IHRIM conferences offer the "perfect blend of networking, education, and technological solutions to issues facing HR and HR systems professionals". IHRIM, the world's leading clearinghouse for the HRIM (Human resource Information Management) industry, announced that the Disney Institute Program will be a key speaker in the HRMS Strategies Conference and Technology Exposition in Lake Buena Vista, FL held on June 5, 2013. The Disney Institute Program will teach conference attendees the method of "Building a Business Through Storytelling".

Choice Hotels International has selected Foulger-Pratt Companies to be the "owner, developer, and general contractor of its new global headquarters." According to the article, the 135,000 square foot facility features cutting edge technology and connectivity that ensures associates and guests can work and relax throughout the building and outside on the patio. The check-in desks at reception, stylish lounge, and business center help maintain the" feel of a hospitality company" throughout the building. The new facility is designed to meet the guidelines under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Not only has water consumption been reduced by 40%, but the building materials have been locally sourced and lighting and thermostats are energy efficient. Energy consumption will be further offset through the use of wind power.

GrandStay Hospitality has selected ZDirect for its eMarketing and eCRM provider. ZDirect also has ZMail which includes Mobile Passport, SMS Messaging, Apple Passbook, and Responsive Email Design. According to Jon Kennedy, president of GrandStay Hospitality, ZDirect has an impeccable reputation in regards to their services and customer successes. He believes that ZDirect will give it the leverage needed to help the "small, transitional" company quickly grow. The tools of ZDirect and ZMail will "enable each property to send electronic guest confirmations, pre-arrival email promotions, post-stay satisfaction surveys", which will allow the hotel and its guests to communicate. This two-way communication will help to increase revenue and maximize profits.

Advanced Solutions International (ASI) is the largest, privately-owned global provider of software for member and donor-based not-for -profit organizations. According to the article, ASI announced "that iMIS Events clients can now manage their complex events from a single system ". The etouch add-on iMIS application will benefit clients with complex event planning requirements. Etouch is comprised of integrated software applications that assist businesses in all aspects of event planning. It offers a variety of tools such as "registration, budgeting, project management, scheduling, event microsite, seating, surveying, event marketing, booth purchasing, networking, and mobile applications". Non-for-profit organizations, which thrive on events to maintain interaction between members and donors, will greatly benefit from etouch.

Nowadays, people are traveling with more valuables than they used to years ago. As a result, "hotel security measures are now paramount for hoteliers, and selecting the right type of locking system for the property can be a minefield for owners". Mechanical keys and poorly maintained electronic door locks do not offer guests a sense of security. Modern RFiD card systems are becoming the popular technological choice for hoteliers. Biometric locks, which read a fingerprint or face, are reliable and cost-effective, as well. However, they are more of an ideal security solution for offices, back-of-house, or wine stores. Not only are the RFID locks harder to hack, they are cost-effective as well. The lack of physical contact between the card and the lock makes open channels for card insertion unnecessary. The cards do not have a magnetic strip or contain microchips. The card itself only has encrypted non-personal information associated with it. In addition, since there is no contact between the card and lock, "there is no requirement for read head cleaning or replacement of read heads due to wear". As a result, the amount of faulty cards is minimized and guest satisfaction increases.

Difference Capital Funding Inc. (DCF) is a Canadian Merchant Bank which is "focused on creating shareholder value through strategic investments in, and advisory services for, growth companies and opportunistic investments in undervalued financial assets and real property". DCF has recently made technology-related investments in three companies: Amaya Gaming Group Inc., Parta Dialogue Inc., and Espial Group Inc. According to the article, Amaya, is a technology-based gaming provider for the regulated gaming industry. It provides a "host of services and solutions" to the gaming world. Parta invests in technology to become a social marketing "one stop shop" for its clients, and Espial is a software solutions developer and marketer.

Hotel Med Park, located across from UC Davis Medical Center Campus, caters to both business and pleasure travelers. Hotel Med Park has chosen ProfitWatch Call Accounting "to provide accurate call reporting and billing". According to the article, ProfitWatch is "designed to save the property money and simplify management for the hotel". In addition, they had an opportunity to implement a cloud-based property management system. Multi-Systems, Inc (MSI), which manages ProfitWatch, is also responsible for the integration of CloudPM. With both systems in place, the customer is provided with "accurate call tracking and guest call bill back functions".

There is going to be a dramatic change in regards to POS systems. According to the article, "the emergence of mobile and card-linked offers has positioned POS systems as the new gateway for daily deals and digital coupons". Since consumers can shop for great deals using their smartphones and devices, it is imperative for POS systems to evolve. Consumers remain loyal to businesses that provide a great shopping experience. With nearly 180 million Americans carrying credit/debit cards, an efficient POS system will undoubtedly contribute to the overall success of a business. Many retailers and daily deal providers, such as Groupon, are "turning their attention to point of sale as a solution for their own survival". Groupon thrives on a mobile POS. Not only can merchants track and redeem deals more easily, but consumers have the ability to effectively purchase these deals directly from a smart device.

The Telemark Lodge, located in Cable, WI, was visited by Anthony Melichorri (host of Hotel Impossible). It was in dire need of serious makeover. Although the Telemark resort "had architectural greatness in its bones, a unique history and a world-class fitness center that trained Olympic hopefuls, it lacked the most basic of systems to run a commercial establishment." This establishment was running its business from a homemade Property Management System (PMS). In other words, it had none. Their PMS consisted of pencil and paper, which had been detrimental to the success of the resort. Melichorri threatened to go back to New York if this problem was not fixed. Fortunately for the Telemark Lodge, Anthony and his crew were able to revamp the place. Most importantly, a PMS was created and installed.

The article states that the "Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has committed to the social and environmental sustainability in a broad and long-term planning of the hospitality and tourism sector development throughout the country". The previous focus of Thai tourism was on social and economic development. The focus has now been shifted towards minimizing the ecological impact of tourism. In efforts to minimize the ecological impact, the TAT has introduced Seven Green Concepts in 2011. The Seven Green Concepts include: * Green Heart * Green Logistics * Green Destinations * Green Communities * Green Activities * Green Service * Green + Despite some criticism, the TAT will look at "managing short-term market recovery, long-term market expansion, improved economic revenue, and the preservation of ecological assets". The upkeep of national parks, protection of wildlife and green capacity building will help sustain the environment. Hotels and resorts are also encouraged to follow Green guidelines. In 2011, there were 220 hotels with Green Leaf recognition and 535 smoke-free hotels. With increasing popularity of Green concepts, these numbers were expected to increase in the future.

Illasi Valleys, which is composed of 52 companies, has been created in Verona, Italy. Even though the area in the Province of Verona is not that well-known, many popular brands of wine and olive oil are exported from there. The purpose of this network is to "promote local hospitality, increase visitors to the area, and to share the benefits between all members". Illasi Valleys is a network made up of companies from the wine and olive oil, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors of Verona. Illasi Valleys is expecting an ambitious budget of 1,200,000 euros. Part of this budget will fund the activation of an E-Commerce website. Important partnerships and collaborations are forming to implement this project. According to the article, "a network of international brand ambassadors located in various countries has also been created and a contract with US tour operator TourCrafters has been signed". The focus of Illasi Valleys is to increase the numbers of Northern European and US visitors.

AiresLibre Travel, a Florida-based boutique travel agency, needed a phone solution that would meet the company's needs as a global business. Aires Libre Travel is an expanding business that books customized vacations worldwide. This agency AiresLibre Travel has selected "Phonebooth" as their VoIP solution. Phonebooth is a cloud-based VoIP provider that is able to support mobile call forwarding and global call transfers with reliable and clear service. These features are beneficial to the agency because the staff is not only very busy, but they are located in different parts of the world. Raquel Segura, CEO and owner of AiresLibre Travel, mentions in the article that if she is unable to take a phone call, it will automatically be forwarded to her business partner in France. Not only does Phonebooth allow for the agency to be in constant communication with their customers, it allows them to "deliver exceptional customer service and treat international calls as if they were local-with a clear connection and affordable price."

As a frequent visitor of Las Vegas, this article caught my attention. The article discusses the collaboration between MGM Resorts International and Cisco Systems and the development of a "high-density WI-FI system designed to enhance the guest experience". According to the article, MGM Resorts and Cisco have developed the highest-performing wireless LAN in the industry. Since Las Vegas is a top destination for tourists and business travelers, this technology will enhance the overall experience for a guest who is in town for either business or pleasure (or both!). Not only is the connectivity within this system is 30 percent faster, but it offers new programs and apps. There is a "state-of-the art wayfinding resort map" which offers point-by-point directions to various locations within the resort such as, restrooms, restaurants, and retail stores. I think this is a great idea. Las Vegas hotel/casino resorts can be quite overwhelming, especially for first-time guests.

. For example, it can be difficult to locate the "all mighty" restroom among the bright lights of the slot machines and crowds of anxious gamblers. With this new WI-FI system in place, any MGM Resorts' guest with a wireless device has access to a quick reference guide right in the palm of their hand. Another interesting feature of this system is the assortment of restaurant wine, beer, cocktail, and dessert apps. These apps are designed to cater to food and wine enthusiasts. For example, wine lovers can "discover new wines, read reviews, rate the wine themselves, and even email wine labels". As a wine lover myself, I think this is a fantastic idea! On numerous occasions, I have found myself desperately searching for a pen and paper to write down the wine information or taking pictures of wine labels for future reference.

Las Vegas is host to numerous conventions year-round. MGM Resorts' new WI-FI system also caters to convention attendees. Previously, their WI-FI system was only able to support roughly 4,000 concurrent users. Today, with the new and improved WI-FI, MGM Resorts now has the capability to support up to 120,000 concurrent users in Las Vegas. In addition, convention groups will find that the system is user-friendly and allows for network customization. It also includes location-based services and fast download/streaming speeds (for video presentations). MGM Resorts is clearly an industry leader. Most of their resorts, including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, and The Mirage already have this enhanced WI-FI in place. Final installations to additional resorts will be complete in 2013.