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David Glas

Beautiful Brands International Rolls Out Revel Systems' Revolutionary Mobile Point-of-Sale System | Virtual-Strategy Magazine - 0 views

  • maker of the revolutionary mobile point-of-sale system that operates on the Apple iPad or iPhone optimized for restaurant and retail establishments
  • Revel Systems the premier point-of-sale brand for restaurant and retail stores with multiple franchised locations
  • Revel Systems’ POS system offers both the power of cloud-based software and the security of a local iPad application
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  • potential for a faster adoption rate
  •  
    This article reveals that Revel Systems is expanding its point-of-sale products with Beautiful Brand International. Revel Systems is well-known for creating the mobile point-of-sale system for Apple used by numerous restaurants and retails. Other popular restaurants currently partnered with Revel Systems are Camille's Sidewalk Café, Dixie Cream, FreshBerry Frozen Yogurt Cafe and Rex's Chicken. This POS system provides a quicker checkout option for customers and offers hotel/restaurant managers the option of powering the software using the cloud or an iPad application. This provides the company a cost efficient, easy to use program that has the ability to customize payroll, track inventory, email receipts and allow customers to make orders online. Most managers who invest in this program make it a requirement for all their companies to utilize in order to provide a systematic approach to maintaining their database and ensuring all locations are managed the same. This is such a popular and competitive tool that Revel is already making $80 million since its origin in August 2010. A major advantage of this system is that it provides the ease of accessing documents with its reliance on servers hosted in the cloud. These systems are quickly being adopted by restaurants mainly because customers are impressed with the style, speed and reliability. Revel Systems forces busineses to upgrade their POS systems in order to meet security standards. This will result in a $34 billion POS market by the end of 2012. Companies selling these systems make businesses believe they need POS systems in order to run their business efficiently. They explain that with servers hosted in the cloud, management is enabe to see data in real time from any location.
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    The article talk about a POS company that has developed a complete system for retail or restaurant stores that runs on the IPAD and the Cloud. It lowers the entry barrier by more than 75% compared to a regular MICROS POS system, they do this by not having a in house server and using standard hardware.  One of the advantages of using this system is that you can monitor your sales real time on any location that might be using the system.
Yekaterina Ponomareva

IDeaS Revenue Solutions Announces Intuitive, Affordable Pricing System for Limited-Service Hotels | hospitalityupgrade.com - 0 views

  • IDeaS Revenue Solutions Announces Intuitive, Affordable Pricing System for Limited-Service Hotels
  • the leading provider of pricing and revenue management software, services and consulting to the hospitality industry, today announced the IDeaS Pricing System™ (PS).
  • IDeaS PS enables hotel managers to more accurately forecast occupancy, quickly set daily room rates, and ultimately make more competitive pricing decisions for their hotels.
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  • revenue lift
  • Customers of IDeaS PS will benefit from the following:
  • Increased time and energy
  • High impact initiative
  • Enhanced brand value proposition
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    The article talks about one of the most popular provider of pricing and revenue management for hospitality industry, which announced today a new pricing system -IDea. It offers effective and affordable pricing to any hotel. System is well-known by simplified and intuitive approach and requires minimum training and interaction to learn and operate the system.
Akshay Ramanathan

BetaKit » innRoad Raises $5.8M to Usher in the Future of Online Hotel Management - 1 views

  • outhampton, NY-based innRoad just announced a $5.8 million Series B round of funding
  • back office products specifically targeted at independent hoteliers
  • provides small hotel owners with centralized online tools to help them manage their business
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  • hotels can use it to maintain full control over every aspect of the process, from booking, to marketing, to online reputation managemen
  • the funding will help innRoad accelerate its offerings on that side of the equation, which will help hoteliers connect directly with potential guests, something that provides long-term financial benefits over dealing with online intermediaries like Expedia and others
  • innRoad offers a lot of value to small hotels looking to get the tools they need to compete with bigger players
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    This article is about innRoad a New York based company that specializes in delivering SaaS and web based PMS and software solutions specifically targeted at independent hotels. The article mentions how the company just received almost $6 Million dollars to invest in expanding and and building their sales team. The CEO of the company brings up an interesting point about brands, and mentions that its becoming less and less about he size or name of the brand but rather how your peers and others rate their experience in a particular hotel. This will provide leverage for smaller independent hotels to gain popularity and grow. InnRoad's software is doing big things to help its clients better connect with customers and manage their properties.
rebecca Bonet

Why Go For a Property Management System and Get the Best Deal for Your Hotel - WhaTech - 1 views

  • Equipped with several advantages, property management systems are the rage in the hospitality industry currently.
  • Today the popularity of the web based hotel software has reached the corners of the earth and has managed to help hotels of all kinds.
  • If we start recalling the advantages of a property management system, the first thing that comes to mind is its cloud computing ability.
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  • Today everyone is using the Internet for almost everything.
  • The booking process is also very simple. A few clicks and a user can get a room booked into a hotel.
  • Hotelogix Property Management System can be used for managing multiple properties.
  • Property management systems can equip to serve in many more areas and this is the sole reason why more hotels and hotel managers are using web based hotel software to manage their work.
  • Today the popularity of the web based hotel software has reached the corners of the earth and has managed to help hotels of all kinds. Irrespective of their sizes, small, mid-sized hotels and large hotels are being greatly benefitted from web based hotel software.
  • The web based system enables hotels to keep their data in secured locations that cannot be encrypted easily
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    This article talks about why so many hotels go for PMS, based on the advantages of PMS, hotels began to find out that PMS is really useful and helpful. And people would like to choose PMS as it is very convenient for people to use. It also talks about cloud computing ability of property management system. As people are used to use internet, PMS can equip to serve in many areas.
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    This article talks about hot hotel are using more PMS, especially big and small hotel of all kind. Property Management systems are used in a lot of hotel because it is a secured data base system. This helps hotels limitless data storage space. Also, since everyone is using the internet for almost everything. Guest are using more of the hotel property management system to find out what available in different hotel. Hotel employee love the property management system, especially when it managing multiple properties. For example, manage a chain of hotel distributed. This is the reason why hotel is using this application to improve their standard across the world.
mbake046

Cashless Payments Go Mainstream In Unattended POS Markets | Articles | Article Archives | Vending Times Inc. - 0 views

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    This article talk about the beginning of the unattended POS systems. Cashless transactions were becoming very popular a few years ago and not many people were carrying cash especially the younger people. These unattended POS systems made things easier with just a swipe. Being able to purchase things from the vending machines with a credit card or paying your phone bill in store at a kiosk with cash or credit card. These systems are making things more accessible for consumers. This articles again talks about the beginnings and the accessibility of the system.
Donald Wojciechowski

Aloha POS System Review for Restaurants - Gourmet Marketing - 1 views

  • Aloha Point-Of-Sale software is one of the industry leaders in restaurant POS systems and most restaurant owners have some familiarity with the system.
  • Critics of the software feel that the costs are too high, and customers must pay for every upgrade.
  • Large operations and chain stores gain many benefits from Aloha software, but smaller restaurants might consider other options or buy limited versions of Aloha for their immediate needs.
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  • Most POS systems make it easy for staff to learn how to use them, but Aloha surpasses industry standards by offering more than 300 training modules to educate employees and management teams.
  • System tools track frequent diners, store customer-feedback information and analyze in-store and online ordering statistics to help managers craft better advertising campaigns.
  • Ordering strategies prove critical to restaurant success because perishable foods have limited shelf lives, and this software helps to develop restaurant specials to use highly perishable ingredients within acceptable time guidelines.
  • Faster processing speeds empower real-time seating strategies, incorporate customer requests and give more accurate waiting-time estimates.
  • Technology advances create increasingly affordable POS options such as wireless devices that might offer easier transitions for small restaurants. Many smaller operations find the cost of Aloha systems a significant obstacle.
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    This article gives a good short look at the pros and cons of the Aloha POS system. The system is one of the most popular POS systems used in the industry. Aloha is currently used by small independent restaurants, local franchises, and national chains. The system is said to be a blend of many systems. NCR recently purchases Radiant Systems the developer of Aloha. The system includes both hardware and software. Some of the benefits of the system include the large number of training modules. Operationally the system has a "intelligent tracking system including on-screen dashboards that update in real-time to assist in management decisions in both FOH and BOH areas". In addition, the system can "personalized service by identifying repeat customers, remembering their preferences and keeping track of VIP guests". Back office features that are included with the system are labor assignments and work schedules. The systems also can keep track of maintenance, cleaning schedules, and daily duties. On the management side the system is said to provide "complete system control". Some critics of the system say the disadvantages are that the costs are too high and that restaurants pay for every upgrade. The quality of service depends on the quality of the local vender. Hardware may need to be changed with new upgrades is software adding to the high costs than expected by customers. After reading this article my feeling is that for an small independent restaurant the Aloha system might not seem like a good choice after considering the total cost of the system. Smaller, less complex systems seems like the way to go.
Pradeep Kumar

Hotel in Delhi Karol Bagh - 0 views

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    Citi International is a popular Budget Hotel in Karol Bagh. It caters to both business and leisure traveller. Citi International is a top choice amongst Karol Bagh budget hotels. It is located at walking distance from Karol bagh metro station.
Chris Cardoso

Regus Plans Reveal Rising Popularity of Serviced Offices | OfficeBroker.com - 0 views

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    Regus, a British company that has expanded into the united states, offers serviced offices, which are business centers that a company can hire to perform normal business functions (meetings, presentations, networking, etc.) Regus has over 1,500 center online and is planning on reaching 2,000 by the end of 2014. The advantage of using Regus is from having utmost flexibility on where and when your company will perform a business function.
Alyssa Westmeyer

Hotel technology trends that are changing how hotels do business - 1 views

  • Choice created the software in 2003 as an inexpensive solution for franchisees of its economy brands.
  • The PMS had a lot of growing pains at first, but eventually it became more and more cloud enabled and was adopted across the company.
  • “A lot of companies had outsourced their IT and now they’re bringing it back in house because they can do almost everything they need on the cloud or through software as a service.
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  • Switching to the cloud from a client server platform pays off with a big drop in both the initial capital outlay and the ongoing operating costs for the property management and other systems.
  • pects of a franchisee’s business, from guest check-ins and housekeeping services to billing and finances. Over time new features have been rolled into the software platform making it more robust and useful for hotel owners—it’s currently distributed in eight countries and available in four languages. And while plenty of cloud-based PMS packages are now available from third-party vendors like Micros, Maestro, and RoomKey, Choice’s internal solution has garnered its fair share of attention. “We had been getting knocks on the door from IT vendors at other hotel companies and individual Choice franchisees that own other brands, saying they were interested in our product,” says Pacious, “So we set up a new division so we could take a look at other opportunities we could develop.” This led the company to launch SkyTouch last year, a new division that develops and markets cloud-based software solutions to hotels inside and outside the Choice system. Pages: 1 2 3 4 2013-06-18 Sean Downey !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })(); (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); inShare0 Related Articles attachment-3
  • his led the company to launch SkyTouch last year, a new division that develops and markets cloud-based software solutions to hotels inside and outside the Choice system. Pages: 1 2 3 4 2013-06-18 Sean Downey !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })(); (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); inShare0 Related Articles Hotel Market Insight: Cleveland a
  • This led the company to launch SkyTouch last year, a new division that develops and markets cloud-based software solutions to hotels inside and outside the Choice system.
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    Choice Hotels has been a industry leader in the cloud PMS movement. They identified the opportunity to create their own platform 10 years ago when cloud was barely on the radar and have now successfully distributed it to 5,500 of their properties. Unique functionality built into the system is internet redundancy via cellular data plan, company-wide campaign pop-up messages to staff, interface to Pegasus and revenue management through predictive analytics. The platform has been so successful that, in response to inquiries from other companies who wanted to use Choice's proprietary system themselves, they created an additional revenue stream by establishing a separate company that sells and creates custom cloud PMS systems. One advantage pointed out is that managers no longer need to be on property to access and make changes to their PMS. While this is hugely beneficial to the majority of the industry (who already work long hours and visit the property on their day off), there may be some who take advantage of the situation. If this becomes the case, less oversight at the property means that operations has the potential to slip. It doesn't seem that this is a concern for Choice Hotels but it should be considered.
Michaela Gave

Digital Gifting Is Trending in the Hospitality Industry - 0 views

  • Mercator further projects the 2013 holiday volume of digital gifting will exceed $1 billion
  • Some related consumer m-commerce facts include: 59 percent are interested in using mobile as a form of payment 50 percent of U.S. consumers shop with mobile devices 61 percent are interested in checking balances 59 percent are interested in organizing and tracking gift cards and loyalty via mobile 76 percent want an alternative to carrying everything in their wallets 12 percent of mobile U.S. subscribers who receive a text message (SMS) advertisement  tend to respond quickly; practitioners claim that offers sent via SMS convert 10 times to 20 times higher than either email or direct mail deals.
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    Summary: The variety of gifting options has grown from a simple plastic gift card to virtual cards delivered by email, text, debit/credit cards and more. The prediction for 2013 will exceed a billion dollars of digital gifting for the holiday season and continue to grow. Digital gift cards have made giving easy due to the convenience of redemption. Paper coupons have proven to be successful to draw in consumer activity, but the digital revolution in virtual gifting is expected to explode as people are so connected to their mobile devices. Even with the convenience and growing popularity of digital gifting comes barriers and security issues. Such issues include personal banking security and privacy. Some small to midsize businesses may not be able to participate in digital gifting due to cost barriers or lack of technology. Due to electronic process, paper receipts will be obsolete. Computers aren't perfect so how does one resolve dollar discrepancies. One benefit of virtual giving is the bar codes/QR codes. Companies are able to collect and retain additional information of givers and receivers by scanning the bar code/QR Code. Often people are reluctant to provide contact information, but in this case they aren't being asked, they have no choice. This is a benefit to the companies because they can make other promotional offers to engage and possibly retain both parties, thereby increasing sales. There are a variety of methods of virtual gifting and redemption. One example is Giftly. Giftly adds the value of the gift to the recipient's credit or debit card which can be used anywhere. This is super convenient for many people and they are able to choose whatever they wish rather than receive a gift chosen for them. This is certainly the digital age version of sending a check via mail to a loved one. Other corporate examples that have impacted the transition from plastic gift cards to virtual gifting are Burger King, Dunkin Donuts, Applebee's and Starbu
ypere044

The Top 7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2014 - 0 views

  • top online marketing trends of 2014
  • Content Marketing Will be Bigger Than Ever
  • concentrate on inbound marketing, by producing valuable, engaging content designed for a specific audience
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  • Social Media Marketing Will Require More Diversity
  • it has become common for businesses to branch out and experiment with multiple networks with the aim of reaching the maximum amount of consumers. This diversification seems to prove fruitful for many companies because it often builds brand equity by making it easier for consumers to recognize a particular brand.
  • Image-Centric Content Will Rule
  • well-placed pictures to break content up and emphasize certain points
  • Less Will be More
  • The’re now making efforts to tone-down their campaign messages and not overwhelm consumers with hype
  •   Mobile-Friendly Content Will Be Necessary
  • it’s necessary for companies to create content that’s accessible to mobile users
  • Ad Retargeting Will Grow in Effectiveness
  • it works by utilizing browser cookies to track the websites that users visit. Once they leave a certain site, the products or services they viewed will be shown to them again in advertisements across different websites.
  • SEO and Social Signals Will Become Even More Intertwined
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    This article was about online marketing trends that will prevail in 2014. More and more companies are resorting to using online marketing finding success in its branding and audience growth. The trends that I think will make the biggest impact are that of content marketing being bigger than ever, image-centric content ruling, and mobile-friendly content being necessary. Out of the 7 mentioned trends I believe that these three will have the biggest impact because they are the most necessary. With content marketing, companies should focus more on inbound marketing that is tailored to a specific audience. Image-centric content should be a big hit because its basically that an ad should be simple to understand in order to convey a message. Like the saying says, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Finally, mobile-friendly content is becoming more popular and with the widespread use of mobile devices and tablets, companies are looking for ways to make their content more accessible to users. 
tkasischke

iPad, Tablet Point-of-Sale Systems Gain Popularity - 1 views

  • An iPad looks modern and sleek, the device’s mobility gives a merchant greater flexibility in serving customers, and the cash-register software available for a tablet costs considerably less.
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    In this article, mobile POS systems are discussed. Popularity of these devices such as iPad and other tablets are constantly growing. Point of sale computers can cost upwards of $20,000 which is a pretty penny for a restaurant. If restaurants were to switch to tablets and mobile POS systems, the cost wouldn't be the only benefit. With the iPads and tablets, owners and managers can track how many guests enter the restaurant on a daily basis. Inventory is kept up-to-date and is easily accessible for corporations. An interesting point made in the article is "In the same way that some customers continue to write checks in an age of online banking, some merchants will continue to use the older point-of-sale systems out of habit." The times are changing and technology is improving every day. The mobile POS systems allow for small businesses especially to use the money saved for something that can benefit the restaurant- perhaps new equipment for the kitchen. This article describes a program that PayPal recently began to offer. PayPal agreed " to waive transaction fees for the remainder of the year if a business replaces its cash register with an iPad operating PayPal's free mobile-payment technology." The top three tablet POS systems are Groupon, Square and NCR. Each of these have their pros and cons, but over all, they are significantly less expensive than the only bulky POS system.
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    Being a technology kid it is interesting to see how things use to be even just a few short years ago. The different 10 years can make in the POS systems restaurants use is a huge. As times continue to change, most restaurants will be going from POS terminals to POS tablets. Changing to tablets is much more cost effective especially for smaller businesses that need to save wherever possible. Just like when POS terminals came out, there are now a number of tablet POS systems to choose from. Big companies like Groupon and Square have POS systems created for different hospitality segments. Although there are some wonderful creations with the tablets, this form of technology is not made for every business. It gave an example of a company who opened with tablets but within a year forked over much more for the traditional POS system.
Ruoxi Wang

The Technology You Need in Today's Meeting Industry | UniFocus - 0 views

  • According to "The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy", the first of its kind quantitative research-based analysis on the subject, meetings and conventions support over 1.7 million jobs throughout the U.S. alone. The 1.8 million recorded meetings and conventions held throughout the country in 2011 directly contributed an excess of $106 billion dollars to the Gross Domestic Product with all indicators pointing towards industry growth between 2012 -2020. In essence, meetings mean business…..Big Business!
  • When asked how planners prefer to communicate with their venue partners, the overwhelming response was: electronically (laptops, tablets and smartphones).
  • Planners’ opinions of the technology most important to them for choosing a meeting/event venue in 2013 yielded the following results: High Speed Wi-Fi accessibility Web Conferencing Video Conferencing Although not as important as the above, planners also indicated that the following technologies were also of importance depending on the nature of the meeting/event: Virtual Meeting Environments Portable Audio/Visual Electronic Way-Finding Signage
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  • With 83% of meeting planners agreeing that video conferencing is poised to become a must have for venues over the next 2 to 3 years, the question that arises is, “how will meetings/events be evolving in the near future?” Recognizing that the majority of planners do not believe that technological advancements are likely to reduce the need for in-person meetings, if the attitudes of meeting planners’ technological demands persist, and hotels/venues embrace higher technology, they can stay ahead of the curve.
  • It is safe to say that in today’s ever growing International Meeting and Convention Industry, venues that continue to advance their technological assets will continue to enjoy a competitive advantage over those that go without. Yet, those venues that proactively integrate their technologies with their positioning and pricing strategies will be best set to see their competitive advantages continually sustained.
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    Meeting industry is fast growing industry in nowadays. It can generate a lot of revenues and provide a large amount of job opportunities for the nation. And the trend of this industry is technology based. Meeting planers and suppliers prefer electronically communication. And video conference is becoming more and more popular. It is safe to say that in today' meeting and convention industry, venues that continues to advance their technological assets will continue to enjoy a competitive advantages over those that go without.
dstro007

How Cruise Lines are Greening their Game - Green Me Locally - 0 views

  • cruise vacations
  • to be one of the most popular forms of tourism
  • There are over 230 cruise ships in operation worldwide, many of which can carry up to 3,000 passengers and crewmembers.
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  • international market for cruises in 2010 included about 18.3 million tourists
  • Caribbean region is the most popular in destination, with 41.02%
  • Cruise lines can have a great influence on destinations, however there are environmental impacts to know about, including bilge water, waste, and air pollution.
  • Trends in the cruise industry are changing for the better in terms of environmental awareness and sustainability.
  • Royal Caribbean
  • Holland America
  • Celebrity Cruises
  • Norwegian Cruise Lines
  • Costa Cruise Lines
  • they should all go beyond the minimum and establish an even better standard to follow
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    In today's society, going green is become more and more important. Especially in the hospitality industry, companies are looking for ways to save a dollar and be more energy efficient. Same thing goes for cruise lines. With so many tourists traveling by ship every year, it is important for these cruise corporations to follow regulations and set their own standards for upholding the law. So far the leader of the pack, Royal Caribbean, has qualified for certifications. They have their staff trained in the company's Environmental Management System. Holland America, Celebrity, Norwegian, and Costa are also following suit by implementing their own green initiatives. 
dstro007

Point-of-Sale Attacks Leverage Weak Remote Security and Passwords - Blog - Duo Security - 0 views

  • Weak remote security and passwords contribute to 94 percent of point-of-sale (PoS) breaches
  • The report found that much of the food and beverage and hospitality compromises were due to the dependence on remote access software to remotely manage locations and payment systems.
  • But many times, remote access software were deployed with weak or default credentials, making them a prime target for criminals.
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  • In a breakdown of types of IT environments most frequently compromised, POS systems and assets were associated with 95 percent of breaches in the food and beverage industry
  • One example is the breach of Eataly,
  • The company reported that their Manhattan retail location was hacked and malware was installed to capture payment card transaction data.
  • The conclusion is, remote access credentials appear to be a common theme among most POS breach cases, which calls for a specific technical approach to eliminating this risk and the liability of weak authentication security for remote application logins.
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    In a report generated by Trustwave Global Security shows that about 94% of POS hacks are contributed by weak remote access. The hospitality industry seems to have taken the hardest hit. We know of the grueling schedules that come with working in our industry and how we all can't be there seven days a week. So when management are in the comfort of their relaxation area and remotely access the POS systems, they seem to be leaving the doors open for hackers to enter, as well. "In a breakdown of types of IT environments most frequently compromised, POS systems and assets were associated with 95 percent of breaches in the food and beverage industry" (Pham). One popular hospitality establishment that has reported a breach is the New York location of Eataly. The thought process behind why these hacks are happening has not been figured out yet, but the idea has been tossed around that it is because of the credentials used to remote access. The temporary solution is to create a double layer security system, also known as two-factor authentication. By doing it this way, you can log in using your credentials, but then have a second login that needs to be verified by way of sending codes and authentications to technologies that you would have in your possession (cell phones, emails, etc.) so no one else can access that information.
tkasischke

Hotels Use Technology to Boost Security | International Meetings Review - 0 views

  • Smaller and cheaper cameras, smarter key card systems and communication among hotels add up to a more closely watched environment than in the past but criminals are also using new technology to foil security measures and execute scams.
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    As technology advances so do hackers and criminals. Hotels are placing more cameras in public areas to keep their guests safer. Because cameras are becoming much more popular they are easier to attain and cheaper for hotels to have more than one. Another form of security hotels have been using is key systems. You can track what key and who it was that entered into any room. But hotels are even taking it farther where the guests must use their key in the elevator to get to their floor. All of these steps are in place for the safety and security of the hotel guests. But we still need to be careful as hackers and criminals are coming up with new ways to get hotel stayers. They have even gotten creative enough to make their own Wi-Fi to get guests information. Security teams and hackers will always be neck in neck for who is ahead of the game.
anonymous

Trends and New Technology in Hospitality for 2014. - Tuesday, 8th July 2014 at 4Hoteliers - 2 views

  • A survey reports that 72 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations; in 2014, review sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp will continue to become more influential as users look for ways to make their world a bit smaller and more personalized.
  • As members of the general leisure industry, hospitality businesses must therefore cater to the early adopters, the tech-savvy, and the novices in one fell swoop—and staying ahead of the curve requires an inexhaustible spirit and a knowledge of industry trends.
  • As members of the general leisure industry, hospitality businesses must therefore cater to the early adopters, the tech-savvy, and the novices in one fell swoop—and staying ahead of the curve requires an inexhaustible spirit and a knowledge of industry trends.
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    Like any industry, the field of tourism and hospitality must be competitive and technologically advanced. The article addresses six technological trends within the hospitality industry. 1. Virtual reservations - A significant number of patrons reserve their hotels via a computer or mobile device. Thus travel booking websites have become more popular. 2. Virtual check-in and ordering - Check-in kiosks cut down on customer wait time (long lines, short staff, etc.). More hotels and restaurants will be making use of these technologies. As technology advances, consumers shouldn't be surprised to see more futuristic options such as voice recognition, fingerprint and retina ID. 3. Travelers with multiple devices - Hotels have to be conscientious of this fact in terms of room design, public (hotel) space and structure. Customers want to feel secure that they (and their devices) can be properly accommodated. 4. Hospitality staff with multiple devices - This trend is a win-win for employees and customers. Employees can better meet the needs of their customers no matter their location (poolside, bar, lobby, etc.). Also, by collecting data, businesses have a better understanding of customer needs and preferences. Customers have the freedom to be more mobile (in any area of the hotel) without feeling disconnected or not being able to have their needs met. 5. High tech meeting and public space - Hotel meeting rooms and lobbies are receiving technological make-overs to accommodate users who rely on multiple devices. This is great for business as it creates an environment that is conducive to conducting technologically advanced meetings and conferences in a comfortable setting. 6. Online reviews - These reviews are crucial to businesses as well as consumers. On the business end, companies will be able to gauge their effectiveness in all areas via honest customer feedback. Consumers have the opportunity to make better choices after reading reviews based on ot
ravicka

TripAdvisor launches green initiative for sustainable travel - Blue and Green Tomorrow - 0 views

  • Jenny Rushmore, director of responsible travel at TripAdvisor, said, “We know a lot of travellers in Europe want to be savvy about the eco-friendly choices they make on holiday but they don’t always know where to go to find that information. “What makes TripAdvisor GreenLeaders so useful is that we are now providing travellers with an easy way to compare hotels’ green practices alongside the millions of reviews already on the site.”
  • John Alker, director of policy and communications at UK Green Building Council, added, “For the hotel and leisure sector, going green is not only the right thing to do, it’s just good business. Green should be viewed as another aspect of quality.
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    As people continue to move towards a lifestyle that is sustainable and eco-friendly so to are their choices re travel. Llaria Bertini in her ariticle "TripAdvisor launches green initiative for sustainable travel" highlights how the popular travel site TripAdvisor has launched an initiative to assist European travelers in making hotel choices that suit their lifestyle. The initiative called "TripAdvisor Green Leaders" came about as a result of travelers need to stay at more eco-friendly accomodation. Despite that need they had difficulty in obtaining information about hotel practices. Jenny Rushmore, director of responsible travel at TripAdvisor said "We know a lot of travellers in Europe want to be savvy about eco-friendly choices they make on holiday but they don't alwyas know where to go to find that information, " thus the initiative was born. Trip Advisor came on board to provide information for travelers re hotel Green practices , to compare offerings of various hotels as well as to provide reviews not only based on what the hoteliers would provide but from the perspective of persons who would have had a first hand experience at the property. As going green becomes a more acceptable approach for many things in various areas of our lives the hospitality and tourism industry is no exception. As John Alker,director of policy and communication at UK Green Building Council said " For the hotel and leisure sector, going green is not only the right thing to do, its just good business. " TripAdvisor initiative allows us to know which properties are taking the steps towards sustatainability in one place.
ravicka

E-Commerce for the Hospitality Industry | News | The Moscow Times - 0 views

  • a list of the basic e-commerce strategies that will help to get the best from the Internet world.
  • Site download speed is one of the most important ranking factors in organic search.
  • We forget that the human brain can only consume limited information.
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  • ensure that your landing pages clearly reflect the offer promoted in the ad copy and includes clear calls to action and conversion factors.
  • Maps, photo galleries, videos and press releases are creative ways to distribute content on different channels.
  • 93 percent of social media users expect companies to have a social presence. 85 percent of social media users want companies to interact with them on social sites.
  • changing one word in a headline increased sales over 3 times
  • Search-friendly web site design
  • Improve conversion and usability. With the increasing volume of information that hoteliers are trying to provide travelers, it is key for hotels to focus on usability and conversion.
  • Paid search. This instantly drives targeted, qualified traffic to the web site and increases conversions.
  • Real time search — natural ranking. Building strong sites with compelling fresh content, and quality incoming links will always be essential for any site.
  • Hotels can leverage the mobile market by optimizing their site for mobile phones, improving the download speed of their site by avoiding heavy graphics and flash, making sure their site is mobile compatible, and promoting mobile sites across all platforms including paid, social and local.
  • Embracing social media.
  • A well-planned social initiative can turn fans into brand evangelists.
  • Hoteliers need to ensure that they are using the full potential of the Internet.
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    With the rapid growth and increased use of the Internet over the past 2 decades, industry professional Andrey Smirnov gives 7 tips to other industry leaders on maximizing their presence in e-commerce and in consumer minds: (1) make your website quick to download and easy to find; (2) organize content by prioritizing information; (3) when offering promotions, clearly reflect it with a call to action; (4) distribute 'fresh' content on different channels (i.e., photo galleries, press releases, etc.); (5) maximize on mobile marketing; (6) embrace social media; and (7) continually improve by testing new things.
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    The internet is constantly changing, the way we communicate and they way we do business. The hospitality industry is always quick to capitalize on new technologies. However, the e-commerce growth in the hospitality industry has created an urgent need for simple changes to companies' presence online. So when every hotel is involved in e-commerce, why is it so important today? It is simple. Today, the internet is the lowest cost hotel-booking channel. As well as now, most travelers are searching and making hotel reservations online. Lastly, social media and online hotel reviews are increasing and have made an important decision factor. Now, hoteliers need to keep focus on what information customers are seeking and what they are looking for online. There are a few basic strategies that will help drive usage from the internet world. Some of those are: vave a search-friendly website, focus on usability and conversation taking a holistic approach and prioritize information, and lastly make websites compatible for mobile phones. If hoteliers can use the full potential of the internet, they will maximize their return on investment in e-commerce. The hospitality industry needs to constantly learn and look for ways to use the new developments and trends.
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    Andrey Smirnov in his article "E-Commerce for the Hospitality Industry highlights how the internet has changed the way business is done not only in the hospitality industry but as a whole. He stresses the importance of e-commerce in the hospitatlity industry and why hoteliers must utilise strategies to ensure they make the most of the marketing and sales opportunties the internet provides. There are a few things that hoteliers must do to make the most of what the internet provides. They include: (1) Search Friendly Website Design - "site download speed is one of the most important ranking factors in organic search" says Smirnov therfore hoteliers must ensure that their site is properly designed and compatible across any browser, any items that causes the site to perform poorly shoud be eliminated as internet users similar to hotel guests tend to only visit sites where they can receive the best experience yet. (2) Improve conversion and Usability - content on website must be properly organised and users must not be bombaded by information. (3)Search - Hoteliers must focus on Paid searches as well as Real time search to increase traffic. Paid searches ensure that your targeted traffic are directed right to you. Whereas with a great web design with strong content that is also timely the natural ranking of the oranisation website can be increased thus increasing tracffic to it. (4)Mobile - Mobile devices have become a popular means of conducting e-business related activities for consumers therefore the hotel that ensures that their online services are accessible from mobile devices will be putting themselves ahead of the game. (5) Embracing Social Media - According to Smirnov 93 percent of social media users expect companies to have a social presence and 85 percent of social media users want companies to interact with them on social sites. With this being said one can see why a social media presence is one that cannot be overlooked. It is important that co
Jessica Schwec

7 technologies that are transforming the hospitality industry | Hospitality Magazine - 4 views

  • Despite the many changes that are being brought on by these technologies, the truth is that they are there to enhance, not to replace, the core offerings of a hospitality business.
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    The hospitality industry is experiencing a technological transformation. Current technology is improving and being put to better or new uses. According to this article in Hospitality Magazine, there are seven technologies that are taking the industry by storm. 1. Online Booking Systems I agree with the many industry insiders that now consider an online booking system essential. Penetrating the online marketplace is an absolutely mandatory part of the formula for success. However, opinions differ when it comes to how to accomplish this aspiration. As expressed in the article "Taking back control of the direct channel for hotels" posted on the class ScoopIt!, using online travel agents as a properties online booking system has easy setup and maintenance but lacks true customization and can put a sizable dent in profit margins, but building and utilizing a 100 percent customized system does not necessarily grant instant access to hundreds of travels sites on the web. Over all, I am of the opinion that online travel agents are still the best option-for now-because the pros out way the cons. 2. Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) Primarily used for mobile or self-ordering, EPOS systems can replace waitresses' use of paper orders and remote/hidden POS systems. In my opinion, this streamlines the look of the restaurant floor and provides better and more instantaneous service. Panera Bread uses self-order tablets as some of their locations that allow customers who know what they want to order traditional menu items quickly and independently. Having used this system, I find it more of a novelty than a convenience because the system isn't exactly self-explanatory. Currently, the technology is much more enjoyable as an aid to waitresses where the restaurant can experience increased efficiency and a higher standard of service while guests can experience the "that's cool" factor without the frustration of having to navigate the service themselves.
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    3. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) CRM technology provides efficient electronic storage and management of contracts and customer information and many versions also feature cloud-based applications that provide easy access to frontline employees. Electronic storage and online back-up are not totally new ideas (i.e. the floppy disc) and despite the long way these technologies have come is, in my opinion, not enough to do away completely with paper back ups. Even with electronic files, my previous property kept basic papers for 1 year and more sensitive files for much longer. Basically, CRM technology is something we should utilize more, but I doubt many will do away with a paperback up system anytime soon. 4. Marketing Automation Automatic email and text communications have been made possible by the development and improvement of marketing automation technology. Having worked with this type of technology, there is not an overabundance of companies/technologies from which to chose; however, the technology available various greatly in effectiveness and quality. In my opinion, Constant Contact is the best marriage of quality and ease of use for marketing automation technology available. This type of marketing can really step us a properties game, but beware of poor performing products. 5. Social Media According to the article, photos are the most popular posts by social media users, but the arena has become a bonafide space for reviews. While sites such as TripAdvisor and Expedia provide a niche arena for travel/tourism/hospitality related communication, general social media sites also invite open, unfiltered discussion. Whole social media is BIG, it is important for companies to assess and utilize only the social media outlets that their demographic are actively using.
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    6. Smartphones Smartphones are already super convenient. They are constantly being integrated and synced with our daily lives. Applications such as Apple Pay, in combination with CapitalOne, have provided another level of integration. Currently, there is talk and work on guests being able to use their cell phones as hotel room keys but I wouldn't be surprised if in the future we will have QR Code or RFID storage for our driver licenses, insurance policies and other important information. 7. Smart Appliances A part of American households for sometime, smart appliances are beginning to make their way into the hospitality industry. Luxuries such as electronically controlled blinds, thermostats, lights and more are something we can expect to see in hotels sometime in the future. My biggest concern is the time between now and implementation because while these products are available for purchase by consumers directly, they have not taken off nor seemed to gain any ground in the typical household. Could the hospitality industry be just as slow to adopt these technologies? I believe that it is likely so-mainly due to the high cost of implementation. In conclusion, technology is still advancing and most industries are feeling the pressure to update existing technology and adopt new technology. In the hospitality industry this is especially true.
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