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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!

A total of 40 venue directors hosting teams from Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), and the National Hockey League (NHL) completed the survey. Staffing and training, fan behavior, technology utilization, patron screening, cybersecurity, and drone mitigation were areas of focus.

The majority of respondents indicated that their current entry screening checkpoints caused lines to form outside their venues, and the average wait time is less than 10 minutes during the busiest times.

Top training requirements for security staff included venue/event familiarization, prohibited items, fan code of conduct, standard operating procedures, how to operate security technology, and crowd management. Facilitated in-person training was the most common method, followed by table-top exercises, routine refresher courses, e-learning, and workshops.

Tina Hoang-To got the idea to build Wedding Spot after planning her own wedding in late 2012. She felt overwhelmed by the stacks of wedding packets quickly taking over her coffee table, and the thought of researching hundreds of wedding venues was exhausting.

a big opportunity to create a company that could help brides plan their dream weddings without going through all the stress

Consumer behavior has evolved drastically since the introduction of the Internet

In addition to speeding up registration time, incorporating RFID technology into events will help with both qualitative and quantitative data analysis, thereby making it easier for planners to target what worked during their event and what didn’t.

Though event apps are admittedly helpful, they now have a new hurdle to face. Producing an application to be used for one event is costly, time consuming, and inefficient, as users must learn how to interact with the app for each new event attended. Phone storage space is very important to consumers. Many are hesitant to download an application that they will only use once. Thus, event apps that can continue to deliver value to customers beyond the date of the event itself, are going to become a huge trend.

RFID also has the potential to allow attendees to become more engaged with the event across various social platforms.

Planners should adjust budgets to a

nticipate higher rates, and book event space as early as possible.

This year’s mantra is “book now!” The longer you wait, the more you’ll pay. Or even worse, you won’t find a viable space for your event.

we’ve pieced together those innovations and trends across the event and event planning industry that are positioned to shape the next decade

it’s important to remember that the experience doesn’t begin and end with the stay or the event itself; instead, it starts before a planner books your venue, long before that first attendee checks-in.

When hotels and venue spaces utilize a venue management platform, they’re able to effectively market their space globally, while catering specifically to the needs and process of modern planners.

Target Field becomes first Major League Baseball stadium to achieve LEED Platinum Certification via new rating system

Minnesota Twins receive highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Green Building Council for continued excellence in Operations and Maintenance at the “Greenest Ballpark in America”

Minnesota Twins announced today that they have been awarded LEED Platinum certification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance – making Target Field the first Major League Baseball venue to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest possible honor via the new LEED v4.1 rating system.

increases attendance by 20%, productivity by 27%, and profit margin by 20-30% on average.

Capterra,

Event management tools are a topic we love talking about. Mainly because experiential marketing stats show that the use of event management software

According to "The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy", the first of its kind quantitative research-based analysis on the subject, meetings and conventions support over 1.7 million jobs throughout the U.S. alone. The 1.8 million recorded meetings and conventions held throughout the country in 2011 directly contributed an excess of $106 billion dollars to the Gross Domestic Product with all indicators pointing towards industry growth between 2012 -2020. In essence, meetings mean business…..Big Business!

When asked how planners prefer to communicate with their venue partners, the overwhelming response was: electronically (laptops, tablets and smartphones).

Planners’ opinions of the technology most important to them for choosing a meeting/event venue in 2013 yielded the following results: High Speed Wi-Fi accessibility Web Conferencing Video Conferencing Although not as important as the above, planners also indicated that the following technologies were also of importance depending on the nature of the meeting/event: Virtual Meeting Environments Portable Audio/Visual Electronic Way-Finding Signage

“Advances in wireless and mobile technologies, products and services are changing the landscape of the hospitality industry and how it operates,” says Craig Mathias, principal, Farpoint Group. “With a demanding client base equipped with increasing numbers of smartphones, tablet computers, notebook PCs and even rugged devices, successful hospitality IT organizations recognize the need to upgrade their existing WLANs to improve network reliability, capacity and coverage to support customer-facing applications, as well as internal services that enable their own mobile workforce and improve the guest experience.”

For venues, there’s no charge for listing space; a 10 to 13 percent commission is charged when the venue receives a successful booking. Sign-up and creating a listing was a simple process; after adding a description, pricing, photos, space sizes and availability, Heartland’s information was approved and is now readily viewable to potential customers 24/7. The tool has resulted in an immediate savings in labor for Heartland Brewery, and noticeable increases in bookings.

Cvent operates the number one marketplace for group meetings business in the world and has driven $3.4 billion in meetings spend through the Cvent Supplier Network through the first half of 2012 – a 50% increase over 2011.

Most venues today can provide you with an event experience that has a smaller environmental impact and give you a better story to tell stakeholders

To reduce the amount of waste that ends up in the landfill, ask the following questions:

To reduce your energy and water impacts, ask the following questions:

l become expected for venues to be equipped with thermal scanning,

showing symptoms and can be immediately quarantined

a security measure expected by planners and attendees

Event technology is any digital tool that helps planners complete tasks pertaining to their work as event organizers. Types of event technology include but are not limited to event marketing software, event management software and mobile event apps.

Before event technology, hosting an event was a very manual process. Attendee lists needed to be drafted contact by contact in Excel or on-paper.

Today, event marketers have a complex array of technologies to choose from. Everything from marketing to ticket sales to data collection can easily be added to an organized event tech stack.

Video surveillance helps secure World Poker Tour tournament

The casino needed to have comprehensive coverage to enhance both event security and the safety of VIP guests; secure premises and protect against fraud and theft; and fulfill legal requirements set by local regulators.

To improve video coverage of gaming tables and the casino floor, security engineers from Volga Elektronik installed IDIS 5MP dome cameras and the IDIS Solution Suite (ISS) video management system (VMS). The expanded surveillance system helps operators detect, verify, analyze and rapidly respond to security and safety events and meet the requirements of regulatory gaming integrity.

The Plaza Hotel, Mandarin Oriental, The Pierre, Pier Sixty, Harriette Rose Katz of Gourmet Advisory Services, State of the Art, Marcia Selden Catering and Foremost Caters

chance for a mismanaged seating chart to ruin the entire event

chance