYO Homes and Hotels partner with Sabre Hospitality Solutions - 0 views

  • Rapidly-growing hospitality chain OYO has partnered with Sabre Hospitality to connect its properties with travel agents.
  • OYO will have access to a network of over 900,000 agents.
  • OYO will be able to connect to Sabre’s GDS, the largest in the world, providing them with new opportunities. This will allow them to connect with corporations for RFP contracting and create incremental revenue increases.
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  • With this announcement, we are enabling a new distribution model for OYO, increasing their exposure to global markets in addition to supporting travel agents as they aim to cater to their customers’ ever-changing needs.”
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    OYO will be able to connect to Sabre's GDS, the largest in the world, providing them with new opportunities.
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5 Reasons Why Request for Proposals Are Crucial to Your ERP System Search and Selection - 1 views

  • Rather than a web based demo, we advise you spend 1.0 to 1.5 days minimum looking at every aspect, and to schedule your various department managers into system functions affecting their responsibilities.
  • If the vendor isn't willing to spend the time on-site with you, you will never understand how the system is designed and how good the fit will be for your company, or what modifications might exist.
  • Experienced vendors often add great insight to the changes that their system will bring to your business environment, but also can tell you what changes will be required to take best advantage of their system.
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  • Forces You to Define Requirements
  • Allows for comparison of one system to another
  • Gets control of product demonstrations
  • Gets you thinking about Return on Investment
  • Produces an organized selection methodology
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    Anything worth INVESTING in that will assist in building your business is worth researching and looking into. Buying blindly is a very foolish thing to do. By doing your homework and comparing IT investments, you have the ability to see what is the best fit for your business. You can compare and customize what will be most beneficial for you and your company. This will force you to define what you need and see how it will benefit your establishment.
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Expedia Announces Suite of Software and Technology Products for Hotel Partners - 0 views

  • Omni Hotels & Resorts is the latest partner to take advantage of Expedia's package solution. "Omni Hotels & Resorts is excited to further leverage our marketing partnership with Expedia to bring our guests the option to book their total vacation experiences directly with us," said Peter Strebel, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of sales for Omni Hotels & Resorts.
  • Partner Loyalty Enrollment: Initially tested with Red Lion Hotels Corporation last fall, the technology has advanced to now allow hotel partners to enlist and sign up users from Expedia sites for their brand loyalty programs. This program has grown to include three other chains.
  • MICE Booking Technology: The MICE solution is the first tool that truly automates the booking process for meeting organizers and hotels in real time, making RFPs (requests for proposals) a thing of the past. Hotels can increase MICE sales efficiency by integrating the MICE online booking engine on their website, allowing customers to configure and directly book their meeting, including group lodging, online. This technology further enables hoteliers to yield prices for meetings and groups, based on multiple dynamic criteria to increase revenue. The MICE solution is currently live with Best Western Central Europe and the NH Hotel Group in Germany with promising results. A global rollout will begin soon.
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  • Rev+:
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  • art of Expedia® PartnerCentral (EPC), the company's partner portal which helps hotels manage their properties and rates, Rev+ is a revenue management tool designed to provide actionable data and insights to empower partners to make smart decisions to optimize their revenue. Rev+, an essential tool for revenue managers, comes at no additional costs for hotel partners, and doesn't require additional sign-up.
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    Expedia has announced new technology and software for hotel partners that will help hotel partners drive knowledge and efficiencies. "Expedia Powered Technology was born from rethinking how we work with our hotel partners - through listening to their needs, and leveraging our technology as a driver for industry solutions," said Cyril Ranque, president, Lodging Partner Services. It is vital for Expedia, the world's largest online travel company to listen to their hotel partners and to follow the growing technology advancements. Omni Hotels & Resorts has been the latest partner to join the Expedia's package solution.
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Checking in as hotels embrace sustainability, energy-efficiency | Goby - 2 views

  • hotel industry generates more than $199 billion in annual revenue
  • $4 billion in annual energy use
  • For a full-service hotel, energy costs typically run between 4% – 6% of revenue, while historic and luxury properties can see energy costs hitting 10% or more.
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  • the EPA’s ENERGY STAR is working on a new, hospitality-specific scoring system in response to the industry’s specific needs and growing demand.
  • help your property maintain long-term value
  • Being green goes directly to a hotel’s bottom line
  • retain staff long-term
  • Surveys show more consumers are choosing sustainable travel options. In fact, this year we expect to see 36% of travelers planning to choose more eco-friendly travel options than they did in 2016, according to Booking.com.
  • Some RFPs for meetings & conferences request that hotels answer: “What’s your sustainability program? How are you minimizing your carbon footprint? What’s your water consumption?”
  • ENERGY STAR is a free benchmarking tool to help U.S. businesses gauge their energy efficiency.
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    This article makes me proud to work in the hotel industry. Of course, there's financial motivation for being energy efficient, but hey, we can pretend we also do it because it's the right thing to do. As long as owners and operators see opportunities to continue to reduce energy costs, they won't stop. I have to believe that hotels will continue to look for ways to become even more efficient to the point of eliminating their carbon footprint. The hotel business is one of the few industries that have a strong incentive to dramatically reduce energy costs. The fact that the EPA's ENERGY STAR program is working on a new, hospitality-specific scoring system in response to the industry's specific needs and growing demand is pretty cool. I can see such a system becoming measurements for bonus payouts like market share is with Smith Travel Research and further accelerating the work around sustainability in hotels. A great point is also made regarding the retention of employees. The article argues that employees will feel that management cares about their health and well-being. But I would also say that employees want to work for hotels that do what's good and right for our world. You want to work for the good guys. Individual travelers, companies and meeting planners are more and more looking to stay or do business with hotels that are eco-friendly. Thirty six percent more travelers are expected to choose more eco-friendly travel options than they did in 2016. That statistic should definitely get the attention of owners currently in the process of planning a new hotel. If you want a competitive advantage from the day you open your doors, fill up that building with green initiates and let the green slide right down to the bottom line.
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Technology Innovation (and Other Trends) in the Hotel Events Space Shaping 2020 | - 0 views

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    (1 of 3) This Hotel Technology News article discusses the various technology advancements in Hotel Event Planning and what their effects were predicted to be for 2020. As the article states, "With each passing year, events seem to get bigger and better, boasting exciting new technology, catering to attendees' needs in finer detail, and bringing guests together in unique venue spaces for a variety of occasions." The event industry continues to grow as people continue to desire more unique, memorable experiences. Event planners struggle with advancing their experiences, but with the help of technology they are able to continue to grow each year. This process starts with the booking experience and Venue Management Technology has gained popularity in creating seamless booking experiences. "Whether marketing to a transient guest, event attendees, or a corporate group, hoteliers and event planners are in the business of meeting and exceeding expectations." With venue management technology, event planners are able to make memorable experiences starting with the booking of the venue all the way until days after the event. Venue management platforms provide everything to the event planners at their fingertips.
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    (2 of 3) The article continues on to discuss that while large events are extremely lucrative, venues must make sure to consider smaller events as well. "Ensure your venue space is equipped for events and meetings of various scale, and work closely with planners to ensure an attentive, personalized experience while bringing their event or meeting to life." Meetings are going to continue to grow so venues must continue to adjust and be equipped for anything a consumer might desire. This may include non-traditional events or venue spaces as well. While classic hotel convention spaces may not be as popular anymore, hotels are challenged to utilize and market their space differently to attract new consumers. With the event industry, as with any segment in hospitality, the ultimate purpose is to leave lasting impressions on guests. In recent years, the use of technology has been great in assisting this idea. Venues who have mastered creating a memorable experience have often done so by "using new-age features and platforms to create a frictionless event, engage attendees on a deeper level, and create meaningful, memorable experiences." Venue management tools are also used in making these experiences for guests. The article left readers with three takeaways. The first being that venues need to utilize technology to make them more effective in areas such as RFP response and the way that they offer their services. The second takeaway is that businesses need to evaluate their current technology partners and make sure to choose a partner that will allow them to best create memorable events. The final key takeaway is that venues must increase conversions and improve venue listings with things such as real-time availability and strategic pricing.
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    (3 of 3) This article was very interesting in its description of the technology used in the event industry and predictions for the future of events. It is quite apparent that this article was written at the beginning of 2020, though. I do believe the event industry was headed in this direction, but, as with the rest of the hospitality industry, I believe events will see a massive decrease over the next few years and then pick back up in the future. Due to the risks associated with Covid-19, consumers are not finding in-person meetings or events necessary. Many organizations have resorted to digital meetings and cancelled any events, causing a huge loss for the industry. I believe that as the rest of the industry recovers, events will slowly follow and eventually make their way back to their pre-pandemic predictions.
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Augmented Reality Event Planning: 5 Mind Blowing Ideas - 0 views

  • Augmented reality is a hardware filter we can use to see our world but with an image, sound, or effect on top of it.
  • Virtual reality, on the other hand, is a totally immersive experience that often requires a full headset and controller system to enjoy. 
  • Train your event staff and planning team
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  • Showcase sponsorship packages.
  • Take advantage of fully immersive trips.
  • Speed up the RFP process
  • Adopt an AR app that drives event traffic
  • The only limitations to virtual reality and augmented reality in event planning lie in your own imagination.
  • From inception to creation, VR and AR have proven to be welcome event additions for both the companies who use them and the attendees who benefit from them. 
  • Because AR and VR is all about creating an experience, you should focus on sharing event content that is relevant to the theme as a whole while also creating something entirely unique for the viewer. 
  • Virtual reality and AR event planning is all about creativity
  • VR and AR events and event elements are as practical as they are entertaining.
  • Look to leading brands and events for more inspiration.
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    This article speaks about how AR and VR is integrated nowadays in events. It goes onto explaining how it is used, new ways it can be used, and great examples of leading brands using it.
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Sonder Targets Corporate Travel with GDS, TMC Deals | Business Travel News - 1 views

  • Egencia
    • cingram21
       
      Sonder operates short-term rentals, primarily apartments, similar to how a hotel operates. Sonder's entrance into GDS will help to level the playing field for the company as it compares to traditional hotels. This is a great example of how GDS continues to be a useful tool in the travel industry. Sonder being one of the latest innovations in travel is now utilizing a legacy system to grow revenue.
  • Apartment-style accommodation provider Sonder now offers its inventory on the three major global distribution systems via a third-party provider and has partnered with multiple travel management companies and consortia in order to expand its corporate travel business, the company announced.
  • right now we are laser-focused on growing corporate travel."
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  • Like others in the short-term rental space, Sonder relies on technology to offer guests a contactless experience through its mobile app, which guests can use to book, request early check-in or late check-out, and reach the company's 24/7 concierge service, among other services.
  • We are already networking with partners to get into [corporate] programs and to respond [to RFPs] as they come in."
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