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Contents contributed and discussions participated by rnobl005

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rnobl005

How This Wearable Tech Device Provides Custom Marketing at Large Events - 1 views

www.bizbash.com/...33107

shared by rnobl005 on 15 Jul 18 - No Cached
  • How This Wearable Tech Device Provides Custom Marketing at Large Events
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 15 Jul 18
       
      I was hoping there would be a chance to share this article during the semester. This article from 2016 discusses an RFID bracelet that allows the event host to collect information on the attendees - however it doesn't have to be personal data, it's more about their interests and then using this information to create a memorable experience. Interactive marketing is a dominant force in the industry. Many consumers feel as though they need to connect to a brand before they work it into their lives. Technology can aid that process along.
  • On November 2 at the 50th Annual Country Music Association Awards in Nashville, a new tech product debuted that offers a different way for planners to communicate directly with their attendees
  • Hurdl has created a wearable device that has applications at a variety of events such as festivals, sporting events, trade shows, and fund-raisers. The brains of the wristband are housed in a circular LED button called a Pixl that attaches to the wristband. Guests receive a band upon arrival at an event, and then activate it by texting the unique code associated with their band to a phone number. In response, the guest receives a text that has an opt-in privacy policy and asks a series of questions created by the event host to gather the data they want for the event.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • “The client can ask any question. 'What team are you cheering for? What’s your favorite song? How are identifying your gender?'” says Hurdl co-founder Betsy McHugh. “From that point forward, the event happens, and your wearable will light up based on your unique answers. For example, if Beyoncé wants to light up all the single ladies, or a sporting team wants to light up all the people who served in the military.”
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 15 Jul 18
       
      While the concept behind the bracelet can translate to almost any setting, the way each event using the technology is different which makes every experience unique.
  • create a meaningful communal experience
  • Once the guest activates the wristband via text, the event host can communicate directly with that person. “Now that we’ve built this one-to-one communication network … you get to not only be part of the experience, you can also can get a text from the host. It could say, ‘Go to the concession stand to get a free Coke for the next 10 minutes,’ or ‘Go to the merchandise stands and you’ll get 10 percent off,” McHugh says.
  • In a trade show environment, Hurdl’s algorithm can analyze the anonymized data to help sponsors and exhibitors target messaging to specific attendees.
rnobl005

Exclusive: Condé Nast Launches New Event Management Software-With a Twist - 0 views

www.bizbash.com/...35253

shared by rnobl005 on 15 Jul 18 - No Cached
  • Exclusive: Condé Nast Launches New Event Management Software—With a Twist
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 15 Jul 18
       
      Conde Nast is a mass media company publishing well known magazines such as Vogue and Conde Nast Traveler. Over the past few years their brands have incorporated more and more events into their repertoire, so I wasn't surprised when I came across this article a few months back. In 2017 they acquired an event concierge platform called Ribyt which has evolved into Concierge.com. Not only is it a guest management software system - it also gives users access to a team of hospitality professionals who can handle project management, staffing, web design, and branding details. I was in the event industry for 5 years prior to starting the graduate program at FIU so I am always excited to see how tech and the events world intersect. I think this software is really innovative and believe it can be a great resource for meeting planners.
  • An expansion of event concierge platform Ribyt—which Condé Nast acquired in March 2017—Concierge.com promises to offer “software with a service.”
  • Translation: In addition to online registration and guest management, users will have full access to a team of seasoned event and hospitality experts.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • “Ribyt started as a home-grown software for managing guests attending our more complex events—events with multiple levels of invitee and variable itineraries,”
  • The resulting platform offers a variety of features and services. On the software side, it can design and deploy event invites, track activity, manage travel accommodations, generate personalized itineraries for guests, delegate responsibilities to team members, and more. The accompanying service side, though, is what makes the platform unique: Concierge.com's team of professionals can handle everything from overall project management to event-day staffing to website design and branding details.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 15 Jul 18
       
      To me this is a unique selling point - I don't know of any other management programs that includes people who can help you with the the planning aspects of your event.
  • Concierge.com is a turnkey solution for time-strapped event producers
  • Clients can use the self-service software on its own, or tap into the full-service option. Pricing is based on the number of guests being managed.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 15 Jul 18
       
      Again, I like that they've made their service scalable. This takes into consideration that not every client is the same.
  • “Consumers, and as a consequence marketers, are valuing in-person experiences more and more,” says Murphy. “As such, Condé Nast is leveraging its strong heritage in creating unforgettable moments—like the Vanity Fair Oscar Party and Glamour's Women of the Year—to create a full-service offering for clients looking to connect with consumers in powerful ways.”
rnobl005

The damage from Atlanta's huge cyberattack is even worse than the city first thought | ... - 0 views

techcrunch.com/...atlanta-information-management

shared by rnobl005 on 08 Jul 18 - No Cached
  • The damage from Atlanta’s huge cyberattack is even worse than the city first thought | TechCrunch
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 08 Jul 18
       
      After reading the discussion prompt for this week, the recent cyberattack on Atlanta immediately came to mind. This scenario is a prime example as to why cities need to invest in cybersecurity. The city paid the ransom demand of $50,000, but the damage of the attack itself was much more costly - they estimate having to spend $9.5 million to rebuild many programs that are not salvageable. It's hard to say if this was preventable had Atlanta invested in some form of cybersecurity but I think this is a new trend that major cities should be aware of and start taking preventative measures on.
  • The damage from Atlanta’s huge cyberattack is even worse than the city first thought | TechCrunch
  • More than two months after a cyberattack hobbled many of its critical municipal systems, the city of Atlanta is still sorting through the wreckage of what is likely the worst cyberattack targeting a U.S. city to date.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • On March 22, Atlanta’s connected systems city-wide were hit with a ransomware message locking their respective files and demanding an approximately $50,000 payment in bitcoin
  • Atlanta residents were unable to do simple city system-dependent tasks like paying parking tickets or utility bills. City employees didn’t get the all-clear to turn on their computers until five days later and many city systems still have not recovered.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 08 Jul 18
       
      The cybersecurity article focused on global issues and potential military conflict, but this article proves that cybersecurity can impact the more mundane aspects of our life.
  • at least one third of the 424 software programs that the city runs remain offline or partially inoperable. Almost 30 percent of those programs are deemed “mission critical” by the city meaning that they control crucial city services like the court system and law enforcement.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 08 Jul 18
       
      Again, on a global scale the Atlanta court system doesn't sound super threatening. But for the city it's obviously a huge blow and will take years to bring everything up to speed.
  • While reporting the updated numbers, Rackley estimated that $9.5 million would need to be added to the department’s $35 million budget to address the remaining damage
  • That amount is on top of the more than two million dollars in emergency procurements sought by Atlanta Information Management following the attack.
  • Earlier this week, Atlanta’s Police Chief disclosed that the cyberattack destroyed “years” worth of police dash cam video footage.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 08 Jul 18
       
      Another terrible loss due to the cyberattack.
  • Atlanta has been regarded as a frontrunner for Amazon’s second headquarters in some analyses, though it’s not immediately clear how the cyberattack will affect the city’s odds.
rnobl005

Meeting Planners Are Struggling With the Fast Evolution of Event Technology - Skift - 1 views

skift.com/...-evolution-of-event-technology

shared by rnobl005 on 01 Jul 18 - No Cached
  • Meeting Planners Are Struggling With the Fast Evolution of Event Technology – Skift
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 01 Jul 18
       
      Skift posted this article almost a year ago but I felt like it was still applicable today. It definitely speaks to this week's subject of integrating IT into a business and the time invested. Event related technological solutions have boomed in recent years but this article finds that meeting planners are having trouble navigating cloud-based event management platforms like Cvent. I actually had personal experience with this in my previous role - I was on the receiving end of the RFP meaning planners would want me to generate quotes for them. Unfortunately our venue didn't have consistent pricing rates so I would have to personally contact the requestor to learn more about their event, which defeats the purpose of the software. Eventually we just stopped using the system altogether but couldn't figure out who to speak with at Cvent to close our account - so to some planners it appeared as though we were flat out ignoring their business. What I found interesting about this article is that those planners also had issues with the system, specifically with the lack of clarity and poor response rates. Another point of contention is that planners are using technology post-event to measure ROI, but they are having a lot of trouble implementing this data to make future programming better. Mike Mason, VP of sourcing and hospitality solutions with etouches (another event management platform) discusses a new tool that allows planners to measure attendee engagement but admits that firms need to build in a better support system for their clients.
  • Almost one out of two meeting planners today says that event technology is a primary pain point, according to a new study published by etouches.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 01 Jul 18
       
      On one hand it's great that we have software that can assist planners, but it doesn't seem to be making their lives any easier.
  • “Planners cite poor transparency and accuracy over pricing, along with lack of clarity and poor response rates, as their main pain point with venue selection.”
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 01 Jul 18
       
      This is referring to the Cvent platform.
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • the overwhelming pain point for planners is the length of time it takes to receive responses from hotels for their digital requests for proposals (RFPs), and the often inaccurate and/or omitted costs supplied within those responses.
  • Post-event, 65 percent of planners say that they’re using technology to measure the overall return on investment (ROI), but at the same time, how they analyze and use that data to inform future event programming and design remains a challenge.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 01 Jul 18
       
      This is referring to the etouches platform.
  • Toward that end, Cvent launched a new Group Business Intelligence tool this summer, designed to provide real-time data and analytics of hotels’ group business leads, and those of their competitors, in a single platform, helping hotel sales staff prioritize incoming queries and score leads.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 01 Jul 18
       
      Hopefully this will make the RFP response process less overwhelming for the venue sales teams.
  • it’s incumbent on event tech firms across the industry to do a better job managing expectations and delivering the support necessary to help planners use technology more effectively.
  • we need to play a much more concentrative role in the process to help you benefit from it, because unless you benefit from it, and see the ROI, it’s just gonna be a pain in the butt
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 01 Jul 18
       
      This is a quote from Mike Mason at etouches.
  • With the exponential rise of digital RFPs, hotels are challenged with prioritizing the onslaught of proposals they receive, which is the root cause for the lengthy time it often takes to respond to planners.
  • Loopd integrates bi-directional wearable smart badges, a mobile event app, and a cloud-based analytics engine. When attendees are using the Loopd badges, which can transmit contact information and any other kind of digital content, event organizers can track how attendees are moving through the event, and which programming is most popular.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 01 Jul 18
       
      This is a platform run by etouches. I would find this system really valuable if I were a conference attendee. It's a way for me to get the most out of the experience. However, a lot of this rides on the backend functioning properly.
  • The tool is also intended to make it easier for hoteliers to examine leads, dissected by specific time periods, customer segments, competitor rates, response times, and peak night volume, helping calculate the potential value of each piece of group business with more context and business insight than before.
rnobl005

5 Benefits of Using a Hotel Accounting Software That Integrates With Your Cloud PMS - 1 views

www.hotelnewsresource.com/article99312.html

shared by rnobl005 on 27 Jun 18 - No Cached
sbarr011 liked it
  • 5 Benefits of Using a Hotel Accounting Software That Integrates With Your Cloud PMS
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 27 Jun 18
       
      I felt like this was a really great article for this week's topic as it reiterated many of the points mentioned in the PowerPoint and lecture video. There are so many benefits to incorporating accounting software into your business practice. Companies can worry less about human error and save a lot of money by cutting down on the hours it takes for someone to do all the work manually. You can also utilize the software in a variety of ways: generating cash flow statements, monitoring payroll management, and compiling budgets are just a few mentioned in the article. In doing so hoteliers may see trends in their data that they couldn't previously. This article is sponsored by Hotelogix, a cloud-based property management system, as a way to advertise their product. Typically I would take what they have to say with a grain of salt but I feel like the advice they give is actually really unbiased.
  • Accounting in the hotel industry has moved on from the traditional methods of using spreadsheets to the modern hotel accounting software.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 27 Jun 18
       
      I very much agree with this statement. These days it's all about working smarter, not harder.
  • make the whole process error-free and to save time.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • ● Budgets● Compare profits (between current and past periods)● Prepare financial statements, balance sheets● Cash flow statements● Payroll management● Business planning and much more
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 27 Jun 18
       
      These all fall under the responsibility of an accountant.
  • vital for hotel owners/management to understand the monetary health of their hotel business
  • Generating and procuring all these details manually, consumes time and involves tremendous effort. Plus, it may lead to errors, too
  • A hotel accounting system makes it easy for you to generate invoices, account statements, produce payslips, and much more
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 27 Jun 18
       
      I definitely see hotels and other hospitality businesses taking advantage of software that cuts out a lot of the busy work. In doing so they can focus on providing excellent products and customer service to clients and guests.
  • When integrated with a cloud-based Hotel PMS, it becomes easier for you to access your accounting data from anywhere, anytime, and on any device.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 27 Jun 18
       
      This aspect of the software shouldn't be overlooked. If you choose to go with a cloud-based system you also need to make sure you are using protected networks so your company is less prone to hacks.
  • Hotel accounting management is no longer a cumbersome process.
rnobl005

Uber Eats Doubles Down on POS Integration with orderTalk Acquisition - 0 views

table.skift.com/...ion-with-ordertalk-acquisition

shared by rnobl005 on 23 Jun 18 - No Cached
  • Uber Eats Doubles Down on POS Integration with orderTalk Acquisition
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 23 Jun 18
       
      Skift published this article about a month ago. It's a really interesting to see how POS technology is impacting new industries. In this case the focus is on Uber Eats. The company acquired a Dallas-based company called orderTalk, which specialized in POS integrations. Liz Meyerdirk, head of business development for Uber Eats, said that this move aligned with their strategy for two reasons. Integrating this technology reduces errors for the restaurants people are ordering from and improves the workflow at the restaurants themselves. orderTalk's software already works with 10 POS providers and most payment processing vendors, making it a valuable resource for Uber Eats to tab into. Ideally, Uber Eats will see operational improvements and increased profits as a result of the move.
  • technical integrations better manage restaurant workflow. Instead of requiring a middleman, orders are quickly fed to the kitchen display monitor or ticketing system.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 23 Jun 18
       
      Cutting down on the time it takes to start an order means a shorter delivery window. Uber Eats will build customer loyalty as a result of this action.
  • restaurants are asking for ways to reduce errors, and an employee manually entering orders from an Eats-connected iPad into the restaurant’s system leaves room for plenty of human error
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 23 Jun 18
       
      Until reading this I didn't even realize that this is how my order went from my phone to the restaurant. I assumed my order went directly into the system.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Uber Eats announced it has acquired orderTalk, a Dallas-based restaurant technology company with technology and expertise related to point of sale (POS) integrations, according to the company.
  • orderTalk, founded in 1998 and launched as a software as a service company in 2004,  integrates with more than 10 of the leading POS providers and most major payment processing vendors
  • Top Uber Eats competitor Grubhub already integrates with several leading point of sale systems, and CEO Matt Maloney has cited the company’s technology as a main reason it was able to land an exclusive partnership with Yum Brands’ KFC and Taco Bell restaurants.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 23 Jun 18
       
      Uber Eats has a similar relationship with specific McDonalds franchises across the US.
rnobl005

A Next-Generation Property Management System: What's the ROI? - 0 views

www.hotelnewsresource.com/article96478.html

shared by rnobl005 on 16 Jun 18 - No Cached
  • A Next-Generation Property Management System: What’s the ROI?
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 16 Jun 18
       
      After reading everyone's comments on the WebRezPro website, I felt like this article was a nice complement. It's great if you can properly deploy a new Property Management System to make your operations more organized. But what really matters is making sure you are utilizing all the tools at your disposal to get a return on your investment, or ROI. When you evaluate your processes, it's important to look at the data. How long does it currently take you to check in a guest would be one such example. If you think that this new system can help improve that performance financially than you might want to implement it. The author also suggests though that it's important to monitor repeat bookings. The goal is to wow your guests over with a painless experience so that they don't search for another hotel next time around. New PMS models offer smaller businesses the ability to have sophisticated software at a fairly low cost depending on the payment structures. One feature I hadn't thought about until reading this article is whether or not you are required to sign a contract. If you can pay month to month you can test out a system and decide to go another route if it doesn't work out. Ultimately, the most important outcome of any PMS is making sure you are profiting off of your decision. I think anyone looking to implement a PMS would benefit from reading this piece.
  • To what extent will the new system reduce the amount of time currently being spent on managing front desk activities, including check-ins and check-outs, and on such time-consuming tasks as consolidating guest accounts and managing rates and availability across distribution channels, including OTA, GDS, Web, and travel agents?
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 16 Jun 18
       
      These are key performance indicators that properties managers should keep track of to see how they are performing month to month.
  • To what extent is the new system likely to improve sales and revenue
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • Another key factor to consider pertains to reduction in losses, including losses related to errors in manual updates and delayed or lost room charge postings
  • deployment of a next-generation PMS should lead to a greater number of repeat guest stays and a higher volume and intensity of positive brand advocacy.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 16 Jun 18
       
      This is a tangible impression that a PMS can make on your hotel's performance if you utilize it correctly.
  • less expensive and require less up-front investment
  • most cloud-based systems also use a subscription “pay as you go” model, which generally means no long-term contracts and no upfront capital investment for the software or hardware
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 16 Jun 18
       
      I really like the idea of a subscription model. It puts the power in the consumers hand in a way. If you don't like the way the system is functioning you have some bargaining power.
  • it is important to confirm which software features and modules, including future upgrades — as well as which hardware components, if any — are included in the base (recurring) price so as to avoid any surprises down the road.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 16 Jun 18
       
      Definitely agree with this statement. It's always important to know all of the details before signing any contracts.
  • These improvements should be reflected in increased RevPAR and profitability. Better data integration and accuracy should improve revenue management and channel management capabilities, also translating into favorable financial outcomes.  
rnobl005

Green Hospitality: How Hotel Room Technology is Promoting an Eco-Friendly Industry - In... - 1 views

intelitycorp.com/...pitality-hotel-room-technology

Green technology

shared by rnobl005 on 06 Jun 18 - No Cached
  • Green Hospitality: How Hotel Room Technology is Promoting an Eco-Friendly Industry - Intelity
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 07 Jun 18
       
      I'm fascinated by the applications hotels are incorporating into their business model and product line in recent years. What I liked about this article is that it shows that incorporating green technology doesn't have to be very difficult. The author cites that this is a growing trend in the industry. Using green methods can be great for brand perception as well as the operational bottom line. On a basic level, touchscreen tablets and energy efficient rooms seem to be the most popular updates to hotels. According to this article, hotels spent over $400 million on printing directions and collateral for guests in 2015. Companies can cut this cost significantly if they place a tablet in every room that displays the information digitally. InterContinental even went as far as to replacing print Bibles with digital versions on Kindles. Finally, managers should see the benefit of having guests funnel all of their requests through a database. They can mine through this data to gain insights on how to staff or order food/beverage goods more efficiently.
  • the implementation of in-room touchscreen tablets is increasingly being used as a method of making guest rooms better examples of green hospitality.
  • Energy efficiency is one of the biggest current draws for investment in in-room devices
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Lights and air conditioning can be shut off based on guest activity, and overall property energy use can be better monitored.
  • Hotel room tablets are also capable of replacing all printed materials traditionally housed in rooms by providing a digital storehouse of information that can be immediately updated or edited. Considering that the hospitality industry spent over $400 million on printing property directories and marketing collateral for guests in 2015, this is a tremendous opportunity.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 07 Jun 18
       
      As a manager, see this number alone would lead me to incorporate green technology into my hotel
  • InterContinental Hotels completely replaced print Bibles with digital versions loaded on Kindle e-readers
  • By having orders and requests placed by guests through the in-room tablets and automatically filtered into a back-end system for staff review, hotel management can improve staff productivity
rnobl005

GDS Hotel Bookings Rise in 2017 | TravelPulse - 0 views

www.travelpulse.com/...tel-bookings-rise-in-2017.html

gds increase travel hotel

shared by rnobl005 on 01 Jun 18 - No Cached
  • GDS Hotel Bookings Rise in 2017 | TravelPulse
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 01 Jun 18
       
      This article is rather short but I thought it complemented the discussion post for this week. Travel Click surveyed 900 travel agents worldwide and discovered that hotel bookings will surpass 68 million reservations by the end of 2017 thanks to Global Distribution Systems. In 2016 the estimated number of bookings was 66 million, meaning GDS is gaining in popularity as a means of securing travel arrangements even today. Like the Whitepaper suggests, Sabre, Amadeus, and Travelport are the 3 major companies supporting this service. I thought it was interesting that the article brought up the issue of "rate parity" as a means to distinguish one hotel from another. Travel agents are less likely to book a hotel if the hotel is offering different rates across platforms, especially if the GDS rate is higher. Again, bringing this article back to the discussion questions, this is evidence that there are benefits to using a travel agent when planning a trip. They have a comprehensive knowledge of the market at their disposable compared to the average person searching for the best deal on their own. Towards the end of the article the author brings up that travel agents are not using Airbnb because the platform isn't integrated into the GDS - which was not surprising.
  • travel agents are using the GDS to make a record number of hotel reservations. 
  • 68 million reservations
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 01 Jun 18
       
      I think this figure them mention is slightly misleading though. In context this sounds like the total number of reservations made using GDS systems, not necessarily the number of reservations made by travel agents.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • increase of more than 2 million reservations from the number of bookings generated in 2016.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 01 Jun 18
       
      Regardless of who is responsible for the amount of bookings, I think an increase of 2 million bookings in one year is evidence that GDS is still an extremely profitable revenue stream for the hospitality industry.
  • One of the most important things that travel agents want when it comes to hotel bookings on the GDS is rate parity. Hotels that don’t offer the same prices on the GDS that they do elsewhere are not looked upon favorably. 
  • Hotels that offer great amenities are also among the ones that travel agents book the most. 
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 01 Jun 18
       
      The most appealing amenities mentioned in the article are swimming pools, free parking, airport shuttles or transfers, hotel gyms and early check-in/late check-out. Hoteliers should take this information into account and find ways to highlight these features at their properties.
  • global travel agents rely on the GDS as an essential operating system for conducting hotel research and booking reservations
  • Travel agents continue to rely heavily on the GDS for booking and shy away from non-traditional accommodation options such as Airbnb because they are not available on the GDS.
rnobl005

Booking Holdings Buys Activities Distribution Startup FareHarbor - Skift - 0 views

skift.com/...istribution-startup-fareharbor

shared by rnobl005 on 22 May 18 - No Cached
  • Booking Holdings Buys Activities Distribution Startup FareHarbor – Skift
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 22 May 18
       
      Module 3: Networking (Rebecca Noble) I came across this story a few weeks ago and thought it made sense to post about this week as it has to do with e-commerce. Booking Holdings' recently purchased a start up called FareHarbor in what is speculated to be a $300 million deal. FareHarbor is a reservation system designed for tour operators to distribute and sell their products online. Booking Holdings used to be known as the Priceline Group - the company now owns Booking.com, Priceline, KAYAK, OpenTable, and a few other tourism related brands. The idea is that customers buying a hotel room in Paris who know they want to take a tour of the Eiffel Tower can package those two purchases together. This deal is evidence that travel corporations are making a big push to be full service agencies and e-commerce plays a big part in the ability to do so. The article cites a few other similar deals, specifically Expedia.com partnering with a restaurant reservation platform called, Reserve (reserve.com/about). It also talks about Airbnb's own tour offerings, which they call Experiences. There are many other companies similar to FareHarbor that allow tour operators to sell their products online, many of which specialize in a specific geographic region. As such we may see large corporations like Booking Holdings buy these smaller companies so they have tours in popular destinations worldwide.
  • Booking Holdings said Thursday that it will acquire U.S.-based, experiences booking-software provider FareHarbor.
  • The FareHarbor acquisition will help provide content to expand Booking.com‘s upselling of consumers on tours after the consumers have already bought another product from the online travel giant.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 22 May 18
       
      Booking Holdings will utilize the tour excursions supported by the FareHarbor software as an upsell when customers are purchasing other products on Booking.com.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • The price tag could be relatively “hefty” — as in more than $300 million — speculated one source who is knowledgeable about the tours and activities sector.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 22 May 18
       
      $300 million is a HUGE price tag. I think this purchase is a significant statement on the importance of e-commerce in the tourism industry.
  • Both deals — FareHarbor and Reserve — accentuate an accelerated focus on in-destination activities, whether they are visiting a hot restaurant or tours and attractions.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 22 May 18
       
      Reserve is an e-commerce software system used for restaurant reservations. They recently made a deal to become the exclusive restaurant reservation provider for Expedia.com.
  • Airbnb officials recently said that they plan on being in 1,000 cities with their Experiences product by the end of this year, and they project profitability in Experiences by 2019.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 22 May 18
       
      In addition to offering local places to stay, Airbnb now offers tours, or what they call "Experiences." I've heard mixed reviews about this service. They spin it as touring the city you are in with a local guide. But that guide could legitimately mean any person off the street. Guides that lead tours and excursions through legitimate tour operating companies have way more experience and depending on the city they are in have to pass some sort of certification examine to lead tours.
  • The purchase denies TripAdvisor’s Experiences unit a chance to enhance its relationship with suppliers and to make the end-to-end technology experience more seamless between suppliers and consumers.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 22 May 18
       
      TripAdvisor is a competitor of Booking Holdings, so this deal can be seen (according to the author of the article) as a defensive tactic to control the market.
  • Notable players in B2B tech include Bokun, Musement, Once There, Palisis, Redeam, Regiondo, Rezdy, Rezgo, Tiqets, TourRadar, TrekkSoft, Trip.me, and Veltra.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 22 May 18
       
      This are all companies similar to FareHarbor that support tour operators in various parts of the world. The majority of Rezdy's tour inventory, for example, is in the Asia Pacific region. With so many individual companies offering similar services I can see large companies making a move towards purchasing smaller companies to expand their reach geographically.
  • FareHarbor debuted a predictive pricing platform powered by artificial intelligence to help operators select optimal rates for activities.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 22 May 18
       
      Having worked for a tour operator I can see why this is a super lucrative tool. Tour pricing adjusts seasonally based on when the destination is in peak season. Having AI tell you when to adjust the price on your product is a vast improvement operationally because you don't have to dedicate the time to monitoring sometimes thousands of tours by hand.
  • rnobl005 on 22 May 18
     
    Module 3: Networking (Rebecca Noble)
rnobl005

How Facial Recognition Is Shaping the Future of Conferences - Skift - 5 views

skift.com/...ping-the-future-of-conferences

shared by rnobl005 on 16 May 18 - No Cached
  • How Facial Recognition Is Shaping the Future of Conferences – Skift
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 16 May 18
       
      MODULE 2: Hardware and Software (Rebecca Noble) I did a deep dive into recent developments in the hospitality software world and came across this article from September of 2017. It focuses on facial recognition software and there were some really great takeaways that I thought would be beneficial to share with all of you. The software mentioned here definitely falls under Application Software. The article gives multiple examples of how facial recognition software can be utilized in the hospitality industry, specifically events and conferences. The main benefit of this from an event planner's perspective is easing the registration process which the article mentions is one of the most difficult parts of event logistics. Coming from an events background I can definitely attest to this statement. In one instance, Zenus (the software mentioned) made the check-in process run 5 times faster for attendees to uploaded their photo to the system compared to those who didn't. Thanks to this innovation, event planners can use their time more efficiently. Instead of focusing on the headache of check-in they can make sure the actual conference is running on track. The article also says that it's not as expensive as you would think. Additionally, this benefits attendees too because they can zip through registration and get right to the trade show floor or speaker they want to hear. The end of the article mentioned another application of the facial recognition software: a "smile swag" vending machine. Hampton Hotels tapped into the experiential aspect here - people were interested in getting a prize but they also wanted to see how the machine worked. What I liked about this is that it made technology fun. I noticed a lot of students in the lecture video thought that technology puts barriers into the hospitality industry because you lose the personal connection. But here software doesn't come off as cold. Hampton encouraged people to smile and in doing so hopefully g
  • High-tech software companies and event production firms are rolling out new technologies
  • improve event security, streamline the check-in process, and measure the attendee experience.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 16 May 18
       
      These are some of the benefits of incorporating the facial recognition software at a conference or event.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • speeds up the check-in process, prevents registration fraud, and adds an extra level of security to an event or conference by ensuring that the person who registered for the event is actually the person attending
  • Of the more than 250 guests that attended, most of whom were in-house corporate event planners, 126 used the facial recognition check-in, resulting in a process that was five times quicker than the barcode or QR system used at the previous year’s events.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 16 May 18
       
      Here is where the article mentions the software's impact on how much it can speed up the check-in process. Attendees don't necessarily have to participate, it's more of an additional tool. Not everyone may be a fan of this type of integration at an event but I definitely would be.
  • “insanely cost-effective” option,
  • facial recognition can drive down the costs of check-in to less than a dollar per attendee.
  • You can use a basic Android phone or an iPhone or tablet to work with the process, so you don’t have to invest a lot of money to make that work for you,” Wynant said.
    • rnobl005
      rnobl005 on 16 May 18
       
      I thought this was a really smart feature. The software works on platforms that companies already own potentially so there is little overhead financially.
  • Hampton Hotels partnered with agencyEA to create a vending machine that used facial recognition technology to dole out “smile swag.”
  • I think brands are starting to see it as having a really good opportunity to broaden what some of their goals are and engage audiences in new ways
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