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Motel.com has now launched an initiative to allow customers to search for green hotels. Before this plan was put into action, customers who possessed that green thumb were unable to decipher which properties would meet their sustainable criteria. With a new "green feature" search, Motel.com lists all of the Hotels and Motels that are considered Eco Friendly or friends of the environment which efforts such as conserving water, electricity and natural gas. These properties listed as Eco Friendly are certified by the Greenkey Eco-Rating System by Green Key Global. "The Green Key Eco-Rating Program and Green Key Meetings Program are graduated rating systems designed to recognize green hotels, motels and resorts that are committed to improving their environmental and fiscal performance." With Americans becoming increasingly environmentally conscious, stay in an Eco Friendly Motel or Hotel has become a priority. Indeed, when I travel, I like to stay at a hotel that is better than my home. With these new initiatives in the back of my mind, staying at a certified Eco Friendly hotel would definitely meet my criteria. 

Today's online space is more complex and more fragmented. There is a tremendous amount of growth in the mobile research and booking space, which in turn is leading to shortening booking windows.The rise in importance of the mobile channel garnered much attention at PhoCusWright. There are OTAs that are helping solve a problem hoteliers could not do on their own and there are OTAs that are maliciously attacking hotel revenue with large margins. Search-engine marketing, particularly with new parameters introduced by Google, is making it harder to promote and sell hotel rooms.

This article was all about the hotel security concerns for 2012. The 5 things the article lists as issues are: IT, terrorism, skimmers, liability and insurance fraud, and finally security as taboo. IT in a concern for hotel security because mobile and cloud technology is becoming very popular. Companies that do not protect their information with passwords are even more at risk. Data protection needs to include end to end management so companies are not just patching the security. Terrorism is another issue that was a concern in 2012. Hotels need to keep staff and travelers knowledgeable about possible threats, but in a way that does not scare them. Campaigns were placed in airports to educate travelers about notifying security upon seeing something suspicious. Another thing that hotel security should be concerned about is skimming. Skimming is a device that catches credit card numbers. Usually there is a need for an inside man for this type of threat. These people usually aren't criminals, but opportunists. Prevention of this in your hotel could be to hire an investigative team man making that known to the employees. This will keep honest people honest. Insurance fraud is one of the greatest business risks and it's the most expensive. Claims could be as small as a guest seeking a free room for stubbing his toe to a drawn out worker's compensation case. Liability is the label that hoteliers are held liable for criminal acts of a third party. Hoteliers should properly educate themselves on these issues and consulting an attorney if necessary. The final issue is security as a taboo. Security should become a part of day to day operations and hoteliers will be better able to address it. Hotel executives should insist their GM's make security a priority. This article was written for the year 2012. I still think that all these issues are relevant in 2013.

This article highlights some of the many advantages to switching your Hotel PMS system to a cloud-based system, including saving time and money, increasing your flexibility and security, and appealing to today's technologically savvy guests.

This article makes some excellent points. I must admit that I am still "old fashioned" when it comes to PMS systems, but it's hard to argue with dollars and sense! The cost of an onsite IT team to manage the PMS system is probably the biggest advantage, save for the CAPEX equipment investment. The fact that the system can be managed from a hand held devise, makes it even more attractive. No more downloading of nightly reports, the information is at one's fingertips. My only concern is the security. While any company can be hacked (Home Depot, Target, etc.), there is a lot of trust placed on the cloud host.

It appears that American Airline is about to remove itself from the tradition global distribution system and introduce its own distribution system. American Airlines is advocating for distribution companies to utilize AA direct connect which is a direct link into AA's host reservations system. Currently American Airlines fares are no longer available on Expedia or Orbitz sites. This is because no contractual agreement was reached for the distribution of AA products. Travel professionals are waiting to see the result of this bold move by American as this has great implication for the future of airline distribution systems. If American Airlines pulls away from the mainstream GDS, consumers and travel specialist alike will be faced with the inconvenience of going to a separate reservations system to compare fares. Although travel professionals are now urged to use direct connect on a trial basis, the general feeling is that eventually they will be charged to sell American Airline flights. To defend this move American Airline is only saying that direct connect will make it easier for them to tract ancillary fees like priority seating. It was noted in the article that Southwest Airline for the most part is a stand alone reservations system but they do not negotiate with the GDS companies to sell their flights. It is therefore quite evident that this move by American is really to reduce expenditure by eliminating the middle GDS companies while increasing revenue by charging travel partners for utilizing direct connect. American Airlines clearly wants to globally control their distribution system and maximize revenues. Contract renewal for both world span and sabre are due and the experts are waiting to see if American will renew with them. Sabre is owned by American Airlines so its a wait and see game to see how all this will be panned out. The real problem for the consumers and travel specialists are that if other airlines are to follow this move by American the tra

This article explains the distribution route American Airlines is taking to sell their flights. Due to not seeing eye to eye with the two most probably used websites for travel, Expedia and Orbitz, American has now taken their products away from both airline distribution sites. American suggest that all travel agencies and distribution companies begin using Direct Connect, which is a system for only American Airlines flights. If this would happen, travel agencies and companies will then begin having to pay for the system in order to sell Americans flights. At the moment you can still book flights through other distribution sites, but until when will that be? They already stopped Orbitz and Expedia, what's not to stop the others. The future of global distribution systems will be up in the air if all airlines choose to sell their own systems to be able to sell reservations. The only positive that was pointed out in this article was that if this system takes over, then more consumers will have to go back to using travel agents to secure the best reservations for flights and such.

With the contracts for major global systems, Worldspan and Sabre, being up for renewal in the near future, this article analyses the possible outcomes for airlines, and alternatives should they choose not to forgo continuing use of GDS

The importance of delivering safety, security, sustainability, and service in the hospitality industry is becoming an important aspect of our society. This article discusses each principle and addresses essential information that can help deliver legendary experiences to guests. As social media and review sites become a way to engage costumers in expressing their overall experiences it is important that you ensure the up most excellent experience in every aspect to create consumer loyalty. * Safety - must be the number one priority in any hospitality business. Any issue that violates the duty of care of any guest should be addressed and taken very seriously to avoid negative affects to the brand. * Service - Excellent and hospitable accommodations is the reason why frequent travelers return to the same establishments. Training your staff to be diligent and welcoming will help promote the brand values. * Sustainability - one of the latest trends is environmental sustainability within the industry. Guests are conscious of the importance of sustainability and want to feel like they are part of the movement by booking hotels that are "Green". * Security - due to the large risks of security breaches any business is susceptible to be a victim of cyber attacks. It is important to promote security by having a proactive and preventive plan in case of a security breach.

Hotels and restaurants that have gone green, try to analyze how to effectively market the facet of their operation or how to market themselves going green. Some factors they would have to acknowledge about going green are how the practices can affect them and also where these supplies come from. Hotels can follow concepts of restaurant that focus on supply chain and local sourcing which might be an effective way of communicating environmental priorities. Front line employees are the best way to start with convincing customers that the establishment is committed  to being green.

This article looked at the views on IT investments of Hospitality Technology's Editorial Advisory Board. The Board represents a variety of hospitality industries. The article focused on areas of improvement, emerging technologies, IT priorities for 2012, "wish list" IT investments, and more. Among the areas for improvement, guest Wi-Fi and mobile apps, loss prevention technologies, and social media targeting older clientele topped the list. Older guests connecting to and understanding social media are a worry among many of the Board members as well as lack of standardized, secure payment methods. Many also mention that their current systems (POS in particular) tend to hold them back from implementing new IT technologies because they would not be compatible.  Most Board members listed having mobile devices that could be used for a variety of purposes on the guest end as well as on the business end would be top on their "wish list" for IT implementations. With almost everyone owning smartphones today, I think this would be the smartest and most effective IT implementation to invest in. Many customers and guests are looking for easy and accessible ways of navigating through the hotel and restaurant environments without extensive help from others. Since many people, especially the generation coming up, are more and more attached to their phones and tablets, mobile apps for nearly everything seems like the smart way to go.  Cloud-based servers were a close second in terms of what they wanted in invest in. Many of the Board members pinpointed technologies that have been around but are still new, especially in their respective areas, when speaking of useful emerging technologies. Mobile apps, tablet and 73456

this article gives a great overview of the steps leaders in the Hospitality industry are taking towards new technology. In this article members of the industry were interview regarding weaknesses in the current hospitality market as well as emerging trends that each believe is in rapid increase. Some of the answers give very interesting approach towards technology. Although, overall it seems that the number one emerging technology is the use of cloud-based/mobile-based services.

This article talk about Intercontinental hotels group is the largest hotel group worldwide by measuring the number of room. IHG produced a mobile-optimised site so visitors could check availability and book rooms at nearby IHG hotels. This hotel brand also uses the mobile to increase the income. IHG's interactive marketing manager, Marco De Rosa says that revenue from mobile search increase by 91% year over year over specially using text aimed at most mobile users. Lately, IHG launched the Priority club reward app for both iOS and Android platforms which offer a easy way to customers to search and book their rooms. IHG takes mobile very seriously, and its "test and learn" approach is providing insights and better decision-making. Mobile technology does bring lots of benefit for hotel organizations. Later, it is a trend for hotel decision maker to invest more money for mobile web and mobile app development.

Green Initiative by Hilton Hotel Hotels as well as other service industries are looking for new ways to run more efficiently and looking to nature to give them some ideas. The latest in green technology is allowing hotels to push the eco-envelope and create energy efficient roof systems that also help the environment, and provide a visually beautiful space for their guests to enjoy. Hilton Hotel chain recently constructed Hilton Baltimore to break records with their proactive "green" policy, by creating garden to cover the entire roof, which Hilton looks upon as a commitment to the community and environment- a top level priority which stems from the top at the corporate level and is implemented down to the property level. This kind of innovation benefits all the major stakeholders…….it helps the environment by reducing rain water run-off, creates habitants for birds to thrive, helps to keep the hotel cool thereby reducing utility expense, it also provides a conducive atmosphere for the guest to enjoy and above all it generates good will for Hilton Hotels. This is not just happening in the U.S. Hotels around the globe are choosing to guide their business towards efficiency utilizing green roof technology. Besides recycling, and purchasing 'Green Sustainable Energy Credits' for 50% of the energy it utilizes annually, InterContinental Chicago hotel initiated "waste minimization" with a program that donates table scraps and leftover foods to local farms or composting sites. They have also introduced 'Green Weddings' and 'Green Meetings' options for event planners, bicycle rentals, organic wines and foods, and distribute seeds to employees to encourage giving back to the environment.

Revel Systems has joined forces with Network Intercept to create a new iPad POS system. It will make Revel Systems one of the most secure restaurant POS providers on the market. Because keeping the customers' credit card information safe is the top priority of Revel Systems, they have a passion to create the software which can provide the highest level of protection by using verification and encrypting all data and payment information from end to end.

To ensure customer satisfaction and repeat business, it is very important that the hospitality industry determine what type of telecommunication equipment is going to optimize their guest experience. Our guests want to stay connected, either they are on vacation or in a business trip. Before installing telecommunication equipments in a hotel room, it is a good idea to know what type of customers your business handles. They could be a family on vacation or professionals on a business trip. There are a lot of companies that offer telecomunications equipments for this industry, and base on customer satisfaccion , the hotel industry needs to fit customer needs....

This article definitely explains all of the uses that will benefit the guests in hotels. The first thing that it mentions is choosing a telecommunications equipment that meets all of the needs of the organization and is easy to use. This to me is the most important aspect because if you choose equipment that does not suit all of your companies needs it is not efficient at all to the company because you may then have to end up purchasing other equipment and spending more money in the long run. Choosing telecommunications equipment that is secure and has a reliable messaging system is also important because guests may need to relay messages to someone as well as employees may need to relay messages to one another. If the system is not reliable there is always a chance that messages will not be delivered to the proper person or in the proper time frame causing problems. If you can find a system that has all of these features in one it is definitely the best option for your organization. This is a great article because it talks about all of these issues which we may not realize exist.

Optimize your guests' experience with hotel telecommunications equipment In an ever more global society, many businesses are becoming progressively more dependent on telecommunications equipment. For the hospitality industry, this is an increasingly vital priority. Whether your main focus is family vacations or business trips, your guests want to stay connected.

This article suggests that consumers now purchase in a more customized why with new technologies offered through applications and data plans through consumer's phones, tables and laptops. Airline consumers have recently changed their purchasing habits to choices such as in-flight WiFi, priority boarding, premium seating, meals or doubling their miles instead of the traditional schedules and fares. Airlines have veered to selling these types of customized travel services through direct selling to consumers and have eliminated the use of global distribution systems GDS. Airlines have found that the use of GDS's are more expensive to both the airline and consumer and that GDS's technology has yet to evolve to enable the kind of customer-focused and customized shopping that other industries have embraced. Now GDS's has ask that the Department of Transportation DOT to protect its market dominance by having DOT force airlines to give them, free of charge, the ability to sell options services as checked bags, seat upgrades or club access. Airlines believe that consumers should know what the are paying for.

This article claims that GDS systems are actually limiting consumer choices. The author suggests that using new distribution technologies that connect us directly to reservation systems would be better for consumers because it provides them with all the choices the airlines can offer, without the extra charge. Purchasing a ticket through GDS is three times more expensive than purchasing the ticket directly. Airlines, which aim to support consumer choice and transparency with its customers, try to tailor travel options to accommodate a passenger's individual needs. However, GDS opposes this movement by urging airlines to use outdated equipment that requires its due fees, which in turn raises the cost of travel for consumers.  

More than 52,000 surveys were completed by the American Hotel & Lodging Association regarding various concepts of hotels. As for this weeks theme: Hotels report that ecofriendly practices are still a top priority. According to the website, water saving programs are in use at 75% of properties and about the same about have a linen and towel reuse program. Although a short article, the results from the survey were able to be found. The numbers prove that the hospitality field is clearly moving towards a greener foundation; whether that is because of political pressure of because they actually care about the environment is till up for grabs.

Although GDS is now a widely used way to promote sales in nowadays' airline and hotel industry, there are still some disadvantages. This article summarized five main concerns when a company choose a GDS, which are money, priorities, industry stagnation, declining, and controversy. GDS is not always the right answer, a company should make the right decision according to its specific situation.

With technology fast growing, it is because part of our everyday life in everything that we do. And as for the hotel sector, IHG wants to stay ahead of the game. On the verge of releasing a series of technologies to be used in its hotels, IHG is keeping customer satisfaction as their main priority. 

In keeping up to its standard of maintaining high customer service, the Ritz Carlton has a new idea to do just that. As we know with a hotel, there are many hands on the assembly belt to make the hotel run smoothly. Since the guest experience is their main priority, they don't want to leave anyone excluded. So the company has released an app, ((CHIME)), to assist event planners during their event. Sent to the planner three days prior to the event, the Event planner is able to make any changes necessary. On the day of, if something was to malfunction or hotel assistance was needed, instead of the planner panicking, they are able to use ((CHIME)) to get what they need done. Whether it has to do with food & beverage, audio / visuals, seating arrangements, or room relocation, within minutes the event planner can have a request put in and a hotel employee will be there to fix the issue. Just another way of keep guests returning and to ensure a successful event. 

The hospitality industry is recognizing how imperative it is to run your hotel in a way where it will not only benefit you and your business but for the environment as well. Many hotels are making an effort to making an effort to become certified by means of having a going green business. In addition to certification, businesses in the hospitality industry are contributing to this go green effort by seeking specific goals and priorities. Hotels for example are focusing on how to save energy and water conservation, solid waste management, land use and indoor air quality. Changing basic hotel equipment such as toilets, solar heating, washing machines/dryers, refrigerators to "green products" can create a big difference in hotel energy costs and help save the environment as well. When a hotel owner applies for certification they are carefully inspected to verify compliance on how well the hotel manages their business efficiently by saving energy, water and disposing wastes properly for example. Even something so small as using the right cleaning supplies can have a positive impact on the environment. Not only does going green lower hotel costs but they also receive tax rebates, zoning permits and other incentives to persuade hotels to go green.

In todays world, where ecoturism is the fastest growing market in the hospitality industry, hotel managers and owners realize the importance of running their properties in an environmentally responsible way. These initiatives usually translate in to greater customer recognition and loyalty. Some of the ways they achieve this is thru certifications, such as LEED which focuses on improvements to buildings and structures in order to maximize operations such as energy performance, conservation of water and other resources.

In an effort to become more environmentally conscious, many hotels and resorts have taken major steps, from pre construction to customer requests, to reduce their "carbon footprint". These establishments understand the value of "going green" not just to increase their long term profits but also to cater to a growing demand for more environmentally friendly recreational outlets. Going green is more than just a fad. Therefore, it is imperative, to stakeholders, within the hospitality and tourism industry to make the necessary changes to maintain a competitive edge.

This article reviews the newest technological investments that are being made within the lodging industry. The article outlines the industries greatest opportunities and accomplishments  concerning IT development. 

This article was very interesting and it was about how safety security is very important to the hospitality industry. This article also explained how a study shows the safety and security systems work in the hospitality industry. They also said that it is very important to update the emergency plan because you never know when something going to happen in the hotel and you always have to be ready for anything. This study just showed how an effective information system could prevent and being well prepared can definitely help prevent any emergency.

The article is a study that was conducted in regards to the security management within a hotel and how an effective security system can help in preventing accidents or emergencies from occuring. The main priority of a hotel or any establishment, besides the service provided, is having an effective emergency plan set in place to be able to respond and overcome a crisis. International hospitality being a focus over the recent years, has suffered crises, risks, and disasters causing negative impacts on tourism and the community. Hotels should "issue a check-list concerning a hotel's vulnerability to emergencies caused by natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis) or man-made crises (terrorist attacks, explosions, fires, spill, food poisoning)." Another part of the plan is to focus on the loss prevention aspect of a hotel by implementing information technology to secure or improve security. On technology mentioned was biometric to increase the hotel information system and also to help reduce cost and improve the way we recognize criminal activities. With the hospitality industry being one of the most vulnerable industries to crimes and disasters, it is important to recognize, improve and update the plans set into place to ensure accurate information. While it's impossible to say that these preventions are going to stop these problems from happening, it can help other learn about the proper steps to handling these situations. I personally think that as much as employers suggest different way, it's the job of the loss prevention team in every industry to construct a plan that address as many issues and conduct trainings that would help to prepare us for these occasions. Trainings are going to be the best way to properly analyze a problem and improve on the emergency plan set.