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Douglas Rice, Executive Vice President and CEO of Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG), a non-profit industry trade association. "Beyond that, the hospitality market clearly sees the enormous benefits that an IP-based network brings in delivering a better guest experience, new services that will drive customer loyalty and better staff productivity across their hotels."

Ruckus contends that, for many existing hotels, Ethernet cabling is sparse or not available in every guest room. Even in locations such as the front desk, conference rooms, meeting spaces and business centers, Ethernet ports and wireless connectivity is limited.

The wireless provider maintains that, according to industry estimates, running a single Ethernet cable can cost up to $250 per guest room. When Wi-Fi access points, network switches, and other infrastructure products essential to running a computer network are added that cost can rise to $500 or more per room.

February global GDS hotel bookings grew a substantial +23.5%, driving revenue up +36.8% over 2010. Both length of stay and booking lead time for this segment also expanded.

this segment displaying average monthly growth of more than +20% through July, with accompanying rate, length of stay and booking lead time increases.

Global reservations through the mostly leisure alternative distribution systems (ADS), or online channels, declined from January’s levels due to a variety of factors including regional unrest in the Middle East and North Africa. However, bookings growth still remained above February 2010 by +1.1% as the average daily rate (ADR) set a new growth record for North America at +2.9%, rising for the rest of the world to an almost +5% increase over last year.

is how it will drive the business and generate more revenue

Take the example of the GoSLSHotel-using guest who always orders Dom Pérignon for the room on arrival. "After five days, maybe you send a bottle of Dom to the room before they even get there," Chao said.

There's a direct correlation between how much an app is promoted and how much it is used.

Imagine being able to welcome back a hotel guest by seamlessly sending a personalized message directly to their mobile phone when they arrive on site

Location based services such as proximity marketing (which uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to broadcast content only within proximity of the specified location) and geofencing (which allows a brand to set up a customizable virtual area that if crossed by opted-in consumers, pushes marketing messages to the consumers’ mobile device), can be effortlessly integrated into a hotel’s current mobile offerings and further capture customer information for existing customer relationship management systems or loyalty programs.

Leveraging customer data and insights gained across all touch points will become increasingly more important, especially as hotels and resorts begin to shift from their differentiation strategy toward competing on Average Daily Rate (ADR) cost

The necessary equipment is installed by partner LiquidSpace, which takes a commission of each booking fee. Hoteliers are required only to pay for marketing materials up front, the costs of which are recouped in two to three bookings

Marriott expects to have introduced the Workspace concept into as many as 400 hotels by year end

Roof draws 90% of its guests from the local community

Energy cost is witnessing a sharp rise year-on-year in India. Like every other industry, the hotel industry is also deeply concerned and taking measures to introduce energy management solutions to keep energy cost under control.

:Like every business establishment, hotel properties also need to keep a check on all expenses so that they can minimize costs and maximize profits. In a hotel, the energy cost can be high enough to be the second highest expense and heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) can make up to 50% of the total energy consumption. So, this is where the hotel needs to look in order to minimize energy consumption which would ultimately help them reduce energy bills. In simple words, when a hotel is able to control energy costs, they actually add to their bottom line. 

the Energex system is based on passive infra-red technology. Once installed, the sensor in the solution detects the presence of the guest in the room as it captures the thermo radiation emitted by the human body. When our system determines that there is a guest in the room, it gives him/herfull control over the HVAC system. This means, they can set the temperature as per their requirements. But, once the guest steps out of the room, our smart sensor detects the room as unoccupied and automatically sets-back the temperature in the room to a preset energy efficient mode. The solution also has a quick recovery method where-in the temperature returns to that set by the guest when they return to the room and this ensures guest comfort. 

Hotels, conference centers and other meeting venues are increasing group business with new technology, and it isn’t just a hotel app. To invest in the property’s overall capital, hoteliers are creating cool technology tools that market venues, increase group business and enhance the guest experience. Technology is just another way hotels are winning group business and marketing a hotel or conference center. What are some of these new hot tools for leisure and business travelers?

Investment in Hotel Technology Pays Off with Increased Group Revenue Tuesday, July 10, 2012 by Sarah Vining Hotels, conference centers and other meeting venues are increasing group business with new technology, and it isn’t just a hotel app. To invest in the property’s overall capital, hoteliers are creating cool technology tools that market venues, increase group business and enhance the guest experience. Technology is just another way hotels are winning group business and marketing a hotel or conference center. What are some of these new hot tools for leisure and business travelers? Virtual concierge service on guest room TVs At Hyatt Hotels with in-room HD TVs by Roomlinx Inc., guests are able make service requests, check email/weather, use the Business Center, print documents, and receive customized messages from meeting planners. Service requests like housekeeping and in-room dining are instantly sent through the system, improving the venue’s departmental efficiency. All of these virtual functions are hoped to appeal to new markets and drive group business. More efficient billing In the article, “Insert IACC blog post title URL” we learn that in 2012, meeting and group planners are prioritizing finance as very important during in their planning process (which made the top 10 list for the first time). Hotels making large investments in revenue management systems are taking advantage of new features that automate and process data to improve efficiency and increase revenue for properties. Virtual business centers Socialization through technology and food and beverage outlets is increasing revenue for TRYP by Wyndham in the NYC Times Square South property. Google TVs and access to Google Chrome laptops near the Gastro Bar in the hotel’s lobby offers guests an opportunity to enjoy a dining experience with the comfort of complimentary technology use. On-staff IT team When planners were surveyed, reliability was listed as a top concern of IT services in the white paper “What Do Planners and Trainers Really Want in Their Meeting Service?” All IACC-certified conference centers are required to have an on-site IT team to ensure technology functions properly. Now, the need for a knowledgeable IT team that really understands technology and can cater to individuals and group business is spreading to other hotel markets.   These impressive technology tools improve the guest experience and lead to a quick return on investment, especially in F&B. As we move beyond the discussion of required hotel Wi-Fi services, there will be a focus on technology amenities that provide the same comforts of home or the office. To increase group business, hoteliers are comfortable with this investment knowing there’s a return on investment with generated buzz/venue marketing and satisfied guests. Want to learn about other ways hotels are using technology to build relationships? Check out Enhancing Your Social Networking Site with a Social Concierge! to maximize social media and connect with guests, attendees and planners!

enhance guest experience and drive overall revenue

enhance guest experience and drive overall revenue

1. Cost Efficiency

Small Business Owners (SBOs) especially should take note of any vulnerabilities that could leave a trail of irrevocable damage and potentially sink their business.

The average total cost of a data breach in the United States has increased from $7.01 million to $7.35 million, according to the Ponemon Institute. The severe financial loss and potential reputational harm caused by a breach is overwhelming for any sized organization, but especially for small businesses that may not have the resources to recover.

Hard Drive Destruction

Travel Tripper, an award-winning digital agency and tech leader in hotel e-commerce, has launched Metasearch Direct, allowing hotels to send their rates directly from their CRS to Google Hotel Ads.

increase their visibility and maximize their return on ad spend on Google Hotel Ads while benefiting from lower setup costs and management fees.

deeply integrating their ads into search results.

The practice of sustainable building has existed in one form or another for decades now, but it seems that its only in recent years that a drive for the construction of environmentally responsible, energy efficient and sustainable homes and commercial buildings has truly come to the forefront of the design, planning and construction industries.

The smart use of materials contributes greatly to reducing embodied energy in sustainable building projects.

Sustainable buildings generally require less maintenance than buildings without sustainability as a priority in their design and construction.

We not only wanted to bring our PMS up to speed, but also ‘future-proof’ the system as well.

The StayNTouch platform was very attractive as it not only provided the most up-to-date rooms, transactions and housekeeping management features, but also included the mobile features that few other systems in the market are able to do well.

Rover PMS is a next generation PMS, fully cloud, fits on every device, optimizes hotel operations from front desk, to groups, to housekeeping to revenue management.

Point-of-sale systems are critical to managing stock, tracking orders, recording customer details, logging hours and numerous other activities that enhance customer service and boost employee performance.

Due to the increasing demand to serve customers quickly, POS systems need to be fast and durable.

As retailers continue to focus on prioritising customer service, their IT systems need to do more than just process transactions.

Roughly a quarter of the global population will reportedly shop online this year. That’s an increase of 40 percent since 2014, with more growth to come.

Know how your audience uses smartphones.

Email marketing remains critical for ecommerce, but Messenger, text, and app notifications are becoming more commonplace for shipping and delivery confirmations.

if you’re just performing regular backups to a nearby external hard drive or USB drive, you’re missing an important part of your backup strategy. You need your files stored in separate physical locations.

An offsite backup is literally backup that’s stored “off site” — in a different physical location from where your main files are.

You could use an Internet backup service like CrashPlan, Carbonite, BackBlaze, or Mozy

“Being a high-end, high-touch property, we are always looking for ways to exceed guest expectations and personalize their stay,” explains Piero Procida, Director of Food and Beverage at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills

“Being a high-end, high-touch property, we are always looking for ways to exceed guest expectations and personalize their stay,” explains Piero Procida, Director of Food and Beverage at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills

upscale hotels like The London West Hollywood are looking for creative new lifestyle opportunities and symbiotic relationships with local brands to make their properties stand out

Singapore’s Changi Airport Group (CAG), which operates the seventh busiest airport for international traffic and has received multiple awards for customer experience, has created a “digital factory” inside the airport to drive continued innovation.

“Picture a startup environment where employees begin by thinking about what the customer wants and work backwards from there - experimenting rapidly to develop innovative products and services,”

“DIVA is enabling CAG to re-evaluate how the airport operates and develop digital solutions to ensure that it remains a world-class leader.”

McDonald’s noticed a juicy opportunity to upgrade their drive-thru technology, which drives 70% of their business, and swiftly bought the group that makes the AI software.

Golden Arched giant and its franchisees to increase average check, cash flow and quickness of service.

Self-service kiosks are also making their way into the spotlight and have been warmly welcomed by customers everywhere.  The most attractive aspect is that new cloud-based POS systems are able to be updated with a press of a button, and no restaurant downtime.

As Information Technology increasingly penetrates the healthcare industry, physicians and patients are experiencing the benefits of on-demand access to medical information where, when and how it is needed.”,

“As expectations for improved healthcare continue to evolve, older IT systems will increasingly struggle to deliver a truly integrated flow of information having been designed traditionally around provider needs, rather than around a patient’s needs

Together with a growing recognition of the importance of IT, the drive towards patient-centric services is a central theme in healthcare organizations across the region

It’s important to have a revenue strategy in place to ensure that your total CPA (cost per acquisition) remains as low as possible for all bookings. When it comes down to it, direct bookings are often the key to growing your revenue.

When your customers move online, you need to be there too. Hotels will always be brick-and-mortar establishments (at least until virtual reality gets much further along!), but they still need a strong, active online presence.

The internet is key to growth, and a direct booking strategy is the most cost efficient way to grow online.