I found the following article to provide a lot of useful information regarding the new trend of online marketing within the hotel industry specifically. The article reviews how the hospitality industry is now moving towards a "paradigm" and a business model where the service providers and the customers interact directly leading to the removal of the intermediary layer. eMarketing has truly taken off and it is important to be aware and educated when it comes to new marketing aspects in order to set the trend and put yourself has a business ahead of your competition. The key to eMarketing is that one has to be aggressive at all costs while keeping an open mind in order to be creative and unique in order to stand out above competitors.

The following article, 5 Reasons Why Event Management is Important in Tourism, focuses on event management within the hospitality industry. The role of an event manager within the hospitality industry is a very complex job and it takes someone with a vision and skills in order for a successful outcome. Event management is important within the hospitality industry because tourism is truly dependent on the effective management of events. The article provies the following example, Niagara Falls is now a known destination and is a prominent place to visit, however, the main "flow" of tourist started as soon as the event managers had begun to arrange tours, cruises, etc. Event management is vital within the industry and this article highlights some of the important impacts it has on the industry as a whole. "Naturally, tourism and event management can exist separately, but their consolidation can bring many benefits not only for the development of tourism but also for the development of the economy of countries or cities in total."

The following article does a great job outlining different aspects of cyber security within the hospitality industry. Security is one of the main departments that need attention and an additional budget in order meet todays security requirements. After doing some research, it is clear to see that all employees must have the same focus in order to provide the best security for their guest. Hotel security can provide things like: facility protection and control, guest and visitor monitoring and assistance, security command center monitoring (cameras, alarms systems and surveillances), maintain emergency response plan, etc. "Security has a difficult job of enforcing the rules and regulations of the establishment while making the guest feel welcome." The article goes over different security systems and what differentiates them, I thought that it gave a lot of insightful information into various cyber security systems.

What an informative article! In my own opinion, the following article gave a great insight to investing in technology within the hospitality industry. The 5 helpful tips they provided within the article are the following; get to know your guest first, balance technology with the human touch, invest in mobile based technologies, try before you commit, and future-proof your technology investments. Each of these suggestions truly would make a huge impact within the hotel industry if followed and practiced. In my own opinion, the most vital thing to be sure of when introducing new technologies into your business is to make sure you have the right balance of human connection and technologies. Like stated in the article, technology is not meant to be an aid or replacement for face-to-face staff and guest interaction. New technologies are giving the industry the ability to provide fresh ways to deliver high quality experiences to keep pace with rising customer expectations.

Module 8: "Everything in the business world is about the bottom line, and the accounting department of an organization is the keeper of that bottom line's flame." The following article, Accounting and Bookkeeping For The Tourism Industry gives and inside look and new perspective into the accounting and bookkeeping within the hospitality and tourism industry. The following are a few topics that are required in order to successfully run financial aspects within the travel industry; cash-flow, operation & cost budget, pensions, foreign currency, accounting system integrity and accounting & reporting standards. I was interested to read all of the possible job opportunities that are available in accounting and booking sides of the travel industry; for example - opportunities to travel to exotic locations, work/live abroad, possible events, etc. It is clear to read that employees in both accounting and booking are vital today and their role continues to play a major role in the overall success of the industry. "Just as the history of the tourism and hotel industry has grown and evolved into the mega economic force it is today, so has the bookkeeping necessary grown into a mega accounting career that the tourism business could not live without."

Module 7: I found the following article, The Benefits of Restaurant iPad POS systems, to be very interesting and informative as it was all new information to me. I was not aware that iPad POS's could provide restaurants with such efficiency. I believe that one of the main benefits of choosing an iPad POS is that it is totally mobile and has the ability to connect to any Wifi network. I was truly surprised to read the possibilities iPad POS can provide to users - from tracking inventory, update on items, automatic refills, immediate email notifications, give information on most popular ingredients/menu items, totally mobile, etc. The article reviews various aspects of iPad POS, such as, inventory management, table-side payment processing, and various benefits of using iPad POS.

The following article reviews the 11 most popular PMS systems that are used within the lodging industry. The importance of choosing the right system for your property is vital and should be taken seriously when comparing the different features offered, etc. I found the article to be very helpful in the fact that it goes into detail analyzing the different systems and highlighting what each have to offer. Depending on the size of your property, facilities, and even location are just a few factors that truly depict which system is best for you. Comparing cloud based systems to dashboards is also something to consider and can drastically change the overall functions of your property based from the system that is used.

The following article reviews a few eco-friendly trends that are helping transform the foodservice industry. As green technology becomes mainstream it is important for companies in the hospitality industry to understand the potential impacts they could have on the environment by adopting some of these trends. Streamline reporting is one way that green technology shows to be beneficial. By streamlining and consolidating reporting vs. hard-coding, etc. offers users greater visibility over workload performance. Another popular green technology is virtual cloud systems. These cloud systems can help eliminate resource waste and reduce operational costs. The article mentions how Subway and BurgerFi are taking major steps in leveraging the latest technology to minimize their carbon footprint. A few things they focus on is cutting down their paper waste, conserve power, and improve overall efficiencies so the restaurants are environmentally "sound".

The following article gives and inside look to the importance of Global Distribution Systems and how they're important for the success of hotel firms. The systems works as a tool to reach customers easily and gives the information needed to allow travel agents to access the best prices provided. Although the hotel industry would prefer for their customers to book directly through their website so that they do not have to pay the fees associated with Online Travel Agencies - GDS is still a beneficial platform to gain attention and promote their business. Once they have returning/loyal guests, this is when the hotel industry strives to encourage them to book directly to their site to increase overall revenue.

The following article reviews the hospitality E-Business as well as the industries "E-profile". It was interesting to read how the article breaks down the realities of the new millennium and what it has brought to the table for the entire hospitality industry. It is vital for the hospitality industry to be available to evolve with the current technological trends and innovations. The article reviews how e-business has removed the traditional barriers to commerce; for example, time, distance and physical location. The future for "Web-enablement" within the industry has major potential and will soon be implemented. Ex; virtual tours, guest history and loyalty programs, sales force automation, etc.

Module 2: Hardware/Software (Berkley Alessandrini) The following article compares the current top/trendy management software programs within the hospitality industry - specifically within lodging operations. Obviously manually updating your hotel's information is no longer an effective way to do things. The following article breaks down certain software programs like; My Cloud PMS, Oracle, roomMaster, etc, and gives information on each that differentiates them. I can relate to the article because I have experience working with a few different types of software programs and I know first-hand how important it is to have a software that is convenient, organized, and user friendly. Depending on the program, they have the ability to be customised based on needs of the hotel and can even add certain features if necessary. After analysing the article, I believe that it is vital to compare the different programs available to find a PMS that fits best for your specific hotel. In some cases, maybe your property will not benefit from the "top" management software system; therefore you must compare and find one that will work best with your needs, requirements, budget, etc. It is important for the Lodging Industry to take full advantage of the technology that is provided to them and as technology is constantly evolving - you must (as a business) evolve with the changes and update your current technology to lead and stay ahead of the trends. Having a software that provides your hotel with the best features, availability, etc. is a must!