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The South Carolina Hospitality Association's interim director, Rick Erwin, also contracted a Columbia accounting firm to conduct an independent audit of the association's finances late last week."He has made sure that he has personal control over all the bank accounts and all the transactions and contributions," said association spokesman Bob McAlister. "Everything at the association is now 100 percent secure."

MIAMI BEACH, FLA.—The 1 Hotel South Beach in Miami Beach, Fla. announced that it was awarded LEED Silver. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes, and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained, and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.

guestrooms were designed to surround guests with natural materials and fabrics that brought elements of nature into every space. The rooms and suites maintain a casual yet elegant atmosphere that is at one with the relaxed lifestyle of South Beach. Driftwood accents and sumptuous textures (in neutrals and pastels that mimic nature’s palette) were created by blending a host of natural materials; including leather, wood, and stone as well as silk, linen, and cotton.

LEED is the foremost program for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings. More than 82,000 commercial and institutional projects are currently participating in LEED, comprising more than 15.7 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and more than 162 countries and territories.

RePower South starts South Carolina facility

The recycling system, provided by Eugene, Oregon-based Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), is highly automated and capable of processing more than 50 tons per hour of mixed waste to recover recyclables and produce a fuel feedstock. 

processing a minimum of 120,000 tons annually. Prior to this system coming online, county residents were required to opt in and pay for household recycling or use drop-off recycling sites that only accepted paper and cardboard. All other recyclables were sent to landfill.

A new luxury hotel which has just opened up in Johannesburg has set the tone for the hospitality industry and implemented extensive measures to make use of solar panel power in their hotel.

The hotel in the spotlight is the DaVinci Hotel which is opening up in the upmarket area of Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, Johannesburg. The Legacy Hotel Group, which owns the luxury hotel worked in partnership with Kayema Energy and numerous international Solar power experts in order to design the substantially large and complicated solar powered water heating system.

The solar power system is not the only green initiative which has been implemented by the hotel.

As an important component of the accommodation sector, hotel operations are characterised by a massive number of activities that collectively exert a significant impact on global resources (Kirk 1995:3)

he considerable environmental effects of hotels contribute to problems, many of which are international in scope, with the major one being climate change

According to estimations, an average hotel releases between 160 kg and 200 kg of CO2 per square metre of room floor area per year and the water consumption per guest per night is between 170 and 440 litres in the average five-star hotel. On average, hotels produce 1 kg of waste per guest per night

As part of a month-long trial period, they introduced ASTRO to help carry trays of food and return dirty dishes to the kitchen. Humans still serve the food to seated customers.

Sergio’s chain just signed a deal with the technology company to hire Servi robots at other Sergio’s locations in South Florida. The goal, Gazitua said, is to relieve Sergio’s human workers of some of the work that takes them away from helping customers in other, more human ways

“The human interaction is never going to be replaced — that’s what you want. You want your servers to spend time with your customers.”

aims to make the Korean island province an example of the use of a decentralized digital identity based on blockchain.

esidents will manage their ID via a digital wallet.

The South Korean government is promoting the project as a way to enable residents to access public transport, public administration services, and access control for buildings across the city

Los Angeles-based robot delivery service Coco made its way into Austin this month.

Vaquero Taquero, Arpeggio Grill, Bambo Bistro, Clay Pit, DeSano Pizzeria, Tuk Tuk Thai, and Aviator Pizza.

robots, which will be controlled remotely, will make deliveries in the South Lamar, South Congress, general South Austin, downtown, North, North Loop, and Domain areas.

"With the rising use of tablets, smartphones and other devices, the needs of today's modern traveler are changing, making high-performance connectivity nearly just as important as price, location and loyalty programs when selecting a hotel

The new suite of products enables hotels and motels to leverage advanced technology from a single provider to improve the guest experience, streamline back-office operations and reduce costs."

By the end of 2013, the majority of hotels will have booking engines integrated into their social media channels and mobile websites

By October 2015, all restaurants and other merchants will be subjected to new Europay, Mastercard, and Visa (EMV) standards, which reflect a shift from magnetic-stripe credit cards to chip-and-pin cards.

, the chip-based cards require insertion of the card into a terminal throughout the entire transaction.

chip-based cards are less susceptible to fraud.

HP has released two new POS systems, one of them designed to cope with ambient temperatures as high as 40 Centigrade.

The other can withstand relatively harsh environments such as food outlets where the unit must be located close to the kitchen or serving counter.

ecognizing that operating hotels is a global industry, HFTP determined that there is not a globally accepted method that financial professionals, ownership structures, investors and benchmarking information services can use to support efficient operations. There is also not a globally accepted method to monitor investment performance from region to region without significant assumptions and data mining.

Currently, research is being conducted into current practices. This research will identify who is doing what in different parts of the world, with a view to establishing best practice and providing practical guidance for students, practitioners and professionals involved in the industry.

In order to create a global resource for the hospitality finance industry, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) began development on a global hospitality accounting system users guide this past March. Recognizing that operating hotels is a global industry, HFTP determined that there is not a globally accepted method that financial professionals, ownership structures, investors and benchmarking information services can use to support efficient operations. There is also not a globally accepted method to monitor investment performance from region to region without significant assumptions and data mining. HFTP’s Global Hospitality Accounting System Users Guide (GHASUG) will address this need. Where does the project stand right now? Currently, research is being conducted into current practices. This research will identify who is doing what in different parts of the world, with a view to establishing best practice and providing practical guidance for students, practitioners and professionals involved in the industry. The guidance will be formulated by industry experts, based on the research findings. To date HFTP has commitments from major information benchmarking companies, hotel corporations, hospitality associations and globally recognized hospitality schools around the world. Once completed, HFTP will make the outcome accessible online, together with analytical tools. It will be available at a minimal cost and users will have the capability to print versions if they desire. The hotel sector currently enjoys the benefits of an accounting structure developed in the USA specifically for the industry.  The Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry has been widely adopted, principally by US based operating companies, and linked to management contract terms.  HFTP has been involved in this project for many years and will continue to sponsor the 11th edition in support and via a monetary contribution.

The question of whether GDSs remains a relevant middleman in today’s evolving travel landscape continues to be a hot topic of discussion at ASEAN Tourism Conference during ATF last week, as industry players bring different sides of the argument to the table.

Adjusted EBITDA decreased by $1.1 million from the comparable period in 2010 primarily due to renovations at Delano and Hudson

During 2011, the Company sold its ownership interests in five hotels while retaining management and terminated its management and ownership interests in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas

During 2011, the Company reduced its consolidated debt by approximately $232 million

Hotels, conference centers and other meeting venues are increasing group business with new technology, and it isn’t just a hotel app. To invest in the property’s overall capital, hoteliers are creating cool technology tools that market venues, increase group business and enhance the guest experience. Technology is just another way hotels are winning group business and marketing a hotel or conference center. What are some of these new hot tools for leisure and business travelers?

Investment in Hotel Technology Pays Off with Increased Group Revenue Tuesday, July 10, 2012 by Sarah Vining Hotels, conference centers and other meeting venues are increasing group business with new technology, and it isn’t just a hotel app. To invest in the property’s overall capital, hoteliers are creating cool technology tools that market venues, increase group business and enhance the guest experience. Technology is just another way hotels are winning group business and marketing a hotel or conference center. What are some of these new hot tools for leisure and business travelers? Virtual concierge service on guest room TVs At Hyatt Hotels with in-room HD TVs by Roomlinx Inc., guests are able make service requests, check email/weather, use the Business Center, print documents, and receive customized messages from meeting planners. Service requests like housekeeping and in-room dining are instantly sent through the system, improving the venue’s departmental efficiency. All of these virtual functions are hoped to appeal to new markets and drive group business. More efficient billing In the article, “Insert IACC blog post title URL” we learn that in 2012, meeting and group planners are prioritizing finance as very important during in their planning process (which made the top 10 list for the first time). Hotels making large investments in revenue management systems are taking advantage of new features that automate and process data to improve efficiency and increase revenue for properties. Virtual business centers Socialization through technology and food and beverage outlets is increasing revenue for TRYP by Wyndham in the NYC Times Square South property. Google TVs and access to Google Chrome laptops near the Gastro Bar in the hotel’s lobby offers guests an opportunity to enjoy a dining experience with the comfort of complimentary technology use. On-staff IT team When planners were surveyed, reliability was listed as a top concern of IT services in the white paper “What Do Planners and Trainers Really Want in Their Meeting Service?” All IACC-certified conference centers are required to have an on-site IT team to ensure technology functions properly. Now, the need for a knowledgeable IT team that really understands technology and can cater to individuals and group business is spreading to other hotel markets.   These impressive technology tools improve the guest experience and lead to a quick return on investment, especially in F&B. As we move beyond the discussion of required hotel Wi-Fi services, there will be a focus on technology amenities that provide the same comforts of home or the office. To increase group business, hoteliers are comfortable with this investment knowing there’s a return on investment with generated buzz/venue marketing and satisfied guests. Want to learn about other ways hotels are using technology to build relationships? Check out Enhancing Your Social Networking Site with a Social Concierge! to maximize social media and connect with guests, attendees and planners!