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This article serves to showcase how beacons can serve as effective tools for hotels. The beacons deploy micro-location capabilities that allow for targeted personalized messaging. Utilizing Bluetooth Low Energy and a property's geo-fencing, beacons can transform the check-in and out processes, room and indoor navigation, keyless room entry and in-room controls, room service, loyalty offers, upgrades and analytics. The beacon technology can also used with staff to maximize productivity and evaluate where resources are able to be saved.

Event planning and in-person meetings have been affected by COVID-19. Event planners and venues are taking major efforts to begin hosting in-person group functions again. To begin safe meetings again, industries have implemented increased levels of safety precautions. One of these steps industries are taking is thermal scanning. Thermal scanning is a product that gives an indication of COVID-19 symptoms. Venues are industries are expected to provide this service to stay ahead of the game. Hotels such as Wynn Las Vegas have implemented thermal cameras at entry points throughout the hotel. At my office, we have also added thermal cameras at entrances to the building. Majority of events have shifted virtually until there is a vaccine. Event diagramming tools can provide event planners with photo-realistic site tours in 3D. Event diagramming can also display to potential clients a diagram of thermal scanning stations, and social distancing floor signs. Event diagramming is a diagramming tool where you can update existing layouts. Overall, it can provide future clients with the satisfaction that events can deliver their vision while maintaining safety guidelines.

(1 of 3) This Hotel Technology News article discusses the various technology advancements in Hotel Event Planning and what their effects were predicted to be for 2020. As the article states, "With each passing year, events seem to get bigger and better, boasting exciting new technology, catering to attendees' needs in finer detail, and bringing guests together in unique venue spaces for a variety of occasions." The event industry continues to grow as people continue to desire more unique, memorable experiences. Event planners struggle with advancing their experiences, but with the help of technology they are able to continue to grow each year. This process starts with the booking experience and Venue Management Technology has gained popularity in creating seamless booking experiences. "Whether marketing to a transient guest, event attendees, or a corporate group, hoteliers and event planners are in the business of meeting and exceeding expectations." With venue management technology, event planners are able to make memorable experiences starting with the booking of the venue all the way until days after the event. Venue management platforms provide everything to the event planners at their fingertips.

(2 of 3) The article continues on to discuss that while large events are extremely lucrative, venues must make sure to consider smaller events as well. "Ensure your venue space is equipped for events and meetings of various scale, and work closely with planners to ensure an attentive, personalized experience while bringing their event or meeting to life." Meetings are going to continue to grow so venues must continue to adjust and be equipped for anything a consumer might desire. This may include non-traditional events or venue spaces as well. While classic hotel convention spaces may not be as popular anymore, hotels are challenged to utilize and market their space differently to attract new consumers. With the event industry, as with any segment in hospitality, the ultimate purpose is to leave lasting impressions on guests. In recent years, the use of technology has been great in assisting this idea. Venues who have mastered creating a memorable experience have often done so by "using new-age features and platforms to create a frictionless event, engage attendees on a deeper level, and create meaningful, memorable experiences." Venue management tools are also used in making these experiences for guests. The article left readers with three takeaways. The first being that venues need to utilize technology to make them more effective in areas such as RFP response and the way that they offer their services. The second takeaway is that businesses need to evaluate their current technology partners and make sure to choose a partner that will allow them to best create memorable events. The final key takeaway is that venues must increase conversions and improve venue listings with things such as real-time availability and strategic pricing.

(3 of 3) This article was very interesting in its description of the technology used in the event industry and predictions for the future of events. It is quite apparent that this article was written at the beginning of 2020, though. I do believe the event industry was headed in this direction, but, as with the rest of the hospitality industry, I believe events will see a massive decrease over the next few years and then pick back up in the future. Due to the risks associated with Covid-19, consumers are not finding in-person meetings or events necessary. Many organizations have resorted to digital meetings and cancelled any events, causing a huge loss for the industry. I believe that as the rest of the industry recovers, events will slowly follow and eventually make their way back to their pre-pandemic predictions.

This article makes a detailed analysis of E-mail marketing strategies in the hospitality industry. Through a large number of data and case analysis, the author resolves the current development environment of E-mail marketing. In addition, the author puts forward his own views and summarizes a set of standard E-mail summaries from several important aspects of E-mail marketing activities.

The article showed us top 5 trends in modern hotel PMS technology. They are Cloud, Mobility, Guest engagement, Endless integration and Sleek design.

A new method on how to gather consumer data in hotels or long-term traveling sites in order to capitalize on the amount of consumer spending. There are new loyalty reward offers that are being displayed to those consumers with "specials" and discounts, so that the hotel and store can benefit together off a collaborative marketing effort. This reminds me of the way Uber is able to use VISA in the offers portion to give cash back in Uber credits if its customers were to spend money with the same credit card that is linked to the account. The best of both worlds.

This article discuses how post pandemic technology integrations will be necessary to stay up to date with the average traveler. Cloud Services, integrations into PMS systems are allowing the guest to control every aspect of their stay by the touch of a button.

Insight on cruising. Will we be able to cruise anytime soon? How can we make cruises safer?

This article discusses the pros and cons of proximity and location-based marketing. The pros are associated with the potential opportunities a company can take advantage of if done correctly. And the cons relate to the potential pitfalls or challenges a copy can face if they choose to implement this form of marketing

Hotels collect large amounts of data from guests staying at their hotel directly and through third parties. As hotels continue to invest into technology to improve their guests' experience technology can also lead to more breaches. When guests use their smartphone to customize their stay by ordering room service, planning activities or purchasing upgrades it increases the chances of a breach and allows the hotel to collect more data. Multiple systems that a hotel uses can also create potential risks. Hotels need to take control, prepare for the inevitable, respond to breaches and create a culture of security.

This article stresses the importance of cyber security specifically within the hospitality industry. The author of the article describes how a strong cyber security management system should not be an afterthought for hotels and should be seen as a cost of doing business especially in a tech driven industry. The article lists some key components and areas to focus on for hotels to manage cyber risks and threats

Property management systems (PMS) were originally only for front desk needs like booking reservations, checking guest in and out, charging accounts, and managing room assignments. The newer PMS systems have enhanced the check in and check out process, maintenance and housekeeping management, and accounts receivable management. The check in and check out process has been enhanced by the newer cloud based PMS systems by giving the front desk the ability to provide service anywhere and anytime. It is more accessible and can update room statuses in real time. As housekeeping cleans rooms the room statuses are updated through their mobile cleaning device into the PMS system. Also, the PMS system allows the front desk to communicate with the maintenance and housekeeping staff for last minute guest request and complaints. The cloud based PMS system also allows the front desk to have access to revenue management. This way the front desk can have access to accounts receivable and update it as payments come in from previous guest. This enables faster and more accurate billing for guest. As technology advances it is important for the hospitality industry to stay updated so that guest and employees needs are met. Keeping up with the technological trends allows companies to remain competitive.

This article tell us what is PMS and what benefits it can brings to the hotels operation. Automating daily operations and administrative tasks is an important part of achieving customer satisfaction as it helps provide reliable and quality service time after time. A hotel is a complex system that encompasses the activities of many departments, and every operation must be tracked

More than a "platform that enabled a hotel or group of hotels to manage front-office capabilities", modern PMS is "a critical business operations system that enables hoteliers to deliver a seamless guest experience" by integrating many other systems. PMS offers many kinds of benefits to hoteliers, including improving housekeeping services and revenue management. The deployment of PMS is also a consideration. While most PMS systems were on-premise, there do have cloud-based ones that reduces cost in an innovative way. It also helps in enhancing customer lifetime value and increase RevPAR and ADR.

The hospitality industry struggled to survive during covid, and they are still fighting by incorporating technology to improve traveler's confidence during this pandemic and still managing to make a profit for the company. They are using technologies to keep both guests and employees safe during this time. Technology features that used to be a bonus are now becoming a necessity in the hotel industry. As the hotel industry adopts to these changes, this is likely to be the new norm instead of eventually reverting to the old normal. This goes past digital check-in and check-out. New technologies are being used like e-newspapers or magazines for guests to use instead of picking one up in the lobby. This includes contactless payments, scannable QR codes for the restaurant menus and chatbots or live-chats with the on-property staff. These new technological advancements can allow a guest to completely skip the front desk and most human interactions all together if they chose to.

Network redundancy is the process of adding network devices and other instances of communication lines to help ensure network availability and reduce the risk of failures on critical data paths. One of the first steps in the network redundancy plan is to create a network strategy that reviews the existing infrastructure. A high-quality hosted data center should have an extensive backup system to ensure that it is always available. All valuable data should be backed up regularly, preferably in another location. By using multiple data centers, companies can ensure that even if certain disasters occur, they will be able to proceed with minimal losses. In addition, a well-maintained UPS system ensures that the server can be switched from power to backup generator power without losing any data or applications.

A network outage whether it is due to a cyber attack or simple human error can be devastating to a company. It makes them look very bad, damaging their reputation, and can cost the business millions of dollars. Network Redundancy can help ensure network availability and decrease the risk of failure. There are 2 forms of redundancy. Fault Tolerance where there is a mirrored backup system that takes over with no loss of service, and High Availability where the backup servers take over and restart applications that were running on the failed server.

A great in-depth article about the service SAAS. This article talks about how it works, and how the host provide their services to their clients. In the article it also talks about the three types of cloud based services.

As cloud computing software continues to become more powerful, restaurants may want to evaluate the potential swtich from on site servers to a cloud based restaurant management solution. Cloud based solutions allow data to be accessed from anywhere and make tracking sales trends and manage costs much easier. Most cloud based systems also include APIs that allow them to work in tandem with other cloud based softwares that a restaurant may need. Additionally, just like with any general cloud computing software, these cloud based systems are generally much cheaper to implement than purchasing physical equipment and cloud based solutions also offer an easy way to scale a business.

This article discusses Wyndham's decision to transition its property management into the cloud based services through Oracle Hospitality. Their decision was based on the several advantages offered by Oracle's cloud based system such as cost savings, the simplified application and use of only one central system and the protection from cyber attacks. Wyndham is the first hotel chain to adopt Oracle's new cloud based version of their management system.