Group items matching

in title, tags, annotations or url

Fairmont Hotels has reduced their CO2 output significantly "Over the last few years, Fairmont has identified and implemented a number of key initiatives to help reduce its carbon footprint.  These have included the creation of an internal framework to track, monitor and report on key energy and carbon data, appointing regional champions to oversee audit and data controls, and the introduction of a new Engineer of the Year award to recognize and reward outstanding environmental performance. "  This is very exciting to read that a hotel is physically attempted to make a positive change in order to better the environment. Fairmont is advancing by promising to reduce carbon and add efficient boilers, and a waste management system that will convert waste into energy! 

Hotels are jumping on board the hypo allergenic train. Many hotels are transforming some of their rooms to allergy free rooms. Redesigning the rooms from the ground up is difficult, and quite expensive, but many hotels think it will pay off. The air filtration systems are the first to be replaced. The carpet is removed and mattress casings are put on the beds to remove any chance of bed bugs, dust mites, or any other allergy causing agents. At the Hilton in Chicago, one room renovation is about $12,000, and they charge an extra $25 a night. The cost of being healthy may be worth it. The recycled air and dust affect many people daily especially at hotels. If the pillows can be altered and little steps to increase the air quality, then I believe the payoffs will greatly surpass the initial costs.

The Sorell Hotel Ador is a leader in hotel sustainability. In this article they discuss the many different ways the hotel is sustainable. Not only are they installing products that will reduce environmental impact, but they are also working with other programs outside of their hotels. They are also focusing on important factors of sustainability such as economic issues, cultural issues and of course as mentioned before environmental issues.

Briggo has invested greatly in new technology that is estimated to be a game-changer in the coffee service industry. New 'robot baristas' do everything from grind coffee beans to fill the espresso cup and the customer doesn't have to do anything but order on their smartphone and pick up the coffee. Preferences are saved for convenience and the brew is precise each and every time. While the success of this technology is uncertain, it is promising. Time will tell what the market reaction will be long term but the initial feedback has been positive and certainly if the technology works some section of the existing coffee market will suffer.

It can be very difficult for hotels to practice an Eco-friendly stay for travelers with water, energy , and waste being consumed 24/7. However, some hotels are taking initiates in following the green program and some travelers are right on board with the cause. It has been surveyed that 47% of travelers said it is important for them to stay in green-certified hotels. Another few reasons why hotels are starting to implement these practices are government regulations, saving money, and respect for the environment and the natural surrounding. This article explains the three crucial areas (water, energy, and waste)that can be turned into environmental friendly practices.

The "Going Green" trend has been a true blessing since it's marketability took birth several years ago. Many industries are taking advantage of this technological and ecological trend. There has never been a better time than now to turn our business ethics into the direction of a better world. Basic utility expenses at any hotel or business can sometimes make or break their existence. Technology today has given us the tools to give back to both our beautiful Earth and our bottom dollar. Luxury brands and all the like are implementing new green policies and technologies that will cut costs and even beautiful their environments. By the end of 2015 The Intercontinental Hotels Group plans on equipping over 4,000 of their hotels with a system that monitors and assists in energy use and conservation. They have a goal of reducing their overall water use by 12% in California in part due to the severe ongoing drought. The Loews in Santa Monica Beach is investing $96,000 in a laundry-water recycling system. It will recycle nearly 70% of water use and pay for itself in less than 2 years. Apart from it's ability to cut-costs and truly give back to the environment, "going green" is highly marketable. One of the Intercontinental's General Managers was quoted saying "It's not a huge savings. I think it's about sending the right message." I have personally seen many RFPs from large corporate companies that request green-initiatives from hotels. Improving sustainability is important to the customer and the establishment. Around 60% of travelers consider green initiatives when selecting a destination and activity. Of those 60%, over half said they would even pay more to stay at an establishment that respected and helped improve the environment. In a world where we are fortunate enough to live in excess should we choose to, it's a shame it took this long for a global movement to "go green". Sustainability alone has built such a giant indu

Security has different meanings in different countries and is extremely important in creating and maintaining international leisure travel. In the United States this means technology: security cameras and monitoring, rapid communication and response technology. In developing countries such as Nigeria, the security conversation centers around much more primitive ideas. "A hospitality and tourism consultant, Emeka Attamah, has made a case for the establishment of 'Local Tourist Security'…in Nigeria." This idea centers on the belief that locals should be involved in the policing of public places because they are well versed in the terrain and the criminals that operate in these areas and are therefore in the best position to fish them out. After all, the success or failure of a tourism destination depends largely in part on how safe tourists perceive the destination to be. The idea of a Local Tourist Security in countries such as Nigeria means recruiting indigenous youth to provide surveillance and security near tourist sites. There are benefits and disadvantages to this proposal. These individuals will be well versed in the region and the people who live there. Many of them will have lived in the area for generations and have insider knowledge on who's who and where's where of the town in which they are operating. However, these youth would be more malleable and perceptive to outside influence. More than likely they would be easier to pressure into certain ways of thinking or actions than their adult counterparts. In addition, initiatives such as Local Tourist Security seem to potentially promote child labor (although potentially milder than the stigma would have us believe), which is looked down upon internationally. In conclusion, Local Tourist Security groups may be the best answer for areas such as Nigeria at the current time, but security in these countries is still miles behind the developed world. As a result these measure may attra

Malaysia and Southeast Asia is slowly but surely adapting strategic social media and e-marketing into their small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This article focuses on the opposing views on how these tools are being utilized and adapted to help these small businesses. Scicom Education Group's head of Creative Services Vernon Adrian Emuang is confident that Malaysia is ahead of the games in terms of social media and "widespread public engagement". This may sound like a far cry considering that 64 percent of the SMEs in Mayalsia were not engaging in social media in 2012. Emuang emphasizes the impact that social media can have, considering that SMEs account for 99 percent of the 5 million registered Malaysian businesses. Zeno Group Malaysia's CEO told The Establishment Post that "lack of knowledge is holding back many of the SMEs. They feel they need not use social media for marketing purposes." Emuang also says that many of these companies are not implementing the proper technological infrastructure to support their ecommerce, should they receive an influx of traffic on their servers, etc. He even shamed the customer service that lacks the manpower to follow-up with the volume of customers. Many hotel and lodging businesses are adapting global initiatives, such as registering with Booking.com or Tripadvisor.com. These outlets allow ecommerce to flow to a much wider, international audience, boosting bookings and revenues at venues that wouldn't have otherwise. Julian Matthews, a famous Digital Media Trainer and Consultant, says companies are operating social media on a tactical rather than strategic level. The Trinetizen Media Sdn Bdn tells The Establishment Post that many companies aren't utilizing Social Media for crisis communication-something many companies we are familiar with fully rely on. In conclusion, social media adds accountability and reliability for the companies and their stakeholders.

I recall as a kid joking about the future when robots would be taking over the jobs. Well that time has come as hospitality industries are hiring robots. Robots are taking the time to complete the monotonous tasks and allowing more time for the humans to focus on guest experience. The robots are beneficial in that they can store and recall information more efficiently than the human employee. They can interact with the guests when asked questions and can provide much of the same information a human employee would. The factor to consider when hiring a robot is the initial expense, how long would it take to recuperate your investment. But on a positive note, turnover would decline because you are less likely to terminate a robot.

MOD 9: This article is about some hospitality companies based in Europe using blockchain technology for travel booking purposes. The following hospitality companies, TUI, Air New Zealand and Nordic Choice Hotels have partnered up with a company called Winding Tree, which is a blockchain travel distribution system. The article mentions that Winding Tree is based on a B2B (business to business) platform, meaning that with this new technology only the businesses will be using it internally and not so much for the consumer use. During their first two weeks, upon completion of its initial coin offering, they exceeded their initial goal by 44% in Lif tokens, valuing at US$14,418,196. Lif tokens is what the companies use to send information about transactions within Winding Tree's system. The tour operator TUI is using Winding Tree to implement their "bed swap application" which allows them efficiently to manage their inventory throughout their markets in the UK, Germany and Nordic countries. With Air New Zealand, they're hoping to implement blockchain technology for cargo and luggage tracking. However, with new advancements in technology comes the blockades and hurdles that companies have to overcome. With Winding Tree, its system is limited in processing up to seven transactions per second versus a traditional distribution system being able to process 250,000 transactions per second. Speed is a primary issue in this case so Winding Tree will need to work on that in order to enhance their speed in processing transactions.

Marriott's data breach in 2018 exposed the information of over 500,000 guests including names, addresses, and passport numbers - leading to a class-action lawsuit and falling share values. The California Consumer Privacy Act, taking effect in 2020, gives Californians the right to know what information is collected about them and where this information goes. Amazon, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Uber, AT&T and Verizon are lobbying against the CCPA, but data-security regulations are being enacted regardless to protect customers against these breaches.

This article spoke about how Marriott had given proximity marketing an initial try in 2014, and how it was so successful, they decided to bring it to an extra 500 of their hotels in 2016. They originally started with this technology to see who they targeted most effectively. Once they saw how successful it became in driving sales, they started to improve their offerings, by adding promotions tailored to locations, from local food to spa services. Overall, Marriott believes its no longer about how loyal a consumer is to a brand, but how loyal a brand is to their consumers. 

This article ties into this week's topic of sustainability and green initiatives, even though it's from 2017, which was dubbed as year of sustainable tourism by the United Nation. The hospitality industry is guilty of having a large annual footprint. Today's traveler is more eco-conscious then ever and is always looking for hotels and properties who support their mindset. The hospitality industry is hopping on the green train and taking action to set precedent for their competitors. Many big cities along with celebrities are promoting the idea of sustainable and conscious living and hospitality, making it the hottest trend. The hospitality industry id one the fore front of this effort because they are one the impacted businesses due to climate change. Many local economies that depend on tourism and hospitality can crumble if they don't start taking action right now. This trend will hopefully create a domino effect and influence other industries to follow suite.

New technologies have emerged in hospitality organizations that promote energy conservation while improving guest experience. Hilton has established an initiative called "Connected Room" where guests have an automated assistant in their room for tasks like turning their room lights on or off, adjusting the thermostat temperature, and changing TV channels. This assistant will also have concierge capabilities so guests can ask about attractions in the area or hotel amenities. Another technology that is in the works by a company called Cirq+ is energy management thermostats. Energy management thermostats aid in improving guest experience while conserving energy due to its ability to recognize motion and heat. The thermostat can shut off all uses of electricity once the room is vacant and turn back on once it is occupied. The software can also detect if there are maintenance complications inside of the machines. This greatly helps both the hotel and the guest by keeping up with utilities maintenance and completing check-ups when the guest is not in the room. Another eco-friendly advancement is Eco-Powr fitness machines. These machines convert movement into electricity that can in turn be used by the hotel. These three innovations will help not only to consume less energy, but also to draw in a new consumer generation, the millennials. Millennials are more interested in health, wellness, and Earth conservation more than other generations. In order to earn their business, companies must have initiatives that align with the interests of Generation Y (millennials).

This article talks about how important software is in the hospitality management industry and the different types of software that particularly businesses may use to best serve their needs. Property Management Systems provide a whole host of functions for hotels, including keeping track of guests checking in and out, monitoring room charges, and supervising the housekeeping of rooms. Because this software is so vital to the hospitality industry, there has been an upsurge by software companies trying to make their mark in the industry, which has led to a market fragmentation due to the numerous options available. This also puts a strain on managers, as there is much confusion about which software is best and the most cost-effective. There is a system to determining which management software best suits any particular company. Two key features in this process are the ROI, Return on Investment, and TCO, Total Cost of Ownership. ROI provides a cost-benefit analysis of a particular software with regards to the speed with which a company will make the money back that they invested in it, as well as the numerous features that a company would need from the software. TCO is an analysis that companies use to accurately ascertain the costs of the software. Companies should seek a lower TCO and a higher ROI when making any software purchase decisions. Because the technology market is ever changing, companies must stay up-to-date with the newest software in order to provide the best service for, and to keep up with the demands of, their guests. This can be exemplified with the recent trend in cloud-based PMS.

Going green not only helps the environment, but it invests in communities and the environment.  Many guests are looking for places to stay that offer more green trends.  

This article focuses on an effort by many luxury brands to eliminate the use of plastic single use straws to reduce their footprint and become more sustainably minded. They have moved to serve drinks without straws and instead supply biodegradable alternatives upon request. Some brands have gone even further and reduced, eliminated, and/or replaced plastic water bottles and to-go containers with their environmentally friendly alternatives. These changes have incurred costs that have either been passed on t or absorbed but have also created, in some cases such as the Cayuga's gardens bamboo straws, new business opportunities.