Skip to main content

Home/ Hospitality Technology/ Group items matching "Old" in title, tags, annotations or url

Group items matching
in title, tags, annotations or url

Sort By: Relevance | Date Filter: All | Bookmarks | Topics Simple Middle
krikooo94

7 Reasons Why You Should Move from On-Premise to Cloud Computing - IBIS Technology - 1 views

  •  
    Cloud computing allows you to store and access files via the internet rather than the computer's hard drive. Switching to this system saves on costs, extra security measures, and connection and access issues you may be experiencing when working remotely. Data loss is always a risk when your files are stored in a place with only one access point, with cloud computing the files are stored on the internet making it more secure. Cloud computing also allows you to easily work with others in different departments or offices altogether since the files can be shared and accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.
  •  
    There is a lot more to the cloud than I thought. As an owner of a macbook i do store lots of things on the "cloud" but I can't help to feel like not being able to physically touch something that has my files, like a hard drive..is real. I know it is but maybe I'm just real old school. I think I need to start trusting the cloud more, especially this day in age.
jordanskj

A GDS Primer: What is the GDS and Which Travel Agents Need It? - 0 views

  • The advantage to travel agents is that the GDS not only can show you many fares from multiple airlines, but it also offers a great depth of information about each flight in one place. The carrier, the times, the costs, the class of the seat, aircraft type and so much more. It’s a smorgasbord of options. So if you’re booking a high volume of tickets, it’s great to have access to every minutiae of information from multiple carriers in one go.
  • In today’s world, the GDSs have a bit of a split personality. There is the old school, traditional GDS commonly called “the green screen.” Then there’s the hip side of the GDSs, which people will call “point and click” or “GUI” (Graphical User Interface). Essentially, it’s a more intuitive and prettier looking version of the GDS.
  • To learn the GDS green screen takes intense training, and to become proficient takes tons of practice and constant use. That means daily use with a mentor (for at least 6 months to a year), not just booking a ticket for a client every few weeks.
  • ...16 more annotations...
  • While new agents can partially navigate the GDS with the GUI interface, the code that comes back still has important information like fare types and rules that the agents really needs to understand. So many agents, in the end, need to learn the green screen (and find it faster) regardless.
  • One of the reasons that most leisure agents don’t need the GDS is because the air will be included in a vacation package by the tour operator, or you can book it with the cruise line and you don’t need to use the GDS.
  • Global Distribution System (GDS) is a travel agent’s motherboard for booking airline tickets and other sorts of travel goodies (like hotel and car)
  • It can be easy to confuse the GDS with a Central Reservation System or Computerized Reservation System (CRS). CRSs are automated inventory-tracking systems that were (originally) owned and run by individual vendors (like airlines, car companies and hotels).
  • GDSs function as an umbrella for many many CRS systems. It’s like a CRS motherboard. (In fact, many vendors outsource their CRS systems to a GDS.)
  • an show you many fares from multiple airlines, but it also offers a great depth of information about each flight in one place. The carrier, the times, the costs, the class of the seat, aircraft type and so much more. It’s a smorgasbord of options. So if you’re bookin
  • If you are a leisure travel agent, there’s a huge whopping huge chance that you don’t need to use a GDS
  • American Airlines created the first CRS system in 1946. And while this helped automate inventory for vendors, travel agents did not have direct access to that inventory. Travel agents would need to call the airline’s booking center, who would then contact one of their CRS operators, then relay the results to the travel agent over the phone (literally, like playing telephone). It took a lot of people power to book a single airline ticket. Travelers booking their own ticket? Forget about it! 
  • There are many GDS options, and each GDS system will has access to their own pool of carriers. The four largest GDSs are: Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport (which is the parent company of Apollo/Galileo and Worldspan).
  • Let me be blunt: unless you’re some kind of prodigy, the GDS green screens are not user friendly. Be afraid, be very afraid.
  • he GUI is the point-and-click version of the GDS. You may have heard of options such as Sabre Red Workspace and TravelPort Smartpoint. So why doesn’t everyone use it? Here’s the problem: At its current stage of development, even GUI users need to understand the language of the green screen.
  • Essentially, the GUI interface isn’t quite there yet . . . and developing this technology is reeeeeally expensive and comes with a lot of growing pain
  • To book in the GDS, you must have an IATA/IATAN accreditation number, in addition to an ARC accreditation number if you’re located in the United States.
  • As a new agent, you can’t get these accreditation numbers because they require a lot of experience. So you come into the industry under a host agency (more on what a host agency is) and use their accreditation number instead.
  • Corporate travel agents book a whole lot of air, so the GDS is pretty much a must for them.
  • If your specialty is around the world tickets or you have a steady stream of clients with multi-stop itineraries, the GDS will be a necessity. 
  •  
    This article looks at GDS and GUI systems and gives a holistic viewpoint of performance, positives and negatives, and what type of agencies can utilize each system. I felt that the more complicated system and its requirements for agency users to have and understanding of coding, made the GUI system more likely to have a higher utilization in the future.
  •  
    The article delves into the importance of GDSs and travel agents along with the controversy surrounding their evolution as airlines are trying to encourage more direct bookings to make more profits and avoid paying commission to travel agents.
  •  
    This article goes into detail about GDS's, the history of GDS's, and if travel agents actually need to use them. The article first explains what a GDS system is, a brief description stating "Global Distribution System (GDS) is a travel agent's motherboard for booking airline tickets and other sorts of travel goodies (like hotel and car)". The article then quickly goes into a brief history of the GDS. GDS was created by America Airlines in 1946, making it easier to check inventory for vendors, though it would still take some time for this technology to reach the travel agents. "Travel agents would need to call the airline's booking center, who would then contact one of their CRS operators, then relay the results to the travel agent over the phone (literally, like playing telephone). It took a lot of people power to book a single airline ticket". We then take a turn, and learn about the usability of a GDS, and that it's quite low. GDS's are not user-friendly, but sadly sometimes a necessity for certain types of travel agents. These types mostly being the ones who book lots of corporate travel arrangements. Lastly, the article discusses if a GDS is right for your business, and if you decide it's not, how to go about booking things without it.
obrediajones

6 Restaurant Technology Trends to Look Out for in 2020 - 1 views

  • With 60% of US diners ordering takeout or delivery at least once a week and 31% using online ordering or a mobile app, it’s no wonder that ghost kitchens have continued to pop up. Ghost kitchens—also known as dark kitchens, virtual kitchens, cloud kitchens, or headless restaurants—don’t have a storefront or seating for dine-in customers or takeout orders.
  • ulfill
  • Quick service restaurants are starting to take cues from Alexa and Siri by implementing voice recognition software for ordering.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • Cloud-based restaurant POS systems are becoming increasingly popular versus old school legacy
  • As for FOH, using robotics and automation has become a hot topic among restaurant industry insiders and consumers alike, many of whom worry they’ll contribute to unemployment rates.
  • While it’s hard to say if a robot could ever replace a human chef, the concept has been gaining traction lately and it’s interesting to think about what mundane tasks a robot in the kitchen could take on, freeing up chefs and cooks for more creative or complex pursuits.
  • Not only are cloud-based systems easier to install (no hard wiring!), the hardware is less expensive, and software upgrades are free and can be done remotely, saving restaurateurs thousands of dollars in start-up and maintenance costs.
  • systems.
  • Arguably
  • Arguably the most valuable restaurant technology tied to a cloud-based POS system is the ability to track sales, server performance, menu trends, and more. Armed with data that can help you make better decisions when it comes to menu planning, staffing, and sales will give you a leg up on competitors who are still lagging behind with a legacy system.
  •  
    This article explores how technological trends such as ghost kitchens, biometeric payment technology, robot chefs, cloud based POS systems, and voice assistant technology will dramatically change the customer experience. Author, Stephanie Resendes, explores how each innovation increases profitability. Additionally, the associated risks and the impact they will have on employment rates within the industry.
j1abao

8 Disruptive Hotel Technology Trends to Watch in 2022 - 3 views

  • Venture capitalists are finally starting to recognize the opportunity to invest in tools and platforms that allow hotels to capture new levels of hotel operations efficiency and revenue growth.
  • penetration of cloud-based technologies in the segment remains incredibly low
  • hotels that invest in technology drive higher revenue, better guest reviews, and a higher star-rating.
  • ...44 more annotations...
  • 20,000 properties.
  • hospitality property owners look to address the challenge of competition from peer-to-peer platforms like Airbnb
  • focus on improving guest experience and helping travelers have the trip of a lifetime
  • guest-messaging software
  • messaging tools to deliver five-star service at scale
  • provide frictionless guest service and streamline time-consuming interactions, such as check-in.
  • White labeling has already begun in the hotel industry without hoteliers even knowing it. Property management systems that offer channel management integrations are usually white labelling their channel managers from other vendors
  • The many tech innovations we see penetrating the market require constant vigilance of cybersecurity best practices, regular updates to security software, and dedication to routine testing and threat assessment.
  • Most revenue management systems focus on reporting and data visualization; the addition of white label software to the backend of an RMS can improve price optimization, letting hoteliers spend their time on higher value tasks and strategic revenue management.
  • APIs allow your various hotel technology tools and programs to work together, conne
  • streaming, voice activation, guest-room tablets, and food ordering tech.
  • 2nd Kitchen is a godsend for hotels without a kitchen on-site: guests can order room service from restaurants near your hotel,
  • Numerous high-profile malware attacks on the hotel industry have led to hundreds of millions of guests’ data being compromised and millions of dollars in damage.
  • forced to get smart about security
  • do their research in selecting tech tools
  • regularly host training to their staff
  • all-in-one suite of tools, including a property management system, channel manager, booking engine, and revenue manager, growing revenue and automating workflows at more than
  • There are two factors outside Coronavirus that are impacting OTAs. First, hotels are getting better at capturing direct bookings.
  • Secondly, Google has entered the travel market in a big way.
  • for property owners, WiFi 6 is much more relevant
  • beyond the guest experience, hotels can take advantage of faster WiFi
  • Smart thermostats, smart speakers, and smart locks
  • data has become the world’s most valuable resource.
  • Data can fuel smarter marketing campaigns, inform your pricing, and help you capture a higher market share
  • Hoteliers are just starting to realize the potential of its guest data.
  • put a dollar figure on just how much hotel industry data is worth. The Group purchased STR for $450 million in cas
  • New competitors are challenging old management companies that haven’t innovated enough
  • These next-gen properties are sometimes called hometels (home+hotel), or more generally, alternative lodging
  • Technology in hotels goes far beyond guestroom TVs and phone
  • smart locks
  • ast WiF
  • NFC technology for contactless payments
  • kiosks or mobile apps for digital check-in,
  • robots that deliver room service.
  • Smart hotel rooms use technology to allow guests to personalize their stay experiences.
  • The most important software in the hotel industry is the property management system
  • hoteliers must focus on data security and continued training
    • jtarr003
       
      I really enjoyed this article about 8 disruptive Hotel Technology trends to watch in 2022. What I found most interesting about this article is how guest room technology is changing. Guest now want there hotel room to have voice enabled devices in there hotel room to help them control the room that they are staying in. Also guest would rather use on-demand conveniences like uber eats and door dash to eat food to there rooms.
    • jtarr003
       
      8 disruptive hotel technology trends to watch in 2022
  • White labeling is a practice in which a product – in this case, hotel software – is manufactured by a third party and uses branding by the purchaser, or marketer, so that the end product appears to have been produced by the purchaser. “The advantage is that a single company does not need to do it all: one firm can concentrate on producing the product; another on marketing it; and another can focus on selling it, each according to its expertise and preference,”
  • Interest in investing in hotel technology has slowly ramped up in recent years.
  • Hotels that are comfortable using APIs can automate tasks that take up much of their employee’s time with manual data entry.
  • Why is data so valuable? “Data are now part of every sector and function of the global economy and, like other essential factors of production such as hard assets and human capital, much of modern economic activity simply could not take place without them
  • Hotels use technology to provide better service, streamline communication, allow guests to personalize their experiences, and offer more convenient processes, like checking in or ordering room service.
  • deliver increasingly high value for hoteliers and guests. For hotel managers, technology specifically designed to manage hotel operations, reservations, housekeeping, and more can enable greater efficiency and fewer human errors
  •  
    For this article I want to focus on the room technology aspect. We have become so dependent of our devices at home that sometimes going to hotels is not as pleasant as before. In this article, we can see how hotel chains are changing to cater to our needs so the daily routines are not affected. One example is how Hilton is partnering with Netflix allowing you to sync your Netflix Account with the Hilton Honors app so you can go and use the room tv to keep watching your favorite programs. So no more using your computer or ipad to keep binging on your series while you are in a hotel. The other interesting part is the use of tablets and apps that mimic our regular apps for food ordering within the hotel avoiding the need to call for room service or doing lines at restaurants.
  • ...2 more comments...
  •  
    This article reviews the top eight tech trends causing disruption in the hospitality industry: SaaS (software as a service), APIs (application programming interface), guest room tech, privacy & cybersecurity, OTAs (online travel agency) struggling, WiFi 6, big data and digital hotel companies/alternative lodging. The article dives into each of the eight with an overview/background on the tech, how it's advancing, and why and how it's being used. Some of main takeaways are that for many of the tech trends the industry is just starting to realize the full potential and that overall these tech advances should be able to allow companies to harness tech and data to drive customer experience and retention.
  •  
    I found this article rather interesting because I feel like this is very normal to me now. The fact that it has technology trends of 2022 on it is so interesting because I've been seeing these trends for a while already. I liked how the article called these technology trends a way for the customers to personalize their experience. At the end of the day, they truly are in charge because of these trends. Everything is accesible online and they even have options to add nearby tourist spots to their itinerary. Technological convenience is now a part of everyone's life. This is why hotels are implementing this convenience through streaming, guest tablets, food ordering kiosk, and much more. This is possible because hotels are also using API's which connect hotel technology by tech stacking and using tools to talk to one another. In my opinion, these technological advances could only get better to further improve the convenience hotels can provide.
  •  
    This article discusses not only the future of hospitality technology, but the impact it will have on the industry, All of the technology advancements mentioned will change how hospitality businesses operate. For example, cybersecurity is becoming a really important investment for these businesses to make because hackers have been stealing guest data and information. Tech advancements are being placed around privacy of consumer data, when that never used to be a major issue
  •  
    This article palms out 8 disruptive hotel technology trends to follow. The explosion of SaaS, APIs going mainstream, room technology innovation, privacy and cybersecurity, the struggles of OTAs, WiFi 6, big data and digital hotel companies. The article illustrates that technology is driving the hospitality industry by explaining new technology trends that enable hoteliers to operate more efficiently and offer guests the opportunity to personalize their experience. But it also means hoteliers must focus on data security and ongoing training when implementing the technology guests expect.
sherylehlers

12 Ideas for Your Hotel's Social Media Marketing Strategy in 2023 - 1 views

  • social media is one of the most crucial tools in any hotel’s marketing strategy for promotion and advertisement. Social networks can give your property exposure like never before to help increase brand awareness and drive more direct bookings.
  • promote your hotel as an experience,
  • Social media marketing requires consistent posting, testing, and optimization across various social media channels to attract new customers and build brand awareness.
  • ...30 more annotations...
  • Engagement.
  • Brand awareness.
  • Analytics
  • Acquisition.
  • Content marketing
  • Customer service
  • TikTok
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • find an influencer that aligns with your hotel’s brand and voice
  • Snapchat.
  • key to standing out is to develop your brand’s voice and consistently share your values to attract like-minded travelers to your property
  • 5 most popular social channels in 2023
  • you must emphasize features that make your hotel stand out, including your unique design, beautiful surroundings, local food specialties, and nearby attractions worth sharing.
  • launch a marketing campaign that offers exclusive loyalty discounts. This approach shows both past and potential guests that you value their loyalty and are willing to recognize them with rewards.
  • launching contests on various platforms, you engage with a larger portion of your customer base and accumulate more followers.
  • To maintain active engagement and foster new bookings, you need to make sure you:
  • Regularly share updates
  • Answer prospect inquiries in a timely manner Add new, high-quality images and videos Showcase your property’s best features Promote a unique guest experience
  • tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social to help manage your accounts by allowing you to schedule future posts in bulk and view and manage all your social media platforms from one dashboard
  • Influencers are usually content creators or bloggers who are viewed by their followers as brand ambassadors and people who share authentic experiences.
  • Once you’ve found your brand’s voice, your visual content, videos, descriptions, and interactions with travelers must be consistent with your brand culture and follow brand guidelines where possible
  • By strategically adding popular hashtags to your content, you make your social media posts more searchable and easier for potential guests to find
  • digital marketing tool you can use is paid social media campaigns
  • Facebook ads are probably the most popular way to target your audience, and from the Facebook Ads Manager platform, you can also create ad posts for Instagram.
  • a “call to action” button that links directly to your booking engine so visitors browsing your social media page can get to your booking engine in one click.
  • Love it or hate it, TikTok is the social platform taking over the world of social media marketing. Increasingly travelers are using TikTok to research and plan their upcoming trips, especially Gen Z’s and millennials, who make up 80% of platform users (between 16-34 years old).
  • To increase your online presence and rank higher in search engine results, 2023 is when hoteliers need to prioritize short-form video content as part of their marketing plan.
  • Highlight activities or local places to visit, like restaurants or cafes, in exchange for a repost on their social platforms.
  •  
    Social media marketing is impacting the hospitality industry and if you don't already have a strategy you need to start one. You can do this by reviewing your goals which might include increasing engagement, brand awareness, analytics, acquisition, content marketing or customer service. Next you will want to pick a social channel to implement your strategy on and be creative with it. Whatever you decide strategy wise start small and build on it to reach new customers and build loyal ones.
Amanda Acosta

Future of Cloud Computing - 7 Trends & Prediction about Cloud - DataFlair - 0 views

  • We can see the future of Cloud computing as a combination of cloud-based software products and on-premises compute which will help to create hybrid IT solutions.
  • integral parts of cloud computing will be the organized process and a better way of processing data.
  • So many businesses are adopting cloud computing and it has been predicted that the Cloud providers will provide more data centers at a lower price as there is a large competition between them.
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • With the help of the IoT and Cloud Computing, we can store data in the cloud, for further analyze & provide enhanced performance.
  • in the future applications will store in places other than the cloud
  • reduce the cost of software
  • The cloud providers provide better security measures opening balance ways to prevent cyber attacks.
  • The cloud computing market is growing at 22.8 percent and will exceed $127.5 after 2018. By 2018, 62% of all CRM software will be cloud-based. Moreover, 30% of all application spending is for software as a service based applications.
  • Cloud Computing will be one of the leading technologies in the future as the software as a service solution will account for more than 60% of the workload.
  • Cloud Computing is user-friendly and is compatible for both new as well as old organizations.
  • as placing components of the program on different storage is economical.
  • If cloud computing will continue to evolve the use of hardware will be less as most of the work will be done with the help of cloud computing and virtualization. We can save the setup cost of software by dividing it and this will lead to decreasing the use of hardware.If the evolution continues the data stored in the cloud will get analyzed with the help of a machine and it won’t require any human help.
  •  
    Technology continues to advance day after day. With that being said, trends either fade or grow. In the case of cloud computing it has grown over the years, especially during and post covid. Cloud computing offers storage, enhanced internet performance, security, and is cost effective. It is predicted that all these features will be enhanced and evolve in the future. It has shown to help businesses grow with features such as data analyzation and efficiency. It is said that cloud computing not only benefits the business, but the host as well. With such advancement and more and more businesses taking on cloud computing it is also important for them to stay up to date with latest development in this technology. Do you think businesses will start requiring a training done every year by their employees for cloud computing?
mmdmd99999

Compare WebRezPro to Hotel Technology Vendors - 0 views

  • Compare WebRezPro vs Oracle OPERA PMS vs ResNexus PMS Property Management Systems vendor comparison between WebRezPro vs Oracle OPERA PMS vs ResNexus PMS. Find out which Property Management Systems is right for you based on realtime data from 407 verified hotelier reviews across 55 countries.
  • ResNexus
  • WebRezPro
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • Oracle Hospitality
  • Monthly Subscription - Yes ( $7/room/month - $10/room/month ) - Yes ( More than $10/room/month ) - Yes ( $3/room/month - $6/room/month )
  • ut too old tech stack and too much corporate complexity
  • ResNexus doesn’t have any recent company updates
  • Avoid if at all possible, poor service and sales
  • View all integrations (9)
  • View all integrations (166)
  • View all integrations (466)
  • imple to Use Inexpsensive PMS with a TON of Interfaces Available
  • WebRezPro Partners with Google to Help Hotels Drive Direct Bookings
  •  
    Compare WebRezPro vs Oracle vs ResNexus and more to see pricing, reviews, integrations, and other options for each
smend120

Advantages Of Cloud Computing For Hotel Industry - 5 views

    • abroo041
       
      This article is discussing the benefits of using cloud computing in the hospitality industry, specifically, in hotels. With all cloud computing, the biggest overall benefit is that users no longer have to stress over attempting to maintain their data on their own. This article also goes into detail on how cloud computing can cut costs, improve guest experiences, promote direct booking, and allow industry professionals to work remotely.
  • Now, businesses don’t have to burden themselves by storing data in traditional in-house servers; rather, they can opt for a cloud service that would store their data in secured data centres.
  • Infrastructure as a service (IaaS), Software as a service (SaaS), and platform as a service (PaaS)
  • ...33 more annotations...
  • By making use of cloud computing, as a hotelier, you pay only for what you demand. It specifies that your upfront costs are kept low as you are only paying for the computing power and cloud storage which your hotel actually needs.
  • The need for hardware overload in your hotel is brought down, because of which your electricity bills are also reduced by a huge margin.
  • also shortens the project time resulting in costs cutting and higher productivity.
  • An added advantage of cloud computing is that it frees your staff from their otherwise fixed terminals and lets them work independently and even more efficiently.
  • increased in the speed at which the guests access the products and services, thus only creating seamless hotel experiences for them.
  • Also, one of the major benefits is the real-time update — it makes the process much smoother and cheaper, and saves a lot of time.
  • However, when you put your hotel process and management on the cloud, it provides you with the flexibility to access it and work on it from any part of the world — all you need is a steady internet connection and a smart device (a laptop, or a computer, or mobile phone or tablet.)
  • When it comes to the benefits of cloud computing in the hospitality industry, the list includes enhanced guest experiences, massive reduction in costs, faster services and their seamless access, software and service security, and more flexibility.
  • cloud computing has transformed businesses
  • hospitality industry, cloud computing has done wonders
  • reshaped the structure of the industry
  • from increasing operational efficiency to lowering the management costs.
  • better guest experience and increase the revenue of the property.
  • ringing down costs like energy, hardware and operations
  • increasing inclination towards the use of cloud computing in the hospitality industry, they don’t need to always rely on travel agents all the time
  • hotel check-ins can be done from smartphones or tablets
  • cloud computing has transformed businesses
  • cloud-based services are now replacing the old and traditional systems at all levels. Infrastructure as a service (IaaS), Software as a service (SaaS), and platform as a service (PaaS) have all become the first choice of cloud computing services for many hospitality businesses. And they are all charged up with the amazing benefits of cloud computing.
  • Over the past few years, cloud computing has transformed businesses from across the world, irrespective of their industry. Today, the demand anytime, anywhere access has skyrocketed, and cloud computing is delivering just that — all you need is an internet connection with good bandwidth.
  • businesses don’t have to burden themselves by storing data in traditional in-house servers; rather, they can opt for a cloud service that would store their data in secured data centres.
  • There are several benefits of using the cloud and they have helped several hotels across the world to strengthen up their business — from increasing operational efficiency to lowering the management costs.
  • Advantages Of Cloud Computing For Hotel Industry
  • In the hospitality industry, Cloud Computing is a mixture of PaaS, SaaS and IaaS. It operates on the model of Use, Builds, and Migrate.
  • By making use of cloud computing, as a hotelier, you pay only for what you demand. It specifies that your upfront costs are kept low as you are only paying for the computing power and cloud storage which your hotel actually needs.
  • Hoteliers Can Cut Huge Business Costs With Cloud Computing
  • cloud computing can benefit hoteliers by bringing down costs like energy, hardware and operations. The need for hardware overload in your hotel is brought down, because of which your electricity bills are also reduced by a huge margin. Cloud computing in the hospitality industry also shortens the project time resulting in costs cutting and higher productivity. Hence, if you shift your software services to the cloud, your hotel business would witness a significant number of opportunities.
  • Cloud Computing Leads To Improved & Enhanced Guest Experiences
  • The two main purposes of an efficient and effective hotel PMS are: offer the hotel staff the best set of management tools assist you to ensure the top-notch guest experience
  • An added advantage of cloud computing is that it frees your staff from their otherwise fixed terminals and lets them work independently and even more efficiently.
  • Being on the cloud also means that hotel check-ins can be done from smartphones or tablets and not only through the hotel front desk.
  • Direct Bookings Are Made Easy With Cloud Computing
  • There was a time when hotels used to payout huge commissions for bookings to the online as well as offline travel agencies. However, with the increasing inclination towards the use of cloud computing in the hospitality industry, they don’t need to always rely on travel agents all the time. Hotels can upgrade their hotel website with cloud-powered services such as web booking engine that can be integrated to the hotel PMS. Also, one of the major benefits is the real-time update — it makes the process much smoother and cheaper, and saves a lot of time.
  • Cloud Computing In Hospitality Industry Makes Working Remotely Possible When you as a hotelier is not present in the property, managing the operations gets a little tougher. However, when you put your hotel process and management on the cloud, it provides you with the flexibility to access it and work on it from any part of the world — all you need is a steady internet connection and a smart device (a laptop, or a computer, or mobile phone or tablet.)
  •  
    Cloud computing makes sense to work business in a cloud setting. The article states that Cloud computing has "transformed businesses" throughout the world. We learned that a disadvantage of Cloud is the dependence of Internet connection. With Cloud computing, you can share and store data. This can be a better way to run business. We have learned that Cloud computing is more scalable, secure, and reliable. Cloud computing cost less, and you can pay for what you need. Cloud you can customize what you need, to your specific needs. The article even mentions it "lowers management costs." Unlike unintended PMS, which can require maintenance, and be highly costly. We discussed in our video lecture from this past week, how hotel check-ins are being done from smart phones- as this article includes. This is beneficial for enhancing guest experience, and increasing the speed of check-ins. Travel agents have their own way of how they conduct themselves, their business, and the services he or she provides. However, the article shows how with Cloud computing, you would not need to depend on travel agents. Furthermore, Cloud computing can increase sales and revenue for a hotel property. Cloud computing is replacing traditional PMS system's and have a multitude of benefits.
  •  
    Hoteliers today are joining in on the trend of the use of cloud computing. Some benefits of cloud computing include the increase of operational efficiency, lowering management costs since the hotelier only pays for what they demand. Energy costs and hardware operation costs are also decreased. It allows for hotel check ins to be done via smart phones and tablets and not just at the front desk upon arrival, and it also allows for hotels to not have to rely on travel agents all the time for bookings which saves them having to pay commission to travel companies.
  •  
    No matter the industry, cloud computing has changed organizations all around the world in recent years. Today's need for access at any time and from any location has soared, and cloud computing is supplying it. All you want is a reliable internet connection. Businesses might choose a cloud service that would store their data in safe data centers rather than burdening themselves with traditional in-house servers to store data. At all levels, cloud-based services are now taking the place of outdated and conventional technologies. Many hospitality firms now use cloud computing services offered by infrastructure as a service (IaaS), software as a service (SaaS), and platform as a service (PaaS). And they are all fired up with the incredible benefits of cloud computing. Cloud computing can benefit hoteliers by driving down costs like energy, hardware, and operations. Your hotel's requirement for hardware overload is decreased, which significantly lowers your electricity costs. The hotel sector uses cloud computing to speed up projects, which reduces costs and increases efficiency. An efficient and effective hotel PMS will help you to ensure that your guests receive a first-rate experience and will provide the hotel employees with the best set of management capabilities. Another benefit of cloud computing is that it frees your personnel from stationary terminals, allowing them to work more independently and productively. Due to the cloud, guests may now check in at hotels using their smartphones or tablets as well as the front desk. Working remotely is possible thanks to cloud computing in the hospitality sector. Managing the business becomes a little more challenging when you, the hotelier, are not on the premises. However, putting your hotel management and operations in the cloud gives you the flexibility to access and operate on them from any location in the world.
mmoutsatsos

The Rich World's Electronic Waste, Dumped in Ghana - Bloomberg - 0 views

  • the Agbogbloshie dump, a wasteland dotted with burning mounds of trash in Ghana’s capital, Accra.
  • Up to 10,000 workers wade through tons of discarded goods as part of an enormous, informal recycling process, in what has become one of the world’s largest destinations for used electronic goods.#lazy-img-360452765:before{padding-top:66.70212765957447%;}
  • Burns, back problems, and infected wounds
  • ...26 more annotations...
  • respiratory problems, chronic nausea, and debilitating headaches
  • —brought on by the hazardous working environment and toxic air pollution.
  • smashing up old computers and televisions in search of valuable parts and burning insulated cables to recover copper.
  • The Agbogbloshie dump is a result of the world’s increasing demand for electronic equipment as consumers continually upgrade their devices and throw out the older ones.
  • The e-waste problem could expand into a global health crisis,
  • significant proportion of this electronic waste is sent, often illegally, from the West to developing countries across Africa and Asia.
  • Around 50 million tons of electronic waste, or e-waste, is being thrown away each year, according to a report published this year by the United Nations.
  • figure is projected to double by 2050.
  • only 20 percent of e-waste is thought to be recycled appropriately.
  • The rest “ends up in landfill, or is disposed of by informal workers in poor conditions,” the UN found.
  • A
  • “E-waste is a growing global challenge that poses a serious threat to the environment and human health worldwide,”
  • In Ghana, the waste arrives via the Port of Tema, 20 miles to the east of the Agbogbloshie dump.
  • They are often labeled as secondhand consumer products, health experts said, so they are not strictly considered waste.
  • “There are skin diseases and ailments [at Agbogbloshie], but the worst problem here is respiratory illnesses, because the amount of pollution here is so high,”
  • the quality of air is terrible
  • “The workers can’t do anything about it because they have to earn a living, so it’s a trade-off. They earn money but their health suffers.”
  • These health risks are entering the food chain. The Agbogbloshie area is home to one of the largest food markets in Accra, and haggard livestock roam freely and graze on the dumpsite.
  • Agbogbloshie contained some of the most hazardous chemicals on earth.
  • One egg hatched by a free-range chicken in Agbogbloshie exceeded European Food Safety Authority limits on chlorinated dioxins, which can cause cancer and damage the immune system, 220 times over.
  • about 80,000 men, women, and children subsist from the Agbogbloshie dump, living either on-site or in the adjacent slum.
  • Ghana imports about 150,000 tons of secondhand electronics a year,
  • an international treaty that since 1989 has forbidden developed nations from carrying out unauthorized dumping of e-waste in less developed countries.
  • It is very important the issue of waste export to developing countries such as Africa and other countries in transition should be looked at critically.”
  • The German development agency GIZ is in the midst of delivering a €5 million ($5.5 million) project to build a sustainable, efficient recycling system at Agbogbloshie, as well as a health clinic and football pitch for workers.
  • But as the world’s appetite for electronics keeps growing, preventing the illegal dumping of electronic waste and the devastating impact it has on places like Agbogbloshie will prove an even greater challenge.
  •  
    The effects of electronic waste dumping in the Agbogbloshie dump in Accra, the capital of Ghana. It also talks about the health issues workers suffer from working there, and the problem is predicted to get much worse than it already is.
imgonnarecit

Cloud Computing Is Becoming the Default Setting for Enterprise Business - 1 views

  •  
    " It is a reasonable argument that the only reason millions of workers have been able to successfully work remotely over the past year is because cloud computing has reached a level of maturity that now makes working without the cloud unthinkable. Microsoft 365 is arguably the most widely used. Cloud computing is no longer a choice, but rather the default position of any organization that wants to remain competitive. The number of ShareGate desktop users performing on-premises SharePoint upgrades decreased by 19.7 percent in 2020. On-premises operations decreased by 60.63 percent. Operations to migrate from on-premises to the cloud increased by 37.2 percent. Cloud-based operations jumped by 50.1 percent. Cloud-to-cloud migrations increased by 67.9 percent and included the transfer of 144 percent more terabytes of data in 2020 versus 2019. Microsoft also made significant investments in industry specific certifications in financial services, energy, health and manufacturing to meet the stringent requirements of these heavily regulated environments, making it an even more attractive option for enterprise clients. He pointed out that companies that need extreme low-latency transactions, have geographical proximity restrictions or highly secure data handling needs should consider traditional methods as well as the cloud While security is improving, some old and new attack vectors remain for cloud-based applications. That threat landscape will continue to grow as the market for cloud and SaaS networks and platforms expands and bad actors follow the money. The cloud service providers are asking businesses to trade off convenience for control. That will never happen. Further, there is only one cross-cloud provider standard, K8. The other area in need of standardization is security notification. Every cloud provider reports security events to customers separately, with different languages and syntax. Cloud consumption is linear but cloud security notification is exponential.
artandmer

Is a lost hotel card key a financial risk? We found out - 0 views

  • USA TODAY took a stack of used hotel key cards to the Black Hat computer security conference in Las Vegas recently and had an expert see what exactly they contained.
  • “You’ve got nothing to worry about. There’s nothing on here at all except the room number and a date field,
  • the presentation the detective had seen actually featured a blank hotel card key which had been used by cybercriminals to store stolen information about a victim and was in no way connected to a hotel.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • The credit card-sized plastic keys used by most hotels today contain at most four pieces of information — which room the key is for, when the key can begin opening the door, when it should stop working, and, sometimes, a guest number.
  • hotel key cards are a great example of what the computer security world calls “least privilege,” the concept that to maintain security a system should have only enough privilege to access the information it needs to get its work done and no more
  •  
    At some point, we've all probably heard that hotel keycards store guests' personal information and that puts our privacy at risk and perhaps even exposes us to credit card fraud. This is pure myth. Hotels encode the least amount of information possible (a term called least privilege) on a keycard, limiting it to room #, arrival and departure date. The only way anyone's personal information could get onto a keycard is for someone to reuse a hotel keycard to program it as a credit card, and that information would not be obtained from a hotel PMS system.
alo328

Electronic Waste Is Becoming a Global Environmental Problem | Time - 1 views

  • s a tech-hungry nation flush with cash gets ready to upgrade to the next generation of lightning-fast 5G devices, there is a surprising environmental cost to be reckoned with: a fresh mountain of obsolete gadgets. About 6 million lb
  • Workers with hammers hack at the bulkiest devices, while others remove dangerous components like lithium-ion batteries
  • That cycle of consumption has made electronics waste the world’s fastest-growing s
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • “In our society, we always have to have the new, best product,” said Aaron Blum, the co-founder and chief operating officer of ERI, on a tour of the facility
  • Even when e-waste rules exist, it’s left up to consumers to handle their old devices prop
  • But less than a quarter of all U.S. electronic waste is recycled, according to a United Nations estimate. The rest is incinerated or ends up in landfills
  • Environmental concerns aside, compacting flammable lithium-ion batteries with paper recycling can be dangerous; recycling centers have reported an uptick in fires
  • 5G promises faster speeds and other benefits. But experts say it will also result in a dramatic increase in e-waste, as millions of smartphones, modems and other gadgets incompatible with 5G networks are made obsolete
  • ly. But recycling them can be a
  • We don’t necessarily have the measures to make sure people aren’t throwing it away,” Walters said.
  • Even so, some companies are increasing their recycling efforts on their own, whether for the economic benefit or the public relations boost (mining fresh materials has financial, environmental and human costs of its own). For instance, Apple in 2018 introduced Daisy, a smartphone-recycling robot that can take apart 200 iPhones every hour, and says it diverted 48,000 metric tons of electronic waste from landfills that year
  • Our products today don’t last as long as they used to, and it’s a strategy by manufacturers to force us in
  • o shorter and shorter upgrade cycles,” said Kyle Wiens, the founder of iFixit
  • Some environmental groups say multibillion-dollar companies like Apple and Samsung should pick up the cost of recycling the devices they sell. Lawmakers in parts of Europe and Canada and in some U.S. states have passed so-called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, which require manufacturers to establish and fund systems to recycle or collect obsolete products
  • One solution is to make electronics last as long as they once did. At ERI’s facility, Shegerian showed TIME dozens of televisions from the 1970s and 1980s that stopped working only recently
  • About 6 million lb. of discarded electronics are already processed monthly at recycling giant ERI’s Fresno plant.
  • Americans spent $71 billion on telephone and communication equipment in 2017, nearly five times what they spent in 2010 even when adjusted for inflation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. (Apple alone sold 60 million iPhones domestically last year, according to Counterpoint Research.)
  • That stream is expected to turn into a torrent as the world upgrades to 5G, the next big step in wireless technology.
  • Part of the problem is regulatory. Only 19 states have laws banning electronics from the regular trash. In states without such rules, like Nevada, electronics often end up in garbage and recycling bins, said Jeremy Walters, a community-relations manager for waste collector Republic Services
  • Our products today don’t last as long as they used to, and it’s a strategy by manufacturers to force us into shorter and shorter upgrade cycles,”
  •  
    Advancement in technology every day has led to the dumping of electronic gadgets no longer wanted to the environment. Heaps of unwanted electronic waste, hazardous containing substances like lithium-ion batteries, are dumped into the ground with all their toxicology. As the world upgrades to 5G, it will end in a rapid surge in e-waste. According to John Shegerian thinks people are yet to see the magnitude of the transition to 5G, it is tremendous than changing from analog to digital (Samuels & Calif, 2019). However, it comes with many advantages; its outcome is a drastic rise in electronic waste. The ERI recycles less than a quarter of the United States' e-waste according to the estimate made by the United Nations, and the other dumped in landfills. This waste contains harmful metals such as beryllium and mercury, that have adverse environmental dangers. Among the 50 states in the United States, only 19 States have imposed a law to bun electronics from regular trash (Samuels & Calif, 2019); the rest of the states, like Nevada they are incorporated in recycling and trash bins, according to Jeremy Walters's manager for waste collection. The consumers are left to handle their e-waste even though there are e-waste rules. Multibillion companies should the responsibility and cater for the cost of recycling for the products they are manufacturing. Companies like Apple and Samsung, nonetheless the United States is repelling modifications to the prevailing laws, according to Scott Cassel Product Stewardship Institute found. However, some companies are improving through increasing their recycling efforts. For instance, Daisy, a recycling robot introduced by Apple, can collect more than 200 iPhones for recycling every hour. But this is not enough since e-waste generated annually globally is more than we can imagine, which almost 50 tons (Samuels & Calif, 2019). In a nutshell, technology can bring many benefits to society. Still, it can also harm both the environment and the p
  •  
    the article explores the dangers of elctronic waste and give suggestions on how to better monitor this issue and resolve.
  •  
    This article explains how the rapid advancement of technology has impulsed an increase in the use of technology, however has resulted in a rise in ewaste percentage. This happens because companies have opted for creating products that do not last for long periods of time, since they want to sell future products.
rosedelice

Simplify with Tech - Best Strategy for Revenue Managers 2021 - Atomize - 0 views

  • Analytics and automation are nothing new for revenue managers but recent advancements in tech take these areas to new heights. Only a short while back predictive analytics, forward-looking data and live insights were still futuristic dreams. Today they’re a reality. That’s a good thing for revenue managers, especially in the upcoming ramp-up phase, these new capabilities are crucial to making the most of unpredictable markets. 
  • The ideal solution here is for the Cluster Revenue Manager to use a system that automates data collection. First, this saves you time gathering information. Second, it gives you immediate access to the data you need to shape strategies and make recommendations for all hotels in your cluster.
  • Using an automated system to collect live market and competitor data solves this problem. For the best results, pick a business intelligence (BI) solution that provides live, on-demand reporting. This will give you access to the latest numbers whenever you need them, otherwise, you’ll lose time again on updating old reports. 
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Revenue Managers have the reputation for working with number-focused, unwieldy reports. Those can be hard to follow for department heads less familiar with the topic. As a result, you’ll get a lot of questions and have to spend time you don’t have to defend your strategy. 
  •  
    Automation helps Revenue Managers in many ways beyond just reducing manual work. It makes data-driven pricing easier and reveals emerging market trends in their earliest stages. It decrease the time you spend on back-and-forth communication and discussion.
naxiang2001

What is a Global Distribution System (GDS)? 2022 Guide for Hotels - 3 views

  • What is a Global Distribution System (GDS)? 2020 Guide for Hotels
  • The History of the GDS
  • a GDS functions as a middleman between a travel agent and a hotel’s (or airline’s) central reservation system. Travel agents can see real-time rates and inventory for a given hotel via the GDS, though the GDS doesn’t actually hold its own inventory.
  • ...14 more annotations...
  • What are the Most Popular Global Distribution Systems?
  • Besides the time savings, the GDS allows travel agents to tap into reservation systems for a world of travel providers.
  • Did you know you could book a flight, tour operator, car rental or hotel room in real-time via electronic GDS systems since the 1960s? You may be thinking, “hmm… online travel agencies like Expedia and Booking.com aren’t that old, are they?” But years before the OTAs gained prominence, global distribution systems provided real-time access to hotel and flight inventory for travel agent service providers across the world. 
  • Does the GDS still serve a purpose when travelers can easily book directly with the airline or hotel? In many cases, yes, the GDS still delivers value, especially for airlines and corporate travel companies. Airlines still distribute their inventory to OTAs via the GDS, and corporate travel planners continue to use the GDS to find corporate rates.
  • The GDS industry has come a long way since the 60s; while Sabre is still a major player, several GDS companies operate today. The major global distribution systems for travel reservations include: Amadeus is the world’s largest GDS, accounting for about 40% of GDS transactions, and it’s especially popular in Europe. Though many of these reservations are for airfare, it’s still a powerful tool for hotels, with over 600,000 hotels connected. Sabre is the second-largest GDS, accounting for about 35% of travel agency bookings. Around 175,000 hotels are connected to Sabre, but its portfolio in North America is larger than its competitors. Travelport GDS  owns systems called Galileo, Worldspan, and Apollo. Travelsky is a state-run GDS in China.
  • With decades of history and an enormous user base of travel agents, using the GDS can be a great way to expand your hotel’s marketing and distribution strategy. But the GDS doesn’t necessarily provide value to every hotel; if you’re wondering how to use the GDS or why to add it as a distribution channel, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons for your individual hotel.
  • For hotels, airlines, and the like, the GDS offers massive marketing power.
  • No one GDS can be called the “best” travel service provider, since they all provide similar functionality and have their own unique differences.
  • travel comp
  • American Airlines was the first company, in partnership with IBM, to implement an electronic reservation system for their reservations agents to use. This new technology, called the Semi-Automated Business Research Environment (SABRE), allowed American Airlines to greatly expand their reservations team beyond the number of people who could huddle around the paper booking files.
  • No one GDS can be called the “best” travel service provider, since they all provide similar functionality and have their own unique differences.
  • Today you can book not only airfare and hotels via the GDS, but also rental cars, cruises, rail tickets, and tours.
  • hotels would need to undertake huge marketing efforts in order to be seen by travel agents. The GDS effectively democratized this process, with chain hotels getting the same visibility on the GDS as independent hotels.
  • In 2006 the volume of internet reservations exceeded GDS reservations for the first time,
  •  
    This arctic is about what is a global Distribution System, history of the GDS, how does a GDS work and what benefits GDS offer.
  • ...2 more comments...
  •  
    A brief history of the GDS gives us a glimpse of the important this technology which as been around for over 50 yrs. Although it has evolved, the consumer has evolved with it but the basic idea still prevail and still very much in use.
  •  
    This article gives a complete description of what the GDS is and its history. It goes over how the GDS works, the benefits of using it, and whether the GDS has a role in the future of global distribution.
  •  
    A GDS or Global distribution system can come in handy for many different purposes. Some of these companies such as Expedia and Travelocity are know ones in the United States. It is important to weight pros and cons when deciding who to book with when choosing a hotel or an airlines especially since there are so many options. Depending on how you book especially when bundling with a GDS you could get a great deal.
  •  
    This article evaluates the past and current roles of GDS in the travel and tourism industry. It is clear that the GDS has adapted and changed with the times and now is able to do even more than at its initial conception. However, as the article pointed out the all the functions of the GDS it is clear that OTA's ad websites are also able to provide a lot of these same functions. We discussed this week whether the GDS system is still currently a relevant system and most agreed that it is. However, as we look to the future it will be interesting to see what evolutions the GDS has yet to go through and how it will attempt to remain relevant in the ever changing tourism market.
lflor087

Advantages Of Cloud Computing For Hotel Industry - Hotelogix - 0 views

  • businesses don’t have to burden themselves by storing data in traditional in-house servers
  • they can opt for a cloud service that would store their data in secured data centres.
  • Not only the big hotel chains but today, even independent and small hotels have strong management tools within their reach. There are several benefits of using the cloud and they have helped several hotels across the world to strengthen up their business — from increasing operational efficiency to lowering the management costs.
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • cloud-based services are now replacing the old and traditional systems at all levels. Infrastructure as a service (IaaS), Software as a service (SaaS), and platform as a service (PaaS) have all become the first choice of cloud computing services for many hospitality businesses. And they are all charged up with the amazing benefits of cloud computing.
  • By making use of cloud computing, as a hotelier, you pay only for what you demand. It specifies that your upfront costs are kept low as you are only paying for the computing power and cloud storage which your hotel actually needs.
  • Hoteliers Can Cut Huge Business Costs With Cloud Computing
  • it is the first and foremost thing which you should implement in your hotel business. Why? Because it will help you to bring the cost down by a significant percentage.
  • some of the major benefits of cloud computing in the hospitality industry
  • Cloud computing in the hospitality industry also shortens the project time resulting in costs cutting and higher productivity
  • cloud computing can benefit hoteliers by bringing down costs like energy, hardware and operations.
  • In the hospitality industry, Cloud Computing is a mixture of PaaS, SaaS and IaaS. It operates on the model of Use, Builds, and Migrate.
  • Cloud Computing Leads To Improved & Enhanced Guest Experiences
  • The two main purposes of an efficient and effective hotel PMS are: offer the hotel staff the best set of management tools assist you to ensure the top-notch guest experience
  • An added advantage of cloud computing is that it frees your staff from their otherwise fixed terminals and lets them work independently and even more efficiently. Being on the cloud also means that hotel check-ins can be done from smartphones or tablets and not only through the hotel front desk. That’s not all, other benefits of moving to the cloud include increased in the speed at which the guests access the products and services, thus only creating seamless hotel experiences for them.
  • Direct Bookings Are Made Easy With Cloud Computing
  • Hotels can upgrade their hotel website with cloud-powered services such as web booking engine that can be integrated to the hotel PMS. Also, one of the major benefits is the real-time update — it makes the process much smoother and cheaper, and saves a lot of time. Now, hoteliers can focus more on the aspects that would better guest experience and increase the revenue of the property.
  • Cloud Computing In Hospitality Industry Makes Working Remotely Possible
  • when you put your hotel process and management on the cloud, it provides you with the flexibility to access it and work on it from any part of the world — all you need is a steady internet connection and a smart device (a laptop, or a computer, or mobile phone or tablet.)
  • Outlook
  • When it comes to the benefits of cloud computing in the hospitality industry, the list includes enhanced guest experiences, massive reduction in costs, faster services and their seamless access, software and service security, and more flexibility.
  •  
    This article talks about some of the advantages that cloud computing offers hotels and their guests. Cloud computing saves money for hotels. Is easier, more efficient, and more cost effective.
« First ‹ Previous 221 - 235 of 235
Showing 20 items per page