Group items tagged

Information such as how your room is priced compared to competitors, or the current month’s profit as compared to the previous month gives deep insights.

Budgets Compare profits (between current and past periods) Prepare financial statements, balance sheets Cash flow statements Payroll management Business planning and much more

 5. Speed and efficiency:

2. Access from anywhere:

3. Information in real-time:

 4. Ease of use:

1. Automation and Accuracy: A hotel accounting system makes it easy for you to generate invoices, account statements, produce payslips, and much more.

Tech-savvy hoteliers have adopted cloud-based property management systems (PMS) to perform a host of tasks including accounting.

Embrace Innovation

company that thinks outside the box is Marriott International,

Marriott has an "innovation lab"

headquarters that constantly manufactures new ideas

implementing communal rooms.

share a kitchen,

dining room, and lounge area

Make Technology Your Friend

how technology has the power to take companies to the next level.

people don't normally like change or have trouble adapting to new systems.

Personalize Employee Communication

personalizing employee communication.

The staff is the backbone of any hotel and needs to constantly be informed.

act that you can't ignore internal communications anymore. Today's guests expect to communicate anywhere, anytime with ease—and your employees expect the same.

Hotels that have implemented internal communication platforms where team members not only receive information faster, but also stay connected to every employee, have seen their teams fulfill requests quicker

The drastic improvements in the Audio-Video equipments, staging and lighting instruments have made sure that you need to make your event stand out.

Technology has made sure that geographical impediments no more stop you from attending an event half way round the world. The webinars and live meetings are the newest venues for events the world over.

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have completely altered the way we think about event promotion.

Recently – online registration for events has taken the center stage with a lot of small players like Eventzilla. 

Now the event attendees can ask questions to the speaker via tweets or Facebook comments real time during an event. With the world tweeting away night and day, there is no doubt that technology has changed our life completely

The barriers have been stomped down and the walls have fallen.   Technology has made sure that geographical impediments no more stop you from attending an event half way round the world. The webinars and live meetings are the newest venues for events the world over.

The drastic improvements in the Audio-Video equipments, staging and lighting instruments have made sure that you need to make your event stand out. No more can you pass off an event with just a great speaker. Even with the best of the content and ingredients, you need to upgrade the stage show to make sure that the attendees are left wonder struck.

The FIFA World Cup this year was a lot of fun for us. And we are not talking about football. Our excitement was because of this cool application that had been created especially for the World Cup that highlighted the real time schedule of the games and results as they took place. This event alerted us to the huge potential that has hardly been scratched.

has made sure that geographical impediments no more stop you from attending an event half way round the world. The webinars and live meetings are the newest venues for events the world over. Planners and

No more can you pass off an event with just a great speaker. Even with the best of the content and ingredients, you need to upgrade the

stage show to make sure that the attendees are left wonder struck.

The barriers have been stomped down and the walls have fallen.  Technology

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have completely altered the way we think about event promotion.   Letters are antiquated and emails outdated. Nowadays, you ‘tweet’ and ‘poke’ your way around the events

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have completely altered the way we think about event promotion.   Letters are antiquated and emails outdated. Nowadays, you ‘tweet’ and ‘poke’ your way around the events

With the advent of the iPhones, Androids and Blackberrys, smart phone applications have become the next-gen platform for event management. From charting an event to locating it on the map, you can do it all on your mobile. 

With the advent of the iPhones, Androids and Blackberrys, smart phone applications have become the next-gen platform for event management. From charting an event to locating it on the map, you can do it all on your mobile.

Menu options, travel directions, appointment updates, facial recognition software and contact information are just the beginning of the very real ways that event planners will soon be able to use wearable tech.

Event technology trends aside, the number one thing for any event professional to remember, is to let your tools work for you, rather than the other way around. The purpose of implementing advanced technology is to make your life, and the life of those whom you plan events for, as easy as possible.

5G will also make it more feasible to incorporate the cutting-edge into event experiences.

Projection mapping is the act of creating an augmented reality experience with the help of projectors.

this visual technology proves to be an efficient and cost effective way to create optical illusions in nearly every location.

event technology adoption can increase attendance by 20%, increase productivity by 27%, and decrease costs by as much as 30%.

branded apps provide limitless opportunities to interact with consumers right on their own phones

Apps can be customized to appear as if they were created specifically for events or stays, while offering functionality that serves to enhance and personalize the attendee experience.

Planners can utilize branded multi-use apps to connect with attendees and engage them on a variety of levels before, during, and after the occasion.

Event spaces can create customized apps to enhance experiences and share things like helpful facts, historical tidbits, and even the personalities of their unique employees,

Because they’re often cloud-based, these programs also provide accurate, customizable, and collaborative project planning that’s accessible by all managing parties

With event diagramming software, both event planners and venues are able to map everything out visually

provides helpful tools like drag-and-drop diagramming, 3D walkthroughs, and seating software on a single platform.

Hotels especially can use apps in this way, allowing guests to control their rooms from their phones and even communicate with chatbots to find nearby attractions.

Projection mapping5GBranded multi-use appsEvent diagramming

It also opens up new possibilities for app developers to push the boundaries of current event tech trends

Knowing event technology trends—and adopting the most valuable ones—gives planners and venues the competitive advantage

Studies show that using event technology can increase attendance by 20 percent and increase productivity by 27 percent. 

Each match automates personalized actions, such as printing a badge with the attendees name, sending an email with a scannable lunch voucher, and finalizing a swag bag for their ticket-tier (no sense creating swag bags for no-shows).

The technology speeds event check-ins, improves security, and helps businesses at tradeshows collect more valuable leads by tracking attendee visits to booths.

can also use facial recognition to watch for crowd flow bottlenecks and collect session attendance data so you know what worked—and what didn’t.

The ability to support advanced tech like facial recognition makes venues more attractive to corporate planners. The technology also allows automation at certain access points, which means lower manpower requirements and lower costs. 

Properly integrated apps add value to events, providing attendees with more opportunities for networking, interaction, and engagement with peers, speakers, and exhibitors.

Offering tech to support projection mapping provides bang for the buck. There’s no need to physically construct or deconstruct any part of your exhibit hall to add this fun, popular technology to your toolbox and draw more events. 

This visual technology is an efficient, cost-effective way to create optical illusions on anything—from cars to landmarks to stages.

With tradeshow or conference maps, speaker bios, and schedules in the event app, there’s no need for bulky information packets. Push notifications in the apps help keep attendees informed and on schedule. Planners can also use apps to personalize the event agenda through live polling and attract event sponsors with the option of targeted attendee surveys.  

Event spaces can create customized apps to share helpful info like maps, historical tidbits, and even the personalities of their unique employees

Easy-to-use 3D event diagramming software provides accurate, customizable, collaborative project planning regardless of venue design or size.

Give clients peace of mind and leave nothing to chance on the big dayUpload a floor plan to work with, so you know the diagram is to scaleTake clients and stakeholders on 3D ‘fly throughs’ to clarify your visionPlan seating charts and manage attendees’ meal choices or other preferencesHelp staff easily identify and accommodate VIPs and guests with special requests

Sales reps can collaborate with planners in real time, share variations on the event proposal, and visually portray upsells.

Attendees can use this tech to follow slide presentations, participate with quizzes and polls, take notes, and engage in text-based Q&A. They can also view graphs, tables, videos, and other content; and follow website and social media links. 

Any speaker can keep an audience attentive and engaged with this technology, leading to good reviews and a successful event.

Supporting second screen tech for presentations is much less expensive than making physical upgrades that aren’t in the budget. 

This data underscores the importance of social media sentiment analysis in monitoring your brand and messaging, keeping an eye on competitors, and making improvements to services during and after events.

Tracking attendee activity on social media during an event provides actionable data to help you make adjustments in real-time

Replenishing food and beveragesEasing show floor bottlenecksDriving session attendanceAddressing technology issues (mobile apps, Wi-Fi, or audio/visual)

Venues can social media sentiment to promote popular services and learn where there’s room for improvement:

Wristbands and smart badges using near-field communication (NFC) chips keep disruptions and lines to a minimum, thereby increasing attendee productivity and engagement.

Access different event areasExchange information with peersReceive exhibitor marketing materialMake cashless purchases

Wearable tech helps you speed-up check-in, control access, and monitor attendee behavior with less staffing. It also improves ROI for exhibitors, who can drive attendees wearing the tech to visit a booth of interest based on an individual’s profile.

On-site staff can use real-time data to learn when they need to offer overflow rooms or investigate security breaches, such as non-VIP guests in restricted areas. 

Indoor wayfinding helps attendees navigate exhibit halls with ease,

gather useful attendee behavioral data, send leads to sales team members in real-time, and build attendee profiles to send targeted messaging

You can also incorporate proximity advertising options as a value-add for exhibitors and sponsor

Post-event, you can utilize IPS data to see where attendees spent their time visiting booths and attending presentations.

Adding hotel bars, restaurants, spas, gift shops, and other amenities to the location map can help drive additional revenue during events while improving the attendee experience

store attendee admission information on their person, helping to detect fraud and streamline access

Attendees can review their travels throughout a tradeshow and see who they interacted with, while exhibitors are notified in real-time when sought-after prospects come into their booth.

Planners can generate pop-up directions for attendees based on their location at an event instead of investing in producing/shipping/replacing physical signage

validates your event and highlights improvement opportunities by tracking session popularity, length of attendee visits to exhibitor booths, and strong tradeshow traffic.  

RFID and beacon technology helps security and general event staff do their job better in real-time, which is essential for building trust and streamlining crowded events

event planners are turning to venue sourcing platforms to connect with the perfect site for their particular event.

discover detailed venue layouts, capacity ranges, and on-site services

Venue platforms offer exceptional ROI and generate more leads through improved discoverability.

Convey elements that make your venue uniqueShowcase your event spaces visually with accurate floor plans, 3D diagrams, quality photos, and videosLeverage the success of past events with testimonials and social media accolades

artificial intelligence (AI) tech is using badge scans, social media info, and other behavioral data to match attendees with people they should meet or seminars they may want to attend. 

Instead of taking-up significant time pre-event and on-site manually recommending seminars, exhibitors, and sponsors to attendees, AI can do it for you—even in real-time—based on their profiles and preferences captured during registration. 

it requires transparency and advance notice about how you may use data submitted by attendees. 

Attendees entering the geofenced area triggers predetermined actions, such as event check-in, push notifications, or advertising related to the event. 

Planners can sell geofencing to exhibitors and sponsors to reach attendees at events, or even promote their event on attendee devices at a competing event under a separate geofence. You can also provide attendees with a better experience via seamless registration and check-in, along with automatic app downloads as soon as they walk on-site.

provides analytics, both post-event and in real-time to help you better understand things like the duration of an attendee’s time at an event and overall peak attendance. 

Hotels can serve ads promoting their brand, facility, and services to attendees at events

once a prospect visits an event website, ads for that event will appear on any subsequent websites the prospect visits, in the form of website banner ads, search engine results, and pop-up or push ads on mobile apps. 

Event marketing teams should develop relevant and creative ads with clearly visible event dates to convince prospects who have visited an event website, but haven’t yet registered

venues can use it to generate return visits from event planners

retarget attendees during events with offers for in-house services like food and beverage, spa, and discounts on extending their stay.

Gameplay creates an immersive attendee experience, while generating leads and booth visits for exhibitors via quizzes, scavenger hunts, and trivia on mobile apps.

Gameplay fosters a sense of common purpose; creates an environment of collaboration and trust; facilitates easier communication; and boosts attendee confidence. You can also gather information about attendee engagement and interests via game choices.

Promoting the use of gameplay on-site showcases a venue to organizations looking for facilities supporting team building exercises as well as immersive attendee experiences.

Event technology is a term used to describe all of the digital tools and software used in the events industry. Everything from check in & registration, to diagramming, to social media tools, and more can be considered event technology.

scholarships and more education will not make a dent in parity. It’s not a lack of entrepreneurial spirit either — according to the National Restaurant Association, 40% of restaurants are women-owned businesses, or WOB, and startups by women are growing much faster than the industry overall.

grim reality that 96% of WOB do not cross $1 million in revenue. Fewer than 8% seek external financing,

less than 4% of Small Business Administration loan dollars, and less than 2% of venture capital dollars.

o raise external financing and be successful entrepreneurs, however, women have to vanquish three areas.

own best advocate

by women learning to pitch themselves

investing in public speaking and negotiations coaching.

67% of executive women are in support roles (HR, Marketing, IT, et al) as opposed to running their own line businesses

ulinary world, women abound in the softer side (pastry, baking, freelance, cold stations, personal chefs

women increasingly develop discomfort with math

Policy should also incentivize commercial lenders and venture capital/private equity to do the same with their loan dollars

bottom-up solution of livable minimum wages and parental-leave benefits

Embrace The Discomfort

Be receptive and adaptive to change, however uncomfortable that may be.

Tech execs need to disrupt the current thinking within an enterprise, they need to be agile in decision-making, take risks and keep up with the innovation ecosystem.

Respond Rapidly To Change

Technology executives need to be able to respond rapidly to this change, not let it overwhelm them

It is important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your team.

Be Disruptive And Agile

Focus On Innovation

Understand Scale

Not Be Afraid To Ask 'Dumb' Questions

Be Innovative And Proactive Instead Of Reactive

With the rate technology advanced in the past, executives needed to be flexible and adaptable

Technology leaders need to innovate, to be proactive rather than reactive. The ones who will be successful are the ones who will find new, creative ways to use technology to make their teams better

Innovation isn't about managing at scale. It's about focusing on the one key product that will win an industry

Technol

From the internet of things to artificial intelligence, the tech space is ever-evolving and is doing so at breakneck speed

his is how critical items, especially in cyber defense strategies, get missed or simply incorrectly configured. Leadership is knowing when your team needs help

he best thing I can say will bring success to any technology exec is to get a coach.

Their coach helps them be accountable, bounce ideas around and will be there for them when they need advice and support.

Are their technologies and teams going to scale to the challenges they are facing today and tomorrow

However, as emails and/or e-newsletters might be unsolicited, senders should either offer recipients an opt-out option or get their prior consent (opt-in). In fact, experience shows that permission-based email marketing is one of the most cost-effective and efficient marketing tools available.  

Interface design:Adjustment of the web content for screen sizeso that users can comfortably access content in an intuitive way on a smaller screen and benefit from all functionalities on a mobile device (hotel search, access to reviews, bookings, payments, etc.).

This makes search engines one of the most effective tools in driving targeted traffic to a hotel’s or destination’s website. In the hospitality sector, hoteliers have two options with regard to SEM: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or sponsored search:

A successful e-marketing strategy should comprise a set of specific e-actions that help hoteliers reach their planned objectives. These e-actions can be grouped into the following five main sections (A to E):

E-marketing is also known as Internet marketing, web marketing, online marketing or digital marketing. It is growing at a dramatic pace in the hospitality industry and is significantly impacting the business behaviors since it drives more revenue than traditional marketing.  

The ways attendees' expectations have changed is due largely to technology in the event space.

"The expectation for attendees is that they can be engaged. From the easy stuff — polling, contests, social curation — to environmental changes, such as how IBM has changed their product-demonstration approach at events, or a recent augmented-reality experience we created for UPS … to nuances like RFID tags that personalize digital signage, people expect to see themselves as part of an event."

With that as a given, now comes a newer drive on the planner's side: To place more control of events in their audience's hands.

She's talking about app and online tools that allow for text-to-screen and text-to-moderator communications, so that moderators have more control over what questions are being asked and who's asking them while on the podium.

"We started using apps for all of our events: No paper, no welcome book, no paper agendas — everything digital. That way no one has anything in their hands, which encourages them to interact."

"We use live polling at our events via social media. In our workshops, we tell people to tweet at the speaker or use a hashtag when they ask a question. That way the speaker can constantly receive and answer questions in real time."

already key to the personalized experience is the advent of beacon technology within the event space. In essence, beacons detect attendees' mobile devices and then push relevant information to those screens

"While GPS and geocaching are still popular for scavenger hunts, augmented reality has proven to be a huge step forward in location-based mixed-reality games for corporate team building," Shackman says, regarding how AR intersects with event activities.

From on-site wristbands that allow participants to capture moments and information — say you like a sample of a dish at a food event and the wristband can send the recipe to you — to BYOD opportunities surrounding devices such as Google Glass, we're at the front end of a potentially profound shift toward hands-free tech at events.

Mobile-app usage in the messaging and social-media space increased some 203% last year. Recently, this kind of functionality is "becoming geo-enabled," says Shackman, "which helps attendees enhance their experience based on their location at a given moment.

Old models are falling away and technology is giving both planners and event participants an opportunity to grow and revisit the underlying ideas about how event spaces work.

Using an app during the events, she says, makes everything more seamless.

Camera drones are becoming an incredible technology used in various industries, and the event space is one that will soon take full advantage.

Old models are falling away and technology is giving both planners and event participants an opportunity to grow and revisit the underlying ideas about how event spaces work.

"With this kind of technology, attendees can now ask unlimited questions, and moderators can quickly filter out ones that don't make sense or that disrupt the flow. Furthermore, because speakers can clearly see the questions being asked, they do not get lost among the noise of status updates."

"When anyone who has a Bluetooth-enabled device walks past the hotspot, it automatically triggers some sort of video, push notification or message. It's particularly great for welcome tables, so you can send a welcome message, or if you want to announce a retail opportunity, like a special product on sale, somewhere at your event."

"Instead of playing on a [map layout], you can walk around in the real world as you look at your screen. And you can do more than simply collect items: You can take over territory, collect virtual items and use them to become more influential."

Wearable tech

Social media is one of the idyllic gateways for any business reach to its target customers. eMenu integrates with the social media profiles of a brand thereby enhancing reach to possible customers.

Augmented reality is often compared to virtual reality (VR), but while VR replaces the real-world environment with a completely virtual one, augmented reality enhances the real-world environment in real-time.

The technology itself can be deployed in a number of ways, including through smartphones, tablet devices or headsets.

(i.e. their hotel and its rooms), or enhance the experience of exploring the surrounding area.

Augmented reality technology can make a lot of this information readily available to customers at all times of the day, improving their entire experience.

Today, millennials are the dominant consumer generation and they are also more likely than previous generations to utilise digital technology and buy things like virtual reality and augmented reality devices.

1. Interactive Hotel Rooms

An example of this is seen with The Hub Hotel from Premier Inn in the United Kingdom, which has started using AR in conjunction with wall maps placed in its hotel rooms.

2. Gamification

3. Augmented Hotel Environments

For example, Holiday Inn created an augmented reality hotel experience, which allowed guests to point their smartphone and see realistic virtual depictions of famous celebrities in the hotel.

Meanwhile, Best Western experimented with augmented reality and Disney stars, allowing children to see themselves alongside characters from Disney films, and other hotels have used AR apps to allow guests to virtually redecorate.

4. Beacon Technology

Virtual Reality & Artificial Intelligence

The Hub Hotel from Premier Inn in the United Kingdom, which has started using AR in conjunction with wall maps placed in its hotel rooms.

allows hotels and other related businesses to enhance the physical environment they are selling

ugmented reality is often compared to virtual reality (VR), but while VR replaces the real-world environment with a completely virtual one, augmented reality enhances the real-world environment in real-time.

Holiday Inn created an augmented reality hotel experience, which allowed guests to point their smartphone and see realistic virtual depictions of famous celebrities in the hotel

Starwood Hotels, for instance, used the technology to send a virtual key to guests, allowing them to unlock their door through their phone. Others have used beacons to send maps and other information at opportune moments.

realised that it can use the metaverse to sell rooms. Whereas before, guests only had photo

ustry has quickly

The hotel ind

s, copy, and reviews to go on

mmersive 3D tours 

This is what the future of holiday planning and window shopping will look like. 

n email with a polite hello and an offer to explore their other rooms could pique their curiosity and close some conversions. Perhaps you could automate a discount when they move to exit the tour? 

Making your event spaces metaverse compatible will make it a much more attractive location

The metaverse could also lead to a reduction in labour costs. By moving the front end booking office to the virtual realm

he hotel can also use the metaverse to improve the experience of the city or town they’re in. 

Let’s consider that 8 out of 10 Gen-Z and Millennial travellers emphasise the desire for a unique experience. 

from attracting and up-selling guests to improving events at hotel locations and improving the guest experience. A

depend on the goodwill, real-time information, and online cohesiveness

International Conference of Crisis Mappers exemplified the benefits of online integration, as mappers and technologist from around the globe gathered both online and in Washington, DC for four days of conversation.

By livestreaming the event, the ICCM’s webcast enabled the inclusion of over 950 additional attendees – almost doubling their audience!

. In many ways they are thought leaders in this field through their engagement with online learning communities. However, other international organizations that focus on issues such as open governance and transparency often fail to lead by example on these issues, holding conferences that are limited to small audiences, and comprised only of individuals who can afford the time and airfare necessary to be in attendance.

Today, the barriers to entry with this kind of online engagement are so low, that all takes is a bit of planning and a small amount of technical know-how to get up and running

Three new ways for customers to pay

contactless payment has become a mainstream way to pay, and the results for business are beginning to show.

contactless methods of payment are having an especially beneficial effect, allowing lines to move faster as transactions are processed more efficiently

A fantastic time-saver for takeaway outlets in particular, pre-payment systems work by allowing the customer to place their order and pay online.

customers can simply pick up their order and walk away, saving precious minutes out of their lunch hour, while the restaurant can serve a greater number of people in the same amount of time.

Taking the pre-pay concept one step further, mobile ordering allows customers already in your bar or restaurant to place their order at their seat, using their smartphone.

there is a 'Do Not Disturb' button on your wall for ultimate privacy.

Pavillon des Lettres

26-room upscale hotel with a novel idea: guest rooms that are devoted to a letter of the alphabet that corresponds with a famous writer.

Nantucket Island Resorts

Flip Video Camcorders for guests to use at each property, so you can record the sunsets, the hikes, the storms and the endless display of Nantucket baskets that parade around the island every summer.

Andaz 5th Avenue.

Check-in from the elevator on the way to your room. Guests just swipe their credit cards and a room key

Comfort with dashboard use.

Current BI infrastructure and data preparation.

Companies that are thinking of expanding their BI to include green initiatives should consider the following points:

Current green initiatives.

Setting realistic goals and expectations.

Company priorities are shifting towards cost savings and becoming more environmentally aware and business intelligence can help to achieve these goals.

This article identifies the importance of green initiatives within operations and how to link them to available BI solutions.

"I think that you will begin to see more hotels going to RFID and smartphone entry before using biosystem recognition," says Wolfe. "These systems are expensive, and there are many consumers who just don't want this information stored somewhere -- for a variety of reasons."

Systems that track the other qualities that make each human unique are in development as well.

Yet more card-free security systems are on the way.

Many industry watchers are keeping an eye on Houston's largest hotel, the vast 1,200-room Hilton Americas–Houston. The hotel has a facial recognition system that can identify and track guests, employees, and even suitcases. With 700 employees and an annual $16 million payroll, the system offers benefits such as employee time-theft monitoring and prevention for the hotel. But travelers aren't that concerned about employees taking an extra cigarette break. What it means for you is that the system includes alerts if unwanted people are on the property and a response time of mere seconds if there's an incident. Customer service is heightened as well: Returning guests will be recognized and greeted by name. And with 1,200 rooms worth of luggage in transit, the system makes it a lot easier to find lost or misdirected bags.

not everyone wants to be on-camera, all the time. With concerns about "snooping" and a Truman Show-like lack of privacy, might guests feel that systems such as this are too intrusive in our hotels? "

Technology is opening new doors to hotel safety, and the way we navigate hotels is set to change in the blink of an eye. Or the swipe of a cellphone. Or the print of a finger. With futuristic systems like scent and iris scanners and digital facial-recognition, hotel security is being taken to the next level. #plain_module { width: 590px; height:170px; border: none; float:left; margin:0px; font-size:12px;} #plain_module img {border:none; width: 13px; height:14; border: 0px; margin:0px; } #plain_module .mini_main { margin: 0px; padding:0px; width:585px; height:220px; repeat scroll 0 0} #plain_module .mini_item_header {padding:10px 0px; margin: 0px 0px; font-size:16px; color: #555555; border-bottom:1px dotted #CCCCCC;} #plain_module .mini_item {padding:5px 0px; margin: 0px 0px;} #plain_module a { color: #49A3CA; text-decoration:none; } #plain_module a:hover { color: #F98419; text-decoration:underline;} span.gray {color:#949494;} .mini_main li{list-style-type: none;background-image: url(http://www.aolcdn.com/travel/bullet);background-repeat: no-repeat;background-position: 0 1px;padding-left: 10px;} Those plastic key cards that once seemed so innovative will soon go the way of the actual key. The new thing is contact-less Smartcards and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) cards that need just be waved to allow room access. Much like the cruise world's one card system, these cards may soon make hotel stays easier by allowing guests to pay for services, as well as to check-in and check-out, through a single device. Travelers may even be able to save preferences on the cards, from pillow type to floor choice. RFID cards are already in use at New York's Plaza Hotel, and Starwood Hotels are considering introducing them into their hip Aloft and Element properties. But travelers worried they will constantly have to traipse back to reception every time they lose their card need not despair. Security systems in some hotels do away with cards altogether. "In addition to Radio Frequency Identification, there are also systems that use a smartphone, such as an iPhone," says Frank Wolfe, CEO of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals. "When a guest checks into a hotel and provides their phone number, they get an encrypted sound code via text message." You can then play back the code to unlock your room door.

Systems that track the other qualities that make each human unique are in development as well. Movement-activated video-capture systems were showcased in New Zealand in September 2010. Researchers are at work on devices capable of recognizing an individual's gait or walk and even their DNA. Frank Wolfe says, "If you want to go 'way out there', there are some systems being explored that can allegedly sniff someone, and also systems that can recognize the pattern of blood veins on a human being which are apparently unique to the individual," says Wolfe. Quite common in Japan, vascular-recognition systems such as this are still "several years off," according to Wolfe. "I think that you will begin to see more hotels going to RFID and smartphone entry before using biosystem recognition," says Wolfe. "These systems are expensive, and there are many consumers who just don't want this information stored somewhere -- for a variety of reasons."

Therefore, it is highly likely that, merging mobile marketing efforts with iBeacon technology could result in higher click-through, quicker conversion, more sales and greater loyalty.

busy a restaurant is at a particular time

real-time information

not overwhelm users with notifications

deep understanding of the value offered to customers and deliver it in the best way possible.

delivering personalized deals and messages