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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!

Industry leaders’ speculations that the global distribution system is dying a slow death have lingered for the last decade, ever since online-travel agencies made their debut in the hotel distribution space.

A study conducted by the American Society of Travel Agents in 2009 found the percentage of member travel agencies that used the GDS channel declined from 98% in 1999 to 79% in 2009.

However, despite the decrease in GDS usage amid the most recent global economic downturn, hotel companies and travelers still find value in the channel, according to sources interviewed for this report.

Green Key Global announced today that with the registration of the Motel 6 Anchorage Midtown in Alaska, the Green Key Eco-Rating Program has now established its presence in all 50 United States.

the majority of travelers who indicate they use a hotel’s environmental program as a decision-making factor in where they stay

Green Key rankings are recognized by major travel services including CAA/AAA, Travelocity and Expedia.

Mayakoba, Riviera Maya

uses no motorized vehicles throughout the entire property. Instead, guests can ride electric golf carts, bicycles, or electric boats on more than nine miles of canals.

Palmer House Hilton in Chicago

When a guest enters the room, he or she places the room key into the slot on the KeyCard Switch which then transmits a wireless signal. When in place, guests have complete control over the lights, outlets and the HVAC unit in the room. When removed, the room is designated as unoccupied

it also can detect which in-room devices have low battery levels; which rooms have constant occupancy; which rooms have problems with network connectivity; and which are not communicating properly with the hotel PMS and other systems.

rise of mobile technology

met with some trepidation

Proximity marketing merges the physical and digital domains by using mobile devices to reach consumers at the greatest point of influence, providing bargains for shoppers and increased sales and consumer insights for retailers

3 October 2012 Benchmark Powers Expansion with Centralized Accounting Platform Management by the Numbers: Benchmark Integrates New Properties into Company Management Processes Quickly with ‘Private-Cloud’ Back Office System

Successful management comes from by-the-numbers decisions

Basing day-to-day management decisions on the numbers is another big part of successful management in today's economy. At one time, we had to wait until month end or later to see property financials. We do not have that luxury today, so we built a centralized 'private cloud' technology hub and data gathering platform. Now our managers make decisions based on month-to-date performance every morning.

a high powered business class Wi-Fi solution. The EnGenius ECB350 and EnGenius EAP350 are 800mW 11n access points with gigabit ethernet. The coverage is 3-times greater than consumer wireless routers and more powerful than the 100mW enterprise class access points from Cisco Systems. The units are feature rich and includes multiple SSID, VLAN tagging, SNMP and Power Over Ethernet for flexible deployment.  They also support the free EnGenius EZ controller software for management and monitoring.  There is also an outdoor version, EnGenius ENH210 EXT which can extend the wireless network outdoors or be used to bridge remote buildings. 

Environment is always a factor when discussing wireless connectively. The hotel’s construction, size and location are some contributing factors, which will determine the wireless coverage for each hotel. These factors determine how radio frequencies travel through and around obstacles which will vary for every hotel installation.

Concrete walls with metal rebar pose the biggest problems for WiFi coverage so positioning the access points in a central hallway is usually best.

CEO of Premier Hotels of the World™ Mr. Martin Fabiano states: "We are excited to announce the partnership with Availpro, which will give our Member Hotels a distinct advantage over other Groups."

As members of the general leisure industry, hospitality businesses must therefore cater to the early adopters, the tech-savvy, and the novices in one fell swoop—and staying ahead of the curve requires an inexhaustible spirit and a knowledge of industry trends.

The rapid spread in the usage of the internet and the increase in access to ecommerce and online bookings has definitely been a boon to the hospitality industry.

In other words, the advent of online booking has been a win-win situation for the hotels and the customers. Next, with so many guests from around the world flocking to the internet to book their rooms and plan their itineraries, hotels are turning to online marketing of their products. This has the effect of reaching out to a wider guest base as the hotels need not constrain their marketing efforts to nearby places and geography is no longer a limiting factor for hotels.

Online marketing by hotels has the added advantage of improving the brand image of the hotel by ensuring that customer reviews of the hotels and the glitzy marketing of the hotels have the intended effect of enhancing the reputation of the hotels.

Gone are the days when event planners conducted venue research offline, manually updated registration numbers in spreadsheets, and relied on post-event surveys to measure success.

Not only does it empower event planners to be more effective and efficient, it’s also redefining the attendee experience.

To achieve this goal, event marketers rely on communicating relevant content to prospects and registered attendees to pique or maintain their interest.

Technology delivers a world of travel options right to a traveler's fingertips. They go online to find inspiration on social media, choose the right vacation, compare deals, book trips and enhance their experience during their trip.

61% of US 18–34-year-old travelers surveyed were more likely to stay loyal to a travel brand that has an easy-to-use website or mobile app.

Inclusive, curious and community-oriented, Gen Zers are growing in population and spending power. Understanding their expectations will be key to winning tomorrow.

The same property management software (PMS) and the same central reservations and other systems let operators have one central reservations office, standardized data formats, and a consistent staff training program. Maestro works well for multi-property management companies that have independents in their portfolio.

Its branded portfolio is primarily select-service brands from Marriott International, Hilton and InterContinental Hotels Group. Its independent portfolio includes full-service hotels and luxury properties with the distinction of earning the Preferred Hotels designation and Condé Nast awards. 

We first implemented Maestro at Olympia’s independents

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he leading global provider of revenue generating solutions for hoteliers, clearly demonstrates how crucial Global Distribution System (GDS) platforms and GDS Shopping Displays are to travel agents:

84 percent of respondents indicated that they were using their GDS platform the same amount or more often than in the past, with 35 percent stating that they are using GDS more.

Representing more than 5 billion square feet of space in the United States alone, there is an enormous opportunity for the industry—and guests—to positively affect the built environment.

the opportunity for triple-bottom-line wins when hotels think sustainably

sparked in part by guest preferences

The report discovered that more operators will invest in green equipment and fixtures in order to attract the 41 percent of consumers who say they're likely to make their restaurant choices based on whether the establishments they frequent practice environmental conservation

, as more information becomes available to them through online and social-media channels, they're learning even more that much faster. Not only that, they're much savvier about how they spend their money and want to make purchases from those they feel are doing the right thing. Operators who understand that and cater to their desires will win that market share every time."

Adam Stewart, CEO of the award-winning Sandals Resorts International, today gave top marks to LIME, the Caribbean division of Cable & Wireless Communications.

"The hospitality industry expects and deserves the best in communication services - our guests look forward to communicating back home to share their experiences and demand speed, reliability and stability," said Mr. Stewart.

Other businesses in the Caribbean that have dealt with LIME immediately congratulated The Bahamas on the choice of company.

location-based services and push messaging

overall experience is not reliant on a Wi-Fi connection, therefore you can have things like a large delegate list and content you don’t have to download because you already have it on the app

Security and privacy are also much better with an app.”