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Lessons from Apple & Google Teach Operators to be Leaders in Hospitality | Top Stories ... - 0 views

hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/...be-Leaders-in-Hospitality83582 hospitality Technology
shared by TIAN LIU on 11 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • Hospitality leaders need to become pioneers.  Let’s iterate, take bold risks and be okay with failing fast so we continue to progress and deliver on improving travel experiences.  The next generation of travelers is looking for the creative thought leaders to anticipate needs that travelers don’t even know they are looking for yet.  
  • 1) Add a new product, feature or service into your portfolio every year. 2) Change what you’re doing or who you partner with. Are you successfully operating in Mexico? Add Central America. Cater to the business traveler? Go leisure. 3) Kill the product, then do one better. Not making money in F & B? Close it out at one location and perfect concierge service. 4) Eliminate some of the laborious and outdated notions of a traditional hotel.
  • TIAN LIU on 11 Jan 13
     
    The article was talking about how the hospitality firm can learn something from other industry, technology. As we all know the leader of the IT industry are Google and Apple inc. What is the most successful strategic to attract the customers? Through the article we can obviously find out the chrisma of the product is the most significant thing they have, the customer always expect some new things and improve at their new product, next version, this is the most important point of them to catch the customers' attention.  For the hotel industry, their have a lot similar things with technology area. The invariable system can not have any attraction in modem life, the hospitality leaders need to find out what is wrong with current system and operation and then find the solution. They should substitute some fresh thing for the old one, looking forward for the performance of new version, so the customers will have more increase in greenness and exception of the  new product in the future.
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'Greenest' Super Bowl Offsets 3.8m Pounds CO2 · Environmental Management & En... - 0 views

www.environmentalleader.com/...r-bowl-offsets-3-8m-pounds-co2
shared by Sasha Bravo on 07 Feb 13 - No Cached
  • “greenest” Super Bowl in the game’s history, the New Orleans Host Committee says it will donate carbon credits to offset some 3.8 million pounds of CO2 emissions, among other sustainability initiatives.
  • In addition to offsetting the Super Bowl’s energy impact, all major venues offered recycling, and the Host Committee teamed up with the Green Project and Repurposing NOLA to reclaim Super Bowl banners, displays, signage and other promotional items, which will be manufactured into tote bags
  • wallets, shower curtains and other souvenir items.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • The Super Bowl offered free bike valet parking services through a partnership with Entergy, Bike Easy and the Downtown Development District. Additionally, these groups offered a bike share pilot program during Super Bowl week, with bike checkouts at several downtown locations.
  • As of January 11, NFL fans had pledged CO2 reductions totaling more than 21 million pounds of avoided greenhouse gasses
  • In other efforts to “green” the surrounding community, the New Orleans Host Committee teamed up with Hike for KaTreena on an urban forestry initiative to plant or give away 7,000 trees, exceeding the previous Super Bowl record set in Dallas by 2,000 trees.
  • The San Francisco 49ers
  • announced in late January that they have partnered with the Santa Clara Stadium Authority and NRG Energy to help the team’s new facility become the first professional football stadium to open with LEED certification
  • and the first zero-energy sports venue in California,
  • Sasha Bravo on 07 Feb 13
     
    this is a good article that goes over some trend changes in events, such as the Super Bowl, with regards to green initiatives. the Super Bowl committee developed a list of programs to make the event more sustainable; donating carbon credits, recycling, free bike programs, and more. I specially found it interesting that they recycled all the promotional material by collecting it and making it into other consumer products such as bags and wallets. I've always wondered why events as big as this one dont have recycling programs for the incredible amounts of wasted promotional items. When you think about it, not only does this help reduce waste but also helps generate some revenue from the products that are eventually sold. The article also shows that this trend seems to be happening at all levels from the committees, to the teams, and even the consumers! 
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The Hospitality Industry Needs a Security Wake Up Call. Will the HEI Hotel & Resorts Ha... - 0 views

www.globest.com/...e-hei-hotel-resorts-hack-be-it hospitality industry technology hack hacking tech hotel HEI HEI Hotel & Resorts POS POS system point-of-sale security
shared by delaneyverger on 29 Sep 16 - No Cached
  • HEI has reported that 20 hotels that it operates in the US may have been targeted by hackers seeking customers’ credit card information. Determining how many and which customers might have had their data stolen is difficult; HEI only discovered the breach in June and it is possible that the malware may have been active since March 1, 2015 in some systems
  • The hotels ranged from Starwood, Marriott, Hyatt, and Intercontinental flags and were located in Florida, Texas, Vermont, Chicago, Ill., Arlington, Va., California, Nashville, Tenn., Minneapolis, Minn., Colorado, Washington, DC and Philadelphia
  • “The current business model of hotels and their franchisees does not provide cyber security as one of the deliverables provided to their licensees,” he said. “Along this same line, the types of equipment/software used by the properties, software patching, and monitoring are woefully inadequate for today’s threats.”
  • delaneyverger on 29 Sep 16
     
    This article talks about the recent hack of HEI Hotel & Resorts that occurred in June of this year, where 20 HEI-operated hotels were breached via their POS system. The malware had been discovered in June but the company reported that it could have been active since March 1st, 2015 in some systems. The article also talks about how POS systems are common targets for hacking and goes on to mention some of the other recent cybersecurity risks that have occurred in the industry, where their POS systems were the targets of hacking. The American Hotel & Lodging Association met with a group of other associations to discuss the issues of cybersecurity and look for possible solutions. However, the industry has not taken measures to amplify their security, probably due to the history with certain IT standards, the cost of starting over, and potential privacy issues. The article claims that, overall, the industry has not done much to change the inherent security risks with regards to technology.
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Wi-Fi is the New Four-Letter Word for Hoteliers | ehotelier.com News Archives - 2 views

ehotelier.com/...item.php wi-fi
shared by anonymous on 27 May 12 - No Cached
  • That's one of the incredible aspects of Wi-Fi — it's invisible, and yet mission critical in importance. Not just for the Guest, but also operationally — and most especially, revenue generation and customer loyalty / brand enhancement. Just look at the volume and regularity of surveys being released — by all manner of sources — rating Wi-Fi as the #1 amenity Guests' seek — allegedly, even over free breakfast.
  • During refurbishment, some Hotels opt to place Wi-Fi routers into every room for maximum coverage. These neat devices about the size of two cigarette packs [No I don't smoke cigarettes only cigars] usually have one LAN port for signal IN, and three or four ports for Signal OUT and a Wi-Fi antenna using the 802.11n protocol. Contemplating the next generation of these devices, likely they will sport USB connections and some other wireless connectivity modules, such as maybe Bluetooth and 802.11ac — the next speed bump for Wi-Fi.
  • Deploying a good quality Wi-Fi infrastructure has a cost. Running the service also carries a cost — and this increases exponentially as bandwidth demand does. Support costs may have reduced, since some Hotels have opted for the DIY mode — and have transformed this into in-house managed IT service. Naturally, service providers will argue that this has to be outsourced for numerous reasons — and I'm not going to debate those merits here. You have to work out your own Pro's and Con's or hire a Consultant [like me] to assist in that process.
  • anonymous on 27 May 12
     
    Wi-fi is a service everyone expects everywhere, especially in hotels. It seems easy enough to install but proposes numerous questions and challenges for a hotel providing wi-fi, such as whether or not to charge a fee, who manages it and problem-solves, and how much and what type of hardware is required? This article reiterates much of what we already know about wi-fi but also poses some new ideas, including how wi-fi will develop and change and what that means for hotels.
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Efforts Focus on Helping Veterans Find the Right College - US News and World Report - 0 views

www.usnews.com/...eterans-find-the-right-college internet information va collegeveteran virtual tour
shared by Deborah Fromer on 24 Jun 12 - No Cached
  • A high school senior at the time of the September 11 attacks, Paul Szoldra joined the Marine Corps shortly thereafter and, for eight years, served in countries around the world, including a deployment in Afghanistan.
  • he faced an unexpected challenge: finding a college to attend afterward
  • [Find out how to take virtual college tours.]
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • Despite the abundance of information on the Internet, Szoldra found more marketing sites
  • than actual guidance
  • Unsure of what factors to consider, Szoldra looked to expensive schools with small student populations—two marks of quality, he assumed. 
  • Currently, misleading marketing targeted at veterans pervades the Internet, he says, and may persuade those on the GI Bill to choose schools, including some for-profit institutions, that may not be right for them. 
  • To reach more college-bound service members, Szoldra created CollegeVeteran.com, an advising website, and started a Change.org petition for a ranking of colleges that best provide for veterans.
  • he's advising other college-bound service members to ditch his parameters in favor of attributes that will directly affect veterans, such as credits for military service, a community of veterans, and advisers certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
  • It's a cause President Obama has taken a stand on as well. According to a press release from the White House in late April, deceptive marketing includes recruiting "veterans with serious brain injuries and emotional vulnerabilities without providing academic support and counseling; encourag[ing] service members, veterans, and their families to take out costly institutional loans rather than encouraging them to apply for Federal student aid first; ... and not disclos[ing] meaningful information that allows potential students to determine whether the institution has a good record of graduating service members, veterans, and their families and positioning them for success in the workforce." 
  • In an executive order, Obama announced a plan to target those types of online recruiting and to more effectively provide veterans with good information
  • Obama's order "will require that colleges participating in the military and veterans education benefit programs do more to meet the needs of military and veteran students by providing clear educational plans for students [and] academic and financial aid counseling services with staff that are familiar with the VA and D[epartment] o[f] D[efense] programs." 
  • A VA-certified representative working with the college students is a key factor in veterans' success, Szoldra says.
  • Deborah Fromer on 24 Jun 12
     
    This article deals with the necessity to assist military veterans through all the internet marketing on colleges. Veterans or soon to be veterans can find it very hard to weed through all the internet information there is on colleges and which is the best for you to choose. One Marine veteran Paul Szoldra had this problem, he thought a good college would be one that was expensive with a low population, therefore a low student to teacher ratio, not true. To assist other veterans trying to locate a college that is suitable and is not looking for the monies that the GI Bill will provide the institution he created CollegeVeterans.com and created Change.org an online petition to rank colleges that best provide for veterans. President Obama has also pass an executive order to address these veteran issues at institutes of learning making it mandatory to have certified veteran advisers that will lead and insure veterans are not taken down a wrong path with their education benefits or other federal benefits vice more costly loans or funding to the veteran. Some more important factors that a veteran should do is research the institute they wish to attend, e-mail the veteran representative at the institute to get some insight on the institute, there is nothing like communicating with someone who know and cares about you and will help you to avoid the marketing pitfalls, and last look for institutions that have veteran assistance, look for the institute offering military credit towards education in the field you wish to enter.
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Philips gives augmented reality view of hotel rooms | Tnooz - 1 views

www.tnooz.com/...ed-reality-view-of-hotel-rooms
shared by LU DENG on 31 Aug 12 - No Cached
  • Philips gives augmented reality view of hotel rooms
  • Using the augmented reality-driven app, hoteliers can virtually display a 3D picture overlay of  TVs in their hotel rooms. The picture overlay is displayed on the smartphone’s or tablet’s screen showing how a new the TV fits in their rooms, including information about the TV’s technical details and other background material. The idea is that during renovation of rooms, hoteliers can get a better idea of some of the brand’s products will fit within the confines of guest rooms, potentially a useful feature (albeit used perhaps just the once by each property) given the size of many hotel TVs these days.
  • LU DENG on 31 Aug 12
     
    By using this augmented reality-driven app, hoteliers can clearly see the effect of some decoration products during renovation of rooms. Thus hoteliers can do a better financial control and avoid unnecessary losses since they have got a better idea of what the brand's products will look like before they really put them in the room. This products also remind me of the improper or ugly decorations in some hotels. I guess if they apply this innovation, they can avoid this effect to a large degree so they can express a better outlook to their customers.
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Hotel Telecommunications Strategies - 6 views

www.hotel-online.com/...Mar03_Telecommunications.html
shared by Chris Cardoso on 28 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • No matter what telecommunications strategy a property takes, one thing is for certain, it needs to be a different one from the past.
  • The guest now has a variety of choices for communicating including fax over the Internet, e-mail, cell phones, calling cards and now even Internet-based phones. 
  • Assuming that the wireless reception quality is acceptable, it is very difficult for the hotel to compete on a cost basis.
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  • Given the hotel’s advantage in quality over the guest’s portable devices, the proper packaging of services will lure even the most avid self-contained guest back to using the hotel’s telecom services.
  • Hotels are unable to compete on price with devices that the guest has brought with him.  What the hotel can do is offer a better experience at a reasonable price to entice guests to use the hotel’s telecom infrastructure.
  • Attracting the Guests to Use the Hotel’s Telecommunication Services
  • The guest now has a variety of choices for communicating including fax over the Internet, e-mail, cell phones, calling cards and now even Internet-based phones.   All these alternatives offer a less expensive means of communicating than using the traditional hotel guestroom phone and other services such as fax.
  • No matter what telecommunications strategy a property takes, one thing is for certain, it needs to be a different one from the past.
  • The guest now has a variety of choices for communicating including fax over the Internet, e-mail, cell phones, calling cards and now even Internet-based phones.   All these alternatives offer a less expensive means of communicating than using the traditional hotel guestroom phone and other services such as fax
  • No matter what telecommunications strategy a property takes, one thing is for certain, it needs to be a different one from the past.
  • Attracting the Guests to Use the Hotel’s Telecommunication Services   Hotels are unable to compete on price with devices that the guest has brought with him.   What the hotel can do is offer a better experience at a reasonable price to entice guests to use the hotel’s telecom infrastructure. No matter what cell phone the guest may carry or what service provider is used, no wireless connection is as good as a land-line connection
  • Guests had little choice back then but to use the guestroom phone and grumble about the cost.
  • Assuming that the wireless reception quality is acceptable, it is very difficult for the hotel to compete on a cost basis .
  • Assuming that the wireless reception quality is acceptable, it is very difficult for the hotel to compete on a cost basis
  • Another concern among hoteliers is what can be termed the self-contained guest
  • Another concern among hoteliers is what can be termed the self-contained guest
  • Theoretically, the self-contained guest needs no hotel telecommunications services .  
  • Theoretically, the self-contained guest needs no hotel telecommunications services
  • Guests had little choice back then but to use the guestroom phone and grumble about the cost.
  • Hotels are unable to compete on price with devices that the guest has brought with him.   What the hotel can do is offer a better experience at a reasonable price to entice guests to use the hotel’s telecom infrastructure. No matter what cell phone the guest may carry or what service provider is used, no wireless connection is as good as a land-line connection
  • The early 1980s marked the beginning of an era of profitable hotel telephone departments.  The advent of call accounting systems (thanks to deregulation) enabled hoteliers to easily mark up calls to a profitable (some say too profitable) level.  Guests had little choice back then but to use the guestroom phone and grumble about the cost. This era has come to an end.  With few exceptions, most hotels have seen between a 15 percent and 25 percent drop in telephone revenues over the last five years.  The main reason for this decrease is guest choice.  The guest now has a variety of choices for communicating including fax over the Internet, e-mail, cell phones, calling cards and now even Internet-based phones.   All these alternatives offer a less expensive means of communicating than using the traditional hotel guestroom phone and other services such as fax . A fax machine in the guestroom was considered a premium amenity for many years.  With the Internet explosion, however, the machines have seen less use.
  • weiwei lu on 28 Jan 12
     
    No matter what telecommunications strategy a property takes, one thing is for certain, it needs to be a different one from the past. The early 1980s marked the beginning of an era of profitable hotel telephone departments. The advent of call accounting systems (thanks to deregulation) enabled hoteliers to easily mark up calls to a profitable (some say too profitable) level.
  • ...6 more comments...
  • Qianlin Wang on 04 Sep 12
     
    Nowadays, people have many choices for communicating including fax over the Internet, e-mail, cell phones, calling cards and now even Internet-based phones. Hotel guests are restricted by the largest telecommunications service providers from making long distance collect and credit card calls to countries other than their home country. The guest is not able to complete his desired call from the guest room telephone. In addition to frustrated guests, this generates absolutely zero revenue to hotels. What the hotel can do is offer a better experience at a reasonable price to entice guests to use the hotel's telecom infrastructure. The hotel can use some systems to reach this goal, such as the BBG Communications. It can increase revenue for every international operator assisted call. It assumes all responsibility for billing and collection of all calls. It has over 500 multilingual, live operators servicing customers. The most important thing is there is no cost and risk to the hotel, because the BBG assumes all associated cost and responsibility.
  • Shuqiong Huang on 05 Sep 12
     
    This article is talked about hotel telecommunications in the 21st Century. No matter what telecommunications strategy a property takes, one thing is for certain, it needs to be a different one from the past. The early 1980s marked the beginning of an area of profitable hotel telephone department. Few years later, this area has come to an end. The main reason for this decrease is guest choice. Later on, guests have a variety of choices for communicating including fax over the Internet, e-mail, cell-phones, calling cards and even Internet-based phones. All these alternatives offer a less expensive means of communicating than using the traditional hotel guestroom phone. With the time passed by, hotel telecommunications update and improve better and better. Nowadays, High-speed Internet access is fast becoming an expected amenity. This the revolution for hotel telecommunications in the 21st Century.
  • rebecca Bonet on 08 Sep 12
     
    This article that is written by Geoff Grisworld. Talks about how telecommications has changing in the 21st century. One of them being hotel. Hotel takes a big advantage in telecommication because there is always a change in the communication system. That is why hotel have to upgrade their system often. This is why hotelier organizes packaging deal when it comes to communication system from using the phone to HSIA. This is a few system that is always need to be change constantly, so the hotel can offer a better experience at a reasonable price while they are enjoying their stay.
  • Paige Hanna on 09 Sep 12
     
    This article speaks about the growth and development of telecommunication within the hospitality industry in the 21st century. "No matter what telecommunications strategy a property takes, one thing is for certain, it needs to be a different one from the past," the article states. Since the 80s hotels utilized their telephone department to offer a service for a profit. Because there was little to no competition with communication, this was profitable as guest pretty much had no choice but to use the phone service provided at a set cost by the hotel. Today, however, we see a shift in technology now where everyone has communication at their disposal via smart phones, Internet and other communication tools. With this happening, "it is very difficult for the hotel to compete on a cost basis." (Griswold) It also explains how high-speed Internet access (HSIA) is almost seen as an amenity anticipated by the guest and has worked in the hotels' favor. The article goes on to describe the "self-contained guest" that carries a smart phone, small printer, notebook computer and technology of their own which allows them to virtually have no use in the hotel telecommunications services. So what does this article suggest for concerns as such? Hotels are to attract guests to use their telecommunication services. By offering packaged deals at affordable prices, Griswold believes hotels will be able to be the ideal option for telecommunications services. After viewing this article, I realize how hospitality industry workers think about those they serve all the time and should always display it. Even though the hotel is trying to make money by charging for Internet and phone services, they wish to market the service as the best option for the guest. The Internet connection would be faster provided by the hotel over a smart phone is one feature they wish to advertise. This type of mentality is smart yet should be withheld throughout the industry and always show that the
  • Ling Xiang on 24 Jan 13
     
    The early 1980s marked the beginning of an era of profitable hotel telephone departments, because guests had little choice back then but to use the guestroom phone and grumble about the cost. Nowadays, guest has a variety of choices for communicating including fax over the Internet, e-mail, cell phones, calling cards and now even Internet-based phones. All these alternatives offer a less expensive means of communicating than using the traditional hotel guestroom phone and other services such as fax. And high-speed Internet access (HSIA) is fast becoming an expected amenity in 21st century. Today hotels are unable to compete on price with devices that the guest has brought with him. What the hotel can do is offer a better experience at a reasonable price to entice guests to use the hotel's telecom infrastructure.
  • Karin Goodine on 26 Jan 13
     
    This article explains how much are creating incentives for hotel guest in an effort to get them to use the technology that the hotel provides.
  • Yawen Zheng on 26 Jan 13
     
    In modern society hotel need more attrahent thing increase revenue. The traditional way may lose competitiveness, like telephone services. Because almost everybody using personal cell phone and more and more people prefer to use internet to communicate such as email and skype. In my opinion if hotel build some telecommunications use internet such as physical skype phone and provide cheap service that may be attract more people to use that.
  • Chris Cardoso on 15 Sep 13
     
    With the emergence of "self-contained guest," hotel telecommunications departments must change its offerings because old strategies no longer apply. A self-contained guest is one that does not need the traditional amenities hotels would offer for telecommunications, such as fax machines and printers. Guests now look for a fast, free internet connection as an amenity. Some may not even need wifi, because they have a faster mobile service that they use. Even hotel telephones, guests no longer want to use the land line and pay hotel fees to make a call. Cell phones have eliminated that need (even for international calls). So hotels must not stay the same, and must change their strategies for producing revenue from their telecommunications department.
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Aloha POS System Review for Restaurants - Gourmet Marketing - 1 views

www.gourmetmarketing.net/-system-review-for-restaurants POS restaurants Aloha
shared by Donald Wojciechowski on 24 Jul 13 - No Cached
  • Aloha Point-Of-Sale software is one of the industry leaders in restaurant POS systems and most restaurant owners have some familiarity with the system.
  • Critics of the software feel that the costs are too high, and customers must pay for every upgrade.
  • Large operations and chain stores gain many benefits from Aloha software, but smaller restaurants might consider other options or buy limited versions of Aloha for their immediate needs.
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  • Most POS systems make it easy for staff to learn how to use them, but Aloha surpasses industry standards by offering more than 300 training modules to educate employees and management teams.
  • System tools track frequent diners, store customer-feedback information and analyze in-store and online ordering statistics to help managers craft better advertising campaigns.
  • Ordering strategies prove critical to restaurant success because perishable foods have limited shelf lives, and this software helps to develop restaurant specials to use highly perishable ingredients within acceptable time guidelines.
  • Faster processing speeds empower real-time seating strategies, incorporate customer requests and give more accurate waiting-time estimates.
  • Technology advances create increasingly affordable POS options such as wireless devices that might offer easier transitions for small restaurants. Many smaller operations find the cost of Aloha systems a significant obstacle.
  • Donald Wojciechowski on 24 Jul 13
     
    This article gives a good short look at the pros and cons of the Aloha POS system. The system is one of the most popular POS systems used in the industry. Aloha is currently used by small independent restaurants, local franchises, and national chains. The system is said to be a blend of many systems. NCR recently purchases Radiant Systems the developer of Aloha. The system includes both hardware and software. Some of the benefits of the system include the large number of training modules. Operationally the system has a "intelligent tracking system including on-screen dashboards that update in real-time to assist in management decisions in both FOH and BOH areas". In addition, the system can "personalized service by identifying repeat customers, remembering their preferences and keeping track of VIP guests". Back office features that are included with the system are labor assignments and work schedules. The systems also can keep track of maintenance, cleaning schedules, and daily duties. On the management side the system is said to provide "complete system control". Some critics of the system say the disadvantages are that the costs are too high and that restaurants pay for every upgrade. The quality of service depends on the quality of the local vender. Hardware may need to be changed with new upgrades is software adding to the high costs than expected by customers. After reading this article my feeling is that for an small independent restaurant the Aloha system might not seem like a good choice after considering the total cost of the system. Smaller, less complex systems seems like the way to go.
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TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA & TELECOMMUNICATIONS ISSUES IN THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR - Al Tamimi & C... - 0 views

www.tamimi.com/...in-the-hospitality-sector.html media telecommunication hospitality sector legal TMT
shared by Yunfan Wu on 11 Sep 13 - No Cached
  • Using hotels as a basic reference, one key area where specialist TMT legal support is essential is in respect of technology. 
  • Most hotels employ a combination of ‘off-the-shelf” and customized software applications in order to manage a variety of functions, such as reservations and F&B inventory. Such software applications must be appropriately licensed to the hotel by the software provider, and suitably maintained (eg. by an annual maintenance agreement with a service provider), so as to ensure that updates are applied and any errors in respect of such applications do not adversely affect operations.  Another example of the type of Technology work we handle is in advising some of the well-known international on-line travel or accommodation booking service providers about the extent to which their on-line activities may need to be licensed in the Middle East region.
  • Yunfan Wu on 11 Sep 13
     
    This is an interview between and head of hospitality practice and a technical specialist. They talk about the benefits the telecommunication skill brings to the industry, including to the hotels and  the customers.They also discussed some of the problems, such as the respetive practices overlap. The TMT team provide some legal support in this area.
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How Much PMS Do You Really Need? - 1 views

www.hospitalityupgrade.com/...magazine_Detail.asp technology Hospitality Software solution PMS CRS
shared by Yunfan Wu on 03 Oct 13 - No Cached
  • Several vendors are developing new systems, though none have yet approached the rich functionality of older products with years of enhancements built into them.  At the same time, many multiproperty brands are looking to replace their existing standard property management systems, but as their strategic emphasis has shifted from central reservations (CRS) to customer relationship management (CRM) they’ve been wondering whether the new PMS really needs to have as much functionality as the old one.
  • Some brands developed their own PMSs, such as Marriott’s FSPMS and FOSSE, Starwood’s Galaxy and Hilton’s OnQ; others standardized on third-party systems. However, in all cases they mandated only the PMS and left it up to the individual properties to decide what to use for their other operational areas.  As a result, several vendors who concentrated on chain-hotel business focused on producing pure PMSs, with functionality covering the traditional core of individual and group reservations, check-in/checkout, folio charges, housekeeping/rooms management and the all-important CRS interface. MSI, RoomKey, Galaxy, SkyTouch and Infor’s epitome and HMS are examples.
  • Other vendors looking more to the independent and resort market expanded their PMSs to include sales and catering, spa/golf/activity management, CRM and sometimes even POS, both retail and food and beverage. For this segment of the market these integrated PMS applications (from vendors such as Agilysys, IQware, NORTHWIND and PAR Springer-Miller Systems) became their most strategic system. A few companies (including Cenium, IDS, Indra and Prologic First) have taken it even further, extending out into full ERPs that cover every operational area including financial and supply chain operations. MICROS falls between the two camps, offering a well-integrated PMS/S&C/CRS suite but relying on third parties for guest activity management and financial systems.
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  • If you’re an owner/manager of a new-build property, there’s a great deal in favor of having as comprehensive a system as you can get, even up to the ERP level of one system managing the complete operation.  If you’re the owner or manager of a franchised brand property you have no say in which PMS to use anyway, though you’ll get the best results if all your other management systems are as well-integrated as they can be amongst themselves as well as interfacing with the PMS.
  • The real world being what it is, properties seldom fall into one segment or the other. Commercial city center hotels often need sales and catering systems, and many have added spas or other guest activities. Pure PMS vendors therefore developed good interfaces to link up with the third-party vendors’ systems typically used to manage these areas. Conversely, properties in the independent and resort world often already had existing point solutions in specific areas, and so vendors typically made their systems very modular and developed interfaces to link to the other vendors’ products until such time as they could, perhaps, replace them with their own modules. 
  • Given the varied demands of the different market segments, there will always need to be a mix of vendor approaches, but whatever else it’s attached to, a well-designed, intuitive and well-interfaced PMS module is still the core of operational success at every property.
  • Yunfan Wu on 03 Oct 13
     
    It gives a discription of how nowadays'  hotels develop and use of their PMS. Some brands develop their own PMS such as Marriott and Starwood; some look more to the independent and resort market expanded their PMS. It seems that we don't need so much kinds of PMS and so many function. According to the analysis of the market and demand, it comes the conclusion that a well- designed, intuitive and well-interfaced PMS module is still the core of operational success at every property.
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Stop, look and listen before investing in hotel tech - 1 views

www.hotelnewsnow.com/...before-investing-in-hotel-tech technology investment Hotel technology
shared by Jia Kim on 23 Oct 13 - No Cached
  • Before investing in hotel technology, stop to reflect and observe what travelers really want and need
  • guests will start to question why they should pay for this tech when they don’t need it, don’t want it and, most importantly, don’t use it.
  • why
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • To understand what the guest really wants and needs: STOP, LOOK and LISTEN!
  • adding Blu-ray players or IP-TV systems with video-on-demand functions?
  • Less is more
  • 1. Super-fast, reliable and suitably priced Internet access
  • 2. A well-lit room with simple controls
  • 3. Power sockets, power sockets and more power sockets
  • 4. Temperatures that can be easily controlled, both up and down.
  • 5. A place to work
  • 6. And as for the TV, include 24-hour news channels, sports channels and some entertaining TV channels
  • what guests want from a hotel room with three Cs: 1. Clean 2. Comfortable 3. Connected
  • Jia Kim on 23 Oct 13
     
    Today's many hotels have been trying to innovate their hotel technology to keep pace with their competitors. However, it seemed like that they're too much depend on the unnecessary and expensive technology. Thus, before investing the hotel technology, stop and look and listen people and what the travelers really want and need. Instead of adding Blu-ray players or IP-TV systems with video-on-demand, or putting an expensive dedicated shaver socket into the bathroom, hotels need to rethink and downsize. Here are some simple and short lists. 1. Super-fast, reliable and suitably priced Internet access 2. A well-lit room with simple controls. 3. Power sockets, power sockets and more power sockets. 4.Temperatures that can be easily controlled, both up and down. 5. A place to work 6. And as for the TV, include 24-hour news channels, sports channels and some entertaining TV channels. From the lists, what guests want from a hotel room with three Cs: 1. Clean 2. Comfortable 3. Connected For conclusion, too many investment on expensive and unnecessary technology would lead a fail in ROI. Rather than just spend money on the technology, hotels should rethink and research what the guests really want while they're staying.
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Why is GDS important to the travel industry? | TTS - 4 views

www.tts.com/...portant-to-the-travel-industry
shared by pelaez17 on 24 Sep 17 - No Cached
  • he Global Distribution System (GDS) is a primary reservation tool for travel agents.
  • GDS is a network/platform that enables travel agencies and their clients to access travel data, shop for and compare reservations options, and book travel.
  • The modern GDS system evolved from this early labour-intensive manual system, thanks to the collaborative team efforts of American Airlines (AA) and IBM.  The result of that collaboration? The first airline industry mainframe-based system, SABRE.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Through such commerce platforms as the GDS Travelport, agents can access scheduling and inventory of hotels, airlines, car rentals, and (some) railway and bus reservations – in real time. GDS links all those services across the three primary travel reservation sectors (airline, hotel, and ground transportation, i.e., car rentals), and activities.
  • Promotional messaging to agents through GDS cores like the most prominent airline national distribution systems (Amadeus, SABRE, Galileo, and Worldspan) alert agents to special rates, fares, and travel packages – an effective marketing tool for passing savings on to agents, and from agents to their customers. 
  • GDS booking has increased worldwide over the past 4 years yet some industry observers suggest that GDSs may become nearly obsolete by 2020. But like many technology/software-based systems, GDS may evolve, instead.
  • GDS is probably not going to fall into disuse any time soon. Rather, it will continue to evolve as it did from the Lazy Susan system of the 1950s.
  • anonymous on 24 Sep 17
     
    I found this article interesting as it talks about why the GDS is important and also gives some insight to how the booking process has changed over the decades. For instance, thanks to the internet we can book a flight within minutes while comfortably sitting on our cough. The article however states, what I did not know, was that back in the 50's, it took an airline reservationist 1.5 to 3 hours to book a single airline flight for the customer. At the end, the article also states that GDS most probably will not be going anywhere any time soon and still be around, at least for some time, and keep on evolving.
  • ...2 more comments...
  • lkastwood on 24 Sep 17
     
    The Hotel industry has been trying to move away from Global Distribution Systems (GDS), because of the high cost associated with them; however, travel agents more than ever are turning to the global distribution system for their hotel and travel bookings. In a recent article written for Travel Technology & Solution they discussed why GDS is important to the travel industry. Educating the reading on what GDS is and how it works, the importance of GDS to travel agents and the future of GDS. According to tts.com "GDS is a network/platform that enables travel agencies and their clients to access travel data, shop for and compare reservations options, and book travel. This allows for the travel agent to provide the best option at the best price to their clients. Travel agents are in favor of this system as what once took hours to complete can now be done in minutes. An agent has the ability to receive messages through the system alerting them of special rates, fares and travel packages which in turned are passed on to their clients. "Not only is messaging through GDSs effective in promoting travel savings to clients, GDS providers are becoming fundamental to the supply of travel products to retailers in the online channel." With a large percentage of people still turning to travel agents to book their travels GDSs might be here to stay. Over the past four years the use of the Global Distribution System has increased, "yet some industry observers suggest that GDSs may become nearly obsolete by 2020".
  • amberarias on 28 Jan 18
     
    This article discusses the history, importance, and future of GDS in a way that is simple and easy to understand. It use to take a long time to make a travel reservation until GDS came along, and it is now used by travel companies and their agents everywhere. It allows them to see a variety of airlines, hotels, transportation, and activities to compare pricing, in order to select the best of each one for their clients. They say GDS will become extinct in a couple of years but this article states otherwise. They believe it will become more sophisticated/developed into something greater.
  • zport003 on 05 Sep 18
     
    The article describes the importance of GDS to the travel industry. The article describes GDS as "a network/platform that enables travel agencies and their clients to access to travel data, shop for and compare reservations options and book travel." The system is used globally as it helps in generating travel sales in billions of dollars. Travel agents use the system access scheduling and inventory of hotels, car rentals, airlines and bus tickets all in real time. The system achieves this by linking the travel reservation sectors of car rentals, hotels and airlines. The major GDSs in the world are Sabre, Amadeus, Worldspan, Apollo, and Galileo. The authors argue that GDS is important to travel agents as it helps the agents to make reservations in real time for their clients and can complete bookings for their clients within a short time. The end of the article proposes that GDS may become obsolete by 2020 due to technological advances. However, the authors argue that the system will evolve with the technological changes and will not fall into disuse anytime soon.
  • pelaez17 on 10 Sep 18
     
    GDS I feel will always have an impact in the travel industry because it is what it was built for since the beginning. Yes, we advance with apps and direct booking but people will always use travel agencies and GDS I believe will always be the primary source for booking for travel agents because it is what makes them comfortable.
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Will guestroom telephones ever be replaced? | Hotel Management - 0 views

www.hotelmanagement.net/...l-guestroom-phones-be-replaced Telecommunication
shared by takesharolle on 03 Sep 18 - No Cached
  • Imagine walking into a hotel room that had no phone,
  • By contrast, present-day landline phones have a proven record of reliability,
  • Security is a primary concern.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • “Some hotels will be on the front end of throwing out the phone for a new technology, but others will be slow to adopt. This will in great part be driven by guest preferences and demands, and generationally there are still millions of travelers who expect a phone in their room.”
  • takesharolle on 03 Sep 18
     
    This article is about the possibility of hotel replacing the tradition landline telephone with digital personal assistant like the Amazon's Echo. Like with any technology, there will be concerns with security. Because with a landline phone, a guest can location can be pinpointed in case of an emergency. The technology that improves the guestroom phone will like replace the telephone with an Alexa/Siri-like device that will meet the guest service needs. This new technology will adhere to every traveler's needs, allowing the guest to have products that they normally uses at home. Eventually, the telephone will be quickly replace by hotels that are jumping at the chance while some hotels will slowly adapt to the ever-growing trend. But at the end of the travels still want a landline phone in their room. Most newer hotels are using VoIP which is saving hotels a lot of money for not running cables. Some hotels still prefer to use a traditional analog telephones that are connected to the internet or a router. With the newer telephones guest will have the ability to place the telephone anywhere in the room whereas with the older that is primary stationary in the nightstand connected by the a cable. At the end of the day, the main goal should and always make things easier for both the guest and hotel.
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Hospitality Net - The Scoop on Next-Generation Hotel Property Management Systems | Jeff... - 1 views

www.hospitalitynet.org/...4072029.html hospitality hotel software technology tech
shared by ketie005 on 07 Jun 16 - No Cached
  • ahand019 on 07 Jun 16
     
    This article talks about how property management systems have changed over the years. Previously the main purpose of the PMS system was focused on back-of-the-house functions like guest registration and housekeeping. Now some PMS systems are equipped with everything from the ability to automate transactions with travel agents to in-room entertainment. These systems are enabling hotels to better serve their guests. Typically full-service hotels and resorts would require more complex PMS systems, but smaller select-service could manage with simpler systems. The overall goal of a PMS system is to increase profitability and RevPar. These new systems are more streamlined across all operations, which enables hotels to meet their goals.
  • vincentsalazar on 17 Sep 16
     
    "Today's systems now generally include channel management capabilities, including a web booking engine and global distribution system connectivity to automate transactions with booking agents. Many systems now integrate with third-party technologies like point-of-sale (POS) software, accounting software, keycard and access control systems, self-service kiosks, internet and telephone systems and in-room refreshment (minibar) and entertainment applications. Some systems now come with marketing and sales tools for creating targeted promotions and campaigns based on individual guest profiles, behaviors and preferences. Some systems also include robust data analysis capabilities for generating business intelligence, including insights into emerging trends. Built-in customer relationship management features can help engender higher levels of guest satisfaction, which invariably leads to not only more repeat stays but also a larger volume of positive brand advocacy - e.g., favorable reviews on TripAdvisor and other popular sites - ultimately translating into increased hotel occupancy rates and revenue per available room (RevPAR)." This article explains the advancement of PMS systems in contrast to the traditional POS software and its limitations. Todays PMS systems offer not only booking capabilities but operational room features as well. Market capabilities are now also available directly from these new PMS system which were previously handled elsewhere.
  • ketie005 on 02 Oct 16
     
    My article was very interesting and it was about the evolution of hotel PMS over the past 10 years. Early generations of hotel property management system only had the necessary features and functions like room inventory maintenance and housekeeping assignment. But now some PMS have been developed to meet the end-to-end needs of modern day lodging properties in ways that could be difficult to imagine a decade ago. Some systems now even come with marketing and sales tools for creating targeted promotions and campaigns based on individual guest profiles, behaviors and preferences. With the help of technology, property management systems for hotels have great opportunities to be improved because the goal of every software should be to provide the best service for the guests based on their information.
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HNN - Sustainability-conscious hoteliers purging plastic - 1 views

www.hotelnewsnow.com/...ious-hoteliers-purging-plastic sustainability environment biodegradable hospitality green
shared by jmelilli on 17 Jan 18 - No Cached
  • At some sustainability-focused hotels, sweating the small stuff makes a big difference.
  • The project reinforced the need for an initiative that Pfister launched about seven years ago to eliminate all single-use plastic straws at all of the Cayuga Collection’s eight luxury sustainable hotels in Costa Rica and Nicaragua
  • The company pays 10 cents per straw, which it tacks onto the cost of each drink.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • Guests at the Sheraton Maui who dine at its poolside restaurants and bars also will notice that the utensils are out of the ordinary. They’re all “bio-based, made primarily with potato and vegetable starch and highly sustainable,” Yamazaki said.
  • At Cayuga Collection hotels, where sustainability “is very much in the company DNA,” Pfister said there also are no lids on property. If a guest asks to take out food, there are biodegradable containers.
  • Anantara hotels also have eliminated plastic water bottles from guestrooms in favor of reusable containers, Roberts said.
  • Anantara hotels also have eliminated plastic water bottles from guestrooms in favor of reusable containers, Roberts said.
  • “The best, of course, is when we not only get buy-in at work, but that our folks take initiatives home or, as is the case with the bamboo straws in Chiang Rai, other local businesses see what we have done and have joined the club, starting to order their own straws, which has turned a ‘crazy idea’ we took to a local village into a thriving community run business,” he said.
  • He said he also believes that the brand’s sustainability efforts will build guest loyalty, and “in the future people will begin to preferentially choose truly sustainable hotel chains.”
  • jmelilli on 17 Jan 18
     
    This article focuses on an effort by many luxury brands to eliminate the use of plastic single use straws to reduce their footprint and become more sustainably minded. They have moved to serve drinks without straws and instead supply biodegradable alternatives upon request. Some brands have gone even further and reduced, eliminated, and/or replaced plastic water bottles and to-go containers with their environmentally friendly alternatives. These changes have incurred costs that have either been passed on t or absorbed but have also created, in some cases such as the Cayuga's gardens bamboo straws, new business opportunities. 
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What hotels need to consider before ramping up marketing efforts | PhocusWire - 0 views

www.phocuswire.com/keters-recovery-considerations
shared by ghoafat on 17 Jun 20 - No Cached
  • ravel having the unenviable distinction of being one of the hardest hit. And yet, as an industry, travel has always proven resilient in the face of unprecedented national and global crises, and it will continue to do so.
  • All have faced cancellations and dramatic reductions in demand, and this has caused many to reduce or altogether suspend advertising activity in affected regions.
  • it will manifest first in the reinstatement of certain marketing and advertising activities.
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • When it comes to this pandemic, timing is everything
  • The earlier you start showing that you are there for your customers during their time of need, the more likely they will keep you top of mind to return to you as business returns to normal.
  • For businesses and properties that have remained staffed throughout the crisis and are ready to receive travelers immediately, earlier ignition of marketing efforts will make sense. On the other hand, those that furloughed employees will have to ensure that they’ve properly reinstated and ramped up operations before aggressively seeking new bookings.
  • Are you only able to ramp your marketing spend back up if you can do so at the same profitability level to which you’d become accustomed pre-pandemic? Or are you looking to get business flowing again even at a temporarily lower profitability rate?
  • For some brands, getting customers re-engaged with their brands, even at a near-break-even rate, will be worth the effort,
  • Countries where COVID-19 struck hard more recently will see later recoveries, with the United States likely being one of the last to reopen fully for travel.
  • Again, the ramp-up of activity will, in all likelihood, follow a pattern similar to the regional turn-off of campaigns
  • When demand spikes again, the need to shift share will be greater than ever. In ramping activities back up, the first thing brands should consider is staying active on their social channels. This is an audience who are predisposed to the brand and have a higher likelihood to engage.
  • Beyond that, travel brands should also be looking internally to determine what improvements can be made now to improve ROAS in the future. This time adds a unique opportunity for brands to experiment with different advertising methods that they wouldn’t typically try.
  • ghoafat on 17 Jun 20
     
    This article talks about the hotel industry and the inside scoop on their efforts to getting back out their and marketing themselves after COVID-19. There are a few things they need to consider while they are beginning to strategize their plan. One of them is timing. If the company remained staff, then they may begin marketing faster than those that furloughed employees. In that case, they may need to get that together before they invest in marketing. Another item to consider are their goals. Companies must think about what they can afford. They need to think about if they are able to have some leeway and able to take things slower, even if it means breaking even for a while or does your company absolutely need to be at the same profitability level pre-pandemic? Another consideration would be regions. Certain regions were hit harder than others. Therefore, recovery will be by a case by case basis. Some regions will be able to market and get back to business faster than others. Yet another consideration is channels. This refers to social media and other types of media in order to market. Travelers follow many travel pages on social media, therefore this should be a priority when trying to ramp up customer traffic again. All-in-all, the travel and hotel industry will make a comeback. Although it will be a slow comeback, the industry will prevail just as it has before.
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Hotel_ITSec.pdf - 0 views

diigo.com/0i29lv
shared by marble_bird on 15 Jul 20 - No Cached
  • During the past decade, information technology (IT) has significantly changed the way the hotel industry controls and manages operations. While many technologies have been utilized, some newer technologies have emerged in the literature and in practice, and many of them impact the hotel’s security.
  • Among the results, this study identified a gap between hoteliers’ understanding of IT budget adequacy and the adequacy of installed IT security systems.
  • Advancements in technology are increasing at a remarkable rate. As technology becomes more important, organizations that do not keep up with these advancements could lose business opportunities to other competitors that do
  • ...53 more annotations...
  • The four leading technologies which have showed a high adoption rate from the industry and have received attention from academia are: self-service, wireless, green, and security technologies. The advantages of these technologies for hoteliers include enhanced customer services and operational efficiency (Doyle, 2007), decreased guest wait times, more efficient methods to settle bills (Singh & Kasavana, 2005), reduction of energy costs (Meeroff & Scarlatos, 2007), and protection of sensitive customer data and credit card numbers
  • In addition, exploring the influential factors of security system usage will provide greater depth of knowledge with respect to why some hotels have adopted more security systems than others.
  • there is still a lack of understanding of the nature of risk associated with inadequate IT security, especially among operators of hotels that do not have their own IT departments.
  • Self-service technologies are commonly defined as devices or applications which permit users to produce a service independent from the direct involvement of the service provider (Meuter, Ostrom, Roundtree, & Bitner, 2000). The use of self-service technologies in the hotel industry has grown considerably, especially in the areas of self check-in, in-room check-out, and foodservice kiosks
  • IT systems refer to general support systems such as mainframe computer, mid-range computer, and local area network.
  • Some of the most significant wireless technology applications involve the use of mobile handheld devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDA), tablet PCs, and cellular phones, or RFID (radio frequency identification). RFID utilizes computer chips and antennas, allowing the chips to wirelessly communicate with a receiver.
  • While the major usage of RFID in the hotel industry was for inventory control purposes, it also has the potential to be utilized in ways that can provide more conveniences for the guests.
  • Other possible uses include placing RFID tags on items of high value as a means of theft prevention or integrating tags into guest loyalty cards for easy identification
  • IT investment that lowers environmental impact and IT that manages the environmental impact of other systems are commonly referred to as “green technology”
  • Many hoteliers might think becoming more environmentally friendly will cost more for their hotels. However, it has been demonstrated that “going green” is not only the right thing to do for the environment but also provides tangible bottom-line benefits for hotels by reducing consumption of energy and water, as well as other related costs.
  • Some of the risk factors involved include reliability, security, and privacy issues
  • A hotel with more technologies being utilized will install more security systems than those with fewer technologies.
  • Many of these attacks involve attempts by thieves to gain access to customer credit card data, and these attempts constitute a major portion of the risk inherent in IT security
  • if a system is breached and the merchant is not PCI compliant, the merchant then is responsible for all costs associated with improperly used credit card information taken from that system (Kress, 2008). These losses could bankrupt a business if the security breach goes undetected for even a short time.
  • IT security systems are those measures taken to protect the confidentiality and integrity of proprietary data.
  • two main paradigms of adoption are believed to occur: bottom-up adoption and top-down adoption.
  • Thus, it is reasonable to assume that organizational factors (e.g., financial factor, human resource) will influence the implementation stage of security systems at a hotel.
  • A hotel with sufficient IT budget will install more security systems than those with insufficient IT budget.
  • That is, if a hotel does not have its own IT department, it will have a negative influence on successfully installing or maintaining necessary security systems.
  • A hotel with its own IT department will install more security systems than those without.
  • Overall, the state of IT spending on security continues undiminished because managed security services are required for almost every application (Communications News, 2007).
  • risk associated with a breach of IT systems security (e.g., network break-ins) is very high. Consequently, no sector of the business community is exempt from attacks on their IT systems, with an attack being defined as a technique used to exploit a system’s vulnerabilities.
  • Given the importance of security and privacy at a luxury hotel, this study expects luxury properties to have installed more security systems than other segments
  • Most hotel employees use their property management systems for hotel operations and should be able to check their e-mails.
  • To justify the low response rate, previous studies which have compared response rates of mail and e-mail for surveys were reviewed.
  • the large majority of respondent properties do not have their own IT departments. Second, the people making IT decisions generally do not have IT backgrounds or training. Third, the large majority of respondent properties have little more than firewalls or antivirus software to protect their proprietary data, and these systems alone are not adequate to meet PCI standards, as they do not take steps to encrypt and protect cardholder data, maintain a vulnerability management program, implement strong access control measures, regularly monitor and test their networks, and maintain an information security policy as required by the Security Standards Council.
  • The respondents were asked to select from a total of fourteen securities related systems
  • The profile of the respondents revealed that they were experienced hoteliers with more than ten years experience in the industry
  • Fifty-three percent of the respondents reported that they were with chain hotels that would be considered mid-range properties with an average of 175 rooms (median of 107). Over 80% of the respondents reported working in operations, while fewer than 4% reported working in either IT or engineering (Table 1).
  • Nearly 70% of the respondents’ properties did not have their own IT department (69.2% did not have, and 30.8% had their own IT departments, n = 234, missing data = 10).
  • Fifty-three percent of them (n = 244) thought the most important goal for hotel technology would be enhancing the customer’s experience.
  • second identified goal was utilizing technology to help generate revenue (41%)
  • differentiate properties from their competition (20%), to lower expenses (16%), and to increase security (6%).
  • Internet kiosks in the lobby represented the most frequently used self-service technology (36.5%, n = 244), followed by kiosks for airline check-in/board pass
  • With respect to security systems currently in use, antivirus security systems represented the most frequently used security system (92.2%), followed by hardware firewalls, software firewalls, physical security, and encrypted login security systems.
  • intrusion detection was the most frequently identified system (15.6%), followed by vulnerability assessment scanning (13.5%), Internet scanning (13.1%), antivirus (11.5%), digital ID server (11.5%), and nonreusable passwords (9.8%; Table 2).
  • Thus, the hypothesis was supported that there was a linear relationship between the three factors and the adequacy of security systems.
  • The positive standardized coefficient (β) of .389 indicates that there was a statistically significant (p < .001) linear relationship between IT usage (the number of wireless, self-service, and green technologies a hotel was using) and the adequacy of security systems
  • The study revealed certain things of interest, the most significant of which is the need for greater emphasis on IT security among hoteliers.
  • only about 30% of all respondents reported having their own IT departments. Since budget hotel properties are extremely unlikely to have an IT department, it is highly likely that the very large majority of IT decisions throughout the industry are being made by hotel operators for whom IT is not their primary area of concern.
  • Furthermore, the focus of hoteliers for future IT implementations is enhancing the guest experience (53%) and generating revenue (41%). Very few respondents (6%) identified increasing security as a 5-year IT goal.
  • While almost all respondents use information systems as part of their jobs, very few are trained in the development, maintenance, and secure use of these systems.
  • no correlation was found between the respondents’ perceived adequacy of their IT budgets and the adequacy of installed security systems, as adequacy of IT budget did not appear as a significant term in the regression analysis.
  • Nearly 10% of respondents do not have so much as anti-virus protection for their systems, and nearly half do not even take simple physical precautions to protect their IT systems.
  • we note that no correlation exists between the respondents’ perceived adequacy of their IT budgets and the number of installed IT security systems, as the number of installed systems was not a significant factor in the regression analysis.
  • The sample obtained in this study represented the targeted sample: over 80% of the respondents were working in hotel operations. Furthermore, the purpose of this study was to explore hotel operators’ insight of technology usage, IT budget, and security measures rather than to confirm existing theories or to generalize the results.
  • it is reasonable to conclude that the respondents did not have an adequate understanding of the nature of the IT security hazards facing them for the average property does not have installed systems adequate to meet PCI standards, yet they reported having adequate budgets.
  • In order to adequately protect proprietary data, one must have an understanding of network security, which is an understanding apart from software functionality.
  • Properties with their own IT departments, however, reported that they had a higher number of installed IS security systems than did those properties without their own IT departments.
  • roperties without their own IT departments, in particular, have a less adequate understanding of their IT security needs than may be necessary.
  • This study found hoteliers’ lack of attention to security provision, training in IT, and PCI compliance can place hoteliers at great risk. For example, the cost of a single incident at a noncompliant property could result in the loss of the entire business.
  • It will be useful to examine the reasons why luxury properties are more likely to employ adequate security measures to determine whether this greater use is attributable to better understanding of security issues or some other factor.
  • The study was limited by the nature of online surveys; the response rate was quite low. Future studies could test the proposed research model via paper-based mail surveys to increase a response rate.
  • marble_bird on 15 Jul 20
     
    This article covers a study performed on various hotels to determine management's level of IT knowledge and security implementations in relation to the hotel's IT security budget. The article discusses four types of technology impacting the hotel industry and how management responses to trending technology can affect a business, particularly in terms of a data breach and overall security. The study finds that an alarming percentage of hotel managers are not adequately informed on the risks and procedures of IT management and security, and many do not have proper IT security measures in place despite having an appropriate budget.
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How Hotel F&B Pivoted in Response to COVID-19, and What the Future Holds | By Court Wil... - 0 views

www.hospitalitynet.org/...4100144.html hotel
shared by nbakir on 12 Sep 20 - No Cached
  • nbakir on 12 Sep 20
     
    This article focuses on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the hospitality industry, with a critical look into the approaches that hotels F&B have applied to combat the new challenges. It is apparent that businesses in this industry have been adversely affected by the fact that they are no longer allowed to host customers, and some have even been closed down. The main challenge is that the businesses have also had to adjust their operations, with respect to the provision of an environment where there is minimal contact between customers and the employees. This article reveals some of the feasible approaches that have been applied by some of the businesses to ensure they continue serving their customers. Some of the strategies include the development of contactless food delivery options, providing gift cars and certificates to entice the consumers to purchase discounted offers, and promoting online ordering for food and other products. "Since most governments are prohibiting food and beverage outlets from opening fully for dine-in guests, contactless food delivery options have gained momentum." (Williams, 2020). Such innovations are bound to be the only way for the players in the industry to survive. However, they also need to embrace the fact that they have to lay off most of the workers and to repurpose some of the facilities. The hotel industry has to continuously embrace the challenges being presented by the restrictive laws meant to enhance the safety of the people by preventing the spread of the viral infection. The amicable solutions should be the diversification of products and services to meet the new needs of the target markets, while also ensuring that the entities are not operating at a loss.
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Green Technology: Green Technology for Hotels - 1 views

www.hotel-industry.co.uk/...green-technology green hotel
shared by LU DENG on 20 Sep 12 - No Cached
  • In the light of the recent Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, savvy hoteliers are accordingly adopting the latest green gadgets and waste reduction techniques to stay ahead of the game. 
  • Hotel architecture has also undergone something of a transformation and many new green hotel developments are being designed to fit in with the local landscape. Energy reducing technology applied at the build stage can often make significant energy savings by the use of green roofing and building materials and energy reducing technology.
  • bio fuel heating
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • recycled water
  • ozone
  • in the form of card key switches for electricity and air conditioning, linen cards for re-using towels and sheets and motion sensors for electricity in public areas
  • over recent years are installing energy efficient fixtures and fittings for bathroom taps, shower heads and sanitary ware.
  • Of course green measures don’t have to cost the earth.
  • Further cost effective measures can be applied when it comes to guest activities
  • So even if you’re operating on a much smaller scale than the big chains, it’s worth adopting a green technology policy to suit your budget.
  • Jia Zhu on 20 Sep 12
     
    In this article it discussed the main green technologies used for hotel chains and independent hotel owners. In a bid to reduce carbon emissions ahead of possible future legislation, many hotels are adopting strategies to comply with stringent energy guidelines. Large hotel chais are making sure they go extra miles to ensure their green credentials are noticed. Green consultants and architects are employed and eco-friendly strategy for sustainable technologies are rolled out at the entire hotel groups.  Hotel architecture transform to more new green hotel developments which more fit in  with the local landscape as well as energy reducing technology apply for the roofing and building materials. Bio fuel heating replace for diesel and recycled water being used to irrigate hotel grounds. Some hotels are using ozone instead of chlorine in the pools. Other green energy management systems has become increasingly common. Green gadgets are proving a cost effective choice and can also reduce the impact of heavy guest usage on resources.Many Chins are minimizing waste by avoiding over-paced products and asking to deliver minimal wrapping.  Further cost effective measures can be applied to guest activities. They promote local restaurants and attractions within walking distance or only a short care journey away. Bicycles are offered for guests or endorse local tour firms which save on multiple car journeys.  Eco-friendly measures and green technology as part of hotel's general philosophy are well accepted. It also helps to ensure future goodwill and increase occupancy rates. It worth adopting a green technology policy to suit a hotel budget.
  • LU DENG on 21 Sep 12
     
    Through the article, I found that more and more companies and customers concern about green technology and it has became a heated issue for hotel chains and independent hotel owners. Then why do we need green technology in hotel industry? The answers varies: the general one could be that we need a green world and we should reduce the burden of our environment; for customers, I think we should try to protect the place that provides us beautiful view and nice mood and to make it more comfortable to live in; for hoteliers, building and operating hotels means more saving on energy, more profit,and higher reputation. Even through we have different points of view, we can work on the same theme. Then the problem came in: how to build and operate a green hotel. The author of this article gave me some ideas and I am sure green technology can be everywhere. For instance, large hotel chains can employ green consultants and architect and even launch test sites where they can assess the effectiveness of their green strategy. Professional architects can customize their design to fit the local landscape. From the beginning we can have the green roofing and building materials which can benefit us a lot later. The facilities and operation system can be energy saving by focusing on every detail such as the recycled water and bio fuel heating.  Besides in room technology can be green too. Hoteliers can also try to plan some actives that are environmental friendly for their guests.  Green technology can be applied to every step of building and operating hotels.It is meaningful for hoteliers to focus on the green theme. 
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Hotels and Resorts Ramp Up Sustainability Efforts - The New York Times - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...sustainability-ecotourism.html hotels resorts sustainability Hospitality Green
shared by anonymous on 07 Sep 19 - No Cached
  • Hotels and resorts have started to act by ramping up efforts to reduce or eliminate completely their resource and energy consumption.
  • “Sustainability is more than energy conservation or recycling; it is about sustaining communities for the tourism product.”
  • While Marriott International and other large chains have promised to eliminate items that never fully decompose, like plastic straws, there is still a lot more work to be done.
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  • The 114-room Conrad Bora Bora Nui resort in French Polynesia has developed 17 different underwater coral structures around its resort with the mindset to regenerate them. This is done using a “Biorock” technique (passing a low-voltage current through electrodes in the water) developed by the marine biologist Denis Schneider. The process is currently considered among the best ways to fight coral mortality.
  • With assistance of the tour leader, they help transplant the coral to the sea bottom to ensure it is able to continue its growth.
  • The resort also designed open-air rooms to allow natural breezes to cool the areas, eliminating the need for air-conditioning.
  • Solmar Hotels and Resorts in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, heats water (including in its pools) using photo-thermal panels.
  • this energy savings translates into fewer emissions into the atmosphere (or the equivalent of pulling 198 gasoline-run cars out of circulation).
  • The Spectator Hotel in Charleston, S.C., recently established a food waste diversion program where half-eaten food items such as fruit and pastries are put into a digester that turns them into reusable water.
  • The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach organizes three-hour-long beach cleanups every three months.
  • ayenkiah on 07 Sep 19
     
    Sustainability has been a primary focus for many hotel companies around the world. There are many initiatives that are being created other than your everyday recycling. Fairmont Mayakoba has implemented a tour in which guest can assist in the transplant of coral to help their growth. Hosteling International USA has also become the first of it's kind to develop a system that monitors shower to last at most seven minutes in it effort to conserve water. These are just some of the many ideas that are taking into effect to further progress sustainability within hotel operations.
  • anonymous on 08 Sep 19
     
    As guests are getting more environmentally friendly, being sustainable is an important aspect of hotel operations. Before they book a hotel, a lot of guests will look for or read about the hotel's social responsibility program. Hence, going green would bring in more revenue by attracting more guests.
  • anonymous on 21 May 20
     
    This article explains several ways that hotels and resorts are helping in the fight for sustainability. Some resorts have completely eliminated the use of air conditioning and other ways to get energy for running electricity. For example, the Jade Mountain resort in St. Lucia has designed all their rooms to be open-air rooms which allows for breezes to come through the rooms and ultimately cool down the rooms. This, in turn, eliminates the need for air-conditioning all together. Some hotels are even offering classes on how to live a more sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle. Hotels and resorts have worked towards saving coral reefs, energy and water conservation, preserving food and re-purposing waste, and creating eco-minded communities.
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